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bug_hunter

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Feb 1, 2024
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Location
Wisconsin
Hey All,

Greetings from Wisconsin.

Currently working on a basic Wig Wag engine.

Quick question: I am looking for some guidelines and plans for a small model steam boiler for the Wig Wag. Apparently some options have been uploaded to the "files" section. Any chance someone can tell me where this section is, and as a new member if I have access to it?

Thanks to all, and I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Greg
 
Hi Greg
Welcome !
Glad to have you.

Apparently some options have been uploaded to the "files" section. Any chance someone can tell me where this section is, and as a new member if I have access to it?

Greg
Do you want to post the file? If true then:
Just "Attach files" and select your file
 
Hey All,

Greetings from Wisconsin.

Currently working on a basic Wig Wag engine.

Quick question: I am looking for some guidelines and plans for a small model steam boiler for the Wig Wag. Apparently some options have been uploaded to the "files" section. Any chance someone can tell me where this section is, and as a new member if I have access to it?

Thanks to all, and I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Greg
Welcome to the group

Dave
 
Hey All,

Greetings from Wisconsin.

Currently working on a basic Wig Wag engine.

Quick question: I am looking for some guidelines and plans for a small model steam boiler for the Wig Wag. Apparently some options have been uploaded to the "files" section. Any chance someone can tell me where this section is, and as a new member if I have access to it?

Thanks to all, and I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Greg
Welcome, I hope this helps?
https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/popscienceboiler1949.29145/https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/hydraulic_testing_of_model_boilers-pdf.29280/https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/3_in_dia_vertical_boiler_sheet_1-pdf.29434/https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/3_in_dia_vertical_boiler_sheet_2-pdf.29396/https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/3_in_dia_vertical_boiler_sheet_3-pdf.29291/https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/3_in_dia_vertical_boiler_sheet_4-pdf.29369/https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/3_in_dia_vertical_boiler_sheet_5-pdf.29371/https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/burner_for_3in_vertical_boiler-pdf.29346/
As GreenTwin said and I quote (And I also agree with)
"The search function is very useful, assuming you know what to search for."
"Often the search function on this forum brings back hundreds of threads, many which are not really related to the search tag."
 

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  • simpleboilerdrawings.pdf
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I am looking for the plans referenced in Post #2 in the following forum entry:

https://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/threads/boiler-plans.8005/
Thanks for the help!

Welcome to the group. I think what you're looking for is on the HMEM home page:

HMemScreenShot.jpg
 
"The search function is very useful, assuming you know what to search for."

Aint that the truth. I did search, to no avail. But, as stated above, I was looking for the wrong thing.

Thanks to all! You guys sure know how to make a guy feel welcome. Once I start down the "boiler" road, I am sure I will have lots of questions. I'll start a new thread in the appropriate location for those.

Hope everyone has a great weekend,

Greg
 
Hi,, and Welcome. What size engine? What will it do? 1 inch bore and stroke needs loads more steam than 3/8 in bore and 3/4in stroke, so needs a bigger burner and boiler. Vertical boilers look good, but an horizontal boiler of the "same" size tube can have a bigger burner = more steam. At a similar level of complexity. Complexity can mean a simple boiler produces "1" amount of steam but the similar sized and complex boiler like on a loco produces as much as "5" times that amount of steam.
What do you plan to do with your engine? Power a boat? Generator and bulb? Free-spinning? Pump water?
Obviously free-spinning uses less steam than powering something.
Let us know "what's what" so we can check a sensible size of boiler.
But will you display in public?
Are you in a club with insurance.?
As you are in the US of A you'll probabably need an ASME calculation to get certification for steaming your boiler in public. But a "proprietary" drawing may be OK to get a boiler cert without calculations.
You can steam at home at your own risk without certification. (I do).
Let us know if you need calculations.
Lots of fun!
K2
 
Wow, that is a lot of thought.

I am currently working on a WigWag engine. I believe it has a 5/8-inch bore, and a 1-1/4-inch stroke. I will operate it, when done, on compressed air. But, it sure seems that is would look nice operating on steam. How much effort could it be to just build a simple, small boiler to do just that?

That was my original thought before I started looking into the logistics, materials, and safety of the thought.

My idea would be to just operate the boiler/motor as a display piece at home. Maybe in the future, I would consider other attachments, motor sizes, or display options.

For now, still planning while working on the motor.

