Which Stuart engine is this

A friend brought this to me yesterday, not sure where he got it, but its a bit rough, and not all there. Think I'll be able to sort it out, and at least make it look a bit better. There are more photos in my album. The nearest I'v got is S9.  The bore and stroke are 1 1/2".  The flywheel 5" dia.  Ian S C

Edited By Ian S C on 05/10/2012 12:00:38

Edited By David Clark 1 on 28/11/2012 10:59:20

Hi Ian

I think you are right.;- see here  If so any bits that you can't readily fabricate are available on that site.

I seem to remember a twice size one at the Bristol show last year and very handsome it was!

Cheers

Norman

Edited By NJH on 05/10/2012 15:59:18

Edited By NJH on 05/10/2012 15:59:48

Its a stuart no 9 built one many years ago

Best wishes Martin

This one was also built many years ago, and by the look of it, by someone who was no craftsman. One example, at the rear end of the cylinder, a hole has been drilled and tapped top and bottom for holding cladding on the cylinder, that would be OK, except that the holes go right into the cylinder.

Its got parts of a govenor, and a feed pump. I'm in the process of making new excentric straps, one for the valve, and the other for the pump (maybe), the brass one that was on the valve (too tight), fits the pump excentric. I'm using a bit of cast iron, as I will for the guide rails for the ? slipper? on the con rod. I'll even have to make the oil cups for the bigend, and main bearings. The key for the flywheel will be a filing exersize, its not square.

The govenor is going to be a bit of a puzzle, I have the spindle, the pully, and the T shape bit the flyballs mount on, and the pully that fits the crankshaft. Oh yes, I'v got a tube of JB Weld. Ian S C

Regarding the "holes for attaching cladding to the cylinder" you don't say how big these holes are but on the 2 Stuarts I've built there has been provision for drain cocks in the cylinders which sound suspiciously like that of which you speak.

Jim

Jim, the holes are on the flanged bit the the rear cover bolts to, I can understand the bottom one being used for a drain cock, but not the one at the top. Most holes are 4 BA, there two 6 BA, the rest seem to be 1/8" Whitworth. I need to get into town, and get a 4BA die, I got two 4BA taps at the local secondhand shop for $NZ3 each, probably about 1 pound 50p, they are good quality, and may not have been used.

Making eccentric strap this afternoon, found something else, the eccentric has a ridge, more or less in the centre to locate the strap, there is a .0035 difference in diameter. The eccentric is a bit over 1 1/8", and I want about .0015" clearance, just a guess.

This will not be a 5 minute job. Ian S C

Hi Ian,

Out of interest here are a couple of pictures of the eccentric strap and new eccentric I am in the process of making to refurbish a Stuart Beam engine damaged in a fire - the eccentric has the locating ridge you describe, I made a special boring tool to make the groove in the strap.

Stuart were in the process of being taken over and I couldn't get a new casting so I fabricated it from solid - besides, I like a challenge and am an old skinflint!. I have progressed since these pictures and have made the operating shaft and clevis brackets and will post a picture when I can get a good one.

Click to enlarge

Boring the eccentric strap blank before shaping outline. The HSS insert tool for the groove was made to fit this boring bar:

Hope this is of some interest,

Best regards

Terry

Edited By Terryd on 07/10/2012 10:06:31

Hi Ian,

I found a few pictures taken earlier, con rod was cut from a bit of old rusty sheet and polished:-

Eccentric:

Eccentric control assembly (sketch is my poor hand drawn sketch) BA spanner as a size comparison:

Hope this is not getting too boring, if it is let me know and I'll shut up

Best regards

Terry

Edited By Terryd on 07/10/2012 10:09:13

Hi Ian

Terry is quite right - I think it is common on Stuart engines to have this grove cut in the eccentric strap. Here are a couple of pics of the same fitted to the ST "Real"

You asked too about the tapped holes in the cylinder - this shows the drain cocks fitted to the same engine - is that the position of your holes?

This engine has sat on the desk in my study for many years ( I think I made it over 30 years ago!!)

Looking at the 'photos it's Filthy!!! and, worse still, a few signs of rust are appearing. I think I'd better give it a birthday!

