The Steamboating Forum

Hello everyone.
I have had a lifelong interest in steam, used to be a subscriber to Light Steam Power back before the internet.
I think I still have one issue somewhere describing the conversion of a gas engine to steam.
They sold full scale plans for a compound V-twin engine of a max 30hp. There are 30 some drawings about 24 x 24 inches. They also sold castings. I purchased the plans and castings from England. I still have the box of castings and a crank that I rough machined, and I recall doing a flywheel pulley as well. It used sealed ball bearings for all bearing surfaces, and inconel for valve pistons. At that time I did not know how to get Inconel, and I could have used bronze.

It was 30 years ago, and I realized then that I did not have sufficient knowledge in machining, and reading prints, so I set it aside til I gained more knowledge and a better lathe, and could do it. I did not want to screw up the castings, as they had cost a lot of money back then.
Now I have the skills to do this machining job. This may be my personal best record of procrastination.

And making a boiler has always left me looking like a deer in the headlights.

So the long and short of it is I am here to learn and ask stupid questions.

Welcome! There's lots to see and read on here, and the only stupid question is the one you didn't ask, before mucking something up.

Welcome onboard, IronMan!

Procrastination sure looks like wasted time but it's also and above all a proof that you act carefully. An elementary form of procrastination says you have to measure twice before cutting once. Now you're ready to cut/machine your castings. Moreover, V twins are quite rare, I'd like to read your reports about your very interesting project. It will give me a little more time to procrastinate on my own project

Welcome aboard!

The forum traffic goes in fits and starts, but there's definitely a wealth of steam experience here. If it's too quiet for you, post something; you're pretty sure to get a response of one sort or another .

Good luck with your engine... and don't hesitate to chronicle the build here... it serves as inspiration for all of us. The boat building forums are full of projects that take years to complete.

- Bart

A record of procrastination, I bought the farm implement wheels which form the basis of my sidewheeler paddlewheels in 1978, and at the time I knew exactly why I was buying them. Built the steamer 32 years later in 2010.

Time to get things done has a highly variable schedule, and steam power is a rich reward for many of us, but you know that already. Best wishes for your build, getting all the machinery ready, etc. Steamboat hulls can be very cheap using a good fiberglass sailboat hull, or you can spend years with the more traditional steamboats. Either way you will find good advice here. Welcome.

Welcome to the forum Ironman! As others have already stated. There's a ton of knowledge on here