JMORG:106279 wrote:
A few quick questions for materials, what could I make the smokebox and chimney out of? I was thinking of a brass chimney but I haven't seen anybody use is so I'm not so sure. :?
Roundhouse chimneys are brass turnings......
I turn chimneys out of brass, including the cap, but form the bottom flare out of a suitable piece of annealed copper pipe.
Smokebox fabrication depends on the type. A drumhead type on a saddle can be an extension of the boiler shell, with a separate fabricated brass saddle and smokebox front. The older British styles of smokebox are often D shaped in cross section and larger than the boiler, these I fabricate out of mild steel sheet. I turn the smokebox door out of steel as well. You probably know anyway, but brazing, or mechanical fasteners, is needed for assembly because of the heat. Mild steel is OK for front ends, as there's too much oil around for it to rust.
I turn spark arrestors from aluminium bar to keep front end weight down, but I don't think they were common in the UK...........
I don't think it makes a lot of difference what metal you use, just use whatever is available and is easy to work with.
Graeme
