Reconditioning a Try Cock Steam Valve

[@jaynegus4526]

Those are among the most important valves on a steam locomotive engine. The C & O railroad lost one of their massive Allegheny engines to a boiler explosion. The photos of the remains of the engine are stunning.

[@somedaysoon3784]

Good point. I've seen one boiler explosion - or to be precise,the results of one boiler explosion. I wasn't anywhere near it when it had its catastrophic disassembly. That was one too many,as far as I'm concerned. Boiler explosions are truly bad.

[@danielmurphy5584]

the old methods are becoming rarer and rare, koodoos keith for the demo. dan the man.

[@MultiMachinist]

I see your horizontal surfaces are already gathering clutter. Truly a working shop now. Great video Keith. Cheers!

[@vajake1]

Using the center drill was a very good idea! Great work!

[@johnstrange6799]

It's cool to understand some of the functions of a steam locomotive. Thanks for sharing that subsection of it's many workings.

[@jasonbrowne7525]

GreatJob! My kids and I watch your videos when ever they come out, it's good to see quality instructional videos and content like this, way better than the garbage put out on tv.

[@jimnastyc8362]

I'm glad to see so many 5th grade boys interested in your valve repair video!

[@aussiebloke609]

Love your idea of using the centre drill to dress the inside of the valve. Another case of what my shop teacher would call "using the wrong tool for the right job." Great to see some thinking from outside of the box, rather than the usual "We'll have to buy some more tools, I guess..." :-)

[@jake2213b]

The place were I use to work at we were in charge of maintenance of the building we worked in. They had what was a kit that was use to reseat and new rubber gaskets for water valves. It was a lot faster to use it then replace the water valve. This is the first time I see one for steam.

[@tolydukhovny682]

good job, keith! with your help, the old "vulcan" will last and last. the nut wuth the seal we used to call 'packing gland'. thanks for the vid, -toly

[@billsargent3407]

Packing gland. Thank you! that damn term was driving be crazy!

[@StreetbikeSteve]

Good video. Love the fan sound in background. Summers on its way in Georgia!

[@rtkville]

Nice job Keith! As usual I enjoyed watching, thanks Keith.

[@johnd137]

when I used to work in the oil and gas field we used those tricock valves on pressurized tanks, when they leaked I just replaced them and tossed the old valve, usually because they busted in the cold weather, but it was really cool to see how they worked. I would have loved to see the packing that you used. we had flat washers with rubber of rings for ours

[@patw52pb1]

Most of these low pressure steam service valves use a natural fiber such as jute, cotton, oakum cord/string impregnated with graphite spiral wound around the stem for packing and compressed around the body and stem to seal by a tapered packing gland nut/bonnet. Modern low pressure steam service replacement packing uses natural fiber or synthetics such as carbon fiber, Teflon or Gor-Tex or Kevlar/Aramid cord impregnated with graphite.

[@kerrygleeson4409]

Great work Keith thanks so much for sharing all your many skills

[@r.j.sworkshop7883]

Packings remain a mystery to me. I have worked with them many times and read up on them, but they always seem to give me trouble. Nice video. Thanks.

[@forerunnert]

For a few seconds there I thought I was looking at one of Keith Appleton's video's. Cool to see the real thing!

[@fairweatherfoundry715]

Damn, I wanted to see it reinstalled and working! Great video!

[@calebjvw]

very interesting, i take it from the wind noise that it was a nice warm day and you had the door open

[@WillyBemis]

Thank you Keith!

[@loligagger85]

I was going to say, just get a new one from lowes. This part looks like parts i see in the plumbing section. When i watched this i retract my statement. that is one hell of a valve. Cheers

[@RichardCasto]

Listening via headphones. Bugs flying around the microphone was a bit... interesting. :) Great stuff from Keith as usual.

[@johnferguson7235]

Come on folks, give Keith a THUMBS UP if you watch his videos. It helps other people find the channel. Less than 1 out of 10 viewers are bothering to click.

[@bcbloc02]

If it helps I always click the like button. :-)

[@charlescompton4495]

It would be great to make a pilot bushing to center the valve stem for finishing the seat and stem. More work but would give more accuracy. Wind noise today was from a fan I bet? The other day I made a generic comment about breathing while teaching. That was not a criticism of Keith but a fact when WE teach while demonstrating many times. I like that cap bill mic Keith but notice you generally don't wear a cap. Of course, air conditioning would be great. Great video and I bet they had to make do back in the old days, too! Greg

[@douglaspierce316]

I also love the name cast into the handle. proud of there product. Nathan man

[@shawnmrfixitlee6478]

Great fix Keith , Thumbs up man !

