Dry Lakes Racers Australia

Hello folks!

I'm an living and working out of Nowra, NSW. Trained as a computer scientist, working as an engineer and have capabilities that range from robotics, electronics, fiberglass, carpentry, machining, brazing, automation, PCB assembly... it's a long list

Specifically, I've built and designed steam engines since a little kid and have always been interested in racing. I've finally got the opportunity to apply all these skills to a single project...a steam racer.

So, after seeing the Pom's 'attempt' at the world record a year ago and that they've finally managed to get their kettle up to 148mph, I'm going to have a go.

Once again hello to everyone and I'll keep this space updated with the build as it progresses, more info and pictures to follow this weekend.

Reece

Welcome aboard Reece,

It should be an interesting build. I'm assuming you'll be going streamliner?

Cheers,
Rob

Yep Rob, looking at either the streamliner or lakester. Probably going to end up in the streamliner, all depends on the body shape. Size wise it's going to be about the same size as a formula500 (see avatar), just with a much more appropriate bodyshape.

My steam engine's actually quite small, being a rotary design. (Still on paper as of this stage) I've also solved the three major failures of steam engines, loosing > 20% past the pistons, loss of temperature at the cylinders and providing constant lubrication. I think this will give me the edge as I can keep my engine quite small.

The steam generator shall consist of a small tube preheater and a larger tube steam coil. Both are going to have thermocouples all over them so that I can regulate the temperature and keep it in the green. The pressure I'm aiming for is 250psi. It's all the process valves that take up most of the room, along with a water preheater and steam coils. Glad weight's ya friend on the salt!

Oh and I used to live out at North Richmond as a kid, went to Colo High.

C'mon guys....STEAMLINER..

toot toot!!!, looking forward to seeing this project.

Don Noble's gonna be all over ya

Good on ya Reece

Dr G

Yep, all for it too, good work Reece.

On my list of "to dos" is to build a steam powered boat for use on one of the lakes around here for fishing. The amount of spare time I get it will be about 20 years away though...

I like the idea of having a cup of tea from the boiler, maybe you could have a tap installed?

rH+

You probably wouldn't recognise half of "Northo" now Reece.

The formula 500 looks to be a fairly short wheelbase, the longer the wheelbase the more stable it'll be or so the legend goes.

Certainly sounds like an interesting project in the works.

Goggles,

Got me laughing with the Don comment

Cheers,
Rob

Rob: I reckon Sunny Side Cresent is still the same though...
The f500 in the photo was going to be my cheap testbed. Got it home, checked it out and the chassis's shot. On the plus side is the 40+ heim joints, rear end, front suspension that will certainly come in handy. The chassis design is also very clever in places, so I'm going to borrow parts of the design.

Goggles: I like the idea of a 'STEAMLINER', certainly a good name for it!

Reverend: The largest boiler I've built is a 6" diameter copper fire tube. The design for the 'Steamliner' is the reverse, a monotube steam generator, not really a boiler at all. Here's the current prototype, I think there's ~20m of copper in that coil. Only had an old oscillator handy at the time, so threw it on for the test. Interestingly, it was blowing the cylinders clean off the valve faces, a testament to the pressure and volume of steam from the coil. (No other boiler I have is capable of doing that!) It was running at ~110psi due to the mains pressure water feed.



Oh and who's Don Noble?

Trust me you really don't want to know

If he were one of the two Don would be a goat, not a sheep, strangely he moved to New Zealand.

Don is an enigma ...classical music and opera , Nissans and now of all things trains....occasionally you meet boring or unfriendly people out at the lake ...when you do rest assured, it's not Don.

http://www.dlra.org.au/forum/viewtopic. ... c&start=19

Dr Goggles wrote:Don is an enigma ...classical music and opera , Nissans and now of all things trains....

Hah, sounds like a man after my own heart, though you can swap out the nissans for computers! Sounds like an interesting fella.

So a longer wheelbase is preferable, I'll keep that in mind.

I also have a question regarding chassis fabrication. I'm familiar with oxy-acetylene welding and am aware that it's a common way of chassis construction and repair, but can't see any reference to welding techniques in the rule book.

Hello Reese,
provided your not related to Ben welcome aboard, we need someone new that sounds like a bit off a nerd with percuilar habits and other metal problems (speedway) that we could help...........
To take the piss out of.

I love the idea of steam but am a bit like the esteam Ed Rev Headgash and won't have enough lifetimes to explore it so we will just live our next lives with you son....

Chris

[quote="C Hanlon"]Hello Reese,
provided your not related to Ben welcome aboard
chris whatda ya mean by that

next year u ford owners will be eatin my dust

check it out stewie a photo of ollie, i read u mention her the other day when u were talking about grahams leg

STEAM ! STEAM ! , did I hear steam or was it just a faint wiff of coal burning.....
Can I be your fireman please sir . I am experienced , we had our 1927 Steam train engine cranked up to 21 kmh 2 weeks ago . Phenominal speed , hope you can handle it . They tell me that the human body cant possibly handle speeds much higher .... and if you get near 100kmh you will expire ( well that what the French said in 1900 )