Steam Launch parts acquired

[archbuilder]

Re: Steam Launch parts acquired

looks like your picture isn't showing up.

 

[seikeinlemming]

Re: Steam Launch parts acquired

looks like your picture isn't showing up.

Thanks archbuilder! I have edited the post to fix it. Strange that once I clicked edit, the image showed up in the edit field. Oh well - deleted and re-added, so it should work.

 

[tazrig]

Re: Steam Launch parts acquired

The individual parts are things of beauty. When you get it all assembled it will truly be gorgeous!! Good luck with it and keep us posted.

 

[Scott Danforth]

Re: Steam Launch parts acquired

Nice project

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Steam Launch parts acquired

Great work as normal. One question, why did you cut the plywood with the rectangular hole in half between the rectangle and where the camera is? Just wondering.

 

[seikeinlemming]

Re: Steam Launch parts acquired

Great work as normal. One question, why did you cut the plywood with the rectangular hole in half between the rectangle and where the camera is? Just wondering.

archbuilder - it is difficult to see from the picture, but this is actually four separate pieces. There is a joint running port to starboard at the bow end (away from the camera) of the rectangular hole. (closeup image below). Having the deck in this many pieces will make it a lot easier to remove panels to service various parts of the boat. There will be a steering wheel pedestal placed towards the aft where the saw cuts you referenced form a 'T' (basically in the middle of the previous posts' photo).



In the above image there is about 1" of overlap, this overlap will remain in place until we have a better idea of how big of an area is required for the engine and boiler. Remember - aside from plans for the engine (and the hull which was formed by a company that designs these type things), the locations of seats, pipes, steering wheels, and boiler design, etc is up to us to decide where they work best. There are no instructions or preset ways we have to do things (obviously outside of weight balance and other boat building best practices).

 

[seikeinlemming]

Re: Steam Launch parts acquired

Ok - Here's another update. Build progress has slowed a bit as 2014 has been filled with lots of changes personally and professionally for all involved in the project, but progress keeps marching on!

Below is the casting for the crankshaft. You will see that some of the flat surfaces have been milled flat, and on the side near the camera there are three centers turned into the casting. These centers match centers on the other side. From here you can very easily line up the casting in a lathe and turn down the main shaft as well as the two cranks.

 

[Ned L]

Re: Steam Launch parts acquired

Good for you, building even the engine! Thanks for updating us.

 

[archbuilder]

Re: Steam Launch parts acquired

Very cool, I have a friend who restores a lot of early cars and has tinkered some with steam cars. Your pic reminds me of every time I walk into his shop, "ok, what is that" lol! Its nice to see a build like this moving along!

 

[GT1000000]

Re: Steam Launch parts acquired

Thank you for keeping us up to date and very glad that the project continues to move ahead, this is truly going to be a very special boat...

 

[seikeinlemming]

No Title

Another quick update on this project - both dad and I have been busy getting a new business off the ground and have had limited time to work on this boat right now, but the steering wheel is taking shape. In September I posted pictures of the steering wheel spokes. Here you can see the beginning of fitting the wheel up.

The brass center is custom machined to the desired sizes and angles and tapered to fit on a standard helm base.

You will notice three of the spokes are notched toward the middle of the wheel. These notches will fit into the brass to ensure that the wheel turns solidly and there is no slippage. We have fabricated templates out of wood be the pieces of the ring around the outside of the wheel. After everything seems to fit together nicely, we will rebuild these out of mahogany that closely matches the color of the mahogany in the spokes.

The second image of the boiler (completed and inspected) which has been moved to our shop. (You will see the hull of the steam launch behind it)

 

[Scott Danforth]

Glad to see the project progressing. Great work as always

 

[seikeinlemming]

No Title

A lot of progress is being made on the steam boat, I figured I would post an update really quick. There are quite a few of small pieces getting machined that just look like different size rods with threading on them. Today I finished up milling the base plate for the steam engine and it turned out very well. The u shaped channel that you see is where the crankshaft will run through. The large milled area towards the camera is where the supports for the cylinders will attach, as well as the water pump. There is the update for now, sorry there aren't more frequent updates at this point, lots of small parts aren't hugely interesting until they start getting pieced together to look like recognizable items.

 

[GA_Boater]

Hey, updates are updates. :smile: It's just good to know you are still turning out parts. You have the only active steamer project here. I want to see her make steam and the pressure gauge off of zero.

 

[seikeinlemming]

No Title

It's been a long year, and I only now got around to posting the progress made on the engine for the steam launch. The first photo below is of the engine base with bearing caps and other accessories installed. The lubricators on top of these caps are commercially available items which -while we could make them ourselves- were much more feasible to buy. You will also see the piston rods to the right of the base. They are now complete and this is what will move back and forth in the cylinder to turn the crank shaft.

The second photo shows a close up of the water pump that will pump water into the boiler. This is the smaller unit on the left with the piping coming out of it. The larger casting to the right is the vacuum pump which helps remove the used low pressure steam from the low pressure cylinder. These parts will be sanded and polished to a shine like the finish on the top. This will be done by hand and has no affect on the functionality of the pumps, it is strictly for cosmetic purposes.

 

[archbuilder]

Very cool thanks for the update! Your craftsman ship is outstanding and I commend you on spending the time to create such a cool project!

 

[pckeen]

Wow. That looks like it belongs in a display case somewhere.

 

[seikeinlemming]

No Title

I figured it was time to post another update. The engine is progressing slowly, we are currently working on machining the posts that hold the cylinder block above the crankshaft. That will soon be bolted to the base and I will post a photo of that assembly. Attention has turned to completion of the steering wheel. A lot of this woodwork was done by family friends with access to Woodworking tools that we do not have, but the results look fantastic. It is mounted in a custom carrying case that will protect it until the rest of the boat is complete.

 

[southkogs]

Even the case is pretty! Nice.

 

[archbuilder]

That is outstanding, very nice craftsmanship! I have really enjoyed following this build, the craftsmanship and detail are wonderful!