Main Steam Pipe

[MatthewCoyne]

Hello all,
Just a quick question. Would any of you know whether fittings on the main steam pipe, i.e from boiler to engine on a steam boat should be fabricated from steel or black iron ? Which is stronger ?
Regards,
Matt.

 

[Peterduck]

Steel is stronger than black iron, but will also corrode much more easily. Copper is close to iron in tensile strength and if you're worried about the strength aspect, select a pipe with a greater wall thickness. What sort of pressure are you expecting to be using? If it is only 100 psi, then domestic water pipe should be adequate.
Peter.

 

[Yarrow]

Hi Matthew. Sam Wilkinson, who advises in the SBA's "Funnel" magazine, recommends steel hydraulic pipe and "Ermeto" fittings. Iam facing the same problem myself at the moment and am seriously considering following his advice. What are the details of your boat?