This is going to start as a loose collection of photos and movies I have collected over the years. Ultimately it is to become an organized history and resource for those with an interest in steam power in general use in the North Central United States.The Steam Fan 
I've checked a number of sources and can't find a decent picture of a steam fan. Now there are number of definitions of a steam fan. The first is, obviously, a person who likes steam stuff, you know, like me. Then there's the big fans that are used to provide a load for testing and tuning the big engines. But the one I want a picture of is the fan that is steam powered, and used in an office for a cooling device. I've seen them, but I can't come up with a picture. So I picked the next best thing, until I can build a fan.
The Right Angle Three Cylinder Steam Engine
This little beauty is one of the mechanical items my father built, he was a machinist at Goodyear Tire and Rubber, for 47 years give or take. His untimely demise was courtesy of the inept doctors at our local City Hospital, aided by the 50 plus years of smoking, that his doctor told him wasn't a problem as he himself was a smoker, and had shadows on his lung X-Rays as well. But that isn't why we're here see rants for the rest of that. The air flows up from the bottom, and turns the large brass drum which is connected to the flywheel through the 90 degree bends of the pistons. It's an AIR HOG, using quite a few CFM to operate.
From this point on all engines are run on air, though designed for steam. The compressor is there and a large enough boiler has yet to be built. But it will be!
Made entirely of brass and aluminum the triple piston engine is a pleasure to watch.
NEXT is a small Single Cylinder model .
The main frame is made of light gage metal and the valving is in the rotating shaft. The small piston diameter makes it unlikely to start on it's own. But it really screams as far as RPM goes. It takes a fair amount of air as well, (Pressure @ 15 PSI) probably due to tiny surface area of the piston, but it's not bad.
It is mounted on the end of a piece of 2x4 pine.
The Next Engine
Is a larger version of the same design, mounted on a small scrap of 1/8th inch plywood.
This little hummer runs great on about 2 pounds of air. I'm convinced at about 15 pounds it would run a little generator just fine. In fact this winter I intend to set up some "loads" for the little machines we will be making so they won't be just novelties. With the way things are going, I'm thinking it might be time to invest in some old stripmine land. So if you hear of anything cheap gimme a jingle!
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