The Steamboating Forum

I'm a beginner based in the UK and looking for any Plans for a boat Steam Engine that can be built from Bar stock. It would need to power upto a 25 foot launch and I would prefer a 2 cylinder engine. I've looked at the SBA UK website but the links to the Wilkiesteam website do not work.

If anyone has any ideas or help that would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks

Simon

Hasbrook "Engines Without Castings" there is a website. These engines are popular in the USA, although somewhat small for a 25 ft boat. The Hasbrook plans could be scaled up 25% to 50% for use on larger engine builds. There are nice double simples, both inline inverted and V type that would meet your intent.

Good Sir:

Get to know John Winn at SBA. He's a prolific engine designer/builder in Abingdon.

The engines Fred is speaking of is HasBrouck engines and the link is at http://www.hasbrouck.8m.com/

Ian McAlpine another SBA member also seems to churn out lots of engines with out castings. I got one.

Building engines with no castings is actually not that difficult. There is this young man in Poland who had built a few engines not only without castings but initially without a lathe also, I recommend you look into his ideas. His two cylinder engine with Stephensons gear is probably the most impressive and the most alike a marine engine: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c55EgY28MQE I suggest you look at his designs and get some inspiration. There are photos of the building process here: http://www.technique.pl/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=189

I imagine your engine would be more fancy - if you have a lathe - you could make the cylinders out of thick bronze or iron tubing with turned flanges and glands, while keeping the overall construction of the engine essentially similar.

Simon Fellows wrote: I've looked at the SBA UK website but the links to the Wilkiesteam website do not work.

I have seen a Wilkiesteam in person, but have not kept up with the progress of the project, which if you cant access the website was somewhat ironically to make the engine accessible.

However I am sure there are people within the SBA who could point you in the right direction of who to contact. Are you an SBA member? If so, you should be able to get contact details with ease of the site, if not, there are some public contacts on the site who at very least would I am sure be able to releave you of a years membership fee... Renewal is in Jan I think December joining members get said month free.

Daniel