A small boiler

[firebird]

Hi

Thanks for the interest and kind comments. Yes Ralph it is a vice. I picked it up 2 years ago at asteam fair for £20.00. Its extremely solid, has adjustable jib strips and a 'T' slot in the top. Just about the best £20.00 I have ever spent. There is no makers mark on it so I presume it was home made, maybe from a kit? Heres a couple of better photos.

Cheers

Rich

 

[CrewCab]

Just about the best £20.00 I have ever spent.

Think your right ................. C'mon Rich ;D .......... strip it, measure it and let's have a set of plans available before long ............ please ;D :

CC

 

[BobWarfield]

The vise is very nice. Almost looks like a lathe slide was adapted. Worth every penny you paid for it I'd say.

BW

 

[firebird]

Hi

The pump is mounted in a piece of 5/8 square brass machined to the dimensions shown on the drawing. Not shown in the photos is reaming the 1/2 inch hole after drilling.

Cut a slot in a 6mm stainless cap head then cut off to make a grub screw.

Cheers

Rich

 

[Divided He ad]

Yep, really like that vice, That 'T' slot could be and looks to be very usefull!

CC, I think it could be a but much to strip and draw it all..... If you really put your mind to it you could probably figure it out?
using you current vice as a template and adapting your drawing to include the 'T' slot..... well I know that I would go down that route if I managed to find the time!

But you use what you have... and mine is working ok at the mo' so no new tooling being built this side of Xmas! Although it has given me another idea... I will asses it and if it is viable I will post it somewhere else... no hijacks here!



Ralph.

 

[Circlip]

Just as an observation and NOT criticism Rich, I found your drawing difficult to read initially cos you've used decimals for everything ( except the threads ) and being brought up on Imperial and then having to become bisexual, I didn't realise what measuring system you'd used. As you are aware, over here,for some unknown reason they teach kiddywinkies Centimetres instead of Millimetres Perhaps the CONCEPT of big numbers is too much for them to appreciate, and initially the dimensions looked like Cm's. but as an ex draughty, and I know you're not, and I I'm NOTcrowing, you would normally use vulgar fractions (no,NOT rude ones) ie. 1 1/2" or 7/8" for bits that are not important, and restrict decimals to them that are.
You have highlighted one problem though, with the increasing use of DRO's It's difficult NOT to have decimals with everything. Again, good build, I would have Silver soldered the pump barrel to the body, but hey, different roads to Rome, and watch the sharp corners with "O" rings.

Regards Ian.

 

[firebird]

Hi Ian

I see what you mean about vulgar numbers but as you have noted DRO fitted on the machines makes you think that way. I don't do that many drawings and am completely self taught but I'll rememeber in the future. Your suggestion of silver soldering the two parts together brings us nicely onto the major disaster I mentioned above. Thinking that a bead of silver solder would seal the two parts together thats what I did but inexplicably the damn thing melted right before my eyes. A few choice phrases were muttered before I threw it down the shop. After I had calmed down and told myself this is what I do for a hobby and I enjoy it I made the two parts again. I was going to post these photos later and ask for comments but since you mention it. Here they are.

cheers

Rich

 

[Circlip]

Ouch Rich, that'll teach you not to burn it in future. Vicious flame, again, look round for some ex Gasmiser radiants, you've a lot of free airspace around the target, and turn the wick down a bit. :'(

 

[firebird]

Hi

After the success I had soldering up the boiler I thought I had it cracked, obviously not. Some things can only come with practice and experience I guess.

The piston is made from stainless steel round bar 1/4 inch dia. I had to grind up a small tool, 1/16 wide, to cut the 'O' ring groove.

Then machine a 1/8 slot.

Then cross drill 1/8.

Cheers

Rich

 

[firebird]

Hi

The operating lever is 1/4 round stainless steel bar with two flats milled on one end and cross drilled 1/8 and the other end has three slots turned using the small tool I ground for the 'O' ring groove to give a finger grip.

Two brass conecting links made from 1/8 X 1/4 flat brass.

Three pins turned from 3/16 stainless steel round bar. Two @ 3/8 plus thread and one @ 1/4 plus thread. I had some 3mm nyloc nuts so threaded the pins 3mm and used them.

