Stuart Major Beam Engine

[Chipmaster]

The engine was driven by an electric motor for about ten hours over the weekend to bed in the piston rings. If I put my hand over the ports on the cylinder valve face the sucking and blowing seemed pretty good and the engine turns over quite easily.
The next stage was to reassemble and time the valve gear.

 S Major 1667 (2) by Andy, on Flickr

S Major 1668 (2) by Andy, on Flickr

I haven't used any gaskets so far, I'm relying on Wellseal which is easy to take apart should the need arise.

Andy

[Chipswitheverything]

Great progress towards seeing your engine finally completed Andy:  looking marvellous.  Understand completely your exasperation with the parallel motion and its mass of tiny pieces, I have kept my assembly as one "lump" all together while the engine languishes forever in the "paint shop", the brasses and other bits are too small to try and mark individually.  I will try and do a once and for all reassembly on the engine when the time comes...   ( On the brighter side, have just made all of the ball-ended lever handles for my Quorn grinder, another 75% done, long term "lurker" !)  Dave

[Michael S.]

Hello Andy,

I have had good experience with cardboard/paper (0.2 - 0.3 mm thick).
Then coated with a mixture of steam oil and graphite for operation under steam. That always worked well and was tight.
But that makes beautiful black fingernails 😏

Michael

[Chipmaster]

Hi Michael, I am using gaskets between the pipe flanges, jointing compound would be messy in those locations.

S Major 1669 by Andy, on Flickr

This is my gasket cutting kit,

S Major 1671 by Andy, on Flickr

Years ago at the 1,000 Engine Rally in Cheshire I bought the tools for cutting holes from a Dutch trader. They have been very useful although I don't know what their real purpose was, perhaps for cutting holes in corks in a laboratory?

S Major 1672 by Andy, on Flickr

The engine is almost ready to test on compressed air.

S Major 1673 by Andy, on Flickr

S Major 1675 by Andy, on Flickr

S Major 1676 by Andy, on Flickr

Andy

[crueby]

Those are known as cork borers, originally for punching holes in cork or rubber stoppers for pipettes, now common as general gasket/etc hole punches.

Great looking assemblies!   

[Chipmaster]

Thanks for confirming that Crueby, now I see them for sale on the Internet.

Andy

[Chipmaster]

It works 

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xIffSPzvuI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xIffSPzvuI</a>

I couldn't resist trying it out with compressed air last night, I'm very pleased that the engine ran straight away. However, it's not finished yet, the slide valve, particularly the timing need adjustment and the bearings at the top of the connecting rod are too slack hence knocking. Strange because the bearings were ok when it was driven by an electric motor. The governor hasn't been refitted because it gets in the way when making adjustments to the eccentric / valve timing. At the moment the piston is certainly double acting but the exhaust only chuffs at one end of the stroke.

Exasperation with the Parallel Motion is an understatement Dave, I tried to keep mine in 'one lump' as much as possible but those pesky little split bearings kept escaping.

Andy

[Admiral_dk]

Even if it isn't quite there yet - it's good to see it run again 

Per

[Chipmaster]

Thanks Per, it is a relief too.

Andy

[Kim]

It runs nice and slowly, that's for sure.  I'm sure you'll get it running the way you want soon!   

Kim

[simplyloco]

It works 

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xIffSPzvuI" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xIffSPzvuI</a>

I couldn't resist trying it out with compressed air last night, I'm very pleased that the engine ran straight away. However, it's not finished yet, the slide valve, particularly the timing need adjustment and the bearings at the top of the connecting rod are too slack hence knocking. Strange because the bearings were ok when it was driven by an electric motor. The governor hasn't been refitted because it gets in the way when making adjustments to the eccentric / valve timing. At the moment the piston is certainly double acting but the exhaust only chuffs at one end of the stroke.

Exasperation with the Parallel Motion is an understatement Dave, I tried to keep mine in 'one lump' as much as possible but those pesky little split bearings kept escaping.

Andy

I had they same 'knocking' on mine. It was the change in direction of force that showed up the slack in the bearing box. A slight increase in the packing piece thickness and all was OK!
I ended up using some heavy grease to keep the split bearings in during assembly!
Looking great by the way.

[Chipmaster]

Hi John, I’ll have a look at those con rod bearings later tomorrow. Packing might solve the issue or  I may need to close up the bearing halves with a bit of judicious filing.

Andy

[Michael S.]

Hello Andy,

a silky smooth run! I congratulate you on your success.
It is always amazing how a minimal bearing play makes itself felt so loudly. This is also due to the wooden base. It looks like a guitar case.

I re-watched your full report from the beginning, amazingly good work and precision.

Cheers Michael

[ettingtonliam]

Oddly, the video is silent when I play it, even though I've checked that I haven't got 'mute' engaged. Does make for lovely quiet running with no knocking though!. Beam engines are so elegant don't you think!

[Chipswitheverything]

Excellent initial running on the air, must have been quite an exciting moment to see the beam engine spring to life like that .  Looking at your nice detail photos a bit earlier in the list, the Major does make for a spectacular display piece.  When the governor and the pump rod go back on, there will be that much more as well.
 There is so much of interest to look at, in the contrast of the steel, brass and copper along with the grey paintwork, and the complexity of the component shapes with their decorative flourishes.  Though they are not too easy to make, the effect of the fish-bellied rods and proper oval turned ends, and all the gibs and cotters and other refinements of component shapes pay big dividends in the pleasure of what there is to contemplate visually about the engine.   Dave