Thanks a bunch to all,

Greg
 
Hi, I shall do some quick sums and suggest the size of boiler. Is the engine single acting, or double acting? I shall work on 240rpm. as that is a nice speed for little engines. But allowing for running the steam for 500rpm. Then there is some spare capacity. It is easy to reduce flames. Hard to get more heat in!
Simple is the target for this use. Have you ever done any silver soldering of large copper pipes? 2 to 3 in diameter takes a bit more heat than the average little shop blowlamp from an attached gas cylinder.
Cheers!
K2
 
Hi, I shall do some quick sums and suggest the size of boiler. Is the engine single acting, or double acting? I shall work on 240rpm. as that is a nice speed for little engines. But allowing for running the steam for 500rpm. Then there is some spare capacity. It is easy to reduce flames. Hard to get more heat in!
Simple is the target for this use. Have you ever done any silver soldering of large copper pipes? 2 to 3 in diameter takes a bit more heat than the average little shop blowlamp from an attached gas cylinder.
Cheers!
K2
"How to make a mountain out of a molehill."

The Wig-Wag Engine has been designed to be an easy introduction to model engine making for the beginner, and the vertical wig-wag is the starting model from which the Wig-Wag family is based upon.

Using a simple oscillating cylinder with a 15mm piston bore and a 30mm stroke, the engine runs very well at moderate and slower speeds, on both compressed air and steam, and is a pleasing engine to run and watch.

All the engines from the Wig-Wag family are built from aluminium, brass, steel and phosphor bronze bar stock which is readily available from metal stockists and model engineering suppliers, and does not use specialist castings or difficult to get hold of parts.

The majority of the engine parts are modular in their design, and are common to all the engines in the Wig-Wag family.

Start by building the Original Vertical Wig-Wag, and then choose to build one or more of the family.

Any hobby engineer with a modest workshop will find this an enjoyable build, and the construction covers most of the bases of model engineering such as turning, milling, threading, reaming and boring.

https://wigwagengine.wixsite.com/wigwag
 
As WCE mentioned, first model, single acting vertical Wig Wag. Next will most likely be a two cylinder. Also, the addition of a vertical hammer driven by the motor is intriguing.

Add on question: When performing a hydrostatic test on the boiler, where might I find a small, manual pump to generate the required 120-180 psi? More of a do-it-yourself kind of guy, so the $75-$100 test kits on Ebay don't really interest me.
 
Have you ever done any silver soldering of large copper pipes? 2 to 3 in diameter takes a bit more heat than the average little shop blowlamp from an attached gas cylinder.

Forgot to answer this one. Never have silver soldered, but anticipate the need for MAP gas. Any suggestions for reasonable priced silver solder/flux domestically would also be appreciated.
 
As WCE mentioned, first model, single acting vertical Wig Wag. Next will most likely be a two cylinder. Also, the addition of a vertical hammer driven by the motor is intriguing.

Add on question: When performing a hydrostatic test on the boiler, where might I find a small, manual pump to generate the required 120-180 psi? More of a do-it-yourself kind of guy, so the $75-$100 test kits on Ebay don't really interest me.
STEAM-BOILER-FEED-PUMP__90959.jpg

PM Reseach Boiler Feed Pump
These pumps have been known to produce up to 400 psi.
Unmachined Casting kit $54.00
Fully Machined Kit $69.00
https://pmmodelengines.com/boiler-feed-pump/
or see attach pdf file.
 

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Forgot to answer this one. Never have silver soldered, but anticipate the need for MAP gas. Any suggestions for reasonable priced silver solder/flux domestically would also be appreciated.
Have you done any type of soldering ? Not that hard to learn my daughter learned how when she was eight years old.
I have built the two boilers from PM Reseach they sell a 4% silver-tin alloy solder and flux. Excellent on copper, brass, bronze, and stainless steel. Melting point 430°F. This is the solder they provide with there model boiler kits. You can also purchase this on E-Bay a little cheaper.
https://pmmodelengines.com/solder-flux/
I have also used Harris Safety-Silv 45 Silver Brazing Alloy 4531 when silver soldering copper and brass. Higher Temp. Rating. You are going to need a bigger torch then a MAP gas torch.


For small boiler work up to 21/2" dia. copper pipe I had success using a MAP gas torch from the home hardware centers. Using 4% silver-tin alloy solder and flux
For my bigger soldering work I have a B tank torch kit. See your local welding supply. ( Hold on to your wallet )
TurboTorch X-5B D Torch Kit
We may need to move this to Boilers questions and answers forum?

Untitled.jpg

 
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