Author Topic: Stuart Williamson engine from castings (Read 11485 times)

geoff5269 · « **on:** March 31, 2017, 08:26:15 PM »

I have been wondering what to make next and decided on this engine as I already had the book about it. I thought of scratch building it and started looking for a ali tube to do the column but then realised I might not be able to bore the inside taper nearly 6" deep. So I bought the castings from Stuart for £400. So today I started cleaning up the column which is cast iron and found it is slightly oval but generally it looks good. There wasn't much in the way of plans, only 2 A3 sheets so I'm pleased I have the book.
I found a picture of a finished one by Andy AGB engines on flickr, I think it useful to start a thread with a picture showing the aim of the work.
Geoff

geoff5269 · « **Reply #1 on:** March 31, 2017, 08:32:19 PM »

Andy's picture didn't appear so I try again
Geoff

Jo · « **Reply #2 on:** March 31, 2017, 08:34:36 PM »

The Williamson is one I keep hoping will turn up as an orphaned set of castings.

I am told the governor is ~~fun~~ something to look forward to making

Jo

jeff l · « **Reply #3 on:** March 31, 2017, 08:46:31 PM »

I'm happy to see some one doing a build on this engine .
I have a 1970 casting set the only difference with it is that the column is cast in Aluminum and it poor to say the least .

geoff5269 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 02, 2017, 08:10:18 PM »

I Have started machining the column, trimming the ends and boring the holes, The book suggests working in the lathe holding one end in the chuck and turning the other unsupported end. I didn't want to risk this so I used the mill it was still tricky. The shape is slightly oval by 2mm so I am just cleaning up the mouldings with a file. I can see most of the popular engines and casting kits were designed many years ago in inches and writers didn't think a home workshop would have a milling machine so the lathe did everything. Surly it's time for these plans to be updated.
Here's some more pics
Geoff

crueby · « **Reply #5 on:** April 02, 2017, 08:20:22 PM »

That column has a wonderful shape. Great start!

geoff5269 · « **Reply #6 on:** April 11, 2017, 11:31:53 AM »

I am getting on quiet well so far although machining cast iron is a bit messy, Have completed the base and entablature and am now polishing up the column with a minidrill and flap sanders which work well. You have to spend plenty off time studying the plans before you start machining and find a way of aligning the top and bottom before you drill the fixing holes.
Geoff

gbritnell · « **Reply #7 on:** April 11, 2017, 01:13:50 PM »

Hi Geoff,
It looks to be a very attractive engine. I haven't looked at the Stuart line for quite a few years and had forgotten about this engine.
I'll be following along to watch the progress.
gbritnell

jeff l · « **Reply #8 on:** April 11, 2017, 01:54:10 PM »

Hi Geoff, You are off to a great start! Jeff

b.lindsey · « **Reply #9 on:** April 11, 2017, 03:00:30 PM »

Very nice looking model Geoff and you are coming right along with it. Looking forward to following along with your build.

Bill

Gas_mantle · « **Reply #10 on:** April 11, 2017, 04:08:21 PM »

Looks good Geoff

It's nice to see someone doing a build log of one of these, I've always thought it's an attractive engine but it seems to be less common than most of the other Stuarts.

scc · « **Reply #11 on:** April 11, 2017, 08:44:29 PM »

Excellent so far, I shall be quietly watching and learning..

Regards Terry

Chipswitheverything · « **Reply #12 on:** April 12, 2017, 08:00:20 AM »

Enjoying your excellent build log, Geoff, this is a nicely unusual Stuart engine to feature. Re Jo's comment about hoping to find the bits of this engine, thirty years ago, on a local market stall, I came across two untouched, still packaged sets of castings, for this Williamson engine, and the Stuart turner Triple. They were thirty quid a set, so I just bought the set for the triple.... Dave

Jo · « **Reply #13 on:** April 12, 2017, 09:18:25 AM »

Quote from: Chipswitheverything on April 12, 2017, 08:00:20 AM

Re Jo's comment about hoping to find the bits of this engine, thirty years ago, on a local market stall, I came across two untouched, still packaged sets of castings, for this Williamson engine, and the Stuart turner Triple. They were thirty quid a set, so I just bought the set for the triple.... Dave

Left them behind

Jo

scalemodel · « **Reply #14 on:** April 12, 2017, 08:47:47 PM »

That looks some nice machining geoff, ive built afew stuarts about 15 years ago and still like looking at them now.

