Tony Bird
Senior Member
Hi,
Interesting American boiler design.
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Tony Bird
Senior Member
Hello again,
Tony Bird
Senior Member
And again,
Tony Bird
Senior Member
Again,
Tony Bird
Senior Member
Again,
With luck some more work will be done on the boiler today
With luck some more work will be done on the boiler today
Tony Bird
Senior Member
Hi Brock,
I am following along but have a few questions Firs up what is it a boiler for? Is it your own design or are you building from your own plan?
The boiler isn't my design, it is from some drawings in a 'Popular Mechanics' of 1933. It is part of some drawings for a boat that has a steam power outboard motor. Though it doesn't say so but I think the idea is for a low profile boiler of quite large capacity with a large heating area. The design might also baffle the movement of water in the boiler but this is conjecture so we will see how it turns out. I have made the hull and most of the outboard motor and the bevelled gear for the right angled drive have just arrived from America.
The boiler was finished and tested today. The photographs will follow in the post.
Regards Tony.
I am following along but have a few questions Firs up what is it a boiler for? Is it your own design or are you building from your own plan?
The boiler isn't my design, it is from some drawings in a 'Popular Mechanics' of 1933. It is part of some drawings for a boat that has a steam power outboard motor. Though it doesn't say so but I think the idea is for a low profile boiler of quite large capacity with a large heating area. The design might also baffle the movement of water in the boiler but this is conjecture so we will see how it turns out. I have made the hull and most of the outboard motor and the bevelled gear for the right angled drive have just arrived from America.
The boiler was finished and tested today. The photographs will follow in the post.
Regards Tony.
Tony Bird
Senior Member
Hi,
With the temperature at 26C in the shed it wasn't really a good idea to solder boilers today. But I can afford to loose the weight, so the boiler is finished and tested. It will be pickled over night and finally cleaned up and VHT paint applied tomorrow, then it can then be tried out.
Regards Tony.
With the temperature at 26C in the shed it wasn't really a good idea to solder boilers today. But I can afford to loose the weight, so the boiler is finished and tested. It will be pickled over night and finally cleaned up and VHT paint applied tomorrow, then it can then be tried out.
Regards Tony.
Tony Bird
Senior Member
Hello Again,
Tony Bird
Senior Member
Hi,
This is last lot of photographs concerning the construction of the boiler.
Regards Tony.
This is last lot of photographs concerning the construction of the boiler.
Regards Tony.
Tony, thanks for sharing your build, you showed lots of technique of which I was unaware. I was particularly impressed by your ability to cut a straight line with a jewelers saw :big: Any tips on controlling the saw which in my hands has a mind of its own?
Jan
Jan
Tony Bird
Senior Member
Hi Jan,
My ability with a jeweller's or piercing saw is possibly due to the fact I worked in the jewellery trade. The following might help you but using the saw a lot is possibly the answer.
First as I expect you know the blade cuts on the back or down stroke.
The saw blades must be of good quality and have an even set if they don't they will cut curves when held straight. The backs of the blades should be curved so that they don't jam easily and are more maneuverable. The ones I use are Swiss and cost about £20 a gross, oddly for a metric country they are wired in dozens twelve to a packet. They do split the packets but cost more. They can be bought from Horological suppliers in the UK I use www.cousinsuk.com who sell Shark and Bergeon I use the Shark they are a little cheaper.
Having got a decent quality blade there are about 14 different tooth pitches, which is important when cutting thin material, a very minimum of two teeth should be in contact with the metal when cutting. I use 0/3 which is fine enough to cut K&S tubing without jumping and 3 for thicker general purpose work. I have a 3" frame for each size as it saves time and after putting a used blade back into the frame they usually break
The saw frame. There are several sizes generally increasing in size in increments of 1" from 3" upwards. When making long cuts start with the smaller frame and go onto the large when necessary. I use a 3",4" and a 6". The larger frames are heavier and have more spring when being used.
Fitting the blade, there is usually a projection at the top of the frame in front of the upper wing nut this is to put into a hole drilled in the front of a bench and makes it easier to put tension on the blade while pushing on the handle and tightening the wing nut. Tension should be as tight as possible the less spring the better.
As often the wing nuts get in the way when using the saw I replace them with nuts that need Allen keys.
Using the saw. When cutting it is a good idea to be sitting down with the work piece at shoulder height. It is a also good idea to clamp the work piece to a peg projecting from the bench. When cutting straight lines the saw is slightly inclined forward and only used vertically when cutting curves or changing direction. When cutting thin sheet clamp or double side tape the work piece to some fairly thin plywood and cutting through both helps to stop the work piece vibrating. When cutting a lot to save having to stop to clear the debray so the guide line can be seen a fish tank air pump connected to a silicon pipe with a weight at its end can be used to do this job. The weighted end of the pipe being directed along the line of cut.
If anyone is still reading this missive what was said at the beginning about using the saw a lot is very important. If anything isn't clear please ask.
Regards Tony.
