Author Topic: Stuart Victoria  (Read 2837 times)

Offline Jasonb

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Stuart Victoria
« on: March 21, 2021, 04:19:37 PM »
I was kindly given this slightly started kit as a result of a thread about errors in the Stuart Victoria drawings over on ME forum so it was built more or less as Mr Stuart intended but with corrections rather than doing it as I see a Victoria could be but then again if going that far starting with barstock would be the more appropriate route :LittleDevil:.

Looking at the dates on my photos I first started on the main bed casting on 26th of Feb and today had enough done to see if the engine ran. There was some work already done but I have reworked quite a bit and also had to make a few missing bits from scratch so probably a similar amount of work to starting with a virgin kit.

In the video it is just running as a quick trial so no rings, gland packing or gaskets and the outrigger bearing or cylinder end of the bed are not held down so it starts to move about a bit at speed and knock but who wants to run them like that anyway when a slow tickover is as nice to watch as any clock or pendulum.

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=polgK3S_HYo" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=polgK3S_HYo</a>

Offline emh

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #1 on: March 23, 2021, 03:50:00 PM »
Very nice, looks like when completed it will  equal or exceed the usual superior Jasonb standards.  Somewhere a set of Victoria castings is lurking in the dim recesses of my shop.

Offline steam guy willy

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #2 on: March 23, 2021, 08:11:33 PM »
Hi , Good project to finish off ..  But why is the engine so long ??  Or is it to make room for extra parts like a governor  etc etc

Good to see we are all still busy with our projects !!

Willy

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #3 on: March 23, 2021, 08:50:17 PM »
I suppose that's one of the problems with spare part engineering. The Beam was the first to use the 1" x 2" cylinder & 7" flywheel. Andrew Smith then came up with the idea of using these parts as the basis for a model based on a small workshop engine he knew of.

So length of cylinder is fixed and the method of supporting the cylinder on "two bits of angle iron" requires a bit more length beyond the end of the cylinder. Cross head guides can't be much shorter as they need to accomodate the 2" stroke but the The conrod also shares the same length as the one on the Beam and could probably have been made 1" to 1.5" shorter and any less length in the bed beyond the main bearings would see the big end hitting the end of the bed. Plus the fact it's all a bit "heavy" and not the most finely designed engine.

So if "cast" legs were added to the cylinder as per Tubal Cains "Princess Royal" , the conrod shortened and so reshaping of the crank end of the bed done you could probably drop 2" off the overall length and still have several options for fitting a governor

Offline Charles Lamont

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #4 on: March 23, 2021, 10:31:21 PM »
A long con-rod makes for an engine that will be smoother at low speed. It makes the valve events more even. If I remember rightly, the rocker driven valve on the Victoria also provides scope for altering the geometry to fully correct the valve events.

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #5 on: March 24, 2021, 07:57:08 AM »
I don't  seem to have too much trouble getting other engines with shorter conrods to run the same but this one is a bit excessive in length, a couple of my old books suggest about 2.5 times stroke for larger engines so that would put it a 5" rather than just over six.

As I said the drawing for this one has been lifted straight from the beam engine and that is the reason this whole build came about as it is too long and the crosshead slippers hit the end supports if built to the original drawings! The member on the other forum was none too happy about having to make a new conrod.  >:( Stuarts did do a revised drawing which is better but they also altered the piston at the same time which means it won't run centrally in the cylinder as the gap at one end is far more than the other.

There is no adjustment on the valve gear save for the usual positioning of the eccentric and adjustment of valve nut on it's rod. You just need to remember to set the eccentric in the opposite direction as the action of the linkages reverses the valve's movement.

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #6 on: April 11, 2021, 07:44:33 PM »
Well I've got some paint on it and fitted it to a base so that's another notch on the workshop door frame.

The eagle eyed will see that I have added a bit of detail to the cylinder and valve chest as well as doing away with the bolt together eccentric rod, other than that it's fairly stock except made to a set of drawings that are correct.





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

Offline crueby

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #7 on: April 11, 2021, 07:52:51 PM »
Wonderfully elegant, the extra ribs are a great touch. The longer conrod and the rocking linkage to the valve look great in motion.   :ThumbsUp:

Online Kim

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #8 on: April 11, 2021, 09:46:17 PM »
Beautiful engine, Jason.  A nice paint job and a Very smooth runner! 

Kim

Offline RonGinger

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #9 on: April 11, 2021, 11:34:47 PM »
I have the castings for the Twin Victoria. That is two of this engine with a common, big flywheel in the center. They are in my stack of 'aging' castings and I am now coming to realize I will never build it. I would pack it and ship it to anyone in the US (maybe Canada) for $650. This kit  has never been opened, still in the blister wrap cardboard from ST. PM me for details.

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #10 on: April 12, 2021, 07:24:43 AM »
Thanks for the comments

Chris, I was in two minds whether to mount the cylinder on it's side and do away with all the extra linkages but in the end stuck with the Stuart layout which as you say does add a bit more interest visually.

If anyone does buy Ron's castings keep a look out for the build thread of this which will have drawings for the parts that will not fit if built to Stuarts drawings or the ones in both editions of the book.

Offline fumopuc

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #11 on: April 12, 2021, 07:37:02 AM »
Hi Jason, pure pleasure to follow the motion.
Kind Regards
Achim

Offline Zephyrin

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #12 on: April 12, 2021, 08:30:49 AM »
very stylish model and beautiful valve gear, simple and classy!
as regard conrod length, five times the crank length is requiered for a sinusoidal movement of the piston, symetric, otherwise, with a short conrod the piston stays longer at bdc, which may impair the regularity of the movement of a double acting engine.

Offline simplyloco

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #13 on: April 12, 2021, 09:47:33 AM »
very stylish model and beautiful valve gear, simple and classy!
as regard conrod length, five times the crank length is requiered for a sinusoidal movement of the piston, symetric, otherwise, with a short conrod the piston stays longer at bdc, which may impair the regularity of the movement of a double acting engine.

Thanks for this, I was unaware of that simple fact!
John
Strong minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, weak minds discuss people.” ― Socrates

Offline Jim

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #14 on: April 13, 2021, 05:56:05 AM »
Beautiful engines these Stuarts are.
Kind regards,

Jim

Offline propforward

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #15 on: April 13, 2021, 02:13:29 PM »
Thanks for the comments

Chris, I was in two minds whether to mount the cylinder on it's side and do away with all the extra linkages but in the end stuck with the Stuart layout which as you say does add a bit more interest visually.

If anyone does buy Ron's castings keep a look out for the build thread of this which will have drawings for the parts that will not fit if built to Stuarts drawings or the ones in both editions of the book.

It is a super engine - really enjoyed watching the videos.

Is the build thread you mention one you are going to publish, or does it already exists somewhere?
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #16 on: April 13, 2021, 02:33:35 PM »
I've not started it yet, may just be on ME forum but waiting for their new software to go live so I can attach pdf drawings to the thread. As the casting set was donated by a member of that forum I it should be exclusive to there. but will post a link when it's up and running and may also put drawings into my Dropbox account.

Offline propforward

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #17 on: April 13, 2021, 04:45:10 PM »
Great - thank you. I will definitely pay attention to that.
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Offline gary.a.ayres

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Re: Stuart Victoria
« Reply #18 on: April 18, 2021, 09:51:10 PM »
Very elegant engine. A beauty!

 

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