. . . I like that as the boilers built to the standards ensure a level of quality which translates into safety - a state we all should hold up as the most important condition of playing with live steam. - Brian
And in this we completely agree although as always there are more ways than one to bake a cake. One of the things I find problematic is the tendency of some folks to read just one book . . . that is, to take one source or authority, such as LBSC or Kozo, or the AMBSC, as gospel to the virtual exclusion of all others and in doing so throw out valid practices which have served well for many years. Likewise it's occasionally good to throw out outdated practice when better alternatives are developed. It should be noted that the world model boiler safety record after the advent of the AMBSC is no better or worse than it was before the appearance of the AMBSC so those of us who don't strictly adhere to the AMBSC must be doing something right.
A few years ago a few vocal Australians (dizzy from hanging upside down too long?), attempted to push the AMBSC off on the rest of the world and ended up getting told (in other forums long ago and far away) to back off. To their credit this advice was taken and what was accomplished IMHO was to allow everyone a bit of breathing room where the AMBSC code could be considered on its merits (or lack of) without feeling it was being forced down anyone's throat, which some of us were feeling, or being told we were looney if we didn't embrace this code. Many of us are still in consideration mode. It might be of interest to know that a few years ago I was asked by colleagues in Oz to review, comment, and possibly contribute to the embryo sub-miniature boiler portion of the AMBSC hoever I found it to be generally comprehensive and well done and not in need of comment from me.
I definitly do not wish to upset our friend GWRdriver but if standards are required . . . .
IF is the key word here. The UK is obliged (some might say burdened) to follow certain standards of construction and certification for insurance purposes. The AMBSC was likewise originally developed in concert with regulators and insurors to provide a set of mutually agreed upon standards. Please correct me if I am far off the mark on this.
Things are different in the USA and one significant difference is the US live steamer's native independance (or obstinance), the tendency to resist being told what to do, especially with regard to hobby activities. So far as I know all attempts to develop a model boiler code in the US have been shouted down or in some way torpedoed. One reason we are free to indulge ourselves in this way is that the insurors don't much care about boilers, we fly under their radar. Their primary concen is with passenger safety and liability, because that's where the majority of injuries have occurred and where the claims originate. That doesn't make sense to us but that's the way it is. If the insurors were to come down on us and say "OK boys, codify, certify, and test your boilers, or else we won't insure you" then we would very quickly have a code also.
PS - Lest I seem to be short-fused with Brian, and/or the AMBSC (hopefully not), I ought to clarify that my boiler building techniques come mostly from guidance gleaned from The Model Engineer (mag), and its writers, and from local mentors, and then tempered by personal experimentation with those techniques. I also learned that knowing what NOT to do is as important as learning what To do. That's how I learned what I know and so far it has served me well.