My ability with a jeweller's or piercing saw is possibly due to the fact I worked in the jewellery trade. The following might help you but using the saw a lot is possibly the answer.
First as I expect you know the blade cuts on the back or down stroke.
The saw blades must be of good quality and have an even set if they don't they will cut curves when held straight. The backs of the blades should be curved so that they don't jam easily and are more maneuverable. The ones I use are Swiss and cost about £20 a gross, oddly for a metric country they are wired in dozens twelve to a packet. They do split the packets but cost more. They can be bought from Horological suppliers in the UK I use www.cousinsuk.com who sell Shark and Bergeon I use the Shark they are a little cheaper.
Having got a decent quality blade there are about 14 different tooth pitches, which is important when cutting thin material, a very minimum of two teeth should be in contact with the metal when cutting. I use 0/3 which is fine enough to cut K&S tubing without jumping and 3 for thicker general purpose work. I have a 3" frame for each size as it saves time and after putting a used blade back into the frame they usually break
The saw frame. There are several sizes generally increasing in size in increments of 1" from 3" upwards. When making long cuts start with the smaller frame and go onto the large when necessary. I use a 3",4" and a 6". The larger frames are heavier and have more spring when being used.
Fitting the blade, there is usually a projection at the top of the frame in front of the upper wing nut this is to put into a hole drilled in the front of a bench and makes it easier to put tension on the blade while pushing on the handle and tightening the wing nut. Tension should be as tight as possible the less spring the better.
As often the wing nuts get in the way when using the saw I replace them with nuts that need Allen keys.
Using the saw. When cutting it is a good idea to be sitting down with the work piece at shoulder height. It is a also good idea to clamp the work piece to a peg projecting from the bench. When cutting straight lines the saw is slightly inclined forward and only used vertically when cutting curves or changing direction. When cutting thin sheet clamp or double side tape the work piece to some fairly thin plywood and cutting through both helps to stop the work piece vibrating. When cutting a lot to save having to stop to clear the debray so the guide line can be seen a fish tank air pump connected to a silicon pipe with a weight at its end can be used to do this job. The weighted end of the pipe being directed along the line of cut.
If anyone is still reading this missive what was said at the beginning about using the saw a lot is very important. If anything isn't clear please ask.
Regards Tony.
Tony Bird
Senior Member
Hi,
Well the boiler is out of its pickling over night and it has been tried in the Tadpoles hull. The next is the boilers flame guard I think.
Regards Tony.
Well the boiler is out of its pickling over night and it has been tried in the Tadpoles hull. The next is the boilers flame guard I think.
Regards Tony.
fcheslop
Well-Known Member
Hi Tony,Interesting boiler what is the working pressure and how will she be fired?.
Good luck with the rest of the build she is pug ugly in endearing sort of way :big:
Best wishes Frazer
Good luck with the rest of the build she is pug ugly in endearing sort of way :big:
Best wishes Frazer
Thanks for the advise Tony, it will give me something to work on. I have some good quality blades but they are apparently better suited to thicker material and I shall have to get some finer ones. We have a good jewelers tool supplier in Perth, I got my Vallorbe files from there and do love them. Machining is fun but so is hand work and when working on a small scale very handy.
Jan
Jan
Tony Bird
Senior Member
Hi,
Yesterday the flame guard was folded up and the boiler fitted to it. There was no indication how the boiler was to be fitted on the drawing so it was held by two rods going through the hollow stays fitted in the boiler. A base was for the flame guard was also folded up. The next job is to figure out how the boiler assembly is held in the hull again the drawing doesn't show this.
Photographs of making the flame guard follow.
Regards Tony.
Yesterday the flame guard was folded up and the boiler fitted to it. There was no indication how the boiler was to be fitted on the drawing so it was held by two rods going through the hollow stays fitted in the boiler. A base was for the flame guard was also folded up. The next job is to figure out how the boiler assembly is held in the hull again the drawing doesn't show this.
Photographs of making the flame guard follow.
Regards Tony.
Tony Bird
Senior Member
Some more photographs.
Tony Bird
Senior Member
Hi Frazer,
Interesting boiler what is the working pressure and how will she be fired?
The drawings show no safety valve and as there is no regulator either it relies on the pistons lifting off the port face to release any excess pressure. A safety valve will be fitted in place of the filling plug. She will be gas fired as there really isn't enough height for a wick burner. So it will be either a ceramic or poker burner.
Good luck with the rest of the build she is pug ugly in endearing sort of way.
Difficult to disagree!
Regards Tony.
Interesting boiler what is the working pressure and how will she be fired?
The drawings show no safety valve and as there is no regulator either it relies on the pistons lifting off the port face to release any excess pressure. A safety valve will be fitted in place of the filling plug. She will be gas fired as there really isn't enough height for a wick burner. So it will be either a ceramic or poker burner.
Good luck with the rest of the build she is pug ugly in endearing sort of way.
Difficult to disagree!
Regards Tony.
