Pennsylvania A3 Switcher (Kozo)

[Admiral_dk]

Congratulations for having reached one of the biggest Milestones in this Journey Kim     

I'm aware of the fact that you aren't completely finished with the Boiler - but it should be down to tracking pin-holes now                


Per

[MJM460]

Drum roll definitely warranted, Kim, even with those leak tests and full hydro test to come.

You have done a magnificent job and it is great to be following such a beautifully presented log.

Even if there is a pin hole or two, I am sure you will have no trouble fixing it with your careful technique.  Then on to installing on the chassis.

MJM460

[Kim]

Thank you Tood, Per, and MJM! 

I'm looking forward to testing this boiler!  Undoubtedly there'll be some repairs needed, but it does feel good to get to this point for sure! 

Kim

[Michael S.]

The boiler front looks good.
It will be an exciting moment to start the pressure test.

Michael

[cnr6400]

     

[crueby]

Excellent!  Set the boiler out on the bench and just sit and look at it for a while, you deserve it!

[Kim]

Thank you, Michael, Jeff, and Chris! 

Kim

[Don1966]

Awesome….


 
Don

[Kim]

Thanks Don! 

Kim

[Kim]

Chapter 23.24 – Hydrostatic Testing

Today I made a bunch of little plugs and fittings that I’ll need to do the hydrostatic testing of the boiler.

I didn’t take a lot of pictures because it was just a bunch of basic turning. But I did take a few highlights!

One is that I didn’t have a 1/2"-20 die, so I attempted to single-point the threads.  Unfortunately, I have no 1/2-20 nuts to test it with, and it was too hard to get the boiler up there to test with it.  Turns out I had a 1/2-20 hex chaser die in some cheapo HF tap & die set, so I used that as my ‘test fit’.  I got it close, then just used that to ‘fix’ the threads.  This is for connecting the water fill hole to the pressure gauge.  But eventually, I’ll have to make a plug that doesn’t have a hole in it for the actual water plug.  This method worked OK, but I think I’m going to get a real 1/2-20 die for making the real plug!


Then to connect to the pressure gauge I needed a 1/4" NTP tap.  I had thought ahead enough to have one of these on hand.  I don’t really like NTP threads, but that’s what the pressure gauge came with.  So that’s what I’m using.  I find NTP taps hard to get started. So what I did was to drill the stated tap drill size (7/16"), then drill a pretend taper in the top 0.15" where I went up in drill sizes 1/64 at a time, 0.050" each stage. Now the top opening is 31/64 which was big enough to get the 1/4" NTP tap started. And by the time I finished tapping, the stair-stepped taper I made was completely cut away by the wider part of the taper tap.  So I guess my method worked.


Here are all the fittings and plugs I made today. Plus the pressure gauge (which I didn’t make).  All the brass fittings connected to that gnarly-looking copper tube are pieces from testing my traction engine boiler, as is the pump.  Dave Otto kindly donated the casting for this pump to me several years ago when I was doing the steam tractor.  It has been used several times since then and it will be used again! Thank you Dave! 


I silver-soldered the brass tube into a couple of the fittings for the pressure gauge.  And then just to make sure everything fit, and that I didn’t forget any openings, I dry fit it all together.  I think it should work!


I’m going to have to add gaskets or Loctite sealer to all the plugs and fittings before I actually do the test.  But I think I’ve got all the parts ready to go for next time!

Thanks for looing in,
Kim

[crueby]

Great setup! On mine I  used teflon tape on the threads, quick and easy, easy to strip off again.


 

[cnr6400]

Providence bless this ship boiler and all those who sail in her.     

(Or another happy blessing, for your hydro test! Good luck!)

[Kim]

Thanks Chris and Jeff!
Yeah, Ive used Teflon tape before too.   Not sure what I'll use... 

Providence bless this ship boiler and all those who sail in her.     

(Or another happy blessing, for your hydro test! Good luck!)

Thanks for the customize boiler blessing!  I think it's helping already!   

Kim

[EricB]

Don't forget to cover the steam dome!

[Prowler901]

Lookin' good, Kim.  Good luck with the test!