TWO STUART 5A STEAM ENGINES - PART #1
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- Опубликовано: 20 апр 2019
- Two Stuart 5A Steam Engines - Part #1 - This is a short video series about a "Twin" Stuart 5A steam engine that I recently bought from my friend. I have worked on this engine in the past when he first bought it via Ebay as it needed some attention and also required mounting on a pair of strong engine bearers. I used two pieces of Oak for this............ / keithappleton
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Love that engine. When I was a boy, more than half a century ago, there was a local chap with a steam launch, including a steam powered gramephone. I always said I want one when I retired. It had a very similar engine.
Time to build that full size launch you always never wanted!!!
Just by watching the video I would not guess what the problem is, but I am sure you will find it. Please do keep the 5As as twins they look so lovely like that.
Love the look of the two engines joined. One day I will have one of those 5A engines. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing Keith.
We used to use what we called a "mechanics stethoscope". A long screw driver with the tip held against different parts of the engine with the handle end close to your ear. Neat trick for finding a bad bearing or a particular cylinder that was knocking a bit. :)
Keith: It would be interesting to see a video of a boat powered by a 5A.
I think it is the one without the flywheel. I will be interested to find out.
Compression knock . Or a big end wear ! Beautiful engine ...
Happy Easter Keith!
Remarkably fluid lines and joints on the copper exhaust. I do not recall seeing anything that nice other than maybe porcelain Jaguar manifolds.
My reflex response to your noise isolation was, as you later stated, to separate the two. I hope the coupling chain is easily managed.
I can't remember if you had ever mentioned having a mechanic's stethoscope. I have long found them great aids in such adventures. Cheers & good luck.
Hi I also like the look of this engine and I'm sure that your bestshot will be better than a lot of keyboard worries even without the war axe
That’s a beauty
I'm wondering if the knocking sound could be coming from the coupling between the two engines as it's not a radially solid connection.
Keith I sure hope you find out what the problem is. I don't know very much about steam engines myself but I don't think I could stand for that knocking for very long. Both of the 5As look great together as a twin model.
I forgot to compliment your display room in the recent videos. Nice cabinetry, handy access to fresh water as well as a disposal basin, and it appears you have units to heat as well as chill parts to aid assembly and disassembly. I hope this room is not the one that Charlotte mistakenly calls the Kidt Chen and wants to try to prepare food in. That would be rather inconsiderate of her.
My uneducated guess would be play in the connecting rod/crosslide of the rear engine (the one without the flywheel) as the knock seems to coincide with the rod changing direction. I suppose the same argument could be made for the valve gear on that engine, but the sound seems to be to "deep" for the rleatively lightweight valve gear.
I agree with some of the other comments also. It seems as though the knock is coming from the drive coupler engine, perhaps a rattle fit in the cross slide pin? I also thought perhaps excessive clearance between the cross slide and the guides, but since as you have said the engine is well built I highly doubt that to be the case. (Bear in mind I'm also no expert by any means, I'm merely basing my guess using my machining knowledge) Whatever the actual cause is though, I've no doubt that you'll sort it out and put it right.
I propose the engine without the flywheel to be the knocker. The knocking is in perfect timing with the up and down motion of the engine without the flywheel. I'm only an 18 year old percussionist with about equal knowledge between external and internal combustion engines. I suspect it could possibly be somewhere on the piston and connecting rod. Perhaps a loose fitment on the crankshaft?
I think the clunk is in the engine without the flywheel...seems to match the rhythm of the crosshead reaching its limits. Could be a number of things from piston travel, big end, valve timing, crosshead striking packing gland etc...just guess without seeing it in person.
One of the engines in a linked pair will always be running on "reverse". Because the expansion links need to be same direction in order for one reverse lever to be used it can make it difficult for the valve timing for each engine to be set to optimum. They might just be fighting each other at certain points in the cycle. It's difficult to say from the video but both eccentric rods appear to be "closed". It might be best set up with one set "open" and the other "closed" but I don't remember off-hand which one should be set up for the forward running eccentric set. Cheers
Sound like clearance from one of the driveshaft bearings?
These machines seems to be big enough for what I have visioned in mind.
