# The Newcomen Steam Engine



## rake60 (Sep 8, 2007)

OK this isn't really a link to plans, but rather a link to information on the
pre-Watt steam engine design from the early 1700's
It's a steam engine that runs more on the principle of a flame licker, using
atmospheric pressure for it's power stroke.  I've been looking at this 
design for a few years now, trying to figure out if it would be possible to
make it work on a model scale. It's one of those things that I wake up in
the middle of the night and scribble sketches and notes down on my note
book.  
Alright it's been a real obsession!  :roll: 

Anyway  Here's the link to information on the original Newcomen Engine

Rick


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## shred (Sep 8, 2007)

Hmm... Watt made his famous improvements to the Newcomen after being asked to fix a model of one, but I've got no idea how big that model was.

IIRC the story goes that the original Newcomen had manually operated valves, but one day the boy hired to do that job (beat the coal-face, I guess), figured out a system of levers and rope to do the job for him.


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## sidecar_jon (Sep 23, 2007)

I am in the home of the Newcomen engine, all round here there are huge engine houses that used to be full of Newcomen then Wats beam engines, I'm in Cornwall. Last year i saw a model of a newcomen engine that stood about six foot tall and it was made of wood and was powered by a standard domestic vacuum cleaner. (It Was At Boconc steam and classic show). It made impressive chuffing sounds, mixed with clankings and worked very well.


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## Bogstandard (Nov 2, 2007)

Hi Rick,
Have a look here


<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/X3Pe6f5CaB8&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed>


Not a very mobile type engine, in fact it is like watching paint dry.

John


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## shred (Nov 2, 2007)

The Puffing Devil looks like fun and most excellent for frightening the cat. 
- Roy


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## rake60 (Nov 2, 2007)

Now that's some good video!
Thanks for posting it John!

Rick


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## deverett (Aug 6, 2008)

I have been reading through the old postings while I sitting in my (figurative) armchair waiting to get back home and came across this thread about the Newcomen Engine.

Sussex Steam in the UK make a representative model of the Newcomen Engine, but I wouldn't want to pay £169 for it.

http://www.sussexsteam.co.uk/Newcomen.html

Dave


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## tmuir (Aug 6, 2008)

I've also heard that model doesn't run too well...but then I think the real thing was pretty temperamental too. :big:


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## Bogstandard (Aug 6, 2008)

If you look at the vid a couple of posts up, it shows you them all in operation.

John


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## mklotz (Aug 6, 2008)

I vaguely remember reading some history of the old Newcomen-era engines. The book (I've long forgotten the title or author) talked about their method for final "machining" the 14 foot diameter wooden piston to fit the cylinder.

A radiused trough was dug in the ground and lined with sand. A team of horses then dragged the piston, edge on, through this trough to sand off the irregularities left by the axes and chisels used to shape the piston. I also remember that the people who did this bragged that the fit so achieved was so good that the greatest gap between piston and cylinder was "no greater than the thickness of an [old money] penny". Those old Brits were real engineers who got the job done with what they had available.

It sort of puts a whole new perspective on our agonizing over honing a cylinder to achieve a clearance of a few tenths.


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## Bogstandard (Aug 6, 2008)

Marv,

That was yesteryear.

This is today



> It sort of puts a whole new perspective on our agonizing over honing a cylinder to achieve a clearance of a few tenths.



How will they see it in a few years time?



> I could only get it within a couple on millionths



How close do we have to get before they say enough is enough?

John


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## rangerssteamtoys (Aug 7, 2008)

I did a history fair project on steam engines in the 6th grade. The newcomen engine was the first "steam " engine of the industrial revolution. I know that there was, Hero's steam ball. The newcomen engine is very interesting in its principle of operation. Sort of steam and stirling combined.

That video of it sure makes it seem boring


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