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Post by builder01 on Nov 5, 2016 20:31:05 GMT
Pete, you have done it! The dropbox links to the PDFs work fine. The files you have created are perfect! Thanks so much! I assume the original problem was that the entire book or magazine was a single PDF. You have saved individual pages as single PDFs. This works fine. Otherwise, you were just teasing us! Thanks again, David
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Post by builder01 on Nov 5, 2016 15:55:05 GMT
I think what Roger is suggesting, is that instead of images of teeny, tiny, text, you could post PDFs. That would make everything a bit more "readable". As it is, what you are telling us about sounds fascinating, and I appreciate you taking the time to share, but, the images are pretty tough, or, impossible, to read.
David
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Post by builder01 on Oct 29, 2016 16:21:23 GMT
Congratulations Joan! Great work! This is always a special moment when it first runs on air! Good Job.
David
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Post by builder01 on Oct 23, 2016 22:01:07 GMT
Hi Rob,
Glad to hear it has worked for you! After annealing it, you can really tell just by bending the wire in your fingers that it has changed from brittle, to bendable!
David
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Post by builder01 on Oct 22, 2016 21:26:17 GMT
I have used a hard plastic hammer. Works great and leaves no marks. I have done a complete set of plates for a Super Simplex this way. I'm sure a hard wooden mallet would work as well. Whatever you use, as long as it is softer than copper, it will not leave a mark.
David
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Post by builder01 on Oct 22, 2016 21:05:10 GMT
Hi Rob,
I have had this problem. Some silver solder is a bit brittle and will not bend to make a small ring. So, what I have done is to anneal the solder before bending. It was just something I suspected and it worked. I have a roll of solver solder that is some new old stock. It is way too brittle to make rings from. So, I played a propane torch on a single loop of the roll just to see what would happen. As I played the torch on it, the loop uncoiled just a bit. Obviously don't get it hot enough to melt it, just enough to see the loop uncoil a bit. It should be much too hot to touch. I did it right on the concrete floor of my shop. After the coil cooled, I polished it up a little with steel wool. I brought the now annealed solder back to my lathe to see if I could make a spring from it and wound around the mandrel with no problem.
I then cut the silver solder "spring" into single rings for my stays. My stays are a little bit larger than yours, 3/16" in diameter. But, my solder broke into little bits before annealing just like yours. My solder diameter is 1/16". I don't know if what I have done has actually annealed the silver solder or not. But, the end result is that it now bends easily. YES!
David
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Post by builder01 on Oct 21, 2016 0:28:15 GMT
I have gotten several complete M.E. building series from magazines purchased from Ebay. Some of the folks selling, may have several of the magazines you need and can ship them together, this reduces the shipping cost considerably. It is not exactly cheap, but, the information I have received has been quite valuable to me. It all depends on how badly you want this information. For one of the series I bought, I am now building the boiler for that locomotive and the chassis is running on air. I also then purchased a set of the full size drawings.
David
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Post by builder01 on Oct 18, 2016 0:01:01 GMT
Hi Julian and Bob,
I guess my problem is, that I find it frustrating not to be able to make all the parts I need myself. I think everyone can understand that. I have several weeks to decide exactly what I will do.
I am pretty sure that Boss White is for house plumbing. McMaster-Carr has a thread joint compound that is good for up to 2100 degrees F.
Hopefully, and I don't know why I did not think of this before, someone at my club can do the welding for me.
You have all supplied good suggestions and information for me.
Thanks so much, David
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Post by builder01 on Oct 17, 2016 17:58:59 GMT
I like the idea of the joints on the return bends being threaded. I might be concerned about the joint compound failing at the high temperatures reached inside the fire box. I do have model pipe thread taps and dies for a true tapered threaded pipe joint. Perhaps a smear of some of the high temp joint compound from McMaster-Carr would work as well or even better than the Boss White compound.
David
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Post by builder01 on Oct 17, 2016 13:41:08 GMT
For the throat plate drilling, I assume you are talking about drilling for the stays. Stays are easily drilled off hand with a portable electric drill and a long bit, or an extension to hold the bit.
