A steel boiler must never be stored wet per Betz laboratories " Industrial Water Treatment". That is the text for getting a stationary boiler operators license in California. A member of through Riverside live steamers built a Nickle Plate Berkshire with a steel boiler. He finished his engine at the same time I finished mine. He was leaving water in the boiler between run days. His boiler rusted out last year. I don't advocate my way for non steel boilers. I only know what works for me. Best regards as we will not agree.
Nowt wrong with long hair bud, good use of the word “alas” and wearing a flat cap…all in all I’d say a great video and you’ve taught me some good tips for firing up in future!
Looks like Duncan from Thomas and friends. Cute loco nonetheless mate. She seems simple and fun to drive. If you don’t mind my asking mate, how much did she cost and where did you get her? Thanks and please let me know. Thanks
I understand the scale is different but on the industrial locos I work on it isn’t uncommon to blow the boiler down at 75psi, so isn’t 5-10psi a little weak?
@@jordanbailey3289 Its because of the small thermal capacity of the copper boiler. The ones you deal with will have a much larger thermal capacity due to the size and steel rather than copper. This'll mean that the boiler cools at a much slower rate.
Matt Seymour Yes and no. Parrafin is more expensive and harder to get, but white spirits can cause residue on the boiler. For the ammount that you use the soaked charcoal, the residue doesnt have an overall effect on the boiler. Thats why I use white spirits, but others will have other opinions
Nice program. I blow my Fitchburg Northern down as soon as the fire is out because I have a steel boiler. If I don't blow it down hot, the boiler never dries out and rusts.
I'd avoid doing that. Youll dramatically shorten the lift of your boiler by doing that. Only blow down at low pressures. If youre worried abut rust, use water treatment instead of blowing down at high pressure.
@@mattseymour8637 Depends what the treatment is and how hard your water is. Around here, the water isn't too bad, but every 4 steamings I'll put a little bit of vinegar in to reduce scale build up. It isn't needed as I blow it down regularly. I wouldn't use boiler tannin on a copper boiler, nor Soda Ash.
I respectfully disagree about allowing the boiler to cool before blow down. This applies to steel boilers. I knew the now late Eric Thomsen, owner, builder, operator of the Redwood Valley Railway in Tilden Park, Berkely Ca. It was standard practice to shut the oil burner off and blow down. Eric's first engine ran more 5han 30 years before any boiler work was needed. My Friends and I built a 15" gage Shay with a steel boiler and let it cool before blowing down. We suffered one tube failure after another, the same thing happened with the mogul and the four wheeled number one. After all those disasters for me it is essential that the boiler be dry during storage. My comments apply to steel only. My Fitchburg boiler is 8 years old. I have had no problems.
You may have struck lucky then. I have witnessed some hottible boiler fractures due to people blowing boilers down dry. Along with 5" gauge, i do standard gauge practice, and narrow gauge. If i was to even suggest blowing a steel boiler down from hot, I would no longer be at the railway. The heat shock you will cause to the boiler is extrodinary. The stress put on the tubes, and stayes when cooling down, and releasing pressure is damaging to the boiler, and will dramatically shorten the life of the boiler. If you are worried about water damage, just use water treatment, and when you are finished, fill the boiler all the way to the top with water, let it cool showly. Leave the water in the boiler, and your boiler will last a lot longer. It works for us at both of y proper railways. I know many engines, over 100 years, or coming clost to that mark, that have mostly all origonal boilers (tubes have to be replaced every 10 years for insurance purposes). Therefore blowng down from hot is damn right dangerus due to the stresses and strains exerted on the boiler during blowing down.
Great film. Very helpful as I’m starting to fire my 5” gauge Pannier for the first time. Thanks
Building a polly 1 myself and this was good fun to watch :)
Thanks. Glad to be of some use. Good luck with the build
Good work!!! Love your little locomotive.
Thanks. I love it too. It looks a lot better in her new colour. Video coming soon
Have you got a link to the new video?
@@mattseymour8637 Latest video on my channel has her in her new livery
Great video. Just bought a 5 inch simplex to get back into the hobby.
What coal is being used here?
So best to avoid thurmic shock by blowing down at a low temperature?
Great film! Beautiful loco!
Thanks. She'll be looking better after this rebuild
Good video and very informative.
At what pressure do you remove the electric fan?
urn
do you mean burn
What coal and size do you use?
A steel boiler must never be stored wet per Betz laboratories " Industrial Water Treatment". That is the text for getting a stationary boiler operators license in California. A member of through Riverside live steamers built a Nickle Plate Berkshire with a steel boiler. He finished his engine at the same time I finished mine. He was leaving water in the boiler between run days. His boiler rusted out last year. I don't advocate my way for non steel boilers. I only know what works for me. Best regards as we will not agree.
