Front boiler door 280

[mickeykelley]

The front boiler door on my Connie won't stay on.  I don't see anything wrong, it just appears to be loose fitting from factory. Do others have this issue and how do you fix.  I don't want to glue it just in case I ever need in there.  Considering very small dabs of silicone.

[Kevin Strong]

Is it just the door itself, or the entire smokebox front? If it's just the door (the part that has the headlight on it) then get a small rare-earth magnet and glue it to the door, then take a small steel screw (or nail or something that the magnet can stick to) and put on the inside of the smokebox. The magnet should keep the door closed.

If it's the entire smokebox, an 0-80 Hex-head screw in to the side of the smokebox will hold it in place and look prototypical. Use two - one on either side of the smokebox. Or, you can take some tape (electrical tape, Scotch tape...) and put some on the parts that extend into the smokebox. This will increase the diameter and make it more of a press fit.

Later,

K

[mickeykelley]

Whole front. Where would I get a hex head small enough to look the right size?

[Kevin Strong]

I use Micro Fasteners

0-80 hex head bolts:http://www.microfasteners.com/catalog/products/MSCHBB.cfm
I generally find the 1/4" size adequate for most everything.

0-sized hex-head lag bolts:http://www.microfasteners.com/catalog/products/TWSLSB.cfm
Also, use the 1/4" size.

Either will work. The lag bolts have a coarser thread like a wood screw, and bite into the plastic better.

You're gonna need some small drills. A #55 drill is the "tap drill" for 0-sized screws. Put the smokebox in place, and drill into the side to make the hole in the smokebox side and the smokebox door piece. Remove the smokebox door, then drill out the holes in the smokebox side with a #51 drill.
http://www.microfasteners.com/catalog/products/TNMDR.cfm
In this case, you'll want DR56 and DR50--which are a #56 and #50 drill. Close enough.

You'll also want a 3/32" hex-head screwdriver if you don't have one already: http://www.microfasteners.com/catalog/products/TNMWR.cfm

Later,

K

[mickeykelley]

Thanks Kevin