Disection and Repair of a Axeman-Anderson 260M

U235a4 · Post by **U235a4** » Sun. Oct. 05, 2008 11:28 pm

Well during spring clearing a few problems were found on the 1958 AA260m, one it had a lot of flyash built up in the swirl chamber and fan area also the fan hub was cracked and one bolt was holding the fan to the hub. The major problem which I can't seem find the picture of at the moment is the front lip erosion of the burn pot and two little cracks into the boiler jacket. I took the boiler to AA back in july and had the lip repaired and while it was there had the new style coil mount installed even though I didn't have problems I'm hoping for 50 more years out of it. I'll be adding picture to this as the I get things done and the boiler reinstalled in it's home.

This is the boiler before the spring tear down.
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Here a groove that has worn into the fan area from flyash after 50 years of service.
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Take note on this piece from the swirl chamber flyash was about 6-7" deep at the top.
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The Fan with the cracked hub and missing bolts, this unit was replaced with a new one.
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Here is some of the flyash build up also take note to the black film that was about 1/16th thick on the surface.
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This was the fan area looks like after a sand blasting the junk off.
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Here is the flyash buildup in the center tube.
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Center tube after blasting
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Flyash buildup on the swirl chamber walls
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Swirl chamber cleaned up
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New style IN162 coil
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Outside before paint
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New coil flange mount
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LsFarm · Post by **LsFarm** » Sun. Oct. 05, 2008 11:33 pm

HI Zach, how did you pickup and move the boiler?? Lots of muscle? or a good lift with wheels??

the repairs look great,, you gonna take a few of the repaired firpot lip?

Greg L

billw · Post by **billw** » Mon. Oct. 06, 2008 7:08 am

That thing is huge. It's the first time I ever saw a pic of a 260. What are you heating with it? It looks like it could heat a neighborhood.

Adamiscold · Post by **Adamiscold** » Mon. Oct. 06, 2008 7:42 am

She sure does look pretty

Yanche · Post by **Yanche** » Mon. Oct. 06, 2008 10:44 am

Nice photos. When ASME coded boilers are repaired, at least commercial boilers, an new ASME H stamp is issued. It likely makes no difference to you but was the re-stamping of the boiler at all discussed? Just curious.

Post by **coaledsweat** » Mon. Oct. 06, 2008 11:20 am

Since Axeman did the repair, I believe it needs no reissue. Whomever performs the repairs must be an H stamp holder or the repair can not be approved as it is the repairer, not the repair that is approved in these situations. This only applies to the pressure vessel itself, repairs to other portions of the unit have no bearing on ASME approval IIRC.

billw wrote:That thing is huge. It's the first time I ever saw a pic of a 260. What are you heating with it? It looks like it could heat a neighborhood.

They look big in pictures for some reason, I was surprised at how small my 260M was, I first figured it to be a 130M.

Freddy · Post by **Freddy** » Mon. Oct. 06, 2008 1:04 pm

Thanks for sharing the pics. Quite the project to mount a new coil frame. Good going!

U235a4 · Post by **U235a4** » Mon. Oct. 06, 2008 9:43 pm

added a few pictures more to follow!

ceccil · Post by **ceccil** » Tue. Oct. 07, 2008 1:28 am

I've never actually seen one of these AA's but I tell ya what, they seem to be a work of art. Compared to a stoker stove they are a true piece of machinery.

Jeff

Yanche · Post by **Yanche** » Tue. Oct. 07, 2008 10:53 am

coaledsweat wrote:Since Axeman did the repair, I believe it needs no reissue. Whomever performs the repairs must be an H stamp holder or the repair can not be approved as it is the repairer, not the repair that is approved in these situations. This only applies to the pressure vessel itself, repairs to other portions of the unit have no bearing on ASME approval IIRC.

Thanks for the information. I'm unclear on this whole H stamp process. Do I understand it that it's the individual welder that holds the "H" certification and his resultant repair work then meets the pre-existing ASME boiler vessel certification. Right?

U235a4 · Post by **U235a4** » Tue. Oct. 07, 2008 11:32 am

Yanche, They didn't add any stamps to the boiler nor did Pete say anything about a H-stamp but I do know he has one guy doing the repairs to boiler come in and this could be why.

Post by **coaledsweat** » Tue. Oct. 07, 2008 1:23 pm

Yanche wrote:Thanks for the information. I'm unclear on this whole H stamp process. Do I understand it that it's the individual welder that holds the "H" certification and his resultant repair work then meets the pre-existing ASME boiler vessel certification. Right?

Correct, to hold an H stamp, the individual himself must be certified to perform pressure vessel repairs. The boiler's material and construction practices hasn't changed, just the point of repair. In most cases, this is simply cleaning and preping a crack and properly welding it. Sometimes it can be a massive undertaking, such as changing a tube sheet at the boilers end.

U235a4 · Post by **U235a4** » Mon. Oct. 13, 2008 8:34 pm

Well for the second installment of pictures of past and future I have the added the following:

This picture was taken the night we got the boiler and base back in the basement and my back healed enough to take a picture or two

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almost done:
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Here is the repair work done on the front lip of the burn pot, ( if I can find the before shot I'll add that yet)
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I welded a new ashing cam and feed tube gear on.
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Installed a new cork transfer head gasket
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Installed a new feed collar bearing because you'll see in the picture the old one was worn thin.

old:
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New:
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Had Axeman-Anderson install a new style domestic hot water coil mount.

old:
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new:
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LoschStoker · Post by **LoschStoker** » Wed. Oct. 15, 2008 8:13 am

AA got the coil flange build out idea from Orbie Pepley of Shippensburg,PA.
He's been doing it that way for 30 years.

Yanche · Post by **Yanche** » Wed. Oct. 15, 2008 8:27 am

And any junior in a "B" grade mechanical engineering school can design a better gasket system than squeezing a piece of rubber between two flat plates!