PLAYING WITH MY STUART 5A STEAM ENGINE - IN THE WORKSHOP

Playing With My Stuart 5A Steam Engine - In The Workshop ..... or maybe it should be called: "Adjusting the Mechanical Lubricator on my Stuart 5A Steam Engine" . . . either way it's still playing with a steam engine {:-))) ........ IF YOU ENJOY MY VIDEOS AND WOULD REALLY LIKE TO HELP ME BY BECOMING A PATRON OF MY KZbin CHANNEL VIA "PATREON", OR IF YOU WISH TO SUPPORT ME VIA 'PAYPAL" TO HELP FUND THE PRODUCTION OF THESE SPECIALIST MODEL STEAM ENGINE TUTORIAL VIDEOS - PLEASE GO TO:
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[@ericdouglas9804]

Keith, I’ve just found your videos a couple of weeks ago. I’m a model engine enthusiast from Tennessee in the USA. I’m like you as I’m not a proper engineer, but just an old barbecue cook, however, I do have a really nice home machine shop, and I enjoy building model engines. I do enjoy your videos and find most to be useful. Since watching your videos, my trips to the asylum have ceased and my medications have been reduced to the point that I saved enough money for three Bacho adjustable spanners and five Reilang oil cans of various sizes, and for this I thank you. I’m active on the Model Engine Maker forum ( no, I’m not giving a link) and would like to extend you an invitation to look in on us. Lot of wonderful work going on there and you may know several of our members, as quite a few are UK 🇬🇧 based. That’s all for now and thanks again. Eric Douglas

[@pjt1965]

Beautiful engine 👌

[@richardsherwin3259]

Nice video as per usual Keith. You do keep us entertained 👍

[@steveallen8987]

I had a similar problem with a locomotive oiler. It used a spring return pump operated by a cam fitted to the ratchet shaft. On dismantling I discovered a file mark on the cam. A bit of sanding and polishing sorted it. Watching this I think I will have to dig out my stuartNo5 castings.( uses two No1 standards to support the cylinder.) and get to work.

[@ellesmerewildwood4858]

Sounds really nice chuffing along at half video speed. Watching the pawl ratchet system reminds me of the old days repairing Smiths speedometers. They use a pawl ratchet for the odometer running off an eccentric shaft. Working on those odometers would fill me with dread because the drum assembly was so complex and tiny. And they too had issues with the pawl 'dithering' about which would work in the owner's favor because the odometer would record less mileage. At the time, I hated working on those damn things but now I look back on those days fondly. The good thing about the Smiths mechanical odometer was that it was well engineered and usually a clean out and re-oil would have them running like a charm again.

[@1musicsearcher]

You sure make nice running miniature engines.

[@lesterbowman9558]

Interesting problem there. An old time engineer once solved the problem by making an arrangement which had TWO pawls...one a half tooth off from the other. If one tooth wouldn't catch the other was bound too. I think this can be found in the Chronicles of "One Man from Barlick" ..a very interesting read.

[@mikeklaene4359]

'Playing' is a very misunderstood word when it comes to fiddling with things. I am an old, now retired, computer programmer. Years ago I had a boss who reacted badly when I told him that I was 'playing' with a bit of code. I should have said that I was trying to tune it up and make it more efficient - but to me 'playing' was the correct word. By the way, even though this was in the states, the computer was an ICL 1501.

[@oldpopdavid6984]

What about worn teeth on the pawl so the spring does not catch and/or the the spring is maybe a little too big to catch correctly all the time?

[@oldpopdavid6984]

Another thought, are the oil intake holes clear?

[@bernieshort9774]

Hi Keith I am a patron of your site. Please which big nut adjust the flow of oil from the lubricator. Also please, assuming the oscillating engine which supplies the lubricant is single acting, does this mean that oil is not delivered to the engine on the suction stroke? is that a problem? thank you Bernie Short.

[@keithappleton]

Please contact me through Patreon, this is the public area of KZbin.

[@WILFRED1184]

Have you considered using a "wrap spring clutch" to drive the mechanical lubricator?

[@keithappleton]

I have had problems with those in the past, I also like the look of this ratchet type . . .

[@keithammleter3824]

A wrap spring clutch would certainly be the modern way to do it on something this size. In my experience (in things like teleprinters and office machines, not steam models) they are very reliable, noiseless, and don't need anywhere near as much lubrication. But not the way it would have been done on a full size 100+ year old steam engine?? Part of the thrill (as well as the fun in acquiring mechanical skills) in making a model steam engine is in reproducing steam age technology as close as possible to how it would have or could have been done back then. Keith said the problem lies in a weak spring on the lower (moving) pawl. That sounds right, but it is difficult to tell from the video.

[@masteronone2079]

I've just been contemplating the last couple of videos you have posted.. Comparing the bueatifuly finished engine you reviewed in the previous video and one you have been working on in this. While there is no way I could criticize the quality of the workmanship required to achieve the level of finish achieved on the 7A, to my eye it appears a bit anodyne. I really prefer the appearance of your 5A which seems (Again to my eye) to be more in keeping with a scale representation of the finish of a well maintained full size working engine.

[@bramdevries6276]

Dear Keith Appleton, I a loking for an Stuart 5a voor a long time. I live in The Netherlands and I love these engines In have 2 wilesco D20 and a stuart 10V, but i want somthing bigger I can’t find one in eBay do you know ware I van find one of these engines. Not an twin but just a singel one. Greats, Bram de Vries , the Nederlands

[@keithammleter3824]

Keith, the lubricator action still seems dodgy. Sometimes several gear teeth pass the pawl, sometimes only a couple, sometimes only one. By altering the drive arm radius, isn't this much like covering up the symptom, rather than addressing the cause? A bit like taking vitamin supplements to overcome the problems of eating nothing but fried meat? Is the problem in some sort of friction drive between the arm and the ratchet gear (a spring?) couple with some shaft tolerance or fitting problem? I enjoy you videos though. I've learnt quite a bit about model steam engines from them.

[@keithappleton]

Yes, it's not the smoothest mechanical lubricator I have ever seen ..... The spring is a bit weak on the lower Pawl, but it is working reliably enough now for the moment.

[@wi11y1960]

Engine needs a load, maybe have it power a small bakers fan?

[@trevortrevortsr2]

Wow it looks like a motor that would power a large canoe

[@keithappleton]

a 20 to 25 foot river launch more like . . . 1.5HP at 80PSI {:-)))