My Big Boiler Build

[Steamchick]

Hi Raygers, I think this should be OK, as you are obvious careful and precise and I expect that you will naturally have the same approach during the soldering process.
The only real risk I can estimate is that when soldering the firebox end of the tube array into the firebox, the outer tubes will receive a lot of heat (- so expand more, being hotter, than the inner tubes). If you can get some heat into all the tubes from the far end you can reduce the outer-inner differential and thus ensure no cracking, from differential expansion/cooling between outer and inner tubes.
Enjoy!
Ken

 

[Raygers]

Hi Raygers, I think this should be OK, as you are obvious careful and precise and I expect that you will naturally have the same approach during the soldering process.
The only real risk I can estimate is that when soldering the firebox end of the tube array into the firebox, the outer tubes will receive a lot of heat (- so expand more, being hotter, than the inner tubes). If you can get some heat into all the tubes from the far end you can reduce the outer-inner differential and thus ensure no cracking, from differential expansion/cooling between outer and inner tubes.
Enjoy!
Ken

Thank you, Ken, when I get to that stage I'm thinking along the lines of your coffee can with sand. I will also be utilizing a couple of petrol blowlamps as you mentioned. I already had one I used to strip the paint of my shed door, just as my father did on our house many years ago. A second one came up for sale so I bought it with this in mind. I had to strip it and replace the wick and copper filter.

This is what I'm planning for soldering the firetubes, I'm waiting for more firebricks to shield the rear. Using the blanket I'm thinking that it will hold the temperature of the whole unit at a more constant level.

Because of the small volume of my "shop" I don't want to fire up my Seivert inside, I did that once and it almost melted the LED strip lights. I'll wait until we get some warmer weather.

 

[plipoma]

Thank you, Ken, when I get to that stage I'm thinking along the lines of your coffee can with sand. I will also be utilizing a couple of petrol blowlamps as you mentioned. I already had one I used to strip the paint of my shed door, just as my father did on our house many years ago. A second one came up for sale so I bought it with this in mind. I had to strip it and replace the wick and copper filter.

This is what I'm planning for soldering the firetubes, I'm waiting for more firebricks to shield the rear. Using the blanket I'm thinking that it will hold the temperature of the whole unit at a more constant level.

Because of the small volume of my "shop" I don't want to fire up my Seivert inside, I did that once and it almost melted the LED strip lights. I'll wait until we get some warmer weather.

View attachment 165923

Your set up looks very good! I have only one comment: you might consider setting the copper assembly on a single burner electric hot plate and allow assembly to heat for at least an hour before beginning the solder operation. This will also limit the assembly temperature differential.

 

[Raygers]

Your set up looks very good! I have only one comment: you might consider setting the copper assembly on a single burner electric hot plate and allow assembly to heat for at least an hour before beginning the solder operation. This will also limit the assembly temperature differential.

That sounds like a good idea, I just may do that, Thanks