Thoughts on purchase appreciated!

[Tom Cameron]

This is my 1st post. I am seriously looking at buying a 1/4 scale Nichols & Shepard steam traction engine. It was "scratch built", person did pretty good work. It has a 10 1/2" boiler. It has 32 tubes that are 1/2" copper.

I have been told that it may not draft well. I don't want to buy trouble but would like to find a way to induce draft such as connect to cylinder exhaust to blow air out of nozzle when engine is not running.

Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks much! Tom

[Casemaker]

Originally Posted by Tom Cameron

This is my 1st post. I am seriously looking at buying a 1/4 scale Nichols & Shepard steam traction engine. It was "scratch built", person did pretty good work. It has a 10 1/2" boiler. It has 32 tubes that are 1/2" copper.

I have been told that it may not draft well. I don't want to buy trouble but would like to find a way to induce draft such as connect to cylinder exhaust to blow air out of nozzle when engine is not running.

Any thoughts or ideas would be appreciated. Thanks much! Tom

Tom,
I am a little confused by the "would like to find a way to induce draft such as connect to cylinder exhaust to blow air out of nozzle when engine is not running" statement. When the engine is not running there wont be any exhaust or movement of steam/air thru a system like that. What you need is a regular blower that lets steam blow up your smokestack when not running the engine. This is the typical hookup for inducing draft for all traction engines big and small. Just run a steam line from your steam dome into the base of yoursmoke stack and have the nozzle pointing up - the exhausting steam will pull the air from the fire box thru the flues and up the stack. That said with 1/2 flues you will have to keep your flues clean several times a day. From a cold start with a small engine like that you will need to cut up wood, I would most likely try 1" thick by however length your firebox will take - soaked in fuel oil or kerosene for a day or so. I would fabricate a squirrel cage fan to go on top of your smokestack (like live steamers use on locomotives) to induce a draft until you get lots of steam up, then use the steam blower in your smoke stack mentioned above. I have a 1/4 scale or 3" scale Case 65 engine, I believe that my flues are 1". This size of engine can be lots of fun you just have to see what works best when firing it. If possible please post a picture. Thanks

[Tom Cameron]

Thanks Casemaker! I was hoping to find a way to induce draft that would not be real obvious to people. I will try to find a small 12V fan. Sound OK to you? I admire you for having a 1/4 scale Case 65. My other half would not be too happy if I spent that much I am envious!
Just me, Tom

[laknox]

Originally Posted by Tom Cameron

Thanks Casemaker! I was hoping to find a way to induce draft that would not be real obvious to people. I will try to find a small 12V fan. Sound OK to you? I admire you for having a 1/4 scale Case 65. My other half would not be too happy if I spent that much I am envious!
Just me, Tom

Like Casemaker said, check out the railroad guys for blower fans. As for not being obvious, who's going to notice another pipe on a steam engine? :-)

Lyle

[Casemaker]

Originally Posted by Tom Cameron

Thanks Casemaker! I was hoping to find a way to induce draft that would not be real obvious to people. I will try to find a small 12V fan. Sound OK to you? I admire you for having a 1/4 scale Case 65. My other half would not be too happy if I spent that much I am envious!
Just me, Tom

Tom,
the blower I have is 110 and I really dont know what it was off..I think I spent $1 or .50 for it at our local steam show. Unless you are getting a really good deal..I think that a 1/4 scale case is real cheap if you bide you time and keep looking...a complete one ready to run recently sold on the auction web site for $3800 and some change. I have had mine for 3 years and I didnt pay much more than that for it. The last engine that I purchased has a 20 inch barrel with a double cyl engine its in parts (never completed) but all I have in it is a day of driving and gas money...each engine that I have purchased over the years has gotten cheaper than the last one..I guess that I will wait for someone to pay me to take their engine next. Dont forget to send pictures of the engine.

Thanks