Thank you for sharing, I wish youtube would go back to a time like this where people shared their passion and knowledge for the sake of it, not to make a quick buck.
So many don't know how to do the hand work anymore, it's nice to see someone who can show how it should be done. I was taught by my father to do so many of the things you show in your videos. I'm glad you can show folks the older, better ways to do stuff.
Just a simple THANKYOU for sharing the knowledge and the tips and tricks so that more of us can dabble in areas we may not have the training to do, but still want to give it a go anyway.
What a fantastic video of how to build a very nice vertical model steam engine boiler in a home shop! I always wondered too, just how to add a water sight glass and you showed just how to do that! I am now ready to go and build mine! Keep the great videos coming! Regards, Karl in Michigan, USA
Another fine video and a lovely job. I cnc'd the formers for someone to "spin" the the brass part that goes on top of a traction engine once. They put the former in a lathe and spun the brass sheet around the former. Having said that, it is so nice to see such a skilled pair of hands using relatively basic tools, doing a very fine job indeed.
My Uncle Torfin was given a small boiler/steam engine for a birthday in about 1912 some how it came to my Father, his younger brother, in the early 60's it ran fine.
Oh, I love watching you jam the red handle directly into your palm at 13:20. It's machinist BDSM. I always look both ways to make sure my supervisor isn't waking down the aisle first... That's as far as I take safety personally.
I had half a notion that you were going to make the barrel out of flat sheet and roll and solder it together, but given the availability of copper pipe in so many diameters I totally understand why you didn't. (I do have no doubt that you could have made your own barrel with relative ease after watching all your videos). I guess on a side note that building a pressure vessel you are better off / safer with seamless tubing versus soldering your own barrel as well. Looking forward to future videos in this build and many more!
Very well made step by step instructive video, and good workmanship. Nothing can go wrong even for a beginner. I have bookmarked the page in my electronic diary and subscribed too. I hope someday in future, when I have some time, I shall make the boiler. Will make frequent visits to your site for more excitement. Thanks.
Brilliant, so much better getting instructive subtitles with the soundtrack but without the usual pointless waffle. Great vid, great content more please!
Don't quench the metal if you are trying to anneal it. A quench locks in the crystal structure, hardening it. Heat it, let it cool slow ly. It will be much softer and workable. Annealing is heating to just under critical temp, then gradually easing off the temp to allow the crystals to disalign.
it's been a while since I checked in, I see you've been busy! When you were sanding the cap on the lathe, I thought to myself "no, don't be sanding the sides"!!! one of those jaws on the chuck would leave an owy on yer knuckle !!! (to say the least)
when hammer tipping on a metal edge as you are doing. try using a soft face hammer, wood, rawhide, compothane. it will help to encourage the metal to shrink. rather than stretch. I believe you would have reached your shape much quicker. then once the shape is really close you can planish with a steel hammer to desired finish.
I have made several small engines and spin the caps. Much easier, neater, you don't need to anneal the material and more precise. Even better with Brass. I learned to spin material from a friend many years ago who used tp spin prothetic limbs.
Great video! Your hands look about as old as mine. I'd put you between 55 to 62 years old. Those metal shop teachers taught us well didn't they? You were listening in class. :-) Your videos are just awesome!
Brilliant video as usual. Now For all the peeps who insist on using a Dremel tool for everything, you are now going to have to do an instructional video on Hacksaws :o) don't forget to tell them about tooth direction, because our apprentices never seem to even get that bit right..
+stefantrethan I have spun stainless steel end caps in the lathe. They were used for the cylinder ends of Striling engines. It's not difficult. Copper would be easier. I am making this boiler the traditional way. if it were a locomotive boiler the back head would not be round so it would not be possible to spin it.
Sir, Find your local kitchen worktop people & get a off cut from a marble worktop-- makes a great marking out table ! Otherwise a glass window ( commercial /shop windows ) supplier & again get a small piece of thick glass ( no breaking shop windows.................. ! )
fantastic video, it is nice to see some one using the former and annealing the ends. It is a slight shame you used the lathe for a finish on the ends, I understand it will be second nature for you but most will not have a mettle lathe and I would have loved to see how you might finish the ends without one. Perhaps a hair smaller former and rolling it on a hard flat surface. Anyhow thank you.
