[Steam-engine] Fw: Rivited boilers

Lawrence Swanz LSwanz at superioriron.com
Wed Mar 30 09:56:22 PST 2005


Dan,

I myself worked for a company located in Minneapolis, Deltak Corp.  During which time I designed and built two half scale boilers.  One for a friend of mine who built a beautiful half scale 110 Case, and the other for a "freelance" 25-75 GaarScott engine, which I am still working on.  Deltak did the certified welding for me, since I am not a welder, nor do I carry the certifications.  However, I did do a lot of the prep work myself, or with the aid of friends.  Both boilers were designed to operate at 225 PSI.  I very well may run that pressure on mine, but David kept his at the traditional 150 lbs.  The reason I will probably use the boilers full capacity, is I plan to build a "heavy half" scale 14 bottom gang plow.  A person can still purchase new 10" mowboards, which would make the plow bigger than half scale, but my engine is pretty good size, so I shouldn't have a real problem pulling it, or at least I hope not.  Could be a little embarrassing for me if the engine falls flat on her face though!!!

Originally I had modified some wood patterns my grandfather used to make his half scale 25 hsp simple single GaarScott to make a double engine, the castings which I currently have.  But then I ran across a Soule engine and decided to make some modifications to it and use it as the power plant instead.  The Soule's are a pretty well built engine and can withstand high pressures.  I have already made the crankshaft extensions and have the engine temporarily sitting upon the boiler.  I have a lot of work to do to it before it becomes a permanent fixture though.

Well this is probably a little more information than you wanted or cared to hear.  So I will close for now.  If you want, you may email me off list and we can chat some more.

Lawrence J. Swanz
lswanz at superioriron.com

-----Original Message-----
From: steam-engine-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com
[mailto:steam-engine-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com]On Behalf Of
Dan Donaldson
Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 10:47 AM
To: Steam-engine mailing list
Subject: Re: [Steam-engine] Fw: Rivited boilers


Lawrence,

    To answer your first question I work for Florida Structural Steel / 
Tampa Tank Inc..  We are a steel fabricator that builds steel bridges, 
buildings, duct work for power generation plants, large fuel and oil storage 
tanks in South America, lime silos, turpentine recovery systems, gravity 
water filter tanks and pressure vessels for various purposes including 
hyperberic chambers.  Hyperberic chambers are pressure vessels that people 
get inside of and pressure is applied.  The medical industry uses them as 
well as divers when they get the bends.
    To answer your second question my intension is to build a new complete 
boiler under the ASME code with an "S" stamp.  Rebuilding my current boiler 
using the original steam dome is an option that deserves consideration.

Thanks for asking and the input.
Dan



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Lawrence Swanz" <LSwanz at superioriron.com>
To: "Steam-engine mailing list" <steam-engine at lists.stationary-engine.com>
Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 10:10 AM
Subject: RE: [Steam-engine] Fw: Rivited boilers


> Dan,
>
> My first question for you is, what business do you work at that carries an 
> A.S.M.E. certification, if you don't mind me asking.  Secondly, if you are 
> planning to go through all the hassle of building an A.S.M.E. boiler, why 
> would you want to do it under an 'R' Stamp by incorporating the existing 
> steam dome.  Because when you are all done, you will still have a non-code 
> boiler at the end of the day.  I would suggest going for the gusto and 
> build a new boiler with the new boiler rules incorporated, which allows 
> for a stayed surface area of roughly 3.5 safety factor versus the 4.0 that 
> we currently use in our formula.  I have spoken with our chief boiler 
> inspector on this very topic in passing.  He hasn't really given his input 
> on the topic yet, but with more and more owners looking at having new 
> boilers built to the new code requirements, it is a subject that will and 
> should be addressed.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: steam-engine-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com
> [mailto:steam-engine-bounces at lists.stationary-engine.com]On Behalf Of
> Dan Donaldson
> Sent: Wednesday, March 30, 2005 8:18 AM
> To: Steam-engine mailing list
> Subject: [Steam-engine] Fw: Rivited boilers
>
>
>    Someone on the list emailed me privately with a couple of questions.  I 
> figured I would forward those questions and my response to the list.  Any 
> input regarding this subject would be greatly appreciated.
>
> Dan Donaldson
>
> Questions:
>
> One can basically build an new boiler around an old rivet and falls under 
> Repair.  You may be able to save quite a bit by using your old dome (of 
> course having the proper tests done to insure that its ok; I myself have 
> never heard of a bad dome), and having a new boiler built underneath.
> BTW , not wanting to be nosey, but what engine are you redoing, and what 
> is it costing you?
>
> Answer:
>
>    I am working on a 1910, 26 hp Advance tandem compound with their 
> patented straw burner boiler.  I have not estimated the cost yet but I am 
> trying to keep cost down by doing a lot of the work myself like detail 
> drawings, steel fit up and drilling of the stay bolt and rivet holes.  The 
> company I work for is ASME certified for pressure vessel fabrication and 
> repair ("U" and "R" stamps) so I will be able to get the steel at cost and 
> cutting and forming the material at a low cost.  The only welded parts I 
> plan to have are the longitudinal seam on the barrel and the firebox. 
> Those welds will be done by ASME certified welders and X-rayed.  I plan to 
> have a certified "S" shop do the riveting and stay bolt installation.  No 
> work will be done until drawings are done and the boiler shop I plan to 
> use has a chance to look at them and total cost estimate made.
>    I have also considered re-using the steam dome to allow for a repair 
> shop to the work.  And I may go that route but I would like to keep the 
> engine running until the boiler is completed and ready for mounting all of 
> the castings.
>
> Dan Donaldson
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