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Post by simplyloco on Jan 21, 2024 15:57:01 GMT
I already have a nice vertical boiler that I could use, but it is very large, the operating pressure is only about 60 psi and and I want at least 100, and it is not a marine type boiler, hence the need for a new boiler. There is a Yarrow type water tube boiler listed in KN Harris's excellent book on boiler making. These high pressure boilers powered many ships in the past, but they were a bit more complicated than the one I'm going to make! Some pics.  A former to fashion the flat on bottom headers.  A teak former to support the 22mm tube and former.  After about five minutes healthy beating I landed up with this shape. Just what I wanted!  Ta Da!!! The 6mm tubing and the 54mm barrel arrive on Tuesday. Onwards and upwards!  |
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Post by RGR 60130 on Jan 21, 2024 19:43:13 GMT
I’d be tempted to incorporate some ‘downcomers’ to give a defined flow path. If the boiler is just for home use you could do it. If you want it tested at a club then no doubt you’ll be tied exactly to the original design.
Reg
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Post by simplyloco on Jan 22, 2024 9:20:40 GMT
I’d be tempted to incorporate some ‘downcomers’ to give a defined flow path. If the boiler is just for home use you could do it. If you want it tested at a club then no doubt you’ll be tied exactly to the original design. Reg Hi Reg. You are not the first to suggest some 'downcomers': Alan Alborough (Dickdastardly40) suggested the very same thing! I'll incorporate some 3/8" tubes at the extremes and use my circular ceramic burner to keep the heat in the middle. John |
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Post by simplyloco on Jan 25, 2024 11:12:29 GMT
Creating (!) the End Caps.Just a hand beating job really, but I'm out of practice as my good lady will testify! 😱😍 BTW, proprietary 54mm end caps are available, and if I can't get these to fit properly then that is the way to go! Cheap too! ondemandsupplies.co.uk/54mm-endfeed-end-cap/... 6mm profile tool and a bit of filing to make the former.  Nothing beats a sophisticated oven. Fred Flintstone look out!  First go at making ash trays. These needed annealing four times to achieve the desired shape.  Excess removed by careful hacksawing.  Glued onto the former with Loctite, left overnight, and carefully machined to 0.1mm undersize.  Perhaps I don't ned to buy commercial end caps after all!  Bronze end caps for the bottom headers with 3/8" x 32 tapped holes in one end for drain plugs. 
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Post by brucevoelkerding on Jan 25, 2024 14:48:24 GMT
a Question regarding the Bottom Headers - in your first set of Pictures the Bottom Headers are seen flattened their entire Length, but in your last Picture above, it appears the End Caps are fully circular. were you able to squeeze them in (or hammer form the Ends with a Drift) to reshape the Ends of the Bottom Headers ?
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Post by simplyloco on Jan 25, 2024 15:17:06 GMT
a Question regarding the Bottom Headers - in your first set of Pictures the Bottom Headers are seen flattened their entire Length, but in your last Picture above, it appears the End Caps are fully circular. were you able to squeeze them in (or hammer form the Ends with a Drift) to reshape the Ends of the Bottom Headers ? Well spotted Bruce. I spent some hours trying to shape the end plugs to fit the profile, and then I realised I could make a drift to reshape the ends for about 5mm and then it was easy peasy! |
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JonL
Elder Statesman
WWSME (Wiltshire)
Posts: 2,909
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Post by JonL on Jan 26, 2024 20:45:05 GMT
Fascinating stuff. I like the K N Harris book (I used to read it every time I visited my Grandad to stay the night, that and "Experimental Flash Steam" Which I found very exciting!). I could be tempted to do the same. I should probably start with a vertical though!
Keep it up, watching with interest.
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Post by simplyloco on Jan 28, 2024 17:52:33 GMT
First 29 accurately placed holes!
Just a couple of hours in the workshop today: after all it is Sunday! Some pics. Drilled 5.9mm to a depth stop. This size will create 0.1mm clearance, just enough for the silver solder to penetrate properly. The tubes have to be a little slack in the holes!!!!  Cleaned up ready for assembly.  The fixture had to be drilled 0,3mm clearance as the tubing was supplied on a coil and I couldn't get it straight enough to go through easily at the original size..  Bird's eye view. It'll do! 
