Archive for The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum The Original Unofficial Toy Steam Forum Established 2006 The biggest, most popular global steam forum around! Accept NO imitations! We have a growing community of regular posting members who chat about all aspects of toy and model steam.          The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum Forum Index -> Technical tips, Details, Home Builds and Help Me!! Wandering-Willie Making a Meths burner Hi guys, is there any simple way of making a Meths burner with simple hand tools? Cheers Allen Bugsy Re: Making a Meths burner Wandering-Willie wrote: Hi guys, is there any simple way of making a Meths burner with simple hand tools? Cheers Allen Have a look at what Ah Clem made. http://modelsteam.myfreeforum.org/about22669.html Wandering-Willie I mean, I dont have any soldering equipment (apart from the electrical sort). Cheers Allen Roly Williams There isn't much you can do without soldering. If you can find a suitable tray you could fill it with fibreglass and fit some mesh by bending over the lip with pliers. You'd have to attach some sort of handle which might be tricky without soldering. H2o vapour Hi, I know it's not an answer But the cost of a small meths burner from Forest classics is about 12 -14 pounds and they are nicely made. I think saftey wise and cost wise, by the time you've bought the materials and any tools, for soldering, is sensible Again, Just a thought Cheers H2o redryder H2o vapour wrote: Hi, I know it's not an answer But the cost of a small meths burner from Forest classics is about 12 -14 pounds and they are nicely made. I think saftey wise and cost wise, by the time you've bought the materials and any tools, for soldering, is sensible Again, Just a thought Cheers H2o Good suggestion and......... How much will 500 esbit tabs cost you and how long will they last. You will not likely wear out a good meths burner. ministeamer redryder wrote: H2o vapour wrote: Hi, I know it's not an answer But the cost of a small meths burner from Forest classics is about 12 -14 pounds and they are nicely made. I think saftey wise and cost wise, by the time you've bought the materials and any tools, for soldering, is sensible Again, Just a thought Cheers H2o Good suggestion and......... How long will 500 esbit tabs cost you and how long will they last. You will not likely wear out a good meths burner. In Australia, 500 esbits would set you back $250(?!?!?!?!) as they are $10 per box of 20. I usually buy 2 boxes and it really depends on how much you use your engines on how long they will last. redryder ministeamer wrote: redryder wrote: H2o vapour wrote: Hi, I know it's not an answer But the cost of a small meths burner from Forest classics is about 12 -14 pounds and they are nicely made. I think saftey wise and cost wise, by the time you've bought the materials and any tools, for soldering, is sensible Again, Just a thought Cheers H2o Good suggestion and......... How much will 500 esbit tabs cost you and how long will they last. You will not likely wear out a good meths burner. In Australia, 500 esbits would set you back $250(?!?!?!?!) as they are $10 per box of 20. I usually buy 2 boxes and it really depends on how much you use your engines on how long they will last. Esbit is quite costly vs. meths. ministeamer redryder wrote: ministeamer wrote: redryder wrote: H2o vapour wrote: Hi, I know it's not an answer But the cost of a small meths burner from Forest classics is about 12 -14 pounds and they are nicely made. I think saftey wise and cost wise, by the time you've bought the materials and any tools, for soldering, is sensible Again, Just a thought Cheers H2o Good suggestion and......... How long will 500 esbit tabs cost you and how long will they last. You will not likely wear out a good meths burner. In Australia, 500 esbits would set you back $250(?!?!?!?!) as they are $10 per box of 20. I usually buy 2 boxes and it really depends on how much you use your engines on how long they will last. Esbit is quite costly vs. meths. Very. And Don't buy the Mamod ones. They're unbelievably smelly and don't burn as well as Esbit. xlchainsaw even meths is getting costly. normally a bottle lasts me for two months but last month.... 3 bottles. $15  grrrr. i might have to convert to wood!! lol lol   meths is best!!!!! madeinenglang Can of  Sterno  just to make some thing or find some thing to put the stuff in ministeamer xlchainsaw wrote: even meths is getting costly. normally a bottle lasts me for two months but last month.... 3 bottles. $15  grrrr. i might have to convert to wood!! lol lol   meths is best!!!!! Convert a Mamod TE to coal... Now THAT would be interesting! Wandering-Willie ministeamer wrote: xlchainsaw wrote: even meths is getting costly. normally a bottle lasts me for two months but last month.... 3 bottles. $15  grrrr. i might have to convert to wood!! lol lol   meths is best!!!!! Convert a Mamod TE to coal... Now THAT would be interesting! I want one!!! Ross ministeamer wrote: xlchainsaw wrote: even meths is getting costly. normally a bottle lasts me for two months but last month.... 3 bottles. $15  grrrr. i might have to convert to wood!! lol lol   meths is best!!!!! Convert a Mamod TE to coal... Now THAT would be interesting! It would be interesting to find coal that small Wandering-Willie believe it or not, you could probably smash up big pieces Ross Wandering-Willie wrote: believe it or not, you could probably smash up big pieces Good point! Les Ross wrote: ministeamer wrote: xlchainsaw wrote: even meths is getting costly. normally a bottle lasts me for two months but last month.... 3 bottles. $15  grrrr. i might have to convert to wood!! lol lol   meths is best!!!!! Convert a Mamod TE to coal... Now THAT would be interesting! It would be interesting to find coal that small From a small coal mine mined by elves.     TE1DRIVER do you have an elf mine Les? you lucky beggar no going on strike elves don't feel the need for workers rights   Roly Williams Wandering-Willie wrote: believe it or not, you could probably smash up big pieces That's what model makers usually do. If you know somebody with a proper coal fired engine (or fire place) then the bunker will have a thick layer of coal "granules" at the bottom. ministeamer Roly Williams wrote: Wandering-Willie wrote: believe it or not, you could probably smash up big pieces That's what model makers usually do. If you know somebody with a proper coal fired engine (or fire place) then the bunker will have a thick layer of coal "granules" at the bottom. A mate of mine's dad goes to a 5 inch gauge steamup every month. I went a week ago, there was coal everywhere. I could've just grabbed a handful. MooseMan It's a lovely thought, but a Mamod would never run on coal - you need a good through draft to get coal going. ministeamer MooseMan wrote: It's a lovely thought, but a Mamod would never run on coal - you need a good through draft to get coal going. Shove a steam blower into it!     Les ministeamer wrote: MooseMan wrote: It's a lovely thought, but a Mamod would never run on coal - you need a good through draft to get coal going. Shove a steam blower into it!     Easier said than done when a Mamod is a tubeless boiler.   ministeamer Les wrote: ministeamer wrote: MooseMan wrote: It's a lovely thought, but a Mamod would never run on coal - you need a good through draft to get coal going. Shove a steam blower into it!     Easier said than done when a Mamod is a tubeless boiler.   Well, we can always imagine... Les ministeamer wrote: Les wrote: ministeamer wrote: MooseMan wrote: It's a lovely thought, but a Mamod would never run on coal - you need a good through draft to get coal going. Shove a steam blower into it!     Easier said than done when a Mamod is a tubeless boiler.   Well, we can always imagine... Mind you, you could add tubes, I do not think I have seen anyone do this though.     ministeamer Les wrote: ministeamer wrote: Les wrote: ministeamer wrote: MooseMan wrote: It's a lovely thought, but a Mamod would never run on coal - you need a good through draft to get coal going. Shove a steam blower into it!     Easier said than done when a Mamod is a tubeless boiler.   Well, we can always imagine... Mind you, you could add tubes, I do not think I have seen anyone do this though.     If someone did this, they would be practically famous throughout MamodForums!   MooseMan Les wrote: Mind you, you could add tubes, I do not think I have seen anyone do this though.     I had this sudden vision of a firetubed TE1A running at 120 psi and pulling about 120mph down the M4     madeinenglang MooseMan wrote: Les wrote: Mind you, you could add tubes, I do not think I have seen anyone do this though.     