chimney cap and base ring

Hi everyone,

Just putting my chimney together and was wondering what others are doing about the gaps between chimney base ring /chimney cap and the chimney itself?

Was thinking of a bit of jb weld , that would also make sure the cap never slips down.

I am a bit concerned just to leave it to the taper alone to keep it in place.

any thoughts appreciated

thanks
Kev

To be honest I dont even notice any gaps top or bottom of the chimney on my first engine so I wouldn't worry about filling it. It gets so hot it might not stand up to the heat any way and it also gets muck on it after a few steams. For the top I have used 4 3/32 copper rivets at 90 deg spacing to keep the cap in place. Can take a pic if you wish, did the same on the first engine.

Trust me unless you're like the guy in last months Old Glory ( who I have met and is a very nice bloke) you wont be able to keep it spotless once you get going with it, besides if its too clean it just doesnt look right, even Tims engine is very tidy but still has a "worked " look to it which it should have.

On the ones I've done I've always bedded the base ring and the copper top in araldite around the chimney. I then use Araldite it to fill any gaps where the steel overlaps. I've never had any of it come loose or burn away. I don't clean the inside of the chimney too often (you have to keep it clear around the blast nozzle & blower) so the layer of oily sooty sludge acts as a pretty good insulator (probably!). When it gets about 6mm thick I use a angled piece of waste pipe to peel off the sludge from th etop down, works a treat. Bye the way if you ever want to black yourself up for some reason then the gunge from your chimney is perfect! but a bu**er to get off.

Thanks for the replies,

I used araldite on the chimney on my 3" Burrell it does seem to have coped with the heat so far.

I cant see jb weld any less good than araldite, i think it may be even better so I will go down that route I think.

Im not aiming to keep the engine spotless its going to be a working engine not a museum showpiece.

I know from my little Burrell using them and keeping them spotless is almost impossible.

Thanks

Kev