Why was I painted as the bad guy here?

All I did was suggest that this youngster learn to use some internet resources before asking too many questions online. This suggestion was very much in line with what others have said, on other threads on this forum, as well as on other online forums.

As my boss in my first job after college used to say, "Use the resources". (Anyone remember the Thomas Register on microfilm?)
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To get back to the Avery smokebox, at first I thought that what appear to be corrugations were rows of rivets, with shadows connecting them. But on second look, I'm wondering if there is some sort of inside wrapper, holding insulation (lagging) inside the smokebox shell. Just a thought-

I think we all have varying degrees of tolerance for youthful enthusiasm which leads to acting before engaging brain in strategic mode. I got tired of it before you did, but then I (like Chris deWitt) believed in stupid questions even before we had the internet and have never been known for humanitarianism. From my perspective, you have been a model of forbearance beyond rational expectations. Others mileage may vary.

On the one hand, I'd like to put the kid to work on a steam project and teach him how to think things through - on the other, I'd probably slap him silly during the first day.......

So, on to smokebox liners.......I have seen such things before on tractor boilers, and without documented evidence just assumed it was to prevent the smokebox from being burned out from char collecting and burning against the shell. I know we have experts in steam tractors who post here who can probably quote chapter and verse. I've seen one Avery undermount in steam in Colorado, and it deserved the name "Road Locomotive." It seems to have been designed for farmers who really wanted to work on the railroad.

dave

A smallish boiler and a tall dome is good indication of a steam tractor, the first one is Horse drawn. I visited and lingered at a nearby Old time Steam Threshers reunion that was a once a year thing in my kid time, if you can find one of these get togethers, do it. In the early times at this one it was frequented by local radio celebrities and it had a circuslike atmosphere, food tents, Keystone kops in an oldtime car fake policemen chasing down a thug, popcorn wagon, plus all the running Steam Traction engines, at noon and 5 pm they all slammed their whistles. WHoaaaa noise!!!
You could hear this for miles.

Most had single engines and a large flywheel, one or two like the Avery had the 2 cylinders. They would have a slow speed contest and one owner always won, Percy, he always had the finest tuned engine. If you stop, you lose, if you get to the finish last, you win. There were big fans the engines hook to, great for the summer. Sawmill cutting, then you had some minature engines, then the gas engines big and small with flywheels....plo plo plo plo plop lpl lpp ppll p.......KAPOW!!! chuncnkchunkchunkchunk

This show ended, the land owner died, but theres a new one somewhere else in that area (Ft Wayne IN area)

My grandfather told me he once owned one but sold it... too noisy... awwwwwwwwwwww geeze, mightve had a family one...oohweelll

unique feature on these engines is the governor, a spinning device with balls on it, if the engine slowed the balls would drop and introduce more steam, say you were watching the sawmill exhibit, the engine hooked to the spinning saw, the engine plumping chugs, when the carriage with lumber hit the saw the engine kicked in with loud chugs holding the power and speed in.

We were driving through Kansas on vacation when the family called out "look Dad, a steam locomotive!" What they saw was an Avery traction engine on display in a local park; here is what one looks like intact:



It even had an Avery harvester on display behind it, which from behind and below the trees looked like a "tender."

Besides the tall dome; most steam locomotives also would have a hole in bottom of the smokebox and fittings for the steam blastpipe and saddle; a traction engine would not.

The mystery boiler laying on it's side in the previous entry looks like either an undertype traction engine boiler like on an Avery or a stationary boiler to me. Most traction engines and portable steam engines had fittings on the sides of the firebox for mounting the rear wheels; there is none on this one. Next place to look is under the smokebox to see what fittings are left for the front support; and if there are any studs on top of the boiler for mounting the engine. No studs would future point to a stationary or undertype boiler to me.