Working on the old boiler at the Franklin Paper Mill in Ohio

I was there last week and saw they still use the original 1928 riveted sections for the main steam drum. Some guys say keeping that old iron is a safety risk waiting to happen, but others argue it's proven its strength for nearly a century. What's your take on using historic riveted boilers in a modern plant setting?

3 comments

3 Comments

henrygrant3mo ago

Honestly, that "proven its strength" argument ignores modern safety codes for a reason. Old iron gets brittle, and a century of stress cycles is a real gamble.

king.zara3mo ago

Actually, it's not the iron itself that gets brittle. Old bridges used wrought iron, which is pretty tough stuff. The real issue is fatigue in the riveted connections and corrosion you can't see. That's where the century of stress adds up.

barbara_taylor831mo ago

Rusted rivets are the real nightmare, you gotta look for bulging paint or rust streaks near the heads. If you see that, the joint's already compromised and no amount of "tough iron" saves it.