[Steam-engine] Boilers / Repairs

Dan Donaldson ddonaldson at tampatank.com
Thu Jul 15 11:09:20 PDT 2004


    I just went and asked the Quality Assurance Supervisor here at work and
sure enough we have a UT thickness gauge. He said I could borrow it anytime.
    What are the areas that I should most concerned with when checking
thickness. Firebox sides, firebox ends,  crown sheet and front tube sheet?
When do I know a sheet is too thin and may need replacing?


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ken Majeski" <fuller_johnson1 at msn.com>
To: <steam-engine at lists.stationary-engine.com>
Sent: Thursday, July 15, 2004 10:33 AM
Subject: Re: [Steam-engine] Boilers / Repairs


> Well the 100 pound restriction is probably an old thing as some states
have
> went to appendix C and they allow you to use .74 as the efficiency of a
> bouble riveted lap. Even the double Butt strap is only .82 so there is not
> that much difference with the triple riveted Butt strap being .88.
>
> Our neighboring state ( Minnesota) had the 100 pound limet but now they
have
> a formula to get more pressure on lap seams.
>
> The big problem with appendix C  and the 1971 ASME code is that they
really
> penilise the stayed surface area. Because there you are dealing with the
> bending stress of the sheet rather than the tensil strength. This made
some
> people very unhappy as some of these fireboxes are getting pretty thin for
> various reasons. A relatively small reduction of thickness Can make a big
> difference in the final pressure
>
> Yes, if you are thinking of buying an engine you should have access to a
UT
> thickness gauge. Many times you will have a Buddy that has one, Sometimes
> you can borrow one from work :) Or you can do as I did and buy one. the
most
> reasonable place I found is here.
> http://www.checkline.com/wall_thickness_gauges/index.htm  Although the
Cheap
> one don't have the bells and whistles of the higher priced one it is
plenty
> good for traction engine work and is easy to use. The internals of most
> traction engines resembles the landscape of the Moon anyway and it is hard

> to tell what you really have without one.... Sometimes a surface will be
> surprisingly wasted and still look smooth on the outside and sometimes a
> pitted surface will be better than you would ever geuss...
>
> When they first started doing UT some engine owners called UT testing
> Witchcraft.... And some probably still do...
>
>
>
> Ken Majeski, Ellsworth Wis. Case Steam Engine, Minneapolis Steam Engine,
> Rumely Oilpulls H, F, & R. Website, Http://www.pressenter.com/~kmajeski/
>




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