Thread: Old Steam Engine Bought to life.

Looks like you had fun with it. My dad bought me a wilesco steam engine when I was around the same age a really good toy.

That's nothing short of awesome Bruce, great to see these things bought to life. Wish I had one

Originally Posted by welder

Looks like you had fun with it. My dad bought me a wilesco steam engine when I was around the same age a really good toy.

Andre
A good man your father. I liked the time we spent together in Melb.
I recall the Wilesco, there were a few different brands about.I have another model engine I bought my son ( he is now 44 )
I do not know the brand of it. Heres a photo.
I was thinking as I get older I like more toys. I think this applies to a lot of people also on this forum.
Toys, come under the classification of most tools, lathes, mills shapers, drilling machines, & also woodworking stuff. You name it, but its good to have these interests.
regards
Bruce

Originally Posted by sjt

That's nothing short of awesome Bruce, great to see these things bought to life. Wish I had one

Scott
Yes they are nice things, model steam engines.
Sometimes they can be found, probably in old garage sales etc.
I was surprised yesterday in doing a Google search on the "Scorpion" brand that I have, could now be valued up to $450.
Probably cost a few dollars originally, when it was purchased new 62 yrs ago.
I particularly like your quote from Emerson.
Makes a lot of sense in a mixed up world.
regards
Bruce

Agree with the more "toys" comment.

I'm lucky, my son is 10 so it is the right time to explore these hot, smelly, wonderful devices again and relive my childhood! .

I think getting the old Mamod donkey engine out would be a start - but Bruce that second engine is in a different class - double acting, cast rods!

Thanks for sharing!

Originally Posted by Abratool

Andre
A good man your father. I liked the time we spent together in Melb.
I recall the Wilesco, there were a few different brands about.I have another model engine I bought my son ( he is now 44 )
I do not know the brand of it. Heres a photo.
I was thinking as I get older I like more toys. I think this applies to a lot of people also on this forum.
Toys, come under the classification of most tools, lathes, mills shapers, drilling machines, & also woodworking stuff. You name it, but its good to have these interests.
regards
Bruce

My Dad is pretty good if it wasn't for his support from an early I probably wouldn't be into engineering and just be "normal " teenager playing video games. He's one year behind you Bruce

When I was a boy I used to drool at things like this in Hearn's Hobbies in Melbourne... there was a plethora of attachments, like generators, belt driven machine shops, water pumps etc. This was in the late 70's/early 80's.

There probably are still manufacturers of model steam engines, but I am going to involve my children in building some... after all, I have the gear, and they might learn something- I believe it is a Chinese proverb: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

Model steam engines were one of those things that my parents never bought me despite my pleadings (nevertheless they were good parents) and along with things like model rocketry (another unrealized childhood hobby) I am attempting to dangle these carrots to keep my children away from the Nintendo I-box (whatever!!!) for as long as possible...

The seven year old boy... seems fascinated with computers. Well, programmers (and hackers?) make good money. Could be a CAD/CAM programmer like dad, but will probably get bored, buy a heap of old machines and machine stuff on weekends.

The four year old girl... there may be hope. Here she is helping me undo the tailshaft bolts under my Chevy C50 when I replaced the clutch recently.

For modern ones, check this mob Stationary - Model Steam Engines
while you are there check the link to the kits to assemble your own.
Regards

We have a nice little hot air (Stirling cycle) at work that we fire up to demo occasionally. Have also been know to fire it up just because its nice to watch.

Originally Posted by Abratool

Scott
Yes they are nice things, model steam engines.
Sometimes they can be found, probably in old garage sales etc.
I was surprised yesterday in doing a Google search on the "Scorpion" brand that I have, could now be valued up to $450.
Probably cost a few dollars originally, when it was purchased new 62 yrs ago.
I particularly like your quote from Emerson.
Makes a lot of sense in a mixed up world.
regards
Bruce

you have just got me dusting mine of.

Originally Posted by Abratool

Andre
A good man your father. I liked the time we spent together in Melb.
I recall the Wilesco, there were a few different brands about.I have another model engine I bought my son ( he is now 44 )
I do not know the brand of it. Heres a photo.
I was thinking as I get older I like more toys. I think this applies to a lot of people also on this forum.
Toys, come under the classification of most tools, lathes, mills shapers, drilling machines, & also woodworking stuff. You name it, but its good to have these interests.
regards
Bruce

I remember we had a similar looking kit in the physics room in high school. I used to love firing it up, mostly on open days. It was similar to this model but it drove a small generator and it would light up a lamp, probably around 5 watts or so.

From memory it used to run on small tablets, similar to hex amine tablets used in stoves....

Cheers,

Simon

Originally Posted by simonl

I remember we had a similar looking kit in the physics room in high school. I used to love firing it up, mostly on open days. It was similar to this model but it drove a small generator and it would light up a lamp, probably around 5 watts or so.

From memory it used to run on small tablets, similar to hex amine tablets used in stoves....

Cheers,

Simon

Yes, Simon I would like to get a small generator to light a lamp.
I do not know where to start looking ?
regards
Bruce

Hi Bruce, check this ebay link, it's full of good things, I have some kits to be made of the machine tools that he sells, he was very helpful, to save money on postage he re-pack everything for me to get it in a flat rate box, I have yet to start, if only I didn't have to work for a living , great engine you have there, a word of warning, once you click on the link, be prepared to spend some money
cheers, Richard.


Live Steam Engine Machined Dynamo Generator DYN-1M | eBay

Originally Posted by Dano48

Hi Bruce, check this ebay link, it's full of good things, I have some kits to be made of the machine tools that he sells, he was very helpful, to save money on postage he re-pack everything for me to get it in a flat rate box, I have yet to start, if only I didn't have to work for a living , great engine you have there, a word of warning, once you click on the link, be prepared to spend some money
cheers, Richard.


Live Steam Engine Machined Dynamo Generator DYN-1M | eBay

That's awesome. looks brilliant.

Simon