Redesigned Bolton No.17

[ianengr]

This engine is slightly larger than the No.15 shown in the 'trade' section and has some similar features. I have just completed two of them.

This engine:-

Bore: 75 mm. Stroke: 90 mm.

Slide valve. Slip eccentric reversing.

[lancelot]

Very neat work Ian...tad bigger than the ''10v'' ;D

[Tel]

Very nice indeed, although it seems to be lacking one prominent round component.

[ianengr]

Thanks Lancelot and Tel,

I wish you could hear them, when just ticking over on air they have a characteristic deep note resonance in the cylinder following the initial blast. Music to my ears!

If the 'prominent round component' is what I think our mate Tel is referring to is correct, this is because I don't know what purpose they will eventually be put to. I've just put both the No. 15 and 17s in the classifieds section of the Steam Boat Assoc. of Australia website so they may end up in a launch but a 'prominent round component' of suitable proportions would certainly make it look better, but would probably be unsuitable in a launch and may well be unsuitable for a given stationary application. I actually used a pair of 3 jaw lathe chucks with brass shimming to protect the shaft for valve setting and trial running at slow speeds.

I built a batch of ten No. 17 for E. & J. Winter nearly 30 years back but they were done to Bolton's drawing and were nowhere near as finished as these and I always wanted to do a 'proper' job on one with some improvements. The No.15 pictured in the 'trade' section is the second of a pair I started 3 or 4 years back, the other was recently sold in a boat by its original owner and is steaming around somewhere in Lake Macquarie.


Regards,

Ian.

[paul]

Blimey that's a whopper, must weigh a bit eh? Any chance of some video so we can hear it too?

[ianengr]

Thanks Paul,

I'll have to see what I can do about a video, but I can't at the moment, sorry....

Kind Regards,

Ian.

[biscuitcruncher]

A lovely piece of work. Having just joined this website discussion group, it's reassuring to see that so much craftsmanship is still alive and well in the 21st Century.

Keep up the good work!