Today I did do - Traction engine (steam engine)

[Blue_SV650S]

Always wanted one - now I have one!!

chooo choooo!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9H30yKId0iU
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The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[Ariel Badger]

I want one but.....Real men do not wear gloves when playing with chemicals and fire.
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Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[owl10]

An old friend of mine had the stationary one when we were kids, but that looks more fun!

like a lot!

[Blue_SV650S]

It is a kool toy ... can't stop playing with it!! ... oh and it gets f-hot and has a live (and often out of control) flame ... gloves are pretty much mandatory ... only set myself/the gloves on fire twice so far!!!!

I think I need to get some 'proper' fuel ...

I have tried using BBQ lighter blocks (as seen in vid) and meths in the little tray (and after causing a blaze in a t-light dish full of meths in the tray) ...

But I don't seem to get up enough of a head of steam to give it enough punch to drive forward properly when I put the drive band on ... the thing is bubbling up good, but it really does need to be boiling over at the edges to get the flywheel turning, let alone the drive wheel (when on ground) ...

Anyone know what the Mamod solid fuel is made of?? ... is it the same stuff as a hexi-stove???

I might make a full length (not just t-light dish) meths tray ... it is a lot cleaner burn than the BBQ lighters ... and a lot easier to source (locally) than Mamod solid fuel ...
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The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[kingsmith]

owww you do like your steam powered toy or something like that..

like very much...
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honda cg 125 copy cheap and crap, perfect for work..
suzuki gsxr600 srad 2000
passed 12/11/09 happy boy

[The Artist]

Mamod solid fuel is like a wax tablet. Smells horrible and is overprices. Meths in a tealight type thing is the best.

[Ariel Badger]

Brush all the carbon from the base of the boiler as it will be acting as an insulator ( you do not need gloves for this as it will not damage your nail varnish). Go to a camping shop and buy some fuel for a solid fuel cooker, this will burn clean like Mamod fuel.
____________________
Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[Alabama Blacksnake]

I just use meths in my mamod steam engine. The belt on mine slips though so all it does is sit there. I have a stationary boiler aswell and use meths with it seems to do the job
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Bikes i've owned: mobylette ----- Ts 50er ------ GS 400e ------ CB250n superdream ------r6 ------ bandit 400 ----- 2005 kx 125
Bikes i have:dtr125 field bike that doesnt not seem to die!!! 1992 gsxr 750
trevoriv said: Leathers are like teenage girls, the tighter the better.

[Blue_SV650S]

Come on chaps, pics (or better still vid) of your steam engines please!!
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The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[Bru]

I had a static engine back in the day. If you want a lot of steam, don't fill your boiler up. Your video shows the liquid at the top of the gauge. Not more than half-full, and the available heat will be able to cook the water quickly enough to replace the steam vented out the piston. Especially under load.

[Blue_SV650S]

[Blue_SV650S]

[Ariel Badger]

[Blue_SV650S]

The twin Mamod must really 'race' with no load ... is there something you use to put some 'load' on it?!?!
____________________
The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[Blue_SV650S]

I has broke'd it

It was getting weaker and weaker (really needing to be boiling hard to run and when it does, put any load at all on it and it would stall), so I thought I'd have a look at trying to 'improve' things ...

It is now proper broken!!
____________________
The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[Ariel Badger]

[Blue_SV650S]

[Ariel Badger]

All you needed was some heavy oil on the valve block and piston. Mamod know what they are doing so do not try to tune them!
____________________
Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[Blue_SV650S]

[Charlie]

My Dad has one, and I used to love playing with it as a kid! We never used gloves either you softy southener

It used to take a bit to get the pressure up, and we'd use the whistle as a guide. Once it was up whistling, knock it it into gear and get the wheel spinning (I had forgotten you need to do that!) it would drive around for quite a bit. We also had a 'steering rod' that attached to the bit in the chimney/exhaust so you could steer it easily. Oh and a trailer with some fake logs.

I might get it out when I am home next. Give it a bit of a clean and see if it still works. Unfortunately one of the 'tabs' that hold the back piece with the hook on broke, so it made it hard to tow the trailer as it would pull it out.

I used to playing with it as a kid, good memories
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Past: Honda x8rs, Honda City fly, Honda Hornet 250, Honda VFR750, Yamaha xt600e.
Current: Honda CBR929RR & Yamaha XT660Z Tenere

[colin1]

[Blue_SV650S]

[Blue_SV650S]

Right - been fitting my new piston (and liner) ... not impressed with the finish on the new piston, it had shards sticking off it that I needed to trim back!!?!?!

Anyway, here are some photos (just got a new digicam, so was trying that out too!! ).

It now runs in both forward and reverse ... ... still struggling on locomotive power though ...perhaps it needs running in?!!?

https://www2.bikechatforums.com/download.php?id=71954
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The purpose of life is to fight maturity.

[Ariel Badger]

Try it on tarmac rather than grass, they are not very powerful.
Plenty of oil on very moving part.
____________________
Bikers make great organ donors, get 115 on your licence today.

[Blue_SV650S]