Breaking in my PM Research on air. Construction continues - installing oiling cups and boiler fabrication and machining starts next week but it's kind of satisfying to get the valve timing right, get some breaking in time and then play with the throttle (air pressure regulator actually)
The rate at whick I do hobby stuff, It'll be a month before the boiler gets operational and all hooked up.
I grew up around steam, the family down at the bottom of our road had a 6t Aveling & Porter road roller, that I'd help crew on sometimes, & my sis met her (now ex-) husband crewing on a Burrell showmans engine "Lord Lascelles". My ex-bro-in-law still has an Aveling road tractor. I can smell the mix of steam, hot oil, & coal smoke just thinking about it.
I'll probably start with the Esbit tabs. I'll likely make up a camping gas burner for longer runs.
They make an entire functioning 1/8 scale machine shop (from 1895) with overhead countershaft and an entire machine shop - drill press, grinder, cam grinder, mill, lathe, wood turning lathe, DC generator. Pretty amazing stuff.
Basic set of FUNCTIONAL 1/8 scale machine tools (all require some mill and lathe work - they are supplied as castings, fittings, fasteners and a GOOD set of prints.
Neat stuff Steve! Never knew you were into steam stuff. I really got into the miniature stuff many years ago. I used to subscribe to Live Steam Magazine. I just checked and they are still around. www.livesteam.net What ever you do, don't go here... http://www.colespowermodels.com
I got into steam by accident in trying to come up with emergency propulsion schemes with hydrogen peroxide hypergolics. Turbines use too much gas to spin a prop - that leaves you with steam/compressed gas.
In google-educating myself, I kept coming across some of the coolest model stuff. Great learning experience at first, now it has evolved into a minor hobby.
I did once wonder if you could make a sort of aquatic ram-jet using a microwave to heat the water. However I've no idea if it's a feasible idea, probably not.
I also wondered about a CVT connected to a steam turbine.
Should "The Balloon" go up, I'm sure I could make myself some sort of vehicle to get around on.
I have no idea if anybody is doing research on any of this either.