Ridge Live Steamers. July 2012

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Randolph Sullivan
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1 July 2012 Ridge Live Steamers CALENDAR RLS Run Day Saturday July 28, 2012 And Board of Directors Meeting, if necessary Regular Work Day Saturday August 4, 2012 Regular Work Day Saturday August 11, 2012 Regular Work Day Saturday August 18, 2012 RLS Run Day Saturday August 25, 2012 And Board of Directors Meeting, if necessary Regular Work Day Saturday September 1, 2012 Regular Work Day Saturday September 8, 2012 Regular Work Day Saturday September 15, 2012 RLS Run Day Saturday September 22, 2012 And Board of Directors Quarterly Meeting Regular Work Day Saturday September 29, 2012 Regular Work Day Saturday October 6, 2012 Regular Work Day Saturday October 13, 2012 Regular Work Day Saturday October 20, 2012 Fall Meets North East Florida Live Steamers Friday Sunday October 19 21, 2012 RLS Fall Meet Friday Sunday October 26 28, 2012 Pot Luck Supper, 6:00 PM Saturday October 27, 2012 Central Pasco & Gulf Saturday Sunday November 3 4, 2012 Manatee Central RR Friday Sunday November 9 11, 2012 FLS Board Meeting, 1:00 PM Saturday November 10, 2012 Big Boots & Western Saturday Sunday November 17 18, 2012 Sebring Systems Saturday Sunday December 1 2, 2012 Big Boots & Western Saturday Sunday December 8 9, 2012 Summer Doldrums are upon us. Mowing and rain, mowing and rain. Everything is green and growing, mowing and rain. Our Fall Meet is coming sooner than you realize, and so are the other Fall Meets. Start planning now, the days go faster every year. Many Hands make light work, and so it is with the club s black and green gondolas. We have lugged water in them, they have carried track panels, they have had ballast shoveled from them, they have been left out in the weather. But, now, they will have new plywood bottoms installed, new bearings installed where needed, the black gondola will get a new metal bottom and they will get a new powder coated paint job. Many hands have done the work. Look carefully, you may not recognize them. From The Ridge Yacht Club Construction of an elongated Mid West Steam Launch. While at Diamondhead this year I learned of how to modify the Midwest boiler so that the sterno would produce steam. The Process involved adding legs to raise the boiler skirt 5/32 of an inch above the base. There is a 1/16 of an inch between the boiler skirt and the sterno cup allowing air to enter from below and feed the flame. Prior to this modification this boat would hardly run.

the inside is sealed with polyester resin. The outside is sealed with 4 oz fiberglass cloth and resin.

Here is a view of the modified fan tail launch running in the pond at Ridge this Spring. You can see that it is churning up a good wake and running fine. This shows the longer hull on a stand.

Note the rudder and propeller is stored out of the boat. When you leave the shaft in the boat it tends to rust, corrode and self destruct. Ask me how I know this.

I used the left over blanks to reconstruct all the frame parts in the original model, adding one extra so as to lengthen the middle of the boat.

2 the inside is sealed with polyester resin. The outside is sealed with 4 oz fiberglass cloth and resin. Then primed and painted with Krylon enamel cherry red bottom, gloss white topsides and varnished deck. Making the cowlings is a real challenge but I had a supply of thin mahogany. Here is a view of the modified fan tail launch running in the pond at Ridge this Spring. You can see that it is churning up a good wake and running fine. This shows the longer hull on a stand. The boat is 23 inches long compared to the 19 inch Mid West Launch. Here is a recent picture of the launch on its stand minus the boiler and engine which is currently in the next boat. Note the rudder and propeller is stored out of the boat. When you leave the shaft in the boat it tends to rust, corrode and self destruct. Ask me how I know this. Having achieved such a success I decided to see if A scratch built hull 4 inches longer would go faster. I used the left over blanks to reconstruct all the frame parts in the original model, adding one extra so as to lengthen the middle of the boat. The original model is made of 1/32 inch thick balsa sheet glued over a frame. For this boat I made a keel, added one extra frame and cut planks on my band saw from Aspen. A beautiful soft white wood from Lowes. Since I like a varnished hull, I stained one side of each plank with Cherry oil stain. When dry I planked the hull in the usual plank on frame manner. I used CA glue with accelerator which allows the planking to go quite quickly. The deck is cut from a single sheet of 1/16 th inch aircraft plywood. I then planked the deck with scored bass wood after the sides were on. Once the hull is complete This view shows the hull extension. This provides two seats and an area in the Oliver (a real steam boat) where the firewood would be stored. You can also see the planking. In the center just below the boiler you can see one of the feet supporting the boiler. There is a nut glued to the underside so a short 4-40 machine screw holds the boiler to the pad. This pad with boiler and engine is easily removed and placed back in the other boat. The boat steams fine.

