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KiteSquid · Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 7:28 pm Post subject:

Dave, the way I understand steam, it is the cooler sides of the vessel that the steam condensates on that causes the drips... just like the water that condenses on the outside of your cold can of beverage on a warm and humid day......

If I insulate it good enough, I should not have a problem.

BUT, I do have a condensate dispersal device in my vertical steamer and in my pot I did not care as I was setting tie dye and non uniform dyes is really what I want....

I will build in a deflector in the cabinet (that is one reason for the 70" inside height)

Also, I will call my Dad later tonight as he was a fireman on a steam drive locomotive (the 4004, one of the "Big Boy's) and has a BS in Mechanical Engineering, and he may have some words of wisdom for me.
_________________
VR/
KiteSquid
AKA TakoIka
AKA Harold
King George VA

P.S. Yet another post by the Squid..... Shocked

Doesent he ever shut up???

P.P.S. The wind is like the air, only pushier.

dpb · Posted: Thu Feb 03, 2005 10:38 pm Post subject:

All true, and further, heat rises and so should be greatest heat should be at the top. And yet Diane was still seeing condensation drips which could only come from the lid of the pot (only from the top, not the bottom), and showed me condensation drips in the tin foil she put in (she puts in 1 inch of newsprint between the silk and the boiling water and suspend the silk above that, so we know it is not splash from the boiling water). So perhaps in this case the deciding factor was heat loss through the lid to cold room surrounding. If that is the case, then you are correct that insulation would solve that problem.

Dave
_________________
Cherry Blossoms fall like rain,
A lively kite steals the sky,
Paradise in a moment.

KiteSquid · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2005 9:43 am Post subject:

I talked to my dad for quite some time last night.

He agreed with me that insulation is key to not getting condisation.

We also talked about a steming cabintet, and the best solution on the cheep side we could come up with is finding a broken Freezer and using it...

Cut a hole in the side to pipe steam in....

It is insulated, probally free and if you find a good one it will be Stainless Steel on the inside, but most likely plastic.

I came up with the idea after thinking of how do people make large quantites of jerky at home????

Also how about 2 55 gal drums on top of eachother... with steam piped in from a pot off to the side.

Or some Galvanized duct work as a steam cabinet...

or one made from some blue/pink 2" thick extruded foam insulation...

But I would prefer to build it out of found materials..... time for some dumpster diving!!!!!!!
_________________
VR/
KiteSquid
AKA TakoIka
AKA Harold
King George VA

P.S. Yet another post by the Squid..... Shocked

Doesent he ever shut up???

P.P.S. The wind is like the air, only pushier.

dpb · Posted: Fri Feb 04, 2005 2:45 pm Post subject:

You probably need it just above 212 deg. At 212 there is a possibily of condensation inside. Diane's pots do have a condensation problem so she puts a layer of tin foil over the steam rolls to keep condensation from the lid, away from the silk (or other fabric). Any condensation which hits the unset dyes (especially at those temps) will cause the dye to run.

So your container walls must maintain a temp higher than 212 deg to prevent condensation, or you must have condensations traps (or both).

Dave
_________________
Cherry Blossoms fall like rain,
A lively kite steals the sky,
Paradise in a moment.