# Ceramic Burners



## steamboatmodel (Sep 17, 2008)

Does anyone know where you can pickup the ceramic material used.
(preferably in the Toronto Ontario Canada area)
Regards,
Gerald


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## Stan (Sep 17, 2008)

Exactly what are you looking for?
If it is used ceramic burners - what physical size, fuel used, BTU output etc?
If it is used material to make your own burner - More information would help. Drilling all the holes in ceramic to make a burner would be quite a chore!


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## CrewCab (Sep 17, 2008)

Stan, I read Gerald's question as ........

"Where can I buy the correct material to use" ............. rather than looking for second hand stuff ...........  ............... then again I could be wrong, the Mrs tells me I usually am  :

 CC


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## Bogstandard (Sep 17, 2008)

Everyone,

The ceramic used for model gas burners is a very special lightweight, very soft material, not just any old ceramic material or gas fire burners.


Gerald,

I know a supplier in the UK, but sorry not in your part of the world.
It is about $30 US for an oblong piece that would make on average about 6 to 8 burner elements.

If you want to order from them. 

Go to here

http://www.pollymodelengineering.co.uk/sections/bruce-engineering/price-list.asp

Download the Bruce catalogue, and on page 50 you will find the ceramic plaque you require.

John


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## Mcgyver (Sep 17, 2008)

i know the stuff you mean, not sure of a local source. Are you involved with TSME? someone there surely knows. if you find one, please post it.


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## Bogstandard (Sep 17, 2008)

Gerald,

I have just had a thought.

Try Nick Monahan at http://www.monahansteammodels.com/

He is a manufacturer of high quality steam plants based in the US, and if you contact him direct, I am sure he will be able to point you in the right direction. He uses the stuff in his boilers.

I don't know if my webname of bogstandard will mean much to him now, it is a fair time since I had a chinwag with him, but it just might help.

John


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## steamboatmodel (Sep 18, 2008)

I am looking for the ceramic material used in making the burners which are fired by the butane/propane mix. This is the same material used in the back of some of the higher price BBQ, I have tried getting some from them but they won't talk to you about selling it. 
John I had seen the Bruce engineering site but hopped to find it locally, I hate to think what The Royal Mail and Canada Post would do to a fragile peace of ceramic.
I will drop Nick at Monahan Models a line and see what he says?
Mcgyver I am involved in TSME I am the current Librarian. Your moniker has come up a couple of times at some of the gatherings, with everyone wondering who you really are?
I have found some fire reflective brick but it is much coarser than the burner material plus I had to drill it.
Regards,
Gerald


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## Bogstandard (Sep 18, 2008)

Gerald,

I haven't mentioned this, as I don't know if you have them in your part of the world.

We have portable push around gas heaters, that use large bottles of refillable gas. The elements in those is the stuff you are after. I used to obtain my material from Calor gas service agents.

These sorts of heaters
http://www.discountedheating.co.uk/shop/acatalog/copy_of_Calor_Heaters_Range.html

Unfortunately I have none in stock, otherwise I would have gladly sent you some.

John


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## Tin Falcon (Sep 18, 2008)

If you go to McMaster carr on line and type in machinable ceramic you will find they carry almost 400 items in varias sizes shapes and grades.
Tin


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## steamboatmodel (Sep 20, 2008)

Hi John, 
Most of the heaters we have are catalitic and use a wire mesh type.
Hi Tin,
I forgot about McMaster Carr, I will check them out.
Thanks Guys
Gerald.


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## BobWarfield (Sep 20, 2008)

I like those ceramic burners, but, I have seen some mighty nice little brass burners that seem not too hard to machine too. I like the look of the "Marty Burners" found on this site:

http://www.ggls.org/

Click on "Tips, Tricks, and Plans" and you'll see the article. They look straightforward to make, and you can create an array of them for virtually any sort of boiler.

Just another thought if the ceramic proves too troublesome.

Cheers,

BW


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## steamboatmodel (Sep 20, 2008)

Hi Bob,
I have seen that type of burner on the ride on trains, it is a bit on the large size for me. Most of my Boiler designs use a maximum of 3 1/2" dia on the main tube.
Regards,
Gerald


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## Hilmar (Sep 22, 2008)

> Does anyone know where you can pickup the ceramic material used.


Gerald
If You find out let us know
Hilmar


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## steamboatmodel (Sep 23, 2008)

Hi Hilmar,
You can be sure if I find out I will let everyone know.
I just picked up the September 2008 Model Boats Magazine it has a very interesting article on Firing Model Steam Boilers with L.P.G. Vaporising Burners by Peter Arnot. This is a continuation of a theme from the July 2008 issue which had an article on More Gas Tanks and Burners by Martin Ranson, (this article is posted on there website http://www.modelboats.co.uk/news/article/mps/uan/174
I am hoping they will post the Sept. article too). There were two earlier articles in 2004 and June 2005, but I haven't seen them yet.
Regards,
Gerald


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## GailInNM (Sep 23, 2008)

This is a small piece of the ceramic burner material that I got from Bruce Engineering about 8 years ago. I have used most of it building burners for Gauge 1 vertical boilers. I think that I built 8 burners with it fired with butane/propane mix. 

The material is a little over 1/2 inch thick. The holes are 1/16 diameter spaced on an 1/8 inch grid. There is a pyramid about 1/16 high where ever there is no hole in the photo so each pyramid is surrounded by 8 holes. The material is very light. This block is about 1-3/4 X 2-1/2 inches and weighs less than 1/2 ounce (13 grams). 

It can be carved or shaped with and hobby knife or saw easily. 

It is about the same weight as light weight insulating fire brick and carves about the same. The firebrick is a little coarser, but not too bad. I think that a near equivalent burner could be made from 2300 degree insulating firebrick with very little effort. It is something I have been meaning to try for a while. Insulating firebrick is often available from ceramic shops that have kiln repair materials.  I got some for building my small foundry furnace for casting aluminium. It is propane fired and has held up well. 
Gail in NM,USA


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## Circlip (Sep 24, 2008)

Another one to check locally Gerald is "Radiant heaters"
 Regards Ian.


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