The Home Machinist!

I found this on Friday night while visiting a signpainting friend's workshop near Quebec City. He had it on a shelf because he collects vintage graphics.

The back and side panels make for interesting reading.

_________________
Best regards,
Jim Leggett

Montreal Live Steamers
www.montreallivesteamers.com

Toad Swamp & Punk Hollow Railroad
The Juvenile Traction Company
White Mountain Central RR

Of further interest… this stuff is still available. Here's a link to a PDF all about it for inquiring minds.

I prefer the logo on the old tin though.

http://www.herchem.com/specs/boilerliq.pdf

_________________
Best regards,
Jim Leggett

Montreal Live Steamers
www.montreallivesteamers.com

Toad Swamp & Punk Hollow Railroad
The Juvenile Traction Company
White Mountain Central RR

Home boiler is around 15 psi, few moving parts, no close fitting parts. No use in a Loco boiler in my opinion.

_________________
My wheels don't slow me down

I'm not recommending this product for any use but note the reference to "high pressure" boilers on the side panel. As it requires atmospheric oxygen to react with it does not effect the moving parts of your feedwater pump nor injector. This would appear to be very similar to ginger which I have seen used very successfully.

And it's a lot easier to find than fresh horse hooves and smells better than manure, both of which are traditional boiler sealers.

_________________
Best regards,
Jim Leggett

Montreal Live Steamers
www.montreallivesteamers.com

Toad Swamp & Punk Hollow Railroad
The Juvenile Traction Company
White Mountain Central RR

In case of a slight leak or weep, sodium silicate, egg nog, corn starch, and for those operating full size Caledonian 4-6-0's, horse dung mixed in water. Either works well but some even better. Boiler seal is ok for models too as long as you fire up the boiler on a external blower and keep all valves closed. Once the leak seals, blow down the boiler, fill with fresh water and run. I used this stuff on a boiler years ago. When the salesman asked what was the boiler water content, I said about 1 1/2 litres. The smallest can he sold me was enough to supply most of North America.

A friend that worked at Georgetown Loop swore by a secret compound they knew as "Sheep S**t". Easier to come by up in the mountains than horse manure I suppose.

I can remember some my grandfathers generation using oat meal to seal leaks.

Rob

Did he use it on boilers as well or just a wholesome source of daily fibre?

_________________
Best regards,
Jim Leggett

Montreal Live Steamers
www.montreallivesteamers.com

Toad Swamp & Punk Hollow Railroad
The Juvenile Traction Company
White Mountain Central RR

Might be a two part system Rob is thinking of.

I am pretty sure this product is Sodium Silicate. It reacts with Co2 to harden up, particularly in fireboxes and tube channels and ends. In the system itself, the decay of Calcium will provide enough Co2 to react the product. As for the color, a little dye goes a long way, and helps the professional spy an active leak as the dye color may build up to a color streak.

This stuff is a mechanic-in-a can approach to wizardry and majic spells. IMHO it has no part in the model steam world. Repair it correctly, and avoid oatmeal in injectors, and the smell of baking cookies instead of coal smoke.

Just my opinion.

_________________
Big Dave

Be Alert! The world needs more Lerts.

HI

My two cents , I have used Hercules Boiler repair in 3/4" & 1" scale boilers for a number of years . Billy Van Brocklin of the Waushakum Live Steamers also did use it , on his own locomotives .

Yes when you use this boiler compound , they are drawbacks , the boiler will prime, and you can not rely on the water glass for a sure reading , because of priming . Also when you use this , you must disconnect water lines & streamlines , to injector & steam pump as well as water lines going too axle pump . This stuff will clog the lines and boiler checks , along with safety valves . If I can use plugs , to replace boiler checks, and safety valves , it will save a step on cleaning .

But will it work YES , anytime a member has a problem with a boiler leak , at the club track , this is the stuff that I use in copper boilers, as well a few Steel boilers The Hercules Boiler Repair will work , as long as the leak , is not too big .

This boiler repair will last in a copper boiler , about two years , no it is not a permanent repair , it is only a band aid .

One whiff of Herc and you'll know that this is an industrial grade hydrocarbon infused potion. Take some time to read the PDF that I linked and you will understand the product.

The other 'home' remedies all come from the real world of steam powered locomotives. I don't consider my seven live steam models to be superior to them.

_________________
Best regards,
Jim Leggett

Montreal Live Steamers
www.montreallivesteamers.com

Toad Swamp & Punk Hollow Railroad
The Juvenile Traction Company
White Mountain Central RR