Some people spend years - and a fortune - building a massive 1/96 model of a WW2 cruiser or something, accurate to the last detail. But this shows you can have just as much fun (probably more) with a little semi-scale steamboat in your pool. Great work.
Hi Leslie just watched your video on your home built steam engines do you still sell your book as I am interested in buying it if the shipping ie not to high as I live in the uk. Many Thanks Steven.
Hello Steven, I have converted my steamboat book to an ebook, due to significant cost increases in printing and mailing. I no longer have the hard copy books for sale. The ebook is cheaper, $30, and has more color pictures and an addendum with over 70 pages of new content. There is a recent video on my channel on the new ebook and contents. Send me an email at lesproper@gmail.com if you are interested in purchasing my ebook.
Great little model. I have watched your other builds and downloaded plans, but have not yet had the time to build any. The track appears to be American Flyer (circa 1940s - 1960s) "S" gauge (1/64) scale.
That is a marvelous little Rail car Les, superbly made and it runs so well too. Your miniature steam engines are so versatile when they are properly built. I think that looks more like "O Gauge " track and not HO Gauge though. thanks for the video, love it. 🙂👍👍👍Cheers Paul
Hi Paul, I am sure you are correct about the gauge. The little oval track was in a box my mother purchased years ago at a garage sale. It has a little wind up locomotive so no need for the center rail used in electric trains.
Hi Jason, I don't think I have the video equipment to record in slow motion. I have measured the speed of my single cylinder engine with an optical tackometer and it runs about 3000 rpms. The multiple cylinder engines generally run a little bit slower, so I am guessing about 2000 to 2500 rpms.
I have some .dxf files made on LibreCAD. They are not complete as I made several components without the aid of a plan. I can send you what I have if you want to send your email to me at lesproper@gmail.com
Hi Les, good to see you on YT again. Live Steam🙂👍👍👍 precision Engineering Art at its best. My copy of the printed version of your Steamboat book is still one of my prized possessions, I'm sure you'll do very well with the extended and updated E version of the book. Cheers Paul
It moves along, but I'm trying to find a balance between propeller size, engine speed and boat speed that will allow more of a visible wake. Not a skipping hydroplane with a rooster tail, but a nice clip that lasts for maybe 3 to 4 minutes. Wondering if any of your tiny vessels are capable of anything like that? Thinking that it will require a gas fired boiler, and maybe 12 to 15 PSI ?n🤔
Hi Hank, In my experience boat speed all comes down to how much heat can be applied to the boiler. The propeller and engine size won't change the speed too much, unless they are way out of scale. All of my steam boats run pretty slow, but at an okay scaled speed.
Are you interested at all in selling these lovely engines? It's really difficult to find quality beta stirling engines for sale currently, and I would love to own one.
