Got a couple more questions about running/caring for a small steam engine

[KennyMcCormick315]

Real life got in the way and made me put my plans to get into this hobby on the back burner. But that's all sorted and I'm ready to get in.

My first step is gonna be fairly simple: Buy a pre-machined PMR 3BIM, spend another 10 on an aquarium bubbler pump to power it, get some odds 'n ends 'n fittings, and of course lubricants. My idea is to build it, then put it on my desk and have it chuffing away 24/7 at a really low speed(Somewhere around 100RPM), and while I watch it run, I'll do more reading and researching and saving for tools to machine them from castings/barstock later on down the line.


What sort of lubrication schedule and lubricants themselves would I need for the engine to live a long and happy life while constantly idling over? I'm figuring some light machine oil or 5w20 motor oil will work for the bearings, crosshead and such, but what about inside the cylinder? The valve itself? Will I need a special lubricant for those areas while running on barely compressed air?

 

[deverett]

Kenny

Just been reading through old posts and I noticed no-one had responded to you.

To start with, I think the aquarium pump would not be suitable for your model. The output volume of these diaphragm pumps is very low and so is the pressure - unlikely to be able to power your engine. If you want a small compressor that would reliably run your engine, an airbrush compressor would be the way to go, although I don't think it would be advisable to run it 24/7.

You can get airline lubricant quite readily. For your needs, a drop or so every hour in the airline would be sufficient. That of course means disconnecting the airline from either the compressor or engine. With low power models, plastic aquarium tubing is perfectly good enough and this is usually pushed onto a barbed fitting at each end.

Any light oil would be suitable for the moving parts.

Dave
The Emerald Isle

 

[KennyMcCormick315]

[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJz57rVabwk[/ame]


They'll run on aquarium pumps. Hordes of videos of these things on YT running on as little as one PSI.