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Author Topic: My first Model steam engine. Stuart #4  (Read 3282 times)

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My first Model steam engine. Stuart #4
« on: September 25, 2023, 08:03:49 pm »
I just received this in the mail today.  I have been a bit nervous waiting for it as It is difficult for me to tell from a still photo how well built it was going to be.  I am very pleased with it.  It looks to me like it was made very well and I can run it on lung power.  I need to rig up some sort of system to run it off my compressor.  I can use an attachment on the hose to give it air, but I have to hold it on the inlet.  I want to put something together that I will not have to hold onto and can still control the amount of air flow.  I just got started looking around on this forum so I expect I may find something to inspire me. 
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Re: My first Model steam engine. Stuart #4
« Reply #1 on: September 25, 2023, 08:13:54 pm »
Whoa now ...... that's a real beauty!

I suspect that if you can run it on lung power, then that Jensen 20 in the background would run it just fine too!!!
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Re: My first Model steam engine. Stuart #4
« Reply #2 on: September 25, 2023, 08:24:13 pm »
Thank you!   The Jensen was my first “toy” steam engine.  I got it in 2002 and Mr Jensen included a note saying he personally built the engine for me.  It is a blast to run. I need to figure out how to turn down the power on the boiler because I like to run it slow and it blows off continuously unless I run it flat out.
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Re: My first Model steam engine. Stuart #4
« Reply #3 on: September 25, 2023, 08:50:05 pm »
That is nice ,Yes Daniels right, the 3" boiler on the Jensen would probably run your new Stuart, just get an auxiliary valve to screw into the boiler. Or you can run it off of a variable speed aquarium compressor. Re:reducing the power to the Jensen #20, just buy a variac, they've really come down in price since I bought mine, look for a 2k watt to cover your power future needs for a long time. Thick walled silicone tubing (medical grade) works well for me.
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Bruce, St. Paul Indiana, USA
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Re: My first Model steam engine. Stuart #4
« Reply #4 on: September 25, 2023, 09:00:05 pm »
Get yourself a rheostat to control the current going to your heating element. They come in all shapes and sizes with various capacities, but these ones for controlling fans and routers seem to work pretty well for most of our steam engines and are relatively cheap, like these that are sold from a hundred sources on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/165989343345


Look around and you'll find plenty more at different price points, but don't forget to figure in shipping costs.
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"Information is not knowledge, Knowledge is not wisdom, Wisdom is not truth, Truth is not beauty, Beauty is not love, Love is not music: Music is THE BEST...   
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Re: My first Model steam engine. Stuart #4
« Reply #5 on: September 26, 2023, 07:03:08 am »
Quote from: Stoker on September 25, 2023, 09:00:05 pm
Get yourself a rheostat to control the current going to your heating element. They come in all shapes and sizes with various capacities, but these ones for controlling fans and routers seem to work pretty well for most of our steam engines and are relatively cheap, like these that are sold from a hundred sources on ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/165989343345


Look around and you'll find plenty more at different price points, but don't forget to figure in shipping costs.
harbor freight has them for $17.99
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Bruce, St. Paul Indiana, USA
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Re: My first Model steam engine. Stuart #4
« Reply #6 on: March 13, 2024, 11:15:03 am »
I missed this original post.

Your Stuart #4 is a really well built engine.

Do you know if this one was built from a kit or by Stuart?

Where did this one come from?
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Re: My first Model steam engine. Stuart #4
« Reply #7 on: March 13, 2024, 11:17:23 am »
I missed this too, Beautiful Stuart!!
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Nick

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Re: My first Model steam engine. Stuart #4
« Reply #8 on: March 13, 2024, 03:47:45 pm »
That's a really good looking engine but be careful, Stuart engines can become addictive!
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Larry

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Re: My first Model steam engine. Stuart #4
« Reply #9 on: March 17, 2024, 10:21:53 pm »
Who ever put that together knew just what they were doing. From acorn nuts holding the cylinder head on,
to the ones holding it down to a beautiful plinth. The colors are amazing and all the high polished parts.
That is definitely a keeper. Good grab.
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Tommy

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Re: My first Model steam engine. Stuart #4
« Reply #10 on: March 18, 2024, 03:18:13 pm »
WOW! This is gorgeous! Nice buy.
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Re: My first Model steam engine. Stuart #4
« Reply #11 on: March 24, 2024, 01:51:44 pm »
Quote from: txlabman on March 13, 2024, 11:15:03 am
I missed this original post.

Your Stuart #4 is a really well built engine.

Do you know if this one was built from a kit or by Stuart?

Where did this one come from?

This one came from California.  I’m not sure if it was a kit or factory built. 
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Re: My first Model steam engine. Stuart #4
« Reply #12 on: March 24, 2024, 01:52:21 pm »
Quote from: Nick on March 13, 2024, 11:17:23 am
I missed this too, Beautiful Stuart!!


Thank you sir!
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Re: My first Model steam engine. Stuart #4
« Reply #13 on: March 24, 2024, 01:53:07 pm »
Quote from: jkbixby on March 13, 2024, 03:47:45 pm
That's a really good looking engine but be careful, Stuart engines can become addictive!

This is very true I have acquired 2 more since. 
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