Western Maryland Shay Boiler

[Marty_Knox]

We recently completed a boiler for a 1.6" scale Western Maryland #6. It tapers from 10" pipe (10 3/4" OD) to 8" pipe (8 5/8" OD). On the prototype the taper is gradual, but we used an 10" x 8" eccentric reducer. The builder will cover it with the jacket made to the prototype proportions.

We provided a piece of pipe for the smokebox. The method we used to join the smokebox to the shell may be of interest. The mating surfaces were machined to matching 30 degree bevel, then 4 stainless steel coupling nuts were welded to the shell. We then drilled the threads out of four standard length stainless steel nuts, ran bolts through them into the coupling nuts, clamped the smokebox in position, then welded them inside the smokebox.

[Marty_Knox]

Here are some more pictures of the smokebox and boiler.

[FredR]

Hey Good looking!!!! No Marty, not you, the boiler It really looks good Marty. Wish I had your talent.
Fred

[Marty_Knox]

Thank you, Fred. But I view talent like Tom Edison did - 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration. And these days a lot of the perspiration is Glenn Grasley's. He is a better welder than I am, and has made quite few really good suggestions. I had already done smokebox joints like the one shown, but Glenn suggested we use the coupling nuts and let them protrude to help align things.

[Bill Shields]

I like the coupling nut idea...and hope you 'never-seeze' goop the heck out of them or they will become one solid piece in short order!

[Sandiapaul]

Marty,

That is a very nice looking piece of work.
I hope you are getting ready for the onslaught of K-27 boilers!

Regards,

Paul

[gwrdriver]

The method we used to join the smokebox to the shell may be of interest.

Marty, I'm using something similar on my Tich. The ring will be tacked to a shoulder in the smokebox. More elaborate perhaps but that's just me. Very neat clean work on the Shay boiler.

[Marty_Knox]

Hello Shay builders.
The eccentric reducer on the boiler is clearly shown on the plan set from my plan-ahead -designs drawing portfolio.

This boiler is built entirely to my own design, based on Lima Locomotive Works Card No. 130-B-506 and measurements of a LocoGear chassis. I would like to thank John Johnson of LocoGear for his help on this project.

John standing next to his chassis and boiler mockup.

[Kimball McGinley]

Hello Moderator? It seems like this "RICHK" is trying to claim something that is not his?

Disclaimer: I have not designed or built a shay, but I do know what they are.

[Harold_V]

Hello Moderator? It seems like this "RICHK" is trying to claim something that is not his?

Disclaimer: I have not designed or built a shay, but I do know what they are.

Considering the fact that the design posted is the one created by the party responsible for the post, it is my opinion that RICHK is taking advantage of the sweat and toil of others for his own benefit. To that end, it is my advice that he should start a thread of his own, where he can tout his own hard work instead of riding on the backs of others who are actively engaged in the building of this particular project. I will so advise him, and that his posts will be removed from this thread----as they are clearly nothing short of spam.

Harold

[PRR5406]

Elegant welding is a thing of beauty.

[Mountaineer]

Just learned two new ideas from Marty- reducer and smoke box joiner- thanks! Got to admit I still think Roy Johnson's method of joining boiler to smokebox (on his Four Aces and his Virginia- see Modeltec articles) is the most elegant method, although more involved and less flexible than Marty's. Always like seeing different ways of accomplishing the same task.

Mountaineer.

Edit- spelling