Favourite cylinder lubrication

A special section just for steam engines and boilers, as without these you may as well fit a sail.
Adamsmi1
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Favourite cylinder lubrication

Post by Adamsmi1 » Mon Feb 11, 2019 9:04 am

Currently using graphite and wanting to move towards hydrostatic oiler with separator.

What brands/ grades do you use?
Where can you source?
Should I just leave it how it is?

VFT boiler
single double acting 2.5x3
condensing

Thanks Brains trust!

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Lopez Mike
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Re: Favourite cylinder lubrication

Post by Lopez Mike » Mon Feb 11, 2019 12:11 pm

I'm sure you've heard this before but are you sure you need internal lubrication? I have years of operation on my 3 x 4 double acting engine with no problems. My safety pops at 135 p.s.i. so there is no superheat beyond an occasional drying event when backing off on the throttle after a hard run. I don't need a hot well separator beyond some filtering that only needs attention once a year.

This is a subject that has been a source of controversy for a century and a half. Until I find that my rings are wearing much I'll be letting water do the work.
If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.
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Re: Favourite cylinder lubrication

Post by RGSP » Mon Feb 11, 2019 6:03 pm

No argument with what Mike says, but if you run at 150 psi or more, or have superheat, just a little oil avoids horrid squeaks: I'm not sure the occasional squeak does the engine a great deal of harm, but it makes me feel awful! What you want is a straight, non compounded steam oil, because it doesn't emulsify so strongly as compounded steam oils (which are fine for locomotives, traction engines, and puffers). You probably already know that nappy liners are designed to absorb nasty wet slimy stuff, and they work very well as oil traps as well when dunked into a hot-well and the flow goes through them.
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Re: Favourite cylinder lubrication

Post by TriangleTom » Tue Feb 12, 2019 3:54 am

I believe Cyberbadger purchased a few gallons of Chevron W460 a few years ago to try in his engine, I do't believe he ever gave a report on how it worked though.
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Re: Favourite cylinder lubrication

Post by barts » Tue Feb 12, 2019 6:15 am

I use the green velvet oil PB &J 460 but they seem to be out of business.

- Bart
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Bart Smaalders http://smaalders.net/barts Lopez Island, WA
Adamsmi1
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Re: Favourite cylinder lubrication

Post by Adamsmi1 » Tue Feb 12, 2019 7:53 am

Thanks for the replies Gents

Im planning slight super heat and like tinkering with the boat

attached are some drawings of what im thinking.

one being the separator design, a capped end and the other a removable cap with the inlet and outlet to allow filter medium to be refreshed. Oil floats on water but I figured if the water was forced through the medium this wouldn't be critical to the design and will allow it to be mounted vert, hoz, up, down, left, right etcc.. The vacuum pump (not yet built) will (I assume) provide some positive pressure to force the condensate through the medium..

Thoughts?

I understand there are parts missing from the "architectural" drawing but I think it gets the idea across.
Attachments
20190212_184527.jpg
Adamsmi1
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Re: Favourite cylinder lubrication

Post by Adamsmi1 » Tue Feb 12, 2019 7:55 am

20190211_195106.jpg
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Lopez Mike
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Re: Favourite cylinder lubrication

Post by Lopez Mike » Wed Feb 13, 2019 12:42 pm

What works for a lot of people is to have a layer of Oilsorb on top of the water in the hot well and have the hot well float valve outlet dumping on top of the Oilsorb.

Backing up a bit, I don't see a hot well float valve in your piping diagram. Without a float valve you will be constantly fussing with the boiler water level. Don't leave home without it.

These have been around since Noah and a boat without such a system is a fiddly and aggravating proposition.
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Re: Favourite cylinder lubrication

Post by cyberbadger » Sat Feb 16, 2019 5:21 am

Mobile 600w super cylinder oil is what I've used. I run up to 200psi.
https://www.amazon.com/MOBIL-600W-SUPER ... B00G97EIJ2

Every major petroleum company sells a very similar product, it is being used for gear motors used in fracking nowdays.

Still has tallow in it, the lake flies in chautauqua love it.

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Re: Favourite cylinder lubrication

Post by Mike Rometer » Sat Feb 16, 2019 9:47 am

Your details don't show which side, of which pond, you are. If in the UK, speak to Morris Oils of Shrewsbury, they are most helpful and used by most of the heritage steam fraternity.
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