"Itasca Pioneer Farmer's Show Cancelled"
Allegations of unsafe boiler operation Reason for Cancellation
Competing for the public's approval, historic Leverson Mill engine, Total rebuilt, Stout boiler, {brown boiler} New to show, New Folden Creamery boiler{black boiler in foreground}
See Something- Say Something
That's what we were taught in boiler school. Safe operation of boilers and steam engines is the primary charge of the licensed steam engineer on duty, however when that person is operating outside the bounds of safety, it becomes the responsibility of any licensed engineer to point out that breach of safe operation. Safe flywheel speeds need to be abided by, to prevent a catastrophic flywheel explosion. In the hay-day of large mill steam engines, there were several explosions of flywheels, due to overspeed. These overspeed incidence prompted insurance companies to commission prominent mechanical engineers to establish both charts and equations to establish definitive limits on flywheel speeds. The limit on speed is arrived at by factoring, wheel diameter, wheel material, joint construction and more.
In the upper right corner of the chart, is 3000, being the surface feet per minute, the correct number, considering material, joint design, number of spokes, spoke spacing, and all other elements of the equation. 15 feet being the flywheel diameter, now follow it over, and the safe speed is 64 RPM.
So, take a look at the above video, paying attention to the crank, one thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, that's the 64 RPM safe operating speed, problem is, this engine is running far in the danger zone! A fifteen-foot flywheel is 47.124 feet around, at 90 rpm, that comes to 4241.16 surface feet/ minute. That's well into the bursting number, from the information above, for Split Cast Iron wheels. There are a lot of videos out there, on u-tube and cell phone cameras, the big steam engine is indeed an attraction, people like to film it, when they do there is a whole lot of proof that the people running the sawmill engine, have a problematic disregard for safety. These same people are willing to accept what a certain person, with connections to the Rollag show tells them about flywheel speeds, absent of any mechanical engineering data. This counsel is rich, considering the engineers operating similar sized flywheels at the Rolag Show are doing so in an entirely safe manner. You just can't buy enough liability insurance to cover a flywheel explosion of this size. The families of the casualties will own the Pioneer farmers property lock stock and barrel. The insurance carrier will be on High Alert, watching video recordings of the flywheel speed, 64 rpm, fivve-foour-threee, too, onne !! The insurance carrier, if they look at the u-tube video "Rural Heritage" see the stated RPM as 86, not quite 90, but it calculates out to 4052 surface feet. Factoring in how squaring the rpm, effects the safe operating speed, just not justified in anyone's book. The issue of flywheel speed came up while Ken was president, I believe this is recorded in the directors meeting minutes. Continuing to run the engine "hard" will be called "Willful Negligence", and even if the action is not specifically about the flywheel, there's a pattern.
If you don't like the message, just get rid of the messenger. The video shows the speed way into the danger zone. the engineering data spells out safe operating speed, backed up by mechanical engineers with prominent credentials. So, get rid of the messenger. This is unmistakably clear from the letter I received from the Lake Itasca Region Pioneer Farmers, signed by the president,
The items in this letter will be addressed individually.
