Formed Fireboxes

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Marty_Knox
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Joined: Thu Jan 09, 2003 6:50 pm
Location: Michigan, USA

Formed Fireboxes

Post by Marty_Knox »

Yesterday I picked up a dozen fireboxes I had cut and formed at Weber Steel. From left to right they are Little Engines 1" Atlantic or Pacific, Allen 1 1/2" 0-4-0, Railroad Supply 1 1/2" 0-4-0 or Mogul, and Little Engines 1 1/2" Pacific.
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steamin10
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Re: Formed Fireboxes

Post by steamin10 »

Cool. I need 1 or 2 for a coupla mailboxes! That'll cut down on the mailbox homerun series around here... :twisted:
Big Dave, former Millwright, Electrician, Environmental conditioning, and back yard Fixxit guy. Now retired, persuing boats, trains, and broken relics.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of Smart. My computer beat me at chess, but not kickboxing
It is not getting caught in the rain, its learning to dance in it. People saying good morning, should have to prove it.
redneckalbertan
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Re: Formed Fireboxes

Post by redneckalbertan »

steamin10 wrote:Cool. I need 1 or 2 for a coupla mailboxes! That'll cut down on the mailbox homerun series around here... :twisted:
My uncle made one for himself out of 3/16" thick plate, and his has survived many attacks. Incidentally it is also sitting on a 3" pipe dug 3-4 feet down and concreted in... If you used one of those fire boxes... Well it would survive and onslaught from a couple howitzers!
doublereefed
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Re: Formed Fireboxes

Post by doublereefed »

Marty, would the Allen 1 1/2" 0-4-0 box be for Chloe and derivatives?
Marty_Knox
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Re: Formed Fireboxes

Post by Marty_Knox »

doublereefed wrote:Marty, would the Allen 1 1/2" 0-4-0 box be for Chloe and derivatives?
No, it is for our new 0-4-0 switcher using Mogul cylinders and valve gear, Consolidation drivers, and an American cab.
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doublereefed
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Re: Formed Fireboxes

Post by doublereefed »

Sounds interesting Marty. This is the first I've heard of it. Any more info available on the web? I don't see anything on your web site. Will it be Stephensons or Walschaerts?

By comparison then, is this firebox for the 1 1/2" 0-4-0 smaller, larger, or about the same as Mogul and Ten Wheeler?

Best,

-Richard
Shakeyjake36
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Re: Formed Fireboxes

Post by Shakeyjake36 »

Where these formed cold? I have often wondered if a crown sheet could or should be heated to ease the bending. Thank you Marty .
Marty_Knox
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Re: Formed Fireboxes

Post by Marty_Knox »

Shakeyjake36 wrote:Where these formed cold? I have often wondered if a crown sheet could or should be heated to ease the bending. Thank you Marty .
These were formed cold, with a minimum inside radius of three times the plate thickness. For example, the 1/4" plate has an inside radius of 3/4". On the 5/16" plate the inside radius is 1", since they don't have any 15/16" radius nose dies.
Marty_Knox
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Re: Formed Fireboxes

Post by Marty_Knox »

doublereefed wrote:Sounds interesting Marty. This is the first I've heard of it. Any more info available on the web? I don't see anything on your web site. Will it be Stephensons or Walschaerts?

By comparison then, is this firebox for the 1 1/2" 0-4-0 smaller, larger, or about the same as Mogul and Ten Wheeler?

Best,

-Richard
The firebox is wider than the Mogul, but not as long. Not quite as much grate area, but more tubes.
boomerralph
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Location: St. Augustine, FL

Re: Formed Fireboxes

Post by boomerralph »

steamin10 wrote:Cool. I need 1 or 2 for a coupla mailboxes! That'll cut down on the mailbox homerun series around here... :twisted:
Years ago, the kids thing was driving over mailboxes in my neighborhood. My father got tired of putting it back up, and since he worked for the power company, he had the line crew bring the butt section of a broken off power pole. They planted it about 6 feet deep, and put the mailbox back on top. Come Friday night there was an ungodly crash from the road, and the next morning there was a car with its front bumper wrapped around the pole. Evidentially the kids hit it at about 60 mph. That ended the mailboxes being knocked over.
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steamin10
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Re: Formed Fireboxes

Post by steamin10 »

Ya, those kinds of things were kiddee amusements from time honored pranks. Unfortunaltely we never TP'ed anybodies house that did not deserve it, or paint somebodies car with white tempra paint, and only blew up mailboxes with M-80's around 4rth of july. The advance of those kinds of things without reason, wound up with either bullet proof mailboxes, or 5 gallon buckets on their side on a post. The bullet proof ones caused the trouble when some drunk ran into one and was hurt as the 40 lb box went through the windsheild. Thats why approved mailboxes are annoying plastic, or some form of light sheet metal. Our County has limits on pole discription, and approved boxes to remove all doubt. several ritzy boxes with a brick surround, have had to be taken down as a road hazard, as they lie on the public way, and individuals have no rights to incommode the public way. (or create a hazard to travelers). So tossing a spike board in front of racers or speeders is a criminal act.

You must call the Authorities, and they have no guarentee to answer your complaint.

Without asking, then the answer is a brake press to do the forming cold. My axle press would be challenged to bend 5/16s material of any length. A perfect example of doing what you can, and farming out tough things to those that can do a better job.
Thanks for the views.
Big Dave, former Millwright, Electrician, Environmental conditioning, and back yard Fixxit guy. Now retired, persuing boats, trains, and broken relics.
We have enough youth, how about a fountain of Smart. My computer beat me at chess, but not kickboxing
It is not getting caught in the rain, its learning to dance in it. People saying good morning, should have to prove it.
Big Northern
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Location: West-Central Arizona, Colorado River

Re: Formed Fireboxes

Post by Big Northern »

They look far stronger than the welded construction I saw 10 years ago. BN
The last forum I attended, they kicked me out of!
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