Free 186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook:  
Get tool plans

User Tag List

Page 3 of 12 FirstFirst 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 LastLast
Results 21 to 30 of 119

Thread: Small Boiler

  1. #21
    Supporting Member editor@glue-it.com's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    291
    Thanks
    40
    Thanked 483 Times in 136 Posts

    editor@glue-it.com's Tools
    I've literally been back to the drawing board for the miniature traction engine to work out the detailed design of the next few parts.

    Small Boiler-back-drawing-board-002.jpg

    The firebox is a challenge, but feels like I have a reasonable way forward.

    The engine feels a bit more tricky, plan was to create a bracket on the boiler that is brazed in place and the cylinder bolts to it, just not sure if I should use brass for this due to corrosion?

    186 More Best Homemade Tools eBook

  2. #22
    Supporting Member thehomeengineer's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Berkshire UK
    Posts
    740
    Thanks
    751
    Thanked 2,191 Times in 429 Posts

    thehomeengineer's Tools
    Hi
    I have added a link to my boiler I made to L.C. Masons design which might help. If you plan on steaming I would try and keep to a all copper construction and the boiler bushes made from bronze. I made the stays from copper.
    Practical Engineering
    Practical Engineering
    Practical Engineering
    The Home Engineer

    2,000+ Tool Plans

  3. The Following User Says Thank You to thehomeengineer For This Useful Post:

    editor@glue-it.com (Jun 9, 2020)

  4. #23
    Supporting Member editor@glue-it.com's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    291
    Thanks
    40
    Thanked 483 Times in 136 Posts

    editor@glue-it.com's Tools
    Hi Home Engineer, great website and lots of information. Will have to have another look at the cylinder block and mounting to the boiler. My issue is the scale 12mm bore and stroke. Boiler is 1.75" in diameter and so quite hard to make exactly scale, but might have a go. Must admit that I hadn't realised that the bolts go through the boiler shell for the cylinder mounting. Thanks, Nigel

  5. #24
    Supporting Member editor@glue-it.com's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    291
    Thanks
    40
    Thanked 483 Times in 136 Posts

    editor@glue-it.com's Tools
    Just been trying to pull together reference material around dezincification of brass and to get a summary together, basically use Phosphor Bronze for all bushes and boiler fittings.

    Conditions that can make leaching worse are:
    1. Slightly acidic or slightly alkaline water
    2. High levels of chlorine in the water
    3. More than 15% zinc in the brass alloy
    4. Low flow rates and low levels of aeration
    5. Relatively high tube wall temperatures

    The general consensus being "why did you even ask about using brass fittings"

  6. #25
    Supporting Member editor@glue-it.com's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    291
    Thanks
    40
    Thanked 483 Times in 136 Posts

    editor@glue-it.com's Tools
    I had some real fun machining the hole through the firebox on the rotary table. It was all setup after doing the outside edge and just thought why not??

    Small Boiler-20200830_155619.jpg

    As you can see in the next image, the intention is that the boiler is a simple cylinder and the end sits in the firebox. The boiler has 7 flues for the hot gases to flow through to the smokebox.

    Small Boiler-20200830_160215.jpg

    I have a few videos of the machining processes

  7. #26
    Supporting Member editor@glue-it.com's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    291
    Thanks
    40
    Thanked 483 Times in 136 Posts

    editor@glue-it.com's Tools
    I silver soldered the mild steel boiler together

    Small Boiler-burrell-firebox-07.jpg

    and then cleaned it up

    Small Boiler-burrell-firebox-10.jpg

    Quite a lot to do though still on the miniature traction engine.

  8. #27
    Supporting Member editor@glue-it.com's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    291
    Thanks
    40
    Thanked 483 Times in 136 Posts

    editor@glue-it.com's Tools
    What is it about model engineering that makes us all sit with a beer and gaze at what we've made?

    Small Boiler-20200922_203353.jpg

    What am I going to do when it's complete?

  9. #28
    Supporting Member mklotz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2015
    Location
    LA, CA, USA
    Posts
    3,525
    Thanks
    362
    Thanked 6,559 Times in 2,161 Posts

    mklotz's Tools
    Quote Originally Posted by editor@glue-it.com View Post
    ...What am I going to do when it's complete?
    I faced the same problem with my collection of engines.

    I take them around to local middle schools and provide a one hour informal (kids sitting on floor) talk on the evolution of prime movers from early atmospheric through proper steam, a detour to Stirling, and then on to steam electric generators. We talk about belt drives, reversible engines, steam pumps, and other facets of the emerging technology. Almost every aspect of the talk is a discovery for the kids; they've never heard of steam trucks and steam rollers.

    The kids love it and they get to "help" me open and close valves, lubricate bearings, and use blowpipes to operate breath-powered engines.

    In the interest of classroom safety, a small airbrush compressor doubles for a steam boiler.

    Most of the time the teachers are dumbfounded and the kids are enchanted.
    ---
    Regards, Marv

    Failure is just success in progress
    That looks about right - Mediocrates

  10. The Following User Says Thank You to mklotz For This Useful Post:

    editor@glue-it.com (Sep 28, 2020)

  11. #29
    Supporting Member editor@glue-it.com's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    291
    Thanks
    40
    Thanked 483 Times in 136 Posts

    editor@glue-it.com's Tools
    A very small block of mild steel forms the firebox door and an even smaller block on top is the blank from which I'm making one half of the hinge

    Small Boiler-20200926_142720.jpg

    then after an hour or so with the manual milling machine I had the outline of the door hinge

    Small Boiler-20200926_141139.jpg

    I think this solid version is much better than my rough initial idea of using brass angle - two misaligned holes for rivets doesn't help the look either

  12. #30
    Supporting Member editor@glue-it.com's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2017
    Location
    UK
    Posts
    291
    Thanks
    40
    Thanked 483 Times in 136 Posts

    editor@glue-it.com's Tools
    The firebox door now has working hinges and a latch, it is so small and I've just had to look at it for quite a while to work out how to make it. Not sure it is scale, but hopefully it will look right on the finished engine, a few more details of the build here

    Small Boiler-20201025_151804.jpg

    a short video of it working


Thread Information

Users Browsing this Thread

There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •