[boilingwater]

I'm looking for a machine shop that can fabricate a custom coal grate for my Aster SNCF 232 U1. The grate provided is not correct so I have a pdf with the appropriate dimensions and a step file....now I need a "reasonably" priced machine shop to make in ss #304 or the appropriate grade. I have one I'd getting a quote from but would like to hear from anyone else who has a good experience. The quote is from eMachine shop in case anyone is looking themselves…

Anyone with experience with a shop that does good work for a fair price is of interest.

Sam

 

[Tdreabe]

Metal crafters in Stevens Point has a laser table that can cut through stainless. Their price is based on linear inches of cut. Having a lot of parallel cuts could run the price up quickly, but they're one of my go to shops for work.

Otherwise, a coworker used another shop with in the Oshkosh area, I could get that information. Les Knoll used Denver Water jet in Denver NC for the scratch built Consolidation in Steam in the Garden series last year. Order the parts to build an engine at the same time...

 

[boilingwater]

Thanks Tyler. i ended up getting a piece cut to my dimensions from a friend in Indiana. The price was more than right!

Sam

 

[RioGrandeFan]

Do coal burning locomotives have special boilers vs a butane fired locomotive? For example is the boiler on the accucraft c-25 the same boiler for the coal and gas version?

 

[John 842]

Do coal burning locomotives have special boilers vs a butane fired locomotive? For example is the boiler on the accucraft c-25 the same boiler for the coal and gas version?

You can meths fire a coal fired boiler - or maybe gas fire with a ceramic burner as I'm currently investigating for my own coal fired loco - but you cannot fire a meths or gas fired loco with coal for the following reasons .....

- A meths or gas fired boiler firebox needs a different shape and is generally of much smaller volume than a coal fired one which means there's little room for a fire grate.

- In a coal fired boiler there are higher flame temperatures in the firebox that usually require water cooled double walls and strengthening stays for any flat or non circular sections - however it can be used for gas or meths firing with an appropriate burner.

The differences in operating temperatures in the firebox means that you may get away with too low water levels in the boiler with meths firing - but it can be pretty disastrous if it happens with coal firing.