ME beam engine

[Iampappabear]

Am considering purchasing castings etc. to build the ME beam engine (yes I know its been built a 1,000 times before but not by me). There appears to be two sources of castings, A.J. Reeves and Brunell, does anyone have input on who supplies the best castings?

Thanks in advance.

Colin

 

[GrahamJTaylor49]

I'm building the Stuart Turner Major beam engine at the moment. The quality of the castings is superb with no hard spots. Unfortunately, I've had to purchase the bevel gears for the governor as it would cost me as much to buy the tooling as the pair of gears cost me.
The castings are available from Bridport Foundry at Bridport, Dorset, U.K. Let me know how you get on.

 

[JCSteam]

Its always interesting to see how people approach the job differently. Different work holding, or machining method, so would be interested to see a thread on it if your so inclined to post up your progress when you start.

As for supplier, I cant really comment on the quality of casting. However I have the articles for the beam engine from ME, and apart from the large flywheel a lot of the beam engine could be built from solid stock, The flywheel could if you had a CNC mill or were very dextile, which would work out cheaper and may be a different challenge you want to accept, Your choice of course.

Regards
Jon

 

[Jasonb]

Reeves would be the safest bet, have a google for the other supplier as many have had problems with them.

 

[Iampappabear]

Jason, are you saying people have had problems with Brunell kits?

 

[Iampappabear]

Graham, having built a Stuart model, I have to agree, Stuart castings are hard to beat.

Now completed two PM Research engines and there casting kits are very good. Quality castings, drawings and brief but comprehensive assembly instructions, only issue I have is they supply slot style pan head screws for assembly and the original engines would have used hex bolts or studs and nuts so I replace all the hardware on my models.

 

[Jasonb]

More the business in general, long wait for castings (months to years) that you may never even get at the end of the wait

 

[Roskrow]

I am currently building the ME Beam engine.

I bought my castings and the drawings from Reeves (I have used them a lot over the years, and have always found them totallyreliable)

The only problem I have had is with the drawings. Alas although they are are scaled drawings in facct they are NOT. For example an item measuring (as stated) as being 2 1/4" is actually is, on the drawing 3 3/8".

I do not know if you are a ME magazine subscriber, If not I really suggest you become one. The Building guide is written by David Haythornthwaite in fortnightly episodes starting with issue 1603 and ends with 4643

I hope this assistsyou, but ask away and i will assist if I can.

Best wishes, and good luck
Malcolm Farrant

 

[Iampappabear]

Question for Roskrow and any others with info.
Which of the supplied castings/materials would you deem essential to build this model? From looking over the info I have it would be
the beam, flywheel, entablature and governor bracket and cylinder.

 

[Richard Hed]

I am currently building the ME Beam engine.

I bought my castings and the drawings from Reeves (I have used them a lot over the years, and have always found them totallyreliable)

The only problem I have had is with the drawings. Alas although they are are scaled drawings in facct they are NOT. For example an item measuring (as stated) as being 2 1/4" is actually is, on the drawing 3 3/8".

I do not know if you are a ME magazine subscriber, If not I really suggest you become one. The Building guide is written by David Haythornthwaite in fortnightly episodes starting with issue 1603 and ends with 4643

I hope this assistsyou, but ask away and i will assist if I can.

Best wishes, and good luck
Malcolm Farrant

Could you tell us a link to "Reeves"?

 

[Roskrow]

Richard, The link is :- https://www.ajreeves.com/The site is owned and monitored by 2 really pleasant women. Kate, who is, I think the owner and Natasha (Tasha)

Both are VERY helpful

On the site youwill find mny other interesting items, castings etc. They are big in Scale Steam engines

 

[Roskrow]

Iampappabear
I hope this helps, I agree with your list, but in addition i think the Base plate casting (Aluminium) is sensible, as it sets all the locations out.
Equally I think the finished gears are in my book a must. I am aged (83) andf have never done gear ciuutin befort, and do not intend to start learning now !!.
You can see from the photo that I used to be big in complicate wood turning - Segmented being my particular skill, but due to health reasons I had to cease
I have exhbited in the USA, and I am held in collectionsin Swizerland, Australia, and of course the UK.
Good luck, and if I can help, just ask
Best wishes
Malcolm

 

[Iampappabear]

As per your request Richard:

https://www.ajreeves.com/

 

[Iampappabear]

Malcolm,

Currently living in Canada but originally from Swindon, we were almost neighbours.

Colin

 

[Iampappabear]

Posted for those interested, attached you will find images of my first copy (1976) of the Reeves catalog along with the casting list and prices for the ME Beam engine. I imagine the patterns have been replaced a few times since then.

Colin

 

[shorrog]

I built the ME beam engine using the Reeves castings and they were fine. My only problems were the drawings which although they have been around a long time contain quite a few errors.
If you are interested I have a photo album of many parts of the build that you can see here and as has been said in an earlier post there is the excellent article that David Haythornthwaite has written in ME.

 

[Iampappabear]

Impressive work Shorrog, both on the model and the presentation.