WICK FEED oiler (box)

[quinten1231]

Thank you all for the useful replies, and information

I will post some pictures once the wick feed is completed.

Regards Quinten

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[quinten1231]

Ok

So I have made my first test of making wick a improvised wick feed oiler to play with the rate of flow.
At the momemt I am using chainsaw lubricating oil because I had it lying around, will order some oil from green velvet soon.

Anyway, currently the rate is at 1 drop every 1:20 min, through 3mm pipe,
which seems slow to me but I have no clue.
The pipe is cut off shortly under the oil cup (modified egg holder) does this make a difference, i.e will longer piping down, change the siphoning effect, therefore the rate of flow?

The wick feed oiler is only for excentrics, crosshead, and guide.

Do you think that 1 drop every 1:20 min is too slow for crosshead etc? At average rpms.

Photo below of the testing contraption, please tell me if you spot some major flaws.

Regards Quinten

[Steamboat Mike]

Hi Quinten, I have used wick feed oilers on Catawissa's 3x4 single for fifteen years, I would not use anything else. I made a box with nine feeds proportioned like the cross section steamboatjack sent in. I used worsted wool yarn supplied by a professional craft weaver, I think it is readily available from weaving/knitting supply houses. For the first month I very consistently removed the wicks at the end of the day. One day I was tired, forgot the wicks and. . . . nothing bad happened. The box is on the side of the cylinder block and as it cools the oil essentially stops. It takes about a month for the box to drain completely if not used. It is so easy to use, in the morning I fill the box to the top, over the tops of the feed tubes and let it gravity flow to the bearings for a good start up shot. It is important that the end of the wick in the feed tube be below the lowest level of oil in the box and that the other end have a piece of lead or solder crimped on it to hold it on the bottom of the box in order for the wicking action to be effective. I have adjusted the number of wicks so the crosshead and connecting rod big end get the most, the valve gear a moderate amount and the mains the least. The box lasts five or so hours. At the end of the day leave it alone. I have a deep pan around the engine to collect the oil and condensate and keep it out of the bilges. I suck up the yucky mix with an automotive differential hand suction pump and squirt it in the firebox. The water evaporates, the oil makes more steam and the river stays sheen free, problem solved. It has no effect on the fire, it is surprising how hard it is to drown a good wood fire. I run bar and chain oil, very tacky, feeds reliably and it keeps the crosshead slide wet with oil, no more scuffing. Oil is cheap, bearings are expensive and life is short, keep it simple, save time use wick feed oilers. I have not oiled my engine since I put the box on it, I would not use any other system.

Best regards, Steamboat Mike

[dhic001]

Steamboat Mike,
It would be nice to see some pictures ofhow you have run youroil pipes. I'd be particularly interested to see how you oil your reversing gear with a wick feed system.
Daniel

[Steamboat Mike]

Hi Daniel, I will try to post some pics of the valve gear oiling tubes. In the meantime I can try to describe how it all works. The link and link block are oiled from a catcher cup mounted on the lower end of the valve stem. It has a small tube that conveys oil to the top of the link inside the clevis that fits over the link and holds the link block pin. Oil simply dribbles out and flows down over the upper and lower sides of the link, oiling the pin as well. The link never runs dry and has not needed shimming since new (about 14 years). The oil also runs onto the upper eccentric strap bearing and pin. The other pin has its own oiler that drips on it all the time we are going ahead. The eccentrics are oiled by one tube that drips between the two straps and keeps them very happy. Part of the fun is devising oil catchers that will deliver oil to various moving parts. While it may seem a little crude it is very simple and at least foolresistant if not proof. Most of my ideas are not original, the first engine for Catawissa was a Stuart turner No.6 that I got at an auction in 1970 many years before ST began making the 6a available as castings. The engine is built to a very high standard and has a wick box with feeds to the crossheads with catchers to take the oil to the big ends of the rods. Pictures make it much easier to grasp and I will post them soon.

Zeltic is an unusual name, I knew another boat by that name that was based in Warkworth N.Z. Do you know of this steamer?

Best regards, Steamboat Mike

[dhic001]

Zeltic is one and the same,still based in Warkworth NZ. I was Alan Brimblecombe's apprentice, and Zeltic is now my boat.
Daniel

Zeltic is an unusual name, I knew another boat by that name that was based in Warkworth N.Z. Do you know of this steamer?

Best regards, Steamboat Mike