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Post by simplyloco on Jan 29, 2024 21:09:49 GMT
Lined up in the hearth, flux applied with a pipette. I'm reminded of my visit to the Valley of The Kings!  I used the 20mm Sievert torch, just dabbing a 2mm Easyflo stick against the rear tubes.  Thirty minutes in the battery acid to clean off the flux.  Just about as close to perfect as I could get!  The other side is OK too. Next!  |
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millman
Part of the e-furniture
Posts: 297 
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Post by millman on Jan 29, 2024 22:41:03 GMT
Excellent job, watching with great interest.
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Post by simplyloco on Jan 30, 2024 18:28:04 GMT
Soldering the other bottom header.Both completed, and I will drill and solder the barrel tomorrow. Once that is done I will make the fittings to go on the end caps: i.e. sight glass, super heater coil, safety valve etc...  The ceramic material arrived today, but as I have a circular alternative for the time being I'll put that job on the back burner...! 
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Post by simplyloco on Jan 31, 2024 15:43:59 GMT
Drilling the main tube.Two rows first piloted, drilled 5.9mm and deeply countersunk 60 degrees to just maintain the diameter and provide a home for the solder . The depth stop is useful here!I needed a mandrel to support the tube as I didn't want any 'slippage' during this precision drilling exercise. I found, by pure luck, a 51mm diameter steel bar which fitted exactly.  With my heart in my mouth, I dropped it in. It fits better than a PCB multi way connector!  Maintaining the cylinder position, it was rotated to the 50 degree included angle marker. The header will drop to the tube shoulders when I remove the mandrel. At this point I quit while I was ahead! 
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JonL
Elder Statesman
WWSME (Wiltshire)
Posts: 2,909
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Post by JonL on Jan 31, 2024 17:49:40 GMT
Very much enjoying this. Model Engineer magazine would love it!
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Post by simplyloco on Jan 31, 2024 17:58:33 GMT
Very much enjoying this. Model Engineer magazine would love it! Hi Jon, Who?  |
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Post by simplyloco on Feb 1, 2024 15:48:12 GMT
Soldering the main tube.It all started off well enough, but I couldn't find my welders' gloves, and I didn't use a heat shield, so it all very nearly went very wrong...😱 Luckily... Drilled the other side easily enough.  Hooray! It fits!  Cleaned up ready for fluxing. I had to warm up the tube to remove the mandrel.  Fluxed and ready.  The end result. I'd forgotten how hot these ops could get!  t might look alright, but there was so much heat coming off it that without my gloves on, the solder stick was waving all over the place! I had to clean off a lot of run off solder afterwards, probably about 15 quids worth...!  Alls well that ends well! :whoohoo:  We've even got some penetration! 
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johan
Active Member
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Post by johan on Feb 1, 2024 16:05:14 GMT
Sure looks good to me!
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mbrown
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,720
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Post by mbrown on Feb 1, 2024 18:53:36 GMT
This is a very interesting project and it's coming together really well.
Did you reject the method of putting a solder ring around each tube before heating? I think that's how I would have done it as, like you, I find the heat off the copper makes it hard to apply a stick of solder accurately and neatly.
Malcolm
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Post by simplyloco on Feb 1, 2024 19:37:26 GMT
This is a very interesting project and it's coming together really well. Did you reject the method of putting a solder ring around each tube before heating? I think that's how I would have done it as, like you, I find the heat off the copper makes it hard to apply a stick of solder accurately and neatly. Malcolm Hi Malcolm I had a load of 2mm EastFlo rods to use up and it was too thick for rings for this job. On reflection, I should have bought some thinner stuff and put the rings INSIDE the tube and heated from underneath! However, the joints seem OK, and any leaks are easy to fix! John |
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Post by steamer5 on Feb 1, 2024 21:53:37 GMT
Hi John,
The boiler looks great! Yet another master class on boiler making!
Re your 2 mm solder, you could of reformered it with a good beating to get it thinner, ie flatten it, then had a go at beating it the other way to make it square / round….. was shown this idea by the gent who got me into this hobby. I guess if you are only making an inch or two that would be fine but several full lengths might be an ask. Either way a fun build to follow!
Cheers Kerrin
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Post by simplyloco on Feb 1, 2024 22:55:55 GMT
Hi John, The boiler looks great! Yet another master class on boiler making! Re your 2 mm solder, you could of reformered it with a good beating to get it thinner, ie flatten it, then had a go at beating it the other way to make it square / round….. was shown this idea by the gent who got me into this hobby. I guess if you are only making an inch or two that would be fine but several full lengths might be an ask. Either way a fun build to follow! Cheers Kerrin Hi Kerrin I could have put it through the rollers on the Formit machine, but life is too short, especially mine! John |
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