Boiler fittings

[spurley]

Hi All

Progress on my Tich has just made a 'great leap forward'! I have completed the small boiler option to the stage where I am marking out for stays and hope to be able to put it before the boiler examiners at my club next weekend for hydraulic test, subject to the staying going OK and a preliminary test at home by me. I have carried out the low pressure leak test this evening, 20 PSI air from a bicycle pump and checking for leaks under water; all satis ;D

Tomorrow I expect to start the staying operation and hope to post some pictures, if anyone's interested?

The real purpose of this post though, was to ask if anyone has drawings of boiler fittings; steam valves to comply with the new regulations? Bearing in mind all Curly's valves can screw right out, I hoped that someone might have suitable drawings that I could get a copy of if possible? I have looked at Stan Bray's book and have sketched a version which I could use but wondered if a better version was available.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Cheers

Brian

[ron]

Hi Brian
Well done, can't help with your request but I'd be interested to see your photos, I've just started the Simplex boiler and it seems like a long way to go to reach the stage your at, at least silver soldering's a good winter job ;D
Ron

[baggo]

Hi Brian,

I made a blower valve recently for my brothers Rob Roy and all I did was reduce the diameter of the outer valve stem to less than the threaded part and reduced the size of the hole in the gland nut accordingly. The stem cannot then come out unless you remove the gland nut first.

John

[standardsteam]

I'd be interested to see any photos you have, in your last thread about Tich (I think it was you) I think I said I'd put some of my progress up, and I have a few photos from a camera phone now the cleadding is on. Since I made the boiler before starting on the motion I made the fittings to LBSC pattern and now having learned a bit more about current boiler regs I'm temped to make new type fittings (and from bronze!). As it is I'm thinking of bushing the backhead and fitting a blowdown valve but am cautious about re-heating the boiler.

[spurley]

Hi Standardsteam

Have a look at images for piccies, let me know what you think?

Regarding the fittings I will be making some to Stan Bray's design to comply with the new reg. I am not sure quite where to put a blowdown even though I know they are a good idea!

Cheers

Brian

[standardsteam]

The boiler looks nice and clean, fresh out of the pickle if you've not attacked it with a emery or something. I made my dome bush deeper and it looks like you might have done too, on the smaller boiler it looks oversize! I didn't realise how small Tich's boiler is until I saw some other engines, as my first go at boilermaking I realised just how strong these things are with all the stays in.

I subsequently put in a regulator bush after a snapped a (old, blunt) tap when tapping the holes, I'm wondering if it could do with more than four screws around the perimeter. As for the blow down valve I was thinking at the bottom corner of the backhead above the foundation ring, but it won't be easily get-at-able.

Nice job, I'm scepticle about the larger boiler's ability to make steam, the small one, you'll have to let me know!

[chris vine]

Sceptical about one of old LBSC's designs making steam and working?? You will have the old boy spinning in his grave faster than a turbine!!

Chris.

[standardsteam]

cvine said:

Sceptical about one of old LBSC's designs making steam and working?? You will have the old boy spinning in his grave faster than a turbine!!

Chris.

Perhaps I should qualify my remark with "the way I built it" :-) You've got to admit though, it wasn't called "Tich" for a joke, the boiler is pretty small! Working on some of the valve gear now I'm cursing old Curly for putting round ends on all those parts, with no easy access to a milling machine I'm putting them all on by hand, filing buttons aiding a great deal.

[chris vine]

Hi Standardsteam,

I find a useful tool in the workshop, and not an expensive one, is a linisher. (belt sander) Mine was only cheap and I find I only use it set vertically. I found it necessary to make a better work rest, more solid and more square than the original's.

If you make up a little block with a pin on the top, to fit the hole in the end of a small coupling rod or combination lever for example, you can work the component round the pin and make pretty good rounded ends. takes a bit of practice, but it does with a mill as well.

Maybe you have a linisher already and granny and eggs etc!!

Chris.

[paul]

spurley said:

I have carried out the low pressure leak test this evening, 20 PSI air from a bicycle pump and checking for leaks under water; all satis ;D

...I have looked at Stan Bray's book and have sketched a version which I could use but wondered if a better version was available.

Brian, I'm currently (re)making one of the safety valves in Stan Bray's book - my first attempt wasn't great, this one seems to be coming along much better though

I wanted to ask how you managed to connect your bike pump to your boiler (unless it's a tradiotional bike pump with a threaded flexible connector in which case its obvious!) - the only pump I have with a pressure gauge is a car tyre pump but I can't get a good connection from it's 'snap-on' connection. I've tested my boiler under steam (with more pressure than is good for it!) and it seems fine but I need to check that my safety valve will lift at, say, 40 psi.

I suppose I could cut off the nasty connector and replace with a custom made one but it wouldn't be much use for blowing up anything else then (and the management would not be best pleased lying on a flat airbed!).

Cheers!

[standardsteam]

cvine said:

If you make up a little block with a pin on the top, to fit the hole in the end of a small coupling rod or combination lever for example, you can work the component round the pin and make pretty good rounded ends. takes a bit of practice, but it does with a mill as well.

Maybe you have a linisher already and granny and eggs etc!!

Chris.

No I have very little in the way of machine tools, currently I have a workmate to which an engineers vice is bolted to, 2 files and a set of warding files from Focus and a junior hacksaw! Add to this a mini-drill, which might work for the application you describe. All lathe work and milling is done whenever and wherever I can get access to the facilites.

[chris vine]

Hi again,

While a linisher is certainly not necessarily a first purchase, I see there is one on ebay coming up tomorrow. So far it is only at £10.50. May be old tat but it might be ok.......!

Chris.

[spurley]

Hi Paul

Regarding the fitting for boiler test; I made it from an old tyre valve assembly (blagged from my local tyre fitter) and with a suitable sized adaptor. In my case 1/4" 40 TPI, I screwed it into one of the clack bushes with the valve assembly, to avoid any internal leak from the pump upsetting the leak test, I also made an adaptor for the pressure guage to mount onto the steam turret bush to indicate the pressure. Be careful not to exceed 20PSI without the firebox stays in place. If the boiler is placed in a container of water whilst under pressure any leak, large or small, will be immediately apparent. I had to replace one tube (the lowest one) which was a tricky exercise to remove (careful drilling was the order of the day) and refit and solder without upsetting all the other work. It seemed to go well and passed the pressure test and hydraulic, after staying the firebox.

Tomorrow is the real test as I hope to take it t the club for the boiler inspector to give it his blessing! Watch this space

Cheers

Brian

PS I can send a photo of the device if you need it to back up my description? Please advise.

[paul]

Brian, Doh! Why didn't I think of that. No need for a pic, your description is fine. Good luck with the boiler exam - sounds as if you'll fly through it!