Search found 172 matches
- Thu Oct 12, 2023 2:24 pm
- Forum: General Steamboat stuff
- Topic: Blackstaff Steeple Compound Drawings/Information
- Replies: 9
- Views: 24950
Re: Blackstaff Steeple Compound Drawings/Information
I built a Blackstaffe steeple from a casting kit I bought from Cliff Blackstaffe's son. Since then, I understand that the son had died, and the family threw out all of Cliff's patterns. As a result, I am in possession of the blueprints, and if you send me your email address, I can email a set to you...
- Sun Sep 03, 2023 10:29 pm
- Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
- Topic: My column-style steamengine
- Replies: 79
- Views: 194933
Re: My column-style steamengine
That is very beautiful workmanship. Thank you for sharing!!
- Tue Aug 22, 2023 4:04 pm
- Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
- Topic: Blackstaffe Woes
- Replies: 21
- Views: 26128
Re: Blackstaffe Woes
One query in respect of the perpendicular strips hanging from the horizontal baffle: its difficult to make out but is there a twist in those to promote a swirl? No twist, they are just straight when hanging down. At their top ends, they have a small tab pointing down that fits into holes in the top...
- Mon Aug 21, 2023 5:46 pm
- Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
- Topic: Blackstaffe Woes
- Replies: 21
- Views: 26128
Re: Blackstaffe Woes
I believe that a lot of your problem can be traced to the coils being too "open", i.e., there is too easy of a path from the source of the fire to past the coils, so a lot of the heat is passing them by without transferring. I had the same issue with my solid fueled Blackstaffe boiler. Initially, th...
- Tue Jul 25, 2023 5:06 pm
- Forum: General Steamboat stuff
- Topic: Best Venue to Advertize Sale of a Steamboat
- Replies: 6
- Views: 14556
Re: Best Venue to Advertize Sale of a Steamboat
As far as I know, neither Steamboating nor the Smokestack are still being published. The Northwest Steam Society is active and produces a newsletter. They look to have about a dozen steam boats for sale in their classified ads right now, so it isn't a seller's market. I sold my first boat via an auc...
- Mon Jul 17, 2023 8:58 pm
- Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
- Topic: Burning wood
- Replies: 9
- Views: 14006
Re: Burning wood
Yes, it is removable through the fire door. It could have fit if made of only two pieces, but I wanted to keep the length of the spans of the angle irons shorter. The boiler furnace is 17.375 inches inside diameter. The grate outer ring is 16.875 outside diameter, roller from .25 x 1.00 flat steel. ...
- Fri Jul 14, 2023 12:47 am
- Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
- Topic: Burning wood
- Replies: 9
- Views: 14006
Re: Burning wood
My boiler has both a stack damper and a tightly closing ash pan door. In addition, I have a Breisch duplex pump to add water to the boiler when the engine is stopped. Accordingly, usually the only time my safety valve lifts is when I intentionally test it. If I am able to plan ahead and burn down th...
- Wed Jul 12, 2023 5:20 pm
- Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
- Topic: Burning wood
- Replies: 9
- Views: 14006
Re: Burning wood
Thanks, but it's not my idea. I read about it in the old Steamboating magazine decades ago. It does work pretty slick though.
- Wed Jul 12, 2023 5:42 am
- Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
- Topic: Burning wood
- Replies: 9
- Views: 14006
Re: Burning wood
I use a grate, I believe the most folks do. Mine is fabricated from steel angles, with the concave portion up to catch ashes to keep the steel cooler. The space between each angle is 5/8". There has been no sign of deterioration in the grate in five seasons of use. 20180801_204141 cropped.jpg 201808...
- Sat Jul 01, 2023 3:47 am
- Forum: Technical - Engines and Boilers
- Topic: Cylinder packing question
- Replies: 4
- Views: 5866
Re: Cylinder packing question
When I can, I will make a bushing of virgin Teflon on the lathe, and disassemble the rod as needed to install it, and forget about rope packing. As Bert says, virtually every packing gland needs to be tightened from time to time. If yours is constantly in need of being tightened, some things to look...