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[MONAHAN STEAM MODELS]

There is one trick I'd like to share with the steam enthusiast on this website. Perhaps you may find this useful one day in the future or perhaps right away. Maybe you already known this and think I'm the village idiot for bringing it up or thinking it is not common knowledge? Who knows but here it goes.

Those of you who may have read my posts in the past and are familiar with my background you will know that I not only work on miniature steam engines as my main job but I also operate numerous full sized steam engines ranging from traction engines to stationary mill engines as well as steam launches and steam paddle boats. Some of you may or may not of heard of a company by the name of Lunkenheimer who was and is a fairly well known company full size steam engine community. In the early days of steam and through out the boom times of steam in the late 1800's to early 1900's Lunkenheimer manufactured everything from high quality globe valves to numerous designs of steam oil lubricators for stationary, marine and traction engines. Some of these early steam lubricators are highly sought after even today and demand top dollar. 

One of the late advancements in steam engine lubricator technology that was produce by this company as well as others was a graphite injector system for a lubricating the internal bits of a steam engine. Graphite lends itself well as a lubricant for steam engines and performs wonderfully in a steam environment which can be very harsh and abrasive. Engines that utilized these graphite injectors would only require 1/4 the amount of lubrication when compared to engines that depended solely on steam oil only for lubrication. One of the amazing qualities of graphite is it's ability to fill in microscopic imperfections in surface finishes (and become somewhat bonded to that surface) in valve and port faces creating a better seal and better performance. Graphite also performs well in the hot wet abrasive environment which is a steam engine.

I would like those of you who are willing to be brave and to give this trick a try to experiment with your own engines. What you want to do is get a small plastic cup which can be the cut off bottom of a drinking water bottle for example. Take some steam oil and a small amount of graphite and mix the two together. The proportions should be roughly 3 parts steam oil and 1 part graphite. Don not use too much graphite. This is not one of those things where if a little is good a lot must be better! Mix this together completely and add it to your steam engines displacement lubricator. Run your engine as you normally would so that the graphite/steam oil is consumed. The internal components of you engine will become lubricated with the graphite and will somewhat heal so to speak any small wear scratches in port faces and so one. You should notice with some engine designs less leakage and more performance, especially smoother running characteristics.

Now for the warnings:

Do not use too much graphite as it can become built up in small steam passage ways which can choke the engine! There is no need to add graphite to your steam oil during each operation. Only add it once and awhile if you notice performance beginning to fade with your engine. Typically engines that require higher steam pressures to operate but still lack horsepower although they are properly machined are usually victims of poor lubrication and I would recommend trying this trick with those engines especially. I hope this trick helps some of you.

[benjaml1]

Why didn't I think of that. I used "Molylube" additive in a motorcycle engine to excellent effect. Thanks for the tip & I'll have a go for sure as soon as I can source graphite...  May I be so bold as to add... I would advise the mixture to be stirred often prior to use due to the settling characteristics of Moly.

[kiwimodeller]

Thanks for that Nick, it will be especially interesting to try with a leaky oscillator I have. Can you just be a bit more specific about the type of graphite and how to buy it. Is it the engine oil additive that Benjaml1 refers too or is there a pure liquid graphite available? I have also seen graphite powder and "colloidal" ?? graphite and a semi - liquid graphite grease. Better get the right stuff. Cheers, Ian.

[benjaml1]

I've just ordered a micro fine dry graphite powder on E-Bay used by locksmiths...

[Bernhard]

Hi.....i like the idea Nick...so today i have give it a try........in my old Graham....2 times 20 minuets...run like a champ no problem. 20-25 psi,,,..i did open the oiler a littel more,,the graphite do it  more heavy...it didn't use so much oil as i used to do,,,so,,i will try it in the rest of my engine,,,,,,,,

Regards Bernhard

[MONAHAN STEAM MODELS]

The graphite that I have used is the finely ground dry powder.


