Newbie Burner and Boiler

[Gemhund]

Thanks Hans, I have a normal jewellery workshop. I just recently purchased a mini lathe and that led to beginning of a machining craze and the empting of the wallet and the wife muttering and rumbling words like "second child hood" and "midlife crisis" and "4 jaw chuck? what's that?" ;D I checked out the site you mentioned, really nice. What engine would you recommened?
I hear you Sam, but I would much rather jump in the car and go down to my local metal supply store though! The casting bit is just a handy offshoot from goldsmithing.
You know John, I have not the faintest idea how much steam will be produced or is needed since I have actually never even seen a steam engine run.( other than on videos) Talk about newbie, or what. When I tested it, it heated the water to boiling in 7 minutes, (300ml), but I have no idea if that is fast or slow. I am not to worried about the brass bit though, since I will only use this boiler, (if it works) very little. This is more a test/learning project, rather than a long functioning one.
I am very interested about the zinc leaching out of the brass. Is there any literature on that subject that I could read up on? Must have something to do with a cathode/anode reaction..
Cheers, Hans.

 

[Blogwitch]

Hans,

I didn't want to cause you alarm with the dezincing issue, but it has been known for many years in the 'toy' boiler fraternity for many years, Mamod, Wilesco etc.

It has even affected myself, with a commercial brass boiler turning into tissue paper and the failure of a commercial copper boiler fitted with brass bushes. The first failure occurring in less than a year.

I am no chemist, just very aware of the problems that do occur, and your suspicion of galvanic action seems to be the main cause.

I did a quickie web search for 'zinc leaching of brass', and it came up with a lot of results, here are just a few

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selective_leaching

http://www.springerlink.com/content/k4273j3208061k17/

http://www.csass.org/v50n2p97.pdf

http://www.corrosionclinic.com/type...ng_selective_leaching_graphitic_corrosion.htm

With regards to your boiler and burner efficiency, don't worry about it, you should have more than enough steam produced to run a small engine. My commercial one (approx 500ml) with a ceramic burner would raise steam from cold in about four minutes and hold it's pressure at around 45 psi (3 bar) whilst running a double acting 5/16" (8+mm) bore with 5/6" stroke.
There is a great difference between running under load and free running, if set up correctly, the loaded engine will use a lot less volume than a free runner, because it will be running considerably slower, maybe only 10% of the free running one. With a steam engine (unless it is a turbine) speed isn't usually the issue.

I hope this clears up a few things for you.

John

 

[Gemhund]

I finished the chassis of my boiler.

Now I will hang all the other parts like the gauge and safety valve etc, on it.
Then I'll pretty it up, like finishing off the copper chimney and build the door at the bottom.
Thanks for the explanation John. I never knew that a steam engine would use more steam free running than under load. Makes sense when I think about it though.
When I am finished with this boiler, I will connect my (un blinged) Liney to it and see what happens.
Cheers, Hans

 

[zeeprogrammer]

I like the looks of that boiler Hans. Very nice.

 

[4156df]

Hans,
Great looking boiler. I'm really enjoying your posts. Very interesting and informative.
Dennis

 

[Blogwitch]

Hans,
That is truly a wonderful piece of work you have made there. I hope it works as well as it looks, and you will have a work of art that will last a lifetime.

When run on steam, some engines react completely differently than when run on air, and some won't run at all. It is mainly due to the different expansion rates of different materials, plus steam is expanding all the time, so don't be surprised if you have to do a little fine tuning to get the engine to work as you want it to.
Start with the least amount of steam the engine will run on, and don't forget to give it a little time to warm up to operating temperature and to get rid of all the condensate that will form inside the engine, you might have to flick the engine over by hand a few times to 'pump' it out. Unless you have the engine 'loaded', the less steam you give it, the better it will run.

John

 

[SAM in LA]

Hans,

Your boiler looks wonderful.

I am looking forward to seeing it in operation.

SAM

 

[Gemhund]

The Pressure Gauge

I made a round casing and a round wire for the glass seperator.

After I brazed the wire seperator in I drilled the holes for the rivets. This is purely ornamental work.

Then I melt some copper wire into little ball ends with an oxy/propane torch.

