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Post by builder01 on Apr 14, 2017 10:23:29 GMT
Instead of the seat, why not the ball? PTFE ball are available from McMaster-Carr in all the right sizes. Not too expensive either.
David
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Post by builder01 on Mar 24, 2017 12:51:43 GMT
The Western Steam Boiler is indeed a cancelled order. I think that you will find that the asking price is £2700. Regards, Phil WOW!!!!!! David I assume your astonishment is at how low that price is. That is a pretty good deal. I would take that!
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Post by builder01 on Mar 12, 2017 13:38:05 GMT
Hi Julian,
Yes, I went for bolted flanged fittings for the supply and exhaust to the cylinders. This is actually a change made for the Super Simplex. What I did though, was put four screws per fitting instead of two as per the drawing. I have already had this joint apart many times and it works well.
David
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Post by builder01 on Mar 12, 2017 13:34:52 GMT
Hi Julian,
I got my cylinder castings from Blackgates. Plenty of material for either size cylinder bore. As it turns out, the bores are a little too large anyway for the boiler size. On the advice of a very experienced person, I have actually bored mine a little smaller than the drawing, 1-3/8". There will still be plenty of power to spin the wheels, and now there will be steam left over as well!
David
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Post by builder01 on Mar 9, 2017 10:20:08 GMT
I think Julian has put to words an opinion that many of us are thinking.
David
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Post by builder01 on Feb 22, 2017 0:05:38 GMT
Hi Guys,
Of course I'm kidding about not building a boiler. It has already been hydro tested to 200 psi. No cert just yet, as my club track is four hours away.
My point is, Roger seems to take every opportunity to lets us know about the pitfalls of using propane to build a boiler. Either method, of course, has pitfalls. I understand that Roger is not trying to claim one method is better than the other, so why keep bringing up the "what if" of propane. What if there is a leak, or how do you heat up one part without the rest of the boiler coming apart? The biggest problem that I can now see about Rogers method, is that an experienced person should probably be the one to do it, not a novice. This I certainly learned from this thread.
Somehow, someway, I imagine hundreds of folks have made successful boilers with nothing else than propane. This still makes the most sense for a novice and someone that wants to do it themselves.
If you are looking for a good step by step thread for using propane, Julian has an excellent thread using such.
David
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Post by builder01 on Feb 21, 2017 21:28:55 GMT
If LBSC had a way of convincing novices that even they could do it, this thread has pretty much done just the opposite. No way would I make my own boiler.
David
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Post by builder01 on Feb 21, 2017 19:03:24 GMT
Hi Roger,
Yes, I completely agree. If a professional, or experienced person offered to solder up a boiler for me, I would not say no. Yes, I guess it would be foolhardy, with no experience, to attempt to put a boiler together by yourself. How can that even be done?
David
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Post by builder01 on Feb 21, 2017 17:14:19 GMT
I'mm pretty sure Roger took much time to decide how to solder his boiler. His solution was to have someone else with experience do the work. Makes sense to me. No doubt, it will be up and steaming in no time at all.
David
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Post by builder01 on Feb 21, 2017 14:42:22 GMT
Roger, If you finish the stays before installing the fire box back head it is not a problem. David That doesn't answer my specific question though. It assumes that you never have any leaks, and that's not a certainty. What happens if you do have a leak after the backhead is fitted? Presumably there isn't a way to Silver Solder deep inside the firebox with Propane? Hi Roger, Well, I guess if you can't get it up to temp, you will just have to scrap the boiler. The moral is, never use propane to solder a boiler, it's just too risky as repairs and re-heats cannot be made successfully. The alternative is to have an experienced person solder your boiler using the methods that the professionals use. Just like you did. David
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Post by builder01 on Feb 21, 2017 11:27:29 GMT
Roger,
If you finish the stays before installing the fire box back head it is not a problem.
David
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Post by builder01 on Feb 21, 2017 10:26:50 GMT
Roger,
To be clear about using propane, when re-heating, you do not bring things up to a temperature that will melt joints already finished. You only bring the area you are working, to a temperature just high enough to melt new silver solder on the new joint. Old joints always melt at a higher temperature than a new joint.
David
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Post by builder01 on Feb 20, 2017 10:18:47 GMT
Hi Goneloco,
Yes, I did search on the 2F Dock Tank Loco. It does look much like a Simplex. I am quite familiar with the Simplex, and Super Simplex. I am building a Super. It runs on air and I have the boiler 80 per cent done. I am working on the fittings.
A large version of the Simplex will be pretty neat! I hope you are able to post your photos.
David
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Post by builder01 on Feb 19, 2017 12:30:04 GMT
Hi Goneloco,
A 7-1/4" Simplex? I assume you are working from the 5" drawings and appropriately modifying dimensions to build it at 7-1/4" gauge. Very cool! I certainly would like to see a few photos of what you have done so far.
What consideration have you given for the boiler? I know you can't just build the boiler at 1.5 time the original design. Tube layout and such will be different from a 5" boiler. Will it be copper?
David
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Post by builder01 on Feb 16, 2017 21:31:14 GMT
Hi Pete,
So, your point is to duplicate what has already been done? I guess I don't understand the purpose of this thread.
David
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Post by builder01 on Feb 16, 2017 18:59:47 GMT
Hi Pete,
Hasn't the baseline already been established by all of the finished and running locos of this design?
David
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Post by builder01 on Feb 16, 2017 14:40:18 GMT
Jim,
Sorry if you felt there was rudeness or lack of respect. I don't think that was ever the intention. But, when a person posts what he is going to do, or, how he is going to build something, no doubt, someone will challenge it. I think this is healthy.
The original poster was absolutely seeking advice and opinions.
David
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Post by builder01 on Feb 16, 2017 10:49:37 GMT
Jim,
Relax. I think the original poster was asking for advice and opinions. Well, he has certainly gotten it. But, it seems as though he was actually looking for everyone to rubber stamp the drawings, and say, "yes" build it like the drawing.
If you don't want to consider other advice or opinions, why ask for it?
No one should ever be prevented from speaking simply because you don't like how something was said, or, because the point of view is different from yours. Let's hear it all!
David
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Post by builder01 on Feb 12, 2017 0:26:34 GMT
Oh My! Have you shown this to your club boiler inspector?
David
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Post by builder01 on Feb 6, 2017 19:02:23 GMT
There is also the natural tendency to reach for a tap or die that you actually have on the shelf. If it's Imperial, that is what you pick. If you have metric, you pick that. The one that you have on the shelf makes more sense than anything else. Which thread is more "convenient" is defined by what you have. If you are cutting threads on the lathe, your lead screw will let you know what is most convenient.
David
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