Hi all,
I received this Stuart beam engine a few weeks ago, a purchase from Leboncoin here in France.
First, I had no idea how big and heavy this thing was going to be. After containing my amazement, I began thinking it would require a massive air compressor and ultimately a massive boiler to get that flywheel spinning.
After trying several unsuccessful times to get it to turn on its own with my small air compressor, I decided I needed to do something to free up the bearings. I had oiled everything, but it still wouldn't turn on air. I think the guy I bought it from said it hadn't been run for probably 25 years. It was built in 1971 (when I was a senior in high school), so it's old.
Eventually I removed the pulley from the crankshaft and decided to attach a variable-speed drill so I could easily speed up the process of freeing up the bearings. As I ran the drill, I noticed that the flywheel was turning easier and easier. After about and hour (the battery died), I decided to see if the engine would run on air. And YES! SUCCESS!
I'm interested if any of you have employed similar techniques to free up an engine.
Anyway, here is a short video of it running.
Cheers!
https://youtu.be/zKdJOLdjKDc
That is just GREAT!!!
Personally, I think any boiler that will drive that beam at a nice slow steady pace is the right boiler for it. I think a Beam Engine should look Sedate while it is running, rather than hectic or frantic like is so often seen!
Lovely engine, and yes, they are rather heavy beasts!
The classical combo mate for that engine would probably be one of the Stuart 500 series boilers.
I agree on getting it to run slowly, which I did. I could get it to run for about 4 minutes before it ran out of steam on the Wilesco D-20 boiler. It would be nice to get it to run longer.
I'll hunt for a bigger boiler, but it's not urgent. It's an amazing machine!
Sweet video and engine - such a smooth runner.
I've had a couple engines that needed to be run in.
I just hook-em up to my trusty Erector set engine
and pulleys and let it run.
Great engine, good job,
Wayne
G'day Tim.....a very nice Stuart Beam engine to pick up in France....you will get a lot of enjoyment out of it.
Your collection is quickly growing!!!!