Making my own steam fittings

[Kevin NormanParticipant @kevinnorman48306]

Can anyone tell me where to find drawings of books of model steam fittings,

also what are the best materials to use for these?

The fittings are for use on copper boilers with WP 80psi

Kevin Norman

[Kevin NormanParticipant @kevinnorman48306]

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

I think about 25% of all copies of ME have details. Every steam engine build gets round to the boiler and fittings after a while. Alternatively books on building a loco like Tich, Rob Roy, Minnie have the details, then also there are some general books on building a non specific engne too.

Brass is adequate though the bushes in the boiler nowadays have to be bronze.

[nigel jones 5Participant @nigeljones5]

Not wanting to cause a fight but who/where does it say bushes have to be bronze?

[Peter GardnerParticipant @petergardner86280]

Do not use brass for the threaded part of boiler fittings unless you are using only soft water. Some water supplies and the descaling process will remove the zinc from the brass leading to failure. Some societies will not accept fittings where brass screws into the boiler. I always make the threaded portion from bronze or gunmetal even if the external part is brass for appearence sake – eg safety valves.

Peter G

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Sorry, I am quilty of being too glib with my answer. Steel boilers probably can have steel bushes etc it is just my recollection without consulting specific regulations that there has been frequent mention in ME that brass is not recommentded owing to the danger of de-zincification and hence failure. I would hate to be considered an HSE ninny but didn't want to be responsible for someone making a bunch of brass bushes only to be refused by the club boiler inspector. I was also expecting a few people to chip in with books titles as I'm not sure what has happened to my 'general book' to give the author/title.

And the 25% isn't strictly accurate but it's worth a beginner getting a year or two of old MEs to read anyway for the weatlh of info in there while finding the desired subject.

[SpringbokParticipant @springbok]

Gentlemen,
Before you get to steamed up excuse the pun on materials Kevin has not said the model, size, type ar any other info. So Kevin could you please be more explicit in what you are intending to do.

Bob

[Kevin NormanParticipant @kevinnorman48306]

Thanks all for your answers,the boiler that I am building is a vertical 4" diam x 8 1/2" the drawings and parts obtained from GLS.There is a construction manual supplied which is extracts from model engineer article by Stan Bray,there are only photographs of the safety valve and very small drawings of the water gauge and main steam valve.so what I am really after are drawings of suitable valves,the safety valve bush is 5/16" x 32 and the rest are 1/4" x 40.

Also there is the question of materials to use as from what I can see there are different oppinions on this.

Kevin

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