This is a holowed out punch on a draw plate but a normal piece of steel with the correct hole drilled in it will also work. I just use the draw plate because it is handy.

Melted, cut, punched.

Then I braze them into the pre-drilled holes.

The pressure thingamabob.

This is the semi finished gauge. Glass is cut, the back is made and I also made a new face, which will get the figures on, once I calibrate the pressure thingi.

I cut a 2mm glass on my gemcutting machine. This is very easy when you are a gem cutter ;D
Next up is the pipes and rods to hang all this onto the boiler.
Cheers, Hans

 

[shred]

Neat! I did some gem faceting long ago and had a good time with it, but my access to the equipment is gone now... Have to keep an eye out for a faceting setup someday.

 

[rockets]

Hans, you make your own metal, your own rivets,your own gauges.....

We are not worthy!!


Excellent work

Rockets.

 

[Gemhund]

So, this is how far I have got with my boiler. I made two side 'platforms' and mounted the gauge stand on one. I drew airconditioning copper tubing down from 6mm to 3mm but I don't really like it. The bends are not neat enough, so I think I will fabricate proper 90 degree bends and go from there. Sort of more crisp.
The right hand platform will have the steam exit.
I still got to figure out how to make a tap.
I made a safety valve on the top. I used Firebirds design--(thanks Dude, your tutorial on how to make a boiler is what started me on this journey....)
We'll find out if it works, one way or another.
Cheers, Hans

 

[joe d]

Hans

If you were not already a jeweller, I would suggest that you should be! This is a delightful piece of work. Looking forward to seeing it in steam.

Regards, Joe

 

[Gemhund]

I turned some carving wax on my lathe for the chimney of my boiler.

Then I sprued them up ready for casting

Thing is, I bought some 'Antique Bronze' casting shot from Rio Grande and I needed an excuse to try it out. Turns out to be a really good casting bronze, Melts easy, doesn't fume and is very liquid. Nice stuff and casts clean too.

Centrifical spin machine just after release.

I remade the copper tubing from the boiler to the pressure gauge.
I made the brass elbows so they more clean and crisp.
The pressure gauge is 3mm but the outlet is 4.8mm.
An easier flow. ( I think)

The front.

Close up of the cast chimney stuff and base thingamabobs.

The outlet valve screw thingi.

 

[SAM in LA]

Hans,

Those have to be the finest cast thingamabobs I've seen.

You make it sound so simple.

I enjoy your posts.

SAM

BTW, spell check like the spelling of "thingamabobs".

 

[Blogwitch]

Hans,

There is a great difference between thingamabobs and thingamajigs, you have to be very careful you don't get them mixed up.

But in your case, I think you can be forgiven, because you have done such a great job on those whatsits and throngibottoms.

No matter what they are called Hans, they look just great. th_wav


Bogs

 

[doubletop]

Bogs

Your avatar and this boiler go together perfectly its just like something from a Wallace and Grommet movie.

Hans

This is truly amazing and demonstrates the difference between a true artisan and some of us who are 'read the drawings and hope' types

Pete

 

[firebird]

Hans

That is one beautiful boiler :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow: :bow:

I'm glad my earlier fumblings helped.

cheers

Rich

 

[steamer]

Artistic, tasteful, and entirely functional.....Fine jewelry!

Well Done Hans!

Dave

 

[ChooChooMike]

Seriously :bow: :bow: and :bow:

That boiler and thingamabobs/-jigs is WONDERFUL !! Shows that you are really an artist !!

Can't wait to see that steamed up !!

Mike

 

[Gemhund]

Well I have let this tread stagnate, apologies for that. I finished my boiler last month and then jewellery work took over.

Finished

The burner on low. I was a bit apprehensive at first. But it went well and started producing steam in about 9 minutes.

The boilers doors closed.

Little copper cup I made to fill the boiler up.

The biggest worry I had was whether the glass would hold under pressure--and not leak. It did and didn't.
This completes my boiler and now my next project will be to build a single cylinder steam engine that will drive a small dynamo, in about six months. I have several large jewellery related projects I have to complete first.
A big thanks to everyone for the kind words and encouragement I had in this thread.
Cheers, Hans