@@myfordboy ok thanks, that's a lot less than my guess. Quite some savings considering the price of copper! I'm planning to make a simple boiler for my Stuart 10V Wich will probably be based off this design
I wonder if you could have made a simple steel die former and just annealed it then place it in the die and use an arbor press. It’s a good technique though. Thank you for sharing
@@myfordboy understood. I was thinking one could use some pipe and bar stock and match the gap to material thickness. Idk I’ve seen this done with a press and some 3D printer forms using sheet metal. I imagine that would work on cooper too. If I remember correct you have an Ender 3 no?
I have made press tools with 3D printed dies for example this one ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE--3IyodZSA70.html I sold my Ender and now use Sovol printers.
I wonder if someone had a CNC, set the cuts for a block of wood to be the shape you wanted, then cut a plug to force the copper into that form. Use a press to drive the plug into the sheet of copper and then into the form. one shot deal.. the muli-annealing seems to indicate the copper would not receive this technique well.
Great instructional video. I’m going to make a similar boiler. It will be my very first boiler attempt. I’m OK with hand tools and basic machining. I have two questions, if you could help, please. Where do you buy your copper and other materials? Will a Mapp gas hand held ‘plumbers type’ gas torch give enough heat for the soldering and annealing operations? Thanks very much.
I don't think a plumbers map torch would work as it a small area of flame. The copper needs to be red hot for the solder to flow and it takes a lot of heat. Materials can be bought from model engineer suppliers.
Thank you, why didn't you roll form it with a bearing on the lathe? Don't get me wrong the old technique of hand forging a boiler plate works and people should always learn this way as not everyone has a lathe but it would seem to have been a lot quicker and neater and a lot less trouble for the hangover. :-= ) A very nice boiler, thanks for the video
it is a nice way to do it and helps teaches people traditional skills that they can use here and on other projects and of course it is important that we do that a otherwise it will be a skill lost to machines. I enjoyed the rest of the series as well thank you,.@@myfordboy
Thanks for sharing, I am busy with my 1st copper boiler for a steam engine and I learnt a lot watching you. What is the thickness of the copper plate on the walls and end caps?
Nice video, thanks a lot! Two doubts about the process ... have you made the main body too (I think you call "barrel"; excuse me, my native language is portuguese!) ? And, what is the pression inside the boiller? Regards from Brazil!
I was thinking the same thing about the Dykem. he probably used the Sharpie because most people have them laying around. I still love the smell of that stuff. lol
I had an almost identical boiler I made many years ago. Sadly it was stolen during a break-in. For some reason they didn't take the far more valuable steam engines! Maybe they didn't see them in the display cabinet, in the living room, they only went for my workshop. I no longer have a suitable workshop or equipment to make a replacement.
Hello! Is it possible to use stock brass alloy for making a boiler? Also - is it fine to mix copper and brass for the boiler? For instance, make the tube from sheet copper and add brass machined caps?
"Toy" boilers are often brass but for a proper one you want to use copper. The zinc in brass can escape in use and lead to failure. Bushes should be bronze. The ends need to be domed or stayed.
+John Creasey I have spun stainless steel end caps in the lathe. They were used for the cylinder ends of Striling engines. It's not difficult. Copper would be easier. I am making this boiler the traditional way. if it were a locomotive boiler the back head would not be round so it would not be possible to spin it.
Brother I absolutely love your work ideas quality attention to detail and how you make due with the tools you have at your disposal. But don't back drag the files! Every time I see a file being dragged backwards under pressure it makes me want to cry. GOD bless you brother!
I made a couple of end caps in the hand hydraulic press at work. Still had to anneal a couple of times. By the time I'd turned a male and female form and pressed them, I spent just as much time as this chap spent hammering them around a piece of wood.
