Making Simple Model Steam Engines

An interesting and well written book. Informative as well as easy reading. It gives a good description of the production methodes as well as drawings and mesurments. I liked the way the aouthor handels the different mesuring systems, i,e Metric as well as Imperial.

Gives good instructions on how to build a number of small stationary steam engines and boilers to power them. Has plenty of diagrams and photos to guide you. The book is aimed at beginners. There is nothing very complicated here. These are very simple engines, not scale models of actual engines used in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Most real workhorse engines were considerably more complex than these are. Even for those interested in building scale models, this book is a good starting point. Experience gainned from these simple models will go a long way toward being able to build more complex engines.

"Fairly Simple Construction of Simple Steam Engines For The Intermedient to advanced Hobby Machinist. I bought a lathe and set up a dedicated metal shop a year ago, producing a lot of fun low to moderately precise objects- black powder cannons, tools and metal parts, etc. My other goal was steam engines and hopefully model steam locomotives. I collect self-learning skill instruction books and find this one outstanding as to readability, illustrations, etc. But the author's awe shucks, hand tools delivery belies a lot of skills and tools necessary to produce a precision steam engine. Can't find a commercial D bit at Lowe's? Use your blacksmithing skills to make and heat treat/oil quinch and temper your own. I finally produced a well working, non leaking one of his simple engines after breaking down and acquiring a milling machine mostly as a precision drill necessary to accurately drill 4 1/16 holes for the double acting models. I found jigs to be cumbersome and difficult to secure to the stock to be drilled. Some of the measurements/dimensions are suspect. If the clapper engine is accurately built per plans there is no room for steam passage. What is between the lines is that after accurate part production and assembly it takes a day or so to tweak, de-burr, and introduce some slop here and there to get really friction free action. I thank the author for making me learn the machinist mind-set as to accurate lay-out, precision drilling, good tap and die techniques, and the humility and patience to remake innaccurate parts. One last suggestion to the more skilled just starting on steam engines- there are lots of plans on the internet for larger engines such as Gerry's beam and Elmer's grasshopper, especially if you like metal and woodwork.

I wanted to make a simple steam engine, and this book describes in detail the simplest possible steam engine. I've ordered the metal to make the "simple Sam" engine and the metal stock costs about $47 on-line, but the $47 of stock will make several engines. I do have a mini-lathe, and the build would be significantly more difficult without the lathe. I plan to operate my engine with compressed air rather than steam, so that it can easily be operated by children in a museum setting, but the book does give details on building a steam generator, and the effort to build a steam boiler seems straight forward. The builder should be careful to order metal stock that is easily machinable - I ordered 360 brass and 304 stainless steel. I did view a u-tube video that showed a working "simple Sam". I would suggest that anyone thinking of buying the book look first at some u-tube videos to see what a typical 1 cycle steam-engine looks like. It does not resemble a commercial steam engine with its complex valving. Anyone first looking at a "simple Sam" may not recognize it as a steam engine. Overall, this book provides plans for several steam-engine projects that will can be enjoyed by an amateur hobbiest.

This is one of the better Model Engineering books that I have read. The author gives clear instructions on building oscillating steam engines and boilers from the very simple to the more complicated. Clear drawings and instructions are given for each model, although there are a few errors in the drawings, they are not too hard to work around. Each model has two sets of drawings, one with dimensions in the metric system and the other with Imperial dimensions. I can highly reccomend this book to anyone who wishes to build their first model engine and boiler.

I am a home shop machinist and quite interested in the history of the industrial revolution. I would like to make a model Watt beam engine with sun-and-planet linkage, Watt's straight line mechanism, flyball governor, and representative valve gear. All engines in this book have rocking cylinders so that the valve operation is greatly simplified and the piston is rigidly connected. This makes a workable toy but is not like any full scale engine. The author puts much effort into describing how parts might be made with simple hand tools (files, etc.) but uses lathe and mill himself. I am rather skeptical of the (apparently untried) hand tool methods. I do not expect to get any use from this book. Instructions for silver soldering seems quite good.

A truly excellent book for those with a desire to begin building simple, miniature live steam engines. Understanding machine shop practices is a plus and access to basic machine tools is a must. A very helpful and descriptive book, even if you don't build, you will gain a basic understanding of how these engines operate and what they can be used for.

oscillating engine いわゆる首振りエンジンとそれに合ったボイラーの作り方とが、インチ寸法とミリ寸法とを併記した図と写真とを使って詳しく解説されています。しかし、ハードカバーの堂々たる体裁と価格の本にしては、どのエンジンもシンプルすぎ、いわば不細工ともいえるものばかりなのには、これが伝統ある模型界を擁する英国の出版物なのかと、少なからず失望させられました。同じ英国から出版されている Tubal Cain "Building Simple Model Steam Engines" のほうがはるかに洗練されており、金属模型工作にある程度の経験と自信とをお持ちの方にはこちらをおすすめします。

Deals with making Oscillating Engines.Would have preferred at least some designs for slide valve Engines.

great reference

Un bon livre pour apprendre les notions de bases sur les moteurs à vapeur simples. Facile a comprendre, et il contient les photos avec mesures métriques ou SAE

very informative great information