Wilesco steam engines

[frontloaderfan]

Yes, this is a washing machine forum, but since a lot of us also have other mechanical interests, I figured I would try asking here:

I have to do some soldering on my model steam engine. Does anyone here know anything about the one or the other?
Thanks

 

[petek]

when I was a kid I had an upright model. Eventually it got a leak and my dad tried soldering it but it didn't hold for very long and started leaking again after a few goes. Expensive toys but I suppose not any more than what people pay for electronics for their kids these days.... this is like the one I had.

http://www.wilesco-uk.co.uk/wilesco-Static_Engines.asp?part_id=100310&desc=Wilesco+Vertical+Static+Engine+-+D455

 

[tomturbomatic]

All I remember is a friend's. His parents both worked so we could get into trouble in the afternoons. We ran it on his carport. He ran out of fuel so he dipped match heads in oil to fire the boiler. The logical progression to all of that steam was the safety valve opening so we jammed the safety shut to watch it blow up, which it did by splitting a seam. I guess there was not enough steam to blow the boiler apart. There had recently been an episode of a Western like Maverick or Bar Masterson where they had a riverboat blow its boilers, sort of based on the Sultana explosion, so we were looking for something more dramatic. Our guardian angels probably saved us from terrible injury.

 

[kb0nes]

Ryan,

Which model do you have?

Which parts need soldering? Did a tank seam open or is it a plumbing leak??

The tanks are generally nickle plated which can make soldering a bit challenging. Soft tin/lead solder will hold since the temperatures are low (unless you run it dry) but you will need to get things clean and fluxed right and will have to get the solder to wet the surfaces.

Photos might help too.

When you get it running again you need to build a small washer to run off of it

 

[frontloaderfan]

What I need is a new spring loaded safety valve. The old one spits so much water when the boiler is near full that it extinguishes the fuel below.

Problem is, Wilesco changed the threading on their safety valves in 1990 from M6x1.0 to M6x0.75, which means I can't install a new valve unless I also change the solder ring it screws into.

I watched how it is done on a documentary film about Wilesco and it looks easy there, but I've never soldered anything in my life. Apparently, the thread ring is just soldered into an indentation in the top of the boiler. I assume it can also be removed this way.

Re: small steam-powered washer: When I first got this thing back in 1983 (I was 11), I actually wanted to take one of those dollhouse washing machines you crank by hand and hook it up to the steam engine. All one would need to do is take off the hand crank, attach a Wilesco pulley and voila!

Photo 2 shows the culprit. The old safety valve. I'm also including the part that needs to be soldered into the boiler.

 

[kb0nes]

Swapping out the threaded adapter should actually be pretty easy in this case. The mating surface on the tank should already be tinned with solder from having the other adapter soldered to it.

Soldering is an easy task and just requires enough heat to get the solder to flow. Typically this occurs at a temperature of 360-420 degrees F depending on the alloy of the solder.

In your case you have two steps, first removing the existing adapter then attaching the new one. It would be easiest to do them all in one heating.

You will need some flux as is usually used for plumbing work. You may also need a small amount of solder to fill the gaps of the new adapter. I'd probably use some 60/40 alloy electronic solder, mostly because its usually a smaller wire diameter then plumbing solder is.

To make the swap apply a little flux to the new adapter and a bit of flux around the adapter already on the tank. When you are ready to go warm the tank around the adapter with a propane or butane torch flame and watch for the solder to melt. Once you see it flow pick off the existing adapter/valve with a pair of pliers and then set the new one in place. Warm the new adapter and tank until the solder reflows to the new part, a TINY amount of additional solder may be needed to create a nice fillet around the joint. Clean off the flux residue to prevent corrosion.

All in all its easy, but if you have never done it you may want to seek out a friend that has some experience with plumbing work. Also you should have the tank dry inside and vented to avoid any pressure buildup while soldering.

 

[frontloaderfan]

I really am a novice at this: What exactly is flux? Where might I look to get the soldering supplies? Sorry if this sounds dumb..I do appreciate your taking the time to answer.
Ryan

 

[westie2]

Flux is a paste that you use with the solder.  It helps cleanse the parts of impetrates and make for a good solid joint.  You can get solder on a roll with a flux core so it is right together for us.  Lowes or Home Depot or a good local hardware store will have the solder and flux for you or the solder with the rosin flux core.

Soldering - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[tomoldcars]

“Yes, this is a washing machine forum, but since a lot of us also have other mechanical interests, I figured I would try asking here: I have to do some soldering on my model steam engine. Does anyone here know anything about the one or the other?
Thanks.”

