mott
Hi-poster
Posts: 151
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Post by mott on Jun 27, 2007 18:44:29 GMT
Hi Guys, I have just had an e mail from Blackgates telling me they only sell plain glass, not the type with the blue line in the glass which is far superior. I wanted to buy 1/4" diam. I bought a length from Blackgates at the Harrogate Show but now it seems to be no longer available. Does anyone know of an alternative supplier? (I know that Reeves don't have it). Mott
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Tony K
Elder Statesman
Posts: 1,573
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Post by Tony K on Jun 27, 2007 18:46:53 GMT
Try Polly
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Post by steamjohn248 on Jun 27, 2007 21:37:27 GMT
Or live steam models, if not use a permanent marker pen, works on our steam launch at 170 psi at whatever temperature that gives.
John
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Post by baggo on Jun 27, 2007 23:41:38 GMT
I'm rather curious as to what the differences are between the different glasses. I recently bought a length of red stripe from Live Steam Models and when I asked what the difference was between that and the plain I was told that it's exactly the same glass but with a red and two white stripes painted on it! It does make seeing the water level much easier though as the water appears as a solid red bar. It's 3 times the price of the plain though. The blue stripe is even dearer. Is this because blue paint is more expensive than red ;D John
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Post by dickdastardly40 on Jun 28, 2007 5:41:38 GMT
While painting a line on the glass yourself to make seeing the level easily is a little difficult, a similar result can be had holding a pencil or small rod at 45 degrees behind the glass when searching for the level. When the glass has water in it the pencil will appear at a different angle through the glass, move it up until you find the top level.
I accept that on some models this isn't convenient but it does work.
2 other alternatives:
Put a line on the glass with thin automotive piping tape, (the tape will appear fatter when water is in the glass).
A cross hatched black and white board mounted vertically behind the glass. The stripes are equally spaced and sized and is easy to see where the water is and isn't. This is how we used to have our feed tanks set up on steam ships.
Al
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mott
Hi-poster
Posts: 151
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Post by mott on Jun 28, 2007 6:25:55 GMT
Shelbach is the name of this particular type of glass with the blue line. On the Polly web site is says "currently unavailable". I shall continue looking. I have used the cross hatch background method in the past but it is just more convenient to have the line in to the glass.Mott
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Post by greasemonkey on Jun 28, 2007 6:50:42 GMT
blue line glass is or certainly was imperial and hence the difficulty in obtaining it and red line glasss is metric as far as I know.
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mott
Hi-poster
Posts: 151
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Post by mott on Jun 28, 2007 8:25:53 GMT
I just rang Pollys and they still have the blue line glass in stock. Interestingly the lady said it was metric 6.5mm. Mott
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Post by marksmith on Jul 8, 2007 1:23:15 GMT
Hi There I know www.modelengineeringsupplies.net supply water gauage glass and also Pollys a long with a few others. I got round the problem by placing a spring that had well spaced coils inside the glass! It was suggested at a Breakfast morning at modelengineeringsupplies by one of the fellow engineers, I thought it was a good idea! I can see a market potential here though, it would be nice to see some well designed gauge glass at a reasonable price Mark
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