Author Topic: Stuart Beam 'Again' but in the UK!  (Read 14144 times)

simplyloco

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Stuart Beam 'Again' but in the UK!
« on: August 06, 2017, 12:32:32 AM »
I am waiting for the words and music from TEE Publishing on this one, but I have some drawings on the governor, so I'm making a start!
DSC00039 by inkaboat, on Flickr

I try and avoid machining if a simple cut can be made, and the cheeks are straight forward enough: 1/2" wide. My little guillotine does the trick!

DSC00040 by inkaboat, on Flickr

DSC00041 by inkaboat, on Flickr

It is surprising how accurate a little machine can be!
D
SC00045
by inkaboat, on Flickr

I didn't have enough detail on the cheeks to finish so I decided to have a go at the nice little curved bearing support- which is probably supplied as a casting. It turned out to be a pig, so this must be viewed as a practice piece and I will fabricate it as a silver soldered part!

DSC00056 by inkaboat, on Flickr

First off,  I needed a filing button, 1.2" diameter.
DSC00046 by inkaboat, on Flickr

After I'd marked it out and drilled the centre hole I used my jewellers' saw to get the shape prior to filing the outline.
DSC00050 by inkaboat, on Flickr

If you use the right files and emery you will land up with this!
DSC00051 by inkaboat, on Flickr

Put the piece in the vice with a 1/2" bar former and you might be lucky!

DSC00054 by inkaboat, on Flickr

Unfortunately, by the time I'd hacked the thing to get it to the required shape it was so rough that it wasn't acceptable, so I'll make it tomorrow as a 3 piece silver soldered fabrication!
John
« Last Edit: August 06, 2017, 04:35:52 PM by simplyloco »

simplyloco

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A Complete Fabrication!
« Reply #1 on: August 06, 2017, 04:19:08 PM »
Today's job was to make another governor thingamejig. As I'm not building a Sherman tank I've reduced the thickness of the bendy bit to 0.050" instead of the 3/32" shown on the drawing.

Three pieces turned and filed to fit together.
DSC00060 by inkaboat, on Flickr

Slot for the support piece 0.050 wide and 3/8" long. Carbide PCB slot drill at 6000 rpm.
DSC00061 by inkaboat, on Flickr

I'd already silver soldered the bearing onto the support piece, and here I've used the same technique with the ring. Wet flux, silver solder wire shaped to the required joint profile, held down with 'Frogs'. Lots of quick heat otherwise the flux dries up and is rendered useless.
DSC00063 by inkaboat, on Flickr

Et Voila! Who needs castings anyway...and it will clean up!
DSC00065 by inkaboat, on Flickr


« Last Edit: August 06, 2017, 04:28:56 PM by simplyloco »

Offline Dave Otto

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Re: Stuart Beam 'Again' but in the UK!
« Reply #2 on: August 06, 2017, 04:48:36 PM »
Looks like a nice start!

Dave

Offline Jim Nic

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Re: Stuart Beam 'Again' but in the UK!
« Reply #3 on: August 06, 2017, 05:14:18 PM »
I are confused.  :-\  The title of the thread refers to a Stuart Beam but the drawings you seem to be working to are titled James Coombes. 
Whichever, that looks like a very neat bit of fabrication.
Jim
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simplyloco

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Re: Stuart Beam 'Again' but in the UK!
« Reply #4 on: August 06, 2017, 05:51:30 PM »
Hi Jim
Apparently one size fits all...
John

simplyloco

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Governer Balls
« Reply #5 on: August 07, 2017, 03:12:08 PM »
The size decision rested on what was available, in this case 9/16". The form tool was made by drilling a slightly undersize hole in some 5/32" gauge plate, halving it, backing off the cutting faces to get an edge, hardening and tempering, and doing a test piece which worked OK.

Drill and tap 7BA, using the tailstock gadget.
WP_20170807_13_00_03_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

Straight in and form the ball! The LH edge of the tool trails the  RH side otherwise it will part off without reaching full depth, leaving a flat. The ball was hack sawed off quite easily.

WP_20170807_13_04_50_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

WP_20170807_14_11_19_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

Polish it in my secret weapon mounted on a 7BA screw. Everyone should have one of these lathes!

WP_20170807_13_44_53_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

Finished balls with satin finish. As they are tapped right through I'll put in some ornamental plugs at the bottom. I tried a high polish but they didn't look old fashioned enough!'
WP_20170807_14_31_21_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

As I've now got the Beam drawings I might leave the governor and get on with the main event.

simplyloco

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Beam Engine Column
« Reply #6 on: August 07, 2017, 06:20:05 PM »
Let me start by saying that I dislike working with castings, however  'wonderful' they purport to be! This column is no exception, as after centre drilling the ends to allow me to mount the thing in the lathe, I find that the column is not concentric with the ends.  These end dimensions have to be preserved, therefore the column runs out. Luckily, it won't show (much) in this piece.

