Author Topic: Governor for the Stuart Beam Engine  (Read 23452 times)

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Governor for the Stuart Beam Engine
« Reply #15 on: October 15, 2012, 01:50:03 PM »
I'll sort those details out for you but the Stuart one is not known for working particularly well and does look a bit chunky.

You could use one of Anthony Mounts designs, the one from the benson would do nicely and mine certainly works, why not add a geared grive shaft rather than a slipping belt like the ME beam uses.


Online Jo

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Re: Governor for the Stuart Beam Engine
« Reply #16 on: October 15, 2012, 02:59:14 PM »
I agree that the Stuart governor is rather basic, but then most of the Stuart model designs are, they are excellent beginners engines which most of the wrinkles have been ironed out. Once you start modifying engines how far do you take it? I wouldn't expect the governor on this sized engine to actually work and being spring driven is asking for shaky movement, maybe a rubber "o" ring :thinking: but they hunt :-\.

Anthony does design some nice governors designs, so did Tubal Cain. I know that some people find governors and their fiddly parts a little challenging. I must be getting  :old: because I now enjoy them. I had thought of starting a topic with various model governor designs and how to machine their tricky fiddly bits.

Jo
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Offline smfr

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Re: Governor for the Stuart Beam Engine
« Reply #17 on: October 15, 2012, 04:40:34 PM »
I had thought of starting a topic with various model governor designs and how to machine their tricky fiddly bits.

Yes please!  :NotWorthy:

Simon

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Governor for the Stuart Beam Engine
« Reply #18 on: October 15, 2012, 05:14:15 PM »
I had thought of starting a topic with various model governor designs and how to machine their tricky fiddly bits.

Yes please!  :NotWorthy:

Simon

Seconded! I have a long term project in mind that will require a governor.
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Offline tel

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Re: Governor for the Stuart Beam Engine
« Reply #19 on: October 15, 2012, 08:13:10 PM »
Oh Yea! I'll third that - they are an interesting subject.
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Offline Jasonb

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Re: Governor for the Stuart Beam Engine
« Reply #20 on: October 15, 2012, 08:18:46 PM »
So long as you start with the balls & springs for a Pickering governor :Lol:

Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Governor for the Stuart Beam Engine
« Reply #21 on: October 15, 2012, 08:58:23 PM »
Jo,

Early on you mentioned you're not a great fan of butterfly valves and had a simpler design.
What don't you like about the butterfly valve and what's your simpler design?

Thanks.
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Online Jo

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Re: Governor for the Stuart Beam Engine
« Reply #22 on: October 15, 2012, 09:27:18 PM »
So long as you start with the balls & springs for a Pickering governor :Lol:

You just want to see me make six half spheres, attempt to hold them to mill the slot and muck up the alignment when I put them together around the spring steel. Thankfully I do not need a Pickering on any of my engines ;)

 :thinking: The only governor I have underway at the moment is a Hartnell. The most common is a Watt which is probably the most useful for most and I need a couple for my two S&Ps. But some of use have to work....give me a week and I will be on holiday :whoohoo:. I will probably need a break from the DTC, as long as Father Xmas does not side track me ;D.

Jo
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Offline steamer

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Re: Governor for the Stuart Beam Engine
« Reply #23 on: October 15, 2012, 09:36:00 PM »
What ...no Inertia governers!......Scandal!


 8)

I'll be watching Jo!

Dave
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Online Jo

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Re: Governor for the Stuart Beam Engine
« Reply #24 on: October 15, 2012, 09:51:56 PM »
Zee, sorry butterfly valves.

I have no problem with cutting an ellipse with the appropriate angles on the edges. That is easy: You take a piece of brass bar the diameter of the port, cut an angle on the end at the correct angle, stick a piece of hard brass on it, turn the flat to match the bar and Bob's your uncle one valve.  :ShakeHead: It is that fiddly bit of poking it into the slot on the valve spindle, getting it at the  wrong correct angle and then securing it with screws which unless the shaft is pretty big (> 3.2mm) are holding on by a whisker.

