# Source for Stuart kits in USA?



## matthew-s (Sep 28, 2017)

Is Mini Steam the only source for Stuart kits in the us?  I fancy picking up an S50 as my first project, but they have been sold out for months now! 

Ive considered one of the PM kits, but was looking for something with a more scale appearance which the Stuart kits have. So Id consider an alternative to Stuart as well, so long as my Atlas 6 lathe is big enough for the flywheel!


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## Rudy (Sep 28, 2017)

Matthew, I did go the same route. Got a Stuart 10V, directly from Stuart in the UK. No problems shopping from them directly. HOWEVER! I have second thoughts about Stuart casting quality. I'm a newbie, but I have seen a million videos of different builds and got the impression that Stuart has god castings. Maybe they used to, but no longer? At least nearly all the casting parts in my kit were heavily chilled. Got two new parts from Stuart though..


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## matthew-s (Sep 28, 2017)

Rudy said:


> Got a Stuart 10V, directly from Stuart in the UK. No problems shopping from them directly.



I looked at that route briefly. Did you find that the shipping was almost as much as the kit? I may be exaggerating, but I left the site with that impression.


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## Rudy (Sep 28, 2017)

Well, yes. Shipping is a bit pricy. Don't remember what i paid, but I found it favorable to order som tools and extras needed to the build when I was at it. Helped a bit.


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## fltenwheeler (Sep 30, 2017)

I just purchased a Stuart kit from England. But it was though eBay. Shipping was very cheap. I think eBay does the shipping in bulk and once it gets to the states it goes it merry way. 

TIm


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## bwal74 (Oct 1, 2017)

Hi,

I bought a 10V kit directly from Stuart last year with a extra flywheel.  I think I paid $40 AUD for shipping, arrived two later.  Oh, I live in Australia - just outside of Sydney.

I can't comment on the quality of the castings yet as I haven't started the project yet.

Ben


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## JCSteam (Oct 1, 2017)

Don't PM research import Stuart engines too? 

May be worth giving them a phone call though I'm sure the cost of buying from PM research or buying direct from Stuart will be about the same.


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## matthew-s (Oct 1, 2017)

JCSteam said:


> Don't PM research import Stuart engines too?
> 
> May be worth giving them a phone call though I'm sure the cost of buying from PM research or buying direct from Stuart will be about the same.



I don't see any reference to this on their website. I only know of one importer in the US and they seem to be out of stock (for months now). Now that we are moving towards building season I'm growing less patient.



fltenwheeler said:


> I just purchased a Stuart kit from England. But it was though eBay. Shipping was very cheap. I think eBay does the shipping in bulk and once it gets to the states it goes it merry way.
> 
> TIm



Good idea - I'll look on eBay too.

On a related subject - I'd like to use their hardware but I don't have BA taps.  Are the taps that Stuart sells on their site good quality?  I've seen mixed thoughts on whether you need all three tap styles (taper, second, bottom) or whether can you get away with a bottom and one other (second or taper)? If so, is it better to get the taper or second?


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## JCSteam (Oct 1, 2017)

Sorry I've got mixed up. It's *P*olly *M*odel engineering, not PM research, sorry!

As for tap, second and bottom should be fine.


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## Mechanicboy (Oct 1, 2017)

matthew-s said:


> On a related subject - I'd like to use their hardware but I don't have BA taps.  Are the taps that Stuart sells on their site good quality?  I've seen mixed thoughts on whether you need all three tap styles (taper, second, bottom) or whether can you get away with a bottom and one other (second or taper)? If so, is it better to get the taper or second?




The BA treading set from Stuart is good, but maybe a bit expensive.. You can order the BA TAP & DIE SET 0-10 from RDG tools. I has the BA TAP & DIE SET 0-10 from RDG tools, never had problem with tap, there are taper, second, bottom tap in the set + adjustable die set. With adjustable die you can adjust to a correct fit between bolt and nut to example. 

https://www.rdgtools.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?WD=ba%20threads&PN=BA-TAP---DIE-SET-0-10-ba-65545%2ehtml#SID=537


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## Rudy (Oct 1, 2017)

Jens Erik, that treading set you are referring to looks dangerously alike the kit I ordered from China. If yours where OK I was unlucky getting plain junk. None of the taps or dies could be used. The seller agreed to refund 50%.. Guess these sets may have variable quality. Ended up spending a lot more at Stuart.


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## Mechanicboy (Oct 1, 2017)

Rudy said:


> Jens Erik, that treading set you are referring to looks dangerously alike the kit I ordered from China. If yours where OK I was unlucky getting plain junk. None of the taps or dies could be used. The seller agreed to refund 50%.. Guess these sets may have variable quality. Ended up spending a lot more at Stuart.



The threading set was made in India. No problem to thread up in cast iron, steel, stainless steel and brass. Never broke the tap. The tap is made of tungsten.

Use turpentine when you are threading the tap into the cast iron. 

You can see my Stuart triple expansion steam engine in this movie 

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xhXqMLKHeQ"]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1xhXqMLKHeQ[/ame]


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## Rudy (Oct 2, 2017)

I checked back, my threading kit also came from India. Let's say I was unlucky..

Back to the original "thread"! Matthew, I noticed an new oldstock kit on eBay. That is something I would consider. Maybe the castings are god.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/New-Old-Sto...926204?hash=item41d08f4bbc:g:gqcAAOSwfGVZzB7y


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## Mechanicboy (Oct 2, 2017)

Rudy said:


> I checked back, my threading kit also came from India. Let's say I was unlucky..



Do not use big power to use tiny tap. Lubricate well before use.


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## Rudy (Oct 2, 2017)

Jens Erik, That engine of yours looks really grate! Must be a tonn of work. The threading kit I got did never got far enough to brake. They where in souch a lusy state that they wasent even worth trying.


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## bwal74 (Oct 2, 2017)

HI,

I bought a cheap BA tap and die set from India (specially for the 10V build I will eventually get around to doing).

I haven't used it yet but today or tomorrow I will tap a hole of each size in a aluminum thread board I have.  I don't have any cast iron laying around.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Ben.


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## Mechanicboy (Oct 2, 2017)

bwal74 said:


> HI,
> I haven't used it yet but today or tomorrow I will tap a hole of each size in a aluminum thread board I have.  I don't have any cast iron laying around.
> 
> Ben.



Ben, threading in aluminium ---> Use kerosene as lubricant.


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## bwal74 (Oct 3, 2017)

HI Jens,

I figured you meant turps for threading in Cast Iron.  I generally use kerosene when working with aluminium.

Today, however I used Magic Tap which worked well.  The threading kit I bought has Atco stamped on  the taps.  I've tapped from No 0 to 4 so far.  I haven't encountered any problems with the quality of the taps but the No 1 set came with three starter taps only.  The tapping wrench is pretty much useless on any tap after the No 3, the hole is too big.  

On a side note, I'm pretty happy as I was given a small box of brass screws/bolts from a relative which in a happy coincidence are all BA and a few BSW.    

Ben


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## Mechanicboy (Oct 3, 2017)

bwal74 said:


> HI Jens,
> 
> I figured you meant turps for threading in Cast Iron.
> 
> Ben



Yes, turpentine works well as lubricant for cast iron when threading with tap. You can use lard oil as lubricant in cast iron too.


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