Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

Not sure why someone soldered the steel slug to the end of the cartridge heater tube. 
I wrapped the barrel with a wet towel and placed it in a bucket of water with only the top 1/2" above the surface to avoid melting the soft solder off the escutcheon pins (rivets) and end cap. The boiler was also full to the same level. I was hoping this would help protect the original solder holding the heater tube in the end cap. 

Still... I assumed the worst and that the cartridge heater tube was leaking or melted out. 

I was very pleasantly surprised after removing the steel slug to find the heater tube not just intact but also not leaking.!
I filled the boiler with water and pressurized it to 25 psi and there were no leaks re the heater tube.


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