The Steamboating Forum

Hi Everyone,
I have the steam fever! I built a small engine and now I want to build a larger one for a launch (10hp-15hp). I have had some advise to build the york, I had been looking at the EB triple. I like the way the triple looks!! Trouble is getting castings. So my question is dose anyone know whare I can get a castings for a triple and a good set of prints to build my project??

Double post ?????

Generally for the size of stuff we need, making your own patterns is not too dificult (maybe with a little guidance). I have been doing it for years. Things to consider are material shinkage, machining allowances, and most important the ability to remove the pattern from the moulding medium (sand?) without destroying the impression. I asked around and found quite a few people that I knew had been, or knew someone who had been, a pattern maker. Complications do occur especially when cores are needed but with thought a lot can be overcome by different means such a simplification of design. The difficulty I find these days, can be finding a foundry who will not rip you off.

Welcom to the forum.

ERGODAN wrote:Hi Everyone,
I have the steam fever! I built a small engine and now I want to build a larger one for a launch (10hp-15hp). I have had some advise to build the york, I had been looking at the EB triple. I like the way the triple looks!! Trouble is getting castings. So my question is dose anyone know whare I can get a castings for a triple and a good set of prints to build my project??

Unless you are a VERY Skilled machinist, you don't want to even try for the triple. There are those here who can tell you about it. The York Compound is quite another matter. There was an article written in The Funnel starting in 2004 on constructing this engine (it's currently being reprinted in Steamboating Magazine; http://www.steamboating.org. It is a "long legged" engine meant for slow rpms (not above 350) and it's appearance is very traditional. A pic of a completed one for sale is at http://www.pearlengine.com .

The casting for both engines are available from Elliott Bay Boats http://www.steamlaunch.com.

Thank you Artemis, I was looking for a second suppler for an engine. I am a good machinist but I still need good prints. I like the look of their engine. What good is an engine if you do not build it from scratch!!
Thanks,
Dan

ERGODAN wrote:Thank you Artemis, I was looking for a second suppler for an engine. I am a good machinist but I still need good prints. I like the look of their engine. What good is an engine if you do not build it from scratch!!
Thanks,
Dan

The prints on the York Compound are very good. John York, who designed and built the first engine (for himself) and sold the castings as well as building several units that he sold, is still around and active, but instead he likes to restore classic marine "dismals". Only Elliott Bay is authorized to sell the castings - John receives royalties from EB for each kit they sell, and they are the only company at this time that is authorized by John to sell same. EB owns the design and patterns for the triple. The casting kits are not available elsewhere. Despite EB's claim that the drawings "are now OK", there still seems to be some descrepency between that statement and recent builders' comments. Perhaps someone here can throw some light on the validity of this statement.

artemis wrote:

ERGODAN wrote:Thank you Artemis, I was looking for a second suppler for an engine. I am a good machinist but I still need good prints. I like the look of their engine. What good is an engine if you do not build it from scratch!!
Thanks,
Dan

The prints on the York Compound are very good. John York, who designed and built the first engine (for himself) and sold the castings as well as building several units that he sold, is still around and active, but instead he likes to restore classic marine "dismals". Only Elliott Bay is authorized to sell the castings - John receives royalties from EB for each kit they sell, and they are the only company at this time that is authorized by John to sell same. EB owns the design and patterns for the triple. The casting kits are not available elsewhere. Despite EB's claim that the drawings "are now OK", there still seems to be some descrepency between that statement and recent builders' comments. Perhaps someone here can throw some light on the validity of this statement.

I would consider the drawings to be just OK. Overall, the prints are pretty good but not good enough to use without checking against the mating parts. There are still some issues that have not been corrected on my prints. My engine was purchased in 2006 IIRC, so these may be fixed now.

I am keeping a .pdf with redlines as I work, Here's what I can think of from memory as I don't have the prints with me.

Eccentric diameter and strap diameter mismatch
Eccentric palm bolt size and center distance mismatch
Reach rod length note vague
Bottom conn rod bearing casting leaves little cleanup for thickness
Crosshead guide stud thread size mismatch

There may be others.

Ken