build a steam radiator

davis4459

I've got a 104K boiler but the old cast iron radiators are gone;  I looked at the Steamview narrow profile radiators from <a href="http://steamradiators.com/">http://steamradiators.com/</a> but they're are expensive. (big ones are $1000 each).



I can sweat a copper joint; should I consider building my own narrow profile, two pipe steam radiators?

nicholas bonham-carter

making radiators

one reason steam radiators are so heavy is because they have a lot of thermal mass. the steam can heat them up once an hour, and then they can give off the heat slowly until the boiler fires again. your home-maid rads will not have that sort of thermal mass, and may not perform well.

this could be one of those situations where it would pay to use heating pex pipe and new less expensive hot water radiators, using the old boiler, with the new piping.--nbc

http://www.pexsupply.com/radiators

Jamie Hall

Not sure I'd do it in copper...

although one could; it would be an interesting exercise.  On the other hand one can (I have) obtain steel pipe with fins already on it (maybe you can do the same with copper).  Cut lengths of that, thread up the ends, a few nipples, a few elbows, and a valve and a trap scavenged from a terminally cracked old radiator and there you are.

JeffGuy

craigslist

Do a search on craigslist for steam radiator. Depending on what part of the country you're in, you will probably see a lot of them. There isn't much demand and they are often just picked up for free as scrap metal, so the prices are low. In my experience, you can find just about any style and size if you're patient and willing to keep checking for a few weeks.

LarryC

Try your local scrap yards.

Try you local scrapyards.  Around here in New England, cast iron is going around $1 / 100 pounds.  As mentioned by JeffGuy, craigs list, free cycle, etc. are also good sources for old iron radiators.



If you are into the steampunk look, plain old steel pipe in a horizontal or vertical ladder pattern would also work.