Also, any mill, can always be used as a pillar drill or drill press. Just put a drill chuck in the arbor. Holes for boiler top bushes should be bored to get truly round holes. Or, these large holes can be drilled by making a series of small holes with a portable drill then cutting between the holes and then filing to size.
Get the largest machine you can comfortably afford and fit into your shop. You will not regret it. It is easy to do small work on a large machine, but, impossible to do large work on a small machine.
David
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Post by builder01 on Oct 12, 2016 0:44:03 GMT
Hi Julian,
Yes, I have searched these forums for more information. I have found much useful information. It looks like if my superheater tubes are to go into the fire box, the return bends must be TIG welded.
I don't know how the super heater tubes could be bent cold, around a former as suggested by Malcolm. Maybe it can be done, but, I would think they would collapse for sure. It seems if they were filled with something, the tube would tear at the bend. If it really could be done this way, it sure would eliminate the weld at the return bend.
David
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Post by builder01 on Oct 11, 2016 16:16:55 GMT
I already have the material, so, that is not a problem. I mentioned this as someone had asked what the diameter of the super heater tubes are.
David
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Post by builder01 on Oct 11, 2016 16:13:50 GMT
I'm building a "traditional" locomotive type of boiler. The super heater must be installed from the smokebox end. Otherwise, that would work also.
David
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Post by builder01 on Oct 11, 2016 13:43:05 GMT
Hi Miken,
Glad to know that argon is part of a "normal" TIG set up for welding.
My super heater tubes are 1/4" outside diameter. They will fit into a flue that has an inside diameter of 5/8". Two 1/4" tubes down a 5/8" inside diameter flue should not be a problem.
As for the Hewson type, I'm not sure how I would make the return bend. I'm probably going with the welded type.
David
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Post by builder01 on Oct 11, 2016 9:39:38 GMT
Okay, so I need someone that can TIG weld and has argon gas to fill the tubes while being welded. I hope this is a typical setup for a welder. Otherwise, this is becoming complicated.
Still not much of a description of the Doug Hewson super heaters. I wonder what they are?
David
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Post by builder01 on Oct 10, 2016 1:22:17 GMT
Thank you Julian, Roger and Jim,
Yes, all of the tubes and return bends will be stainless steel. Also, yes, this is a Martin Evans design. It will be close, but, there is just enough room to get the return bends down the superheater flues. The majority of responses seem to go for TIG welding. I am not familiar with other types of return bends, so, I will do a little searching to see if there are better or different ways to make a return bend. In any case, looks like I will need to find someone that can do some TIG welding!
As for working in the smokebox, the front ring and door will be completely removable when the need arises. This should help a bit for initial plumbing and resolving issues afterward. Superheater tubes and headers should come straight out the front of the smokebox.
Any suggestions for finding out about the other type of return bends?
David
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Post by builder01 on Oct 9, 2016 19:17:48 GMT
Roger, I assume you are for TIG welding as well?
When you say "they will melt", you mean just the silver solder, not the super heater tubes, right?
David
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Post by builder01 on Oct 9, 2016 18:19:56 GMT
What is the typical way of attaching super heater tubes to the return bends? My super heater tubes and return bends are stainless steel. The return bend is a block of stainless with two holes drilled for the tubes and a crossed drilled hole to connect the tube holes. The cross drilled hole will need to be closed with a plug.
Question, can these joints be silver soldered? Brazed, MIG or TIG? What method is typically used on these joints?
Thanks,
David
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Post by builder01 on Aug 30, 2016 22:42:26 GMT
Hi Julian,
Glad to see you are back at it! I have been following your thread, with great interest, as suggested by yourself on another forum. Keep up the good work (and the show and tell!)
David
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Post by builder01 on Mar 13, 2016 20:54:15 GMT
Yes, I will investigate connecting the pump to the top of the expansion link. Things are pretty close there, but, it may be much easier to make a notch in the motion plate at the top, rather than a hole somewhere else to connect the pump arm to the bottom.
Thanks for the suggestion!
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