Respectively Submitted Harold Dunsford President Ridge Live Steamers The Reidsville Switch Tower & RR Police Station By Jim Burby It started with two

This simple weekend project has now stretched into seven months as one thing has lead to another.

Bryan turned a trackside structure into a doll house, architectural model and/or a marionette stage.

3 This shows the two hulls side by side. The next report will describe the construction of the Elliott Bay Steam Launch, a 27 inch long boat powered by a similar Mid West Steam Engine. Respectively Submitted Harold Dunsford President Ridge Live Steamers The Reidsville Switch Tower & RR Police Station By Jim Burby It started with two sheets of James Hardie cement board and the idea that there should be a way to make trackside structures weather resistant. This simple weekend project has now stretched into seven months as one thing has lead to another. The first complication was the arrival of a 9 tall marionette (or in 1/8 scale a 6 tall switch tower operator) named Bryan by one of my granddaughters. Bryan turned a trackside structure into a doll house, architectural model and/or a marionette stage. A two floor structure required stairs and stairs required railings. The easy part A hip roof required 700+ shingles cut from full size scrapes. Shingles lead to gutters, gutters called for leaf guards and downspouts. A vacant first floor begged for the RR Police to move in which required a flag and pole. A tall pole necessitated an underground cylinder so that the pole would sink under pressure as a safety measure.

Sign over the Door Reads: RR Police Do Not Cross

but the proper size trowel was needed to apply

A blank space on the North wall begged for a

5 = 1 squares The signage was molded in hopes of

on hand for replacements Holding cell window

4 Sign over the Door Reads: RR Police Do Not Cross Tile set worked well as the stucco and plaster but the proper size trowel was needed to apply the material. A blank space on the North wall begged for a clock. Shingles and Tiles were cut to 1.5 = 1 squares The signage was molded in hopes of resisting the elements and if not, the molds are on hand for replacements Holding cell window ground floor The control room floor needed VCT tiles, cut from full size, and coated four times with wax.

Simple became complicated Having Bryan pace back and forth in his second floor perch seemed simple in concept.

A combination of 3v motor, threaded rod, and an off the shelf motion detector designed for detecting automobiles worked to

To the rescue came Richard Dobler, with his mastery of relays and limit switches, so now Bryan is in full motion responding to

Dedication You cannot have a switch tower operator without a desk, chair, desk lamp, waste basket and phone.

5 Simple became complicated Having Bryan pace back and forth in his second floor perch seemed simple in concept. But it became the larger challenge. A combination of 3v motor, threaded rod, and an off the shelf motion detector designed for detecting automobiles worked to automate Bryan, but the critical control was beyond me. To the rescue came Richard Dobler, with his mastery of relays and limit switches, so now Bryan is in full motion responding to the approach of trains or persons in the area controlled by the tower. Dedication You cannot have a switch tower operator without a desk, chair, desk lamp, waste basket and phone. For night operations the control panel must be back lit. Exterior lighting fixtures were made from pluming fittings. Welcome messages and safety announcements are made from motion activated Coke machines. The Switch Tower is dedicated to the Ridge Live Steamers and named for Jim Reid who made room for my Ford #1002 locomotive in his barn over which the tower and Bryan will be on watch 24/7.

6 Name Badges. Please wear your name badges when at the track, especially during run days, so that we may all learn the names of members we don t know, and new members may get to know us. Additional, or new, badges may be purchased for $6.00. Electronic Distribution. Help the Treasurer and the Secretary/Editor to save money, and time. If you do not already get the newsletter , please me at allenpn@tampabay.rr.com with your address. Please be sure to add me to your mailbox so that I won t be blocked. Please be assured that only RLS mail will be sent to you and it will be as a blind copy to prevent anyone else gaining access to your computer. General Membership Meetings will be held the fourth Saturday of each month, unless otherwise noted. They will be held at the pavilion after lunch. This is to satisfy the Requirements of Article 1, Section 4 of the Ridge Live Steamers By-Laws. Board of Director Meetings will be held on run days in January, April, July and October. This is to satisfy the Requirements of Article II, Section 3, Paragraph (1) of the Ridge Live Steamers By- Laws. By direction of the President additional Board of Director meetings will be held right after lunch on run days during the intervening months, if necessary.

1/10 th Scale 1956 Ted Jones Classic Hydroplane

1/10 th Scale 1956 Ted Jones Classic Hydroplane Preparation These plans show outside sheeting of 3/32 balsa laminated with 1/64 birch ply. This makes a light and strong skin for this boat. Optionally you