No on small engines (most of mine have steam pipes of 4mm I/D) I cheat, if I want a working valve I make the spindle bigger than the steam port (you can normally hide this diameter under the gland) then cross drill the shaft, to let the steam through. You can fully open this in 90 deg of movement. Ok so it is not as sharp as a butterfly, but that little thieving gnome in the workshop has so many of my Lady S's valves hidden away  :facepalm: where I dropped them on the floor trying to mount them. I only do big butterflys now, 6.35 mm+.

Jo
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Online Jo

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Re: Governor for the Stuart Beam Engine
« Reply #25 on: October 15, 2012, 09:58:46 PM »
What ...no Inertia governors!......Scandal!

We were talking steam engines rather than gas: both my Centaur and R&B have variations on a Watt. I am sure someone has a woodpecker, who would like to "chirp" in ;).

Jo
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Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Governor for the Stuart Beam Engine
« Reply #26 on: October 15, 2012, 11:08:08 PM »
Thanks Jo!
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Offline smfr

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Re: Governor for the Stuart Beam Engine
« Reply #27 on: October 15, 2012, 11:25:21 PM »
Zee, sorry butterfly valves.

I have no problem with cutting an ellipse with the appropriate angles on the edges. That is easy: You take a piece of brass bar the diameter of the port, cut an angle on the end at the correct angle, stick a piece of hard brass on it, turn the flat to match the bar and Bob's your uncle one valve.  :ShakeHead: It is that fiddly bit of poking it into the slot on the valve spindle, getting it at the  wrong correct angle and then securing it with screws which unless the shaft is pretty big (> 3.2mm) are holding on by a whisker.

No on small engines (most of mine have steam pipes of 4mm I/D) I cheat, if I want a working valve I make the spindle bigger than the steam port (you can normally hide this diameter under the gland) then cross drill the shaft, to let the steam through. You can fully open this in 90 deg of movement. Ok so it is not as sharp as a butterfly, but that little thieving gnome in the workshop has so many of my Lady S's valves hidden away  :facepalm: where I dropped them on the floor trying to mount them. I only do big butterflys now, 6.35 mm+.

Very interesting, but hard to understand for folks like me who've never built a valve from scratch. I think we're due for another thread on valve building  :NotWorthy:

Simon

Offline steamer

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Re: Governor for the Stuart Beam Engine
« Reply #28 on: October 15, 2012, 11:38:43 PM »
What ...no Inertia governors!......Scandal!

We were talking steam engines rather than gas: both my Centaur and R&B have variations on a Watt. I am sure someone has a woodpecker, who would like to "chirp" in ;).

Jo

Ahh Poppy cock and boulderdash!   Steam engines absolutely used inertia governers.....I'll post   "Ball Engine" and "Armington and Sims" were famous for their flywheel mounted inertia governers which controled cutoff directly by rotating the eccentrics....but its all academic ....I'm not going to buid one! :ROFL:


I've yet to buidl a governer!    I'll be watching Jo!   Learn me!      :NotWorthy: :NotWorthy: :NotWorthy: :NotWorthy: :NotWorthy:

Dave
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Offline zeeprogrammer

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Re: Governor for the Stuart Beam Engine
« Reply #29 on: October 15, 2012, 11:40:30 PM »
Very interesting, but hard to understand for folks like me who've never built a valve from scratch. I think we're due for another thread on valve building

Hee hee. I had the same thought but didn't say anything (yet). I started doing some googling on butterfly valves, valves, and governors earlier today. Much to learn.

A topic on valves would be great but I suspect it's a big big topic. Valves for steam, valves for flow control, actuators for valves...on and on. So there may need to be several topics.

I'm okay with that! I just can't be an author but I'm a very willing reader.

Just saw your post Dave. "Learn me." Very southern midwest for me! Although I usually got "I'll learn you!".
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