# Stuart Beam Engine



## AlbertdeWitte (Jun 27, 2016)

Hi Guys

During March I got hold of an incompleted Beam Engine from a guy who again got it from another guy. It was boxed for years. I got it cheaply with the words "its almost ready to run" Maybe one should have inspected the engine before buying it looking at photos only.

I left it in the box till I have completed the Red Wing Project

This weekend I took it out and started to examine my little bargain

Great was my surprise it has a lot of missing links, side valve, nuts, bolts etc.

The main beam and crank is out of alignment. Many parts are not made as per plan. 

Well I suppose I got myself a little cat in the bag. I will have to re make a lot of parts including BA 5 & 7. 

Seems to be a challenge of a different kind to rebuilt something that you dont know where the previous builder left off.


----------



## Blogwitch (Jun 27, 2016)

Albert,

I always advise people not to buy previously started projects purely because of what you are experiencing. 
If castings or other pre-made parts are missing, then parts can be bought direct from Stuarts in the UK.

http://www.stuartmodels.com/products/machined-spare-parts-/stuart-beam

Best of luck with your new project.

John


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jun 27, 2016)

Thanks John

I have mailed them today

Its one of those things, I will get it running though


----------



## Gordon (Jun 27, 2016)

I bought a Stuart Real kit partially finished. I got it cheap so I figured that I would not be out much if I could not complete it. I managed to get everything together and make the missing pieces and get it running. It is amazing that someone would start a project like that and screw it up as bad as the one I obtained. Some of the parts were not even close to being done right. I could have done a bare kit in half the time it took me to "finish" something mostly done.


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jun 27, 2016)

Hi John

Thanks for the response. I will do the same. The construction booklet is also missing but I recon I will get it right


----------



## Jasonb (Jun 27, 2016)

There does not look to be anything missing in the way of castings so you should be OK to make the rest with barstock. Mostly valve gear and some of the watt linkage to be done.


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jun 27, 2016)

Thanks Jason


----------



## RonGinger (Jun 27, 2016)

I built the Stuart Beam last fall. When I made the 8 links I re-drew them to have all dimensions referenced from one end, which works best with the DRO. I made an error in addition and made them all short by 3/16 inch. When I went to assemble it of course it wouldn't fit. I  did a better job of the next 8, experience is always a good teacher.

I used the Stuart supplied cast iron rings and the engine is very stiff. Since I will likely never run it on steam I will someday take it apart and switch to an O ring.

It is a very nice model.


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jun 27, 2016)

RonGinger said:


> I built the Stuart Beam last fall. When I made the 8 links I re-drew them to have all dimensions referenced from one end, which works best with the DRO. I made an error in addition and made them all short by 3/16 inch. When I went to assemble it of course it wouldn't fit. I  did a better job of the next 8, experience is always a good teacher.
> 
> I used the Stuart supplied cast iron rings and the engine is very stiff. Since I will likely never run it on steam I will someday take it apart and switch to an O ring.
> 
> It is a very nice model.



Thanks for the advice Ron

I will certainly bear it in mind. I noticed this one was fitted with the O ring also when I took it apart.


----------



## Charles Lamont (Jun 27, 2016)

5 & 7 BA Hex bolts and nuts are available from UK model engineers' suppliers.
Also available with hexagons one size under standard for better scale appearance.


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jun 28, 2016)

Thanks Charles, I managed to get enough 5&7BA nuts and bolts and I got hold of a 5BA tap from a local guy, so the remaining challenge is to get a 7 tap and 5&7 die nuts. I will see what to do


----------



## cwelkie (Jun 28, 2016)

Looks like a great project Albert.  You'll manage it; it is about the journey after all and isn't there an old saying about how a Journeyman can fix his own mistakes but a Master Craftsman is able to fix the errors of others?
Have fun with it!
Charlie


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jun 28, 2016)

cwelkie said:


> Looks like a great project Albert.  You'll manage it; it is about the journey after all and isn't there an old saying about how a Journeyman can fix his own mistakes but a Master Craftsman is able to fix the errors of others?
> Have fun with it!
> Charlie



Thanks for the kind words Charlie!!