The reason this is one of my favorite forums is its coverage of eclectic items we all have to live with and the discussions of where they came from.

There are lots of grades of solder out there and lots of information on doing it. You are dealing with both heat and pressure. The standard 60 /40 flux core solder used in electrical repair is low temperature and pretty soft. I would suggest a solid core hard solder and a good flux. When I had to put in some copper pipes several years ago, I asked a plumber friend and he gave me some of the stuff he uses. His instructions were to clean the area with a good grease remover then lightly sand the area. Tin both pieces with a thin coat them put them together. Heat the metal above and below the joint until the solder wicks between the pieces. Add solder to get a nice bead showing and don’t move it until it cools. I suspect, with that much metal heatsink, you might need a torch for enough heat.

Thanks for posting, it’s given me incentive to take pictures and post the story of a handmade steam engine built by an AAF flyer in a European Theater hanger round 1944. I acquired it from his son who was in his 70’s and going into an assisted care home. He said he saw it running when he was a boy but that was 60+ years ago. I had hoped to celebrate its 70th year by starting it on July 4th. The machinery Gods intervened and I had to work Saturday. We tried Sunday but weren’t able to figure out the firebox until too late. We’ll try again in a few weeks.

Good luck and keep us posted, Tom

 

[frontloaderfan]

Mission accomplished!

Just thought I'd let everyone following this thread know that the soldering mission was a success. I bought a mini butane torch and watched a couple of videos before I attempted it. I was worried about melting the soldering around the rear of the boiler, since it was so close to the area I was working on, but a test run showed that I had done it right. Now the almost 50 year old steam engine runs almost like my new one!

The pics show the new soldering ring installed and the new safety valve on the old boiler. The last two are of my new D10 I bought just last week.
Thanks for all the help and encouragement!
Ryan

 

[toploader55]

WOW.

I had a Wilesco at age 7.

I just purchased a new one around Christmas for myself.t
These are real toys. Live on the edge. No helmets or eye protection.

I will post pics soon. These are great.

 

[danemodsandy]

Eddie:

"These are real toys. Live on the edge. No helmets or eye protection."

I always wanted one of these, but my mom wouldn't allow it. She had a horror of what she termed "dangerous" toys, and the list of what she thought was dangerous was long indeed.

We kids had our revenge for her overprotectiveness: We managed to hurt ourselves with all the stuff she approved of! In fact, I almost put my eye out once with a paintbrush from a Jon Gnagy art kit.

Didn't need a Red Ryder BB gun at all.

 

[tolivac]

Does the grinder attachment on that steam engine work?Would be neat if it did!The saw doesn't appear to have a blade.Pretty nice-wished I had one of those when I was a kid!If those tools could function--would be nice for those small jobs-and cordless,at that!No batteries,either!

 

[frontloaderfan]

Unfortunately, the mini saw and grinder are for show only. They move like the real thing but the only thing the saw will cut is toilet paper.

My next acquisition has to be the D141, a complete 19th century steam-powered workshop.

 

[frontloaderfan]

Here's a video if anyone is interested

http://https//www.youtube.com/watch?v=96opTIn1vLg&feature=youtu.be

 

[tolivac]

NEAT demo of your engine.To bad the tools won't function.Can you vary the speed of the engine?And noted that you have to start the wheel with your finger.The engine is not self starting.Cool nonetheless.Would be nice just to see it run.

 

[whirlcool]

I thought it sounded like a lawnmower! I thought those steam engines would go a lot slower and sound more like a steam locomotive when running. Chugging away.

But that is neat to watch.

 

[tolivac]

I thought the same thing-steam engines ran slow-this one was quite fast-Amazing that it works!And how do you lubricate the parts if its going that fast?

 

[frontloaderfan]

That style of cylinder (oscillating) does not start by itself. It needs a push once the pressure builds up in the boiler. The stationary, dual action cylinders do not need to be pushed. They start on their own once the pressure is built up.

The reason big steam engines run slower than this model is because, well, they are big. It's the same reason why a little 1.2 liter 4 cylinder combustion engine seems to run faster than a big block V8.

On this particular model, there really is no speed regulator other than opening the whistle at the top to let off steam. The D16 has a steam regulator valve that serves as a throttle and controls the amount of steam going into the cylinder.

Lubrication, on this model, is done manually before the machine is fired up. All moving parts (cylinder, crank, flywheel) are oiled before each run. On more complex models, there are oil cups which use gravity or vacuum to move the oil to where it needs to be. This model will run about 15-20 minutes on a full boiler, so there isn't much danger of running it without lubrication.