Thread: Steam - the power of the future?

Catastrophic failure of electric motor=motor stops working, small chance of fire.

Catastrophic failure of steam powered motor=chunk of steel blown clean through the skull.
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Au contraire,
Catastrophic failure from electric motor = electrocuted to death.

My grandfather had what must have been the 'multi-power-tool' of the time. It was a wooden frame about 4' x 4 with lots of leather belts and pulleys to drive a table saw, a band saw and lathe. I don't remember that he had a drill press. Granted, it wasn't powered by steam (he had a big electric motor powering it) but it was a marvelous contraption. Unfortunately it disappeared after he died, probably tossed out as 'old crap'. I would have loved to have it, but I wasn't old enough to have a place of my own to put it (and never thought it would disappear until well after the fact.)

I know the set up you are talking about and it would be so easy to rig up a workshop steam engine to power that sort of table up. I was looking at getting one about 15 years ago and didn't because it was impractical at the time and now if you can find one of those set ups in working order they cost an arm and a leg.

Similar sort of thing happened when my Grandmother died. All my Grandad's tools that he had collected in the 30's 40's and 50's plus whatever he inherited from his father all got tossed in a bin. Makes me cry just to think of it. He was a railway engineer too so he had gotten top of the line tools.

All electric motors with a metal chassis that you could electrocute yourself on are earthed.
those that aren't earthed have NO contact between any exposed metal parts and the electrical wiring.

so the chance of electrocution is neglible.


but if you really want a steam powered system that badly, by all means, go for it.

Originally Posted by fragalot

All electric motors with a metal chassis that you could electrocute yourself on are earthed.
those that aren't earthed have NO contact between any exposed metal parts and the electrical wiring.

so the chance of electrocution is neglible.

Probably less remote than blowing a boiler in a workshop bench mounted stationary engine.

Besides we shave with cut throat razors, so being a namby pamby safety nerd who gets frightened by anything more dangerous than bubblewrap isn't on my agenda.

I've seen many catastrophic motor failures. Working for a electrical contractor and motor rewinder means you get to see things, very expensive things, turned to charcoal on a regular basis. The chances of being electrocuted by a motor failure is extremely remote. Typically you would have to have multiple wiring failures (ie lose you earth connection as well as a phase to chassis short) happening not only at the same time but in the right way, for example two phases shorting to the chassis will trip the protection ie fuses and/or breakers regardless of the status of the ground connection, even then if the ground lead is broken but there is still a path to ground through the motor mountings the protection will trip. Unless all the bad luck in the world lines up on you at the same time a catastrophic electric motor failure will make some smoke, noise and a very bad smell. You are EXTREMELY unlikely to be hurt. If a boiler blows ... oh yeah, that's gonna leave a mark.

I do agree that the steam powered gear is very cool (though Sterling cycle engines are cooler and much safer), just far more dangerous than shaving with a cut throat. Cut throats don't usually blow your house apart when they fail. Boilers are known to.

Just throwing this out there, but the guy who does get a complete wood/metal fab shop setup up on Alternative power (steam or solar) will have a leg up after the apocalypse.

/just saying..

Yeah, but then there are zombies to account for too.......

I love steam, but even more, someday I want to own a hit-miss engine. A steam engine would work too though.

What would be quite cool would be a lister engine powering everything.

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a stirling motor would be completely amazing, but sadly I have yet to see one that has enough power to power anything useful


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edit: about that lister workshop...
Deutz Stationärmotor treibt Säge und Bohrmaschine an / Stationary Engine / Moteur Fixe - YouTube