'WIDE A WAKE' a steam launch tale

[Ramon Wilson]

Hi Guys
 
Does anyone know where I can buy the round form ceramic burner material from?

Sandy, if you are reading this I have just purchased a new 54mm elbow so could use a larger dia tube in the lower flue if I use a reducer. I'll have to check this out first with the boiler inspector though.

Thanks - Ramon

[Stuart]

Ramon

Polly do it for DIY

Quote
Ceramic Burners
Models are available to suit a variety of small models, plus standard rectangular and circular types. Ceramic burner material, jets, etc are also available for DIY construction. Please note that in general these small burners are well suited to miniature locos (e.g. G0 and G1) and small stationary engine boilers, but they are unlikely to generate sufficient heat for passenger hauling locos. Supplied without pipework /jet* unless stated.

Stuart

[Ramon Wilson]

Thanks Stuart, another little item ticked off the list - I'll check out their site.

Ramon

[fcheslop]

Hi Ramon, just buy a sheet and it is easy to cut by hand with a piercing saw and turns OK if a little messy.
cheers
frazer

[Ramon Wilson]

Hi Frazer,
Thanks for that. I saw the slab in the Polly catalogue earlier. I wondered if it could be cut with a saw - never considered it could be turned though. I'll get it ordered later.

Just got everything ready to take over friend Johns' tomorrow - hopefully it will see the end plates out without to much anxiety.

Regards - Ramon

[SandCam]

Hi Ramon,

The Poly models ceramic is the type I use it is easily cut to rough shape with a small junior hacksaw and then use a coarse file to round it off.
It is a bit too soft for turning.

I have posted a drawing for you on the other thread... but I see you have found a 54mm bend... it may give you some ideas though.

Best regards.

Sandy.

[Ramon Wilson]

Thanks Sandy, that actually seems to me to be a better way than using a bend, giving more heating surface. I'll get this one apart first and have a good chat with the inspector before deciding.

I 'found' tonight a length of 5" diameter copper tube about 15" long. It's been used for ages as a container for small tubes etc - I'd totally forgotten it was there  a load of 5/16 tube as well inside it 

Regards - Ramon

[Ramon Wilson]

Well Guys - it's been a successful day 

Got over to John's early and his mill was already set up with the R/T, the table at the bottom of its travel. The boiler only just got underneath the spindle though and fortunately he had some collets to hold the cutter direct in the spindle. As you can see it was close, the cutter had to be put in after positioning the job as it wouldn't clear that ali ring. The fixture worked well despite its flimsy look and no problems occurred.


All the initial milling was done on the first end by plunging. Tiring, but a steady approach with a small overlap kept the likely hood of grabbing to a minimum. As can be seen rotary milling was tried but this lead quickly to juddering so the plunge milling was reverted to and the whole end done this way


Once that first end was out however the vibration increased some what on the other end leading to much smaller cuts and subsequently much much slower progress. At some point on this second end, in frustration at the slow progress, rotary milling was tried again but this time about .5mm deep and this proved much easier.

Once the ends were out the surplus was gradually milled away 0.2mm at a time. Although the fixture was aligned to the table the top surface was not quite so nor truly round so once the first area cleaned up the remaining prominent areas were slowly taken down paying extreme care not to go into the parent metal


The whole operation went much better than anticipated  leaving little to clean up by hand - here it is back home on the bench -


and a quickly made impromptu fixture rigged up for holding it tight while filing and scraping


That's the first stage nearly out of the way - next up is the end plates but that's an outside job - with this miserable wet weather not an ideal time for that at the moment 

Sandy - despite ordering that bend I've decided (boiler inspector providing) to go the way you suggest 

Regards - Ramon

[b.lindsey]

An nice pictorial Ramon and a nice result too from the looks of things. You sure didn't have any extra headroom though for the milling though did you!  Even so it worked out well. You must be pleased also!!

Bill

[zeeprogrammer]

Pretty cool. And interesting too! Good pics. Left me with things to remember.

[SandCam]

Hi Ramon,

That was certainly tight under the mill but pleased to see that you got it done ok.

I have attached the remaining drawings to complete the set for the 3 1/2" boiler as they will give you details of the various components.
The boiler as drawn was a commercial product I made when I was trading as ACS Engineering so is an accepted design.

If you copy the design layout for a larger version you will need to do the necessary stress calculations for the required working pressure to satisfy the boiler inspector.
If you need help with this just PM or email me and I will gladly assist.

One other advantage of the flue layout (other than the additonal heated surface area) is that you can easily fit a superheater (should you need one) at the funnel end.
If you extend the flue a little further from the end plate (say 3/16") you can fit a superheater coil to the flue end plate and hold the assembly in place with some small screws through the flue wall... which then allows it to be removed easily for servicing/modification/replacement etc... much easier than trying to fit one through the funnel opening which would restrict the size of the coil somewhat.

Best regards.

Sandy.

[derekwarner]

a little off thread... ....but about an amazing craftsman & individual .....in young Mr Campbell  .............

Here is an example of his work  from a few years back  ...but which I am very proud to own...................Derek

[sbwhart]

Hi Ramon

Is the steam dome brass ?. Only brass is a no no in a boiler due to dezincification action of the water, if it is that will have to come off as well.

Nice work with the boiler, enjoying your engine builds in ME by the way.

Stew

[derekwarner]

Guys........lets not get too worried here 

1. refer to the nobility table of metals
2. consider the actual application

Dezincification  of brass is technically acknowledged........yes but in which life time will it happen?  ..like me    Derek

[Stuart]

The answere is very quickly on a boiler ithe the heat that accelerates the process

It will turn a pink colour and crumble ,

My stock answere if in doubt consult your boiler inspector

You may get away with small fittings but not an integral part of the boiler

OT to illustrate how quick I used to work at a iron works where the did castings, to dry the moulds they used a coke fed drier brass fitting on the crane ,electrical bushings , crumbled to dust in a month.
At the same works we used chlorine to kill the bug in the cooling towers brass in the metering room lasted days same thing turned pink and crumbled to dust

So it will happen and it can be quick it's the conditions that dictate the speed


To state a fact all boiler bushes ,any fitting silver soldered to the boiler must be bronze , note we are talking about a fully silver soldered copper boiler

Stuart