for something that is supposed to be assembled {shouldn't that mean READY to run?} there sure seem to be lots a loose parts. anyone have actual instructions to put this together ? there seems to be a pad that goes around the boiler under the wooden slats not sure how to deal with the flat copper plate that needs to be round so the boiler can sit on the fire pan

Would it be possible to post a picture of what you've got?

It almost sounds like you've got the Mark VI instead...

I checked with Midwest and they left out the directions. The boiler is soldered so it is the Heritage pictures tomorrow in da sunlight....

IIRC, the assembly instructions are printed on the box.

Originally Posted by Kmot

IIRC, the assembly instructions are printed on the box.

not on my box, I did find the flyer on the website so I should be okay

Just in case...............

Originally Posted by Kmot

Just in case...............

YES that was not on da box
thanks, Kmot

that is the display set up for just the engine. and what they meant about pre-assembled is that you don't have to actually assemble the tea kettle type boiler it self. but you DO have to wrap it with the insulation, the brass sheet, and then the outer wood cladding and brass retaining bands for said wood cladding. but you don't actually have to solder the boiler together yourself which, despite it taking basic plumbing soldering skills to do is done for you.
the mk. IV steam plant requires you to do all that.

in comparison? that IS pre-assembled.all you gotta do is finish it...
and if I may make some recomondations? not included in the assembly directions? solder some "L" tabs of brass to hold the boiler up, with the connections under the insulating wrap, and with a drill bit, or hole punch, another set of draft holes above and between the pre punched holes. do all that BEFORE final assembly. these are all time proven modifications to that steam plant.

I've never used the included base plate in operation of the steam plant... it became a wind flapper for a wind chime in my case, the steam plant has always been in a boat and ran as such. two elliot bays launches, the first one to shake out, and the second that I made pretty. it was transplnated to the first one is still undergoing a electric and hunters cabin conversion. both to scale and traditional to the prototype model.

Originally Posted by bgnome

that is the display set up for just the engine. and what they meant about pre-assembled is that you don't have to actually assemble the tea kettle type boiler it self. but you DO have to wrap it with the insulation, the brass sheet, and then the outer wood cladding and brass retaining bands for said wood cladding. but you don't actually have to solder the boiler together yourself which, despite it taking basic plumbing soldering skills to do is done for you.
the mk. IV steam plant requires you to do all that.

in comparison? that IS pre-assembled.all you gotta do is finish it...
and if I may make some recomondations? not included in the assembly directions? solder some "L" tabs of brass to hold the boiler up, with the connections under the insulating wrap, and with a drill bit, or hole punch, another set of draft holes above and between the pre punched holes. do all that BEFORE final assembly. these are all time proven modifications to that steam plant.

I've never used the included base plate in operation of the steam plant... it became a wind flapper for a wind chime in my case, the steam plant has always been in a boat and ran as such. two elliot bays launches, the first one to shake out, and the second that I made pretty. it was transplnated to the first one is still undergoing a electric and hunters cabin conversion. both to scale and traditional to the prototype model.

yeah but the latest run did NOT include the instructions having read up I was planning on drilling the holes before I wrap the copper around the boiler/insulation. As for the tabs, to that wrapper or to the pan below?

the brass cladding is thin enough that a simple paper hole punch can be used to make extra draft holes, a drill bit is liable to grab and chew up the material ( trust me on this )

The tabs are secured to the wrapper itself, with the tabs pointing up and under the insulation.. go out and get some brass sheet stock from the LHS for this. you'll use it for other stuff else where for the rest of your life.

Dry fit the wrapper around the boiler so its top is level with the wrappers top, and mark the base of the boiler inside of the wrap with a fine point sharpie, or your preferred scribing tool.
then mark the lines in thirds or quarters, your choice.

Make some tabs with the thin brass sheet stock, 1 inch is fine, bent on the 1/2 ' mark and bent into "L"'s and pin solder one side of the "L" to point towards the top of the wrap with your scribe line being where the bend lays, maybe a bit under.

