There are a lot of reasons why I contemplated posting to this type of blog.
Some of them are selfish - "Gee - look at how smart I am."
Some are altruistic - "For those who come after - Here Be Dragons!"
Some are arrogant - "I do not want my arcane knowledge to be lost in the fog of time!"
But mostly, I like telling stories. There is a nice, pleasant feeling that comes from relating an experience to fellow enthusiasts. When a reader comes back to you with suggestions and ideas that help you get "un-stuck", it is a basis for an "acquaintanceship" that many times grows into a lasting friendship even though we may never meet face-to-face.
Background
I am pretty much retired - now age 70. I still consult on certain electronic systems for a select clientele, but generally I work with an associate (who is smarter than I am) to hand over my projects and plan to "ride off into the sunset" - this is the "west" - come next year at this time.
I started thinking about "Steam" 10 years ago as I was contemplating what I was going to do after retirement actually arrived at my door. I always liked playing with my toy engine as a kid and so I looked around to see what there was to play with as an adult. I found a lot of toys, but also I found the world of Micro-Engineering. I have spent the last 8 years in the arena of Steam Powered RC Ships and Model Boats. I learned a lot about machining, and model boat building. I met a number of people in person and on-line in those hobby communities. I have posted build logs on model boat kits, warts and all, and solved a number of errors in judgement with the help of fellow enthusiasts.
As I mentioned in earlier posts, I have always been a "workshop" guy. But - I must now confess - I have not always know the best ways to use my tools, or the "science" behind many of the operations and procedures. However, since I still have all my fingers, eyes, and only have a slight buzzing in my ears, I seem to have survived any really stupid moves I have made.
This Project
I have enjoyed being one of the few model ship builders in Denver that specialize in Steam Power. There is a certain gratification that comes from having a little toddler fall over when you blow your whistle, usually accompanied by a giggle of delight. However, you have to have a lake to put the boat in.
I ran across an advertisement for Steam Traction World (STW) in a publication dedicated to Live Steam and Model Railroading. This started my brain cells churning over what could turn out to be a "cool thing" to do. I read the blogs of those that came before, hung out at the STW forum, and slept on it.
STW is about the only company on the planet that produces large size steam engines and vehicles in kit form. As a matter of fact, I do not know of another. It is a subscription process where you pays your money and they send you a kit-a-month for whichever vehicle you are building. Since the kit timetable is fixed, you usually need to wait a bit until the next sequence begins.
I was lucky, and the folks at STW were incredibly kind, as they have allowed me to come in during the first year of a two year kit series. I have no idea how many years I would have had to wait for the start of the next cycle, and in all probability, I would have not been able to do this at all.
First - another confession, I am not a "Car Guy". I own a few, I drive one, I have a good mechanic. I am not a gear-head. Or at least not yet. So I do not know how to pack a bearing or bleed the brakes, but I do know which end of a wrench to use. So - this could be interesting.
Nor am I a historian. I have fellow boat builders that can recite the differences between every class of model warship, or tell you the specifications of each piece of armament they carried. I just like watching a sleek craft slice thru the water.
The LYKAMOBILE is a replica, with modern enhancements, like brakes. It will not be an exact copy, and was not intended as such. The closest match, based upon the steering system, is the original 1899 Locomobile Stanhope Model 1. I found an old advertisement, and it is this model I plan to "replicate" but I will add a few items, like a whistle, to the build to make things interesting.
I will also try to be faithful to the build. This means I will cover the things I find, good and bad, when I try to build the kits. If I make a mess of things, I will cover the process it took to make things right.
I hope you enjoy the show.
Regards to all,
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Thank you for posting your thoughts on my build.