All casing panels are now insulated with ceramic board, but I seem to remember someone saying that the void space at the rear of the steam and mud tubes AND the space above the steam should be filled with a ceramic wool. Is this advisable? Thanks Ian I do not know quite what you mean by the by the ...

cyberbadger wrote:Check this video, really odd:

-CB

Odd? it's bl**dy mad.

It depends on how much polishing you like doing. I went for the simple look. A steel band bolted to the top and painted black. Just any thin stuff you have laying around about 4 inches high , a coat of paint each year and it looks new. It might have been riveted on i cannot remember now. I have a wh...

Hi Ian its the steam drum and the mud drum for the tube names. On mine the grate is only under the copper steam pipes and stops at the mud drum. You get very little extra heating area by extending it under the drum. I buldt a fire brick wall around all 4 sides of the grate. I did not want the coals ...

What are you going to burn as fuel, wood or coal. I would think that for either of these the biggest spacing between the bars as you can. More gap = more air= better combustion

[quote="ianrichards"]Thanks gentlemen, I knew I’d get the advice I needed. I had planned on using 15x15, but would this be overkill? Could I get away with 15 wide and 10 high, what do you reckon? Thanks Ian I would say much too big, my bars are no more than 3mm think by 15(maybe 20) high. They have ...

Well I feel like I am doing something very wrong when I'm using twice as much fuel as that 40 ft boat. :cry: -CB Are you over firing? I use two types of wood . my main fuel, logs as big as i can fit say 3inch dia and then some much thinner wood. My boiler is problerly too big for the engine but i t...

Hi Ian
I use flat bars of stainless, sorry do not know what grade. I use a much greater air gap. My bars are spaced at 4 times the thickness apart, for burning mostly wood they work fine. I have also spilt the grate up in to 3 sections so to fit in and out of the firebox door.

It's your choice Mr C-B, but are you really worried about efficiency in your steam related activities? Well the aquisition, processing, and transportation of solid fuel has become a big chore. 300lbs for 4 hrs voyage took me 2-3 hrs to process+ and get on the boat. It has made me appreciate first h...

Sorry I can not help with your question but it was good to see that you got a full page in the current issue of 'Funnel' all to yourself