Now wrap the boiler with the included insulation.. its just regular 4" FB pipe insulation btw, then wrap the boiler with the... wrap, that now has the tabs attached. and secure on the bottom with the included tiny little screw. and on top with a rubber band.

the tabs you attached will now keep the boiler from sliding down further because it's just a tight fit holding it other wise. the tabs make it more secure and stable.

if you point the tabs down towards the dish, the heat from the Sterno fuel will cause the solder to melt and pop off. You want the attachment points between the outer wrap, then the insulation, then the boiler.

just a simple modification for the sake of convenience more than any thing. otherwise the boiler can slide up and down within the wrap and muck up the insulation.

the brass wrap is pretty thin, so you you should just be able to pierce it with a very tiny awl to run the little screw into it.

top side, two rubber bands to hold it tight around the boiler and its insulation and to make sure the seam is straight.

a rubber band at the top of the boiler, another at the bottom, and the little screw holding the base of the wrap.

now, take the wee little pieces of wood for the cladding and slide them under the rubber bands all the way around the boiler, top of the wrap down. if you like, a little drop, or bead of CA glue to hold the cladding plank to the brass wrap.

you will probably have to edge sand a couple of pieces to make them all fit flush when you get all the way around.

you may also sand, stain, and finish all these pieces before you begin the cladding.


any ways, once the cladding is done and in place, now take the brass band material, and wrap it around the cladding good and tight, and bend the ends up to meet and pop a pilot hole and use the wee little 2/20 machine screws and nuts to hold the banding in place.

once you are comfortable that the banding is tight, you can remove the rubber bands and you should now have a complete and cladded midwest boiler ready to go.

bgnome, thanks for the info. would using longer brass rods that hold the Sterno bowl in place work to hold up the boiler too? I have not done a lot of silver soldering since I retired making wrist driven hand splints for Quads. I think I will take pictures as I do this. I should do some polishing of the top of the boiler as it is really ugly looking.

Originally Posted by dostacos

bgnome, thanks for the info. would using longer brass rods that hold the Sterno bowl in place work to hold up the boiler too? I have not done a lot of silver soldering since I retired making wrist driven hand splints for Quads. I think I will take pictures as I do this. I should do some polishing of the top of the boiler as it is really ugly looking.

That would also work, and would probably be less effort!

On my boiler, I simply used regular rosin core solder and pen iron to make the connection. the fact that connection is buried under a layer of insulation keeps the joint from releasing when its under a heat load.

but an extra stick of 1/16" brass rod with an "L" bend to hold it up like that would most assuredly work just as well..

dang... I did it the hard way


other things folks have done with the steam plant is to run the steam exhaust from the engine up into the boiler stack to increase the draft.

a piece of 1/8" brass tube with and elbow bend run inside the stack, terminating just inside the stack.
A touch of silver solder to secure this joint is necessary because of the heat in the area. but the steam exhaust shooting up the stack will pull more air into the fire box

while polishing the copper would be nice, I think if you got some high temp BBQ grill flat black paint would make it look more true to scale and provide a nicer color contrast between all the bright wood and metal. But that is just IMHO and that's how I intend to treat the next steam plant like that I get.

I LIKE it! will get some paint and give it a squirt or three

YEAH!! DO IT!!!!

sorry got carried away. .thought for a second I was encouraging the bottle monkies here at the brewery

boilers like that in the really real world are made from cast iron pipe, or rolled steel. so the flat black is more appropriate.

well I figured out what you meant by soldering tabs {could not picture it until I started assembly} I think I will try that, it keeps the boiler from sliding up and down when it is removed from the fire pan where my method allows the boiler to move up and down when it is NOT attached to the board. I guess I could run some screws through the brass jacket {machine screws with nuts on the inside} either way it will lessen the ware and tear on da insulation!