Author Topic: Stuart Major Beam Engine  (Read 86976 times)

Offline gary.a.ayres

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #225 on: February 26, 2020, 06:19:02 PM »
Well that's just beautiful.  :D

I'll second that!

 :ThumbsUp:

Offline Chipswitheverything

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #226 on: February 27, 2020, 01:29:18 PM »
Hi Andy, yes the Bell Crank Stay is the thing in question, as per photo : I found some scrawled notes about procedure , but I think that I must have made some of it up as I went along...!   Obviously there are other methods of working, silver soldering a curved foot on and suchlike, but then the bits have to be located, and I didn't greatly like the idea of a solder fillet being apparent.  The "two sides of a block" method does allow the various holes to be set out in precise relationship and gives plenty of meat to hang on to while chewing away.  I suppose that the full sized item would have been skillfully forged...   Dave

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #227 on: February 27, 2020, 02:41:08 PM »
Dave your governor is terrific, the finish is like polished silverware, marvellous.

Andy

Offline Chipswitheverything

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #228 on: February 28, 2020, 03:41:06 PM »
Hello Andy, thanks for your very generous comment:  I was not sure whether I should have put a picture on your blog, as it worried me, after doing so, that it might be seen as a bit cheeky to "invade", but as the topic is the governor, a picture saves a lot of words and could be of use..   But will happily delete it if preferred.
  Re the components, I found the very top part, or cap,  on which the two upper arms pivot was a bit of a game, because it needs cutting away internally to quite an extent to make room for the dia. of the bosses on the end of the arms.  I slot drilled away as much as I could, but ( don't shout it..) I did give the bosses on the arms a bit of "relief" on the inside portion...  You can't see it when the governor is assembled.
 There might well be a better solution to giving room to the full meat size circular bosses, but without the dwgs. to hand just now I can't quite recall whether, for instance, taking a slot right the way through the item would be feasible.    Dave

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #229 on: February 28, 2020, 06:11:37 PM »
Dave your contribution with pictures is most welcome and certainly encourages me. I would like to see as many pictures of your Stuart Major as possible,  I need all the mentoring I can get!
We can all join in and help each other with these projects and spread good practice.

" the very top part, or cap " - You're referring to part 150 on this extract from the drawings below, something for me to look forward to.



I have practiced taper turning the entablature stay today and will machine the tapered governor pillar tomorrow. I'm working my way up....literally. I'll add some pictures of the entablature stay this evening after dinner.

Andy



Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #230 on: February 28, 2020, 08:09:34 PM »
The Entablature Stay as drawn is threaded 2BA top and bottom,

Entablature stay by Andy, on Flickr

To make fitting and assembly easier I bored a 3/16 hole right the way through and used a long stud (allthread at the moment) to secure the stay.

S Major 0843 by Andy, on Flickr

S Major 0845 by Andy, on Flickr

S Major 0846 by Andy, on Flickr

S Major 0847 by Andy, on Flickr

I ended the day by fitting a cylinder drain cock in the lower end of the cylinder = Stuart Turner Union Cock 5/32 x 40 thread.


Andy
« Last Edit: February 29, 2020, 09:58:18 AM by Chipmaster »

Offline Alyn Foundry

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #231 on: February 29, 2020, 12:08:01 PM »
Dave your contribution with pictures is most welcome and certainly encourages me. I would like to see as many pictures of your Stuart Major as possible,  I need all the mentoring I can get!
We can all join in and help each other with these projects and spread good practice.

" the very top part, or cap " - You're referring to part 150 on this extract from the drawings below, something for me to look forward to.

I have practiced taper turning the entablature stay today and will machine the tapered governor pillar tomorrow. I'm working my way up....literally. I'll add some pictures of the entablature stay this evening after dinner.

Andy

Hi Andy.

We all have different ways of doing things....

Part number 150 could be made as a composite of 3 parts. The crossmember that carries the top pivots, I'm assuming it's square could be dropped into a milled slot in the vertical component? The top finial securing the whole assembly by using the 4 BA threaded hole.

