Author Topic: Stuart Victoria help needed  (Read 3450 times)

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Stuart Victoria help needed
« Reply #15 on: May 16, 2018, 07:25:01 AM »
That's nicely done with a lot of additional details as we should expect from you.

I wonder how much running it would actually get when passed onto his son in law after the initial couple of runs when first recieved, maybe a quick clean up so it can go into a glass fronted cupboard to help keep the dust off would be adequate.

Offline Ramon Wilson

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Re: Stuart Victoria help needed
« Reply #16 on: May 16, 2018, 10:39:31 PM »
Hi Guy's - thought you might like to hear of a reasonably positive outcome  :)

I went into the workshop this morning with a very despondent feeling not relishing the thought of having to tell my friend that this was a real no-no short of some serious work :(

Despite those misgivings I reassembled the cylinder as best the misalignment would allow and made a better air connection. Thanks to Jason and Jo and my friend Barry I'd machined the valve cavity to print as well as bringing it in to the centre of the valve and then to the correct length.
The eccentric was set and the valve brought to as near equal opening as possible - air was applied and much to my surprise (due to the witnessed distortion) a power stroke but no return. After some checking it transpired that the valve was actually thicker than the steam chest  ::) and was being held by the steam chest cover so this was reduced in height by about .5mm . With some encouragement on the flywheel however it began to turn over on about 20 psi  - 1-2 revs at first then 3-5 then a few more then suddenly it broke into a steady run. A satisfying knock as the valve operating layshaft not only rotates but twists in a wringing fashion in it's bearing but it was running steady enough. I let it run all morning, plenty of oil and tweaking the odd nut (all square nuts BTW - a real pain with conventional spanners if awkward to get at. Whatever, after a return visit this afternoon friend Phil is happy and son in law even happier  :)

All's well that ends well eh?



Thanks again for the help Jason and Jo

Regards - Tug

PS I meant to say - the governor is decorative only but is effective  :-\ Once the speed reaches 'enough' the balls hit the flywheel to produce a pleasant warning ring  ;D

BTW it was originally positioned on that outer hole - impossible for it to be driven from the pulley. Given all the misalignment there was no way that was going to be stripped to reduce the length of the bar - not this week anyway  ;)
« Last Edit: May 16, 2018, 10:46:57 PM by Ramon »
"I ain't here for the long time but I am here for a good time"
(a very apt phrase - thanks to a well meaning MEM friend)

Offline Jo

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Re: Stuart Victoria help needed
« Reply #17 on: May 17, 2018, 07:16:14 AM »
Pleased to hear its running Tug :)

Those boxes of Corliss bits behind look a bit like the storage area for my Corliss..... ah the Corliss that's another engine I am putting off until I retire  :stir:

Jo
Enjoyment is more important than achievement.

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Stuart Victoria help needed
« Reply #18 on: May 17, 2018, 07:22:17 AM »
A good outcome all round, I'm sure both your friend and his S-I-L will be happy to see it running warts and all and you are now able to get back to sticking your toothpics in place without loosing too much time.

Just goes to show that steam engines can be quite forgiving subjects and there is no need to get stressed out over impractical accuracies to be able to get a running engine that you can enjoy.

Offline Stuart

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Re: Stuart Victoria help needed
« Reply #19 on: May 17, 2018, 07:53:48 AM »
Great out indeed given the circumstances

I know were you are coming from like me you like it correct ,and it grinds your wheels if it’s not ,and you have to put it right.

Stuart
My aim is for a accurate part with a good finish

Offline Ramon Wilson

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Re: Stuart Victoria help needed
« Reply #20 on: May 17, 2018, 09:53:40 AM »
Morning Jo, Jason and Stuart,

The request to help on this came out of the blue and at not a very convenient moment but I could not refuse given the circumstances  - the engine is not in a state I would have liked to returned but the remit was just to get it working.

Apparently Phil bought in some 20-25 years ago - in 'going condition' (hmm :ShakeHead:) and never ever got round to working on it. I would hazard a guess that it was built by someone with limited knowledge and fairly small resources. That's not to knock it as if that was the case then the outcome was commendable. I would also hazard a guess that give the poor alignment that it was 'run in' via an external source which has lead to the excessive wringing and bending of the valve linkage.

Son in Law is well pleased - has no previous knowledge of engines but told me he intends to run it and show it so maybe we get a new model engineer out of it which would be a nice outcome if so.

Thanks again for your help - I can now get back on the 'toothpicks' (they are precision machined ones you know Jason  :Lol:) in a week or so

Regards - Tug
"I ain't here for the long time but I am here for a good time"
(a very apt phrase - thanks to a well meaning MEM friend)

 

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