Boiler steel source

[Pontiacguy1]

There have been thousands of boilers built with A-36 hot rolled flue sheets and there has never been a failure on record.

^^^ What he said.

Why not? Well, if you have plenty of money to spend and can afford to buy it then by all means go ahead. If you are in the business of building boilers, and can purchase this stuff in sheets, then that's OK too. Most people in the hobby are trying to collect up enough material to build one boiler, and assuming you can't find some place to sell you a drop, then the cost to get this stuff can be very prohibitive.

Another alternative: Network and find someone else, or two or three someone elses, out there who are building boilers and who will need the same thickness material as you will. Then go together, buy a sheet of it, cut up the sheet and split the costs.

[Chessi2700]

I just bought a piece of sa516 gr70 24" x 36" x 3/8 thk. approx. 80# for $46.90 through a local fab shop. It came for Youngstown Sheet and Tube, Youngstown, Ohio. If you have a shop near you they may be able to help. I'm building a 1 1/2 scale C&O 2700 2-8-4 Kanawha.

[reubenT]

I just use whatever good steel I can find at a scrap yard locally, however with something as potentially hazardous as a boiler I like overbuilding them. I have a 1/2" thick x 14" pipe section I plan on turning into a small welded fire tube boiler, with tubes that have working pressures of around 500 psi. but it'll run at maybe 150 psi. It'll be welded with preheat, then stress relief heat treated. Then when in operation, at least yearly cold test at double operating pressure. 1.5 X operating pressure is standard. Then along with a 150 psi relief valve it will have a soft plug that will blow at maybe 200 psi.
The current boiler in the works is an ofeldt, has a 10" dia x 3/8" thick inner tank and 3/4" coiled water tubes. Design pressure of 600 PSI operating and 900 cold test. But I got a 200 psi relief valve for it and will install a 300 psi soft plug that will blow up the stack if it ever blows. I don't need the higher pressure and can get by without it's top end rating of 40 HP. When I put fire under a closed tank of water, I want to know it's not going to be dangerous. I want to know it will take way more pressure than what it will ever see with steam. And then I will be comfortable operating it. Now I have seen bad plate steel, wasn't melted hot enough. And that was in a fuel tank of maybe 5000 gallons. I will inspect anything I use quite thoroughly. And when money is not so scarce, I'll go hunting the right stuff.

[Fred_V]

I just use whatever good steel I can find at a scrap yard locally, however with something as potentially hazardous as a boiler I like overbuilding them. I have a 1/2" thick x 14" pipe section I plan on turning into a small welded fire tube boiler, with tubes that have working pressures of around 500 psi. but it'll run at maybe 150 psi. It'll be welded with preheat, then stress relief heat treated. Then when in operation, at least yearly cold test at double operating pressure. 1.5 X operating pressure is standard. Then along with a 150 psi relief valve it will have a soft plug that will blow at maybe 200 psi.

The general practice is to do an initial hydro test at 2X operating pressure and 1.5X test yearly. A commercial boiler inspector friend says to do the yearly test at operating pressure so as to not add stress to the boiler.
Also 2 relief valves with one set at 5# higher pressure.

[Soot n' Cinders]

Thanks for the help guys, still waiting to hear back on quotes.
Im going to stick with SA516, its specifically formulated for this. Other steels may hold up as well, but some grades are known to not hold up well in the fireside environment. Id rather just buy true boiler steel instead of possibly having to deal with a cracked sheet down the road.

[Dale Grice]

Did you try IMS Georgia Steel down by the NS rail welding plant?

Dale Grice

[John_S]

Does anybody know where I can get a small piece of 3/8" A516-70 steel plate near Atlanta? Ive been having a hard time finding it locally and dont want to pay the $125 shipping the supplier I found in Ohio wants for a 2'x4' piece.

Tristan, for Mike's new tenwheeler boiler I bought the A-36 material and had the pieces cut at Atlanta Water Jetting in Buford.

1. A-36 is absolutely fine for building a live steam boiler from.
2. AWJ is a small company run by a fantastic person and I will definitely do business with him again.

The price I paid was ridiculously low compared to other suppliers/shops around Atlanta.

[Harold_V]

1. A-36 is absolutely fine for building a live steam boiler from.

That may or may not be true, although my purpose in commenting is not to suggest it isn't. I don't want anyone to take away from this board the idea that not complying with code is an acceptable practice. It isn't, in spite of the fact that it is commonly done. Code has evolved from need---need from documented failures, although there may not be any attributed to model boilers.

I don't want readers, here, to follow any advice that goes against accepted practice, risking failure (although VERY unlikely) then suggest it was reported as being acceptable on the Chaski board. That puts individuals at risk of legal process, something that we all must prevent.

That said, the real problem with A-36 is, unlike materials that are sold to be in compliance, it isn't "certified" to be. It may or may not be. And, yes, it most likely would serve without issue.

Harold

[John_S]

1. A-36 is absolutely fine for building a live steam boiler from.

That may or may not be true, although my purpose in commenting is not to suggest it isn't. I don't want anyone to take away from this board the idea that not complying with code is an acceptable practice. It isn't, in spite of the fact that it is commonly done. Code has evolved from need---need from documented failures, although there may not be any attributed to model boilers.

I don't want readers, here, to follow any advice that goes against accepted practice, risking failure (although VERY unlikely) then suggest it was reported as being acceptable on the Chaski board. That puts individuals at risk of legal process, something that we all must prevent.

That said, the real problem with A-36 is, unlike materials that are sold to be in compliance, it isn't "certified" to be. It may or may not be. And, yes, it most likely would serve without issue.

Harold

Harold,

Your points are valid and appreciated. It is important to have clarity between building a code boiler and a boiler that is "other." The two boilers I have built have not been to code, but are built with acceptable materials and construction methods and are (overly) safe for the hobby.

When it came to selecting material for the new boiler for Mike Aldridge's (Bud's old loco) tenwheelerc cost was the determining factor. A-36 was a third the price of SA-516/70.

[FLSTEAM]

Your points are valid and appreciated. It is important to have clarity between building a code boiler and a boiler that is "other." The two boilers I have built have not been to code, but are built with acceptable materials and construction methods and are (overly) safe for the hobby.

Actually there are 3 types of boilers. Code with stamps, built to Code standards, and "Other".
Another way to say that is: Expensive, affordable, and "Cheap".

John B.

[Pontiacguy1]

I would say that ANY boiler built using sound building techniques is not going to be 'cheap'.

[John_S]

I would say that ANY boiler built using sound building techniques is not going to be 'cheap'.

How true this is. Not only the steel the boiler is built from, but all the fittings, and not to mention the electric bills resulting from the hours and hours and hours of welding and grinding.

And then there's the value of the time the builder puts into it...