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Author Topic: Gland packing on s-50  (Read 1622 times)

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Gland packing on s-50
« on: April 06, 2024, 09:24:19 am »
My S-50 has water leaks at the gland for the piston rod and the eccentric rod.  It leaks tons of water and some steam.  I’d imagine it needs new gland packing.

Is there a substitute gland packing I can use aside from ordering graphite yarn from the UK, or is there a domestic version of it? Hate to pay international shipping and wait a month.


Thanks for any help or suggestions.
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Re: Gland packing on s-50
« Reply #1 on: April 06, 2024, 11:05:21 am »
  Good luck with the gland packing.  Any plumbing supply store and
most hardware stores will have it in stock.  It is pretty inexpensive
and I used it with success as piston rings for my PM 1 engine.  You
can also use teflon tape, doubled over and then twisted into a string,
for small jobs like gland packing and sightglass tubes. 

  I'm sure others will add their materials and methods.

Good Luck,
Wayne
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Re: Gland packing on s-50
« Reply #2 on: April 06, 2024, 12:58:42 pm »
Quote from: komet163b on April 06, 2024, 11:05:21 am
  Good luck with the gland packing.  Any plumbing supply store and
most hardware stores will have it in stock.  It is pretty inexpensive
and I used it with success as piston rings for my PM 1 engine.  You
can also use teflon tape, doubled over and then twisted into a string,
for small jobs like gland packing and sightglass tubes. 

  I'm sure others will add their materials and methods.

Good Luck,
Wayne


For such a small piston, is there a specific size can recommend?
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The steam engine has done much more for science than science has done for the steam engine.”

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Re: Gland packing on s-50
« Reply #3 on: April 06, 2024, 02:10:49 pm »
If using graphite cord, the 'cord' is made up of thinner
cords twisted to make a thicker one.  When I used it for
the PM1 piston (the ring groove(s) was not cut to specs)
I just wrapped it around several times, tucked it into
ring groove so that it just peeked outside/above it and
squeezed the whole mess into the cylinder.  With the cord
it was a tight but reasonable fit.  Reassembled it, tried
it on air (yes!) and then steam.

If using it on an item without a ring groove I've found the
teflon tape to work best.  I used it on the gland nuts on
both of my small PM engines, a #3 and #7, with success. 
It is a bit of a balancing act to get it all right.

Wayne   
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Re: Gland packing on s-50
« Reply #4 on: April 06, 2024, 08:31:46 pm »
Quote from: komet163b on April 06, 2024, 02:10:49 pm
If using graphite cord, the 'cord' is made up of thinner
cords twisted to make a thicker one.  When I used it for
the PM1 piston (the ring groove(s) was not cut to specs)
I just wrapped it around several times, tucked it into
ring groove so that it just peeked outside/above it and
squeezed the whole mess into the cylinder.  With the cord
it was a tight but reasonable fit.  Reassembled it, tried
it on air (yes!) and then steam.

If using it on an item without a ring groove I've found the
teflon tape to work best.  I used it on the gland nuts on
both of my small PM engines, a #3 and #7, with success. 
It is a bit of a balancing act to get it all right.

Wayne


I noticed if I tighten down my gland nut, the piston can barely move… is this because it presses the gland packing down around the piston rod too tightly?
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Re: Gland packing on s-50
« Reply #5 on: April 06, 2024, 08:53:33 pm »
Quote from: TraviSteamNThings on April 06, 2024, 08:31:46 pm
Quote from: komet163b on April 06, 2024, 02:10:49 pm
If using graphite cord, the 'cord' is made up of thinner
cords twisted to make a thicker one.  When I used it for
the PM1 piston (the ring groove(s) was not cut to specs)
I just wrapped it around several times, tucked it into
ring groove so that it just peeked outside/above it and
squeezed the whole mess into the cylinder.  With the cord
it was a tight but reasonable fit.  Reassembled it, tried
it on air (yes!) and then steam.

If using it on an item without a ring groove I've found the
teflon tape to work best.  I used it on the gland nuts on
both of my small PM engines, a #3 and #7, with success. 
It is a bit of a balancing act to get it all right.

Wayne


I noticed if I tighten down my gland nut, the piston can barely move… is this because it presses the gland packing down around the piston rod too tightly?
Yes
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Re: Gland packing on s-50
« Reply #6 on: April 06, 2024, 10:03:40 pm »
Quote from: St Paul Steam on April 06, 2024, 08:53:33 pm
Quote from: TraviSteamNThings on April 06, 2024, 08:31:46 pm
Quote from: komet163b on April 06, 2024, 02:10:49 pm
If using graphite cord, the 'cord' is made up of thinner
cords twisted to make a thicker one.  When I used it for
the PM1 piston (the ring groove(s) was not cut to specs)
I just wrapped it around several times, tucked it into
ring groove so that it just peeked outside/above it and
squeezed the whole mess into the cylinder.  With the cord
it was a tight but reasonable fit.  Reassembled it, tried
it on air (yes!) and then steam.

If using it on an item without a ring groove I've found the
teflon tape to work best.  I used it on the gland nuts on
both of my small PM engines, a #3 and #7, with success. 
It is a bit of a balancing act to get it all right.

Wayne


I noticed if I tighten down my gland nut, the piston can barely move… is this because it presses the gland packing down around the piston rod too tightly?
Yes


Thanks! I thought something was wrong - glad not.
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Re: Gland packing on s-50
« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2024, 01:15:03 am »
Being a farmer and having water pumps on farm i have access to graphite impregnated gland packing .
 It is braided and i just unplait it to get what i need .
Another option if you have access to old fashioned graphite impregnated grease for steel pipe work just use hemp or cotton dragged through the graphite grease .

Cheers
Dennis
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