Poker burner modification

[Screwy Nick]

Have mesh left over from when I used to make Radiant Burners, IMHO great.  First thing I noticed was Aristo put a piece of screen 2" from the end, my thought was to limit the heat to the end to reduce the amount of smoke box melt downs and more evenly distribute the fuel.  Here is the results. 

1: screen within the burner

2: plain poker burner

3: wrapped in larger mesh

4: wrapped in finer mesh.

Either will reduce the sound of the burner, nice additional feature.  LiG 

[Sean]

Thanks I was feeling a little cold.. 

[Dash 8]

I have no idea about it, but I see the difference, I hope you were successful with it.

Greets

Jan

[Screwy Nick]

Jan, the hottest part of a gas flame is the tip of the blue.  The cuts in the poker burner each only have 1 blue area.  The mesh breaks up the gas and as you can see many blue tips in each cut of the burner. The gas flow can be cut down almost 35% and produce the same amount of heat. Models that are designed to run out of gas before water this is no longer the case, have to keep a watchful eye on the stack.  

[Dash 8]

Yes I think I understood that, it's like a battery of small welding torches....interesting

Thank you

Greets

Jan

[Screwy Nick]

You said it better than I with less words, thank you.  

[Dash 8]

No no, don't put your light under a bushel they say here, it's always a pleasure when you set something here, the way you solve things is very effective and everyone can learn something. Only there are few people who do the work to write here. So, now you have to explain to me why the thing is called poker...???

Regards

Jan

[Screwy Nick]

Jan, I believe it is called a 'poker' burner from the shape, same as the fire place tool.  There are other burner types:  Ceramic which puts out a flame like the screens on the poker, they can be either round or square and put out a lot of heat.  The another one is 'wick' type that burns meth (alcohol) and of course coal fired.  Last two I have no personal experience with.  The last two take the most talent to operate properly and understand put out more heat than the plain poker burner.  Hope that helps, if others have more info please add to this, thank you.  

[Dash 8]

Nick, no stress please because of me, I just want to know everything exactly, your explanation is enough for me, thank you.

Regards

Jan

[Chuck]

Blue flames...

[Screwy Nick]

Here's Mike pulling a string of USAT Smooth Side cars.  They are very heavy, have BB installed in the side frames.  Started all by itself (Aster can't say that about their latest Mike) and with no wheel slippage. It maintained 20 lbs pressure while pulling them, but did use a lot of fuel.  Pulling just 3 was a breeze. 

 

[Chuck]

Very good! Love those big beautiful USA passenger cars!

[Screwy Nick]

Mike sure has a lot of draw bar pull.  Considering not only the weight, but through almost constant curve and turnouts, it surprises me how well it runs.  Still need to get better grip on fueling.  Oh Well, there's always today to practice some more!

[Sean]

 

[Stoker]

How do you keep the screen so tight and evenly wrapped on the outside of the burner?

 

Would it work at all to have the screen coiled inside the burner?

[Screwy Nick]

Stoker, never tried the screen inside the poker, but think by time flame reached the surface would be just one line blue flame again, instead of as many blue points as possible.    Screen held In place by pulling one wire from side of the screen and using that around the screen & poker then just twisted.