Author Topic: Yet Another Stuart Major Beam Engine  (Read 29471 times)

Offline samc88

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Re: Yet Another Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #15 on: December 16, 2020, 10:54:46 PM »
Nice work on the valve chest. At least you didnt find it missing after paying for a brand new kit though!

Your stirling single looks brilliant too

simplyloco

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Re: Yet Another Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #16 on: December 16, 2020, 11:01:43 PM »
Nice work on the valve chest. At least you didnt find it missing after paying for a brand new kit though!

Your stirling single looks brilliant too
Agreed, a new set of castings is £1250.00!
Thanks for the kind words.
John

simplyloco

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Re: Yet Another Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #17 on: December 17, 2020, 04:41:23 PM »
More Horror Stories!

Well, I've got a half decent valve chest with a screwed in gland boss that I can remove to drill the pcd holes. However, the cylinder cap edge is not circumferential to the cylinder, so if I want 'perfection' then I'm going to have to mount the cylinder in the rotary table and do the necessary on the mill: carefully...  :censored:
In addition, whoever made the cap forgot that the gland has to have a tapered  seat, so I will make a suitable insert. Luckily there is just enough of a lip at the bottom to hold the new seat in place. I will also either counterbore the stud holes or turn the domed upstand back a little to accommodate the nuts!
All good fun!







simplyloco

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Re: Yet Another Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #18 on: December 18, 2020, 08:03:24 PM »
Cylinder Mating Faces Sorted

I took the chuck off the rotary table and on mounting the cylinder I found I had plenty of room to fit a decent end mill. Clocked up the line using the pin and eyeball method, brought the job to the cutter, locked the beds and wanged it round by hand taking great care not to climb mill into the protruding bit.
Worked a treat and I'm happy with it. Not quite perfection but it is good enough!
John





There's no Slide Valve casting either...

I found a lump of brass which on which I took some hacksaw exercise!



I'll use a ball head cutter to shape the internals: a simple steam way should do fine. Here's a piece I practiced on, I hope this approach will be sufficient as the thing will get tested once on steam and 'electrified' after that! I'll set the DRO dimensions tomorrow.




Whilst my new vice was clocked up I took the opportunity to run the long series end mill along the back edge. Setting the vice up will be so much easier in future.

 
« Last Edit: December 18, 2020, 08:07:00 PM by simplyloco »

simplyloco

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Re: Yet Another Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #19 on: December 19, 2020, 12:57:57 PM »
Hi All.
I was looking in the Station Road Steam Archive for relevant material, and I found this modern take on our engine. I quite like it as parts of it are refreshingly different! What do you guys think as it's a Marmite/Peanut Butter question!
https://www.stationroadsteam.com/stuart-major-beam-engine-stock-code-5274/
John




Offline Chipswitheverything

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Re: Yet Another Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #20 on: December 19, 2020, 02:59:06 PM »
I remember when this engine turned up for sale at SRS a while ago.  Personally, as in the case of my own engine, I favour making the links in the "proper" manner, as Andy has also done, as they have so much more interest and visual appeal in their traditional detailed construction, and are a prominent part of a beam engine. The simplified versions do have a bit of a "cop out" look,and the socket screws are deeply anachronistic, but the choice is with the builder....!  ( And the bits could always be removed later..! )  Dave

simplyloco

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Re: Yet Another Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #21 on: December 19, 2020, 04:34:34 PM »
Hi Dave, and you are quite right about the anachronisms! I'll stick with the drawing. I also have loads of green gloss 2 pack paint left over from the Stirling Single... 8)

Slide Valve

I know that it can't be seen but it feels good to hew a solid block into a pleasing shape!  I'm catching you up already Alan Andy! :cheers:







Lathe work next week: piston rods etc.... :whoohoo:

« Last Edit: December 19, 2020, 10:46:45 PM by simplyloco »

Offline Chipmaster

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Re: Yet Another Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #22 on: December 19, 2020, 09:34:50 PM »
Is 'Alan' me?

Andy


simplyloco

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Re: Yet Another Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #23 on: December 19, 2020, 10:24:56 PM »
Is 'Alan' me?

Andy
My apologies. Its you!😊
« Last Edit: December 19, 2020, 10:45:29 PM by simplyloco »

simplyloco

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Re: Yet Another Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #24 on: December 20, 2020, 09:04:54 PM »
I lied about making the Piston Rods...

I really was going to make some small stuff next, but this large, lumpy, horribly painted non concentric column winked at me and said "Do me next!".  I'm glad I listened as it is starting to look quite nice turned to the correct dimensions, as with the original 1968 H A Taylor build.
 The casting is well oversize, and I can't imagine why the previous builder would want to leave it as it was.  I made an alloy plug for the top end. I don't have a taper turning attachment, so I used the compound slide to good effect. I did the bottom radius with 14"  and 8" files and emery cloth as I have no form tools that size. I'll do the other end tomorrow and bring out the Solvol Autosol!   :)
John



« Last Edit: December 20, 2020, 09:08:21 PM by simplyloco »

simplyloco

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Re: Yet Another Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #25 on: December 21, 2020, 04:44:56 PM »
I am going to paint it!

I know that there are a few Majors out there with a polished column, but the real ones didn't have one, so I'll paint it. If I can achieve a similar paint finish to my Stirling then I will be very happy! I have loads of 2K Gloss Green left, and some POSCA lining wouldn't go amiss either...  :LittleDevil:
This blasted cast iron dust gets in everywhere, and I mean EVERYWHERE!
John






Offline propforward

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Re: Yet Another Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #26 on: December 21, 2020, 05:47:39 PM »
Your column is very shiny.
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

Offline crueby

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Re: Yet Another Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #27 on: December 21, 2020, 09:14:40 PM »
Looks much better!

Offline Chipswitheverything

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Re: Yet Another Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #28 on: December 22, 2020, 02:18:11 PM »
I had rather fancied leaving the column bright, albeit not correct to the prototype, but the casting, wh. was from the original Stuart Turner concern, had areas of minor blowholes, such as i can see just above the base of your column casting:  -  and an overall surface porosity that would not clean up to uniform polished metal, so painting it is for it.  I think that H A Taylor may have hewn his column from stainless...   Dave

Offline propforward

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Re: Yet Another Stuart Major Beam Engine
« Reply #29 on: December 22, 2020, 02:55:37 PM »
 :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp: :ThumbsUp:

I would certainly paint it - it's more accurate and what not, but I'm hugely impressed by the quality of finish achieved. Very inspiring for us mediocre builders.
Stuart

Forging ahead regardless.

 

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