Gold's Mattress Radiator Repair
I found an old Mattress Radiator to add to my personal museum of heating iron.
The problem is that it leaks. The casting appears to be applied to the plates which are crimped together with a rope gasket between the plates. The "clamshell" casting looks like it's seamed with some red lead type material. It's leaking where the casting joins the plates.
The problem is that the two stove bolts clamping the plates have unslotted heads and the back casting is threaded to receive them. We've considered grinding flats on the threaded end or slotting the threaded end to remove them. Then replace whatever gasket is in there with rubber and Permatex.
Are we just being stupid and shouldn't disassemble the thing? Maybe just clean out the joint and fill it? After all, the rust may have done a number on those bolts inside the clamp.
What do you think?
The thread that attached to the long-gone valve is an unknown configuration; maybe an old British thread. Anyway, that coupling had to be made.
Thanks for your suggestions.
Any thoughts on this? Thanks!
Comments
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Personally I'd avoid trying to disassembly a radiator of this age
Is this a small leak (few drips) or large (stream)?
Is this a cast iron boiler? if so I'd put Hercules Boiler Liquid in the system. I successfully used to Boiler Liquid to plug small "between section" drips in a large radiator and leaks in 2" pipe due to bunged up threads (don't ask).
Small leaks in system with MODCON boiler, FERNOX 62676 F4 Express Leak Sealer may be good choice.
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I've had some stuff I was sure would never come apart and yet it did. And I've had others that you'd think it'll be fine and it's a huge failure.
Whatever you do, I'd either grind slots into the screws or flats as you said but I'd want a way to use an impact on them, even a Dewalt/Milwaukee battery impact. That tends to bust stuff apart that would normally break or strip. Maybe hit the threaded ends sticking out with some Kroil after heating them a little and let it soak in for a few days as well.
I'd have an alternate plan set aside for sure though.
Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.
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Mig a hex bolt head onto the existing bolt?
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- I would cut/grind a slot to fit an impact bit soak in Kroil first and try that.
2. If that doesn't work grind the head clean and weld a nut on the end of the bolt head.
3. You also might put vise grips or an 8" pipe wrench on the threads and put some tork on that end along with the impact,
4. lastly, you could just grind the head down flush with a cut off wheel to get it apart.
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have you looked for nuts or clips on the back?
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i would try to thread a nut and a jam nut on the protruding thread and use that to unscrew it partially, assuming it is a standard thread.
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Would metal epoxy fill cavities where it’s leaking?
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Ed - so how’s it going with the leak?
you can’t keep us in the dark!😊
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find a nut w hole sized to weld onto existing bolt, either mig or stick weld. thru hole to bolt. peanut oil w an impact can do wonders.
Cant tell u how many bolts in power plant equipment we have removed this way.
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Slot the end of the bolt as a first attempt so you don't have to mar the head if it ends up unthreading easily. Penetrating oil and heat may help.
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Am I missing something? Those look to me like a carriage bolts of some sort. How else would they be secured and tightened with out a slot or facet to hold onto?
Miss Hall's School service mechanic, greenhouse teacher, dog walker and designated driver
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i assume they looked for nuts on the back but we still haven't seen the back
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I wouldn't slot it if the goal is to preserve history.
Flat slots also suck for transferring torque.
It's possible to replace that bolt with a threaded rivet.
I would probably start by grabbing the head with a set of ~new curved jaw vice grips and see if it will break loose. If not, just drill it out. Soooo much faster and poses minimal risk to fracturing the surrounding cast. Small pilot up the center, then up a few sizes to get as centered as possible. If it comes with vice grips along the way, great. But, breaking off an Easyout is worse than just creating up on it with a drill and retapping.
Getting crafty: get a rivet head, drill and bottom-tap it to accept a socket head cap screw. Then, an Allen wrench can be used on the far end, but the socket hidden from normal view.
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I would imagine the nuts were removed and lost at some point in an attempt to service the radiator.
I'd like to seen the reverse side.
Miss Hall's School service mechanic, greenhouse teacher, dog walker and designated driver
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Sorry to be missing for awhile. The "carriage-bolt-appearing-bolts" do have plain heads, yet they thread into the back casting. This is what stumped me: How were they installed? I assume the threaded end had a hex that was cut off after installing?
The casting is machined iron. The front has clean holes, the back one is threaded to accept the headless bolt.
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maybe the bolt was threaded in with the head hot and it was riveted over.
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So you got it apart?
Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.
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i think they are assuming the front isn't threaded
remember this is when everything was assembled with hot rivets heated in a brazier and shoved in place and set while hot so it wouldn't surprise me if there were hot rivets put in there and set or maybe even cold set rivets.
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I've never seen threaded rivets?
Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.
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those are from liek the 1890's, it was all made by the manufacturer most likely, it is like one step away from being hand made by a blacksmith.
studs that were screwed in and set makes more sense then something somehow gripping the head and screwing them in
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er, the 1850's
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Why not just mushroom both ends instead of all of the bother of threading?
Single pipe 392sqft system with an EG-40 rated for 325sqft and it's silent and balanced at all times.
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didn't occur to them? couldn't get the set to the back of it?
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I bet $2 it's a carriage bolt. The nuts have been removed and it's rust packed in the casting.
Miss Hall's School service mechanic, greenhouse teacher, dog walker and designated driver
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You giving odds?
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I'd say the odds are pretty high. I'd bet more but that's all I have.
Put a nut on the threads to protect them, soak the think in penetrating oil and give it a tappy tap from behind. See what happens.
Miss Hall's School service mechanic, greenhouse teacher, dog walker and designated driver
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”tappy tap” 😂
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i'd use a c clamp and a socket
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The screw slot was leaded in for finish ? They were slapping lead on everything back then :) That's a mystery how they tighten up that clamp …..
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I'll have a good look at the reverse of this. Perhaps there were nuts on it at one time as Grallert says and now it's just laying in rusty unthreaded holes… If there's any chance, I'll soak it, tappity tapp it and try pressing them out with Mattmia's C-clamp.
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we're on the edge of our seats
Miss Hall's School service mechanic, greenhouse teacher, dog walker and designated driver
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Haven't done anything with it yet.
I'm thinking that first I will try to remove the failed caulking and replace it with epoxy or red silicone.
If that doesn't work, I'll probably remove the bolts, soaking them with Kroil and grinding flats on the threaded ends to get them turning. They appear to be in good condition. If they don't turn or can possibly be some sort of carriage bolt, I'll grind the heads.
I will let you know.
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I would put it on back burner ,its in place now :)
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