# Stuart beam engine 1980's parts list



## photopro (Sep 9, 2020)

I have recently started building a Stuart Beam Engine kit that dates from 1985 and am hoping that someone will have a copy of the old parts list for a Stuart beam engine that they would be willing to share.  I understand copywrite laws well, and am not interested in violating them, but Stuart is currently providing hardware lists for the newer version of the beam engine kit, not the older ones.

I purchased several kits, earlier this year, from a fellow who had inherited several Stuart steam engine kits from an uncle who passed away. I got all the original invoices, drawings, and parts lists with one exception.  No parts list for the Stuart Beam engine. I also got a couple of governor kits with their parts lists.

After browsing the internet to see how others had built this engine, I found a site that appeared to be using newer, larger drawings than mine. That was very appealing as some of my drawings were in bad shape, so I ordered all new drawings for the Beam engine and the marine twin from Stuart. 

The marine engine drawings have not changed and are just larger copies of the older drawings.  The Beam engine drawings have changed, however.  When I compared the new Beam engine drawings to the older ones, I discovered there had been some physical changes made to some of the parts and the parts numbers have all changed. Because of those changes, I decided to go ahead and use the older drawings for my beam engine build. Fortunately I also received a copy of Andrew Smiths Building the Beam Engine which at least shows where the various parts go when assembling the engine.

The number of bolts provided in my 1985 kit does not match the new Beam engine parts list. From the drawings, I can see that they are now using far more studs than the old kit did. I want to order new, small head BA bolts anyway, because apparently there were some clearance problems with the full head bolts and the old plans. 

Now I am trying to match the metal pieces provided by Stuart in the kit to the new parts list and not having much luck with that.  That part of the blister pack I got had already been opened and I want to see if I am missing anything.  Thank heavens I also received the book about how to build the kit because it does have a list of the parts names associated with the original drawing part numbers.

I've included a few photos of the blister packs I received for this engine and some of the machining I have already done on it. One of the really good things about the older kit was that Stuart had already ground the bottom and top surfaces of the base flat.  According to the book, that was because in the day, they supposed that most hobby machinists wouldn't have equipment large enough to handle the length of the base.  I will say, the castings are top notch and some of the best I have ever worked with.


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## Gerald Pierce (Sep 25, 2020)

Hello, I built the Stuart beam engine, completed in August 1993.The parts list is dated MAY 90/1. The date for plans appears to be 17 9 80. The plans drawing is N0. 90018. Also made the governor. I can try to send a copy if it would help.


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## photopro (Sep 26, 2020)

Gerald,
Your engine is beautiful.  I hope I can do mine as well.  I especially enjoyed the slow motion part of the video.  Yes, I believe a copy of your parts list might be what I am looking for. 
The parts drawing I have is numbered 90048 and the latest date on it is 18-12-80.  The assembly drawing is 90047.  Kind of makes me wonder if Stuart changes the drawing numbers every now and then.

The new plans consist of two large sheets and have a note on one of them stating that the date of issue is July 1993, so it sounds like your plans predate the new ones.  The new plans also do not have a separate parts list.  Instead, one of the sheets has an assembly drawing on it along with a description of how to put the engine together.  That same sheet also has the new parts list on it. Strangely enough, there is no drawing number on either of the two sheets.
If your parts list is a separate sheet, that is what I am looking for.


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## Chris W (Sep 26, 2020)

I may be able to help you with this. I have a 2 page parts list dated Nov. 1983 with the notation "see drg. 90047"
I've scanned it to PDF and can email it to you. Just PM your email to me and I'll send on its way.
Chris


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## GrahamJTaylor49 (Sep 27, 2020)

Hi Photopro,
I made this model Stuart Turner beam engine back in about 2002 but ended up selling it in 2012, needed the money to pay the wages.
I now have the time to return to model engineering and I am in the process of building the Stuart Turner Major beam engine. Cant find anyone who has built this model but it is coming along very well. I will put some photos on the web site in due course. I'm very lucky in as much as living in Dorset UK Stuart Models are now based at Bridport Foundry in Bridport Dorset and I have two clients within a mile of their works.
I now have a choice, Go back into the two car hobbies room and get on with the beam engine or take the motorbike out for a ride, not too many opportunities left this year before the autumn bad weather closes in. Decisions, decisions.
Graham T.


