Cat's away ...

[Dave Cole]

All hands:

The List Mom is going on vacation (there are train rides involved, 
but not enough). Be back Aug. 14. My Internet access will be limited 
during the next 11 days, so I won't be on top of things.

Play nice.

\dmc

-- 
^^^
Dave Cole
Gen'l Sup't:  Grand Teton & Everglades Steam Excursion Co.
   Pacifica, Calif. USA  
List Mom: sslivesteam, the list of small-scale live steamers
   

^^^ 

Re: fuel

[Alison & Jim Gregg]

Geoff, Walt et al.

The water affinity thing is a characteristic of all the alcohols to a 
greater or lesser degree  Both Ethanol (Ethyl alcohol - which is  what 
Methylated Spirits is if denatured with a bit of Methanol) and Methanol 
(Methyl Alcohol) do absorb water with such enthusiasm that they are used as 
drying agents or desiccants in some applications.

They will pull water  out of  even apparently dry air if the bottle is left 
open for even a short time.  The main problem with "bad fuel" in alcohol 
fired locos is just that.  Even a small percentage ow water reduces the 
heat output - Think of it - If you've got 10% water in the fuel then in a 
100 ml of fuel you will actually only have 90 ml of alcohol so you are down 
10%, but it gets worse!  the 10% water gets boiled off in the flame, so 
that is heat not available to heat the boiler. If my rough arithmetic is 
right then you end up with about 19% less heat available to the loco.  Bad 
news.

Jim Gregg.
At 09:30 AM 8/3/02 -0700, you wrote:
>Walt, Jim at al,
>
>My experience is much the same as Jim's and I get the methanol from a local
>speed shop  too--at $3 a gallon! . It seems to work very well has never
>hurt my Aster paint but it does have a great affinity for moisture! I used
>it in Pleasanton rather than the stuff provided. It never,  cough, cough,
>seems, cough, to bother my lungs or my sinuses Sniff, sniff,-- Gotta get my
>inhaler.
>
>Geoff.
>
>
>
> Original Message -
> >>From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >>To: Multiple recipients of sslivesteam <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
> >>Sent: Friday, August 02, 2002 10:31 PM
> >>Subject: fuel
> >>
> >Walt
> >
> >Pete Jobusch and I have used the methanol that is sold at my local speed
> >shop.  They claim that it is about 99.7% pure because at the race track
> >they take samples to test for additives.  Presence of same may get the car
> >disqualified.  It appears to burn at a lower temperature than something
> >like STX from the hardware store.  However, having no additives it burns
> >VERY CLEAN.  It will take some paint off your engine and tender (ask Paul
> >Quirk) but has never done anything to the paint on an Aster loco.
> >
> >I originally used it with my "works grey" Aster BR-86 and for a long time
> >it looked like it had never been run.  After two runs with hardware store
> >alcohol, my boiler looked like everybody else's, discoloration from crud
> >and heat ( it's a pot boiler and the flame is directly on the external 
> paint).
> >
> >I always have both at my steamups; definitately a matter of personal
> >preference.  BTW, next one at the IE & W Ry is 14-15 Sept.
> >
> >Jim
> >=
> >Jim Stapleton
> >Purcellville VA
> >[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
>
>
 

Re: fuel

[WaltSwartz]

Jim,
Thanks for the info on the fuel.
Don't think I'll be able to get North for September, have an appointment with 
Cleveland Clinic at that time.
Keep your steam up!
Walt 

Re: fuel

[Geoff Spenceley]

Walt, Jim at al,

My experience is much the same as Jim's and I get the methanol from a local
speed shop  too--at $3 a gallon! . It seems to work very well has never
hurt my Aster paint but it does have a great affinity for moisture! I used
it in Pleasanton rather than the stuff provided. It never,  cough, cough,
seems, cough, to bother my lungs or my sinuses Sniff, sniff,-- Gotta get my
inhaler.

Geoff.



 Original Message -
>>From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>>To: Multiple recipients of sslivesteam <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>>Sent: Friday, August 02, 2002 10:31 PM
>>Subject: fuel
>>
>Walt
>
>Pete Jobusch and I have used the methanol that is sold at my local speed
>shop.  They claim that it is about 99.7% pure because at the race track
>they take samples to test for additives.  Presence of same may get the car
>disqualified.  It appears to burn at a lower temperature than something
>like STX from the hardware store.  However, having no additives it burns
>VERY CLEAN.  It will take some paint off your engine and tender (ask Paul
>Quirk) but has never done anything to the paint on an Aster loco.
>
>I originally used it with my "works grey" Aster BR-86 and for a long time
>it looked like it had never been run.  After two runs with hardware store
>alcohol, my boiler looked like everybody else's, discoloration from crud
>and heat ( it's a pot boiler and the flame is directly on the external paint).
>
>I always have both at my steamups; definitately a matter of personal
>preference.  BTW, next one at the IE & W Ry is 14-15 Sept.
>
>Jim
>=
>Jim Stapleton
>Purcellville VA
>[EMAIL PROTECTED]


 

Re: fuel

[Jim Stapleton]

>- Original Message -
>From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>To: Multiple recipients of sslivesteam <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>Sent: Friday, August 02, 2002 10:31 PM
>Subject: fuel
>
Walt

Pete Jobusch and I have used the methanol that is sold at my local speed
shop.  They claim that it is about 99.7% pure because at the race track
they take samples to test for additives.  Presence of same may get the car
disqualified.  It appears to burn at a lower temperature than something
like STX from the hardware store.  However, having no additives it burns
VERY CLEAN.  It will take some paint off your engine and tender (ask Paul
Quirk) but has never done anything to the paint on an Aster loco.  

I originally used it with my "works grey" Aster BR-86 and for a long time
it looked like it had never been run.  After two runs with hardware store
alcohol, my boiler looked like everybody else's, discoloration from crud
and heat ( it's a pot boiler and the flame is directly on the external paint).

I always have both at my steamups; definitately a matter of personal
preference.  BTW, next one at the IE & W Ry is 14-15 Sept.

Jim
=
Jim Stapleton
Purcellville VA
[EMAIL PROTECTED] 

Re: fuel

[cgprod]

Hi Walt.

  Never talked to you before ( Im a new Member ) ;;; however  what I
think you mean is ethonol ;;use it all the time in fact all my engines bar
one is fired by the stuff it is great ;; but if you log onto
 www.gaugeone.org ) --- ( click to forum ) ---( click to comments by David
Morgan Kirby ) you will get the whole picture .
   While on this setup go back to local groups -- ( click to great lakes
group ) and you will see a picture of yours truly with one of my engines .

 Keep up steam.

Regards   Graham S
+
- Original Message -
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: Multiple recipients of sslivesteam <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Sent: Friday, August 02, 2002 10:31 PM
Subject: fuel


> Hi,
> Just got back from a working vacation. While in Pittsburgh, PA I visited
the
> home and shop of one of the volunteers for The Depot train project. He has
> been building and running race cars for quite some time. Recently he has
> switched from alcohol burners to gasoline. He said the alcohol they used
was
> very "hot" and gave me some to bring home and try in the Mikado, etc.
> Does anyone have any background on this type of alcohol? what proof is it,
do
> they use any additives that may be injurious to the loco or the operators?
> Any input would be appreciated.
> Keep your steam up!
> Walt
> PS while at the LCCA convention we had a chartered train from Pittsburgh
to
> Altoona and return. For the second time in my life I was able to ride over
> Horseshoe Curve both ways in the same day. Also visited the "Portage
Railroad"
> and the Trolley Museum in Washington, PA.
>