Ian,

I will be interesting to see what it can do to help a leaky oscillator. One thing you may also want to try with this engine is to get some very fine lapping compound and apply it to the cleaned mating surfaces of the leaky parts and reassemble the engine with the lapping compound sandwiched in between the leaky parts. Then gently rotate the engine manually for a number of revolutions and allow the parts to become lapped together. I'd suggest that you take your time with this procedure and do not rush the lapping process by turning the engine fast or for long periods of time. You want to disassemble the engine periodically, clean off the lapping compound completely and inspect the surfaces to see what progress has been made. Be sure to clean out all lapping compound from any steam passage ways and so on as it will continue to lap the surfaces if not removed. The best thing to do is to remove the piston o-rings and throttle valve from an engine to be lapped. The reason for this is you do not want to create a vacuum with the engine by rotating it manually when lapping. This will suck the lapping compound into the cylinders and wear out your o-rings.

[kiwimodeller]

Thanks for that Nick. I have lapped it on glass with wet and dry paper but had not been game to try lapping with compound. Will do when I get back from holiday. I have blued it and the faces seem to mate well but the compound might help. The graphite will be interesting to try too. Cheers, Ian

[Underpressure]

I've just ordered a micro fine dry graphite powder on E-Bay used by locksmiths...

You beat me to that one.

I used to work for a major lock manufacturer and the master smiths there used to shudder at the use of WD40 and other freeing agents. For stuck locks or padlocks they used to 'puff' some graphite into the lock, using a lens cleaning puffer and then breathe on the key and dip it into graphite powder. When the key was inserted and then gently worked back and forth the lock would invariably be freed.

If you can't get it from a lock supplier, try an art shop.

[Bunkerbarge]

Another little point of interest here, when I used to work on cargo ships and was in charge of the boiler plant the smooth operation of all valves and equipment was my responsibility.  The biggest challenge were the sootblowing lances which could seize quite unexpectedly and if they did in operation you could loose quite a bit of steam before you could get to the isolation valve.

Anyway the lubricant of choice for all valves and equipment was what we referred to as "Black Oil and Graphite".  The black oil was simply engine oil from the main engine sump, which contained a healthy percentage of carbon, mixed into a thick liquid with a liberal quantity of graphite flakes.  The stuff was kept in a tin nicked from the galley and kept with it's own paint brush and the goo was simply painted onto valve spindles and glands and any exposed sliding surfaces. 

I do like the idea of trying this stuff on oscilators and the powder form looks like the best to mix with the steam oil.  Excellent suggestion Nick, many thanks for that.

[Circlip]

Pointing this out for the unknowing. Nick, Which lapping compound?? I say this cos of the ability for some abrasives to embed themselves into the operating faces.

  As Benjaml has pointed out, Molly Bendelum Disuphide (Disufide) is good as well.

  Regards  Ian.

[derekwarner]

mmmmm   in the Mohs scale we are reminded between talc & diamond as the extremities of hardness  ...as between 1 >10 .......

I must acknowledge I am not familiar with the elements below 1.0......0.2-0.3 Cs, Rb  0.5-0.6 Li, Na, K [the latter being .....lithium, sodium & potassium?]

However we do see that talc & graphite as naturally occurring ...& both @ 1.0 on the scale as dry elements  

Talc can be added to hot water or hot oil but never be considered as missable........graphite can be added to oil & be totally missable

MS2SO4...is only a newby on the block.....but basically is only graphite in an oil suspension........ .....Derek

