Author Topic: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864  (Read 12660 times)

Offline Admiral_dk

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #30 on: October 10, 2019, 11:37:20 AM »
Quote
Thank you Per (am I addresing you correctly?)

Yes - my given name is Per  :)

A very Danish name, and there are a few other Scandinavian derivatives, like Peer, Pär, in Norway and Sweeden.

You are right - it does NOT sound like a very healthy environment  :ShakeHead:

Offline J.L.

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #31 on: October 11, 2019, 10:30:36 AM »
The steam dome is clad with 1/8" x 1/32" basswood.

Offline J.L.

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Steam Dome
« Reply #32 on: October 11, 2019, 03:20:22 PM »
A special jig was made to hold the thin top of the steam dome. One pre-drilled hole is for the safety valve; the other for the steam pipe that will run to the valve chamber of the engine.

I think the gentle curve on the dome would be difficult to produce without a lathe.




Offline J.L.

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The Boiler
« Reply #33 on: October 13, 2019, 04:17:26 PM »
The boiler shell with steam dome, steam outlet pipe and safety valve is complete.

A Jig was used to keep the legs steady while the shell could be rotated plumb before the expxy glue set.

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #34 on: October 14, 2019, 12:25:10 AM »
Even if it's a faux boiler, it sure looks the part John. Nicely done.

Bill

Offline J.L.

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #35 on: October 14, 2019, 03:24:05 PM »
Thanks Bill.

The aft end of the boiler is complete. It features a check valve and a sight glass. I couldn't find acrylic rod or tube 3/32" dia. so went with a silvered tube of aluminum.

I couldn't see pasting a paper dial on a piece of round basswood. A brass housing seemed in order for the pressure gauge.  You can see where the paper dial got a little bit scrunched when pressed into position. The original paper dial supplied was reduced to 94% to keep the overall diameter of the guage to scale with the brass surround.

This is where a small metal lathe really comes into its own.
 
« Last Edit: October 14, 2019, 03:30:45 PM by J.L. »

Offline J.L.

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #36 on: October 14, 2019, 03:56:17 PM »
The forward boiler end is made up of the fire door and brass etched fittings, the smoke hood and the chimney.

The trick with the smoke hood was to fill the grain and finish the surface so that it looked as though it were constructed  from sheet metal.
It is made up of seven parts.

The four eyebolts in the reinforced chimney are for guy wires or cables that will be affixed to the covering boards above the bulkheads of the boat.

Offline Adam G

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #37 on: October 14, 2019, 06:20:46 PM »
 :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp:

Offline J.L.

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Steam Plant
« Reply #38 on: October 14, 2019, 06:32:10 PM »
The propulsion system for the Picket Boat is now complete. The engine is a simple cylinder consensing type of approximately 7" stroke and a piston diameter of 8". These steam engines were high torque slow revolving devices which swung a large high pitch propeller ( probably between 36" and 42") which reached about 150 revolutions per minute.

It is at this point that I must ask permission from MEM to proceed with the construction of the steam launch. This is a model engine making forum and what I will be doing now is basically ship modelling - not the mandate of this site.

John

P.S. I didn't know what a hot well was. It's the little box in the photos. It received the condensed water and was designed to separate any oil in the water before sending the water back to the boiler.



Offline crueby

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #39 on: October 14, 2019, 11:19:46 PM »
I see no reason not to continue with the rest of the build here - I spent two years making a steam shovel here with no engine work for the first year! We love all kinds of models, and always learn something from the other types. I'd say go for it!   :cheers:

Offline Flyboy Jim

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #40 on: October 14, 2019, 11:36:01 PM »
If it doesn't stay here, I would think it would fit in the "Vehicles and Models" section just fine. I always enjoy your build threads John.  :ThumbsUp:

Jim
Sherline 4400 Lathe
Sherline 5400 Mill
"You can do small things on big machines, but you can do small things on small machines".

Offline MJM460

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #41 on: October 15, 2019, 06:55:27 AM »
Hi John, I think a boat is a perfectly good vehicle for a steam engine, and will be keen to learn how you approach the hull.  My vote is for you to keep posting.

Besides, if you keep hanging around here, we might even talk you into replacing that boiler and engine with the real thing.

Beautiful workmanship as always.

MJM460
The more I learn, the more I find that I still have to learn!

Offline J.L.

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #42 on: October 15, 2019, 04:36:13 PM »
Thank you all for your input.

I will carry on here. We can then mount the steam plant with its drive shaft and propeller and mount a 12 pounder Dahlgren howitzer on the foredeck knowing a little bit of the hul's construction.

Some of the parts are pre-stained and painted. It's like building the hull from the inside out.  :)

The long gray bits in the photo are the tops of the coal bins, Actually with shallow draft and almost straight sides the strakes should be easier to mount on the bulwarks.

I may eat those words as we proceed!

Offline J.L.

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #43 on: October 16, 2019, 01:37:29 PM »
The keel and bulwarks of the hull are made from sheets of basswood, not plywood. I have read that plywood frames are more prone to warping.
Nevertheless, steel parallels were used to secure a strip of wood along the bottom of the keel to form a rabbet.

In the other two photos you will notice horizontal slots aong the sten. These will form the channel for the propeller shaft once their webs are cut out.

The overall shape of the hull's skeleton here reminds me of a container ship; bow section, stern section and a long flat section midships.
« Last Edit: October 16, 2019, 01:40:52 PM by J.L. »

Offline Flyboy Jim

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Re: U.S.N. Picket Boat No. 1 1864
« Reply #44 on: October 16, 2019, 02:58:54 PM »
Looking good John.  :ThumbsUp:

I see that the Picket Boat is 1:24th scale, but haven't been able to determine just how long the model actually is?

Jim
Sherline 4400 Lathe
Sherline 5400 Mill
"You can do small things on big machines, but you can do small things on small machines".

 

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