Hardware Store Boiler

[IronHorse]

I needed a "shop Boiler" to power my steam models. I found these plans on this site and I started to build it a few weeks ago. Most of the parts I got from local hardware stores. I only had to "fire-up" the lathe to make the Safety valve. Today I gave it a test, only pressurized it to 5 Psi, appears to work OK, I will do some more tests next week.

Before I put the heat to it, I did a Hydraulic Test to 80Psi. I only intend it to run it at 15 - 20 Psi. Next I hooked it up to the air line and set the safety valve to 15Psi

Here is the setup I used:

I still have to make a base for it and also a bracket for the steam pipe valve.

Here is a video of the test, sorry no sound:



Overall it was a fun project and the hardest part was finding all the fittings.

IRONHOURSE

 

[BobWarfield]

Looks like a fun little project!

BW

 

[Brass_Machine]

Neat! Where did you get the plans from? This site?

Eric

 

[Kludge]

I needed a "shop Boiler" to power my steam models. I found these plans on this site

Ooooh, where? That looks like a seriously cool boiler that would go well with some of my creations.

Eric, with a little trim, wouldn't it do nicely with some of the Neo-Victorian engines?

Best regards,

Kludge

 

[sparky961]

Nice, clean-looking project there.

Tell me, did you also find something to buy/modify for the base, or is that your own creation?

Thanks from another Canuck...

-Sparky

 

[IronHorse]

The plans are on this site somewhere. They where a few pages from a 60"s Popular Machanics mag. I think they called it a pipe boiler

The base in the video is just a couple of fire bricks. I will stop at my metal guy soon and pick up a slab of 1/4, 3/8 or 1/2" plate. Mabe I will try some "engine Turning" on it.

 

[Circlip]

Sorry to pea on your fire Ironhorse, or lucky I did, DON'T rely on PTFE tape to make a good seal on your heater coil to the " boiler " bottom connections, It's gonna burn and leak, the burner not only heats the watertube, but also the bottom of the boiler. The basic design is a watertube boiler but originally made from copper on this side of the pond but with Silver soldered connections. Don't confuse strength with safety.
Regards Ian.

 

[Kludge]

The plans are on this site somewhere. They where a few pages from a 60"s Popular Machanics mag. I think they called it a pipe boiler

Found it:

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=2098.msg17438#msg17438

For those who may be excited by such things ...

Best regards,

kludge

 

[Circlip]

" Prop the burner on a block of wood "
Yep, I've got some 60's super-regen radio gear that I'm going to put into a scale twin gas turbined model of the SR71!
Regards Ian.

 

[Kludge]

" Prop the burner on a block of wood "

It looks like IronHorse ignored that particular bit and went right for something a little more appropriate.

Yep, I've got some 60's super-regen radio gear that I'm going to put into a scale twin gas turbined model of the SR71!

Those regens were cool! My first R/C rig was a Babcock regen running rudder-only initially then rudder and elevator (two positions, fly a bit nose up or crash - never could get the up position to work right). After that, it was a semiconductor (again a regen) and a smaller homemade rudder & elevator dual escapement (fly, ride the edge of a stall, or crash). When a particularly sadistic CBer decided "fun" was defined as blipping on channel to make the airplane do weird things, I moved to the 6m ham band and started over. Oh, and I bought some larger engines.

Anyway, getting back ... He probably didn't line the housing with asbestos either as shown in one of the drawings. I don't think we can get it on this side of the ponds (two since I'm out in the Pacific.)

Best regards,

Kludge ... who will be building this boiler but not quite as described ...

 

[Circlip]

Sandy's version of a boiler in the free download plans is MUCH safer Kludge, think how inconvenient it is for your loved ones to visit the ER.
Regards Ian
PS our super regen stuff had the same crash bits built in.

 

[Kludge]

Sandy's version of a boiler in the free download plans is MUCH safer

Already snared for my permanent collection of snared plans.

think how inconvenient it is for your loved ones to visit the ER.

Noelle is my only family* and she can't leave where she is for medical reasons. We each know that being in the ER and sometimes being an inpatient is part of the drill for both of us so the best news is not having anyone call us because that indicates that it has gotten to living will seriousness.

This isn't to say we don't worry and want a Full Report once the situation is cleared or that prayer isn't also part of the process. Faith is a large part of both our lives - kind of goes with the territory of being a retired minister and a minister's daughter.

With that, though, is a promise I made to Noelle that I will never leave her. (Natural causes isn't included - nothing I can do about that.) I will never break a Noelle-promise or, as I like to say it, she's stuck with the old fart who loves spoiling her without mercy. As a result, I'm prone to be overcautious about a lot of things. Well, I am now. My somewhat checkered past is full of examples where the only reason I stayed alive is blind luck and the firm belief as a youth that I was immortal.

