boiler cladding

[Ron HancockParticipant @ronhancock63652]

Hi any tips on boiler cladding for a novice please.

I have been trying to fit mine with .7 brass sheet.

The stuff is so springy after drilling the holes the trying to wrap cladding round boiler was absolute night mare.

I made three big clamps like big jubilee clips with long bolts in to try and get the wrapper tight to the packing.

i then soft soldered but after removing clams found slight dents one side.

Is their an easy way of fitting please.

Ron

[Ron HancockParticipant @ronhancock63652]

[julian atkinsParticipant @julianatkins58923]

hi ron,

boiler 'cleading' is not easy especially for a tapered barrel with belpaire firebox. many of us have struggled. in fact i would say that making the 'cleading' for my 3.5"g GWR King boiler was more difficult and took longer than making the boiler!

you need a bit of 'spring' in the cleading material to slide it along and over the dome bush etc

making the cleading for the front of the belpaire firebox is a nightmare, and nothing compared to the barrel cleading, so you are on the easiest bit at the moment, not that that is any consolation to you!

i presume you rolled the barrel cleading? half hard brass .7 or .75mm would be quite ok.

i fit the cladding around the boiler first before fitting the cleading. lots of card and stiff paper templates required.

cheers,

julian

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I got the brass for my 5" dia traction engine rolled just a bit over diameter so its not quite so lively.

[Ron HancockParticipant @ronhancock63652]

Hi Julian what a nightmare i had two attempts at doing the boiler i spent 16 hours in the workshop trying yesterday.

I made templates using photo card paper not easy.

After getting it marked out the holes cut and then then trying to fit to the tapered Barrel and still keeping it on the Holes wow.

The first i had used Copper annealed but holes did not line up correct.

Then bought the .7 brass should have tried annealing that to but did not.

The firebox was not as bad as i did anneal that and got it fairly near first time.

I have ended up with dent's small but feel very disappointed after so much hard work going into is.

I then soft soldered it all up decided to fill the dent's with Lilliput sanded and i have now etch primed.

I would like to remove and start again but not sure i would get it any better.

Just about to spray with two pack primer the will see how bad or good it looks fingers crossed for a miracle.

Thanks again Julian

Ron

[Ron HancockParticipant @ronhancock63652]

Posted by JasonB on 13/11/2015 13:14:50:

I got the brass for my 5" dia traction engine rolled just a bit over diameter so its not quite so lively.

I would have rolled mine but its a tapered boiler.

My son has industrial Rollers at work but did not know how to do it on a tapered boiler

Ron

[Ron HancockParticipant @ronhancock63652]

[Ron HancockParticipant @ronhancock63652]

I think the boiler Cladding on a tapered Boiler is almost one of the hardest jobs I have done.

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

Ron,

I was once told of a method, but I have so far not needed it so not tried I was told to make discs, one of the small diameter and one the large diameter, place small on top of larger and align rims of both on one side then drill through smaller on centre line and larger at same time. Join both discs with a rod so both discs are the distance apart that matches each end of taper barrel. Chalk or other marking out medium on both rims and roll the contraption out across the flat sheet. If both discs were previously marked with a start/finish line and these marks transferred to the flat sheet, you would now have an exact outline to cut out, not forgetting an overlap allowance. This method is also good for marking out the original taper barrel.

John.

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

Would one of those sheet metal roller former thingys help?

An English Wheel

I noticed a big one in a repairs bit of the air museum at East Fortune, probbly for doing all those shaped panels on aircraft

Edited By Ady1 on 13/11/2015 16:41:21

[J HancockParticipant @jhancock95746]

You have problem trying to anneal a big sheet of half -hardened brass without it distorting into all sorts of shapes . Don't go there !

Next time.

If time isn't too important, I think I would try and make a full -size + 3/16" dia. wooden, mock -up of the boiler round tapered section . Wood is cheap enough and easy to turn on your lathe.

Make a similar mock -up +3/16" for the Belpaire firebox.

Wrap your sheet round those wooden formers , resist the temptation to hit anything with a hammer !

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

I believe that sheet can be rolled up to the twin diameters simultaneously by tightening only one pressure roller screw – obviously the small diameter end.

[Ron HancockParticipant @ronhancock63652]

Posted by Ady1 on 13/11/2015 16:30:55:

Would one of those sheet metal roller former thingys help?

An English Wheel

I noticed a big one in a repairs bit of the air museum at East Fortune, probbly for doing all those shaped panels on aircraft

Edited By Ady1 on 13/11/2015 16:41:21

Yes they would do the Job if you know how to use them.

I have tried but their is a real nack to using a English wheel

[Ron HancockParticipant @ronhancock63652]

Well decided to paint the one i have fitted not happy with the Job but decided to go with it.

Just want to move onto the Next few Problems fitting the super heater into the Boiler and piping up.

I am looking at fitting the super heater to the boiler another Model Engineer has suggested using a cone so you only use a single Bolt it would be easier to fix as you don't need to line up if you use multiple bolts.

Then the dreaded plumbing trying to find a diagram to work to is hard.

I have bee told that the hand pump should only have that feed on its own i was going to use a T piece with axle Pump

To the other side i intended to have the Injector wish they did a diagram you could buy to follow.

So many things to learn its only when you try yourself to make one you realize how talented Model makers are as some the detail is amazing then the the end of the scale just bolted together

Ron

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