Books by Alex Weiss

This book describes how to make two vertical and two horizontal copper boilers with a capacity of less than three-bar litres. All four boilers are heated with liquid petroleum gas (LPG) contained in small refillable or disposable tanks. With over 285 colour photographs and diagrams, it includes the tools and equipment required, together with important safety considerations; how to work the various materials to make the necessary parts; step-by-step instructions on the technique of silver solder; the testing regime; a review of various sizes and shapes of gas burners and how to connect them; instructions for building replacements for the well-known Verto boiler, a vertical boat boiler, a portable-engine boiler and a Cornish boiler with Galloway tubes. Finally, there is guidance on the efficient operation and essential maintenance of steam boilers and safety calculations and a list of useful contacts.

This book covers the materials needed to make ceramic burners and explains how to silver solder them. It discusses LPG and holding tanks, as well as connecting pipework and electronic and mechanical automatic gas-control systems to monitor the boiler pressure. In addition, there is advice on how to set up, install and operate each burner to provide optimum heating to the boiler. A summary of the Boiler Test Code Volume 3 that applies to home-made gas tanks is included, together with a list of useful suppliers with their contact details. This book provides all the information you need to build and operate: three burners, with one variant, for boilers with 42mm, 35mm and 28mm horizontal flues; two round burners for vertical boilers with fire boxes; two different sizes of rectangular burner, with one variant, for use in horizontal water-tube or pot boilers and finally, one small round and one tiny oblong burner for use in Mamod and Wilesco boilers. The burners described are straightforward to make and simple to use to heat the water in boilers that meet the 3 bar litre limit in the UK Boiler Test Code.

The book deals with electricity in the garage or home workshop and includes everything from fitting a 13 amp plug, fusing, equipment, lighting, fixtures, fittings and wiring for 240 volts mains electricity to wiring up a new workshop building.

This book describes the many and varied materials used by model engineers in their workshops such as ferrous and non-ferrous metals, hard and soft woods, plastics, abrasives, adhesives, bearing materials, ceramic and refractory materials, castings, electroplating solutions, fuels, gases, lubricants, pickles, polishing materials, sealants and solder