# Stuart 10V Steam Engine Build



## YotaBota (Oct 31, 2021)

Well here goes everything. I picked up the casting kit from TOBARApprentice a while ago and it's finally time to get going. This won't be a speedy build but I'll update when there's something to update.

The first couple of pics show what I have in the kit and what it's supposed to be when complete. I put all the parts in a Plano parts box and made a list of every thing. I also enlarged the drawing and started a log book with one part per page so the dimensions were close and I could make notes, lots of notes.
I'm going to start with getting the hardware together so more to follow.


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## PeterT (Oct 31, 2021)

Nice, look forward to the build!


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## Proxule (Oct 31, 2021)

Wish I could get a kit like this, Will be watching!
thanks


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## YYCHM (Oct 31, 2021)

Proxule said:


> Wish I could get a kit like this



@TOBARApprentice anything left or all gone now?

Kits:

https://www.stuartmodels.com/products/set-of-castings









						Models: Materials and Plans
					

Kits with materials and instructions for making model engines




					littlemachineshop.com


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## Tom O (Oct 31, 2021)

They are a nice looking engine.


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## DPittman (Oct 31, 2021)

Who hoo! I'm looking forward to the build,  maybe it will inspire me to start mine.


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## Tom O (Oct 31, 2021)

Yeah I glanced at my bits I’ve got no real plans for it though but do have a drawing to get a idea of its construction.


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## DPittman (Oct 31, 2021)

YotaBota said:


> Well here goes everything. I picked up the casting kit from TOBARApprentice a while ago and it's finally time to get going. This won't be a speedy build but I'll update when there's something to update.
> 
> The first couple of pics show what I have in the kit and what it's supposed to be when complete. I put all the parts in a Plano parts box and made a list of every thing. I also enlarged the drawing and started a log book with one part per page so the dimensions were close and I could make notes, lots of notes.
> I'm going to start with getting the hardware together so more to follow.


Hey did you hear back from Stuart about the changes with the newer versions and our versions?


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## Mcgyver (Nov 1, 2021)

they are a good looking engine and imo Stuart castings are first class to work with.  I look forward to see the build.


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## YotaBota (Nov 1, 2021)

Encouragement appreciated,there's gonna be lots of learning but it should be interesting.
TomO - what kit do you have?
DPittman - I did hear from Stuart, they didn't have an answer as to why the changes were made and said changing to SAE hardware shouldn't be an issue as long as everything fits.


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## CWelkie (Nov 1, 2021)

Mike - In case you haven't seen this website, it might provide some useful tips for your Stuart 10V. 





						Stuart 10V Steam Engine 01
					

Making a Stuart 10V or 10H steam engine using a small lathe and drilling machine.




					www.homews.co.uk
				




It is a fun little engine to build - I hope you enjoy yours.  Mine is supplied by a PM Research vertical boiler and runs a little open-frame generator to Elmer Verburg's design.  It just manages to light an LED lamp standard.
Charlie


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## Mcgyver (Nov 1, 2021)

Making an engine form castings really ups the ante.  They're a lot harder to fixture than bar stock and the castings make them look like a real model (i.e. model of a prototype)...... but you can't afford a mistake!  Too many years ago, on one of my first engines, a Stuart 7A, I had to make the call of shame for a cylinder casting.   "Hello, um, would have, um, an extra 7A cylinder in stock".  it felt scandalous!   lol


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## YotaBota (Nov 1, 2021)

CWelkie - I've been to HH's site many times. I've gone over his 10V build 3 or 4 times now checking stuff out. Thanks.
Mcgyver - When Andrew Whale built his 10V he bought a new standard. He had the hole on an angle.
That's one reason I'm keeping a log for each part, helps to keep track of progress, progression/sequence and the machining numbers (how many thou left to take off). Hopefully slow and triple checking will mean I won't need to replace parts.


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## YYCHM (Nov 1, 2021)

You're gonna need one of these.... 









						Steam Boiler with Twin Cylinder Marine Steam Engine  | eBay
					

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Steam Boiler with Twin Cylinder Marine Steam Engine at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!



					www.ebay.ca


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## YotaBota (Nov 1, 2021)

YYCHM said:


> You're gonna need one of these


Probably not for a while, lol. That is a neat looking old tank, anyone know what the arm on top is for?


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## YYCHM (Nov 1, 2021)

YotaBota said:


> Probably not for a while, lol. That is a neat looking old tank, anyone know what the arm on top is for?



Took every ounce of my will power not to buy one of @TOBARApprentice s kits LOL.... I just knew it would morph into a boiler who knows what other stuff.


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## DPittman (Nov 1, 2021)

YotaBota said:


> Probably not for a while, lol. That is a neat looking old tank, anyone know what the arm on top is for?


Well I'm not sure but I was guessing that it was part of a steam release/whistle mechanism?


