Mid 2017 Update

Progress since April

Well, it seems like high time I provided an update, as the last one was in April!

At some level it feels like not much has been achieved, but that’s because a lot of the work has been “bitty”, finishing up jobs and tidying up items that had been hanging around for a while – and then there was the distraction of needing to design/build a new garden shed (the last one literally blew down – the joys of living 900ft up in the Pennines!).

So here is a list of the items I can recall completing….

Finishing the inner Boiler casing – next job is to “lag” the inside with ceramic board insulation
Making a manifold for the feed clacks – basically milling and turning off about 80% of a steel block.
Remaking the battery pack for the VHF transceiver – no replacements available.
Testing the antique Sailor VHF radio – (using the aforementioned transceiver)
Rebuilding and modifying the lubricator pump and plumbing to fix leaks – (correction; most leaks!)
Making a sump/oil tray for the engine – expensively made from spare 3mm brass sheet!!!
Repainting the condenser – maximum Nitromors, but looks better.
Finishing steam re-heater – making unions, and lagging in “broken bone” plaster bandage.
Plumbing in the condenser steam and cooling water circuits – lots of cursing, custom unions and silver soldering.
Fixing the pump/alternator assembly to sump – decided the floating design was no good.
Craning the engine and boiler around ready for testing.
Spent a fine day on Grayling on Windermere – we all need a break sometimes!

Next Steps

I think the engine is now effectively ready to install into the boat, but we are going to bench test the whole shbang before we do this.
Strip the boiler casing and fit the insulation.
Mount inner and outer funnel onto boiler.
Screw cut the M20 and M16 stays for the boiler (thanks John for loan of larger lathe).
Make water gauge – modified castings arrived (thanks to Ian Cross for the pattern making).
Assemble and pressure test the boiler!!!!!!

I have assembled a slideshow of photos to record some of the above items, rather than post them all individually – enjoy!