#1Post 2022 Show Meeting, from club president- Bryan
#1Post 2022 Show Meeting, from club president- Bryan
So right out of the chute, Bryan begins his declarative statements of half-truths in an attempt to silence the messenger. It is true the state did not grant me an operating license, to run at any given pressure. To run the boiler as a vented water heater is permitted under state statutes. This will be more addressed in a discussion at the special meeting. Bryan just couldn't wait to get his railroad action started, when told to shut off the boiler," he did", That was recorded by the secretary, I stopped the fire, Regardless, Right away Bryan goes after my property," condemned boilers should be removed immediately". None of my boilers were condemned as Bryan so biasly and incorrectly stated. It is really rich that Bryan was after my boilers, but in fact the new club boiler, with the welded on Morrison tube was the only RED TAGED,condemned boiler
Effort to undermine operations at saw mill: That was the charge. Like calling out the fact the steam engine is running at a dangerous speed, I don't call that undermining, I call that responsible reporting, and the person running it at that speed irresponsible. Calling out the fact the boiler owned by the Pioneer Farmers, did not meet ANY of the minimum requirements for a historical boiler, as listed on the State Boiler Inspectors web page. Year after year, Brian was in charge of the club boiler and disregarded the minimum requirements. And it was not that Brian wasn't told about not meeting just the basic minimums. Brians stock answer was always " the piping was done by a licensed contractor" To which I said it was the RESPONSIBILITY of the person in charge of the boiler to know the minimum requirements. Year after year, no effort to bring the boiler into compliance. Friday morning of the 2022 show I posted a copy of MINNIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR PIPING, HISTORICAL BOILERS on my personal posting board, along with my CLASS A license. Upon hearing about my posting, Brian charged me like a mad bear, ripped the sheet of paper off my board, threw it on the ground,got in my face, and then threatened to take away my membership. I asked," and who, and for what reason is going to take my membership" Brian then puffed out his chest, poked his finger to his show ribbon and said " See what this says? PRESIDENT'"
Effort to undermine operations at saw mill: That was the charge. Like calling out the fact the steam engine is running at a dangerous speed, I don't call that undermining, I call that responsible reporting, and the person running it at that speed irresponsible. Calling out the fact the boiler owned by the Pioneer Farmers, did not meet ANY of the minimum requirements for a historical boiler, as listed on the State Boiler Inspectors web page. Year after year, Brian was in charge of the club boiler and disregarded the minimum requirements. And it was not that Brian wasn't told about not meeting just the basic minimums. Brians stock answer was always " the piping was done by a licensed contractor" To which I said it was the RESPONSIBILITY of the person in charge of the boiler to know the minimum requirements. Year after year, no effort to bring the boiler into compliance. Friday morning of the 2022 show I posted a copy of MINNIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR PIPING, HISTORICAL BOILERS on my personal posting board, along with my CLASS A license. Upon hearing about my posting, Brian charged me like a mad bear, ripped the sheet of paper off my board, threw it on the ground,got in my face, and then threatened to take away my membership. I asked," and who, and for what reason is going to take my membership" Brian then puffed out his chest, poked his finger to his show ribbon and said " See what this says? PRESIDENT'"
Historical Boilers, is the heading on the above, from the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry web page. and just above "Historical Boilers" it says "For Workers And The Public". I was well within my right to post this on my board. Only someone who has something to hide would think otherwise. But then, Brian had something to hide, the club boiler, that he had been in charge of from the beginning, was in fact not conforming to the basic minimum requirements. Rather than fix the club boiler, Brian had to get rid of the messenger.
From the after-show meeting, Tim Ranisate and Brandon Wastweet motioned that I was to be able to give my side of the allegations First of all, the Aug. 30 th. meeting was called to order without a quorum present. The vice-president is not a voting member, so cannot be included, furthermore, Scott Hemmerich was not in person there, rather on skype which does not qualify This is an important issue, since it was at the beginning of the meeting where I pointed out that the dome valve was in an open position, and where I pointed out the point of venting to the atmosphere. Brian's Accretion that the dome valve was closed, was just plain wrong, and the picture he passed around claiming that it proved the valve was closed, in fact proved the dome valve was open enough to provide adequate venting of the boiler. No pressure buildup would have been possible. Now I was told to leave the building, because it was going to be a closed {secrete} meeting. So the members who were EnRoute, who were not there when the meeting was called, did not hear my testimony about the valve or venting, in addition, I was not able to refute the untrue allegations made against me by Brian, his way of ensuring his need to get rid of the messenger by controlling the narrative, Thus the closed secrete meeting. "Pictures were submitted to the board of directors by Bryan Mesich, that showed the safety valve and stream piping installed with smoke coming out of the smokestack. Also shown was a picture of the dome valve-which was in the closed position and preventing any venting to the atmosphere." This is a direct quote from the special directors meeting, and needed correction, it was not true as reported by Brian, it was an allegation. To correct the record, I removed the dome valve and took it with me to the next regular directors meeting. I sat patiently through to meeting, until it came time for constitutes. I rose to address the board, and Brian immediately shouted me down, "You are not on the agenda, and you will not speak " So, after the meeting was gaveled, adjourned, I announced to the board still in the room, to stop at my table and look at the dome valve, with about 6 threads showing The board members all passed my table, with not one caring to see the truth about whether the valve was open or closed, as Brian falsely a ledged. They all just sneaked out the door. Terry Hoie I hoped, would stop and be informed, Terry and I go way back to when the show was at the fairgrounds, He would not even look me in the eye, turned his head while passing. Keith Butler was parked next to me outside, I asked, outright, why he voted to cast me out. He blurted out, "I know nothing about steam, and boilers " yet he voted to throw me under the buss! In a couple of days, I called Terry Hoie, asking why he voted me out. His response, " I only know what I have been told " Told at a closed meeting, with no chance for me to challenge the untrue!
