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       #Post#: 50133--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Quality Brand (Empire) Gets A Facelift
       By: RichSteamTx Date: March 30, 2022, 4:30 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       This little guy looks like a close cousin to my Empire Turbine,
       B35.  It is nice that you posted the underside - which mine is
       missing the steel (?) cover and the iron (?) overlay on the
       water tank.  I expect there is some kind of ceramic part between
       the tank and the iron (?) overlay... it is a mystery to me and
       feel unless I find a donor my Empire will be shelf art.
       I guess I now know I am missing bits of the whistle too... but I
       am a long way from making any kind of steam!
       Great facelift and that is saying things lightly!  Thank you for
       posting too!
       [img width=800
       height=600]
 (HTM) https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=5484.0;attach=28313;image[/img]
       [img]
 (HTM) https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=5338.0;attach=27729;image[/img]
       #Post#: 50226--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Quality Brand (Empire) Gets A Facelift
       By: Paula Date: March 31, 2022, 9:16 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Gobsmacked?? Ouch, sorry about that!  ::)  I just guessed at the
       SV setting. (It's 3 PSI below my car's recommended tire
       pressure.)
       [quote author=komet163b link=topic=5338.msg50115#msg50115
       date=1648667843]
       Thirty PSI!  I'm gobsmacked!  I had no idea they ran so high.
       Your engine must pound along at a speedy clip!  Now, I need to
       get together with the pressure guage and set it up.
       Thanks,
       Wayne
       [/quote]
       #Post#: 50227--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Quality Brand (Empire) Gets A Facelift
       By: Paula Date: March 31, 2022, 9:18 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Thank you! It was fun.
       [quote author=Woe is me link=topic=5338.msg50121#msg50121
       date=1648671020]
       All I can say that all the other members haven't said yet I
       believe is, WOW.
       That is a beautiful engine, great job.
       [/quote]
       #Post#: 50229--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Quality Brand (Empire) Gets A Facelift
       By: Paula Date: March 31, 2022, 9:33 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Hi Rich,
       Seems there's nothing more scarce than an Empire heater (a
       working one, anyway.)  :(
       The bottom cover is just a piece of sheet metal with two holes,
       retained by two 1/4-20 nuts on the boiler bottom mounting studs.
       I believe the cast iron retainer is meant to absorb some of the
       heat from the element, and reflect it back to the boiler, as
       well as hold the element against the boiler.
       If I remember correctly, there were several layers of mica
       between the heater element and the cast iron retainer. Pretty
       difficult to duplicate this setup from scratch. I do have a plan
       to rescue a heaterless B30 with a contoured aluminum block,
       drilled for 2 cartridge heaters. It would be retained against
       the boiler with the same two studs that held the original heater
       retainer. I will detail it on the forum if/when it ever happens.
       Paula
       [quote author=RichSteamTx link=topic=5338.msg50133#msg50133
       date=1648675820]
       This little guy looks like a close cousin to my Empire Turbine,
       B35.  It is nice that you posted the underside - which mine is
       missing the steel (?) cover and the iron (?) overlay on the
       water tank.  I expect there is some kind of ceramic part between
       the tank and the iron (?) overlay... it is a mystery to me and
       feel unless I find a donor my Empire will be shelf art.
       I guess I now know I am missing bits of the whistle too... but I
       am a long way from making any kind of steam!
       Great facelift and that is saying things lightly!  Thank you for
       posting too![/quote]
       #Post#: 50230--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Quality Brand (Empire) Gets A Facelift
       By: RichSteamTx Date: March 31, 2022, 9:48 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       Hey Paula - I am well on my way for getting mine going again.
       Steward (aka Empire man 202) is sending me a super nice care
       package.  It is kind of hard to believe all the parts he is
       sending me, it was like I was having a dream while talking on
       the phone.  I talked to him in length but I am sure once I get
       all the parts I'll be asking questions on how to assemble
       correctly.  He did talk a lot about the mica stuff and if you
       don't get it right, then Zap!
       So many people have been helping me between the Jensen Model #10
       (for my brother) and the Empire.  Hard to believe I hardly been
       a member on the forms for a day!
       Your drawings look sweet and very professional, I look forward
       to seeing progress on that setup!
       #Post#: 52748--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Quality Brand (Empire) Gets A Facelift
       By: RichSteamTx Date: August 17, 2022, 4:15 pm
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       [quote author=txlabman link=topic=5338.msg49140#msg49140
       date=1644443506]
       Thank you Paula for the detailed description of the engine.
       Looking forward to how you tackled the lower sight glass.
       If you decide to repaint it the matching Empire Red Paint is
       Krylon Number RTA 9230 Cherry Red.
       [/quote]
       Thank you for posting about the Krylon Number RTA9230 Cherry Red
       - I picked up a can from NAPA Auto Parts and it is a really good
       match to Empire Red (which I seen in their averts call "Bright
       Red Duco").
       #Post#: 52824--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Quality Brand (Empire) Gets A Facelift
       By: RichSteamTx Date: August 22, 2022, 10:12 am
       ---------------------------------------------------------
       I have the Empire B30 of this engine that I got it off eBay for
       some parts for my B35 (the complete heater).  While my B35 is
       now operational with its parts and it is a cool engine I find it
       not very powerful (hardly runs Empire accessories).   The B30 is
       actually in pretty good shape (tank finish/main base) though it
       was missing the proper whistle screw / whistle base but I have
       now decided to get it running.
       The top sight glass O-Ring was completely blown and I was only
       blowing air into with my mouth.  So I figured I'd try to take
       that apart as the corrosion was very low on the fitting, the top
       being in near perfect shape.  After letting the fittings soak
       with liquid wrench they easily came undone and I was able to
       loosen the top ball just enough to get the slight glass out.
       Cleaning the old O-rings out was a bit of fun but now all the
       bits and bobs are in fine shape!
       I have some 1/4” ID x 3/8” OD O-rings ordered from Granger and
       should have them in soon.  The shipping cost more than the
       O-rings themselves and I get a 100 of them (so anyone needing
       some I'll have extras).  I even took apart the B35 sight glass
       by doing the same procedure as the B30 (it had medium corrosion
       for the top and near high level at the bottom).  Thank you
       [member=538]Paula[/member] for the posting the O-ring size - so
       very helpful!  I also sent you a message about your cool
       #91195A120 from McMaster-Carr washers for the pressure valve -
       hope to hear back from you.
       [member=74]komet163b[/member] I'd love to see how you mount
       cartridge heaters / part numbers on your Empires for something
       like a B30/B35.
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