Author Topic: Stuart Turner Compressor  (Read 3154 times)

Offline RayW

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Stuart Turner Compressor
« on: August 04, 2022, 04:21:07 PM »
Several years ago I was given this little compressor as a thank you from the widow of a late friend of mine in gratitude for helping her with the disposal of his various collections.
I have always liked the look of it and thought it would make a nice shelf ornament once restored, but I have never got around to doing it. There are no manufacturers identifying marks on it other than a couple of embossed numbers.
I finally decided to do some research on the internet today, and, to my delight, I have discovered that the castings for it were produced by Stuart Turner. The specification is as follows:
Type: twin cylinder, single action, compressor
Bore 1 in
Stroke: 1 in
Height: 5 1/4 in
Availability 1938-1986.
HP: 2,200 cu. in. / min @60psi

Under the paint, the air tank is made of copper, and the only thing missing that I can see is a safety valve, which has been replaced with a piece of copper pipe that has been crimped flat. The spokes of the flywheel are shaped as fan blades to force air over the cooling fins of the cylinders. Even turning the flywheel a few times by hand produces quite a good pressure in the tank.
I would be interested to hear if any other members own or have come across one of these compressors before.
« Last Edit: August 04, 2022, 04:25:11 PM by RayW »
Ray

Offline Michael S.

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Re: Stuart Turner Compressor
« Reply #1 on: August 04, 2022, 04:38:03 PM »
It looks a bit like Stuart Turner's Sirius. I mean the crank case.
You started a very nice project there. I would carefully restore it.

Michael

Offline RayW

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Re: Stuart Turner Compressor
« Reply #2 on: August 04, 2022, 04:49:57 PM »
I understand that it shares some castings with the Sirius Michael. This website gives more details:
http://stuartturnersteam.com/Machines/compressor/compressor.html

I only intend to do a cosmetic restoration, ie clean up and paint, and polish up the brass and copper parts. The only alteration I will make is to add add a safety valve to the tank.


Ray

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Stuart Turner Compressor
« Reply #3 on: August 04, 2022, 04:50:52 PM »
Ray, I have a jpg image of the plans that I found on the net if you need them. good enough to use when blown up.

Offline RayW

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Re: Stuart Turner Compressor
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2022, 04:52:57 PM »
Thanks Jason. I already found them and saved them.
Ray

Offline Charles Lamont

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Re: Stuart Turner Compressor
« Reply #5 on: August 04, 2022, 08:59:37 PM »
I also have a just about decipherable downloaded .jpg of the drawing, and coincidentally started working just last night from that drawing to produce my own CAD GA. While similar in size and configuration to the Sirius, I don't think there are actually any parts in common. There are some useful pictures here: https://www.stationroadsteam.com/stuart-turner-twin-cylinder-compressor-pump-stock-code-8071/

When they rarely come up on Ebay they fetch a tidy price. The sub-base and tank additions I have seen elsewhere. These additions were AFAIK never in the catalogue, and the underside of the sub-base looks as thought it was meant to attach to something cylindrical. Did they perhaps form part of some larger product?

Do you think we can prevail on Bridport Foundry to restart production?
   

Offline RayW

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Re: Stuart Turner Compressor
« Reply #6 on: August 05, 2022, 12:03:08 PM »
Hi Charles,
Yes, I think you are right about the sub base. I too suspect that it was fitted to a cylinder of some sort. In the photos I have mounted it on an old fire extinguisher of about 7 inches diameter. As well as the rounded recess in the end of the base, the casting also has a couple of feet, one on each side, which are shaped to sit flush with a cylinder.
The flywheel would just about clear the cylinder when the compressor was bolted down tight.
The casting is very well made and has what I assume to be a pattern number embossed on it. It will be interesting to do some further research and to contact Stuart Turner to see if they can throw any further light on what it may have been used for.

Ray

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Stuart Turner Compressor
« Reply #7 on: August 05, 2022, 12:24:42 PM »
If it were intended to fit onto a larger tank would that tend to indicate that the small integral tank is some form of moisture trap, the tap at the bottom would also seem to point to this.

Maybe the top outlet was then the feed to the main tank and that would have had the safety valve rather than it being on a moisture trap


Offline RayW

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Re: Stuart Turner Compressor
« Reply #8 on: August 05, 2022, 12:34:55 PM »
Good thinking Jason. I have seen the small tank referred elsewhere on the internet as a moisture trap, so suspect you are exactly correct. The tank is only made of copper so not sure what sort of pressure it would hold.
Ray

Offline Jasonb

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Re: Stuart Turner Compressor
« Reply #9 on: August 05, 2022, 01:10:55 PM »
I'm not sure what these compressors were capable of producing, I take it the 60psi in your first post relates to the driving engine?


I was also thinking that the crankshaft axis was the wrong way round for mounting on a tank as most compressors you see have the motor belted to the compressor sitting next to it. But then I thought it unlikely that a steam engine would be mounted on the main receiver and more likely stood to one side in which case the pully is in the correct orientation.


Offline RayW

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Re: Stuart Turner Compressor
« Reply #10 on: August 05, 2022, 02:56:07 PM »
As far as I understand, 60psi is the pressure that the compressor would produce. The following website shows a direct coupled electric motor.
http://www.myford-lathes.com/steam19.html

The performance figures I quoted were taken from this website
http://stuartturnersteam.com/Machines/compressor/compressor.html

Hopefully, I will be able to track down what they were fitted to.
Ray

Offline RayW

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Re: Stuart Turner Compressor
« Reply #11 on: August 05, 2022, 03:09:36 PM »
I have found two Youtube videos showing the compressor being driven by  Stuart Sirius engine
 
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I14onq7cec" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5I14onq7cec</a>

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

Offline RayW

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Re: Stuart Turner Compressor
« Reply #12 on: September 03, 2022, 02:38:29 PM »
I have now completed the mainly cosmetic restoration of the compressor, although it did require new head gaskets either side of the valve plate between the cylinder head and the cylinder block. I have blanked off the outlet on top of the moisture trap tank, but intend to replace this with a safety valve once I can find a suitable design. As I do not know what pressure the moisture trap will withstand, I will be erring on the side of caution and having the valve open at a low pressure. At present, just a few turns of the flywheel is sufficient to produce a satisfying hiss of air when the drain tap is opened, so the compressor is working well.
I had hoped to polish the tank as the cylinder is copper, but on stripping the old paint, I found that the ends are of mild steel soldered in, and not very attractive, so I opted for a painted finish instead.
I opted for a Mid Bronze Green and Satin Black colour scheme to match my Stuart Half Horsepower and it is mounted on a Beech block for display purposes.
Ray

Offline crueby

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Re: Stuart Turner Compressor
« Reply #13 on: September 03, 2022, 02:43:41 PM »
Beautiful, looks like new!   :whoohoo:

Offline Michael S.

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Re: Stuart Turner Compressor
« Reply #14 on: September 03, 2022, 06:08:19 PM »
I like the color combination very much!
A beautiful machine for the steam engine.

Michael

 

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