Im pretty sure anthony mount has built a version of this engine which will be appering in the magazine and castings etc.

Jonathan

Jasonb · « **Reply #15 on:** April 13, 2017, 07:31:11 AM »

Anthony did a Ferrabee and the first part has just been published. He has also done a couple of other "column engines" that bronze on in the background is also one of his.

You are off to a good start on the Williamson, kind of begging to be made in a larger size

I think on of the reasons there are no other builds of this one on the net is that it was out of production for quite a few years and it is during that time that we have seen the rise of forums, now it is available again hopefully a few more will pop up.

J

geoff5269 · « **Reply #16 on:** April 17, 2017, 08:28:10 PM »

I might have made the Farrabee if I hadn't started this Williamson first, I can see the Farrabee is simpler with a straight column and the cylinder outside.
I am now working on the cylinder which is cast in Gunmetal and seems to be quiet a soft metal, also your careful not to go wrong as you can't easily make another as when you are scratch building. I realise now this is not going to be a detailed log as I just get absorbed in the process and forget to take a picture, so some shots are staged. Although the book has good descriptions of how to machine the parts it is mostly done on a lathe as I suppose 30-40 years ago home workshops didn't have a milling machine, so I usually adapt the process to my own methods.
The cylinder is fairly standard except the exhaust is channelled out though the base.
Reply if you want to see anything particular
Geoff

geoff5269 · « **Reply #17 on:** April 17, 2017, 08:44:58 PM »

Some more pictures
When I've bored the cylinder I like to make the opening 2mm larger where the covers fit so any later honing doesn't affect the fit of the covers. The cylinder head has 2 flats for guide bars that must be machined true to crankshaft so this fixture was useful for alignment.
Geoff

geoff5269 · « **Reply #18 on:** April 24, 2017, 08:51:11 PM »

It feels like I've done a lot more work but when I look back at the pictures it doesn't look so good, anyway here's the result.
The cylinder has been drilled bored and honed. Top cover and steam chest machined and gaskets made.
All the fixings cleaned and Blackened to stop rust, and then a tidy up to start afresh.
Geoff

Admiral_dk · « **Reply #19 on:** April 24, 2017, 09:36:54 PM »

Looking good so far and I hope a satisfactory job on the blackened surface.

Besides Chris and a few others, all the rest of us aren't making anything like we would like to do time wise .... so be glad you got so far

gerritv · « **Reply #20 on:** April 24, 2017, 10:19:10 PM »

Sometimes the pictures highlight tiny marks, not easily seen by the naked eye. Softer lighting can help, no sharp shadows etc
A lot of work in this already, you seem to be moving along rapidly.

The castings look to be good quality.

Gerrit

10KPete · « **Reply #21 on:** April 24, 2017, 11:32:49 PM »

Quote from: geoff5269 on April 17, 2017, 08:44:58 PM

When I've bored the cylinder I like to make the opening 2mm larger where the covers fit so any later honing doesn't affect the fit of the covers.
Geoff

Now that design feature makes more practical sense that most others I've seen or heard!! And it's sooo simple!!

Thanks!!
Pete

geoff5269 · « **Reply #22 on:** May 13, 2017, 11:49:58 AM »

A bit more progress with this, I decided to paint the column and base to get an idea how it will look and it needed some careful masking to keep the beading around the openings shinny. I had to use a radius cutter for the masking of the curves.
Assembling the parts now shows how confined the cylinder will be and not much chance to make adjustments.
Here are some pics
Geoff

geoff5269 · « **Reply #23 on:** May 13, 2017, 11:51:45 AM »

wrong picture

geoff5269 · « **Reply #24 on:** August 01, 2017, 08:44:37 PM »

Sorry it's been so long since the last post, I had a little break from Williamson, but have made progress with the flywheel, crankshaft, and valve gear.
Also I was thinking of trying to make the slide bars for the crosshead better as they seemed a bit obtrusive. and this took me several weeks to complete.
I changed them from flat bars to thin rods and this allowed some connections for all 4 to keep them accurately spaced.
As I was making them I realised had accurately made everything has to be all the parts perfectly centred and perfectly true to the axis and parallel as well, so I was thrilled when I put it all together and it moved smoothly and no tinkering was needed.
I did have a trial assembly and that's always encouraging and you feel you might actually complete this project one day.
I hope you can follow this from the pictures.
Geoff

b.lindsey · « **Reply #25 on:** August 02, 2017, 12:38:32 AM »

Good to see an update Geoff. A very nice looking engine it is too!!

