kits?

can you buy kits for a stationary engine?

not confident enough to build everything from scratch yet.

what would be good for starter.

Stuarts do several of their engines as machined kits that just need painting and putting together. Cotswold also have several mechanics kist. PM Research from the States also do similar, you can get some from Forrest Classics here in the UK.

I'm assuming you mean stationary steam engien as opposed to hit & miss type gas engine

If you have the confidence to do the machining but nothing too demanding or critical, the Stuart Progress is even simpler than the 10V and makes a much nicer looking model than most of the 'basic oscillating' engines out there.

Neil

Another option I have been considering this weekend is Hemingway

**LINK**

I was pleased with their Marlco clone knurling tool kit but don't know how the engine kits rate.

Andrew.

Edited By Andrew Entwistle on 01/03/2015 15:08:51

Hemmingway's engines need machining. They are very nice but quite complex models.

I did a 10V as my first steam engine on a Unimat 3 so yes a Unimat is upto the job.

Graeme, a slightly larger lathe than a unimat with a vertical slide will allow you to do the small amount of milling required using just the lathe, the traction engine in my avitar was done that way.

J

I have 3 Stuarts kits waiting to be started... S10 / S50 / Progress, have spent too much time on other stuff, a couple of oscillators from plans, Johnboy Stirling engine (still to be completed ) mods on my machines & making stuff to make stuff to make stuff with...

George

You do not mention Greame the size of the lathe you have, but on my website there is a very detailed explanation of how to machine both Stuart H10 and V10 engines using just a lathe plus a drilling machine, and even gives a suggestion how to manage without a drilling machine.

The lathe being used is a Hobbymat MD65 having a 65mm centre height. It does not have a T slotted cross slide or a vertical slide available for milling. The pages can be found here

If you wish to use a vertical slide then you should go for a toolmakers style vice. The reason for this is that you can uses the vice's mounting method to move the workpiece into place for machining the part, leaving the full vertical slide traverse for the machining operation.

The vices offered for use on vertical slides are in my estimation ridiculous as they only hold very small parts and can only be mounted in a limited number of fixed positions. See my pages here In particular, see photographs 4 and 5 on the third page which shows the situation even exists on the long standing vertical slides for the Myford. It is about time, in my estimation, that some common sense was applied to the situation for the owners of vertical slides and very small milling machines. If one has purchased a very small lathe then you do not want the accessories to limit its capacity ever further.

Harold

Ok, sorry naughtyboy, hope you dont mind the highjack. Here is a photo of my lathe (well, the bit we need to see)

Its a 3 1/2" drummond but has a non standard cross/top slide.

It has loads of travel but no way i know off to clamp work to it other than trying to fit a vertical slide to the tool post bolt. As i say though, the lowest part of the top slide is 12mm below center.

In the foreground there you can see what i assume is the original boring table but i have no bronze nut for it, no gib strip, and i cant even work out how to fit it (it might not be drummond) so ignore that piece.

no probs with hijack.

actually learnt few bits.

decided im going to join local club and then having go at part built kit that needs a bit doing to finish it.

always wary of brand new things as worry i don't have skills but if i don't have a go will never get them

.

Graeme,

I do like that top-slide, with its geared screw and neat tool-holder.

MichaelG.

A Unimat three will machine a Stuart 10V. Back in the day my U3 came with a set of castings and a book with metric dimensions. However, it is a bit of a stretch, and I had the milling attachment, which gives more travel than a vertical attachment and a reasonable size table. This makes things like drilling and machining the bed and the box bed easier. I don't think you would do them on a Unimat size lathe without the milling attachment. Something a bit bigger would be needed. The U3 is 46mm centre height...the 65 mm on Harolds Hobbymat would make things a lot easier.

John