American Walking Beam Engine

A special section just for steam engines and boilers, as without these you may as well fit a sail.
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fredrosse
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American Walking Beam Engine

Post by fredrosse » Sat Nov 28, 2009 6:28 pm

Here is the walking beam engine for a 20 ft sidewheeler.
It is designed for 1 horsepower at 100 RPM,

Image

Some particulars:
75 PSIG rated operating pressure, exhaust to vacuum
3.25 inch bore, 5.25 inch stroke, double acting
Wet vacuum pump driven from walking beam
Boiler Feed Pump driven from walking beam
Marshall-Bremme Valve Gear


This engine will turn a pair of 44 inch diameter paddlewheels. Floats are 12 inches wide x 8 inches deep, 8 per wheel.
mcandrew1894
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Re: American Walking Beam Engine

Post by mcandrew1894 » Sat Nov 28, 2009 7:00 pm

Thats a great looking engine Fredrosse! Did you build that?


Dave
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fredrosse
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Re: American Walking Beam Engine

Post by fredrosse » Sat Nov 28, 2009 7:25 pm

Yes, all built in the home workshop, everything brazed or welded, then machined in the shop.

The exceptions are the working cylinders, I used chrome plated cylinder sleeves, from pneumatic cylinders, for the steam cylinder, vacuum pump cylinder, and feed pump cylinder. I also used the hardened and ground chrome plated cylinder rods, as getting a good microinch finish on these parts, and corrosion protection, is difficult for a home shop machinist.

Frame is 1-1/2 x 1-1/2 x 3/16 square tubing, with a 6 in x 2 in channel base, 30 inches long.
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fredrosse
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Re: American Walking Beam Engine

Post by fredrosse » Sun Aug 01, 2010 5:35 am

Just got the new ASME Code Boiler last week, Vertical Firetube type, 48 tubes, 18 inches long, 1-1/4 inch Outside Diameter, 0.095 inch wall thickness of tubes. Shell is 16 inch diameter x 0.375 in wall, 20 square feet heating surface. The prices I got to weld the boiler together and provide ASME Code stamp ranged from $7400 to $890.
Attachments
Boiler ASME M.jpg
Sidewheel Steamer Boiler
Boiler ASME M.jpg (141.55 KiB) Viewed 13540 times
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DetroiTug
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Re: American Walking Beam Engine

Post by DetroiTug » Mon Aug 02, 2010 3:17 pm

Fred,

Nice looking boiler. Was the "$890" a typo?

The engine is beautiful..

Thanks, Ron
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fredrosse
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Re: American Walking Beam Engine

Post by fredrosse » Wed Aug 04, 2010 2:09 am

No, the $890 US is not a typo, and that was the ASME Boiler shop I selected to do the job. I am very pleased with the job. Passed the 300 PSIG hydro test with no problems. I have owned several welders since the early 1970s, but my welding skills don't come close to those of the ASME certified pressure vessel welders. The welds, to me, look like artwork.
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Re: American Walking Beam Engine

Post by DetroiTug » Wed Aug 04, 2010 2:26 am

Wow that is a great deal! Yes, looks like they did a nice job on it.

Ron
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fredrosse
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Re: American Walking Beam Engine

Post by fredrosse » Thu Aug 05, 2010 4:35 am

Tube to tubesheet welds, tubesheet to outer shell welds, very good work.
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boiler welds.jpg
Boiler Welds
boiler welds.jpg (111.93 KiB) Viewed 13496 times
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Re: American Walking Beam Engine

Post by mcandrew1894 » Fri Aug 27, 2010 12:44 am

Yes they Are!

My compliments to the welder!

Dave
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Re: American Walking Beam Engine

Post by fredrosse » Thu Sep 09, 2010 10:57 pm

Somehow the Engine Picture was lost, so here is another post of the engine pictures
Attachments
WalkingBeamEngineSmaller01.jpg
1 HP @ 100RPM Nominal
WalkingBeamEngineSmaller01.jpg (149.45 KiB) Viewed 13416 times
Engine RockShaft-SteamPipes small.jpg
Piston type slide valves are moved by Rocking Shaft
Engine RockShaft-SteamPipes small.jpg (72.44 KiB) Viewed 13416 times
Engine WetVacuumPumpParts small.jpg
Wet Vacuum Pump operates at 1/2 main piston stroke
Engine WetVacuumPumpParts small.jpg (42.69 KiB) Viewed 13416 times
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