Instructions to Build a Putt-Putt Boat
Introduction
Putt putt boats were one of the most popular childrens toys earlier
this century. They are made of tin plate and a small piece of brass
shim. Basically you start with a boat which you make out of tin. It is
powered by a special stove made of tin. The stove is like a flat
saucepan around 25 mm square and 5 mm high. Two tin pipes come out of
the back of the stove, poke through the rear of the boat and 5 mm into
the water. They must be under the surface of the water. The pipes are
soldered into the boat hull so that the boat does not leak and so that
the stove is supported off the floor of the hull. Then a piece of
brass shim is soldered to the top of the stove, which seals the stove
up. The boat is run by first filling the stove with water and then
putting a small candle beneath it. The candle heats the water in the
stove which makes the brass shim buckle. The shim pops up sucking
water in through the pipes, then cools and buckles back down,
expelling the water again. The shim buckles about 10 times per second
and this propels the boat. It makes a bit of a racket which is part of
the fun. Some boats would have a turret resting on top of the brass
shim with the guns pointing through holes in a canopy. The buckling
shim would make the turret bounce around as if the guns were firing.
One of the reasons putt putt boats were so popular in the past is
that they cost so little. A friend tells me that they sell in India
for about 20 cents. If you can't wait for me to write the instructions
to build one then try looking for one to buy at hobby shops and
specialist toy stores. Dave
Johnson wrote to say where they can be bought.
As I think I mentioned a while ago, they have them for
sale at my local hobby shop for $6, so I bought one a while back. I
finally got around to trying it yesterday, and it's amazing! This is
quite simply one of the coolest toys I've ever seen! (Ahem, next to
water rockets, of course.) *Highly* recommended, whether you build or
buy one. The company that's importing them from India is called Grahamco
Trading, 800-770-4090. Check 'em out.
What You Will Need
How To Build It
Last modified: Thu May 14 09:03:32 1998
© Malcolm Goris
<mgoris@nfra.nl>