Sanderson beam engine - Review

[Jo]

Some of you may have noticed I rescued a set of Sanderson beam engine castings last week. I had seen that there are a few sets of these castings around coming up second hand and I was wondering why.... As is traditional in my household I have been fondling them  so a few thoughts on these castings and why they keep coming up:

Yes it is a big engine and you will need a lathe that can turn a 255mm (10") flywheel.

The drawings are adequate they give all the principal dimensions but they leave the decorative stuff to the builder. And items like the governor are just an outline 

The quality of the castings  mine are the original Clarkson ones made in that special Clarkson cast Iron  . Today Blackgates supply them in gunmetal. While the original Clarkson ones had a reputation for their hard spots we need to recognise that they got their reputation back in the old days when modellers rarely used carbide. The castings are rough not highly detailed like we would hope to get today but this is an old engine design.


My assessment is that this is not a beginner's model beam engine  but it should be very impressive when complete   


As for my set of castings there are 4 castings missing the inner and outer main pedestals, valve chest and eccentric strap - all easy to cut from bar stock so I will add the missing bits.  Am I going to get around to building it

Jo

[Stuart]

That looks like it will make a chunky beam engine

Jo you are encouragable when casting are concerned , but alas there seems to be no hope of a recovery ,or remission from your casting hoarding affliction , no hope at all   


73’sand 88’s
Stuart

[Jo]

I am trying to be good Stuart and not make too close a friend with this set 

But I had been thinking that it has been a couple of years since I built another beam engine - I have made 4 so far    I am planning an infernal engine next 

Jo

[Jasonb]

Did you manage to find any Drawings Jo?

J

PS I found a Microbore head for less than the cost of a couple of half decent triangular inserts, it uses CCMT 06..... so I have plenty of those and fits a  hole at right angles across the bar

[Jo]

Yes my Supplier gave me a dog eared set which I am now cleaning up, putting the parts on A4 sheets and then will be converting to real measurements  so they can be used in the workshop 

PS I found a Microbore head for less than the cost of a couple of half decent triangular inserts, it uses CCMT 06..... so I have plenty of those and fits a  hole at right angles across the bar

So that means I don't get a tip for my boring cartridge again  Where did you find those 

Jo

[Jasonb]

APT don't do the small triangular inserts so I went and had a look on Jurrassic's site and found afull  box of Ceratizit ones for £20 and was going to get those and thought while I was at it I would see what CCMT 06 inserts they had as I have bought Kennametal ones from them in the past so put CCMT 06 into the search box and as well as inserts two Microbore heads came up at about £7.50 each so it seemed rude not to buy them

https://www.jurassictools.com/

Also being the ones that fit in a right angled hole it will be a lot easier to make the bar and should also mean less metal removed so the bar will be stronger. 

They still have a cranked one available if you want it https://www.jurassictools.com/store/product/microbore-unit-plus-boring-bar-indexable-insert-tool-5-16-x-40-tpi-uses-ccmt-06-inserts-used-lot-5

Only downside is you won't be getting any free inserts

[Jo]

They still have a cranked one available if you want it https://www.jurassictools.com/store/product/microbore-unit-plus-boring-bar-indexable-insert-tool-5-16-x-40-tpi-uses-ccmt-06-inserts-used-lot-5

Imperial   

Jo

[crueby]

They still have a cranked one available if you want it https://www.jurassictools.com/store/product/microbore-unit-plus-boring-bar-indexable-insert-tool-5-16-x-40-tpi-uses-ccmt-06-inserts-used-lot-5

Imperial   

Jo

No, just an oddball number in metric!   

[Jasonb]

Don't know if their descriptions are quite right, it also says 5/16 x 40 on teh ones I bought but they have the metric code numbers starting with M

Not bothered really as I can work quite happily in metric, imperial or both and as the final cuts on the piston will be done by feel rather than measurement does not matter to me

[Jasonb]

Arrived today and despite the description saying 5/16" x 40 they are indeed metric ones as the code number suggested. Looks to be M8 x 0.5 thread with 50 divisions on the nut so one div = 0.01mm off radius.

Oh and did I say they are right handed

[Jo]

Just means I won't have to lend you any tools in the future  .

Jo