Bill

geoff5269 · « **Reply #26 on:** August 26, 2017, 08:44:16 PM »

Well I see another Williamson engine has appeared by Stuart but he didn't say whether he built it or not.
My engine is near completion and I have had it running for a few minutes and it seemed to work well so far.
I spent a long time on the governor as it's small and very tricky to get right but I got there in the end.
Several of the parts I have made my own way as you do and I'm pleased with it so far there's a bit more tinkering and painting to do
and then I can just play with it.
See the pics.
Geoff

crueby · « **Reply #27 on:** August 26, 2017, 08:47:23 PM »

That is one beautiful engine!

b.lindsey · « **Reply #28 on:** August 26, 2017, 10:46:49 PM »

Beautiful Geoff! Love the colors too. Hope you can post a video one the fine tuning is done.

Bill

Chipswitheverything · « **Reply #29 on:** August 27, 2017, 09:46:27 AM »

A very nice and rather "different" engine, Geoff, and the grey does look good. When the Stuart engines are made with that attention to detail and finish they are certainly attractive examples of model engineering. Dave

Stuart · « **Reply #30 on:** August 27, 2017, 04:55:39 PM »

Geoff5269

Yes I did make it from a Stuart kit like yourself

geoff5269 · « **Reply #31 on:** September 06, 2017, 08:48:55 PM »

Well the time has come to declare this model finished, well for now anyway as I have been patient and spent some time painting and final fitting then it seemed to work pretty well straight away which was a relief, as if there is a problem there's a lot to dismantle to get to any part.
I made a few modification's to the plans to suit my own ideas and methods of working and tried to get an attractive appearance.
I couldn't do much of a progress diary as I found it distracting but if you want to know any details please ask.
Thanks to those who posted encouragement, it's a great to share my efforts with you.
here are some pics. Geoff

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOvUY1x1-n4" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZOvUY1x1-n4</a>

Ye-Ole Steam Dude · « **Reply #32 on:** September 06, 2017, 10:24:49 PM »

Well it turned out magnificently (hope that is a word) beautiful. It was fun to follow along on your build.

Thomas

b.lindsey · « **Reply #33 on:** September 06, 2017, 10:38:02 PM »

Like a fine Swiss watch Geoff!! Beautiful. Please also post the video and final glamor shots in the showcase section as well.

Bill

Kim · « **Reply #34 on:** September 07, 2017, 03:06:06 AM »

Love that slow, smooth motion! That is a fine looking model Geoff!
Kim

Larry · « **Reply #35 on:** September 07, 2017, 03:17:23 AM »

Love that sound - beautiful engine too !

crueby · « **Reply #36 on:** September 07, 2017, 04:12:19 AM »

Wonderful motion and sound - congratulations!

10KPete · « **Reply #37 on:** September 07, 2017, 06:13:11 AM »

That's sweet, just so smooth and quiet. Elegant is, I believe, the word....

Congratulations!!

Pete

Gas_mantle · « **Reply #38 on:** September 07, 2017, 08:54:58 AM »

Looks and sounds great

It's nice to see one of the less common Stuart engines for a change.

simplyloco · « **Reply #39 on:** September 07, 2017, 09:21:58 AM »

Delightful. The right colour too.
John

ShopShoe · « **Reply #40 on:** September 07, 2017, 01:21:19 PM »

What everbody said.

Pretty Neat (and neatly done, too.). Detailed. Good Colors. Smooth and slow running like I like.

Thank You for posting,

ShopShoe

Chipswitheverything · « **Reply #41 on:** September 07, 2017, 02:45:08 PM »

Doesn't that engine run beautifully! Lovely looking model, and a great project. Dave

fumopuc · « **Reply #42 on:** September 07, 2017, 08:32:15 PM »

Hi Geoff, a perfect model. I like it watch the motion.

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Author Topic: Stuart Williamson engine from castings (Read 11485 times)

simplyloco