JonL
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WWSME (Wiltshire)
Posts: 2,906
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Post by JonL on Mar 30, 2019 22:32:38 GMT
I've been looking for a boiler to run my Stuart 10H on, and this came up on an auction site: I've managed to snag it for around £50, sounds cheap until you consider I'll need all new fittings, pressure test it, and I don't know what any of the threads are like, and I'm going to have to make a stand and burner.... however the manufacturing side is something I'm looking forward too. It will be nice to do something in my workshop that isn't the Brit every now and then. The pictures are from the auction, I'll let you know what the condition is like when it arrives. Hopefully it's not £50 spent on £5 of scrap metal.
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Post by simplyloco on Mar 30, 2019 23:10:28 GMT
These are extremely robust boilers, descendants of the Bassett-Lowke "Babcock" boilers, one of which I have just restored. You should have no worries. John
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JonL
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WWSME (Wiltshire)
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Post by JonL on Mar 30, 2019 23:59:16 GMT
That's good to hear. It seems very well designed, and after a little research was pleasantly surprised to see they have a superheater (albeit a basic one).
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JonL
Elder Statesman
WWSME (Wiltshire)
Posts: 2,906
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Post by JonL on Apr 3, 2019 21:00:53 GMT
So it's arrived and all the threads look great. All in all its in good condition and I'm very happy with it.
I've Made some side plates up out of thick sheet. I had intended to bend them but the steel I've used is so thick it was actually always going to be neater to make the corners from 8mm square mild steel stock. I plan to mirror the original design to some extent, the water tubes make the boiler quite high. It's coming together nicely.
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JonL
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WWSME (Wiltshire)
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Post by JonL on Apr 4, 2019 18:24:23 GMT
My trademark blurry style. I think you can work out what my construction will be. The end plates should triangulate everything. I plan to make a meths burner that slides in from the chimney end (without all the sight glass fittings etc)
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Post by Jo on Apr 5, 2019 7:18:21 GMT
Rather than making a Meths burner have you considered making a propane burner? You can buy ceramic honeycomb on Flea bay cheaply to make them. And yes you can cut the ceramic with a hacksaw to fit your own burner/jet arrangement - its a little crumbly but also files to the final shape Jo
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JonL
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Post by JonL on Apr 5, 2019 14:45:45 GMT
I did think about it but I don't know if I'd prefer the drama and pantomime of old school meths. It's not quite coal firing but its close...
I may look into this gas firing lark, it might actually work out easier to make. Thanks Jo.
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JonL
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WWSME (Wiltshire)
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Post by JonL on Apr 11, 2019 18:10:10 GMT
I'm beginning to think I might have over-engineered this. I'm ok with it. The framework is almost all there, just need to tidy the sheet metal. Once that's done I plan to have a crack at the chimney and the blast pipe (if you can call it that...) <iframe width="13.799999999999955" height="13.799999999999955" style="position: absolute; width: 13.799999999999955px; height: 13.799999999999955px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none;left: 5px; top: 21px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_20392193" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="13.799999999999955" height="13.799999999999955" style="position: absolute; width: 13.8px; height: 13.8px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 630px; top: 21px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_50903555" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="13.799999999999955" height="13.799999999999955" style="position: absolute; width: 13.8px; height: 13.8px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 5px; top: 647px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_80180126" scrolling="no"></iframe> <iframe width="13.799999999999955" height="13.799999999999955" style="position: absolute; width: 13.8px; height: 13.8px; z-index: -9999; border-style: none; left: 630px; top: 647px;" id="MoatPxIOPT0_35029305" scrolling="no"></iframe>
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timb
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Post by timb on Apr 12, 2019 8:51:46 GMT
Over engineered? I think it looks great Nobby, well done!! Good to see a workbench like mine where all the tools are just to hand (or wherever I left them!!).
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JonL
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WWSME (Wiltshire)
Posts: 2,906
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Post by JonL on Apr 12, 2019 14:53:19 GMT
Over engineered? I think it looks great Nobby, well done!! Good to see a workbench like mine where all the tools are just to hand (or wherever I left them!!). It's the tidiest its been for months!