From the after-show meeting, Tim Ranisate and Brandon Wastweet motioned that I was to be able to give my side of the allegations First of all, the Aug. 30 th. meeting was called to order without a quorum present. The vice-president is not a voting member, so cannot be included, furthermore, Scott Hemmerich was not in person there, rather on skype which does not qualify This is an important issue, since it was at the beginning of the meeting where I pointed out that the dome valve was in an open position, and where I pointed out the point of venting to the atmosphere. Brian's Accretion that the dome valve was closed, was just plain wrong, and the picture he passed around claiming that it proved the valve was closed, in fact proved the dome valve was open enough to provide adequate venting of the boiler. No pressure buildup would have been possible. Now I was told to leave the building, because it was going to be a closed {secrete} meeting. So the members who were EnRoute, who were not there when the meeting was called, did not hear my testimony about the valve or venting, in addition, I was not able to refute the untrue allegations made against me by Brian, his way of ensuring his need to get rid of the messenger by controlling the narrative, Thus the closed secrete meeting. "Pictures were submitted to the board of directors by Bryan Mesich, that showed the safety valve and stream piping installed with smoke coming out of the smokestack. Also shown was a picture of the dome valve-which was in the closed position and preventing any venting to the atmosphere." This is a direct quote from the special directors meeting, and needed correction, it was not true as reported by Brian, it was an allegation. To correct the record, I removed the dome valve and took it with me to the next regular directors meeting. I sat patiently through to meeting, until it came time for constitutes. I rose to address the board, and Brian immediately shouted me down, "You are not on the agenda, and you will not speak " So, after the meeting was gaveled, adjourned, I announced to the board still in the room, to stop at my table and look at the dome valve, with about 6 threads showing The board members all passed my table, with not one caring to see the truth about whether the valve was open or closed, as Brian falsely a ledged. They all just sneaked out the door. Terry Hoie I hoped, would stop and be informed, Terry and I go way back to when the show was at the fairgrounds, He would not even look me in the eye, turned his head while passing. Keith Butler was parked next to me outside, I asked, outright, why he voted to cast me out. He blurted out, "I know nothing about steam, and boilers " yet he voted to throw me under the buss! In a couple of days, I called Terry Hoie, asking why he voted me out. His response, " I only know what I have been told " Told at a closed meeting, with no chance for me to challenge the untrue!
6 threads showing, this dome valve is VENTED!
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It's in the meeting minutes, Brian tells the board that he has a photo that proves the dome valve was in closed position. His picture shows about six threads showing. So I took the valve, and chained it to the Levorson flywheel, six threads showing, you could run a log chain right through the valve. The valve was not closed! It was not possible to build any pressure in the boiler! My boiler was fired in accordance with Statute 326b988, legally operated as a VENTED water heater.
In addition to having the physical valve at the special meeting, I had printed out copies of the identifying state boiler lookup numbers, with the status of each. Brian maliciously told the board my boilers were CONDEMNED. They were NOT! From the start, he was grooming them into voting me out. From the minutes of the post show meeting Aug. 21, 2022, "Bryan recommends removing Gerald's membership and his property from LIRPF grounds. Condemned boilers should be removed immediately." Ahead of any chance for me to be heard, Brian was telling the board, his wishes. So, let's look at the FACTS. Below are screen shots of my boilers, not at all condemned as Brian stated. The status of each boiler is shown on the upper left of each document.