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## photopro (Sep 27, 2020)

Chris W. was able to provide the parts list I was looking for.  I have checked it against the nuts and bolts in the kit and discovered I was missing (4) 5BA bolts.  I can work with that.  Along with some other files, Gerald Pierce also provided a copy of Model Engineer showing an outstanding example of what I believe is the Stuart Turner Major beam engine.  Chris, you might be interested in that.

Doug B.


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## packrat (Sep 27, 2020)

Quite  "Thank heavens I also received the book about how to build the kit because it does have a list of the parts names associated with the original drawing part numbers. "

I was going to offer you that older book on building the beam engine, but I see you already have one....what I did was copy the drawings out of the book
20 present bigger. I think I have some 5BA nuts and bolts and the BA tap and dies if you need them. I got my older kit from a friend that went to England and picked up some kits and the BA set of taps and dies, I have one other of his kits its the Stuart 5A mostly done as of now..


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## photopro (Sep 28, 2020)

Thank you for the offer of the nuts and bolts but I got lucky and found the missing ones yesterday in the bottom of the box I'm keeping the castings in.  I had separated them by sizes and put them in little bags.  Somehow I missed this one bag in the bottom of the box.  When I started this project, I was determined to use the original fittings so I ordered a set of BA taps and dies along with the required ME taps and dies from Tracy Tools Ltd. in England.  Very good company to work with and I'm very happy with their customer service and quality of product.


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## comstock-friend (Sep 30, 2020)

I have the BA hardware, plus BA taps and dies, but decided to use ANSI threads on my 50 plus year old set of Stuart Beam Engine castings. American ‘Model Engineering Supply’ hex head cap screws  Model Hex Cap Screws - Brass - Screw Sizes 5-40, 6-32, 8-32, 10-32 have smaller heads compared to their thread major diameter than the Stuart supplied BA hardware. I also wanted studs instead of bolts. Any way I substituted like this:

2BA (0.185” dia x 31.4 tpi)  = #10-32 (0.190” dia x 32 tpi)

5BA (0.126” dia x 43 tpi) = #5-40 (0.125” dia x 40 tpi)

7BA (0.0984” dia x 52.9 tpi) = #3-48 (0.099” dia x 48 tpi)

Here is my progress to date, any available hardware is on it in the photos pending cutting and installing the studs…



John


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## packrat (Sep 30, 2020)

Looks good, I did use the BA threaded bolts and nuts that came with the castings because I had all the BA taps and dies and the #, letter and fractional drills...


This is the vintage 5A  engine also did a beam engine with BA threads....


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## BaronJ (Sep 30, 2020)

Hi Guys,

I thought that you might like to see a real one
















This engine can be seen in the Black Country Museum, in the UK.






Almost  forgot the ID on the slide box.


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## comstock-friend (Sep 30, 2020)

Now, now... Ours are real, they're just smaller...


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## Jasonb (Oct 1, 2020)

That engine on the cover of ME is the same as your Beam, not the larger Major beam, it's just had some extra detailing added. Putting all the supplied bolts to one side and replacing with studs and nuts would be a good first step to detailing the engine to look more like a full size one would have been put together.

The Tangye that Baron shows is also available in kit form


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## packrat (Oct 1, 2020)

Here is my REAL one......


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## packrat (Oct 1, 2020)




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## terryd (Oct 2, 2020)

photopro said:


> I have recently started building a Stuart Beam Engine kit that dates from 1985 and am hoping that someone will have a copy of the old parts list for a Stuart beam engine that they would be willing to share.  I understand copywrite laws well, and am not interested in violating them, but Stuart is currently providing hardware lists for the newer version of the beam engine kit, not the older ones.
> 
> I purchased several kits, earlier this year, from a fellow who had inherited several Stuart steam engine kits from an uncle who passed away. I got all the original invoices, drawings, and parts lists with one exception.  No parts list for the Stuart Beam engine. I also got a couple of governor kits with their parts lists.
> 
> ...




Hi,

 I presume that you now have all the informaation you need.  If not I have the drawings and parts lists from 1983 and you are welcome to a copy if needed.

TerryD


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## photopro (Oct 5, 2020)

Terryd - 
Yes.  I now have all the information I need.  Thank you for your offer though.
Doug B.


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