Nowt wrong with long hair bud, good use of the word “alas” and wearing a flat cap…all in all I’d say a great video and you’ve taught me some good tips for firing up in future!
Nice vid
Looks like Duncan from Thomas and friends. Cute loco nonetheless mate. She seems simple and fun to drive. If you don’t mind my asking mate, how much did she cost and where did you get her? Thanks and please let me know. Thanks
You can buy this as a kit from polly locomotives
Not being critical, but at 0:17, "Smokebox" is spelt "smkebox".
Other than that, this was a cool video.
I realised that after I exported the video lol
Thomas Leighton Heh...
:)
I understand the scale is different but on the industrial locos I work on it isn’t uncommon to blow the boiler down at 75psi, so isn’t 5-10psi a little weak?
I believe if blowing down to dry, you should not do it at any more than 30psi, especially on a copper boiler like this with little thermal capacity.
I think it's the sudden cooling of the metal isn't it?
Matt Seymour it shouldn’t make a difference, the boiler still cools at a safe rate
But best to let go down to a 15psi before blowing down?
@@jordanbailey3289 Its because of the small thermal capacity of the copper boiler. The ones you deal with will have a much larger thermal capacity due to the size and steel rather than copper. This'll mean that the boiler cools at a much slower rate.
Is this better than using parafin soaked charcoal?
Matt Seymour Yes and no. Parrafin is more expensive and harder to get, but white spirits can cause residue on the boiler. For the ammount that you use the soaked charcoal, the residue doesnt have an overall effect on the boiler. Thats why I use white spirits, but others will have other opinions
Thanks for the comments. I use charcoal soaked in parathin. Is wood better or charcoal?
Thanks for the advice. So paraffin would be better to use ?
Do I need a thin or thick fire in a 3.5 inch loco ?
@@TheDrumvader is charcoal better than wood?
Nice program. I blow my Fitchburg Northern down as soon as the fire is out because I have a steel boiler. If I don't blow it down hot, the boiler never dries out and rusts.
I'd avoid doing that. Youll dramatically shorten the lift of your boiler by doing that. Only blow down at low pressures. If youre worried abut rust, use water treatment instead of blowing down at high pressure.
With a copper boiler is it OK to fill the boiler up after blowing down?
@@mattseymour8637 I'd advise against it due to thermic shock
I'm guessing you only need water treatment for steel boilers not copper?
@@mattseymour8637 Depends what the treatment is and how hard your water is. Around here, the water isn't too bad, but every 4 steamings I'll put a little bit of vinegar in to reduce scale build up. It isn't needed as I blow it down regularly. I wouldn't use boiler tannin on a copper boiler, nor Soda Ash.
did you build this from the kit? how long did it take and what tools skills are needed?
I did not build this. It has been around for 44 ish years. I have recently rebuilt this, however, and a video will be up soon on how I did this.
I respectfully disagree about allowing the boiler to cool before blow down. This applies to steel boilers. I knew the now late Eric Thomsen, owner, builder, operator of the Redwood Valley Railway in Tilden Park, Berkely Ca. It was standard practice to shut the oil burner off and blow down. Eric's first engine ran more 5han 30 years before any boiler work was needed. My Friends and I built a 15" gage Shay with a steel boiler and let it cool before blowing down. We suffered one tube failure after another, the same thing happened with the mogul and the four wheeled number one. After all those disasters for me it is essential that the boiler be dry during storage. My comments apply to steel only. My Fitchburg boiler is 8 years old. I have had no problems.
You may have struck lucky then. I have witnessed some hottible boiler fractures due to people blowing boilers down dry. Along with 5" gauge, i do standard gauge practice, and narrow gauge. If i was to even suggest blowing a steel boiler down from hot, I would no longer be at the railway. The heat shock you will cause to the boiler is extrodinary. The stress put on the tubes, and stayes when cooling down, and releasing pressure is damaging to the boiler, and will dramatically shorten the life of the boiler. If you are worried about water damage, just use water treatment, and when you are finished, fill the boiler all the way to the top with water, let it cool showly. Leave the water in the boiler, and your boiler will last a lot longer. It works for us at both of y proper railways. I know many engines, over 100 years, or coming clost to that mark, that have mostly all origonal boilers (tubes have to be replaced every 10 years for insurance purposes). Therefore blowng down from hot is damn right dangerus due to the stresses and strains exerted on the boiler during blowing down.
Are these instances of steel boilers?
@@TheDrumvader how long after a run would you be safe to blow down a copper boiler?