# Steam Plant



## kellswaterri (Feb 10, 2008)

Hello folks,
started to build my steam plant based around a Stuart and Turner 504 babcock boiler
for steam supply to a S/T 10v and a S/T Score, also a S/T James Coombes table engine when completed. I have a 1/2'' lift pump and reservoir to feed the boiler. I
renewed the sight glass and checked and replaced the boiler fittings then ran the boiler to test , blew of at 65 lbs pressure, piped up the boiler to the reservoir...pump...and engines,had to step down the pipe work from boiler to water tank and engines,1/4 to 3/16 ...3/16 to 1/8...here comes a few questions...Will the reduction in pipe internal diameter to engines have any effect...not having run on steam yet will valve timing need adjusting...I may take it that STEAM oil is a must...boiler is fired with METHS burner so using hot water to speed up steaming time...
As I have said, not having run Steam yet ,any and all snippets of advice will be appreciated,
All the best for now,
             John.


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## PolskiFran (Feb 12, 2008)

For steam oil use Mobil 600w steam cylinder oil. At work we used to get it in 5 gal buckets from our oil distributor. It is available through resellers in quarts. I believe PM Research handles quarts. I do know of folks who have used heavy motor oil in their small locomotives with no ill effects. I would recommend individual lubricators on each engine.

I would recommend the pipe dia. on your feed pump be larger on the suction end than on the output side.

The reduction in pipe size on the steam output may cause excess condensing in the line. If the output pipe is insulated, and is not a long run, the condensate in the line should be able to be worked through the engine. As long as the engine is not started and stopped it should keep enough temp. in the line to prevent the buildup of the condensate.

Hope this helps,
Frank


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## kellswaterri (Feb 13, 2008)

Hi Frank,
thank you very much for that, I ran a trial run last Saturday, the engines tried to go, gave a bit of a kick, they ran fine on air but steam is apparently a different ball game,so I would guess the valve timing will need adjusting for running on steam.
The reduction in pipe size stems from the boiler output valve being 1/4'' pipe had to be joined to smaller bore pipe to suit engine intakes, the pipe runs are quite short and your idea of insulating them I will use. Steam oil I should be able to obtain, so once I cure the numerous leaks in the pipe work... definitely not an expert in silver soldering... I will give it another go.
All the best for now,
             John.


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## Brass_Machine (Feb 13, 2008)

Got some pictures of your steam plant? I plan on eventually building one. I was looking at the plans from Marshall Black in one of Village Presses books.

Eric


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## kellswaterri (Feb 13, 2008)

No piccys as yet Eric,
will put some up once I get all the pipework finished and the leaks cured 
and figure out the valve timing for Steam.
All the best for now,
              John.


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## Don Huseman (Feb 19, 2008)

what do you use for insulation on the pipes. I will be running .25 OD and I would assume that some sort of fiberglass material would be good. If you could get asbestos and not be hunted down by epa it would be the best. What material do you recommend?
For my steam powered pencil sharpener I was planning to us a propane powered log lighter type of flame on the steam supply pipes. At my lead Keel making company we would run pipes full of lead up to twenty feet. We first would light up a log lighter flame using natural gas and heat the pipe for 10 to 15 minutes before we would start the lead pumps. It always worked. If we started the lead pump before we heated the pipe , the lead would freeze and we would have to heat the pipe with a welding rose bud torch. some times we would take the pipe with the forzen lead and put it in the lead pot to break the freeze lead up. 
Well I think that a little open flame would make the pencil sharpener look a lot more dramatic.


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## Rog02 (Feb 19, 2008)

Don Huseman  said:
			
		

> what do you use for insulation on the pipes. I will be running .25 OD and I would assume that some sort of fiberglass material would be good. If you could get asbestos and not be hunted down by epa it would be the best. What material do you recommend?



Don, You might check some of the automotive performance suppliers for "Exhaust Wrap". It is a fiberglass tape about 2" wide used to insulate heat where a header pipe runs too close to a starter or other component. 

The oldtimers used asbestos but that is not longer available so the glass tape is the replacement. Perfomance figures look pretty good on the tape as well. AND, for those into Customizing their boilers it is available in colors!


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