Wells traction engine

[Gordon]

I am starting to feel really dumb. I built a Cracker steam engine which is supposedly simple and almost idiot proof. After playing around with the burner for many hours I still cannot get it to work on steam. I decided to just set it aside for a while and try something else so I built the Wells Traction Engine. Free plans.

I can get both of these engines to run on compressed air at <5 PSI but no luck on steam.

The Cracker just draws the flame up the stack and burns at the top of the stack where it does not heat water. I think on that engine I have to play around with extending the stack into the chamber to eliminate the chimney effect.

Now the Wells almost runs. I thought that I possible was trying to heat too much water so I filled the tank about 1/4 full. I tried different disperses over the fuel tank. I am heating with Duraflame solid fuel. I am wondering about insulating the tank in the non flame area. There is a shell around the front of the boiler and it might help to leave a little more dead air space.

How can I screw up things that high school kids have done successfully? Any thoughts?

Gordon

 

[canadianhorsepower]

check this out might help
http://rolywilliams.com/wells_traction_engine.html

 

[Gordon]

Thanks. Someone suggested that I use denatured alcohol instead of the Sterno as shown in your link. Everything works fine on the alcohol. I just cannot seem to get enough heat to create steam using the Sterno. Obviously others have gotten it working on Sterno.

 

[Chiptosser]

If your fire box is not vented properly, been changed the fuel vapors will go up the stack.