Steam Boilers

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CuttingEdge
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Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2014 5:13 pm
Location: Maine

Steam Boilers

Post by CuttingEdge » Wed Jan 29, 2020 2:14 pm

I just got the word that I got accepted into the High Pressure Steam Boiler school.

As many of you know, I can no longer farm because the work was too much for my illness (cancer) so I have been working with the USDA in a program that gets disabled farmers working in the private sector. My Medical Team wanted me to take disability, but I am only 45 years old and have always been a workaholic so I had no interest in that. I figured there had to be something I could do.

I like boiler work as I have put in my own radiant floor heating system, boiler, and then back-up boiler with tri-generation. That is kind of nice because I can heat my house via:

Propane
Firewood
Coal
Diesel Fuel
Electric

With wood pellets as a back up, to the back up heaters.

I live in Maine so I like having multiple-heating options.

So I am pretty excited. I have welded some boiler tubes in my early days of welding, but I think operating the boilers will be a better match for me with my illness.
I have no intention of traveling to my grave in a well manicured body; instead I am going to slide into heaven with a big power turn, totally wore out with busted knuckles, jump off my dozer loudly yelling, Woo Hoo, another Shepard has just arrived!

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CuttingEdge
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Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2014 5:13 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Steam Boilers

Post by CuttingEdge » Wed Jan 29, 2020 2:43 pm

And for what it is worth, this does relate to bulldozers, just not MODERN bulldozers. (LOL)

At a Maine Logging Museum they had a working Steam Lombard Log hauler, and their philosophy was; "Mainer's paid to have it fixed up to running order, so why not allow people to ride and even drive it. He asked me if I wanted to steer the thing, so I said sure. It is not very often you get to steer a steam driven bulldozer.

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I have no intention of traveling to my grave in a well manicured body; instead I am going to slide into heaven with a big power turn, totally wore out with busted knuckles, jump off my dozer loudly yelling, Woo Hoo, another Shepard has just arrived!

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77 Ford
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Re: Steam Boilers

Post by 77 Ford » Thu Jan 30, 2020 7:32 am

I've always wanted to have something steam powered, it seems like a very interesting power source.
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yellowcrawler
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Re: Steam Boilers

Post by yellowcrawler » Thu Jan 30, 2020 4:05 pm

Having worked in the power industry and around Steam Units for many years, it is a very powerful source. It can be very dangerous also, surprisingly at lower pressures!
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CuttingEdge
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Posts: 534
Joined: Wed Sep 03, 2014 5:13 pm
Location: Maine

Re: Steam Boilers

Post by CuttingEdge » Fri Jan 31, 2020 3:39 am

I took my first class last night and really liked it.

I was afraid where I was not a residential boiler person first that I would not be able to keep up, but that is not the case. High pressure steam is so radically different that there is no need to start at small boilers.

But I also like that there if life-long learning too, just because you have to learn so much to go from Fireman Class to First Class.

There is a huge demand for Boiler Operator's as well because so few kids want to mess with them. The instructor was saying that there is a huge demand for Per Diem Boiler Operators too, so I could work all I wanted too in the winter, but in the summer when the workload drops, mow the sides of the road, and then start babysitting boilers again.

I think this will really work out well.
I have no intention of traveling to my grave in a well manicured body; instead I am going to slide into heaven with a big power turn, totally wore out with busted knuckles, jump off my dozer loudly yelling, Woo Hoo, another Shepard has just arrived!

hydrogeo
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Re: Steam Boilers

Post by hydrogeo » Thu Feb 06, 2020 8:57 am

My good friend's dad was a union boiler operator in Jersey for several decades. He made six figures and retired in his 60s with a full pension. After sitting around for a bit he started operating again as a per diem operator and made pretty close to what he was making full time on top of his pension. Not a bad gig at all.

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