ASHPAN, GRATE, AND DAMPER

HI GUYS,
WE STARTED TO PLAY WITH THE ASHPAN AND GRATE LATE YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. THE REPLACEMENT BOLTS FOR THE GRATE SUPPORTS NEED TO BE CUT DOWN BY AROUND 3mm, NO PROB. WE TOOK STEVE'S TIP ON PUTTING A NOTCH IN THE LOWER EDGE OF THE FIREBARS TO STOP THEM SLIDEING ABOUT WHEN FITTING OR REMOVING THE ASHPAN. WE SET THE THE FIREBARS UP IN THE MILL ALL TOGETHER AND MILLED TWO 7mm SLOTS (THE SUPPORTS ARE 6mm, SO ALLOWING FOR THE HEAT WE WENT TO 7mm), @110mm CENTRES, AND 2.5 mm DEEP. NOW THEY FIT REAL NICE, SO STEVE'S TIP IS WORTH DOING. OF COURSE THERE IS NO REASON WHY YOU SHOULD NOT FILE THE NOTCHS.

WHEN WE COME TO FIT THE ASHPAN LID/DAMPER WE FOUND IT LOCKED UP SOLID AND WOULD NOT 'HINGE'. WE NOTICED THAT IT WAS CLAMPED EITHER SIDE. SO WE REMOVED THE DAMPERAND MEASURED TOGAP BETWEEN THE FLANGES (THAT GO AGAINST THE FOUNDATION RING ON THE BOILER) AT THE REAR WE HAD 96.5mm, AND AT THE FRONT WE HAD 95.00mm, WE GENTLY EASED THE FRONT TO MATCH THE REAR, AND OUR 'CLAMPING' HAD GONE. WE FOUND THAT A LITLE FETTLING WAS REQUIRED ON ONE EDGE OF THE DAMPER FOR THE SHEET METAL JUST TO CLEAR AS IT PIVOTS.

THE NEXT PROB WAS ONE WE NOTICED EARLIER, IN THAT THAT BOTTOM EDGE OF THE ASHPAN WHERE THE DAMPER SITS ONTO STUCK OUT AROUND 3mm BEYOND THE BOTTOM OF THE SIDE SLOPES, MEANING THAT WHEN SHUT THE DAMPER WOULD STILL HAVE A LARGE GAP ON EITHER SIDE, MEANIN G THE FIRE COULD STILL 'DRAW UP'. WE MILLED THIS EXCESS OFF (COULD BE CUT AND FILED, NO PROB).

NEXT PROB, WAS THAT THE 8BA NUTSON THE BACK OF THE DAMPER THAT HOLD THE DAMPER LEVER/PIN TO THE DAMPER DOOR, JUST FAIL ON THE BOTTOM EDGE OF THE ASHPAN. WE C/S THE THREE HOLES ON THE BACK SIDE OF THE DAMPER, AND RIVETTED THE LEVER/PIN ON, THUS MAKING THE BACK OF THE DOOR FLUSH.

THE DAMPER ROD NEEDS THE HOLE AT THE BOTTOM OPENING OUT TO 3.1mm TO FIT THE PIN, AS THE HOLE IN IT IS ABOUT 2mm !!

HOPE ALL THAT HELPS OTHER BUILDERS IN SOME WAY.

REGARDS
BRUCE