|
I know what you are saying, but its not the whole story. It was the time that the big custom threshing crews were on their out. Since money was tight, more farmers chose to, either on their own or in a small co-op, purchase a smaller machine and yes with a gas tractor because it was cheaper...rather than pay the custom man. A well taken care of boiler was designed to last 10-20 years of "normal' service. An engine that had reached the end of its life cycle was often replaced with a gas tractor because modern=good to many minds at that time. Also, as the depression was looming, and the custom man was losing money to those smaller rigs, the labor savings sounded REAL good to the threshing boss. In hobby use (once or twice a year) the life expectancy is greatly lengthened, not shortened...provided it recieved proper care. The biggest cause of erosion in hobby boilers is crud, stuff that isn't cleaned off, ashes not cleaned out, soot left in the smokebox, sediment in the boiler, etc. Since there is usually little hurry the fire is not "Pushed" with blower, etc, so temperature changes are MUCH more gradual, LESSENING thermal stress. BTW, I've been running engines for 25 years, learned from some of the old timers who ran then (traction AND rail) in "the old days", and from an insurance boiler inspector. I've got my ASME section IX weld certs and have BUILT small steel boilers. So I guess that makes me just another dumb yokel who doan know nuthin.
|
