Pac Mag Steam Engine

[The_Paso_Kid]

Has anyone made the steam engine from the Mechanical Package Magazine (Pac Mag) Volume 1, No. 3 ?

Picked this one up years ago and just recently stumbled upon it again while moving some boxes around. The cork has long since deteriorated beyond use and the piston is missing [probably why this engine was never completed] The plans show dimensions for the piston so should not be a problem to replicate a new one.

Just wondering if I should leave the kit as it is and just build a complete engine from scratch?

 

[JCSteam]

I love these types of things. Kits for kids from yester year.

Looks to be a fun build, though think twice about the tin can boiler, as I'm sure you'll be aware, a thin steel boiler is a no go. It's a fairly simple design, as occilators are. Look forward to seeing it come together. If it was me I'd copy the kit, and keep the kit as original, would be better if it were all complete though.

Ps Sterno gel fuel is still used to fire these little engines. I've even used hand sanitizer. Though brass, or copper boilers are preferred. (I'll go hide while the do not use brass for boilers brigade have their say).

 

[Mechanicboy]

From this picture of father and son with the self-made steam engine I would say about 1920-30 years. Fun to fine set of steam engine parts for self-construction. Boiler made of the tin can did someone nothing about think of explosion safety during this period, it's only the cork that served as the safety valve.

 

[JCSteam]

That's nothing, I've seen far ropier setups, from modern day. Baked beans tin, and just a filling hole, using a wood screw in some soft brass soldered to the top. Hole in the side for a copper brake pipe, leading to a cylinder and piston which was screwed up tight. So not much room even for that to lift off the face. Scary stuff!!! Even seen an old Mamod boiler blow it's end cap off, this was because the safety valve hadn't been checked and was solid, plus it had suffered from zinc rot, and the end cap was weakened. Blew with some force, and these are only 12-14psi, luckily the guy had just bent down to pick something up when it blew so avoided a nasty burn. Do take care even at low pressures.