A small boiler

[Paolo]

Hi Rich
THANKS!!!
Paolo

 

[firebird]

Hi

Got some more work done on the boiler casing today. I was going to mill a 3mm wide slot in some ally bar to make the slideways for the boiler mounting plate but found something I could use in the scrap box. I think they were the glass chanels from a greenhouse. It conveniently has a 3mm slot in one part so I cut out the bit I needed.

And then ally welded them to the inside of the boiler casing.

I drilled and tapped the ends of the baffles to take a 5mm stainless steel cap head. This will prevent the baffle from being pulled out.

Welding the case together is a bit of a juggling act. Holding it square and keeping it held rigid in the hearth. One thing about welding ally, it doesn't change colour as it heats up so you have to remember its hot or you will burn your fingers won't you Rich!!!!!!!

The mounting plate that slides in is marked out and drilled to match the 3 studs in the end of the boiler.

Heres a bit of video that shows how it will fit together.



Cheers

Rich

 

[Divided He ad]

I like it!

Looks like it won't be too long now Rich?

I like the green house channel find... Most inventive ;D

Glad your back... It seems like ages since you last posted.... Or is it me losing track of all time again!?!? :-\


Looking forward to the next phase


Ralph.

 

[firebird]

Hi Ralph

No your not losing track of time its me thats not getting a lot of shop time lately. Its funny how you can lose your way sometimes. I had been struggling with the design of the boiler housing for some time. I had spent many nights in the shop just looking at it but every idea I came up with seemed to be more complicated than the previous one. The design for mounting the boiler for example had got to a ridiculous level of hinged and canti levered plates and the baffles consisted of rotating discs and connecting rods etc etc. I just couldn't see the wood for the trees. But in the end the problems were solved, just make the mounting plate removable, make the baffle a sliding bar, simple really. Its all part of the fun though.

Cheers

Rich

 

[Divided He ad]

Well Rich, at least you came to the same conclusion I have.... "All part of the fun" If it were not then I don't know what I would do with all this free time and some damn expensive machinery :big:


I like the sliding bits, they do exactly what they should! Canti levers and rotating discs with con rods!!!.... You were going for a melt down ehh??! ;D


I really want to see the full finished product with a little engine attatched.... Not trying to rush you.... Just stating my thoughts


Ralph.

 

[Brass_Machine]

Hey Rich

This is looking good. It is definitely inspiring me to build one. I have my 3" copper tube....


Eric

 

[firebird]

Hi

I really want to see the full finished product with a little engine attatched.... Not trying to rush you.... Just stating my thoughts


Ralph.

Chicken and egg problem. Should I have built the engine first then the boiler?????? or the boiler first then........................................

I have a few ideas about the engine. Soon hopefully.

Cheers

rich

 

[firebird]

Hi

Well nobody has spotted the cock up yet. Look at the first 4 photos of the weld up to see if you can find it?????

cheers

Rich

 

[Shopguy]

Oops! That looks like something I would do, been there and have done things like that. Did start over or just take it apart?
Regards Ernie

 

[firebird]

Hi Ernie

Why oh why do we do it. You take the greatest of care then go and weld the thing together arse about face.. After a few choose words and a mardy half hour I managed to get it apart and weld it back together in the correct order with minimal damage.

cheers

Rich

 

[Shopguy]

Hi Rich
Glad you were able to salvage the work. I think all of us have made similar mistakes putting things together. Inside to the outside, top to bottom, or sides reversed. Does lead to some interesting use of certain descriptive words. However as one chap said if “you ain't making mistakes you ain't doin nothin”. Anyway I'm impressed with your design and your draft control looks good. Interested to see it completed. Keep up the good work!
Regards
Ernie

 

[SandyC]

;D

Hey Rich,

It's times like this that you call yourself all sorts of names, most not given, and the vast majority unprintable.... but hey.... weve all been there.

It would be nice to be able to do the 'TOM and JERRY' trick of moving the cutouts around to get them at the right end. ;D ;D ;D

I think your recovery was well done and you can be proud of that..... just think what it would have been like if you had silver soldered the boiler end plates into the wrong end of the barrel.....YES...BEEN there....DONE that.

I do like your solution to the variable air vents, now you need to consider fitting a firehole door which will help them perform more accurately by ensuring that combustion air is drawn through them rather than via the firehole.
Something else to think about!!!.

OK guy's.... for his next trick...RICH will mount his funnel on the outer side of his inner baffle...... JUST KIDDING ;D ;D ;D

Keep up the great work my friend.

Best regards.