I always enjoyed building the Stuarts - the castings were well produced and easy to machine - well at least they were 30 years ago! when I bought this set from Henley.

Let's see a few pics when you finish your restoration.

Regards

Norman

Edited By David Clark 1 on 28/11/2012 11:00:06

Hi Yet again Ian,

I note that your eccentric is about 1 1/8" dia, I just checked my books and it appears to be the same as the one on the Beam engine, Here is an extract from the Stuart Drawings in the building advice book by Andrew Smith. Together with the main dimensions of the strap. Let me know if you need more information - send a pm -, the crank should be the same as well I suspect.

Click to enlarge

Best regards,

Terry

Edited By Terryd on 07/10/2012 11:30:21

Thanks for that Terry, all info gladly accepted, youcan't have too much. I'v just come back from another site, been reading through the build of an ST 4, a vertical of a similar size. I'v got a suitable boring tool from another job many years ago, it was made to cut a circlip groove. It consists of a bit of 1/2" rod, with a bit of power hacksaw blade brazed on the end at right angles.

This one appears to have a cast iron crankshaft, the important parts of it are undamaged, the exposed end is a bit rat chewed looking, and the keyway is very rough, but I'll soon sort that out.

Norman,  I understand the draincocks, but one should be at the back end (yes hole there), and the other at the front end, underneath, not on top at the back end as on this engine, I suppose I should fit cocks, i'll have to make them.  I'll fill the top hole with brass, it goes right through the hole for the cylinder head.     Ian S C

Edited By Ian S C on 07/10/2012 13:37:03

Glad to be of help Ian,

Regards

Terry

Hi again Ian

Digging around I find I have some info on the No. 9

This photo of a completed version may help

and the arrangements for the cylinder are shown here:-

Send me a PM if you would like further info.

Regards

Norman

Apologys all, found the problem with the holes in the cylinder, the ones I was worried about arte in the correct place. The ones in the wrong place are the ones for the rear cylinder head, the six studs are in the wrong place, there should be two top and bottom, one each side (clear enough), but its rotated around 15*, so that the one at the bottom goes into the steam port. Should I plug them, and redrill, I'v a feeling I should, one of the stud holes go through the rear steam cock hole, This thing's a b****y nightmare, knowing my mate, he proberbly payed very little, if anything for it.

The piston is a loose (haven't measured it) fit, and has one groove about 1/4" wide, I'll pack that with teflon tape. Ian S C

I was making a eccentric strap today from a cast iron brake disc, and I thought to myself, this stuff would make good piston rings, so I might have a go. For any Kiwis, I'v found a place that sells BA taps and dies, have not been there yet, its called Drills Taps and Dies, I'll get there later in the week, with any luck, think I only need a 4 BA die, need a number of studs, I'll make some hex to make nuts.Ian S C

Hi Ian,

You mentioned in another post 'Casting defect In cylinder wall' that your piston had a groove which would take two 1/8" thick piston rings, one on top of each other. I have just seen an old and very new Stuart No.1 piston and rings. The old piston had two piston rings on top of each other, like your No.9, but the new No.1 has two seperate piston rings with a 1/8" gap between them. I'm not sure why the piston ring configuration has changed, but it might be worthwhile considering the alternative configuration for yours.

Regards,

Sarah

I notioced that on teh current Stuart site that they are now not listing "finished piston rings" as they ded before, instead you get a vitron O ring. Some of teh larger bore engines still have CI rings but all the ones with the common 1"x2" cylinder now seem to have the O rings.

It also seems to be the season for making Eccentrics & straps, Ive just finished these two and just managed to get them out of a couple of slices off the end of an 80mm CI bar.

J

I'm in the prosess of making a pair of piston rings, using a bit of old brake disc, just wondering about anyones sugestions about splitting rings, ould be ready for that tomorrow, all going well. Ian S C

Hi Ian

Not done it myself but I do remember reading about it some time ago. I came across this write up which may be of interest **LINK**   

or here **LINK**

Cheers

Norman

Edited By NJH on 21/10/2012 11:53:12

This works fo me