# Live Steam Offroad Vehicle



## rabe62 (Mar 21, 2017)

Hello World!  

in this thread, I'll try to build a steam powered offroad Truck/Car. After a few Model Kit Offroad-Cars from brands like Axial/Tamiya and so on, i'm bored with plastics and look for new (for me  ) materials for the cars. 
With a professional background in computer sience (a dregree like a 'master') my experiences in Wood or Metal are negligible. 
It turned out quickly that Wood ist not my preferred material  

A first "greater" little project was an 1/10-Scale Candian Oilfield-Truck "Foremost Delta 3c". Except the screws, tires, rims and the engine (electric) the complete car, as well as the axles and the articulated steering,   is a 70 lbs full metal scratch-build. 
Starting with handling sheetmetal, later on the project I began turning with a mini-lathe and recently I get a small mill. Slowly but surely I became familiar with this weird machines and so I need a new project! 
Googeling...., Thinking....., Youtubing.... Thinking..... 

And here are the basic properties: 

Live Steam 
Car/Truck with offroad skills, most likely a 6x6 or a 8x8 depending on weight 
1/10 - Scale Dimensions 
Egded, angled Steampunk-Styling with a lot of polished Brass, Copper and Aluminium 


Actually I'm on the first point: Live Steam. 
Exactly on the Engine. 
Based on  Elmer Verburgs Plan #52 for a Two Cylinder Oscillating Engine I convert the plan to metrics (for me easier to use) and start turning and milling. 

Now the the mechanical parts are turned, milled and assembled. A first little test: 




https://youtu.be/SX2dh2OkM7M 

Next parallel steps are beginning with the Boiler (Looking for Boiler-Plans I stumble upon this Forum) and finishing/polishing the Engine 

Should I continue this thread or it is too boring for you? 



P.S.: Sorry for my poor english. I hope you can ignore the faults. 


Regards
Ralf


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## rabe62 (Mar 26, 2017)

Hi there, 
I  have a basic question for the build of the boiler. What is the insensible type of a boiler in a car in matters of tilting? Horizontal or vertical? 
And what's happen if, by reason of tilting, boiler water ist going into the steampipes?


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## Charles Lamont (Mar 27, 2017)

rabe62 said:


> I  have a basic question for the build of the boiler. What is the insensible type of a boiler in a car in matters of tilting? Horizontal or vertical?



A vertical boiler will have smaller dimensions in plan view, and therefore be less affected by tilting. On the other hand it will probably have a higher centre of gravity, making your vehicle less stable.



> And what's happen if, by reason of tilting, boiler water ist going into the steampipes?


That is called 'priming'. It is a very bad idea in full size, which is why locomotive boilers have domes. In a model it is unlikely to cause damage but is still best avoided. Collect steam from the top of the boiler, in the middle.


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## kvom (Mar 27, 2017)

Why not build a Stanley Steamer engine?  Tried and true design with lots of info available online.


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## Jasonb (Mar 27, 2017)

Or go for flash steam and then there is no risk of priming as the water is turned to steam as soon as it enters the boiler


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## rabe62 (Mar 27, 2017)

thx for the infos, Charles

@kvom: That's a very good question. I don't know anything about it until now.
Also because I have little problems to run the above shown Motor smooth and easy, I will take a deep look to the Stanley Steamer. Maybe I change the motor 

@jasonb: For me it's to complicated to build


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## rabe62 (Apr 15, 2017)

Hi, 

several tries, followed by several erros, later, the Wobbler is History , standing in the show case. I decided to build a own design of a two-cylinder. Loosely based on the Stanley-Motor. Instead of building a Car around a Motor now I build a Motor to fit the given size of a standard 1/10 Model-Car-Frame.







Bore: 13 MM (~ 1/2 in) 
Stroke: 36,5 mm (~1 3/4 in)
Cylinder: Steel
Shank: Brass
Bushing: Bronze 

Next step is the register, followed by the steam-pipes.


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## rabe62 (Apr 29, 2017)

Hi,
several Days of working with this little Engine and many efforts to make it operating, I can say: It works!
My first complete self-developed Motor works!
th_wav
I'm happy with that. After a final cleanup und polishing the next Step will be the Chassis.

https://youtu.be/4A3QfPhOENc


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## stevehuckss396 (Apr 29, 2017)

Great job on your first. Runs real nice


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## rabe62 (Apr 30, 2017)

Thank you !

