Steel boiler for 5″ loco

[nigel jones 5Participant @nigeljones5]

I have a Minx and want to make a steel boiler for it. Does anyone know of or have access to drawings for anything suitable please? Doesnt have to be exactly like Minx.

[nigel jones 5Participant @nigeljones5]

Steel boiler for 5″ loco

[colin hawesParticipant @colinhawes85982]

There are regulations that will make it very difficult for an amateur to manufacture a welded steel boiler.eg You have to be able to prove competance at welding, you have to use the correct grade of steel which is certified,you need to produce test welds for inspection,and it it has to be examined during construction.I don’t know about rivetted steel boilers. If it is for a small scale such as 5″ the required thickness of steel is likely to make it impractical.

Colin

[nigel jones 5Participant @nigeljones5]

Coded welder-yes, steel mill certs-yes (tubes will have to be cu I think), grade of steel-not dictated by blue book….just need some drawings please

[SpringbokParticipant @springbok]

Nigel

A steel boiler for a 5″g is a non runner Wayne at Bell boiilers once said to me that the smallest he would consider was al large 7.25g have been in his factory and seen full size jobs. I managed to talk him into makeing a large 7.25 for me. The paperwork was about 1/4″ thick and covered from material sources to insurance docs.

Contact Helen Wirral of Western Steam she is one of the best boiler makers in this country.

 And Oh get in the queue she is makeing my B1 boiler

Bob

 

Edited By Springbok on 28/01/2012 23:09:43

[nigel jones 5Participant @nigeljones5]

"A steel boiler for a 5"g is a non runner Wayne at Bell boiilers once said to me", well im pleased to tell one and all that he obviously never actually made such a boiler, because if he had he would now know that they steam very well – as mine now does!

[SpringbokParticipant @springbok]

Well Fizzy
As you do not have a public profile not sure of what part of this planet you live, Congrats for you steaming your boiler yours looks like stainless not thick steel and pink!!!! my youngest grandchild
they range from 6 to 22 loves that colour. hope the boiler inspectors do not get there hands on it.

regards
Bob

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

Bob, I thought you already have a welded boiler for your B1 or was that a misunderstanding?

[nigel jones 5Participant @nigeljones5]

Nope – definately 6mm steel and red, not pink!

Boiler inspector liked it very much, full cooperation and approval from design, material selection through to hydraulic test.

Im In NW UK

Nigel

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Hi Nigel,

You can't build a steel boiler and bumblebees can't fly

Neil

[MICHAEL WILLIAMSParticipant @michaelwilliams41215]

Hi Neil ,

You can't make a pressure vessel out of brass , stainless steel , aluminium alloy , Waspalloy , Jethete , MSRR (x) , Monel , Kevlar , Titanium , Hasteloy , Granite , glass , or old tin cans either .

—- and yet ???

Regards ,

Michael Williams .

[MICHAEL WILLIAMSParticipant @michaelwilliams41215]

Hi Fizzy ,

I don't have specific details of Minx boiler but I think that you will find that it was nondescript in design and that anything with approx outside dimensions will serve .

I've been thinking about ' Stephensons Rocket ' boiler in 7-1/4 inch gauge . There never was a better candidate for a model boiler of mostly steel construction . The main barrel is just a cylinder with two ends and with fire tubes sticking out of both ends – simple and with excellent access for construction and inspection .

Firebox would be separate and made out of copper ( it's not very big ) and connected to main boiler with water / steam tubes fixed with mechanical joints . It could be a simple dry back design .

All matters of specification , construction and testing could arguably apply differently and separately to boiler and firebox .

Regards ,

Michael Williams .

[MICHAEL WILLIAMSParticipant @michaelwilliams41215]

Hi Fizzy ,

On the subject of those Speedy castings :

(1) Sell them on .

(2) Build basically a Speedy chassis but only use four wheels , adjust the cylinder and wheel spacings a bit and lengthen the axles and frame stays . This would basically give you a 7-1/4 inch gauge Tich chassis on which you could mount any boiler and scantlings you chose .

(3) Build basically to Speedy design for chassis but add a bit to frame length and add a pony truck .

Further addition of simple parallel boiler and basic tender would then gives you a good and nice looking engine . It could be fully freelance or it could adopt the general appearance of many full size 2-6-0 engines .

Regards ,

Michael Williams .

[Kris LehaneParticipant @krislehane86422]

Steel boilers. There is a new thing afoot called duplex steel, (Actually 1935 invetion lots of nitrogen mixed in made and discovered by sandvik) …. out-doing copper. See Darjeerling threads in 7 1/4. Also known as SAF 2205. K1.

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