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Images of my new line-shaft, and I need a steam engine now!

You can also look at the "Pritchard steam car".....this car did actually work,but was powered mainly by hype ,and the state government wasted millions on supposed development,a lot of the money was siphoned off by carpet baggers.
 
Thanks John.

All the same, I am largely free of suicidal tendencies so I am already researching tools for ultrasonic testing of wall thickness and for static pressure testing to 4X safety factors. I would appreciate guidance from the many experts on the forum on these tasks as well.
Please do some research before testing to 4x working pressure. The usual hydraulic test is to 1.5 times working pressure and in most states taking a boiler to 4 times working pressure is considered an over pressure situation which will result in the state de-rating the boiler to a lower pressure if not condemning it altogether.

Keith Taylor
Jefferson, Maine
 
A water tube boiler is considerably safer than an old shell one,and safest of all is the monotube wound into a compact form......these kinds of boilers generally dont need any registration,and basically cannot explode ,even if heated red hot while low on water ....best part is these tube boilers are commercially available for steam cleaners ...Due to the length of tube ,they are quite costly though,around $2000 new.
 
Ive seen a few Detroits converted to steam......there is no need for a new cam ,the conversions use the fuel injection cam to open an inlet valve ......In the 80s ,I had a steam truck powered by a 3/71 converted to steam.....just for around the farm...it used a giant steam cleaner I got from the army auctions for a boiler...unfortunately,such things run on kerosine or diesel,and with about 1% efficiency ,arent practical except as demonstrations......If you are happy to run on low pressure,you can make a conversion using the head as is ,steam in through the exhaust ports ,and exhausting via the air box ...preferably with a condenser to generate some vacuum.
Using the injection lobe to admit the steam is pure - unadulterated - genius!
Any idea of approximate lift and duration of the injection lobe?
 
Now that I have the world's expert in x-71's engaged...
Can I push water through the roots blower from a x-71 and use it as a motor?

I found a steam pump in great condition and price, but need to convert fluid pressure to torque for my line-shaft. I noticed that the displacement of the steam-pump is almost identical to the displacement of a 4-71 (half of a 8-71 pair) and I happen to have an extra 4-71 in the barn.
 
Now that I have the world's expert in x-71's engaged...
Can I push water through the roots blower from a x-71 and use it as a motor?

I found a steam pump in great condition and price, but need to convert fluid pressure to torque for my line-shaft. I noticed that the displacement of the steam-pump is almost identical to the displacement of a 4-71 (half of a 8-71 pair) and I happen to have an extra 4-71 in the barn.

I don't think the bearings and gears are sealed for that, perhaps you could fix that. If not the 4-71 would look really cool poking through the hood of a Tesla

Look at running an old V8 on wood smoke as mentioned above, I think the power loss is similar to running on propane.
 
A water tube boiler is considerably safer than an old shell one,and safest of all is the monotube wound into a compact form......these kinds of boilers generally dont need any registration,and basically cannot explode ,even if heated red hot while low on water ....best part is these tube boilers are commercially available for steam cleaners ...Due to the length of tube ,they are quite costly though,around $2000 new.

^^^ This is very good advice.

Shell style boilers can be very dangerous if not properly managed.

If you go the steam route, I would encourage you to take classes in learning to run steam traction engines. They used to be held in Eggerton, WI, which is not far from IL and OH.

What you may want to consider is plumbing in a large HP electric motor to run your lineshaft, and having a secondary "cool" power source such as a large flywheel engine, steam, etc. That way for daily use you can simply use the electric. When other power sources are used, the electric motor can simply freewheel.

Lots of larger "oilfield" style throttle governed flywheel engines up in Michigan and PA. Portland Indiana has a large show twice a year that features the big oilfield engines.
 
I have made conventional type horizontal steam engines from fabricated steel,last one was 4.75 bore x 7" stroke ....using many old diesel engine parts from the backyard.....without free stuff like liners,piston rings,crank throws,conrods etc,the project is mega expensive ..........anyhoo,the catch with any kind of wood or coal fired steam engine is you need an attendant,or stoker,or whatever.......You cant be working machine tools while the steamer looks after itself..........the steamer can be automatic with oil fuel,but thats mega costly,and the oil is gonna be better used in a diesel engine............A lot of dreamers go on about Stanley Steamers....but they ran on gasoline ,at around 3 to 5mpg. in a light car.
 
One point is that if you want to convert a Detroit to steam,then there are two ways of doing it........simplest is a Uni-Flow engine,but these engines need some kind of condenser to run,and cannot run on compressed air.......the normal method is to mount the engine horizontal with the blower mount downward...this ensures a minimum of water gets into the crankcase oil....the condenser is mounted to the blower mount facing.
 
One point is that if you want to convert a Detroit to steam,then there are two ways of doing it........simplest is a Uni-Flow engine,but these engines need some kind of condenser to run,and cannot run on compressed air.......the normal method is to mount the engine horizontal with the blower mount downward...this ensures a minimum of water gets into the crankcase oil....the condenser is mounted to the blower mount facing.

If I use the exhaust steam to heat my cottage I assume that the cottage is the condenser?
has any one used the emulsifiers which we use to bind lubricants to water in the sumps of our machine tools in an engine to bind the leaking water to a lubricant?
Why will the DD not run on compressed air?
 
I don't think the bearings and gears are sealed for that, perhaps you could fix that. If not the 4-71 would look really cool poking through the hood of a Tesla

Look at running an old V8 on wood smoke as mentioned above, I think the power loss is similar to running on propane.

Yes, I would need to change seals and provide separate lube for the gears.
But does anyone know the approximate efficiency of the roots as a motor, so that I can calculate the torque at X psi of H2O pressure?
 








 
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