----------



## packrat (Jul 3, 2016)

One of my first lathe and mill projects was a beam engine, the man that had the castings passed away and a friend that got the castings{he did not do any lathe work} let me work on the engine. I was lucky and got the little book on how to make the engine, it took me about two years to finish.


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jul 4, 2016)

packrat said:


> One of my first lathe and mill projects was a beam engine, the man that had the castings passed away and a friend that got the castings{he did not do any lathe work} let me work on the engine. I was lucky and got the little book on how to make the engine, it took me about two years to finish.



Hi there packrat

Thanks for the response. I am rebuilding the studs and bushes for the linkages that connects the conrod to the beam. I had to deviate from the plan a bit to accommodate under sized linkages.

After connecting it I was happy with the way it moves and is very stable.

I must make a new sidevalve and stud also. Maby also new linkages for the sidevalve. I will still decide.

Its just very cold in my little workshop at the moment so progress is also slow.


----------



## packrat (Jul 4, 2016)

I could copy a page or two out of the Stuart book on how to make the engine, if it would help with the size of parts you need to make.
My work shop is at about 100 in the afternoon here, so it is too hot to work at much...


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jul 5, 2016)

packrat said:


> I could copy a page or two out of the Stuart book on how to make the engine, if it would help with the size of parts you need to make.
> My work shop is at about 100 in the afternoon here, so it is too hot to work at much...



Thank you so much Packrat, I got hold of a book so I am pretty much sorted.

Please send me some of those unwanted degrees LOL. We are 28F now with a real feel of about 20F.


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jul 7, 2016)

I finished making the nuts and studs for the linkage and is looking good


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jul 7, 2016)

The pulley is mounted the wrong way around and the set screw is broken off. Also note the grooves in the pulley. I can correct this by cutting off one side to match the other side. But first I need to get it off. A little heat should do it. Previous builder "lock tighted" all nuts and bolts.


----------



## Herbiev (Jul 7, 2016)

Good luck with that. As you say, some heat should looster things up.


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jul 8, 2016)

Thanks Herbie. I got it loose and and removed the screw after a struggle, then re tapped it and added a nice grub screw and did the cutting on the pulley. Will post some pics later from the laptop.


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jul 11, 2016)

Here are some pics as said before


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jul 11, 2016)

Over the weekend I managed to do some work and started on the side valve. It came out just fine. I first took some bar stock and squared it up according to the required size. Then I milled out all to the final result.


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jul 11, 2016)

Pics would not upload on the post


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jul 12, 2016)

Guys

Last night I fitted the side valve and it seems Im good so far. I am now onto the horizontal bar that links to the side valve shaft. Should finish that tonight. I must say its not so cold lately so I can put in a couple of hours in the workshop.


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jul 13, 2016)

Hi Guys

Last night I made the cross link bar and connector to the side valve rod. I have also set the valve timing, looking good so far.


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jul 15, 2016)

Another missing part was the valve gland which I made last night.

I think that concludes making of missing parts. I must now assemble and test it.....CANT WAIT lol


----------



## cwelkie (Jul 15, 2016)

Looking good Albert! You are well on the way to adding another fine engine to your growing collection.
Charlie


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jul 18, 2016)

Thanks Charlie!!


----------



## Blogwitch (Jul 18, 2016)

Looks like it wasn't as bad as you thought Albert.

It is coming along just great.

Well done

John


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jul 18, 2016)

Hi All

Like I said before, just final assembly and a test run. Ive got a runner!

Now I am going to strip, fix this and that, polish and paint it, I have some left over of the Redwing, maybe to consider that.


----------



## jayville (Jul 18, 2016)

Have been following with interest...well done...clem


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jul 18, 2016)

jayville said:


> Have been following with interest...well done...clem



Thanks Clem


----------



## ShopShoe (Jul 18, 2016)

That turned out well. I like your color choices.

