This is probably a stupid question

• #15 Reply
  Posted by komet163b on 20 Nov, 2024 16:15
•   My first steam purchase was a MARX upright engine.
  The bottom 2/3 of the boiler was leaking from pinholes.
  Damn these steel boilers!  I will say, sealing a holed
  boiler from the inside sounds interesting - but a bit
  expensive.  I have a Weeden 'force-pump' steel boiler
  leaker.  Just good for running on air.
  
    As to thge nasty MARX boiler...
    I found that a 3-in-1 oil can was the same diameter so
  I cut the good top quarter or so of the boiler off, cut
  open the oil can, eyeballed everything, and then forced
  the top into the oil can till it was the right height and
  soldered it together.  Wrapped it with a brass band at the
  seam joint.  Worked pretty well.  I did need a new 'thru
  the boiler' crank tube as that was very rusted too.
  
    So the reason I added this reply is that I lagged the boiler
  to hide the awful joint and ugly solder job.  Nothing special,
  I had a bunch of coffee stirrers so I cut them to size and
  used wire to tie them to the boiler.  Singed it a bit during
  an early steamup, but I think it looks good.
  
  https://youtu.be/u7kVJGSZBgo
  
  So, I'm all for lagging and using whatever is at hand.
  
  Good Luck,
  Wayne
  
• 
  
• #16 Reply
  Posted by Stoker on 20 Nov, 2024 16:30
• That work was all very innovative Wayne!
  
  Well done, and the proof is in the running!!!
• 
  
• #17 Reply
  Posted by txlabman on 21 Nov, 2024 08:26
• Neat thread.
  
  Thanks to all of the contributors.
• 
  
• #18 Reply
  Posted by Woe is me on 21 Nov, 2024 08:27
• Quote from: Woe is me on 20 Nov, 2024 10:11

  I removed everything from the boiler and scuffed the surface lightly and evenly with 800
  grit paper. Wiped it down with denatured alcohol, plugged the holes with corks and sprayed
  it VHT Black paint. Once it dried I removed the corks and bake it in the oven at 250 degrees
  for an hour. To me it looks good but I can always swap it out for nicer nickel one down the
  road.
  

  
  
  The directions on VHT,(Very High Temperature), Paint says to heat it to 250, cool it, heat it to
  400, cool it, and finally heat it to 600, all in half hour increments.
  I only went to 250 for an hour and have not had any problems.
  As far as boiler jackets on Wilesco engines, I think they only had them on the D24,28,and32.
  If you choose to paint and bake, I would remove the flange, sight glass, and all gaskets first.
  Don't just mask it off with tape when painting, then remove the tape and bake with them assembled.
• 
  
• #19 Reply
  Posted by Woe is me on 21 Nov, 2024 08:45
• WOW, this post, or topic, has been viewed over 70,000 times. That's a lot of boiler
  issues.
  Curses, I should of bought stock in VHT.
• 
  
• #20 Reply
  Posted by komet163b on 21 Nov, 2024 10:18
•   Now the views are up t 120,000.  What gives?  I've
  seen this sort of thing before on you tube.  Sounds
  like the work of an AI Bot.  Of course, behind every
  AI Bot there is a person who coded it and directs it.
  We aren't at the 'Demon Seed' movie stage yet!
  
    Thank God AI Bots cannot vote.  I'm all in with photo-ID
  to vote.  Heck, if you want to pick up reserved tickets
  at a box office you have to show photo-id.
  
  I'll be running an Empire B30 with breakfast.  Restorative.
  Wayne
  
• 
  
• #21 Reply
  Posted by Stoker on 21 Nov, 2024 10:28
• Yep  ........  Bot Bytes without a doubt!!!
• 
  
• #22 Reply
  Posted by Weedensteam on 21 Nov, 2024 16:33
• I may be missing something but I would be a little afraid of wood lagging a boiler with a flame burner under it on a horizontal where the flames can creep up.
• 
  
• #23 Reply
  Posted by Steamburns on 23 Nov, 2024 21:15
• cool
• 
  
• #24 Reply
  Posted by Timvrip on 24 Nov, 2024 05:33
• Quote from: Woe is me on 21 Nov, 2024 08:45

  WOW, this post, or topic, has been viewed over 70,000 times. That's a lot of boiler
  issues.
  Curses, I should of bought stock in VHT.
  

  
  Now over a million views. Who'd a thunk it?
• 
  
• #25 Reply
  Posted by Stoker on 24 Nov, 2024 14:28
• Quote from: Weedensteam on 21 Nov, 2024 16:33

  I may be missing something but I would be a little afraid of wood lagging a boiler with a flame burner under it on a horizontal where the flames can creep up.
  

  
  No Frank, I don't think you are missing anything here that would make a difference. I agree that wood lagging on a flame fired boiler may not be a very good idea, unless the lagging is some insulative material that is non-flammable, or at least the bottom strips of the lagging are such that the flame can't get directly to the wood strips above it!
  
  Did that make any sense?!?!
•