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Red hot lead


Jaja

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While ordering some parts for a burner, I noticed some black steel fittings have a "max temperature". Typically around the 350 F range. I also noticed some are labelled "lead free". Does this temperature matter when you're burning gases at such high temperatures? I doubt the steel will melt...but maybe some noxious fumes might be produced and I want to avoid that early in my smithing-life while my lungs and brain still work :) 

Suggestions?

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Good question. You might want to look into the specific purpose of those fittings. If they were say hydraulic or steam fittings expansion above 350 f might cause enough expansion to cause leaks. That is JUST A GUESS.

Hydraulics can get funny and doing the intuitively right thing can cause major problems. For example out soils sampling drill rigs typically had between 1/2 mile and a bit over 1 mile of hydraulic lines and hundreds of fittings, valves, components and such. Starting one of the at below zero temperatures f. every fitting would drip fluid and it was standard practice to tell new guys to NEVER tighten a fitting on a cold drill. The drills all had recirculation circuits over restricting fittings to warm the oil, the oil would stop squealing when it started warming up.

Well, some new chums are smarter than the old guys and one of them tightened every fitting before starting the drill, slipped out early so he wouldn't get yelled at. Unfortunately the high pressure sides of the circuits are stronger fittings to they started splitting fittings and components under pressure just not full pump pressure. Even after shutting the rig down the expanding male fittings continued to split the female connections. The heavy duty shop almost demanded the new chum be given an office job. He never got promoted to driller, a helper he remained till he went back to being an electrician. He understood those rules.

Frosty The Lucky.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Quote

If they were say hydraulic or steam fittings expansion above 350 f might cause enough expansion to cause leaks. That is JUST A GUESS.

Quote

Are they painted/laquered?

If they are 150 lb-class fittings, it may be a steam temperature rating: saturated steam at 366 degF will have a pressure of 150 psig.

This part https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BO7FSA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (burner tube)

is rated 150lb and this part https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0058DIM04/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s03?ie=UTF8&psc=1 (exhaust tube) is not rated at all.

I am using an adapted version of a design MotoMike suggested (see attachment). So in truth, what's really going to be pressurized are the fittings up to the brass nipple (gas delivery tube). I'm still a newbie at this...so my main concern is the temperature these black steel fittings will reach causing degradation of the steel over time (thus releasing toxic particles). The brass fittings should not reach nearly as close to those temps hopefully.

 

burner.gif.beb35467777569bf61371b9f38155489.gif

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The only part of the burner that gets to high temps is the flare providing it is running properly AND when you shut off the forge you either remove the burner or block it off so it doesn’t act like a chimney for all the heat in the forge. 

The flare will slowly degrade over time.

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4 minutes ago, Frozenforge said:

The only part of the burner that gets to high temps is the flare providing it is running properly AND when you shut off the forge you either remove the burner or block it off so it doesn’t act like a chimney for all the heat in the forge. 

The flare will slowly degrade over time.

Thank you. I don't think the part I used for the flare has lead. So hopefully no toxic gasses.

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