Boiler construction

[Garry ColesParticipant @garrycoles69390]

Hi, I want to buy a copper boiler for a 5in gauge loco that I will be building. I've had various quotes that have ranged from £3100 for TIG welded to £6500 for silver soldered. My question is, what are the pros & cons for silver soldered or TIG welding. Which would you recomend.

Garry

[Garry ColesParticipant @garrycoles69390]

[LukerParticipant @luker]

Hi Garry,

The main difference, as you pointed out, is cost. The joint design for the two different boiler construction methods needs to change, but provided the boiler is designed for the specific joint construction method there will be no difference. I have designed and built both TIG and silver soldered boilers and both work perfectly. My personal preference is TIG due to cost, and the fact that a crown stay is safer to construct using TIG (silver solder could let go when heating the stays in the firebox, and has happened once to me. A mission to fix!).

BTW those prices are ridiculous! You can buy a decent second hand vehicle for that (in my neck of the woods)…

[Dave HalfordParticipant @davehalford22513]

Ask TIG at the track that you wish to run on.

[Brian Baker 2Participant @brianbaker2]

Greetings Garry, ask the boiler inspector at the club you wish to run at,

regards

Brian B

[Garry ColesParticipant @garrycoles69390]

I live in Jersey and as far I know there are no model boiler inspectors over here.

[Author]

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