I had this sudden vision of a fire tubed TE1A running at 120 psi and pulling about 120mph down the M4         Wandering-Willie If i see a traction engine going for about a tenner on here, thats my next project!!! AzRob ministeamer wrote: Convert a Mamod TE to coal... Now THAT would be interesting! I am looking at a similar project, actually. I think that the soft soldered boiler would be a no-go, so you'd need a new boiler, fittings, etc., but if I can round up some parts and tools, something like this might be on my list. Wandering-Willie It would also need a better firebox, preferably upgraded boiler, tubes, smokebox it would be best basically building everything from scratch Ross Wandering-Willie wrote: It would also need a better firebox, preferably upgraded boiler, tubes, smokebox it would be best basically building everything from scratch Tubes would be a definite! it would be a hard build ministeamer AzRob wrote: ministeamer wrote: Convert a Mamod TE to coal... Now THAT would be interesting! I am looking at a similar project, actually. I think that the soft soldered boiler would be a no-go, so you'd need a new boiler, fittings, etc., but if I can round up some parts and tools, something like this might be on my list. Get a Centurion. They have silver-soldered boilers. They cost a pretty penny, though.. Dr. Rog Ross wrote: Wandering-Willie wrote: It would also need a better firebox, preferably upgraded boiler, tubes, smokebox it would be best basically building everything from scratch Tubes would be a definite! it would be a hard build In a way yes. However I suggest doing some serious research and finding a suitable design in Model Engineer or sucklike. Bear in mind that the wheels and engine can be considered done, thats half the job. About WWII, when materials where difficult to get there was a fashion for small engines. As regards the thread I once built a burner for my Steam Roadster out of coke cans soldered with an electrical soldering iron. It leaked - badley. Made one hell of a flaming lake.   AzRob Wandering-Willie wrote: It would also need a better firebox, preferably upgraded boiler, tubes, smokebox it would be best basically building everything from scratch Not quite everything. I'm not looking at doing it in a TE, however. Frames, cylinders, smokebox, etc. would be good to go. Making a new boiler would obviously be required, along with the requisite firebox. I can get copper pipe and plate and silver solder locally. ministeamer wrote: Get a Centurion. They have silver-soldered boilers. They cost a pretty penny, though.. Too much money and I've already got two TEs and one roller (only one of those being a Mamod). Besides, I want to keep the cylinder assembly oscillating if at all possible. I don't know which of two possible projects I might pursue...the coal-fired thing or a Mamod loco duplex... BK MooseMan wrote: Les wrote: Mind you, you could add tubes, I do not think I have seen anyone do this though.     I had this sudden vision of a firetubed TE1A running at 120 psi and pulling about 120mph down the M4     Moose, you got the ratio right (120MPH), those little TE1a are fast with normal fuel, if you were trying to steer them, you'd need to be on a motorbike!! Caprice Returning to burners... as had been said, a solder kit(a torch which also can do hard soldering are preferable in my view) is something you won't regret buying. specially if you want to build other things as boilers etc.. Dependent on your requirements, you can (quite easily) take existing brass/copper thingsand make a burner out of it. Some soldering practice is needed though but it's not that hard and there are guides all over on the internet, not least here, where members can help if there's problems. I made a burner out of a old brass lid (with a hole in it   ), a unused fuel cup from a Midwest steam kit, wick, copper sheet plus some (unnecessary) brass strips. The small holes in the "mushroom" are made with a needle(copper when heated red hot and cooled are quite soft and easily penetrable). I'm no burner expert but it worked quite good I think: Regards C.        The Unofficial Mamod and Other Steam Forum Forum Index -> Technical tips, Details, Home Builds and Help Me!! 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