Spark Arrestor

This forum is dedicated to the Live Steam Hobbyist Community.

Moderators: cbrew, Harold_V

Post Reply
User avatar
Solar1953
Posts: 43
Joined: Fri Jun 22, 2012 2:35 pm
Location: Arlington, TX

Spark Arrestor

Post by Solar1953 »

Does anyone know of either a kit to build, or a ready made Spark Arrestor available that would fit an Allen Stack?
User avatar
NP317
Posts: 4557
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: Spark Arrestor

Post by NP317 »

Are you seeking a prototypical arrestor or just functional?
RussN
southwestern737
Posts: 168
Joined: Sun Nov 12, 2006 8:45 am
Location: Magnolia, TX

Re: Spark Arrestor

Post by southwestern737 »

There is a desk top pencil cup at office depot that is made of expanded steel or aluminum that fits pretty well. Cheap.
KarlKobel
Posts: 161
Joined: Sun Mar 31, 2013 9:53 pm

Re: Spark Arrestor

Post by KarlKobel »

My first Live Steam project, some 25 (really?) years ago.

No drawings, but should be easy to replicate.

Karl
Attachments
P6140001.JPG
P6140003.JPG
User avatar
Builder01
Posts: 726
Joined: Mon May 18, 2015 5:26 am
Location: Erie, PA

Re: Spark Arrestor

Post by Builder01 »

Hey Karl, that looks like a nice one!

I think the problem with the "pencil cup" arrestor, is that the sparks, at least on my loco, are smaller than the holes in the screen. If you don't need to ever clean the screen, it is probably not doing the job.

I made one for my 1" scale loco that looks a bit like Karl's. Sorry, no drawings for mine either. I think the screen is 9 to the inch stainless steel.
P_20200310_180143.jpg
P_20200310_180221.jpg
Glenn Brooks
Posts: 2930
Joined: Mon Nov 10, 2014 1:39 pm
Location: Woodinville, Washington

Re: Spark Arrestor

Post by Glenn Brooks »

Hi Solar1953,

I looked around for spark arrestor material a year ago or so. Found that bronze hardware cloth works real well. It comes in several sized mesh, but is significantly finer mesh than 1/8”. Our local DIY hardware store carried it in rolls, cut what you need. It is small enuf that it really clogs up with coal smoke.

Quite using it after the FD battalion chief advised they aren’t worried about air born sparks nearly as much as ground fires. The real fire threat is embers dropping down between the grates and catching debris on the track bed on fire. So now I spend extra time cleaning the ROW of any flammable material.

Glenn
Moderator - Grand Scale Forum

Motive power : 1902 A.S.Campbell 4-4-0 American - 12 5/8" gauge, 1955 Ottaway 4-4-0 American 12" gauge

Ahaha, Retirement: the good life - drifting endlessly on a Sea of projects....
Post Reply