Customer Reviews

Model VI Steam Engine

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This little oscillating steam engine and boiler combination may seem a bit pricey. The parts are basically stock materials but they are machined precisely and assemble without trouble. Only simple hand tools are required. The boiler requires soldering with a torch. The instructions are complete and throrough.
The boiler uses Sterno for fuel, heats quickly, and is relatively reliable.
While not as pretty as some, it may be just the ticket for someone without access to a machine shop and a tenth the price. I have had mine for 11 years.

I love this model steam engine - I am not using it for a marine engine but rather for a stationary engine to drive some toy steam accessories - I had to modify the flywheel but its working okay. It would be nice in a ship or boat model but I am not a good wood craftsman.

I have to say, that this is a fantastic kit!
Everything went together very well without any problems.
The packaging, instructions, and materials were all first rate.
Highly recommended!

This kit is not for beginners. You will need to get a hobbysize butane tourch to put the boiler together and small dia solder. The casting the cylinder is to mate to is not machined so the steam just pours ou every where. No pressure relife valve on the boiler. The casting and piston mateing part have to be resurfaced for a perfect fit. I have had years of experince in precision parts so that I did get the motor running but not to the point it could be used for anything

Takes allot of patience to build and the know how of sodering metals together. Also brass dents easily and is very soft so be careful

Still building it but the directions and quality seem outstanding. Be careful opening the plastic bags, I lost one small part and had to order a replacement.

I bought this little steam engine and boiler for my child's science project. The kit consists of 6 bags of assorted parts which are separated in no apparent order. The little engine consists of a stamped metal stand in which the intake and exhaust tubes are to be banged into the respective holes then held in place by superglue - which is not supplied. The cylinder is soldered to a bracket which has a hole that is to line up with the small intake and exhaust ports of the stand. These holes are suppose to be lined up with a toothpick - not supplied.

The assembly of the piston within the cylinder requires fitting as the heating of the cylinder and the soldering of the piston rod into the piston causes some oxidation, which makes the already tight fit too tight for easy movement of the piston in the cylinder.

The boiler consist of a 1 and 1/2 inch copper tube with two end caps that you have to solder together. The stack extends through the boiler with the top cap having a little fill hole and a steam outlet. While the soldering of the boiler is rather straight forward, things got complicated when dealing with the soldering of the steam outlet tube. It is a small 1/8 brass tube no bigger than an inch long which you have to heat up to anneal so you can bend the thing. Whatever you do, don't drop the tube while soldering or it will go into the boiler which you had just soldered. This requires the unsoldering of the thing to get it out which will take an additional hour or so and probably burnt fingers as you try to take to the two parts apart.

I paid a hole lot for a bunch of parts which shouldn't had cost more than $10. The kit use of superglue and solder is really lacking. Finally, the kit's boiler reliance on solder for holding the parts together with no safety relief whatsoever is dangerous should the small 1/8" tube get plugged during operation.