[@mylesm3816]

Some kiwi ingenuity with the center drill. Nice work

[@elsdp-4560]

THANK YOU...for sharing.

[@rodneycassidy6037]

very interesting and informative. thanks from tennessee.

[@lwoodt1]

I like how the company name is part of the handle.

[@dillydallydollcomachineand8246]

Funny Keith that was one of my qualifications for my apprenticeship. To bad my valve was steel but it sure is good to know .

[@chrisleech1565]

Hi Kieth, got a little suggestion about dealing with running fans during your video shooting. Open cell foam works wonders at managing buffeting noise. A small piece positioned over the mic helps to prevent this unwanted noise.

[@cillyede]

Very very interesting, thank you. Hubert - Germany

[@jamesretired5979]

The 2 angles should not be the same. a slight difference will let the seat move down as the valve seat wares. A thin seat line will seal much better than a wide seat.

[@patw52pb1]

That is correct, many if not most valves employ a 2-20 degree angle difference between the stem and seat.

[@sdhlkfhalkjgd]

In critical applications one would use a purpose built seat lapping tool and there would be some extensive engineering going into the design of the valve. Reducing the seat/disc contact can help ensure better sealing for a longer time. Though, I'd guess that with a cast-body and one piece stem, this valve isn't too picky about ultra precise geometry relationships. We're not looking at high temp alloys and double angle seats here.

[@jamesretired5979]

My experience is in nuke plant building and repair as a pipe fitter with years of valve repair and trouble shooting. some primary containment valves are bronze seat and disk and must meet very strict leakage requirements

[@jusb1066]

dont want that nuclear waste to leak out do we! (unless we really want it to, hopefully when the epa isnt looking)

[@ScottandTera]

good fix

[@1ttanker]

Keith looked at an old tool highlighted on the Wranglerstar KZbin page . Thought it might be something to peak your interest, I never saw one before and found it to be very interesting.

[@DieselRamcharger]

Gland Nut. The piece under the hand wheel is the gland nut.

[@davidhoward2237]

just woke up and saw this look like a good video . also sounds like wind noise later on in video

[@hollisinman6989]

NATHAN MFG CO Cool handle, really old school.

[@northtustinsteamworks5172]

Sounds like it might be time to consider a swamp cooler for the shop consider the fan and wind turbulence noise level in the videos.

[@1969Kakashi]

The lettering incorporated around the valve handle...they just don't do things as beautifully anymore.

[@jerrylong381]

To all those that are annoyed by the extraneous sounds in Keiths videos, I have two questions. 1) What do you think you would hear, if you were standing right beside him? The man is working in a Machine Shop. Not on a sound stage. This is the real world, where there are machines running, and fans, and insects, and birds singing, and people breathing. Personally, I have worked in loud industrial environments for 30 yrs., have experienced some hearing loss, and I have no problem hearing everything he says. 2) Have you given one cent, to Keith, for the Time and Effort he invests in making these videos? If not, then shut the hell up. I you think you can do better then let's see, and hear, it. Or better yet, if the sound quality bothers you that much, donate the proper equipment to Keith to help him make videos to your standards. You obviously know exactly whats needed.

[@lazaglider]

Jerry Long Some people just have to complain...

[@eldoradony]

Seems like the new shop needs a screen door.

[@user990077]

At 1:37 you say "Without fear of the water going below the Crown something." What is that crown something and what is its significance?

[@1ttanker]

Hopefully something that doesn't need doing to often Keith. Don't mind telling you steam leaves me leary . Have seen what live steam can do to the human in the Navy and it can tend to be not pretty. Safety is a number one priority

[@aytonbob]

Hi Keith, it's rev's per minute not per minutes.

[@wvrockcrusher]

If someone complains about Keith's fan or a damn fly buzzing around one more time......... If you don't like fan noise, send him an air conditioner and pay the electric bill. If you don't like hearing a fly buzz now and then, send him a bug zapper and pay the electric bill for that too. We are not here to watch a million dollar movie, we are here to watch and learn with Keith in the shop. If you can't put up with it, don't watch, go away and leave the rest of us in peace; your comments won't be missed! I for one like the raw and unscripted nature of these videos because it's real life, not made up crap. Thank you Keith for taking the time, putting forth effort, expense and so on to make these videos for us to watch for free!

[@Frankowillo]

Enough with this hero worship adulation! If people find the noise annoying, then it's annoying. Go ass kiss somewhere else.

