Fittings

[NP317]

correct...I use copper in the smokebox of my gas burner and it looks as good as the day installed.

Same here.
~RN

[Bill Shields]

FYI: lead-free brass substitutes BISMUTH for the LEAD.

still has loads of ZINC -> so the general concern about leaching is the same

[765nkp]

I have a big 2-8-0 that has copper feed lines to the cylinders. 5/16 copper and it's coal fired. The engine is about 40 yrs old and I have run the crap out of it. Never had any trouble, in theory SS would be best with flares, but I think copper works fine. I have built several engines using copper and no problems yet.

Tim

[Bill Shields]

Here is the inside of a 1" loco, 5" diameter smokebox, piped all with copper -> 50 years old and showing every minute of it's age



all of the piping, including the feedwater heater what is wrapped along the inside of the smokebox and not in the direct flow of cinders, are literally leaks waiting to happen.

Some of the piping had already been fixed a few times before the entire boiler came in for replacement.

I reused the steam line to the blower and the blast pipe. You can clearly see how badly the copper is eaten up, even in a area close to the smokebox front.



In case you are wondering - yes - this is a quick removable boiler. All connection come up through the bottom of the smokebox.

4 bolts and the entire boiler - cab, pump, injector and all lift off.

It's a flat gasket between the two - I put in a new gasket with the new boiler. I thought about redoing with O-rings but since the first gasket lasted 50 years saw little point to improving something that already worked so well.