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Yes indeed Bazyle, you must have missed it.

BJ,

Basically you are altering an approved design to your own specification., this boiler has a flexible hose connection that is designed to blow off if pressure is exceeded.

When used on the boat that it was designed for it would hardly be a problem if its halfway across the pond when it decides to let go.

Don't be misled by the size of the boiler either - 1lb of water heated to boiling point would produce over 26 cubic feet of steam if allowed to expand freely to atmosphere.

Look what happens when Bazyles suggestion of too much heat (and uneducated children) happens (Fizzy take note also) : **LINK**

What you do in your own kitchen / workshop is up to you, any accident would be put down to misadventure, but take this to a place where others can be harmed and you become liable, additionally you cannot carry out a test for insurance purposes on a boiler that you have either made or own.

A visit to your local car garage to enquire about using a proper steam cleaner would be more of use.

I have a Kaarcher Diesel powered high temperature water (95deg) @ 140 bar that will strip paint from an engine block in seconds.

Take some rust preventer with you as it will get a surface coat of corrosion before you get it back in the boot of your car.

On occasion I also buy the odd copy from the local newsagent, and prior to parting with the necessary beer tokens, have a quick look through to see whats inside.

Sometimes, there is nothing of interest, sometimes quite the opposite which ensures the release of aforementioned beer tokens.

Can't remember how many CD's / LP's etc bought over the years because I liked the 'hit' in the charts and only liked one or two tracks.

C'est la vie

Looking through some of the other forum threads on this (mainly American) and remembering the old Mamod boilers, these appear to be soft soldered (probably plumbers solder )

As you may have limited resources, cleaning to the required standard for silver soldering would be quite a difficult task.

Perhaps a mail to [email protected] may be beneficial.

Hi Nick,

I use Humbrol enamel on my engines, the gloss black is good on the cylinders, I've seen oil boiling on mine,but reds tend to discolour after a while and give that well used look.

Hi Brian,

I think you are getting confused with your thread sizes, 1/8" BSP has an outside diameter of 0.383" which is larger than your 3/16 x 40 ME thread (0.187" before cutting).

It looks as though you have gone for a 3/16 BSP rather than the ME thread.

Is it correct to assume that you are trying to connect two 1/8" pipes together? if yes, why do you need the 3/16 x 40 thread end? why not just use an 1/8 th pipe compression fitting for both ends?

Something like this: **LINK**

For me it would have been getting the 1/8" olive from a compression fitting and using that in the fitting shown in the photo, If its a standard steam fitting with a taper nipple then it will fit,

Compression fitting one end, 3/16 x 40 steam fitting 'tother.

Not that difficult surely?

Oh, and if you don't want to use the compression olive you could use a nitrile O ring, if it seals sight glasses at over 100psi it will certainly do the job here.

Edited By Lofty76 on 06/11/2014 18:06:50

No soldering Brian, the 3mm fitting will do the 1/8" pipe as listed.

Brian,

That looks almost like a compression fitting setup, what size is the spigot diameter?

Something like this : http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3mm-22mm-1-8-7-8-Equal-Straight-Compression-Coupler-Pipe-Fitting-Double-Ferrule-/321498886959?pt=UK_DIY_Materials_Plumbing_MJ&var=&hash=item4adad3b32f

Edited By Lofty76 on 06/11/2014 10:25:17

Edited By Lofty76 on 06/11/2014 10:25:50

Hi Gordon,

The boiler should be steamed to its normal operating pressure, and then with a full fire, and blower on (if fitted) the safety valve should maintain a pressure of no more than ten per cent above normal operating pressure.

i.e a boiler of wp of 50psi should not exceed 55 psi with the safety in full blow off.

Additionally any pressure gauge should be marked with a red line showing the working pressure as checked against a calibrated gauge, sight glasses must blow down correctly and indicate a proper boiler water level.

Hope this helps

Lofty

Brian,

You DO NOT 'run it up' to twice working pressure, its should be tested hydraulically so there is no chance of a dangerous instance if anything fails, the safety valve should be set so that pressure does not exceed 10% above normal operating pressure.

I'm not to sure how these regulations would apply to a little pot boiler like this as you have no pressure gauge to set the safety valve to, or sight glass to monitor the water level, ( the regs say that a water level indicator is not necessary as long as the supplied fuel runs out before a dangerous water level is experienced.

Boiler test code for info **LINK**

Brian,

Heres a link to a forum thats had a bit of interest on this boiler **LINK**

I think its really for the little oscillating engines rather than the bigger ones that you have built.

Still, its a nice little project to get started with.

Lofty

Hi Dave

I normally recommend a product called Kaowool, it comes as thin as paper or as thick as you like.

There is some on Ebay at the moment for an idea as to what it is - item No 140822522053

Lofty

To maintain the memory position

Having been testing boilers since the early eighties you do get accustomed to the various sizes and gauges of materials used.

I was trying to find a document from our old insurance company of some years ago that 'recommended' a factor of safety of '8'.

Unfortunately I couldn't find it (time has passed) but I always used that figure for any pressure vessels that did not have a current design available.

This boiller in question is similar in size to others and as previously mentioned would expect to see a minimum of 10swg for its construction.

The other point worth thinking about is that the heavier the boiler construction the better the tractive adhesion is likely to be, hence removing some of the need for added lead weights.

And to answer Jason directly, I seem to recall a clause in the Boiler Test Manual (Southern Federation) quite clearly stating that:an inspector may,if he is not satisfied that a boiler and/or its associated equipment and fittings are fit for service, refuse to undertake an examination and/or test. The reason for refusal shall be given in writing to the owner.

Surely, if it isn't built in accordance with the specifications of the design for the engine it isn't going to pass the boiler inspection.

What do the drawings say?

Why does it have to be cnc?

Can't anyone local to Derek help out with something like this?

Hi Derek,

Are there no local clubs in your area (not knowing where you are)

We often help out other members with jobs they can't manage.

Hi Frank,

We have these at work but the feed wheels have been removed to stop the apprentices fiddling with them.

I seem to recall that there is a spindle in the centre of the wheel shaft that needs to be either pushed or pulled (can't remember which) in order to engage the drive.

Otherwise the wheel just turns with no quill drive.

Edit, Yup, just had a look at the manual above, section 2.2  - Automatic feed  item v. Select feed direction 'C'

Edited By Lofty76 on 19/10/2014 21:51:32