Author Topic: Stuart Major Beam Engine  (Read 86987 times)

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #90 on: May 22, 2019, 12:38:45 PM »
Thanks for the needle files info Jason, I can buy those knowing that they’re thin enough to pass through the 5/64 and 3/32 slots. I have looked at many needle files on the Internet but most of the retailers don’t state how thick the files are.
Unfortunately slot drills as small as 1/16” are very vulnerable in my ancient Archdale milling machine which features loads of backlash. I can barely see what they’re doing because the chuck blocks most of the view.
Andy

Offline Jo

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #91 on: May 22, 2019, 01:43:59 PM »
I can recommend using a home made tee slot cutter from the side to cut the holes - you get nice square sides and ends to the slot and I have cut them down to 0.8mm wide that way  ;)

Finish the remaining middle bit with a ground down safe edge needle file .

Jo
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Offline Chipswitheverything

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #92 on: May 22, 2019, 03:10:07 PM »
Hello Andy, thanks for showing your interesting build sequence photos of the con rod, I think that you were rather unlucky to have that snag.  Just to add that for the smaller endmills and slot drills that I use, I just hold them in the mill in simple 2MT holders, socket grub screw secured, that I made up from BMS ( Arc Euro and others seem to do similar, like the Arrand ones formerly available ).   They give a far better view of the little cutters than the substantial Autolock type of chuck.  Have made them up for the various smaller metric and imp. sizes.    Dave

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #93 on: May 22, 2019, 08:37:18 PM »
Thanks Dave, I happen to have a 40int to 1mt adaptor so I have ordered two soft blank end 1mt arbors from Chronos at a mere £5.40 each inclusive.

Andy


Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #94 on: May 22, 2019, 09:09:34 PM »
I bent a piece of mild steel bar to match the forked end of the con rod.
P1080903 (2) by Andy, on Flickr

Before sawing off the forked end I mounted the connecting rod circular section in a three jaw chuck and set up a fixed steady to support the machined section just before the forked end which was about eight inches away from the chuck (forgot to take a photo). I already had an accurate centre within the fork so it was easy to set the job up to ensure concentricity. I then bored about an inch down the centre of the con rod and tapped the hole 2BA. The fork was then sawn off and the end of the con rod machined flat.

The sawn off bit
P1080923 by Andy, on Flickr

Cutting the slots in the replacement fork.
WP_20190514_16_56_04_Pro by Andy, on Flickr
WP_20190514_16_56_10_Pro by Andy, on Flickr

The replacement fork end tightly secured with a 2BA socket head countersunk screw.
P1080929 by Andy, on Flickr
P1080933 by Andy, on Flickr

The join is barely visible
P1080931 by Andy, on Flickr

Andy


Offline crueby

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #95 on: May 22, 2019, 09:26:04 PM »
Great redo on the end piece - how did you do the bend?

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #96 on: May 22, 2019, 09:42:08 PM »
Hi Chris, like a Blacksmith I heated a flat bar up to red heat and hammered it around a one inch diameter steel bar which was the gap specified between the legs of the fork.
P1080898 by Andy, on Flickr

It required a few re-heats and squeezing in a vice to get the legs parallel. I then milled it down to the required thickness which also got rid of the marks left by the hammer. It didn't need much filing to achieve a symmetrical shape.
Andy

Offline Ye-Ole Steam Dude

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #97 on: May 22, 2019, 09:55:19 PM »
Hello Andy,

Great repair / blacksmithing job :ThumbsUp:

Have a great day,
Thomas
Thomas

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #98 on: May 22, 2019, 11:46:38 PM »
Hi Andy clever repair job there....well done..

Willy

Offline Johnmcc69

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #99 on: May 23, 2019, 12:20:17 AM »
Nice save Andy!! Keep up the great work!

 John

P.S.: pretty nice collection of Gibson's in your avatar. Just need the double neck 6/12 string...
(My mistake, I see it hiding at far left. Nice!!!)
« Last Edit: May 23, 2019, 12:32:21 AM by Johnmcc69 »

Offline J.L.

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #100 on: May 23, 2019, 12:43:24 PM »
This is serious work!  :ThumbsUp:
John

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #101 on: May 24, 2019, 05:49:11 PM »
Hi Johnmcc69, well spotted, are you a guitarist too?

From the left the twin neck is an Epiphone, next is my son's Gibson SG Standard, then a rubbish acoustic, my USA Fender Stratocaster, my Gibson Les Paul Standard, my son's white Epiphone SG and finally my 1972 Gibson SG Deluxe that I've owned for 45 years. The photo was taken about 15 years ago I still have my four guitars but rarely play them.

DSCF0483 by Andy, on Flickr

Flickr has not been working properly today so I thought I'd experiment with the guitar photo before returning to Stuart Major matters.

Andy

Offline Johnmcc69

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #102 on: May 24, 2019, 07:53:43 PM »
Hi Johnmcc69, well spotted, are you a guitarist too?
Guitarist? More of a "Hack" than anything else....
 I have a Cheap Fender strat & old Palmer that I picked up as my first guitar in the early 80's. Been playing a little more "seriously" the last 5 or 6 years now that I've learned to be patient & not break as many strings...

 Thanks for the guitar pics Andy, total guitar envy...

 Really enjoying watching your build,

 John

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #103 on: May 24, 2019, 09:26:30 PM »
Next item was the brass big end bush, one half square, the other half semi-circular.
Big End Bush by Andy, on Flickr

Circular part machined,
WP_20190516_15_54_37_Pro by Andy, on Flickr

Milled it down to half it's diameter,
WP_20190516_16_38_19_Pro by Andy, on Flickr

Added the square half by attaching a rectangular piece using silver solder.
WP_20190516_17_17_47_Pro by Andy, on Flickr

WP_20190516_17_25_49_Pro by Andy, on Flickr

Milled the rebate in the square half to fit the end of the con-rod and strap.
WP_20190517_12_42_31_Pro by Andy, on Flickr

Cleaned it up to fit the strap


Then drilled and reamed it to fit the crank pin
[url=https://flic.kr/p/25nmwDr]
WP_20190517_13_10_33_Pro by Andy, on Flickr

Parted off,


Re-heated to break the silver solder joint and fitted in the connecting rod strap with a temporary wedge,

[url=https://flic.kr/p/25nmvSB]
WP_20190517_16_09_58_Pro by Andy, on Flickr

Andy

Offline crueby

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #104 on: May 24, 2019, 09:35:43 PM »
Great job on the bearing! Got to remember that one, tried using soft solder once with mixed results, looks like the silver solder route held much better.
 :popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

 

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