Tubeplate plug

Hi! My tubeplate plug, the 3/8” BSP plug that I think is supposed to be a convenient way of filling the boiler has battered threads so it only goes half way in. What sort should I replace it with?

In other news by boiler and hornplates are now sitting upright awaiting to add the finished smokebox assembly!

Steam Traction World canl supply another as they are on the shelf item.

I use a hose with a caulking tube end on as an adaptor and use the blowdown valve to feed water in. Plugs only come out for inspection.

Thanks Lynn! I’ll email Will now!

I pull my front plug every few steamings add the water treatment via as a large syringe and to keep a smear of copperslip on it.

Similar to lynn I do all main filling via the blow down plug and I use a 12v caravan type pump to pump it in.

This is quite interesting for me. Which one is the blowdown plug? On my old 3” it was situated on the bottom of the boiler barrel. But that engine was built by scratch. I’ve just been to the workshop and the STW version doesn’t have it.

Dan wrote:This is quite interesting for me.  Which one is the blowdown plug? On my old 3” it was situated on the bottom of the boiler barrel. But that engine was built by scratch. I’ve just been to the workshop and the STW  version doesn’t have it.

Hi Dan
This sounds like the boiler on your 3" is a plain tube terminating in a dry firebox.
This being said the lowest part of the 3" boiler would be the bottom of the barrel and hence the point to blow away any accumulated sludge.
Your STW boiler however has an inner wall around the fire, that effectively puts a jacket of water all around the fire and hence the lowest point is the bottom right hand side of the firebox just above the foundation ring.
hope this helps.
Simon C

For the standard 4" Agri the blow down valve is at the lower front right hand side of the fire box/boiler as shown on the below with a red ring round it.
For info this isnt my engine just a hand pic stolen from the STW site

Simon C and Livesteam... thanks for the info. I can now see the difference between my old engine and the STW version. I’m impressed with the STW model, closer to the original?
More progress... the smokebox and perch bracket assembly now fitted. Just cleaning up the front axle now. I prepped and painted these bits years ago now! So lots of cleaning of clean metal where the axle and wheels go together. Steering chains are now blackened with the Frost kit. Axle pin and chain affixing pins getting a bit of paint on their ends tomorrow before complete assembly this weekend. One thing I haven’t done is lined the front wheels which were completed and painted also at the start of the build,