PS our super regen stuff had the same crash bits built in.

This is part of a little known conspiracy between the various manufacturers to increase sales. What is considered by the model airplane community as an incidental contact with the ground at speed is actually built into every airplane, engine, propellor and radio (and a few other bits) so one or another fails at some random and often undetectable manner causing the pilot to go out and buy replacements.

Replacement equipment is, of course, more advanced and costly (to buy, not to make) than what crashed in the first place which is how we got from the old valve-type Babcock et al equipment to the multi-channel digital radios used today (and corresponding "improvements" in other parts of the hobby as well.)

Which leads me to the question of "What in the world possessed me to buy the plans for an airplane that requires two 8-channel radios to fly?"

BEst regards,

KLudge

 

[IronHorse]

Thanks for your comments on my boiler, and thanks for the suggestion to remove the PTF tape. I take safety very seriously, when I run this thing I have a heavy coat on, full face shield and welding gloves. I would think that at 7Psi the boiler is not going to burst but a line or fitting may fail, and I think I am protected against that. I am more worried about running my collection of antique steam toys once or twice a year.

Down the road there is a bunch of guys that run steam trains on tracks, I will stop by and try to mooch some "boiler sealer" to replace the PTF

I made the fire box a little wider than was shown in the plans, and Asbestos is impossible to get in Canada so I made a inner heat shield to protect the BBQ paint job.

Here is a video of the boiler powering my PM-2 engine:

 

[Brass_Machine]

Very cool. Thanks for the video. I do like seeing engines run on steam. I pull moy small boiler out at least once a month.

Eric

 

[Kludge]

Sandy's version of a boiler in the free download plans

I forgot to ask ...

The ceramic burners mentioned in both the horizontal and vertical boilers ... what are they and where can they be acquired without raising too much suspicion?

Best regards,

Kludge

 

[Bernd]

I forgot to ask ...

The ceramic burners mentioned in both the horizontal and vertical boilers ... what are they and where can they be acquired without raising too much suspicion?

Best regards,

Kludge

I found several in a gas heater bought at the local home improvement store. They have ceramic burners. I haven't used one for the purpose of a burner, but I'm sure they can be converted. I also want to try a catalytic converter from a car. I took out the insides of one. It can be cut with a metal hack saw into small slices. So here we have two sources. Can't vouch for either since I haven't tried them but I bet they would work.

Regards,
Bernd

 

[Kludge]

RE: ceramic burners ...

I found several in a gas heater bought at the local home improvement store.
/quote]

Oh, dear. I need to do some online shopping then since heaters aren't common items in Hawaii. (Neither are firebrick or furnace cement, as I've quickly discovered. This puts a damper on building a small furnace for ... well, much of anything.)

I also want to try a catalytic converter from a car.

Okay, that I can get. I just have to remember to ask my neighbor across the hall about it. He's a local mechanic and can get all sorts of interesting things.

Thank you!

Best regards,

Kludge

 

[Bogstandard]

The ceramic burner from a normal household gas fire is of no use for making ones for burners, they are a hard pottery type of ceramic. You need the ceramic elements out of portable calor gas heaters. It is a very soft and lightweight material that can be cut with a knife. It looks like square based pyramids with a hole at the bottom of each edge of the pyramid. The flame produced doesn't get very large, and the pyramids actually glow red hot, that is what gives the radiant heat for warming up the boiler.

I think I gave someone the link for the Polly Model Engineering catalogue download, they can be bought from there in small sheets. A sheet should make about six burner elements of the larger size. I used to turn (very carefully) circular ones for my boilers.

This is what a ceramic burner for a boiler looks like. They can be square or oblong shape as well.

http://www.maccsteam.com/Burners/Burners.html

Hope this has cleared a few things up (or made everyone even more confused)

John

 

[Bernd]

Bogs's,

After looking at that link for the burners I took a close look at the portable one I have in the basement. Here's a pic of the burner side. It's natural gas.

Here's a close up of the material.

Looks like the same stuff, almost. It may be harder than the model burners but I think it could be cut with a diamond coated saw.

I figured if one was found tossed out by the curb it might be useful for a burner. :-\

Regards,
Bernd

 

[Kludge]

Hope this has cleared a few things up (or made everyone even more confused)

Well, yes. The confusion is even more clear now. ;D

I downloaded Polly Engineering's catalog and found the sheets you mentioned. I found a lot of other good things as well as a result, my wallet seems to have found a new best friend. *sigh*

I'm trying to remember where I saw piping elbows and flanges and other detail items for use with boiler & steam engine plumbing but it's just not happening. I may not be able to build anything substantial right now but I can align my quackers for the glorious day I have my shop back in operation ... which is why the Polly Engineering catalog is so dangerous.

Thanks for the info, John.

Best regards,

Kludge