The Steamboating Forum

Hey guys, TULE needs new cast iron firebox grates after 34 years of service. Anyone know of a smaller "green sand" foundry that likes small quantity orders. Preferably in Texas. I have the pattern already. My grates are 26"L x 5.25"W x 1" thick at the ends. Thanks.

Consider having them made as a stainless steel weldment. Probably far less cost and far less delay time.

http://wiki.vintagemachinery.org/FoundrySources.ashx

Cattail is a Amish ran foundry that runs as a sideline business to their farming operations. The specialize in gray iron and aluminum castings for steam hobbyist but will be glad to make OWWM parts as well. Since they are Amish, contacting them electronically or even by phones can be complicated. They do have a phone number that will allow you to leave a message and they will call you back, but don't expect anybody to actually answer (it is worth calling just to listen to the recording on the answering machine!) Most OWWM'ers will simply box up the part or pattern they need to have reproduced and mail it to them. Typically, six to eight weeks later, you will get your pattern and new castings back in a box with an invoice. They do excellent work and are very reasonable in price.

Cattail Foundry
Emanuel J. King
167 W. Cattail Road
Gordonville, PA 17529
(717) 768-7323

Cattail does excellent work.

-CB

I second Cattail. We had a smoke box door on a 75hp case get damaged... They already had a pattern for the door and the mounting ring in that size in both styles. SUPER helpful, friendly, and reasonably priced.

Thanks Guys for the lead on Cattail Foundry. Their outgoing vm message was really fun. I left a message. Any of you care to offer an educated guesstimation as to what a cast with my dimensions might cost. I am looking to replace five grates.

Also, your thoughts as to what caused my grates to bow up, deform and then start to degrade? It was a gradual process, started about two years ago. Year 3 & 4 of our 4yrs with this boat. Three grates tended to sag down, the center two bowed up. These were her original grates from 1984. Most of her first 30 years she was oil fired, but we prefer to burn wood. We run Saturdays & Sundays, typically 7.5 hours of steaming each day. I feel her original grates just fatigued due to age and regular usage. Your thoughts........

Fred, I got a quote on a SS bar grate configuration custom made to my dimensions that priced out at $4700. for five sections. CLEARY, I can't afford that option.

Mfoxchicago wrote:Fred, I got a quote on a SS bar grate configuration custom made to my dimensions that priced out at $4700. for five sections. CLEARY, I can't afford that option.

Fabricate from bar stock, very easy to do.
Here's a third of one of mine. You can pick your own bar to air ratio and even change it later if you want. You can also make it in easy-to-fit sized pieces, or just one big one.

The place I use is Northfield Manufacturing. They specialize in small part runs and are very reasonable to the hobby crowd. Most of my casting I have done in nodular and it's like they have a base price of $20 each, it think it is mostly set up cost. They would most likely work with a mail order set up.

Northfield Manufacturing
Foundry in Westland, Michigan
Address: 38549 Webb Dr, Westland, MI 48185
Phone: (734) 729-2890

Oh and why did this happen? More than likely ashes not getting removed often enough. They build up around the grate and the grate overheats and warps.

-Ron

Costs can be allover the place, and I have seen it all in the power industry, Near me I have Moses Glick (internet worth a look up), about 40 acres of industrial leftovers, thousands of tons of structural steel at $0.50 per pound, loads of stainless at $1.50. Swagelok fittings at $5.00 per pound, etc. buckets and buckets of new brass/bronze steam rated valves at $5.00 per pound, etc.

On the other hand, a vendor in my day job just charged $47.00 per foot of 1/4 inch OD, 0.020 wall Carbon steel tubing, and a 50 foot roll of the stuff WTF! That same vendor charged over $7000 for a steel tank made from a 7 inch long piece of 6 inch carbon steel pipe, flat ends welded on, with a couple of 1/2 inch half couplings attached!

So in summary, look around, and explain to the welder with some surplus stainless laying around that you are not building a rocket ship for Mars travel, the bars should cost just a few hundred bucks.

Fred, The seemingly exorbitant price is liability risk and (Eagles, Flyers box seats for the guy in purchasing).

-Ron