Freelance marine boiler

Where users can chronicle their builds. Start one thread and continue to add on to it.

Moderator: Harold_V

User avatar
Steamer Al
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 3:17 am
Location: Comox, BC

Freelance marine boiler

Post by Steamer Al »

Heres a few pictures of my freelance marine boiler project, to go in a 45" wood Diana launch hull I made last summer. Its not a scale model of anything, just doing what pleases my eye. Its my first own design, scratch built live steam project. Budget is tight and I love machining, so I made all the fittings myself. All of the materials were stuff I had lying around the house.

Currently working on the boiler jacket and safety valves. Hopefully steam testing in a few weeks!

Burner is a vaporizing kerosene burner. Took a bit of fiddling but it works great!
Attachments
20210225_211110.jpg
20210115_225502.jpg
20201016_093934.jpg
20210227_115823.jpg
Last edited by Steamer Al on Sat Feb 27, 2021 2:58 pm, edited 5 times in total.
User avatar
Steamer Al
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 3:17 am
Location: Comox, BC

Re: Freelance marine boiler

Post by Steamer Al »

Whistle is a Bill Harris design from his steam donkey plans. A fairly simple lathe job, and it sounds nice too.
Attachments
20210227_114242.jpg
20210227_114301.jpg
User avatar
LVRR2095
Posts: 1688
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2007 6:50 pm
Location: Maine, USA

Re: Freelance marine boiler

Post by LVRR2095 »

Beautiful work!
User avatar
Steamer Al
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 3:17 am
Location: Comox, BC

Re: Freelance marine boiler

Post by Steamer Al »

LVRR2095 wrote: Sat Feb 27, 2021 2:51 pm Beautiful work!
Thanks!!
User avatar
Harold_V
Posts: 20231
Joined: Fri Dec 20, 2002 11:02 pm
Location: Onalaska, WA USA

Re: Freelance marine boiler

Post by Harold_V »

LVRR2095 wrote: Sat Feb 27, 2021 2:51 pm Beautiful work!
Indeed!
That boiler should steam like crazy! Very nice.

H
Wise people talk because they have something to say. Fools talk because they have to say something.
User avatar
Steamer Al
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 3:17 am
Location: Comox, BC

Re: Freelance marine boiler

Post by Steamer Al »

Harold_V wrote: Sat Feb 27, 2021 3:52 pm
LVRR2095 wrote: Sat Feb 27, 2021 2:51 pm Beautiful work!
Indeed!
That boiler should steam like crazy! Very nice.

H
Thanks!

I'm a little concerned with the water capacity, its not as much as I would of liked. There will probably lots of trips back to the dock for the hand pump, until I can install an engine driven one (which the current engine isnt really designed for).

Alex
User avatar
NP317
Posts: 4557
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Freelance marine boiler

Post by NP317 »

Very nice indeed!

Having recently completed the restoration of my 17 foot long steam launch, I really enjoy seeing your project.
Your boiler does look like it will steam well.

Pic attached of my Blackstaffe boiler with its new innards exposed, which is entirely adequate for my boat.
Burner is steam atomized diesel oil burner. Surprisingly quiet.
The steeple compound engine drives a rather large 3-bladed 16" D. x 20" pitch prop.
Fun stuff!
RussN

OK. Something changed with this Chaski software. This same picture used to post upright! Frustrating.
Think southern hemisphere...
IMG_3238.JPG
User avatar
LVRR2095
Posts: 1688
Joined: Sun Mar 04, 2007 6:50 pm
Location: Maine, USA

Re: Freelance marine boiler

Post by LVRR2095 »

When I click on the picture it turns right side up!
User avatar
Steamer Al
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 3:17 am
Location: Comox, BC

Re: Freelance marine boiler

Post by Steamer Al »

I sure like your steam plant Russ! Coiling those tubes up accurately so they interlock like that must be quite the job.

Glad you enjoy the progress pictures, I'll keep them coming.

Alex
User avatar
NP317
Posts: 4557
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Freelance marine boiler

Post by NP317 »

LVRR2095 wrote: Sat Feb 27, 2021 8:37 pm When I click on the picture it turns right side up!
Thanks for letting me know
A relief...
RussN
User avatar
NP317
Posts: 4557
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Freelance marine boiler

Post by NP317 »

The book "Steamboats and Modern Steam Launches", 1997, is a republication of the 1961 - 1963 magazines by the same name.
They are fantastic collections of American steam launch practice, especially Pacific Northwest activities.
There, and elsewhere, I have found information on making the wooden spindles to turn those right and left coils on a lathe for those Ofeld/Blackstaffe boilers.
Nicely old world, and still applicable.
RussN
User avatar
Steamer Al
Posts: 109
Joined: Tue May 26, 2020 3:17 am
Location: Comox, BC

Re: Freelance marine boiler

Post by Steamer Al »

NP317 wrote: Sun Feb 28, 2021 1:07 am The book "Steamboats and Modern Steam Launches", 1997, is a republication of the 1961 - 1963 magazines by the same name.
They are fantastic collections of American steam launch practice, especially Pacific Northwest activities.
There, and elsewhere, I have found information on making the wooden spindles to turn those right and left coils on a lathe for those Ofeld/Blackstaffe boilers.
Nicely old world, and still applicable.
RussN
Cool! I'll have a look for it. I picked up a copy at a used book store a little while ago, but havent had a lot of time to go through it in detail.
Post Reply