Stuart Beam Engine Refurb.

• Stuart Beam Engine Refurb.
  Posted by yozhek on 26 Jul, 2020 13:06
• Hi All,
  
  I won a nice Stuart Beam engine on Ebay the other day, it looked shabby and quite rusty but it ran on steam, knocked badly and leaked water and steam everywhere, but on the whole not bad.
  
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  I decided to smarten it up a bit and stripped it down for a check.  Whoever made this did a nice job, old school mostly hand filed parts but accurate. 
  
  First job was to strip all the old paint, mask, prime, base coat and clear coat.  While clear coat was in the gun i made a new base from oak and lacquered that too.
  
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  Next the mechanical parts, i spent way too much on parts for the Victoria and was determined not to do the same with this one, however the crankshaft was grooved and the crank loose and not drilled true so i ordered a new one from Stuart.  While waiting for the parts i set about cleaning the rust from the bare metal parts and all the nuts and bolts, that was a long fiddly job.  The hole in the piston where the rod attaches was not central and the piston rod had been bent to stop it all binding, so i turned a new piston and straightend the rod and fitted a new O ring.  Also used O rings on the gland seals as i didn't have any packing to hand.  One of the valve operating links was pinned and loose, a slightly large pin fixed that.
  After the paint was cured i trimmed the flywheel and pully on the lathe to clean them up.
  
  Then the best bit, putting it all together, originally the central column had some bits of brass under it which went in the bin, so there was a lot of 'fettling' required to get everything lined up.  Eventually it was all done.
  
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  Next job was to try it on steam, it ran fine, still has a bit of a knock but this may be timing issue, i'm guessing because if i put downward pressure on the valve linkage the knock stops and if i lift up on the valve linkage it get worse (any advice from you steam addicts would be most welcome).
  
  https://youtu.be/Ywr00OtMAe8
  
  Kind regards
  Ade
  
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• #1 Reply
  Posted by Swift Fox on 26 Jul, 2020 13:28
• Nice job on the refurbishment and love the traditional green paint job. Great to see it running on steam too!
  
  I really like the boiler, reminds me of the ones Maccsteam used to offer which i regretted not buying at the time. Is yours a Maccsteam or one of the newer Chiltern Steam boilers?
  I take it they are pretty good steam generators?
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• #2 Reply
  Posted by Tadfafty on 26 Jul, 2020 15:07
• That was fast if it was just the other day.
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• #3 Reply
  Posted by Steam Technology on 26 Jul, 2020 17:53
• Great job on the refurb. looks really good.
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• #4 Reply
  Posted by Hero on 26 Jul, 2020 18:53
• Good work! I have one that needs much the same treatment. Better get at it...
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• #5 Reply
  Posted by yozhek on 27 Jul, 2020 01:58
• Quote from: Swift Fox on 26 Jul, 2020 13:28

  Nice job on the refurbishment and love the traditional green paint job. Great to see it running on steam too!
  
  I really like the boiler, reminds me of the ones Maccsteam used to offer which i regretted not buying at the time. Is yours a Maccsteam or one of the newer Chiltern Steam boilers?
  I take it they are pretty good steam generators?
  

  
  Yes it is CMS boiler, nicely made and lots of hot wet stuff comes out the pipe 
  
  Ade
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• #6 Reply
  Posted by txlabman on 27 Jul, 2020 07:48
• Awesome job Ade!
  
  You have created a timeless classic.
  
  Outstanding paint job.
  
  
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• #7 Reply
  Posted by yozhek on 27 Jul, 2020 08:33
• Quote from: Tadfafty on 26 Jul, 2020 15:07

  That was fast if it was just the other day.
  

  
  Life is too short to waste time 
  
  Kind regards
  Ade
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• #8 Reply
  Posted by yozhek on 27 Jul, 2020 08:33
• Quote from: Steam Technology on 26 Jul, 2020 17:53

  Great job on the refurb. looks really good.
  

  
  Thanks Dave 
  
  Kind regards
  Ade
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• #9 Reply
  Posted by yozhek on 27 Jul, 2020 08:38
• Quote from: Hero on 26 Jul, 2020 18:53

  Good work! I have one that needs much the same treatment. Better get at it...
  

  
  Hi Bob,
  Go for it, only took 16 hours busy work, procrastination is bad 
  Cheers
  Ade
  
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• #10 Reply
  Posted by yozhek on 27 Jul, 2020 08:43
• Quote from: txlabman on 27 Jul, 2020 07:48

  Awesome job Ade!
  
  You have created a timeless classic.
  
  Outstanding paint job.
  

  
  Thanks Charlie 
  I think the good quality paint makes up for my lack of painting skills, it 2k and the gun finish is awesome, plus it dries rock hard and impervious to just about everything.
  Best wishes
  Ade
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• #11 Reply
  Posted by Swift Fox on 27 Jul, 2020 11:38
• Quote from: yozhek

  Yes it is CMS boiler, nicely made and lots of hot wet stuff comes out the pipe 
  

  
  Thanks for confirming that, good to know they are decent steam generators. Certainly worthy of consideration. 
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• #12 Reply
  Posted by yozhek on 05 Aug, 2020 06:59
• I thought i would have a go at making a video today, my coleague at work said i should try so here goes...
  
  A short video covering all the areas 'knocking' on my Stuart Beam engine, i'm nearly there and it sounds a lot nicer now.
  
  https://youtu.be/Zs88q3iJytY
  
  Hope it works
  Ade
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