Thank you for posting the log and the final photos.

--ShopShoe


----------



## packrat (Jul 18, 2016)

Have been keeping up with all your posts on the beam engine rebuild, I built one also but took me almost 2 years to finish working part time on it...Working on Stuart 5A now, almost done, don't ask how long I have worked on it.


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jul 19, 2016)

ShopShoe said:


> That turned out well. I like your color choices.
> 
> Thank you for posting the log and the final photos.
> 
> --ShopShoe



Thanks for following along ShopShoe, more final photos to come


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Jul 19, 2016)

packrat said:


> Have been keeping up with all your posts on the beam engine rebuild, I built one also but took me almost 2 years to finish working part time on it...Working on Stuart 5A now, almost done, don't ask how long I have worked on it.



Hi Packrat

Thanks for the message, I also work part time on the engines and maybe why I sometimes have a angry wife LOL. I like all the Stuart models specially the Victoria, maybe one day I will build that one too. 

Currently I have no other projects in the pipeline so I am a bit into my other hobby of old clock restoration. I am sure there are also many engine builders on this group doing the same thing, always fascinated by clocks, engines and planes.

The time it takes to build an engine does not really matter, its the time that you put aside that brings joy to your heart.


----------



## Cymro77 (Aug 16, 2016)

Albert,  I have enjoyed completing/repairing Stuart engines I have found online.  It is a different engineering challenge.  Sometimes I have purchased a set of plans, occasionally a casting.  What is amazing to me is the fact that these Stuart's seem to run despite some incredibly poor efforts by home engineers.  The work involved in bringing them back to life is frequently much more than would be needed to build from fresh castings since one frequently has to first repair the earlier construction errors.
Good luck with your project!


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Aug 17, 2016)

Cymro77 said:


> Albert,  I have enjoyed completing/repairing Stuart engines I have found online.  It is a different engineering challenge.  Sometimes I have purchased a set of plans, occasionally a casting.  What is amazing to me is the fact that these Stuart's seem to run despite some incredibly poor efforts by home engineers.  The work involved in bringing them back to life is frequently much more than would be needed to build from fresh castings since one frequently has to first repair the earlier construction errors.
> Good luck with your project!



Thanks you very much for the post. Yes you are correct. Its not easy to troubleshoot what the previous builder did and to fix mistakes. 

I have not yet started to paint, too busy with clocks again. In the mean time my head is spinning in all sorts of directions trying to figure out which is my next project.


----------



## Blogwitch (Aug 17, 2016)

A lot depends when the castings were actually made as to whether they can be rescued or not, as ST have been through a few sets of hands over the last few years, and I am positive that some of the intermediate owners were actually using castings for patterns rather than the standard oversized patterns that allows for metal shrinkage.
This started to show up about 5 years ago, people were finding that they couldn't fit the castings together as some were too small and the fixing holes actually came over the edges of the castings if drilled to the plans.
At the time, the only helpful saying that ST came up with was that these are made for model engineers to build, and their knowledge should be able to solve any problems that occur.

 I am hoping now that ST is under better ownership and takes this problem  by the scruff of the neck. Unfortunately, until that happens, there are  hundreds, if not thousands of theses smaller castings out there.

That is one of the reasons I say a beginner to this hobby shouldn't start off with casting sets, especially ST ones, as they wouldn't be able to cope with the problems that arise, and I am sure that is one of the reasons so many of these part built kits ended up under a bench somewhere, and only surface again when all the problems have been forgotten about, and sold on places such as eBay to unsuspecting buyers. 
You should be safe if you buy an obscure kit to build, as they would still have the original, many years old casting sets, or they still have unworn wooden patterns, but very popular ones might contain the smaller castings until this new owner sorts them out, if they have not done so already.


John


----------



## AlbertdeWitte (Aug 17, 2016)

Well said John


----------

