Is this an acceptable technique for building boilers?

After looking at a couple of older LBSC boiler designs that call for a rolled boiler shell and a butt strap fitted along the base of the tube, I did wonder if it would be easier and quicker to split the end of a copper tube and form the firebox sides. The problem was that with boilers such as juliet, the firebox would not be large enough. I have come across a boiler on ebay that appears to have been a cut tube with an extra copper plate that has been attached with a butt strap to create a longer firebox.

Whilst I have no interest in the boiler on ebay, is this method acceptable by modern standards as I have no come across this before.

P.S. Apologies for the incorrect terminology!!!

Edited By Dave Jones 1 on 20/02/2018 19:54:55

Yes that is acceptable provided the joint is made properly.

Some people split the barrel and fold down an equal amount both sides to extend, others fold it all out on one side which often gives enough length to reach the foundation ring and then join a larger piece to the other shorter side which means one less joint to make

Thanks for that, I will probably use this method when/if I finally begin my Juliet boiler.

Do check with your boiler inspector first before deviating from any methods shown on your drawings.

Best to check with your boiler inspector but I believe that a butt joint on a copper boiler should have a backing strip over (or behind) the joint if it is solderred. Or use an overlapping joint between the 2 plates.

Paul.

The one in the photo does have rivits along each side of the joint so reasonable to assume they are going into a butt strip. External is prefered now as it is easier to see how well the solder has flowed into the joint.