Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums  

Go Back   Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums Parker Forums Parker Paper, Memorabilia and Books

Notices

Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
Unread 10-20-2011, 01:14 PM   #21
Member
Richard Flanders
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Richard Flanders's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 4,517
Thanks: 8,480
Thanked 5,538 Times in 1,717 Posts

Default

Interestingly, last year the mine owner applied for and was actually, MUCH to his surprise, granted an "Obamamoney" grant/loan to get this hydro power system going again, with the idea of selling power to nearby villages. When the powers that be found out that he was a private enterprise they rescinded the loan. What a surprise, eh?
Richard Flanders is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10-20-2011, 02:08 PM   #22
Member
edgarspencer
PGCA Member
 
edgarspencer's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 6,055
Thanks: 2,905
Thanked 11,391 Times in 3,073 Posts

Default

You have a great archive of pictures Richard. The last picture you posted in post #21 is clearly a Francis wheel (also called a runner). A true Pelton, also known as an impulse wheel, has "buckets" that sort of look like cattle watering troughs mounted to a disc, or hub, facing outward. A single nozzle directs the water in a jet-like stream against these buckets.
After looking at the boiler pics again, it appears I was to haste in my assessment that the furnace was cut off. I'm a little surprised they were planning on firing it with slid fuel, with so little tree growth that far North. I would have assumed, probably incorrectly, that oil, even crude, was more plentiful or economical. As a geologist, you'd be the expert there.
You didn't say, but what kind of game would you shoot in that terrain shown in the pics of the steam engine? Ptarmigan and hares? Is that wild blueberry?
Blame Obama, or one of his revolving door czars for the lack of foresight in lending funding for returning old power plant to good use. They would rather put the lives of the native villages dependent on the regular supply of fossil fuels. The cumulative MW amount of plants once considered economically not viable in New England alone far exceeds the output of any single nuclear plant. Once back on-line, the maintenance of the rotating machinery isn't much different than any other power plant.
Back to Parker Steam engines for a moment; did you know Colt also made steam engines? Old Sam bought the patents from Baxter and continued to use his name in the manufacture of pretty little engine-boiler packages. I think it was Baxter who also invented the first practical adjustable wrench.
edgarspencer is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10-20-2011, 02:47 PM   #23
Member
Richard Flanders
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Richard Flanders's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 4,517
Thanks: 8,480
Thanked 5,538 Times in 1,717 Posts

Default

Oil was not much used at small remote mines like that one back then. This one never really went into production. They found enough local trees to build a mill bldg so I guess they could find enough to power that boiler, at least to run a sawmill and planer. All the old boilers in Alaska were fueled by wood or coal; usually wood. There's also about 80 drums of old heavy fuel oil dating from 1937 laying in the tundra on the other side of the mountain that are slowly leaking into the watershed. Same story; they Cat got stuck in soft ground and they just dumped the bbls short of the mine. I told the state; they weren't even remotely interested in cleaning it up. I had a plan to do so and got company/client approval but time ran out and it never happened. That's a far more depressing set of pictures in my archive. I managed to sling a few drums out and brought one full drum home; the fuel is in perfect condition and set me up with firestarter for life...

The hunting out there includes moose and caribou. Caribou stream by our drills out there all summer. There are also ptarmigan and lots of blueberries.

Didn't know Colt made boilers. I guess if Singer can make Colts, Colt can make boilers!
Richard Flanders is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10-20-2011, 10:12 PM   #24
Member
charlie cleveland
PGCA Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 12,986
Thanks: 0
Thanked 7,787 Times in 3,967 Posts

Default

intersting topics...i too like the old engines of yester year...thanks for the photos.... charlie
charlie cleveland is offline   Reply With Quote
Interesting- the cut-up pieces of rail in the grate
Unread 10-20-2011, 10:42 PM   #25
Member
Old and Reliable
PGCA Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 1,246
Thanks: 1,674
Thanked 363 Times in 239 Posts

Default Interesting- the cut-up pieces of rail in the grate

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Flanders View Post
I'm at an obvious disadvantage and obviously have no clue of the difference between a Pelton wheel and others or that there are even others. If I remember correctly, which I may not be, that large fabricated housing has a cast wheel with cups inside that is the same as I've seen in cast housings elsewhere. I've always just called the all Pelton wheels. The drum behind the governor in the top picture has a different type of wheel inside. Very simple set of horizonal steel blades mounted on an axle.

