Grates

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NP317
Posts: 4557
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Grates

Post by NP317 »

Your biggest issue is the solder used on the boiler.
Dan Watson's caution can be a deal breaker.
~RN
SteveM
Posts: 7763
Joined: Mon Jun 27, 2005 6:18 pm
Location: Wisconsin

Re: Grates

Post by SteveM »

NP317 wrote:Your biggest issue is the solder used on the boiler.
Dan Watson's caution can be a deal breaker.
I will check it when I get home tonight.

Steve
Glenn Brooks
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Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Grates

Post by Glenn Brooks »

LVRR2095 wrote:
SteveM wrote:[Right now, the grates are made of steel, and I realize that they will not last, but I didn't have any stainless on hand and wanted to get something fabricated. Where should the top of the grate be relative to the bottom of the firebox? Level with it, or up inside somewhat?
Steve....several of my locomotives have grates made from plain old cold rolled steel bars. In once case they have lasted since about 1960. I think 56+ years out of a set of grates is pretty good service.

I can't help with the arch....but I would want the grates up inside the firebox about level with the top of the mud ring.

Keith
Keith, very interesting. I had a horrible experience years ago with soft metal grates- burned up a nice cast iron grill on a coal fired 2.5" scale loco-12" boiler in about 3 weeks' daily running. I wonder if placement height in the firebox had something to do with its demise? Grate to high, sitting up in the heat affected zone maybe??? Or,maybe the coal fire just rested to low down into the leaves of the grate and melted happily away...

Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
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LVRR2095
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Location: Maine, USA

Re: Grates

Post by LVRR2095 »

Glenn Brooks wrote: Keith, very interesting. I had a horrible experience years ago with soft metal grates- burned up a nice cast iron grill on a coal fired 2.5" scale loco-12" boiler in about 3 weeks' daily running. I wonder if placement height in the firebox had something to do with its demise? Grate to high, sitting up in the heat affected zone maybe??? Or,maybe the coal fire just rested to low down into the leaves of the grate and melted happily away...

Glenn
Usually grates get burned when the ash is allowed to build up underneath not allowing cooling air to keep the grates from melting. The spacing between the grate bars is also a factor.
Keith
10 Wheeler Rob
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Location: East Hartford, CT

Re: Grates

Post by 10 Wheeler Rob »

Carbon steel is fine for grates if burning soft coal. I would use 1/8 x3/8 strip stock. Just peen the threaded end into the nut.

The important thing is to have air flow under the grates.

Rob
SteveM
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Location: Wisconsin

Re: Grates

Post by SteveM »

Fender wrote:Silver solder, when melted, is very liquid (runny) and doesn't pile up around the joints. Sil-fos is more pasty (thicker) when melted, and piles up around the joints. Coal causes the sil-fos to deteriorate and fail. If you suspect this was used on your firebox, I wouldn't change fuel.
I looked inside the firebox, and under the sheet metal covering the outside of the firebox, as well as the backhead and mud ring. The only place where the silver solder was piled up was on the underside of the mud ring, and that was probably because it had nowhere to flow to.

Steve
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Fender
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Location: Chattanooga TN

Re: Grates

Post by Fender »

Sounds like you are OK then.
Dan Watson
Chattanooga, TN
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