[@chakathewolf]

I have seen those shut-off valves on sight glasses, and I realized that they were backups in case the glass broke, but something I never thought about until now is that if the sight glass breaks during operation you have boiling water and live steam shooting out in the direction of those valves. I know the engineer would be highly motivated to get those valves closed, but is it actually possible?

[@noellwilson1273]

Chaka Wolf Yes. Maybe. With this low pressure system, it shouldn't be impossible. As the pressure rises, it gets dangerous. At 600 psi or more, you can hear the leak but you probably won't see it. The 1969 procedure was to use a broomstick to find the leak. Better to cut the broomstick in two rather than your arm or your neck. With today's safety rules, everyone probably has to evacuate.

[@CalPil0t]

Keith, is the dry steam, by nature, more "abrasive" to steam fittings than wet steam or water in a locomotive? Just wondering if the top valve leaking is indicative of that.

[@jusb1066]

or just the one opened the most?

[@patw52pb1]

Wet steam is generally more erosive because it usually contains minerals.

[@jameskinglion]

can you do a playlist of your trains videos?

[@AdventuresinFabrication]

Did you get a new camera? For some reason the image looks better, sharper than past videos.

[@Godshole]

If it does the job, it's the right tool ;)

[@mwganson]

I saw Harbor Freight had a screen for a double garage door which might work for your shop doors to keep out the bugs while still letting some (hopefully) cool air in. They're only $25, so you wouldn't be out much money even if they can't be adapted to your door size. I believe they can roll up when not in use and have a little magnetized seam for easy entry and exit. www.harborfreight.com/double-garage-screen-door-68310.html

[@garymucher9590]

I realize you are trying to keep the nostalgic look and appeal. But I would have had to clean and polish that brass to look like new before reinstalling it. Just one of my OCD things.

[@Landrew0]

Great as usual, but unfortunate about the wind noise from the fan.

[@newandoldtech5634]

If you dress it, wont the threads be a problem? It might not bottom.

[@mikegoodman4133]

There enough threads left on the stem to allow for dressing the seat. The handle will just be closer to the bonnet in the closed position.

[@jusb1066]

i reckon those old valves gave you enough meat to redress it many times, a modern one would not

[@throttlebottle5906]

if that packing is very old, it could be leather, but it's probably "asbestos" packing. fairly safe to leave and use, just don't tear, shred or fiddle with it much. :) them darned gnats flying around and buzzing the mic. lol

[@machintelligence]

The term you were groping for is "packing nut". ;-)

[@mikegoodman4133]

And the term for the part through which the stem passes and attaches to the body is the "bonnet".

[@polakis1975]

Flies are flying around the mic 😝

[@KevinRoyWhite]

Its sand gnat season in Georgia right now. Nasty little buggers.

[@wxfield]

Spring in Georgia. Black Flies galore.

[@Mishn0]

It's 40°F up here in northern Vermont. No bugs yet...

[@wxfield]

Kevin White: Is that what those things are in the video? I think we have those up here in MA too..I was nearly eaten alive rowing through the inland salt marshes a few years back. They were so thick we'd spray a hole through them with flaming bug spray, cut the flame..and the hole would refill solid with more.

[@KevinRoyWhite]

Culicoides Furens. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Culicoides Also known as South Georgia swatting sickness. They burrow into your hair, bite and leave welts all over. And you usually get swarmed by hundreds at a time. Over here Savannah way, they are really bad in the salt marshes and coastal areas.

[@lewiemcneely9143]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it and it's fly and fan time again in South Gawjah!

[@andymandyandsheba4571]

hi keith

[@jaywest4102]

I would rather Keith stay a little more comfortable than worry about wind noise.

[@iancraig1951]

That was a good sound fix Keith---cannot be improved at all..

[@tunafish3216]

Ian Craig The fan was annoying

[@DonDegidio]

Keith, Nice job. The microphone was picking up wind noise from your fan.

[@timbroderick3831]

Just about a lost knowledge a lost skill. Home plumbing valves used to be rebuildable similar to that, not so much today.

[@Alex-yk6he]

6:18 bzzzzz

[@stirlingfromla]

You and I both know that the stem needs to be supported to properly lap that seat. Shortcuts on antique parts is never a good thing.

[@arlynsmith9196]

I am looking for your video but can't seem to find it. Oh wait - you don't have a video, you just want to criticize others...

[@ExtantFrodo2]

And here I would have chucked that stem in a drill and spun away.

[@Swarfman64]

Anyone else hear the fly/mosquito through the clip?

[@mikes4408]

no but could done without the wind storm!

[@dougchristopher2072]

1st