Newbie from Cardiff, South Wales

[mooseman]

Hi all,

My name is Odilon - I'm based in Cardiff, UK. I came to this board via a mention on another forum, frequented by other members of this board.

My main interest has been toy steam engines, but earlier this year I bought a large model steam boat, with an engine built by a senior member of this forum, who has been extremely generous with his time and advise. Since then, I have found my interests drifting in the direction of home machining, and when I recently had the opportunity to buy a small lathe at a good price, I took the jump. I am now the proud owner of a little Unimat 4 that has been modified for serious work by the engineering department of Cardiff Uni....it has a varispeed motor for starters, and a glut of attachments and tools I'm slowly finding out what they might be used for.....I'm going through a slow familiarisation process and have yet to make my first cut! ;-)

So with your permission I shall be a learner on this board, and spend time reading through all the interesting topics I have already found. I'll probably not post a great deal until I actually roughly know what I'm talking about, but I will be paying a great deal of attention.

Many thanks for providing me with the opportunity.

 

[Bogstandard]

Hi Odilon,

Welcome, and hope you can learn a lot from the posts on here.

Long time no hear, the other John is also present sometimes, so I am sure he will give you a welcome as well.

John

 

[pelallito]

Hi Odilon,
Welcome aboard! I am also a newbie that is learning from more experienced members.
Fred

 

[CrewCab]

Hi Odilon,
Welcome aboard ;D

CC

 

[Brass_Machine]

Greetings Odilon!

First welcome to the club. Second, what an unusual name... I like it.

I can only make a guess as to your engines creator. ;D Lets see some pictures of it.

Eric

 

[mooseman]

Thank you for the warm welcome gents!

Here's a picture of my engine as requested.....it is, of course, a Bogstandard twin double acting oscillating engine coupled to a 3.5" Maccsteam boiler.....it drives my Krick Victoria based launch with power to spare. I'm not trying to butter John up, but this engine outperforms anything of comparable size I've had a chance to play with - it is also a very easy engine to run and maintain,

 

[mklotz]

Odilon,

Welcome aboard and thanks for the pictures.

Beautiful power plant and equally beautiful launch. I've always aspired to build a model steam boat of some sort.

You folks in the UK are lucky to have many bodies of water in which to exercise these fine models. Here in the semi-desert of Southern California, bodies of standing water are few and far between unless one counts swimming pools. (The Los Angeles river is paved - I kid you not - and used as a drainage channel for the infrequent rain we get in winter.)

A few questions...

Are such steam launches commonly radio controlled?

If so, how are the controls set up? I would guess you would need a channel each for rudder, main steam valve, and burner valve at minimum. How is the boiler feed pump handled, if, indeed, one is fitted?

If not, how do you ensure that you can retrieve the boat before the boiler runs dry?

 

[mooseman]

Thank you Marv!

I think boats of this scale will all be RC....I'm certainly glad mine is, it moves a lot faster than I can swim!

Mine is currently set up with 3 channels: rudder, throttle and whistle. Experience has taught me that,depending on how hard I drive the engine, I can get approximately a half-hour run out of one boiler filling. That means that I start checking the water level after about 20 minutes, by doing a slow sail-by and a visual check of the sight glass. If I notice the water is about to drop out of the sightglass, I know I still have an inch of water in the boiler.....but I'll bring her in and top up the boiler with the ram-type hand feed pump I have via a clack valve.

The only time I've even been remotely worried is when the prop got fouled by a long strand of pondweed in the middle of the pond....the prop was still turning, but no longer propelling....after a couple of minutes thinking I was going to have to swim for it I managed to clear the prop by throwing the engine into full reverse a few times.

And yes, we are lucky here in the UK.....Cardiff has a couple of nice locations for this sort of thing, Roath Park Lake where I usually go is particularly model boat friendly.....large, shallow and with a nice concrete lip to launch from! We also have the excellent Heath Park MES, which I intend to join as soon as I have gained a little knowledge......

 

[wareagle]

Mooseman, welcome to HMEM! We are glad to have you with us!

And I have to say you have one very fine model there! :bow: I'm looking forward to your contributions and hope to see more of your work!

W/E

 

[Brass_Machine]

Nice model. That is one of my 'to do's' My mother in-law has a house on a lake. My father in-law is an avid RC'er. I would love to have a steamer to run out on it. Maybe next year.

Eric

 

[itowbig]

welcome and thats a great looking boat you got there. i wish i had half the talent you guys got. this is a great place :bow:

 

[CrewCab]

That's a cracking looking engine and boiler, very nice workmanship ............ are the timber cladding and brass bands to the boiler your own additions 8)

CC

 

[Cedge]

Having had at least a fair part in contributing to Odilon's uncontrollably growing steam addiction, I'm quite pleased to be able to contribute to his newly found addiction as well...(grin). Welcome to the asylum my dear friend.

Steve

 

[mooseman]

Kind words all around - I've got a feeling I'm going to like it here!

I have to be honest straight away and say that I bought the boat in 90% finished condition, and the engine 100% finished. All I've done so far is make her "seaworthy", done the inside cladding, fitted the RC and a variety of small jobs, basically so I could get her on the water and test her out. Much, much work still to do, mainly the fitting out of the cabin, but the workmanship up to now by the previous owner is of such an impeccable standard that I am taking it REALLY slowly so I don't mess up.....also, the pesky day job gets in the way....anyway, long winter evenings will soon be upon us, that is when I do my best work.

Cedge (who has long been one of my inspirations) mentions my growing steam addiction.....toy steam may not be within the focus of this group, but if anyone fancies having a gander at my collection, please do take a minute to flick through my website at http://www.mooseman.org.uk/
It is a little out of date, but still gives you a fair idea of what I'm about.

 

[rake60]

Welcome to HMEM mooseman

Rick

 

[steamer]

Yes Welcome!

Dave