Cheers

Rich

 

[firebird]

Hi

The pump was assembled using ptfe tape to seal the threads. The pump was then mounted on a strip of aluminium bar with a stainless steel countersunk cap screw.

I made up a couple of brass connectors and soldered them to a length of 1/8 copper pipe. The pipe was first connected to the pump using an 'O' ring to seal it, the pump then stood in a tin baking tray which was filled with filtered rain water. The pump was operated to fill the pipe with water then connected to the guage with an 'O' ring to seal it. The guage I have has a maximum pressure of 80psi but is red lined at 60psi so I pumped the pressure up to 60psi which it held for 20 minutes. The valves in the pump sealing perfectly.

Heres a video.



Cheers

Rich

 

[Bogstandard]

Rich,

It is really good to see someone going thru absolutely everything, from building all parts, right thru to testing.

To those that think boilers can just be knocked up and used, this IS the correct way to go.

By doing it this way, I am sure Rich has learned a lot more in a few months about small boiler and component making, than he could have done in years of reading.

By the time it is finished, Rich will be able to turn around and say 'I have done everything by the book, and as far as I am concerned, the boiler is safe to use', and no one will be able to doubt it.

Very, very well done.

John

 

[Circlip]

Just picked upon the "O Ring" groove Rich, did you get the groove size from tables or is it one that you decided upon cos you'd got the ring ??

 

[firebird]

Hi John

Thanks for that. A little praise and encouragement is always welcome. I have learnt a lot by trying to do it myself. You learn a lot from mistakes and failed attempts but you get there in the end and once you have it the next time gets easier. By the time I have an engine running off this little boiler I will have the confidence to tackle something larger and more complex. Now if I can just win the lottery and take early retirement......................................

Cheers

Rich

 

[firebird]

Hi Circlip

I already had the 'O' rings which have a round section of 1/16 inch (0.0625) so I ground the tool to 1/16 wide and then carefully cut the groove to 0.060 deep so that the 'O' ring is just a shade proud of the piston. I didn't refer to any tables, its pure guesswork I'm afraid but it worked.

cheers

Rich

 

[CrewCab]

Rich 8)
This thread is just an inspiration to us all, so have a little more praise and encouragement on me ..... plus a little karma : ....... it's not only been educational, it's been an absolute blast to sit down and read your exploits, warts and all .............. I've not only learnt a lot, I've had a good time too so :bow: Thanks Rich ;D

Right ............ : ........... on with the show ;D

CC


PS: did you eventually manage to silver solder the pump body or is it just threaded ................ or have I lot the plot ???

 

[firebird]

Thanks CC

Its just screwed together with ptfe tape to make a seal. As you can see from the trial it all held together OK, no leaks and held pressure. Next job is to make a manifold that will accept the pipe from the pump, have the guage mounted on it and an outlet for a pipe to go the boiler. I might also make a tap that will fit into the manifold so that I can release the pressure slowly.


Cheers

Rich

 

[Bogstandard]

Rich,

No need for a slow release valve, a couple of drops of water, because of the theoretical incompressibility, will take the boiler from 0 to 80psi, as long as there is no air in there. As soon as you crack a pipe. the pressure will dissipate instantly. No fireworks or explosions, just a drop or two and it is gone.

One less job to do.

John

 

[firebird]

Hi John

Good, one less job to do. Just one question, when I hydraulic test the boiler should I do it with the water guage fitted or blank everything off and test the boiler first?

Cheers

Rich

 

[Bogstandard]

Just use the gauge from the off, either in the line or attached to the boiler, it doesn't matter. If it springs a leak anywhere, it won't register anyway.

I always used one that went to 300psi, because a slight push on the pump lever can take your gauge way over its limit, and maybe cause damage to the gauge itself. It all depends on how steady your hand is.

If you can, measure the boiler before, during and after the test in specific areas. Check the OD in a couple of places, and see how much the end plates deform. If you do a few tests, you should see the boiler settle down and not deform any more. If it continues to deform over a few test and gets larger each time, that is a sure sign the gauge isn't thick enough for the pressures you are going to be using.
You have to remember that you have softened the boiler material while soldering it, and it will take a few deflections to work harden itself back to it's normal state. During that time, expect the boiler to 'stretch' a little.

John