Sandy.

BTW I am very impressed with the ALI soldering/welding.

 

[Maryak]

Rich,

I think your recovery was well done and you can be proud of that.

BTW I am very impressed with the ALI soldering/welding.

I have never had success welding Al

so I'm more than impressed and very glad you've had a big win

Best Regards
Bob

 

[firebird]

Hi

Its nice to know I'm not the only one capable of monumental cock ups :big: :big: :big:

Now then Sandy (or any one else who can advise) speaking of funnels this rough drawing (not to scale) shows where I intend to mount the funnel. I have no idea how hot gases flow so I need pointing in the right direction. There is a gap at the bottom of the boiler mounting plate, will this be sufficient or should I drill a few holes in it?????. The funnel will be about 1 inch dia.

cheers

Rich

 

[SandyC]

OOPS!!!

Hey Rich....I was joking. :-[ :-[ :-[

No you can't fit the funnel like that the inner mounting plate will totaly block the gas flow.

Hot gasses will move upwards under natural convection flow and will be driven faster in that direction by the cold air entering from the lower side damper holes and the draw/draught created by the funnel.
By having the inner mounting plate go all the way to the top you will create a barrier between the gasses and the funnel.

This will trap the gasses in the top of the casing and they will try and flow down the barrier, and the inside skin of the casing, creating a swirl vortex with burnt gasses mixing with fresh cold air, which will give all sorts of problems.
You must have a GOOD, CLEAR, LARGE and FREE path in the upper casing to the base of the funnel.

A couple of ideas....

1/ move the funnel to the right of the mounting plate or..

2/ shorten the mounting plate by cutting the top away, just leaving the bottom stud holes to support the boiler.

I am assuming the bottom of this plate rests on the damper slide guides to provide support.
I would also cut a large opening in the plate, below the lower stud holes, just leaving a vertical strip at each side to maintain support.
This will ensure maximum free passage for gas flow.

Your funnel should be OK at 1" dia but make it around 10" - 12" high, this will aid in getting a good draw/draught going.

Sorry to dampen your spirits but it has to be I am afraid...... FISIKS IS FISIKS, as they say.

Keep happy.

Best regards.

Sandy

 

[firebird]

Hi

No problem Sandy, it all makes sense when its explained clearly and in easily understood terms. So I have modified the boiler mounting plate by cutting away as much as possible while leaving enough to provide rigid support for the boiler. (yes the bottom of the plate does rest on the damper guides)

How it was.

And how it is now.

Refitted in the housing.

I have found a piece of copper tube, 28mm which is just under 1 1/8 and 10 inch long. Here it is standing on the boiler housing. It looks about right to me. It will polish up pretty well but I would prefer a bit of brass tube, actually thinking about it, Julian has got some ally tube under his bench. Think I'll pay him a social visit tomorrow night.

Cheers

Rich

 

[SandyC]

;D ;D

That's got it Rich, well done.

I am pleased my gibberish was of some small help. :-\ :-\

Onwards and Upwards.

Best regards.

Sandy. ;D

 

[firebird]

Hi

Just paid Julian a visit and scrounged a bit of ally tube, 1 1/4 dia. That looks better. I'll see what i can do with it at the weekend.

Cheers

Rich

 

[firebird]

Hi

Got a bit more done on the boiler housing today. I cut out a piece of ally plate for the top. I didn't have any more 3mm so had to use a piece of 4mm. After roughly cutting out on the bandsaw I squared it up in the mill.

The piece of ally tube I scrounged from Julian has cleaned up nicely so I will use that for the funnel. I have made a boss from a piece of 2 inch ally that I will bolt onto the top plate, the funnel then pushes into this boss. Here is the piece mounted in the lathe using the tail stock for additional support.

I turned it down to the same diameter as the funnel using a round form tool to give a nice curve to the corner.

Then turned it down further until the funnel was a snug fit.

Drill out with a 1/2 inch drill.

Then open out with a boring tool.

Parting off with the help of the tail stock a wood block.

Reversed in the chuck and faced.

A trial fit

In the mill on the rotary table having five holes drilled.

Five brass nuts to see what it will look like.

Cheers

Rich

 

[jack404]

Rich,
i dig the wood end to hold the peice your cutting off with is great! i learned the same from a manual
the fairburn trade arts manual ( RAF trade skills training book) must be on your reading list as well
pipe centres can mark or bend the work and wood , well it works for me too

good to see i'm not the only "crazy" doing this

i and really enjoying your boiler build and looking forward to when you get it fired up

cheers

jack