Special Meeting-Aug 30-Motion made by Brandon Wastweet, seconded by Mike Gartner "the uncertifiable boilers, including the boiler on the Leverson engine skid, and the Stout Creamery boiler owned by Mr. Fenske , must be removed from the LIRPF property before June 1. the above boiler HOB-000103 is the boiler on the Leverson engine. Out of service, does not mean condemned, just means it does not have a current certificate. This information is public, red idly available to anyone on the Minn. Boiler Look-up. The board could have verified all of the misinformation, but instead relied on one person, with personal animosity, related to the shortcoming's of his boiler operation.
The new club boiler, with the welded-on Morrison tube, was the only CONDEMNED on the show grounds. Look at the upper left of the below screen shot, and in files this boiler was RED TAGED. Why was this boiler not required ti be removed by June 1, 2023? My boilers have to go, even though they were not really condemned has to go, but the only boiler that is truly unfit, and should be scrapped, still is on the grounds.
The new club boiler, with the welded-on Morrison tube, was the only CONDEMNED on the show grounds. Look at the upper left of the below screen shot, and in files this boiler was RED TAGED. Why was this boiler not required ti be removed by June 1, 2023? My boilers have to go, even though they were not really condemned has to go, but the only boiler that is truly unfit, and should be scrapped, still is on the grounds.
The below boiler is the Stout Creamery boiler, on the cover picture, it is the unpainted brown boiler, Previous state boiler inspector, Paul Mohawk, informed me of it. This boiler was sitting at a boiler repair shop, with all the tubes stripped out ready for a retube job. I was able to buy it for the price of the retube job. It was rebuilt and just needing the firebox to be attached. Not condemned as Brian coached the board, but the best soundest boiler on the grounds. It would have been a good addition to the show, but then it would be competition, so it had to go.
The above screen shot, is in reference to the boiler behind the big controversy. Bottom line, the boiler can and was able to be operated Vented. If allowed to show the dome valve, with about 6 threads showing, my assertion that the boiler was being fired totally within Mn code 326b988. Brian has the picture, you might say, SHOW ME THE PICTURE! I have the dome valve in my shop, stop by and see how much it is open, with 6 threads showing. In the termination letter, May 7 th. 2023 Item number one " attempting to fire a high-pressure boiler that did not pass inspection by state Minnesota officials"
There is no dispute from me that the boiler was not licensed for high pressure, but with the dome valve open, it is the same boiler, affirmed to be EXEMPT, as the above email screen shot shows. Brians claim the valve to be closed, is no more than a lie, a lie to influence the board, into voting me out.
There is no dispute from me that the boiler was not licensed for high pressure, but with the dome valve open, it is the same boiler, affirmed to be EXEMPT, as the above email screen shot shows. Brians claim the valve to be closed, is no more than a lie, a lie to influence the board, into voting me out.
The Minnesota statute covering the removal of a person's membership from a non-profit organization is Minn. Stat. 317A-411. In the statute, procedural requirements are spelled out as well as the requirement that a hearing be done "In Good Faith" , Good Faith is a decision motivated by legitimate organizational interest, not by retaliation or personal hostility. Re-visit the mad bear incident, I was well within my right, and obligated to make the posting of MINIMUM BOILER REQUIREMENTS, with the header "for workers and the public"
Do a comparison of what damage my building a fire in a boiler exempt under stat. 326b988, to the multitude of boiler code violations by the operators of the club sawmill boiler.
Good faith requirements:" ensuring decisions are mission-driven, not arbitrary." If the board was really interested in public safety, they would have welcomed the bringing to daylight all the code violations of their own boiler. I believe there were 18 code violations cited on the inspector's report, now part of the club boiler's permanent record. And the inspectors missed and failed to report the two big ones, namely sawmill accumulator is limited to 100 PSI. maximum allowable working pressure, and also Feed water, must have two INDEPENDENT sources, Club boiler has two, alright, but they are not independent, same steam source, same common inlet to boiler. The chief boiler inspector does not understand the word independent, My boiler school instructor made it clear, the two must be fail-safe, one going down cannot affect the operation of the other.
Do a comparison of what damage my building a fire in a boiler exempt under stat. 326b988, to the multitude of boiler code violations by the operators of the club sawmill boiler.