I'm impressed by your workmanship on this particular model, the attention to detail etc. I would have given up a long time ago, way too complicated!   :)

Cheers Graham.

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #232 on: February 29, 2020, 08:30:51 PM »
Hi Graham, yes I follow your suggested method and that is probably how I'll make it, soon I hope, cheers.

Today I machined the governor pillar part 133 using 303 Stainless Steel



I began with the bottom end of the pillar turning it down to 7/16" and cutting the 26tpi model engineer thread using the lathe to ensure the pillar will be truly vertical.

S Major 0851 by Andy, on Flickr

S Major 0853 by Andy, on Flickr

Then bored the 1/4" hole right through the centre and supported the job with a live centre for the rest of the machining. I calculated the taper to be approximately 0.6" per foot and set the lathe's taper turning attachment accordingly. It would be helpful if these plans would state the tapers to be used.

S Major 0855 by Andy, on Flickr

A form tool was made for the decorative rounded bands at each end and the job was polished with emery cloth before parting off.

S Major 0856 by Andy, on Flickr

Here's a close up of the finished pillar,

S Major 0860 by Andy, on Flickr

The pillar screwed in to the governor bracket,

S Major 0858 by Andy, on Flickr

Andy

« Last Edit: February 29, 2020, 08:34:53 PM by Chipmaster »

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #233 on: March 02, 2020, 10:26:39 PM »
I had just enough time to fit bronze bearings in the governor bracket and pillar then machined the spindle to take the small bevel gear.

 S Major 0865 (2) by Andy, on Flickr

S Major 0863 by Andy, on Flickr

S Major 0864 by Andy, on Flickr

Andy

Offline Johnmcc69

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #234 on: March 03, 2020, 01:54:05 PM »
Very nicely done Andy!  :ThumbsUp:

 John

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #235 on: March 03, 2020, 07:23:48 PM »
Thank you John,

I reckon the rest of the governor will be more demanding.

Andy

Offline Chipswitheverything

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #236 on: March 04, 2020, 01:52:20 PM »
Coming on very nicely Andy, and should mention that I do like those rather fine oil pots on the main bearing caps, think that I still have a few things like that to make up when the engine is, one fine day, done with in the paint shop.  Dave

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #237 on: March 04, 2020, 07:29:35 PM »
Hello Dave, the oil pots were purchased from the 21st Century Steam Company. They sell them on eBay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Drip-feed-oilers/293011510783
Andy

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #238 on: March 11, 2020, 08:52:08 PM »
More pictures of governor parts, first the sleeve part 135 which I machined in one piece from a mild steel bar.
The drawing,
Governor part 135 by Andy, on Flickr

Starting in the lathe I drilled the 3/16 hole through the centre before machining the profile,
S Major 0866 by Andy, on Flickr

S Major 0867 by Andy, on Flickr

S Major 0868 by Andy, on Flickr

S Major 0869 by Andy, on Flickr

This  larger diameter to become the two lugs.
S Major 0870 by Andy, on Flickr

Then in a dividing head mounted on a vertical miller to machine the two lugs to the desired thickness = 3/16"

S Major 0873 by Andy, on Flickr
S Major 0875 by Andy, on Flickr

Next, milling a 3/32 slot in each lug

S Major 0880 by Andy, on Flickr

After some filing the governor pillar is back in the lathe for parting off

S Major 0881 by Andy, on Flickr

Functional but the lugs still need a fair amount of tidying up.

S Major 0883 by Andy, on Flickr

Andy
« Last Edit: March 11, 2020, 09:34:40 PM by Chipmaster »

Offline Chipswitheverything

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Re: Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #239 on: March 12, 2020, 02:53:23 PM »
That is looking great, Andy.  It did occur to me, after we had had some discussion, that the forming of the lugs and area around them could be done OK with the dividing head kept horizontal as you have done, and I'm not entirely certain whether I did do it with the head vertical or not!  May have used your configuration with an endmill with the corners radiused to sweep the lug sides into the circular shaft section.  At least these bits are quite interesting to do, having formulated a method one feels quite keen to give it a go!  Dave

 

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