Where do you buy steam boat stuff

Where do you buy steam boat stuff?

Many of the things that are required to build a steam boat are not available at the hardware shop or the discount boat store.

Finding things often means spending hours calling firms listed on Google only to be told that "we only have that in 6m lengths' or "we only sell by the sheet" (1.2m x 2m) or "we haven't stocked them for thirty years" or "the cutting fee is $50.00" or "we only sell by the box "(100) or, by email in Chinglish, that they have a minimum order of 50,000 shipped from Shanghai

This page is designed to assist people building or re-fitting steam boats by listing known sources of things uncommon in steam boat sizes in the real world.

If you have recently tracked something down and would like to let others know click here to email the moderator

This page was initiated on 27 November 2004

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Date	Item purchased and what is it for?	Supplier	Approx. Cost	Recommended by
September 2016	Pearl Steam Engines	PEARL STEAM ENGINE COMPANY Launch and stationary engines, both single and twin cylinder are available as either complete casting kits, complete machined kits or assembled. Pumps, blueprints and more. Shipping internationally." www.PearlEngine.com		Roger Grosser (Proprietor)

October 2015	Brass Fittings	I had difficulty sourcing brass fittings for my boiler. The following places I found to have most of what I wanted. Plumbing suppliers were of limited help Actrol Penrith Unit 5 12 Robertson Pace PENRITH NSW 2750 02 4721 1850 ACTROL are also at Riverwood, Alexandria, Artarmon, Silverwater, Traralgon, and Auburn. Pirtek Unit 8 2187 Castlereagh Road PENRITH NSW 2750 02 4731 5344 PIRTEK are everywhere too.		Terry Lance
October 2015	Sheetmetal Drip Tray	I wanted to fold up a pan for under my engine. I had a few ideas but it would have to be in several pieces to be removable. I couldn’t find anything at home that I could adapt (cake tins, baking dishes or other stuff from the big house) so I bit the bullet and went to see the local sheet metal bloke. Dave (the boss) climbed into the boat and I showed him what I reckoned would work and what I needed. He took some measurements and made a sketch but said he was very busy and would try to fit it in. About 10 days later I got a phone call and went to pick it up. I could see a bit of a problem so I brought the boat back the following day and he made some adjustments and fitted it up while I waited (and helped). I talked about the Association and left him with a couple of Steam Leaks. The finished product cost less than a slab of beer and will do its intended job well. Brian Jones says it looks too good to hide under the engine and fill with oily water. My son had a drip tray for my beer fridge fabricated at the same place some years ago for a very reasonable price too. Dave is a great bloke to deal with and obviously likes his work, especially a small project that is more interesting than just folding panels for office fitout or other mundane stuff. Dave, All Purpose Sheet Metal Pty Ltd. 6/10 Production Place JAMISONTOWN NSW 2750 02 4722 2072		Terry Lance
December 2013	General Steam Fittings and fasteners	E & J Winter at Kurri Kurri. They have a good web site www.ejwinter.com.au which includes a price list. Although their main business is model steam locos they have plenty of interest to steamboaters		Mike Davies
August 2013	Nuts and Bolts	Newcastle High Tensile Bolt Company Corner of Gipps Street & Elizabeth Street, Carrington NSW 2304 Phone 02 4968 9101 www.hi-tensilebolt.com.au Mike says: I have found a nut and bolt supplier who is extremely good; for instance I wanted some ¼” BSF grub screws and tried Blackwoods, Lee Bros. and Bomond Trading and they all laugh at me. When I called Newcastle High Tensile Bolt Company they asked me what length and shipped them overnight. I have sourced other things from them and all have arrived overnight. Also their web site is excellent.		Mike Davies
March 2012	Colloidal Graphite	There was an article in Steam Leak 107 by John Davis Regarding Colloidal Graphite. This supplier will sell small quantities . http://www.thomasgrozier.com/docs/PRODUCT_DESCRIPTIONS.PDF	$34.90 per 500ml can plus GST and Delivery.	Mick O'Shea
Nov 2004	25mm Kaowool blanket for lagging engine and boiler	Field Furnace Refractories Pty Ltd 8 Arnott Place WETHERILL PARK NSW 2164 (02) 9729 1799 http://www.fieldfurnace.com.au/	$16.00 per 600 x 1000mm piece	Peter Cowie
Nov 2004	Safety Valve for boiler. Set at 200lbs, 1/2" inlet 1" outlet. They also stock gauge glasses, valves and other interesting stuff	Austral Engineering (02) 9874 0211 Ermington, Sydney and other state branches http://www.spec-net.com.au/company/austeng.htm	$230.00	Peter Cowie
Nov 2004	1.6mm x 150mm seamless stainless steel tube 1.2m long for the boiler flue (inner funnel)	Midway Metals Sydney 9757 1400 Branches in other states	$110.00 incl. delivery	Peter Cowie
Jan 2005	Spares for "British Seagull" outboard motors	Not strictly steamboat but some of us do carry one as a back up... Apparently the following are the sole Australian agents: - Minards Diesel 15 Sara St Toronto NSW 2283 Ph 024950 4565		John Shoebridge

Jan 2005	Stainless Steel fabrication ( Hot well, make-up tank etc.)	Klitland Fabrications, Manly Vale 9948 9411		Jim Hammond
	Timber - teak mahogany etc.	Anagote Timbers 144 Renwick St.Marrickville 9558 8444		Jim Hammond
	Water Gauges etc.	Klinger P.O.Box 7363 Baulkham Hills 2153 8824 3930		Jim Hammond
	Bronze fittings etc,	Briggs Marine (Adcast Consolidated P/L) 23 Stafford St. Huntingdale Vic.3166 03 9544 1229		Jim Hammond
	Boiler Water Treatment	Tandex Chemicals C9, 101 Rookwood Rd Yagoona NSW 2199 ph: (02) 9793 7218 Tanblend Boiler Treatment, Polyfloc defloculent www.tandex.com.au		Jim Hammond
	Brass "D" section (Rubbing strip etc.)	Marine and Engineering Industries P/L 1-3 Endeavour Rd. Caringbah		Jim Hammond
	Adhesive tape (Boot top)	Spandex - Asia Pacific P/L P.O.Box 575 Hornsby N.S.W. 1630		Jim Hammond
	Engineers Supplies (brass fittings, tools etc.)	Mitchell's Engineers Supplies P/L 4/1 Leighton Place Hornsby 9482 1811 ALAS, Closed 2019		Jim Hammond
	Non Ferrous Castings	Godfrey Castings P/L Unit 7 32-38 Anne St Marys 9623 9267		Jim Hammond NB: they cast the skeg, rudder and staunchion bases fro the "Witch of Endor"
August 2005	Bearings, seals etc.	North Shore Bearing Co. Unit 11 at 18 Leighton Place, Hornsby 2077 Phone 9482 3977. Updated February 2020		Jim Hammond
February 2006	For those steamies over here in the west (W.A) I have found a manufacturer of aluminium and bronze fittings for boats	Ausco Products 273 Camboon Rd MALAGA W.A 6090 telephone: (08)9248 5077 fax: (08)9248 2737 auscoproducts@bigpond.com		Mike Williams (Non Member from WA)
August 2010	Small Injectors	Scale Model Exchange		Terry Lance

This site was last updated 02-Feb-2020

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