Good faith requirements:" ensuring decisions are mission-driven, not arbitrary." If the board was really interested in public safety, they would have welcomed the bringing to daylight all the code violations of their own boiler. I believe there were 18 code violations cited on the inspector's report, now part of the club boiler's permanent record. And the inspectors missed and failed to report the two big ones, namely sawmill accumulator is limited to 100 PSI. maximum allowable working pressure, and also Feed water, must have two INDEPENDENT sources, Club boiler has two, alright, but they are not independent, same steam source, same common inlet to boiler. The chief boiler inspector does not understand the word independent, My boiler school instructor made it clear, the two must be fail-safe, one going down cannot affect the operation of the other.
The Club Boiler Was A Mess ! If You look at the above inspection reports, it is clear the so-called licensed contractor did not do a decent job but the real tragedy is the people in charge of the club boiler did not have even the basic knowledge of boiler code to catch this problem." Throwing good money after bad" is probably a good way of saying it. So now put this in a proper perspective, The board of directors, under the urging of Brian, takes away my membership for starting a fire in a boiler, filled with cold water, for a duration of maybe 5 minutes, or even 10 minutes, and I stopped when asked to. All these code violations, of the club boiler, did not just happen; they were with the sawmill boiler from day one. Not only the fact that all the operators of this boiler should have seen the problem, but operating a boiler not conforming to code, in itself is a violation that could cause the revoking of that engineer's license. The duration of that offence? not 5 or 10 minutes, but the entire length of the show, since day one. The shrill claim that my action was somehow endangering the public or anybody was a case of PROJECTION, when you accuse someone else of what you yourself are guilty of.
Go back to the statute governing the removal of a membership, it has "Good Faith" as a pillar " a decision motivated by legitimate organizational interest, NOT RETALIATION OR PERSONAL HOSTILITIES.
The same above statute requires knowable understanding of what they are voting on. Either having actual prior knowledge of issue, or relying on expert witness, I would say the voting members were absent on both counts.
Go back to the statute governing the removal of a membership, it has "Good Faith" as a pillar " a decision motivated by legitimate organizational interest, NOT RETALIATION OR PERSONAL HOSTILITIES.
The same above statute requires knowable understanding of what they are voting on. Either having actual prior knowledge of issue, or relying on expert witness, I would say the voting members were absent on both counts.
Firing a boiler, when it is a real mess, has consequences, like causing a boiler failure, like having all the tubes to push out through the front tube sheet, like requiring a total tube replacement. But there was no consequence for not reporting the major boiler failure to the Chief Boiler Inspector, as required. And it was not OK to just quietly have the tubes replaced without the required R-! form, and the follow-up hydro test. If the failure had-been reported, an inquiry would have revealed the cause, in the first place. So now, the club just has to just wait and get ready to write another big check, to have it retubed again. And I did send an email to the chief inspector with the heading " Run for It, The Boiler Is Out Of water." His response was," my men are busy doing heating inspections." The error in piping that led to the total tube failure has not been corrected, the circumstance that was responsible for the boiler failure, should it happen again, could be avoided by the action of an experienced boiler engineer, there is a work-around. Connected directly with the tube failure incident, and also not legally reported to the chief boiler inspector, is the PATCH!
The above "Weld Repair" should have immediately triggered a RED TAG out of service It's just like the repair that had been done on my boiler, the same boiler that Tom Blute and Cris would not even proceed with the inspection, same day, just across the road. And Brian, calls for the immediate removal of my boiler, because I could not provide the weld documentation on the day it was inspected. A better example of a dishonest broker cannot be found. Again projection, accusing someone else of what you are doing yourself. Shrilly calling my boiler condemned, at the same time hiding the fact the club boiler was not conforming to the Minnesota adopted code, NBIC The National Board Inspection Code requires PRIOR approval by the chief inspector to do a weld repair, the code requires a signed report from the R stamp firm doing the weld, and requires the work to be inspected by a certified testing company NON OF THE ABOVE- NON OF THE ABOVE. The club boiler should be Taken out of service nine years ago. Yet in the eyes of the Pioneer Farmers Board, firing a boiler for 10 minutes with an undocumented weld has to lead to a person's membership taken. This boiler VENTED. Firing the club boiler with the same undocumented welding, OK, Club boiler also being operated 20 lbs. more than NBIC and ASME would allow, considering the sawmill accumulator is a lap seam design, and limited to 100 psi. Same sawmill accumulator is being used without being registered with Minnesota Department Labor and Industry and is absent of a "Special Application Number" required by state statute.
