Thread: Whisperings

Hi Phil,

Beautiful job. I like the precision bending setup.

Ray

Originally Posted by Steamwhisperer

Hi Stuart,

Hi Phil,

Think I've got it now. So there is another valve between the relief valve and the boiler?

Stuart

Originally Posted by KBs PensNmore

Nice idea of using the lathe to get the angles right, sort of a mandrel bender , is the bender mounted on the cross slide?? Wouldn't have thought of using a lathe chuck.
Kryn

Hi Kryn,
I certainly got more consistency using this setup. Rotating the chuck made it easy to position the pipe when the next bend was at right angles. With the bender mounted in the toolpost I could move the carriage to get the bender in the right position for the bend.
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Originally Posted by PDW

Phil:

I notice all those pipes are screwed end fittings with unions. On ships we always used butt weld fittings wherever possible with the minimum amount of unions we could get away with. All bolted flanges too (no screwed inline ball or gate valves, we'd use a threaded pipe toe welded to a flange).

Do you use the screwed fittings for historic compliance or some other reason?

PDW

Hi Pete,
I am not sure but if I had to make a guess it would be so we can do it 'in house'. All the steam lines are flanged or butt welded but being on the water side it is easier for us to just do it ourselves.
Quite often it seems like we are a bit of a cash cow when it comes to the quotes we get.
Historical accuracy can go back to cast iron flanged pipes.
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Originally Posted by Stustoys

Hi Phil,

Think I've got it now. So there is another valve between the relief valve and the boiler?

Stuart

oops, Sorry about that Stuart. You are correct, in fact there is two for each boiler (as a safeguard).
These valves are called feed check valves or 'clack' valves and ours are actually feed check stop valves as they can be closed like a normal valve and when opened operate like a normal check valve.
This is the only pic I could find that had all four valves

Phil
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Hi all,
could be a few posts coming up as I am finally back on the tools for a bit of repair, restoration and maintenance. I am currently in the middle of a boiler refit but yesterday I had to have a crack at one of the Welch Perrin Weirs type feed pumps to find out why it isn't pumping efficiently enough.
As a temporary fix last time, I found a set of rings to suit the water end which were badly worn but not disintegrated like the ones that were on it. I put these in and it pumped better but not great. Seeing as it pretty much can't keep up with the boiler and we have purchased what we have been told is the modern plastic equivalent of Ebonite, (what was used originally), I machined up a set and fitted them.
The pump certainly pumped better but not satisfactorily (to me). Today I will have a crack at the valves and see what happens.

Phil
ps Ebonite is what bowling balls were made of

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Many moons ago , our new Chief Engineer discovered a Weir pump in the old storage shed and decided we needed to have it as a working piece of history.We overhauled it but when it came to rings we were stumped until I started looking through all of my predecessors old ammonia compressor spares loft and there hanging on an old rope was a selection of hard black rings , just the thing , how do we get these on without breaking them I asked him , he just smiled at me , went out to our earn (a milk churn with copper steam coil) filled up a billy and dropped in the rings , in a couple of minutes the rings were supple enough to fit easily , I asked if they would work and seal properly considering working temperature , he just replied , have faith son and again he was correct , it worked a treat though not big enough to keep up with the boiler on more than 3/4 fire.
Years later when the boilers were relocated he had the pump mounted in his front yard as a garden feature/curiosity.

Originally Posted by Steamwhisperer

we have purchased what we have been told is the modern plastic equivalent of Ebonite, (what was used originally), I machined up a set and fitted them.

I use Vesconite for cutless bearings (stern gland bushing). Is that the same stuff you're using? Supposed to be zero water takeup so no swelling in salt water, unlike oil filled nylon.

Of course high temperatures aren't (well, one hopes not) an issue for boat stern glands.....

PDW

Good to see you back Phil. Wheresyabin?

Originally Posted by wheelinround

Good to see you back Phil. Wheresyabin?

Hi Ray,
we are a bit short staffed at work and I got called back to boilers and engines. Things have settled a bit and I am back on the funner stuff.
Due to time constraints because the pumps are needed to feed the boilers, I get pretty much up until the boilers go online to do any work on the pumps.
I managed to repair the suction valve which had worn to the point of failure.

Phil
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Pump is running nice and slow now and keeping up with the boiler, Phew!!
I'm also doing a refit on the Thompson boiler as it is that time of the year...again.
For the inspection (by the independent assessor) I pull all the fittings apart and make sure everything is going to be ok for another year. One of the feed check valves that is used to isolate the water supply line to the boiler but act as a check valve during normal operation had managed to get a bit of foreign debris between the valve and its seat.
This poor old valve is about 115 years old and subsequently has had several 'tart ups' over the years.
Time for another one.

Phil
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In my spare time, pffft, I have finally got the TOS cylindrical grinder up and running and need some bolts to hold the tailstock down.
The workhead has some so I removed the bolts to look at the profile of the bolt heads and get an idea of what I need to make. I also took this opportunity to inspect the table under the workhead.
The grinder is late 1960's vintage and only been used in a school so I am guessing the workhead hasn't been moved since day one.
It is better than what it looks and I reckon a bit of a rub with a fine stone should see it right.

Phil
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No rest for the overworked and underpaid eh Phil.

I might know where there is a cylindrical grinder going cheap weight is about 2t. needs work but it runs.

Originally Posted by wheelinround

No rest for the overworked and underpaid eh Phil.

I might know where there is a cylindrical grinder going cheap weight is about 2t. needs work but it runs.

Too far away for me to be interested, alas. One of those is the next item on my shopping list, I think. Next FY though, I've spent all the current FY money.

I asked the price of the one Stu listed at the Melbourne dealer. I don't want one that badly especially when a machinery dealer I know in Sydney says he doesn't even bid on them seeing as nobody wants to buy one. Which indicates that the market isn't all that high demand and I can wait....

PDW

Originally Posted by PDW

Next FY though, I've spent all the current FY money.

Is that the Financial Year that started 1st April 2015? I'm like that, I blow all my tool money in no time...


Cheers, Vann.