Subject: Steam Engines: Wooden lag O-Rings?

From: [email-masked] (dsg)
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 1996 06:43:02 GMT

I got a catalog from a person who makes real nice plans for steam
engines, built entirely from bar stock. One uses piston/cylinders
>from  an auto. Need only 9" lathe or bigger.

A lot of his engines he says use wood lag. I assume that this for
the O-Rings. Could someone clarify?

I have heard of using leather for the piston seal, but wood is a new
one to me.

Will wooden O-Rings LAST?

Also, can someone comment on what amount the O-Rings
need to be lubricated?

How much oil gets into the exhaust steam. I don't suppose
the condesate is pottable.

Help appreciated.

dsg 

Steam Engines: Wooden lag O-Rings?

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From: "Douglas P. Terrell" <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 1996 11:53:21 -0500

dsg wrote:

> Steam Engines: Wooden lag O-Rings?

I've always heard the term "lagging" refer to the insulation around the
boiler or cylinders. This was rather common on very early engines and
some models today. I suspect this is what he was refering to. 

Inside the cylinder with the moisture and pressure, wood would become
softer and more pliable. Those are the comditions (steam) to soften wood
to be bent.

Doug Terrell

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From: [email-masked] (David William Jenkins)
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 1996 18:57:54 GMT

>the O-Rings. Could someone clarify?
<snip>

You haven't mis-heard or mis-understood?  If someone says wood,
lagging and steam engines in the same sentence then I would assume
that he/she was talking about the material strapped around the
outside of the cylinders to prevent unwanted cooling (steam
cylinders work better hot - no condensation).

David Jenkins              -- aka --             Lathyrus Computers Ltd
***********************************************************************
* All incorrect spelling and grammar is intentional.  Corrections are *
* superfluous and will be ignored.  So there.                         *

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From: frank <[email-masked]>
Date: 26 Jul 1996 20:31:03 GMT

And once again r.c.m seems to have solved another mystery.
Whence the term "lag bolt"?  Must be from the special bolts
used to hold wood to the outside of steam boilers.  These bolts
are no longer special, and almost everybody forgot about
what lag was.  

Am I right?  Lag was forgotten fifty years before I was born.

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From: horny man <[email-masked]>
Date: Fri, 26 Jul 1996 17:59:32 -0400

dsg wrote:
> Steam Engines: Wooden lag O-Rings?He probably means the outside cover on the engine is wood. "LAGGING" is 
the cover and insulation on a boiler and on some steam engines. I 
wouldn't thonk wood o'rings would last long if you could get them to 
seat.

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From: [email-masked] (Edward Haas)
Date: 26 Jul 1996 21:20:32 -0700

--Lagging refers to an outside covering to the cylinder castings. 
It has several functions: 
	--It is decorative, i.e. it is usually composed of 
numerous strips of vertically-arrayed strips of a good wood, held in 
place with brightly polished brass banding and it 
	--It will (somewhat) protect the operator from a nasty burn if he 
bumps into the hot engine
	--it will hold heat in the engine better, particularly if a layer 
of insulation is placed between the bare iron and the wood lagging 
itself, thus (slightly) improving the performance of the engine.
	OBTW, it is also a royal pain to keep clean and some thought 
should be given about the best way to finish the wood before it is 
installed.  
-- 
	"Steamboat Ed" Haas	:	Time flies like an arrow 	
	COMING SOON		:	Fruit flies like a banana...
	http://www.west.net/~steamer  	
		---Decks a-wash in a sea of words---

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From: Charles Lamont <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 28 Jul 1996 00:57:42 +0100

1) Sorry Ed, you have it wrong this time.  It is the insulation layer,
whatever it is composed of, that is called lagging, not the covering
over it. 

2) So far as I know, which is not far, 'lag' is, in this context, only a
verb.  You lag something with lagging.  I do not see that there is
necessarily any connection with lag bolts (whatever they are).

3) Now we have dealt with the lagging, what O-rings were you asking
about, exactly? 
-- 
Charles

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From: [email-masked] (Edward Haas)
Date: 28 Jul 1996 21:51:07 -0700

Charles Lamont ([email-masked]) wrote:
: 1) Sorry Ed, you have it wrong this time.  It is the insulation layer,
: whatever it is composed of, that is called lagging, not the covering
: over it. 
	*Sigh*! The truth is out: I'm an amateur! ;-)
-- 
	"Steamboat Ed" Haas	:	...Looking forward to: 	
	COMING SOON		:	the Great Delta Steamboat Meet!!
	http://www.west.net/~steamer  	
		---Decks a-wash in a sea of words---