Old steam boiler

[Arthur GoodwinParticipant @arthurgoodwin45738]

Car boot find

[Arthur GoodwinParticipant @arthurgoodwin45738]

Hi

Aquired this boiler some while back and have only just got round to having a good look at it.

First thing I noticed was thete didn't appear to be any whete to put the wster in.

The only thing I could find was on the end of the tank (see pic 2) where it looked like something has sheared off.

Any ideas please.

[Arthur GoodwinParticipant @arthurgoodwin45738]

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

Well this it what it should look like:-

A Mamod SE3 twin. normally filled by removing the safety valve. I think the plug on the boiler end is removed to act as an overflow to prevent over filling.

John

Edited By Journeyman on 26/04/2020 16:55:51

[Nick HughesParticipant @nickhughes97026]

Mamod SE3:- **LINK**

Plug in the end when removed, is for the water level as the boiler is filled through the safety valve bush

Edit:- Journeyman beat me to it

Edited By Nick Hughes on 26/04/2020 16:57:42

[Martin WParticipant @martinw]

If I recall correctly from my childhood some 60+ years ago one unscrewed the safety valve and used the hole to pour water into the boiler. Looking at the state of the soldering on that boiler I wouldn't want to steam it before giving it a very close inspection and run and low pressure hydraulic test, also make sure that safety valve operates at the correct pressure. Much information I would expect to find on something like the Mamod sites.

HTH

Martin

Nick types quicker than me evidently.

 

Edited By Martin W on 26/04/2020 16:57:24

[Brian HParticipant @brianh50089]

That looks like a Mamod set and normally you would remove the safety valve to get the water in and remove the screw in the end to establish the water level. i.e. when water comes out at the end then the boiler is full.

I'd be worried about the quality of the apparent repairs with soft solder along the top and the end. If it were mine I would carefully remove the existing solder followed by cleaning and resoldering with a good quality soft solder.

The safety valve would need to be tested to make sure it prevents over-pressure and the boiler itself would need a test just to make sure that everything is safe.

It will look nice when restored though. There must be some other Mamod enthusiasts on here who could advise,

Brian

Beaten by John &  Martin!

Edited By Brian H on 26/04/2020 16:58:07

Edited By Brian H on 26/04/2020 16:58:53

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

It is strange that the engine seems to have held on to its paint but every inch of the baseplate has lost it. I rather wonder if something other than meths was used to fire it which as well as being a paint stripper perhaps resulted in an 'interesting' steaming session.

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Bazyle on 26/04/2020 17:11:55:

… resulted in an 'interesting' steaming session.

Oh memories! My Mamod traction engine had the same boiler layout as Arthur's stationary engine. I was running it in my bedroom, thought the flame was out, and sloshed more meths into the burner. Whooomph! I remember burning meths feeling strangely cold on my hand and whilst still alight rushing to the bathroom for water to put my bed out. Lucky not to burn the house down. Mother was not amused! Fortunately dad was away on business.

I wouldn't be too worried about testing the boiler. Not much pressure in them, or energy, and in addition to the safety valve, the cylinders lift off. Much more likely to leak than explode. Never heard of a Mamod boiler going bang – unless of course you know different, please?

Happy days…

Dave

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by Bazyle on 26/04/2020 17:11:55:

It is strange that the engine seems to have held on to its paint but every inch of the baseplate has lost it. I rather wonder if something other than meths was used to fire it which as well as being a paint stripper perhaps resulted in an 'interesting' steaming session.

Personally, I would have thought they offered a choice of colour and the base has survived remarkably well.🙂

[metalfettlerParticipant @metalfettler]

Happy days indeed Dave.

Meths was a very good wetting agent. Pulling out the burner under the illusion that it had run out of fuel I set fire to the dining table and fled leaving my long suffering father to do a fireman act 8^)

A couple of years later my interests had turned to rocketry and a dish of sulphur inadvertently caught fire – same table, choking fumes ! But enough sense to open a window.

Finally I embarked on radio and electronics. Much safer confined to my bedroom. However I do recall spilling an oil-filled capacitor onto my bed.

Last but not least I embarked on a career in electronics, then noise and vibration, then computers. Mainly an armchair engineer now tho' warmer days in the workshop beckon.

Best regards, Elegy

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Leslie Rix on 26/04/2020 18:45:41:

Happy days indeed Dave.

Meths was a very good wetting agent. Pulling out the burner under the illusion that it had run out of fuel I set fire to the dining table and fled leaving my long suffering father to do a fireman act 8^)

A couple of years later my interests had turned to rocketry and a dish of sulphur inadvertently caught fire – same table, choking fumes ! But enough sense to open a window.

Finally I embarked on radio and electronics. Much safer confined to my bedroom. However I do recall spilling an oil-filled capacitor onto my bed.

Last but not least I embarked on a career in electronics, then noise and vibration, then computers. Mainly an armchair engineer now tho' warmer days in the workshop beckon.

Best regards, Elegy

Snap! Well almost!

I remember visiting a newly wed radio friend in his perfect new house. Upstairs in the newly carpeted spare bedroom he switched on an old valve wireless, opened up on the floor for diagnosis. After a few minutes an electrolytic exploded showering us with confetti and filling the room with foul smelling smoke. Not as loud as a firework, but still quite a respectable bang. His new wife arrived just in time to see the carpet had a hole in it and an ugly 9" diameter stain.

Frankly, I did not know young ladies knew that sort of language and thought it best to leave. Never invited back…

Dave

[Arthur GoodwinParticipant @arthurgoodwin45738]

Hi thanks to all for your input.

The safety valve has been soldered on so I will be getting a new valve for it and re soldering it.

thank you

[Author]

Posts