Shame of spoils leaves my chimney. I would like to enable my wood stove to charge my offgrid batteries. Maintenance and care worth in diligence noted for water level, lube, tar clean, what have you that I am still not made familiar with sounds like fun to me :) 3-5 HP metric should be more than plenty to churn a 24VDC lorry generator (starts at 1350W ++). How is the typical durability of machine wear, runtimes and HP situation in this section of the modelling world? Is there any shop offering shelf scale steam models that realistically can be able to serve and endure to such viability ?
One very interesting possibility would be if the knocking stood when you remove the coupling... Then I’d suspect the main bearings.
Could be that you valve timing is off, causing your piston or valve to come into contact with another part of the valve chest. I encountered this problem when I was using a 3D modeling software to design my own steam engine (similar two the 5A’s)
I wish I had one of these
Could this run a small boat
Water pump on non flywheel engine?
Also a steam engine cilinder and piston work at a much much higher temp that is why steam oil is very thick
The engines look good. I agree that the clunk gets annoying. Could the problem be in the coupling? If the two engines are not in sync then one may dragging the other at the top or bottom of its stroke. Since the coupling is a chain that may be the source of the noise. What would happen if they were timed 90 degrees from each other? Each engine would be at the top or bottom of the stroke while the other was in the middle. I don't know if that would have an impact or not.
Either way I like the videos and please keep making them.
How large a boiler would one need to power a pair of Stuart 5a's for an 18 ft launch? Have you seen three 5a's grouped for powering a launch? Thanks in advance! I really like your recordings for building and repairing these gems!
A large one - that's all I can say ....
I actually tend to like the mechanical noise from larger engines, I never know why, but I just do, preference, I suppose.
I am surely no expert and would love to hear what's causing the knocking.
Could it be the two engines aren't timed together with the chain coupling and are fighting each other? Well you will find out when you separate them.
Cheers
Tim
Clunking seems to be a tight spot on the no flywheel engine (watch the crosshead at 6:12 and you will see what I mean)
Perhaps it's time to build your own steam launch, African Queen style.
Hmm. A comment you made got me thinking. Always dangerous.
I have a limited number of Popular Science magazines, from 1905 to 1925 or so. There are certain regular comments made over the years. Converting a steam powered item to compressed air was regularly done back then. If used to power something,the piston would get colder and colder till it froze with ice being the offending agent. Finding a way to heat the incoming compressed air was the only answer back then.
My question is,if you leave that big beast running on compressed air,does it get colder over time ? Or does it need to drive something under power to use enough air to chill ? Love that monster unit. I do hope you keep them together. Impractical ? No doubt,but a very impressive visual treat.
no, it's perfectly fine . . . . .
@@keithappleton Terrific.
I'm currently rebuilding a stuart swan out of a steam boat called lady louise
Nice - how long is the boat as a matter of interest?
Hello Keith, that’s a lovely pair. It seems lumpy and I was wondering if it was the connection between the eccentric and the big end of the connecting rode that was a bit loose?
No, everything is fine in that area.
When to engines are linked are they timed to produce 4 separate power strokes or 2 strokes working in unison?
Crankshafts are set at 90 degrees to each other so it is self starting.
I belive that it is the chain drive
are they 90deg opposed on rotation or 180deg or timed the same? (piston timing)
90
As loud as the clunking noise is, I think it is a pony galloping around the kitchen.
Maybe I have watched too many of your videos but I find it surprising to think people think any engine, besides a diesel, should have a knock to it.
One of the links to the valve gear looks a bit loose. Might it be that knocking about? On the flywheel engine...
I don't think that is the reason ...... nice try though }:-)))
@@keithappleton Dang it.
I'm no expert on any subject, my thoughts on this engine ( I could be wrong, too), is the piston (s) might be hitting the cylinder cover (s).
No, that is not the problem ......
Is it the injector that is between the engines?
no, they are crankshaft driven water pumps.
So what was making the noise?
I don't know . . . . I will make a video about it when I get round to looking at it . . . .
I like this engine setup but like you im not too fond of the clunking noise. Way to loud. If heard at all it should be very muted.
how many HP you figure that engine puts out?
a single 5A is 1.5 HP at 80 PSI , so I estimate about 3.0 HP.
that is not bad, just needs a IP and LP cylinder added onto it haha.
Rod end near flywheel lose. Or flywheel lose.
It is play in the centre link ...... that's the only thing that is loose . . . .
I used to be a expert, now I'm just a man.
Me too }:-)))