Hardness Substance or mineral
0.2-0.3 Cs, Rb
0.5-0.6 Li, Na, K
1 Talc, graphite
1.5 Ga, Sr, In, Sn, Ba, Tl, Pb
2 hexagonal BN [11], Ca, Se, Cd, sulfur, Te, Bi
2.5 to 3 Mg, Au, Ag, Al, Zn, La, Ce
3 Calcite, Cu, As, Sb, Th, Dentin
4 Fluorite, Fe, Ni
4 to 4.5 Pt, Steel
5 Apatite, Co, Zr, Pd, Tooth enamel
5.5 Be, Mo, Hf
6 Orthoclase, Ti, Mn, Ge, Nb, Rh, uranium
6 to 7 Glass, fused quartz, Iron pyrite, Si, Ru, Ir, Ta
7 Quartz, vanadium, Os, Re
7.5 to 8 Hardened steel, Tungsten, emerald
8 Topaz, Cubic Zirconium
8.5 Chrysoberyl, Cr
9 Corundum, Carborundum (SiC), Tungsten carbide, titanium carbide
<10 Rhenium diboride, Tantalum carbide, titanium diboride, Boron [12][13]
10 Diamond

[logoman]

Could graphite powder be useful in conjunction with teflon tape to pack glands?

[gondolier88]

Yes it could- but surely it would be easier to just buy Graphite gland packing?

Greg

[oldiron]

  I've  used the graphite oil mix for some time on the piston rods on a triple in a 96 foot yacht i used to engineer. Worked very well.

John

[logoman]

I have some graphite string, it's really messy and awkward to pack on such in such very very small glands, whereas the rolled teflon tape is easy to use- i can wind a few turns round the rod, and then push it along the rod into the gland.
The glands were packed with graphite string - a bit finer that the stuff I have, but they leaked a lot.

[yogojr]

Nick,

Glad to see the post. Was worried you might have taken a break from steam. Changing subjects, how was the SF regatta back in August? Good turn out? Dave's Bully Boy didn't cause too much trouble did he in the pond did he? Nasty little guy that Bully Boy.

Tom

[Misty]

I have a Borkum which use to be a Cheddar Factory boat, it is fitted with a Pelican V twin and Gas Control Valve on what I assume to be a Puffin MkII verical boiler.
I can usually get up to an hour of running before the gas tank (Cheddar) runs out. I do find that I have to empty the Oil Separator after about 30 mins or so.

My question is:- would i gat a better performance from the lubricator if I added graphite to the Steam Oil, or should I fit a bigger lubricator??

[boatmadman]

When running a new engine in on air, every so often I stop the engine and put a few drops of oil in the airway.

I was wondering if adding a little graphite into the oil would be beneficial?

Thoughts anyone?

Ian

[gondolier88]

Ian,

It's a good idea- however it should really be done at working temperature to get the correct clearances.

An easy way to do this would be to put a length of copper tube onto the engine and connect your air line to the other end- a good 250mm worth- then heat the pipe with a blowlamp as you put air into the engine- obviously this would just be a gentle heat, but you could get it upto working temp' quite easily.

Greg

[kiwimodeller]

Thanks for the tip Nick, the brew I made up of Graphite powder dissolved in steam oil definitely improved the sealing of the port faces of the oscillator. I got the engine running on steam and warm before I opened the valve on the lubricator. It took a while before the oil started showing in the exhaust and the lubricator valve needed to be opened a little more than usual. When the mixture started coming through the revs dropped off at first but soon picked up again and the amount of steam escaping out the sides of the port faces went from quite a lot to almost none in just a few minutes running. I will not run it all the time but will treat the engine again if I notice leaks starting. Cheers, Ian.

[mogogear]

I have some graphite string, it's really messy and awkward to pack on such in such very very small glands, whereas the rolled teflon tape is easy to use- i can wind a few turns round the rod, and then push it along the rod into the gland.
The glands were packed with graphite string - a bit finer that the stuff I have, but they leaked a lot.

Miles- could you unravel the sting to less threads so the winding into place was not so difficult? Every rope is really just lots of threads wound together. Some extra graphite powder could be added if the presence was too diminished

[logoman]

Miles- could you unravel the sting to less threads so the winding into place was not so difficult? Every rope is really just lots of threads wound together. Some extra graphite powder could be added if the presence was too diminished

the beauty of the PTFE compared to string is it's flexibility or lack of spring. I couldn't do this with cotton button thread!