Carbide tooling to get under the skin, and my home made live centre which allows the tool to access all of the work. The fat end has to be 0.5" thick, to accommodate the enblature thingies, and the overall length 6".

WP_20170807_16_45_58_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

Jammed up hard against the four jaw to make sure the column was perpendicular.
WP_20170807_17_32_56_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

Six inches (dead) high and level too. What more could I ask!

WP_20170807_17_43_47_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

I'll get all the 4 jaw stuff out of the way first. Now where's my mask...
John


Offline Ye-Ole Steam Dude

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Re: Stuart Beam 'Again' but in the UK!
« Reply #7 on: August 07, 2017, 08:18:52 PM »

Looking good John, I am enjoying following along.

Thomas
Thomas

simplyloco

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Re: Stuart Beam 'Again' but in the UK!
« Reply #8 on: August 07, 2017, 11:59:30 PM »
Hi Thomas, I'm glad to hear from you.
John

simplyloco

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Stuart Beam: 'The Beam'
« Reply #9 on: August 08, 2017, 01:50:15 PM »
I part completed the beam yesterday, drilling and reaming the main bearing. I'll mill the faces and finish the outside edge on the linisher.

First superglue two HSS blanks to the underside of the beam...

WP_20170807_19_14_17_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

Having found the centre and put a hefty centre pop on it, mount it between two of the jaws, using the blanks as parallels.

WP_20170807_19_20_26_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

Drill 3/16" then 15/32" holes, then ream 1/2" - if you are lucky enough to have one!

WP_20170807_19_29_51_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

WP_20170807_19_32_41_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

WP_20170807_19_34_11_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

Finished, but without any drama! It's possible to go over the top on fixtures...

Main cylinder next!
John

WP_20170807_19_41_41_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

Online Jo

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Re: Stuart Beam 'Again' but in the UK!
« Reply #10 on: August 08, 2017, 01:53:19 PM »
On the Stuart beam engine I have the Apprentice drilled the beam pivot on the drill: I am not sure if he held one end down or clamped it down but the hole went through at an angle  ::)

Jo
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simplyloco

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Stuart Beam 'Main Cylinder'
« Reply #11 on: August 08, 2017, 02:09:43 PM »
Many people would suggest this was the hardest part of the model, as everything must be square,  in-line and in proportion. I do not differ from that opinion!

The valve face was straightforward enough, nestling the cylinder in the grooves in the chuck to act as a vee block. As discussed in another place, I had to remove more than 'a light skim' to get the required finished size. I'll polish it on the surface plate later.

WP_20170808_10_19_07_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

Turned through 90 degrees to do 'a light skim' at the exhaust flange. Note the precision shim on the valve face.

WP_20170808_10_27_26_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

This is the hardest part: mounting the piece on a faceplate so that it doesn't fall off or bounce the machine around when boring the thing! Balance is not critical, but at least pay homage to it! I used an HSS blank on the base to line it up vertically, but remembered to remove it before starting.

WP_20170808_12_26_44_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

If you have a bed stop it's a good idea to set it so that you don't run those angle plates into the cross slide!

WP_20170808_12_42_28_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

Finished and tested. Dead to size but I'll run my automotive hone down it later. The piston will be made to fit. I'll turn it round and face the other end after lunch!
John
More 4 jaw work next.

WP_20170808_12_53_25_Pro by inkaboat, on Flickr

« Last Edit: August 08, 2017, 02:27:01 PM by simplyloco »

Offline J.L.

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Re: Stuart Beam 'Again' but in the UK!
« Reply #12 on: August 08, 2017, 02:45:53 PM »
Hi John,

Excellent work and great set-ups!

John, everybody seems to want to mount the beam in a chuck and spin it. I was wondering if the whole job could not be done on a mill/drill? Once centre line was established, could not the table be just moved along to bore the holes?

Each boss of the beam and the flanges could also be skimmed while the beam was fastened to the table.

Just wondering...  :thinking:

Online Jasonb

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Re: Stuart Beam 'Again' but in the UK!
« Reply #13 on: August 08, 2017, 03:34:36 PM »
That's how I did mine but not having a mill at the time I mounted the mill/drill from my Unimat 3 onto the back of my Emcomat8.6 lathe. Also allows the holes to all be drilled and reamed in one setting and spaced out buy using the handwheel dials/DRO. Did the same for my Easton & Anderson.

Use of the faceplate dates back to the time when the lathe was the main machine in the workshop and few had a mill

« Last Edit: August 08, 2017, 03:38:01 PM by Jasonb »

simplyloco

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Re: Stuart Beam 'Again' but in the UK!
« Reply #14 on: August 08, 2017, 04:58:48 PM »
SNIP

Use of the faceplate dates back to the time when the lathe was the main machine in the workshop and few had a mill


Even though I have all the kit here I still tend to use the lathe for most operations. I once skimmed the 6 cylinder head of an army Bedford truck engine on a 6 foot dia. faceplate! It didn't quite fit on my Bridgeport mill...
John
« Last Edit: August 08, 2017, 05:06:20 PM by simplyloco »

 

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