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## YotaBota (Nov 2, 2021)

Looking at the pictures again it looks more like a holding tank than a boiler,,,, no fire box. What do you do, build a campfire under the tank, lol
While I was waiting for hex stock, rod and collet stuff to be delivered I started removing the casting flash from all the parts and filed the skin off all the places that would be machined. Filing seemed like a good idea to help save tooling. I made up some parts holding devices as per other youtube builds and machined flat the box bed and the sole plate. Clamped the two pieces together and drilled/taped the holes for the studs. So far so good.


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## Mcgyver (Nov 2, 2021)

You are off to a good start!  The technical term for cleaning up the castings is fettling.   Its really good to file things to point where the casting is solidly resting on the filed areas - no rocking!  You can readily do so with a bit of blue on the surface - touch the casting to the plate and file off the blue.  Same idea is scraping.  The reason for doing so is with any rocking, the clamping pressure can easily distort the casting a wee bit.  Then when you remove the casting it springs to its orignal shape....potentially distorting the just machined geometry.  The spindlier the casting, the greater the risk.


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## Tom O (Nov 2, 2021)

Some of the old boilers used a lever safety valve that had a weight on the end of the lever. I would think the missing rod and valve seat would have gone into the hole next to where it is fitted to get better leverage.


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## YotaBota (Nov 9, 2021)

Hey,,,, wanna see my nuts? The ones I made for the engine,,,,, sheeeesh. Not a highly technical operation just took some time. Drill a hole, add some threads, part to approximate size, trim to size and repeat 28 more times. Pic 10v8 shows the BA nut, mine and the standard size 4-40 nut and the last pic shows the base and sole plate bolted together. The standard 4-40 nut would just barely sit on top of the stud but then there was no way to turn it and it was just way out of scale.


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## PeterT (Nov 9, 2021)

Looks great! What material did you select?


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## DPittman (Nov 10, 2021)

Very nice.  So didn't the kit come with the hardware (obviously not) did it come with the appropriate hex rod?  I think my kit has the hardware but I'm not sure.  I hope so because I don't have a hex collet.


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## CWelkie (Nov 10, 2021)

One of those repetitive jobs that is satisfying when done - those nuts look much better than off-the-shelf hardware.

You've bumped into why many that do a lot of model building add BA taps/dies to the collection. Nothing else looks right (hex is too large, too thin, coarse thread relative to size, etc.).  I figure that if I'm ordering in fasteners they can just as easily come from England as the US.


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## YotaBota (Nov 10, 2021)

PeterT said:


> What material did you select?


It's 3/16 hex, 303 stainless from McMaster Carr. I couldn't find it local at a price I was willing to pay so,,,,,, down south I went. I also bought .109 O1 drill rod to make the studs with.
The kit did come with the hardware but then I was having to buy BA taps, dies and wrenches for what could be a one off project. I already had taps, dies and wrenches for SAE sizes so decided to go that route. I did buy the 3/16 hex 5C collet just for this project and the ER40 collet chuck and collets I wanted anyway and will not be limited to this project.
Once I get the engine running I'll probably see is anyone needs the BA hardware that came with the kit but not until the engine is done, still need some pieces for reference. The BA kit I have uses a lot of bolts but I like the look of studs. The pic shows the BA bolt beside the stud I made.


CWelkie said:


> Nothing else looks right (hex is too large, too thin, coarse thread relative to size, etc.).


Size does matter when it comes to looking scale.


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## DPittman (Nov 10, 2021)

I'm a bit confused...you didn't use BA hardware but off the shelf stuff was inappropriate size...what size and threads did you make?  Maybe I need to dig out a 4-40 nut to grasp what size we are talking here.  
A 3mm size bolt and nut didn't look the right scale huh?


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## Mcgyver (Nov 11, 2021)

DPittman said:


> I'm a bit confused...you didn't use BA hardware but off the shelf stuff was inappropriate size...what size and threads did you make?  Maybe I need to dig out a 4-40 nut to grasp what size we are talking here.



The process is usually pick the closest NC thread and then make the hex the right size - either make the screws from scratch and machine the hex or use hex stock of the correct size.  i.e. you're not use a 4-40 fastener, just 4-40 screw cutting tools.  There used to be a few good vendors of model hex fasteners with appropriately sized heads, probably still are... but the few I dealt with, Coles and Power Model Supply are gone.

Years ago I wrote an article on making BA and ME ( NC threaded sized model engineering fasteners) nut drivers.   Odd sized heads and wanting a very thin walled socket mean commercial nut drivers weren't available or very easy to use.  Below is the table I developed by measuring BA and ME fasteners from model engineering vendors.

So, if you needed say a BA 7, you might make it a 3-48 with an .156" hex across the flats.  Of course you can make the AF anything you think suits the scale and model, this just for ideas and what others have done.











for kicks, here's some shots of the drivers


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## Brent H (Nov 11, 2021)

@Mcgyver : That is a great set of nut drivers and a sweet project!  I take it that the handles are Aluminum?


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## PeterT (Nov 11, 2021)

Nice Mcgyver. I don't want to detract the build post, but if its not contravening the magazine, maybe you could do a little write-up post on how you made the sockets. I have a need for such tools. Unless you're going to tell us in a different magazine issue you show you how to first make a rotabroach LOL.


