New Stuart Beam Engine

[Richard Horne]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI3Ip0ixBrg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JI3Ip0ixBrg[/ame]

I've just completed my first steam model, the Stuart Beam Engine shown above. I replaced the cast iron brick that Stuart provides as a base with an oak base supporting a 1/4 inch thick plate with cutouts for the crank and eccentric. All links and rods were done in stainless steel. American thread stainless steel fasteners were used throughout. The engine runs very smoothly at less than 10 pounds of pressure.

I'm a beginner, so altogether I've spent close to 1000 hours on this. Many parts were made twice. An experienced machinist could probably finish in half this amount of time.

I'm not sure I have the paint colors right. I wanted brighter colors than the standard Stuart black and green, but my selection may be too garish. Other color suggestions are welcome.

Richard Horne

 

[tel]

You've done a very nice job of it Richard. Personally I like the colours, others may differ.

And welcome aboard!

 

[SignalFailure]

You've made a nice job of that Richard, well worth the time taken! The colours look fine to me, I like the pea green, makes a nice change.

Welcome to the forum!

 

[kvom]

I like it, and trhe colors too. Any build photos?

 

[zeeprogrammer]

Welcome to the forum Richard.
Beautiful work. Nice choice for an engine too.
The colors work for me too.
I'd be interested in more pics too.

 

[gbritnell]

Very nice job on the Stuart Beam. The time isn't important it's what you end up with that counts and you have an excellent engine there. Colors?, I like the green and the red but not crazy about the blue but that's just my own taste. If you like it that's all that matters. The last Stuart Beam that was posted was white and gold so it's the builder choice. Personally I think the quality of the build is more important unless you paint it pink or chartreuse.
gbritnell

 

[CMS]

I like the animation of the beam type engines. So much to watch while it runs. Oh, nice looking engine.

 

[Richard Horne]

Here is one build photo that might be useful. This shows the construction of the oak base to support a flat mounting plate with cutouts on top and a smaller recessed plate on the underside to hold the outboard flywheel pedestal.

One nice thing about this base is that it eliminates the need for a large rectangular platform underneath to hold both the original cast iron base and the outboard flywheel pedestal. The model is narrow enough now that I can show it on my fireplace mantel.

Richard Horne

 

[Orrin]

Well done! I like that shade of green. The red compliments it very nicely.

I like what you did with the bars that support the Watt linkage. I toyed with doing something like that but ran out of time. Now that I have a mill with DRO, I just might have a go at it.

Orrin

 

[JMI]

Very nice. Beam engines have an elegance about them that can transfix you when operating.

Jim

 

[bearcar1]

Richard, beautiful engine, simply superb! How did you affix that lower plate that supports the outboard bearing? Is it connected somehow to the upper base plate or merely to the Oak base? I really do like that Oak base pedestal, it really sets off the engine.

BC1
Jim

 

[rake60]

Beautiful build Richard!

Welcome to HMEM.

Rick

 

[Deanofid]

Hi Richard, and welcome.
The colors look good to me, in the way you have them arranged. Normally, I don't consider green and blue to be a very good mate for each other, but with the nicely finished edges and other bright work, it's all set off quite well, I think.
A beautiful engine, and appears to be fine work. We do need to see a video of it running, you know!

Please do share your next build with us here in the "Work in Progress" section. Many here will enjoy watching as you build.

BTW, I have a very similar green picked out for some of the parts on my current build. Nice to see it on an actual engine. Gives me a little more confidence in it!

Dean

 

[Maryak]

I'm not sure I have the paint colors right. I wanted brighter colors than the standard Stuart black and green, but my selection may be too garish. Other color suggestions are welcome.
Richard Horne

Richard,

Welcome to our forum.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and IMHO your beam engine is beautiful. :bow: :bow:

Best Regards
Bob

 

[Richard Horne]

Thanks to everyone for the encouraging words. Its good to hear from the experts once in a while.

In response to bearcar1, the lower plate fits in a shallow slot across the width of the oak base. It is attached to the base by screws at four corners. I did use threaded brass inserts into the base for these screws to allow for repeated assembly and disassembly.

I actually used my mini mill to cut the slots in the oak base for mounting the upper and lower plates, so alignment between the two is fairly good. However, I suppose that for ultimate alignment, there should be metal to metal contact between the two plates - perhaps using a machined spacer of some sort.

Richard Horne

 

[Rolland]

That is a very nice build, I like the colors. As a friend would say "that's spiffy". I like it ;D

 

[deatharena89]

I've just completed my first steam model, the Stuart Beam Engine shown above. I replaced the cast iron brick that Stuart provides as a base with an oak base supporting a 1/4 inch thick plate with cutouts for the crank and eccentric. All links and rods were done in stainless steel. American thread stainless steel fasteners were used throughout. The engine runs very smoothly at less than 10 pounds of pressure.

I'm a beginner, so altogether I've spent close to 1000 hours on this. Many parts were made twice. An experienced machinist could probably finish in half this amount of time.

I'm not sure I have the paint colors right. I wanted brighter colors than the standard Stuart black and green, but my selection may be too garish. Other color suggestions are welcome.

Richard Horne

that seems to be cool...i like your work

 

[Metal Butcher]

Hi Richard. Your project is beautiful, and I like your color choices. They show your creativity, courage, and artistic flair. Well done! :bow:

From the moment of our birth we were told that the grass is green, right?
But how do you know what "green" looks like to me? When I say that, most people say "wow", I never thought about it that way! Often color choices are based on what we think we are supposed to like, or what we think others will like.

-MB

 

[cfellows]

Wow, Richard, beautiful work. Nicely done.

Chuck

 

[itowbig]

thats very nice one day mine will look that good. i like the colors too very pretty