The "Little Pearl" Single Cylinder Marine Engine

[b.lindsey]

Several years ago, I came across what I thought was just a beautiful single cylinder steam engine for use in steam launches. Unfortunately, this  was a full size engine and more than I could justify for model purposes. The next Cabin Fever I attended, there it was again, under air power for the show but even more delightful to see in person. Fast forward maybe 6 months or so, the web site of the engine's supplier in the form of castings had added a half scale  version of the engine...just perfect for model purposes.

The supplier of this lovely engine is the Pearl Steam Engine Company and can be found at www.pearlengine.com.

At the time, I filed this information away, in the back of my mind adding it to my shopping list for the following year's Cabin Fever show. But periodically I would revisit the web site just to watch the animated .gif of the engine in motion even though the animation is of the full sized engine and not the half scale version. Though the animation is not currently on the web site, the company's owner, Mr. Roger Grosser has forwarded the link to it with his kind permission to included it here: http://imgur.com/a/1Tlko.  Mr. Grosser and I have come to know each other well over the last 6-7 months but that gets ahead of the story.

As the next Cabin Fever rolled around, I visited the web site again, with the hope of contacting the company and asking if they would be at Cabin Fever and if they might have the half scale castings available there. No longer seeing the "Little Pearl" on the website prompted an email to the company with the reply that yes, the half scale castings were not currently available as there needed to be some updates to the drawings to go along with them. Understanding that, I again filed away this project in the back of my brain.

Fast forward another two years which brings me up to around September of 2016...why not write the company again (I didn't really know Roger at this point) and see if any progress had been made on the drawings.  The reply was that the intervening time had been largely devoted to bringing a new full size engine to market and all of the pattern work and drawing that that entails. Mr. Grosser did say however that the original prototype drawings for the half scale single cylinder had been simply scaled down from the full size plans, but that they had neither been formalized nor proven against the few original casting sets that were made. Rather, two prototypes of the half scale version had been produced from bar stock much as a proof of concept. Now I could have given up at this point, but I really like this little engine and figured what the heck, so I wrote Roger back and (since he was still quite involved in bringing the new Zenith engine into the fold of full sized offerings) offered to draw up the plans from his original sketches and to work together to resolve any questions or issues that came up during the process. Roger kindly provided copies of those original sketches, and many pictures of the bar stock half scales that had bee built , both assembly pictures as well as pictures of individual parts which proved to be of great help in making the drawings. Through numerous emails and many enjoyable evenings over last Fall and Winter, slowly the plans started coming together, some 40+ individual drawings. In the process and in getting to know Roger through our emails I only came to love what I am calling the "Little Pearl" all the more, only now with a greater understanding of its design and inner workings. I do want to add here that the deal was and remains that all rights to these drawings remain with the Pearl Steam Engine Company and Roger.

Anyway, a few weeks ago I sent off to Roger a final set of printed drawings for both of us to continue to look at and proof with the suggestion that any final proof must include actually making the half scale version from the castings and using the prints to do so. Roger agreed and though we are still mulling over a few minor design things and dimensions, things have finally come together. I received yesterday a well packaged box of some 27 pounds of bronze castings for the "Little Pearl," and so a new project begins.

I had indicated to Roger my interest in doing a build log on it and have invited him to look in or join the forum with the hope that he can and will add to the build as he wishes. Certainly he can add much more history regarding the full size single cylinder, and its larger two cylinder sibling which you can see a brief animation of here: http://imgur.com/qApu2Hg.

I will try to add a photo of the actual castings this evening.  I am excited to begin on the project and invite anyone that wishes to follow along, especially our model steam launch members and those interested in more "marine" type engine models. After completing the "TINY" build, my eyes will be thankful also to be working on some larger parts for a change

Bill

[Jo]

Bill you lucky  a set of Little Pearl castings. I have always liked the little Pearl 

I did look at buying a set but the shipping costs  and the import duty 


And

 


Jo

[Jasonb]

I'll follow along though to be honest it does not do it for me personally, had not seen the engine before either.

Might I also suggest that a photo and list of the supplied castings is added to the website, $2K is quite a bit to lay out and I'm sure potential buyers would like to know what they are getting for their money.

J

[b.lindsey]

Jason, the 2K is for the full sized single cylinder engine castings.  The half scale is not yet available again, and if and when it is that will be up to the company to set pricing of course. I will take a picture of what is included in the half scale set this evening though and post it. From the few I looked at and had a brief fondle of last evening though I think they will be very nice to work with.

Bill

[Jasonb]

Ah I thought it sounded a bit steep but even so $2K for a 3" x 2.5" engine sounds quite high.

Are there any pictures about of the original, google did not seem to come up with much except steam cars.

[Jo]

Ah I thought it sounded a bit steep but even so $2K for a 3" x 2.5" engine sounds quite high.

Compare that to the price of a Swan and that is smaller

Jo

[b.lindsey]

A quick google search of "Pearl Steam Engine" and then images, turns up a few but not a lot more than is shown in the animations or currently on the web site. I am hopeful that Roger may join us as I am sure he could add a lot based on his experience over many years.

Bill

[Jasonb]

Ah I thought it sounded a bit steep but even so $2K for a 3" x 2.5" engine sounds quite high.

Compare that to the price of a Swan and that is smaller

Jo

Last time I looked the Swan had two cylinders and the twin pearl is $3700.  6A would be about the same size as the twin Peral and that is £2000GBP on Stuarts site now and that includes a feed pump, extra on the pearl.

I was basing my comments on similar sized Hit and miss casting sets like the all bronze VJ one that I have.

Thanks Bill as you say all that seems to come up are the images from te Pearl site.

[Jo]

The 6A  is £2400 ($3030)  for those of us who have to pay Vat  And it is a majority of iron castings not bronze...

Jo

[Jasonb]

You would get charged VAT if you bought a Pearl into the country too anyone buying outside EU would not pay VAT

As I said I was going by all bronze hit and miss engines, something of similar size to the single pearl costs $600, 23 castings & 4 cut gears

[Ye-Ole Steam Dude]

Both are great looking engines and I would love to have them both.......but I must first win the Lotto

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Life is too short for dollars and good sense, just saying

Cletus

[b.lindsey]

So here are a few pictures of the castings, all of them bronze. Sorry I didn't have room at the moment to spread them out better. Um....most of these are not what I would call Sherline size but neither did I expect them to be.

Bill

[Dave Otto]

Hey Bill

I remember you saying that you were doing some drawings but I had kind of forgot about it. I would love to see some of your work if it would be ok to post some samples here.
I know how much work is involved with what you have been working on and I can appreciate the time and effort that you have put into this project.

I'm looking forward to watching this little engine come together and I'm really not too concerned how much the castings may cost. 

Thanks for starting what I'm sure will be a very interesting build.
Dave

[b.lindsey]

Thanks Dave. Part of my reason for wanting to do a build log on this engine is to help determine if there might be any interest in this from other modelers. If so I hope Mr. Grosser may at some time add it back into the castings he offers. That and having one of the little gems for myself and contributing in some small way to that is my only motivation, I can assure you I have no financial interest in this whatsoever, it was just a unique opportunity and a project I have been interested in over some years now.

As for the drawings, as I had noted my agreement was that the company holds all the rights to the drawings so I could only do that with Roger's permission. He has been great to work with and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize the relationship we have developed over these months. Thanks for looking in even at the very early stage of the project.

Bill