Very nice to see a young kid interested in engines and the like. We've got ourselves too many children who don't know anything outside of an iPhone. Good on him and good on his parents!
A few tips so your kid doesn't blow his eyebrows off or wear out the engine prematurely: When lighting that burner, the lighter (or match) has to be ignited first before turning on the gas otherwise it's going to go POOOF like in the video, and if the lighter gives him trouble and the gas is still on, and it finally lights, the Poof will be closer to a BANG and he could very badly burn himself. Secondly, as Scot said in a previous comment, hot water will shorten steam up time and safe fuel to lengthen the run time. Third, that hand pump is not for pushing out water and steam at the end of the run. The boiler is under pressure, it will do that on its own as energy and fluids always follow the path of least resistance. The Pump is for adding water to the boiler while under steam. There's a slot in the base next to the pump where a small water tank is mounted under the engine. Fill the tank, and while the boiler is under steam you can pump water in while the engine is running so the engine can run as long as the fuel holds out. Lastly, 3 in 1 oil is useless for these engines. Its better to use Steam Oil because it's much more tenacious and is a better lubricant. It doesn't sling off and stays where it's wanted even under high heat. But to conserve steam oil, an equally good solution would be to get yourself a good Pump Oil Can, you can pick one up at an auto parts store, and get some 140 weight gear oil. It does just as good a job and saves your steam oil for where it's really needed, in the valve chest and cylinder. Its better to run the engine slowly too, it will last alot longer.
Exactly, only one extra thing, draining the boiler without fire and 0,5 bar on the boiler is enough! after that the remove the safety valve and let it cool down.
great to watch the young ones having immense fun on these awesome machines and appreciating the concept. Good to see he's diligent in the maintenance of his engine too. More fun than a plastic video game.
Absolutely superb, William will remember this experience for the rest of his life and will probably pass this excellent engine and workshop on to his own sons. Thank you for uploading this video.
Nice engine William. Have you thought of joining the Unofficial Mamod Steam Forum? Since you have a steam engine you qualify. Actually one does not actually have to have a steam engine, I just threw that in, but it helps to relate to the others in the forum!
Very good video. I have the D21 myself which I got as a Christmas present but not got around to using it yet. I have the same burner which I have tested.
+Troll face gaming it's probably bought from ministeam.com, if you go to the wilesco accessories or such you will see gas burners and tanks and find the one you need
Very cool! We need to 3D print him an appropriately sized funnel so he can dump once and go. I imagine William inventing some new milk steaming equipment that will make him millions from Starbucks alone using his steam knowledge. Also, I want one to play with my kids. My son would love it!
William started out with a much smaller Wilesco (an old D5 we picked up on eBay). We upgraded it once (added a newer boiler with a sight window), but it just wasn't enough for him. He still wants to add more!
Very nice . What kind of fuel is in the tank? is it pressure feed into the burner? Where can I get one? Does the pump supply the boiler with water durring operation? I have a D 10 may parents bought for me Christmas of 1966. The best toy I ever recieved as a child. I love the D 21. I may have to purchase one.
The fuel is propane, it is pressure fed into the burner. I honestly don’t remember where we got the it. The pump is capable and of supplying water during operation, although it does dramatically decrease the pressure.
Such a "pretty" looking model steam engine. Too bad these cost so much, but I understand why the price tag. Seems like the workshop would benefit from clutches or that sort of thing. I expected a bit more torque, but not sure how much loss there is from friction.
When you first got the engine washed the boiler out? The fist shot on the gauge shows residue probably of that so clean it up touroughly. I don’t know what kind of water is used but it is better to use demineralised water.
It looks like they’ve used non distilled in there. An easy clean up with some vinegar, although that is delicate work as vinegar is acidic and can also eat solder (so I’ve heard) as well. I use nothing but distilled water and all my boilers are crystal clear and clean.
I would recommend the gas burner, but it is more expensive, considering fuel, tank, line and burner! However, solid fuel burners and tablets are cheaper. gels are good, but that gas burners are the thing now, for longer burns. What was fifteen minutes or so for the burn, can be extended to a hour or more, with a low flame, because you can control the flame, and since the boiler has a sight glass, one can observe the water consumption! I guess William knows by now to never let the water run low!
