Boiler Lagging Joint

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daves1459
Posts: 279
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 7:58 pm
Location: Plainfield, Illinois

Boiler Lagging Joint

Post by daves1459 »

I have noticed in several steam locomotive pkoto what appears to be a horizontal seam or joint in the boiler lagging. The seam or joint seems to be most prominent on pre 1900 locomotives when Russian iron is used for the lagging. Case in point is the NYC&HR 999 of 1893 that I am modeling. Note in the attached photo what appears to be a horizontal joint in the boiler lagging. It appears that there is a lower shell of lagging that goes under the boiler barrel and an upper shell over the top. Where the two shells meet there is some sort of joint. I would think the joint is water proof and not a simple butt. Can someone confirm that what is in the picture is in fact a joint and what the joint configuration is used. I'm guessing the bottom shell has a "Z" bend in it that the top shell nests in so the two outer surfaces are flush. Or it cold be some sort of tinsmith's joint where the two shells hook into each other with an extra bend so the outer faces are flush. Any direction here plus modeling solutions will be appreciated.

Dave
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999 as built.jpg
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NP317
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Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Boiler Lagging Joint

Post by NP317 »

My Ten Wheeler has horizontal joints in the jacketing because I could not get the blued stove pipe large enough.
So I made simple 1-fold joints that hook together, just under the hand rails.
The upper joint overlaps the lower one to keep water out of the joint.
Each course of jacket is clamped at the bottom, providing a small gap for water to escape, if needed.

The left side joint of the center course is visible in the photo below, just under the brass hand rail.
The front and rear course joints are on the right side, also under the hand rail.

Fifteen years later it has all worked perfectly.
~RN
317. Apr 5-03.jpg
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NP317
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Re: Boiler Lagging Joint

Post by NP317 »

And here's a photo of the right side of my Ten Wheeler.
If you expand the photo, you can see the horizontal joints in the 1st and 3rd course.
~RN
NP317c.jpg
Glenn Brooks
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Re: Boiler Lagging Joint

Post by Glenn Brooks »

It’s interesting that some latter pics don’t show the joint in the lagging at all. And the Chicago Museum apparently has missed that detail completely, as the Loco as displayed seems now to have full diameter lagging, with no joint. At least in the photos that show up on line. So, good catch!

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

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KenG
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Joined: Mon Aug 31, 2015 12:48 pm
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Re: Boiler Lagging Joint

Post by KenG »

Looks like the Russian iron jackets were made up from sheets riveted together with a plain lap joint. The following photos show Santa Fe 132 in the Kansas History Museum and a close up of Dan Markoff's Eureka. Dan seems to be meticulous in his research and am sure the jacket is historically correct.

Ken


ATSF 132.JPG
Eureka.JPG
daves1459
Posts: 279
Joined: Mon Jun 07, 2010 7:58 pm
Location: Plainfield, Illinois

Re: Boiler Lagging Joint

Post by daves1459 »

NP317 wrote: Mon Aug 13, 2018 11:46 pm My Ten Wheeler has horizontal joints in the jacketing because I could not get the blued stove pipe large enough.
So I made simple 1-fold joints that hook together, just under the hand rails.
The upper joint overlaps the lower one to keep water out of the joint.
Each course of jacket is clamped at the bottom, providing a small gap for water to escape, if needed.

The left side joint of the center course is visible in the photo below, just under the brass hand rail.
The front and rear course joints are on the right side, also under the hand rail.

Fifteen years later it has all worked perfectly.
~RN
317. Apr 5-03.jpg
Now that is interesting! So for each boiler course you have one piece of lagging the wraps around the boiler about 2/3s the circumfirance. Then another peice that wraps about 1/3. The two pieces hook together and when assembled there is a small gap at the bottom. Clever! When the two pieces are snug to the boiler the hook-lap joint is tight without the precision necessary for two joints to form a continous shell. In my case photos show a seam at the same location on both sides of the boiler. I could have three pieces with a small gap at the bottom to accomplish the same thing. I like it! Thanks!

Dave
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JBodenmann
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Location: Tehachapi, California

Re: Boiler Lagging Joint

Post by JBodenmann »

Hello My Friends
Back in the day they were limited on how large a sheet they could roll. At least that's my guess.
Jack
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NP317
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Re: Boiler Lagging Joint

Post by NP317 »

Dave1459:
Yes, you understand the jacketing I put on my Ten Wheeler.
The bottom clamping consist of angle brackets riveted to the jacketing,
with Allen-head stainless screws passing through one bracket into the threaded opposite bracket.
Easy to tighten and remove, using a long Allen wrench.
~RN
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