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JonL
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WWSME (Wiltshire)
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Post by JonL on Apr 25, 2019 20:08:45 GMT
The boiler now has some fittings. The safety valve is right at its bottom end of range, set to blow off at 60psi. The adjuster seems quite loose at this pressure; I would like to incorporate some method of locking it. It would be too easy to knock it and change the setting. I've not done much soldering of these smaller pipes but it's gone quite well I think. Scoring the gauge glass was interesting; I put the glass gently in the three jaw and scored it with a super sharp normal tool steel cutting tool. I then used the blowlamp to soften the edges of the cut. The rest is going to have to wait until I come back from my honeymoon. Peeking into shot are Britannia's buffers. These will be going; I hate the profile the previous owner put on them. When I do the ones for the tender I will do a fresh set (or re-profile these) at the same time.
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Post by simplyloco on Apr 25, 2019 20:15:39 GMT
Very good! I can't see the safety valve, but there should be an annular locking nut put there for that purpose.
John
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JonL
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WWSME (Wiltshire)
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Post by JonL on Apr 25, 2019 20:20:47 GMT
I would have thought so too; but I think this design relies on the stiffness of an internal nut with spring pressure under it. It's not very good, I will improve it. I will definitely use a better system on the Brit.
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JonL
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WWSME (Wiltshire)
Posts: 2,906
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Post by JonL on Apr 29, 2019 13:59:32 GMT
Everything is now sealed. I made some copper washers from copper I had from a heating pipe, knocked flat then machined on the lathe to a washer shape using a bolt as a mandrel. I then rubbed them with emery cloth until the water tube fittings went tight at the right angles. Very pleased with that. It's given me some confidence I could get it right on the brit.
I've fitted the globe valve to the top, applied air with my airline and set the safety valve low. I then filled it with water and gently heated with a blowlamp (figuring it would the easiest way of removing the heat quickly). I've found a leak from the top water tube boss, and one of the water pipes on the underside. Thats a job for tomorrow when its cooled down.
A tiny bump in the road but overall its progress.
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JonL
Elder Statesman
WWSME (Wiltshire)
Posts: 2,906
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Post by JonL on Apr 30, 2019 14:47:33 GMT
I've decided to wait for all the right stuff to arrive before soldering up, so today I remade the brass boiler straps as I hadn't got the length quite right. It's all a learning curve, and now I'm much more content. I'm becoming a lot less happy to let poor engineering practise slide, or anything that isn't cosmetically "just so". I also marked the sheets of steel cladding the boiler structure and filed them to size so they all mate much more tidily now.
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timb
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Post by timb on Apr 30, 2019 16:57:07 GMT
I've decided to wait for all the right stuff to arrive before soldering up, so today I remade the brass boiler straps as I hadn't got the length quite right. It's all a learning curve, and now I'm much more content. I'm becoming a lot less happy to let poor engineering practise slide, or anything that isn't cosmetically "just so". I also marked the sheets of steel cladding the boiler structure and filed them to size so they all mate much more tidily now. For me its getting the right balance between getting it done and getting it right. Some things really matter to get right and others just need doing! The more you concentrate on getting things right, the more things get done properly, so you dont need to revisit and do things twice, if you see what I mean.
Keep it up, its all looking great!
Tim
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JonL
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WWSME (Wiltshire)
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Post by JonL on Apr 30, 2019 17:44:23 GMT
Some things I'll be revisiting just because I have better skills in certain areas now, but I completely agree.
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JonL
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Post by JonL on May 12, 2019 17:12:19 GMT
So I had to resolder three leaks (no wonder it was on ebay...), one from the brass bush for the water glass and two from the water tubes underneath. I've now pumped it up the nearly twice working pressure on water, no leaks, so reset the safety valve to 60psi and heated it with a blowlamp. 60psi rapidly achieved and no leaks I can see. Just need to find a way of firing it now. My silver soldering has come on leaps and bounds, so this has been a valuable experience. The second pic shows just before we reached 60 psi and the safety valve started to peep.
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stevep
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Post by stevep on May 12, 2019 17:37:28 GMT
I trust that pressure gauge has been calibrated against a 'standard'!
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JonL
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Post by JonL on May 12, 2019 18:10:34 GMT
I trust that pressure gauge has been calibrated against a 'standard'! I didn't have anything to refer it to other than my airline regulator, which agrees within 1 or 2 psi up to 70 and gets wider of the mark at 90.
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