I just looked up a Francis on Wiki: looks like that is what is in that large housing. Can't remember seeing that type when I looked inside but it's been a couple of years. That was originally driven by the wooden flume before it was switched to the inside unit. I'll dig up pics of the powerhouse turbine drum and inside wheel. I have some. The pic of the inside is looking through the turbine wheel assembly and up the flume and doesn't show the wheel well. I think that the blades may have been removed? Can't remember. Here we go: found a pic of the inside of the Francis turbine that my assistant took this past summer.

Re the boiler: I'm not seeing the jagged edges. Not sure what you consider the furnace section but the square opening in the top picture is where the wood/coal fuel went in and was burned. That chamber has a heavy grate in the bottom. For some reason it's stuffed full of short pieces of heavy railroad rail, perhaps intended as spare furnace section grating? It's much heavier than anything that would normally be used at a mine.
-- and even more telling is the (empty?) cardboard case of Seagram's 7 Crown atop the boiler- if the crew used that while tending the boiler- well, a beer and a shot is a "boiler-maker"- at least at Sully's just off Canal St.
Francis Morin is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10-20-2011, 10:47 PM   #26
Member
edgarspencer
PGCA Member
 
edgarspencer's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 6,055
Thanks: 2,905
Thanked 11,391 Times in 3,073 Posts

Default

It was, and still is amongst us that fire these monsters, common practice to use rail track for firebox grates because of the high manganese content.
edgarspencer is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10-20-2011, 11:30 PM   #27
Member
Richard Flanders
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Richard Flanders's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 4,517
Thanks: 8,480
Thanked 5,538 Times in 1,717 Posts

Default

What type of turbine would you call the one inside the hydro house - the green fabricated drum behind the Woodward?? It dates from the early to mid 80's I think. Not totally sure though, but it's the most recent turbine used at the mine.

"You have a great archive of pictures Richard" - You can't imagine what all I have in that department. Tens of thousands. Gotta love digital cameras with their free electrons + 10,000 Kodachrome slides before that. Anything of Alaska historical interest will eventually end up in the archive at the university here in Fairbanks.
Richard Flanders is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10-21-2011, 07:43 AM   #28
Member
ch
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
calvin humburg's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 1,816
Thanks: 1,654
Thanked 640 Times in 351 Posts

Default

Yes there neet talked to a guy with a case steam engine at a fair wish i could be around when one was tore a part and put back together so i could figure out how they work. He said they get power out of the steam twice.

Richard could you burn the rest of the fuel or would you start a fire?
calvin humburg is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10-21-2011, 09:14 AM   #29
Member
edgarspencer
PGCA Member
 
edgarspencer's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 6,055
Thanks: 2,905
Thanked 11,391 Times in 3,073 Posts

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Richard Flanders View Post
What type of turbine would you call the one inside the hydro house
Francis type. Most likely S Morgan Smith, York, PA. Later made by Allis Chalmers, who bought Smith.
edgarspencer is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 10-21-2011, 10:30 AM   #30
Member
Bruce Day
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Bruce Day's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 4,993
Thanks: 552
Thanked 15,605 Times in 2,666 Posts

Default

Wow. Thanks for the photos and discussion. This is an unknown subject for me and fascinating. I never cease to be amazed at the talent and knowledge of so many of our Parker people.
Bruce Day is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Bruce Day For Your Post:
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 03:24 PM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 1998 - 2023, Parkerguns.org
Copyright © 2004 Design par Megatekno
- 2008 style update 3.7 avec l'autorisation de son auteur par Stradfred.