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Author Topic: Holy Smoke! Another One!  (Read 1395 times)

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Holy Smoke! Another One!
« on: May 18, 2019, 06:53:26 pm »
A while back I posted a picture of my garage-find Stuart triple expansion engine:

https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/general-discussion/show-us-your-stuarts/msg5989/#msg5989

That was very nice, but look what came out of a garage last Thursday:

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It runs pretty well on air and, though someone has played fast and loose with the fasteners (nylon lock nuts!), and has committed some other machining outrages, it can be repaired.

Who'd'a thunk that one could find two triple expansion engines in garages?


Bob

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Re: Holy Smoke! Another One!
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2019, 06:58:49 pm »
Fantastic Bob

Some folks just live right, and I guess you must be one of 'em!

Good on ya !!!
"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...   
Wisdom is the domain of the Wis (which is extinct). Beauty is a French phonetic corruption of a short cloth neck ornament currently in resurgence..."
F. Zappa ... by way of Mary, the girl from the bus.

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Re: Holy Smoke! Another One!
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2019, 08:09:51 pm »
You've done well!!  ;D ;D
Nick

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Re: Holy Smoke! Another One!
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2019, 08:17:57 pm »
Salute!
Scott

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Re: Holy Smoke! Another One!
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2019, 09:28:41 pm »
Thanks, guys.

Very happy about this.😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀😀
Bob

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Re: Holy Smoke! Another One!
« Reply #5 on: May 18, 2019, 09:58:42 pm »
Congrats Bob , fortune did strike twice in the same place.....er' garage.
Bruce, St. Paul Indiana, USA
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Re: Holy Smoke! Another One!
« Reply #6 on: May 18, 2019, 10:31:27 pm »
VERY nice

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Re: Holy Smoke! Another One!
« Reply #7 on: May 19, 2019, 08:01:06 pm »
Actually, it runs too easily on air for a triple. I'll have to find out what's not connected to what.

It looks pretty old and well-used; that just adds character.😉
Bob

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Re: Holy Smoke! Another One!
« Reply #8 on: May 19, 2019, 08:58:50 pm »
Very well done, Bob....!!!!

Another superb acquisition....Congrats...!!!!




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Re: Holy Smoke! Another One!
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2019, 07:45:36 am »
Here's a picture of the other side.

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Bob

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Re: Holy Smoke! Another One!
« Reply #10 on: May 24, 2019, 03:40:44 pm »
Yabba dabba doo Bob!

Two Great Garage Finds. 

I have a better chance of being struck by lightning in Texas.   :)

Hopefully, you will film a short video soon.

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Re: Holy Smoke! Another One!
« Reply #11 on: May 24, 2019, 05:02:22 pm »
I'll try, Charlie. But I have tons to do.
Bob

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Re: Holy Smoke! Another One!
« Reply #12 on: June 09, 2019, 02:40:39 am »
What's the back story?
Great progress so far 👍

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Re: Holy Smoke! Another One!
« Reply #13 on: December 28, 2019, 06:57:29 pm »
Been pecking away at this.

It came to me accompanied by my Serious Boiler:

https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/restorations/serious-boiler/msg10109/#msg10109

My boiler has come a long way, and now the Stuart triple is getting some attention. This was never meant to be a museum quality model, or even a well-made shelf queen, but it was built for actual use.

Turns out that the engine and boiler were used to power a large model boat (but I have no information on the boat,), and it's clear that it has seen a lot of use. Lots of rust and pitting, so it'll never be perfect, but I don't care.

So far since I got it, I have started cleaning and repairing. I have started to restore the steam intake fitting, have ordered new nuts and bolts to replace some really awful hardware, and have begun to prepare for painting, etc.

The pictures show that I have replaced the gigantic non-scale reversing lever with the correct handwheel (made it myself!). I have also polished the rusty flywheel and begun cleaning up the cast iron cylinder block. In a box of junk that came with the engine I have found most of the original lagging; though it is pitted so that I cannot re-blue it, I can paint it a nice shade of green. I have stripped the string lagging from the copper cylinder exhausts and started to polish them.

I've done a few more little things, and when my BA taps arrive from England I'll be able to repair all the intake and exhaust plumbing, as well as the water and vacuum pumps.

I've also found a homemade lubrication system in the box of junk. Looks like it'll work, too.

Here are pictures of what I've been up to. Enjoy!

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Bob

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Re: Holy Smoke! Another One!
« Reply #14 on: December 28, 2019, 07:53:33 pm »
Thanks for the update, Bob...!!!    Progress!!!