So........ what did you do today?

[tirediron]

I'm guessing it probably wasn't replacing boiler tubes in a 105 year old steam traction engine. Les (the fellow in the photographs) is a member of a neighbouring antique tractor club and volunteered to help me with the job. In just under four hours, we had eight brand-new tubes installed.

For those of you not familiar with the process, it starts with cutting a piece of A-178B seamless boiler tube to length and polishing the ends:

Then the tube is fed into the boiler and lined up in the correct holes in the front and rear tube sheets:

Contrary to popular belief, boiler tubes are NOT welded in place (the ends may be seal-welded, but that's to prevent corrosion, not to secure them), rather the ends are expanded by means of a tapered roller to hold them in place.

Once that's done, it's time get out the 'rivet-buster' and bead the end over:

And... when you're done, it should look like this:

 

[tirediron]

Sorted !

I hope so... still have to get the through the inspection and pressure-test, but we're on the way!

 

[smoke665]

Interesting!!!! You are a man of many talents.

 

[Destin]

Love it! Do you guys have big tractor/steam shows up there annually?

We have a pretty big one near my house ever summer called the Alexander gas and steam show. Always interesting to go see the old tractors running; and makes for some great photo opportunities as well.

 

[Jeff15]

Interesting photographs...........

 

[smoke665]

@tirediron I forgot to ask and don't see it mentioned. Is this yours? Or is it a club project?

 

[zombiesniper]

Very cool.

Love to work on old iron of any sort. Once it's working I tend to loose interest. lol

 

[tirediron]

Interesting!!!! You are a man of many talents.

I play around with a lot of stuff; the talent? That's questionable!

Love it! Do you guys have big tractor/steam shows up there annually?

We have a pretty big one near my house ever summer called the Alexander gas and steam show. Always interesting to go see the old tractors running; and makes for some great photo opportunities as well.

Unfortunately not in my area. There are a half-dozen clubs on Vancouver Island, but we're all small, and moving this stuff around takes a LOT of resources. We occassionally take smaller items to the different shows, but there are no big events here.

Interesting photographs...........

Thanks!

@tirediron I forgot to ask and don't see it mentioned. Is this yours? Or is it a club project?

It's owned by the club, but I'm the only one who holds a boiler ticket.

Very cool.

Love to work on old iron of any sort. Once it's working I tend to loose interest. lol

That's the beauty of these old girls; they never get to that point!