Search found 1069 matches

by barts
Wed Jan 02, 2013 4:52 pm
Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
Topic: Firing with Coal and Ash Pan question
Replies: 49
Views: 35637

Re: Firing with Coal and Ash Pan question

Houston, we have a problem...............Check out the spacing ono the bars on my grate. It is worse than I thohght. They are about 3" part at the top of the bar, and ~2 at the closest point. I will get some stainless steel mesh to put in on top of them. This could be part of my problem in keeping ...
by barts
Wed Jan 02, 2013 4:47 pm
Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
Topic: aluminium valves???
Replies: 17
Views: 11036

Re: aluminium valves???

Perhaps a wear face that is attached with countersunk screws? I was having trouble finding a cast iron supplier near me, and aluminum was available, but I have since found a supplier for continually cast cast iron in my area... Now for the next question; at rectangular balanced side (instead of the...
by barts
Wed Jan 02, 2013 5:11 am
Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
Topic: aluminium valves???
Replies: 17
Views: 11036

Re: aluminium valves???

I would expect aluminum valves to gall very quickly, esp. if one was sparing with the lubricant. I'd think hard before using anything but cast iron or bronze. Alternatively, consider bronze welding up a wear surface on a steel valve. Slide valves get a lot of abuse.

- Bart
by barts
Mon Dec 24, 2012 11:22 pm
Forum: Members' Websites and Boats
Topic: Merry Christmas!
Replies: 20
Views: 23084

Re: Merry Christmas!

Indeed... and best wishes for the New Year!

- Bart
by barts
Thu Dec 20, 2012 6:16 pm
Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
Topic: Firing with Coal and Ash Pan question
Replies: 49
Views: 35637

Re: Firing with Coal and Ash Pan question

I would guess that these function by inducing more turbulence in the tubes; this will disturb the boundary layer that forms against the tube wall, much as the pumping action in a Lamont boiler increases heat transfer on the water side. There's a interesting tension here between soot deposition and i...
by barts
Thu Dec 20, 2012 1:27 am
Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
Topic: Firing with Coal and Ash Pan question
Replies: 49
Views: 35637

Re: Firing with Coal and Ash Pan question

Hi, Bart! Where have you been hiding? Mike I was in London after Thanksgiving for work... and managed to pick up a nice pair of mast head and stern lights to match my existing classic Italian brass port & starboard lights I got in the Netherlands in 1998. Need to have proper night lights even when ...
by barts
Wed Dec 19, 2012 10:08 pm
Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
Topic: Firing with Coal and Ash Pan question
Replies: 49
Views: 35637

Re: Firing with Coal and Ash Pan question

I'd use heavy 1" angle iron, corner down, about 1/2" spacing. The open side facing upward will fill with ash, which will help the grate bars live longer. The cool air coming up from underneath will help, and the space between the bars won't get plugged.

- Bart
by barts
Mon Dec 10, 2012 7:32 pm
Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
Topic: More progress
Replies: 89
Views: 87138

Re: More progress

The old steam hands around here tell me that the advantage of babbitt is that if the bearing fails, it will generally not damage the shaft; bronze bearings typically tear up the shaft enough to require turning. That said, bronze has a higher peak PV value. One of the guys typically line bores for tu...
by barts
Sun Dec 09, 2012 12:25 am
Forum: General Steamboat stuff
Topic: Where are they now?
Replies: 13
Views: 13537

Re: Where are they now?

A GPS will give you quite reasonable speed reading, but you're better off measuring distance made good (w/ GPS or chart) over ten or twenty minutes; if you're dealing with current a run in each direction is called for and the results averaged. If it's windy, forget about measuring speed; the runs ca...
by barts
Fri Dec 07, 2012 7:22 pm
Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
Topic: Economizer Question
Replies: 2
Views: 3484

Re: Economizer Question

If you have a relief valve after your pumps and no valve or check valve between them and the economizer, that relief will protect the economizer in case someone closes the boiler feed valve or the economizer overheats. The bypass can be a piece of replacement tubing that is ready to be fitted; I've ...