Member postings for mick H

Kevin...I am in the same situation as yourself. However I am satisfied with the standard of the boilers that I make and test them myself. As for the accuracy of gauges, I have several and test them against each other....not perfect perhaps but not far out either. If I were to wish to operate my boilers in public then I would be obliged to follow the current code. But from 1st January 2013 the British Model Engineering Liaison Group are introducing a revised scheme of testing for boilers, including those in the 3Bar/litre category which were formerly excused certain formalities. I have read through their document....The Examination and Testing of Miniature Boilers. As is often the case with these things there is an excess of verbiage which does not make for easy reading but I think things are going to become even more complicated. This new testing regime appears to demand a 2xWP hydraulic test on completion of the boiler. Before the boiler is operated and after boiler fittings have been attached , another 1.5XWP hydraulic test must take place followed by a full steam test. Thereafter an annual steam test must be undertaken. Each stage of the routine must be documented on the boiler certificate. That is for the 3/Bar litre boiler. As I understand it, larger boilers have to undergo an annual hydraulic + steam test.

As I see it, if you have your boiler certificated as to build quality then that must be worth something in terms of peace of mind but it will be only that unless you wish to go down the road of full annual testing and certification. If I am wrong in any of my understanding I welcome correction.

Mick

Jason....not wishing to labour this but if you require further information in relation to small boilers you can find it in para 14 of the Examination and Testing of Miniature Steam Boilers Boiler Test Code which is available to download from www.normodeng.org.uk/09 2012 Test Code V10 pdf (Sorry, I don,t know how to create a link).

This may be of interest to ME readers.David?

Edited By mick H on 05/11/2012 14:10:54

Jason......as I have mentioned above, apparently there is to be no exemption and all boilers are to fall under the new regulations. From what I understand of it, the "good" news is that after an initial hydraulic and steam test any subsequent testing will only be steam tests

It looks as if it will be all change from January 2013.......have a look at the G1MRA web forum site where the new regulations have been discussed over the last few days to the consternation and anger of many. Basically, miniature boilers, including those that fell into the 3Bar/litre category will all have to undergo the same test regime as larger boilers. Provided, that is, that you wish to run it in public and you want liability insurance. If, like me, you confine it to your own premises then it can be hydraulically and steam tested by yourself. The forum discussion is under the heading "Another piece of nonsense, now boiler testing".

Edited By mick H on 04/11/2012 21:02:37

As a mixed traffic loco (5MT) the appropriate BR livery would have been lined black but there were exceptions eg as in the V2 (6MT) which as mentioned above was in BR Green.

Eric....I have had a quick look through a few of my references and have discovered that the second V4, 61701, was not officially named but became known as Bantam Hen for obvious reasons. I have photographs of the locomotives with their BR numbers and although they are in black and white the liveries are described. It would appear that the "Hen" was decked out in lined LNER Apple Green after receiving its BR number, from June 1948 to September 1949. During this period and certainly in 1949, Bantam Cock was in BR lined black. What happened after 1949 I have yet to discover, although a B&W photo dated 1952 shows the "Hen" in a livery which is definitely not black. Of course both locos were scrapped in 1957.

Sorry I can't give further or more accurate information at this stage but if you can give me a specific date that you are interested in I will keep looking and get back to you.

I am building a Gresley V2 in Gauge 1 and it seems that some of these locos also went through the Apple Green/lined black/BR Blue phases before ending up in BR Green, which is how I shall finish mine. I always thought that the V4's also ended up in BR Green but I can't back that up with evidence. I was born adjacent to the ECML, and at the time of the livery changing at the end of the war it was quite colourful.

Bob........could you not silver solder the parts together? Much less fierce an operation than welding I would have thought. I have recently silver soldered some stainless steel components together and found it to be much easier than expected and of course the joint is very strong.

Mick

Edited By mick H on 02/11/2012 19:36:14

Thanks for the excellent pictures Terry. What is the toolbit angle Chris?

Mick

Edited By mick H on 02/11/2012 19:14:29

Terryd......good of you to volunteer and thanks Chris. I, and I am sure many others, will look forward to seeing the photographs of this tool.

Best Wishes

Mick

Chris......much as I would like to, I cannot get to the Sandown exhibition. Would you have any objection to anyone that is attending taking a photograph(s) of your tool and posting it on the forum?

Mick

Well, yesterday really....I finished tidying up the wiring for the 3 phase variable speed kit for my Warco 918 lathe. The conversion works a treat and has transformed the lathe, especially when parting off. Should have done it years ago. Well 3 years ago anyway, when I started into this hobby.

Superbly simple.

Just tried to access this excellent site but received a message to the effect that I do not have permission to enter the site. Have I done something wrong or are others getting the same problem?

Didn't realise the bore was 11/2" so forget what I said about K & S tubing which can be used as a fix in smaller cylinders with "O" rings. The idea of relining , using hollow phos. bronze might still apply though, if you have worries about JB Weld (powerful stuff).

Mick

You could alternatively make a liner from thin walled ....0.015".....K & S brass tubing and after boring out the cylinder fix the liner in place with a Loctite type product. K & S tubing is readily available in model shops and is said to have a true bore.

Mick

Just one more query if I may.......are there any difficulties in silver soldering "freecutting" stainless steel?

Thanks gents.

Mick

Can any members of the forum please advise me on the best flux to use when silver soldering stainless steel. Only quite small items are to be soldered.

Chris......I recently had a new roof installed on an outbuilding and sheets of an asbestos lookalike were used under the tiles on the gable end. The builder told me that it replaced the asbestos that was used in this application in the "bad old days". This stuff is available from builders merchants but I haven't got a clue what its physical properties are.

Thanks for those thoughts Michael. What you suggest I think would be quite feasible and worth serious consideration. I have also found some pressure relief valves used in domestic plumbing which are cheap and should maintain pressure in the region of 6 -10 Bar and these might be OK for my purposes. Alternatively I suppose I could just make a scaled up version of a steam safety valve.