Welding stainless steel superheaters.

[@chrisbirkett1027]

A bit of useful information, you can get short (button) back caps for your tig torch which make it easier to get into tight spaces.

[@StanFerris]

Thanks, Tom!

[@WhiskeyGulf71]

I’ve never seen a steam chest pressure gauge before Tom, how are they set up & how do you respond to the gauge ? Certainly looks to be an easier job than brazing them, the bit i really wanted to see was the bending of the tubes to make them parallel, anyway Tia

[@TomsWorkshop42]

3 of my locos have steam chest pressure gauges, and 3 of dads do too. In reality they are just something of interest rather than really using this. That said I have notes in the past that an engine likes for example about 40 psi in the chest, so you can wind the reverser back and adjust the regulator to create that. The welding does make the job easier, especially as it means you don’t have to join different materials to switch from copper to stainless for the firebox. I believe he made a small tool from a couple of blocks of Ali with grooves in so that he could squash them in the vice. The sharper the spear the less they need to bend.

[@WhiskeyGulf71]

@@TomsWorkshop42 Chris (you bought his track) and myself fixed his failed super heater last season by chopping it short, it’s a two element heater in his GWR 1500 class & both failed simultaneously at the spear joints, the stainless was so brittle, i think it might have been over cooked a few times. We now have so many phosphor bronze brazing rods & a huge tub of flux that i don’t think we will be welding anytime soon 😂 We still have the club simplex in bits & we are reinstating the super heater so i was interested about the gauge, it has a snifter valve, does that still get used if using a steam chest gauge ?

[@peterwoodward8572]

Well done. You make that look very easy! What is the welding kit you use?

[@TomsWorkshop42]

It’s a Jassic, I can’t remember the model at the moment though.

[@julias-shed]

With hindsight would it be easier to do the spearhead joints last? 🙄 interesting video. What sort of current was that?

[@TomsWorkshop42]

Possibly, but then you have more issues to contend with making sure they are all sticking out the correct amount and have been welded in at the right angle… Possibly more awkward to easily close the bend on the spears too when you have to do all 4 at the same time.

[@TomsWorkshop42]

It was about 40 Amps.

[@jackgonscak5239]

Love the video's, when was the last time you got speedy out for a run?

[@TomsWorkshop42]

It was last year some time. It’s not steaming great, I need to get it out again to experiment a bit.

[@Massi8046]

👍

[@69woodburner]

Are they 316L Tom?

[@TomsWorkshop42]

I don’t know to be honest, it was whatever was handed to me… it may still be marked on the tube, I’ll look later…