Soft soldering on a finished copper boiler ??? … advice needed :-(

[Mike PalingParticipant @mikepaling69128]

Hi ..

In the not too distant future I will be erecting my Tich boiler ( large version ) onto my frames.

After studying "the Tich Book " I can see that it says that I need to drill into the copper boiler to fit some angle to hold the firebox end of the boler in position … and also there are a couple of things also needing drilled holes for the firebox door hinge and the door catch and using home made phos bronze screws to hold the parts in position. The book then suggests using soft solder to caulk these.

My boiler has a full certificate … and I am really hesitant to drill holes into the copper boiler to do this and use soft solder. Is this a "normal" way of doing these bits? Is it successful? Will ordinary soft solder work? What can go wrong?

Any thoughts and advice about this would be very much appreciated.

Cheers Mike

[Mike PalingParticipant @mikepaling69128]

[WearyParticipant @weary]

Suggest that you use Loctite 567 thread sealant.

Forget soft-soldering. It was the appropriate technique when 'Curly' wrote his instructions. Modern thread sealant will leave your boiler uncontaminated with soft-solder and allow removal of fixings if required.

Regards,

Phil

[Nigel BennettParticipant @nigelbennett69913]

Loctite 542 hydraulic sealant is also effective. Do not use brass screws to affix your retaining angles – make your own in bronze. Any brass subject to pressure below the boiler water level will de-zincify over time and become a horrid spongy mess. I'm sure I recall LBSC suggesting "a smear of plumber's jointing" (Boss White or similar) to affix screws into boilers, but I think we've moved on since then.

Take care when tapping the threads! Good luck, and hope all goes according to plan.

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

If you drill (modify) your boiler it will need to be retested I would try whats been suggested above

H

[Former MemberParticipant @formermember19781]

[This posting has been removed]

[RedsetterParticipant @redsetter]

Alternatively you can fit a drop-down firedoor hinged from the footplate, and omit the holding-down angle which is not really necessary. A boiler band around the firebox and screwed to the frames is a simpler method, in fact the boiler will probably be retained adequately by the cab and side tanks.

[John RutzenParticipant @johnrutzen76569]

I wouldd agree with redsetter that it's best not drill holes in a tested boiler. It's not god to pressure test to 2x more than once. The boiler articles in ME a few years ago showed that the pressure test strengthens the boiler by deforming the soft plates around the stays but you can have too much of a good thing. On by Crampton boiler I made a stainless steel sleeve that fits in the firehole and the firedoor is attached to it, so no holes needed there. I attached the boiler at the fire box end by the cladding and supported it on two bits of angle on the frames, so no holes there either.

[Keith HaleParticipant @keithhale68713]

 

 

Edited By CuP Alloys 1 on 14/01/2020 10:13:43

[Keith HaleParticipant @keithhale68713]

Oops!

Wrong thread!

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