May 2006: The previous weekend the smokebox braces were needle scaled and painted. I cleaned up the threads where they bolt onto the frame and slathered on some anti seize in preparation for riveting them in place. With the braces snugged down I center punched and drilled holes in the smokebox. The rivets were not on hand so we had to make them. First I cut some 7/8" bar stock with the chop saw to 7/8" X 4 3/8". For a 1 3/8" shaft with 1 1/2" X 2 to be formed into the two rivet heads.

This is the air tool used to form the rivet heads.

We heated 1 1/2" on the end of the bar stock. Then placed it in a jig and formed the rivet head with the air tool.

Handy forge loaded with three rivets.

This is the final result from the inside of the smokebox. After heating the rivets cherry hot. They are inserted into the holes and formed on the inside with the air tool. There were three of us holding the rivet in place with a bucking bar.

All finished.

Surveying the days work.

From inside the smoke box looking back at the front tubesheet. The 24 larger holes are for the superheater tubes.

View inside the firebox looking forward at the rear tubesheet.

The right side of the firebox. The numbered grid pattern is used to map out ultrasound points. Two sections of the firebox will have to be cut out and replaced. The boiler barrel has a thickness very close to original.

This is the cab. Sections of sheet metal below the cab were replaced.