Draftsman

[TahoeSteam]

I am looking for a competent draftsman who would be interested in making drawings for the engine in my boat. Mr Grosjean didn't complete the drawings due to changes in parts during his search for the silent engine... I would like to put a complete set of drawings together so I can make castings for the engine available to the general public.

If you, or someone you know, is willing to perform said work in exchange for a set or two of castings, please let me know.

The engine is a 2" & 4" x 3.25" compound designed and built by Charles Grosjean (including him making the patterns). It sits on six turned columns, stephenson link valve gear, piston valve on the high pressure piston, balanced slide valve on the low pressure piston, independent valve gear adjustment on LP. Drip feed lubrication to bearings w/ oil slingers from main bearings to feed rod big-end bearings. Two feed pumps and two air pumps and one fuel pump dirven 1/4 engine speed ala Simpson Strickland style worm gear drive. approx 6BHP@700rpm. Weight-225lbs

~Wes

[Bob Cleek]

Beautiful engine, Wes! Looks like a watch. Is she more of a model, given the size vs. complexity? I'm assuming you're looking for a draftsman who is fluent in current CAD drafting, right? There aren't too many real master draftsmen out there who do manual drafting like they used to in the old days when those fantastic steam engine drawings were done.

[TahoeSteam]

Bob,

Thank you. Mr. Grosjean really did an amazing job.

The engine is a "full size" launch engine that powers my 22'x5'-10" launch "Wayward Belle" The lever shown is for a clutch to engage or disengage from the prop shaft as the boiler is a monotube and the engine needs to be kept running to keep the cycle going.

If one desired the pumps could be changed or removed altogether and another setup devised.

Here is a video of the engine in action:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nD8_nvSzz2Y

[Bob Cleek]

Loved the videos. She's a real gem!

[Lionel Connell]

Hi,

Are you still looking for a draftsman?

I can completely model your engine in CAD which proves fitment and clearances of all parts ( unlike the old ink and paper method ), drawing dimensions are then extracted from the CAD model ensuring that no mistakes are made. Machining tolerances can be applied to the CAD model such that they are automatically transferred to the drawings along with all dimensions.

A full CAD model enables the assembled engine to by run on screen allowing all movements including valve events to be checked and proven.

All steam spaces including un-swept cylinder volume, steam passages etc can easily be calculated and used to determine the correct exhaust cut-off timing for the re-compression of the steam in the cylinder ahead of admission.

I have completely modeled the Alex Ritchie modified Stuart 6A for my own engine build, this model includes all pumps, levers, everything. if you like I can send you some examples of my work.

Cheers

Lionel

[wsmcycle]

WOW!! I have a 6a and would love to have cad drawings of it. May I buy them from you? I use autocad but any DXF file could be brought in. Please let me know here or by PM.
Thanks

[TahoeSteam]

Lionel,

I am interested, but I have very limited drawings and some of them are incorrect as the original owner was constantly modifying things for optimum performance.

I think it would be best for a draftsman to have the engine in hand so they can reverse-engineer the parts that are not covered, or different from the original drawings.

I have all the patterns for the engine and would like to make castings available to the public, but I do not want to make the mistake of releasing something with inadequate, or incorrect, drawings as some have in the past.