How many of you, found without a wire cutter, have just break off a piece of baling wire the old fashion way? Bend it over, straighten it out, bend it over, straighten it out, until it breaks. That's the lap seam on the sawmill engine accumulator.
The chief boiler inspector takes thickness measurements of the lap seam accumulator but ignores the seam itself. That lap seam is the piece of wire, every change in pressure causes the FLEX. And you know, the faster one bends the haywire, the sooner it will break. With every opening and closing of the Corless valve, the accumulators lap seam flexes. See where I am going with this? Work the haywire faster, it will come apart sooner. The crack along the lap seam may not be visible without the aid of testing using either Magna Flux, or dye penetrant. Even if the lap seam would have been properly tested, ASME restricts the maximum allowable pressure to 100 psi. And this secondary piping, with the Ace hardware white, cold water, tape, schedule 40 pipe, and reducer bushing, is not under boiler pressure??
Respect Is Something Earned, Not Demanded
This may be an old school notion, but it was listed as item four, on the termination letter posted above. Apparently, I am guilty of" LACK OF RESPECT" for not being willing to go along with the club "COVER IT UP RATHER THAN FIX IT CULTURE" And when the minimum requirements for historical boilers, was posted I was not only threatened, with loss of membership, but HE pulled it off.
The lack of respect towards State Officials---Let me give you some examples, then you decide for yourself, how much respect should be expected or demanded.
This may be an old school notion, but it was listed as item four, on the termination letter posted above. Apparently, I am guilty of" LACK OF RESPECT" for not being willing to go along with the club "COVER IT UP RATHER THAN FIX IT CULTURE" And when the minimum requirements for historical boilers, was posted I was not only threatened, with loss of membership, but HE pulled it off.
The lack of respect towards State Officials---Let me give you some examples, then you decide for yourself, how much respect should be expected or demanded.
Howard Berny sends me the following email, stating he has received the test results, and my boil;er is cleared to be tested and certified.
Howard Berny changes his mind; now says the testing I paid to have done is not enough! BUT it was alright, and enough to give the club boiler a pass, and an operating certificate. Look at the supposedly proof of legitimate repair LIRPF submitted, note especially Leading Edge said they tested the welds with Liquide Penetrant {PT]
I can say, without reservation, Howard Berny is not a man of his word! The Mn. DLI reeks with a double standard!
I can say, without reservation, Howard Berny is not a man of his word! The Mn. DLI reeks with a double standard!
I was at a board meeting where Brian proclaimed that the boiler inspector had found just a "few, minor" violations. To me, a minor code violation would be like, using common white Teflon tape, instead of steam rated pink tape, or maybe using a reducer bushing on the water column. Not having two independent feedwater sources, is not a minor.
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The picture on the left is meant to demonstrate relative scale. In the above picture, the try-cocks are way up in the rafters, Code requires try-cocks to be easily accessible by boiler engineer. Notice, the try-cocks are facing the front. With no platform, or even a place to put a ladder, a reasonable assumption is, the try-cocks were not used to ensure the water level in the boiler is at a safe level. If, and I say again IFF a report had been made to the chief boiler inspector, after the boiler failure in 2014, the first question would have been, "who and when was the last try-cock test performed", prior to the massive tube failure"?
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So here is a challenging question for you, especially you boiler engineers. In the above picture, you are standing on the ground, looking up at the water gauge glass. Are you seeing water in the glass, or are you looking a mineral stain? If it is just a stain, can you tell what the clear water level is? If the water level is actually below the yellow, could you know where the last safe level to add water is? Again, for boiler engineers, note the boiler top blow-off is capped. Would blowing off floating minerals, make it easier to monitor water levels?
You are reading a draft of my book, if there are any corrections or additions, send me a mail, before the book goes to print. Gerald Fenske [email protected]