The Home Machinist!

I have an arch in a 10" boiler burning coal. It makes a noticeable difference in how the boiler steams and minimizing derbies that get pulled into the lower tubes. The arch is a simple stainless plate that fits into a slotted bracket mounted just above the grate on the rear tube sheet. Tubes are bru...

Paraffin melts around 100°F. Would you end up with the paraffin melting too quickly? You could get a chunk of paraffin and toss it into the firebox.

How reasonably priced ultrasonic tester is suitable? I see a unit from Dwyer (a name I know) for $270. The no name models on Amazon for less than $200. Then they march on up over $1000.

If you order black iron pipe what you will get is steel pipe with a coating on it. I do a white vinegar wash once a year with a camera inspection to make sure the interior is clean. I also store the boiler dry. The first steel boiler failed in 12 years due to build up on the firebox sheets accelerat...

150% is most common. Depending on the service factor some people like to go higher with a new boiler. Mostly you are looking for leaks. A 150% hydro won't reveal firebox sheets and stay bolts that are nearing failure. I have seen two locomotives fire box sheets down to 1/32" in places that passed a ...

Kimball McGinley wrote: ↑

Fri Nov 09, 2018 1:29 pm

Seems like the rear tube sheet shot forward, carrying the tubes and flues with it?

It's super heater tubes blown out of the boiler after a failure at the firebox end. Locomotive was C&O 2-10-4 3020. 1948 near Chillicothe OH I believe.

The City Coal Yard found blacksmiths favored coal with lots of fines and live steam buyers didn't like fines. They used to screen their coal and bagged a product for both. One of our club members tried a mix using cement as a binder. He had didn't have much success. Poor burning and lots of crud in ...

Fred_V wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 07, 2018 6:14 pm

My concern is with live steam not full size stuff.

SteveM was asking what car load users do with the dust. For most dust is what they want in the end.

Out of curiosity though do coal dust bricks hold some shape as they burn or do they break up?

Modern boiler use pulverized coal sprayed in.

You can make your own red line water glass by painting a red stripe bordered by white stripes. General illumination directed at the glass makes it easy to see.

If it's trucks on a car they hold up fine. I've got a couple cars with 20+ years on them with iron wheels. If it's trucks on a locomotive I'd go steel.

What effect does the out of round drill rod have? I looked up tolerances on drill rod out of curiosity. ALRO lists concentricity within .005".