Author Topic: Textile Mill Diorama  (Read 112227 times)

Offline J.L.

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #30 on: March 01, 2018, 02:14:53 PM »
Hi Chris,
You are right. There are some very intereting diagrams on the internet showing the inner workings of these large boilers. Apparently the brick chambers around the shell were just as important as the flue itself. Hot gases circled back around the flue via brick passages - returned again and went back and out the chimney.

There were also manholes in the shell of the boilers, but to my eye, they seem bolted on the shell. I would think they could blow out. I was under the impression that all openings had a gasketed flange inside the shell of the boiler. Pressure would actually increase the integrety of the opening and prevent the door from blowing out.

That's the way the 'mud hole' at the bottom of the boiler face will be attached.

You were kidding when you talked about a diorama for your steam shovel. Actually, I can see a two sided one in my mind; back, left side and ground.

Cheers...John

Offline Ramon Wilson

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #31 on: March 01, 2018, 04:56:27 PM »
Hello John,

Usually the smaller inlets had 'reverse' covers pulled up from the inside by a threaded stud though a bar set across the outside. As per the mud hole you mention.  Manholes on the other hand usually had a riveted flange and up stand with the cover bolted on another flange - much the same as the flange on the stop valve.

I guess you may have found this but if not this shows it well.



As a young apprentice welder on a ship yard it was not long before the delights of working inside boilers was experienced. My first time was to crawl in through that mud hole and hold the door up carefully while it was bolted up. An eerie experience for a 15 year old, the only light provided by an acetylene lamp. The door had been leaking so a thin round section lead 'seal' was stuck to it with thick grease. Pulling it up tight showed the low spots which were then built up by welding and faced back level.

You've made a super start - looking forwards to more

Tug
"I ain't here for the long time but I am here for a good time"
(a very apt phrase - thanks to a well meaning MEM friend)

Offline crueby

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #32 on: March 01, 2018, 05:42:54 PM »
Hi Tug, great drawing, where did you find it?

Offline kvom

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #33 on: March 01, 2018, 09:36:07 PM »
Probably a lot here that don't know what an acetylene lamp is.  I  do only because in the army we used the soot from one as sign blackener.

Offline J.L.

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #34 on: March 02, 2018, 11:32:07 AM »
Thanks for that wonderful diagram Tug.

And thanks for sharing your experience. I can remember when I had a summer job at Quaker Oats,being lowered down into a grain tank in a sling with a winch to clean in the tanks inside walls, but that was nothing to what you experienced.

Very appropriate. Some of the top fittings are more elaborate than what I will be able to model.
Cheers...John
« Last Edit: March 02, 2018, 11:38:17 AM by J.L. »

Offline J.L.

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #35 on: March 02, 2018, 03:11:54 PM »
Turning the flues for the boiler took me back to days on the wood lathe.

Edit: I guess I should be calling these fire tubes. The flues are the brick passages around the outside shell of the boiler.


« Last Edit: March 03, 2018, 11:34:58 AM by J.L. »

Offline 10KPete

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #36 on: March 02, 2018, 08:42:40 PM »
Those "braces" are called stays and their design is very carefully done...

This build is just great!!

 :ThumbsUp: :popcorn: :ThumbsUp:

Pete
Craftsman, Tinkerer, Curious Person.
Retired, finally!
SB 10K lathe, Benchmaster mill. And stuff.

Offline Ramon Wilson

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #37 on: March 03, 2018, 10:59:39 AM »
Hello John, glad that was of use to you - Chris, it came from Wikipedia but there are several other sources.

Looking at that drawing John, if you follow that rivet pattern you're going to end up putting as many rivets in, if not more, than I did in my launch  :o

Looking forwards to your further progress

Regards - Tug
"I ain't here for the long time but I am here for a good time"
(a very apt phrase - thanks to a well meaning MEM friend)

Offline J.L.

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #38 on: March 03, 2018, 11:34:00 AM »
Thanks Pete.

Tug, I appreciate your input. I simplified the layers of steel around the shell (cutting down the number of rivets required as you pointed out) and will be modifying other aspects of the boiler as well.  Boy, you guys really know your boilers. I'm nervous about modelling anything more with my little knowldege of many of the parts.

There are so many variations to the fittings on top of the boilers, I will have to just pick and chooose which ones to model. I like that man hole cover with the large surrounding plate. I also like the challenge of making a safety valve with a counterbalancing weight on the end of its arm.

Here are the fire tube grates and mud hole cover in ply; the furnace doors  and rotary dampers in plastic with brass operating hinges. The handles are made from aluminum wire. I have true luxury of using various materials as this is a faux boiler.



« Last Edit: March 04, 2018, 01:09:20 PM by J.L. »

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #39 on: March 03, 2018, 01:42:16 PM »
Definitely a bit OT but when I saw the thumbnail of the first picture above, my first thought was ~ wow, John has gone to making alien faces now~  :Lol:  If it were a bit more oval it would be perfect what with the big eyes, small mouth etc.  On closer look though its a very nice boiler face!! Nicely done as always.

Bill

Offline wagnmkr

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #40 on: March 04, 2018, 12:31:10 PM »
John V and I thoroughly enjoyed our visit yesterday John. This will certainly be another work of art, and I look forward to seeing it as it gets further along.

Cheers

Tom

I was cut out to be rich ... but ... I was sewn up all wrong!

Offline J.L.

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #41 on: March 05, 2018, 02:11:42 PM »
Yes Tom, a great visit.

Hi Bill,

When my wife first saw a photo of the boiler's face it kind of creeped her out.

Here is the progress made so far on its face;


Offline J.L.

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #42 on: March 05, 2018, 02:36:46 PM »
There is so much history associated with the development and use of boilers during the Industrial Revolution. I'm sure there were many mishaps and even boiler explosions as the various designs of safety equipment advanced.

What an interesting discussion could be had with these men...

(photo in public domain)

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #43 on: March 05, 2018, 06:46:50 PM »
The boiler details are really beginning to pop now John. Tha black paint makes it look as if it had been in service for ages....very realistic.

Bill

Offline J.L.

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Re: Textile Mill Diorama
« Reply #44 on: March 06, 2018, 01:57:03 PM »
Hi Bill,
I agree. The Fusion Mineral Paint I'm using is a high end paint that is used often in furniture restoration where old antiquies can be brought back to life with an overcoat of this paint that will stick to anything. The colour is coal black.

It seemed a shame to spend a lot of money on a functioning brass steam dial pressure gauge on a boiler does not function. So I am attempting to make my own.

Here we see the plastic window cut from the sheet on the lathe as I described earlier. Many free printable dials are available on the internet. It was simply a case of printing one out and reducing it in the printer until its diameter was correct.


 

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