Building a Boiler for a 3 1/2" Gauge Locomotive

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Divided he ad:
Stew.... It'll do.

Ralph.

(famous phrase :thumbup: )

NickG:
Stew,

I've just flicked through all your pics but need to read this in detail. Not been on here or in workshop for a while, other things keep getting in way. Rules on boilers are getting tighter and tighter (probably rightly so) and we have a new boiler inspector at our club now so I fear I may have to make a new boiler for my loco, this article will come in extremely useful if I do have to.

Great work by the way, those joints and flanged plates are perfect.

Nick

sbwhart:
Hi Nick

Was wondering where you were, was going to give you another week and then email you at work, hope everything is ok:- domestic duties get in the way even when your retired.

Had one or two chats with our boiler inspector, what surprises me is how fluid things are as to design, he's always telling me alternative ways of doing things, I,e replace the gurder stay with rivet stays, having a two piece boiler tube etc etc, I thought I would have to demonstrate that the correct gauge of material had been used etc, etc, a question he's not asked yet, I may be wrong but the regulations seem to be more about testing than anything else.

Cheers

Stew

sbwhart:
Nick:- forgot to say, if you do need to build a boiler you can have my formers.

Got a little more done today forming the firebox rapper:-

The rapper was cut to the correct size so first job was to anneal and pickle it then mark the middle and using the end plate former get it bent roughly to shape with the help of the vice, just by hand.

It was annealed and pickled again

Then using the tube plates as formers and bits of woods as bats it was nocked to shape.

Tomorrow's job is to solder together the flue tubes the fire box tube plate and the rapper.

Cheers

Stew

NickG:
All ok thanks Stew, to be honest I just don't seem to have the energy or time! It's me being lazy really, taking the easy way out for a bit! :lol:

I think you're right about regulations there there are a lot of people with a lot of experience you can call up on and they'll offer different ways of doing things. I think the fact that he's seen your build he'll know the manner in which you approach things and that you wouldn't over look anything. He should be checking correct gauge of material you've used etc but he won't have to with yours.

The problem with mine is, it's ancient - well over 20 years old, and nobody knows what it's like inside. From the look of it, it's been done exactly to drawings but I know our new inspector would really rather see it being built up - I'll take it and see what he things anyway.

Thanks for the offer of the formers :thumbup: I think I'd be more happy myself if it had a new boiler, but I'll see what he thinks of existing one first.

You're doing a great job on this, the thing I struggle with with sheet metal work, I always seem to relax - i don't treat it as with other machining work working to close tolerances, but to get a good job, you have to. When you're cutting a piece of plate to size, do you treat it as any other part you make?

Keep up the good work.

Nick

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