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Your cart is empty.The smallest in the Wilesco steam engine range is the D2. Many will not pass by this beauty. Heated with a special beeswax tea light, the filigree swing cylinder purrs up and down and drives the glittering flywheel quickly. It is a pleasure to watch this mechanical masterpiece. The kettle content is sufficient for more than 30 minutes of running time. The box contents include a syringe for filling the water into the tank, a small tube of special oil and the special beeswax tea light.
Mike Z.
2025-08-25 11:49:07
Bought this for my daughter's Science Olympiad studies in thermodynamics. Gives a real-world application of the first and second laws of thermodynamics in a tight little package.Takes a bit of practice to learn its neuroses, but if you follow the directions then all should be well.Had a bit of grief with the unit after its first run. The piston was sticky, preventing facile motion, and oiling the piston stem didn't seem to help. I wound up disassembling the unit, wiping it down, and applied oil directly to the piston before re-assembling (yes, I voided the warranty). After some heat, steam and motion, it ran like new.A 20ml fill should easily last a half hour. On my unit's latest run, the candle burned down enough that the boiler was slightly underpowered due to the increased distance from the flame to the boiler base. That run went for over an hour on a 15ml fill.Some things I learned along the way:At top speed the engine takes on a "pocketa-pocketa" sound that sounds like metal-on-metal, but it's probably just the high-pressure steam decompressing in the outlet beyond some transition temperature. It should not be a problem, but if it bothers you, raise the boiler a tiny bit by putting shims between the stand and the boiler support. Something like the flat of a toothpick (or three) is enough. It will reduce the speed of the engine slightly, and make it run quieter and probably longer.It is very hard to overpressurize this thing. It has a run pressure of 1atm (gauge) and the unit is factory tested to a burst pressure of 3atm (gauge). Steam will push its way out through the primary borehole long before it gets that bad. Oh, and on that point...Use soft, purified, or ideally distilled, water. Hard water will corrode the interior and clog up that primary borehole, which you don't want to do, since it also doubles as your primary overpressure outlet. I use store-bought bottled water, and it's fine.It takes about 10-15 minutes for the boiler to come up to pressure. Prime the engine by pushing the flywheel forward, as it will almost certainly not start of its own accord. It might spurt a bit of water through the outlet at first, which is just the effect of condensation in the borehole. That's fine, just keep moving the flywheel until the water clears. Once the piston is at temperature, it should run without trouble.It's a fun and instructive little toy, and I'm glad I got it.
Brad
2025-08-22 12:46:33
All the directions and in German, but it's pretty self explanatory.Run time is hit or miss but it is extremely cool!!!
Schiplover
2025-08-21 10:25:28
This little engine not only charmed my 60 y/o brother (his birthday), but it charmed my entire family of engineers. It worked correctly right out of the box without any tweaking whatsoever. All it required was a little time to build up a good head of steam. Remember it is powered only by a single candle. Like all engines, it requires just a little maintenance. Using the correct oil (which is supplied) to properly lubricate the parts is essential. You absolutely must use distilled water to prevent lime buildup.
Clayton Sherman
2025-08-20 10:27:38
When I tried to run this engine I found that when the steam built up water spit out from several places, and the wheel would turn for only a short time, and then die. Very bad.
peter m simons
2025-08-14 16:30:43
This is a nice little engine for a first entry into steam powered models . It's basic operation and simple heat source make it very easy .
razali
2025-07-25 15:22:25
Cute and compact little steam engine recommended to anyone for a start, very easy to operate
John Roche
2025-07-21 18:15:36
This small steam engine runs great , Smooth and powerful. Made In Germany Quality! Make sure to use beeswax tea candles.
M
2025-05-21 14:56:51
It is very neat and a cool conversation starter. However we followed the directions to a t and it did not work. The candle seemed like it wasn't getting it hot enough. With an added flame from a grill lighter it worked for a little while.
Wahid
2025-04-05 17:32:13
Vraiment très belle et de bonne qualité ,livré avec une seringue de 20ml et une dosette d'huile pour pouvoir la faire ronronner ,agréable de la voir fonctionner ,au top ,service rapide et conforme
Pier Mario pagliacci
2025-03-15 18:22:55
Piccolo ma straordinario. Un gioiello di tecnologia di alchimia e di fisica e chimica un insieme unico e non ripetibile
mctakedh
2025-02-08 12:00:24
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Customer
2025-01-19 16:05:13
Brilliant little engine! Runs smooth as anything
Rosie
2024-12-22 11:19:23
It worked even better than what I saw on YouTube. It's great for demonstrating steam power.
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