Exploded for revision , polishing etc.


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## rabe62 (May 4, 2017)

A short Clip  from the rev-counting , using a Hall Sensor and an Arduino

https://youtu.be/dG8UTDJoDAQ

The Clip shows 120 rpm.

1,5 Bar / ~22psi = 120 rpm
3 Bar / ~44psi = 380 rpm


Is it normal, that the curve of the rpm is not linear?


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## rabe62 (Aug 13, 2017)

The displacement lubrication


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## rabe62 (Aug 16, 2017)

The Engine which will be lubricated.
It's a new and the final Version with brass Cylinders and a Walschaert valve gear.

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NRhZL7N4Og[/ame]

The Towers are just decoration.


Next big step: The Boiler......


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## rabe62 (Aug 26, 2017)

Almost all parts of the Yarrow-Boiler are ready to solder.....


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## kadora (Aug 27, 2017)

hello rabe
You mentioned on the beginning of this thread that
you intend to fit this engine to the lorry like steampunk version of
Oilfield-Truck "Foremost Delta 3c. 
I am quite interested in your project because i am thinking
about building steam powered vehicle too.
Do you have  //rough// sketch of your steam car?


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## rabe62 (Aug 27, 2017)

Hi, 

it exist no sketch or plan. Just in my Head. And this plan changes daily  But a here is a detailed Making of-Thread of the Truck. (German)

If you have any Questions to details of the Truck: Ask.


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## JCSteam (Aug 27, 2017)

Hello Ralf, you say you'll need a 6 or 8 wheeler. Saw this ages ago. How about a steam trike??? Cool ain't it  in the style of steam punk. 

https://youtu.be/8ox1Cb9uoy8

Has an in line piston arrangement, gas fired saito type marine boiler. Driving off the shelf components from RC manufacturers. Would certainly speed the build up. Save having to make all the shafts dog bones, knuckles ECT for the suspension.


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## rabe62 (Aug 27, 2017)

Hello,  

i know this model. Yes. Cool. But i don't want just copy a Design. And - you couldn't know this - my Truck is nearly ready to run.  

It has a victorian-styled hexagon cockpit with a real-leather sofa. The cockpit is height-adjustable in case of rough terrain. To avoid rear mirrows and to get the possibility to drive like an ocean liner, the sofa is mounted on a 360° roundtable. 

Powered by a hybrid-gear . electrical and steam (if it will work) 


A picture of it in his actual state without the steam parts:


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## JCSteam (Aug 27, 2017)

A steam crawler 

A steam electric hybrid. I don't think that's been done before, unless you mean there's a steam powered electric generator. I like the idea of turntable drive position for the driver.

A cool idea and I'd like to see more pics please and a video when it's up and running if you can


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## rabe62 (Aug 28, 2017)

Hi, no steam- generator. 
Simply a usual crawler-engine behind the hexagon-pavillon.
The Connection between engines and the
Transferboxes were tooth belts.


The electric version was built because we driving at weekends several Hours through woodland etc. There is open Fire and hot steam not sooo good. 

Ergo steam for show at the parking place and Electric at the great tour.


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## rabe62 (Sep 2, 2017)

Tach.  (German for Hi  )
Brazing is started....

Works better than expected .


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## reubenT (Sep 16, 2017)

I built myself a full size off road steam truck.   Had it almost ready to run last spring,  will finish it soon.  Just some of the automatic boiler controls to finish and insulating the steam lines,   (so I don't get burnt on them)    And then there will be accessories.  Like a generator for running power tools and a hydraulic log splitter mounted on the side.  Always wanted one, finally collected and built enough stuff to put it together.  Started with my old '81 dodge 3/4 ton 4x4 truck.(retired to off road and then I didn't use it much)  an ofeldt boiler and Westinghouse high speed engine built by ACME in the 1920's I think.  (ebay find that I couldn't pass up for $1000.   most any other old engine of that size is priced at $4-5,000 or better)  https://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/36872246870/in/dateposted-public/


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