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## Mcgyver (Nov 11, 2021)

thank you!  No rotabroach, handles are AL, shafts irrc are welding rod (the copper plated stuff) and the sockets mild steel case hardened.  I'll get some photos together for a new thread.  I thought it slightly relevant given the thread questions on hex size but don't what to further hijack it.


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## YotaBota (Nov 13, 2021)

DPittman said:


> A 3mm size bolt and nut didn't look the right scale huh?


I don't have any metric tooling either.


Mcgyver said:


> I thought it slightly relevant given the thread questions on hex size but don't what to further hijack it.


Absolutely relevant, you need the you need the correct size wrenches/sockets for the fasteners being used. 
As long as the picture is photo bombed with a steam flywheel and glass oiler all is good. lol
The nut drivers are a thing of beauty. I'd be interested in a build of the nut drivers as well, how are the handles and sockets attached to the shafts?
What is the piece in front of the flywheel?


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## Janger (Nov 13, 2021)

Mcgyver said:


> thank you!  No rotabroach, handles are AL, shafts irrc are welding rod (the copper plated stuff) and the sockets mild steel case hardened.  I'll get some photos together for a new thread.  I thought it slightly relevant given the thread questions on hex size but don't what to further hijack it.


Shafts on the nut drivers are welding rod? I don't follow. And I second YotaBota's build questions.


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## DPittman (Nov 13, 2021)

YotaBota said:


> I don't have any metric tooling either


Oh that makes sense.  However usable hss metric taps and dies can be bought for cheap as opposed to the crazy BA stuff.

I see my plans call for a 5/16x26 tpi tap for the piston rod gland.  It appears that is a REALLY odd tap/pitch combo.  What's your plan for that?


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## CWelkie (Nov 13, 2021)

Mcgyver - thanks for the reminder of the article!  I've no idea how that didn't get on my list of "shop tools to build" but have dug out the issue. Excellent article with lots of useful background information - in your usual style!

Got a full set of dies turned to "across points" dimensions this morning so am on the way ...


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## YotaBota (Nov 13, 2021)

DPittman said:


> I see my plans call for a 5/16x26 tpi tap for the piston rod gland. It appears that is a REALLY odd tap/pitch combo. What's your plan for that?


I'm just going to convert all the goofy sizes to what I have that's close, 5/16-24 etc.


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## historicalarms (Nov 13, 2021)

Attention to detail on the small stuff on how the OEM looked can sure add to the satisfaction of a build. I have two civil war cannon reproductions that imitate a time when all nuts & bolt heads were square so I built a bunch of them to suit for both projects but i also built a 1870's era revolving rifle model that I cheaped out on, took the easy route and used available modern hex stuff...I notice the difference every time I look at them.

    In my case the square nuts and bolts for that matter, were easy to build....cut some washers off a 1" across the flats steel bar & drill & tap


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## YYCHM (Nov 13, 2021)

historicalarms said:


> 1870's era revolving rifle model


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## Tom O (Nov 13, 2021)

YotaBota said:


> What is the piece in front of the flywheel?


That looks like a weighted governor for speed control.


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## YotaBota (Dec 11, 2021)

Time for an update, the build is going more or less to plan and is following along the lines of all the build videos on youtube. 
I've got the bottom end together, I turned the crank using a jig from a Blondehacks video:




The jig was adjusted to fit the throw and diameter of the shaft and worked well. I filled the web with JBweld to keep it from collapsing while between centers. I should've taken a few more pictures but got caught up in the moment of doing the job. The picture shows the JBweld in place and I'm turning the right side of the shaft to diameter. After this I used the Blondehacks jig and turned the rod journal.
After the crank was done and the bearings turned to size the test fits came out good. I was going to use the drill to break in the crank/bearings but didn't want to have to baby sit with the oil can while it was turning so I turned oilcups ala Joe Pie, except I used a die for the threads vice single pointing on the lathe,




I used the 3/16 ss hex stock that also made the nuts. The pics show the making of the cups, it's tiny work but all went really well and they work/look good. 
I've also got the standard started, again got caught up in doing the job and not enough pictures. I'm pleased with how it's gone so far, it's not a 5 cylinder radial but my skills aren't to level yet either.


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## CWelkie (Dec 11, 2021)

Looking good!


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## DPittman (Dec 11, 2021)

Looking very good.  I hope when I get to mine, I di as good of a job with it all as you are doing with yours.

I've seen a few YouTube videos of a Stuart build but most of them seem to be of different models or they are just the finished product itself, not the build.  Have you come across any good build videos that you would recommend?


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## YotaBota (Dec 12, 2021)

Thanks folks, still have a long way to go.
DP - here are a few of links to 10V builds, you need to filter and choose the the ways of doing things that seem best for you but all are good info.

Machining the Stuart 10V Steam Engine Castings - Part 1 - YouTube  this one is long and takes a lot of coffee






http://homews.co.uk/page42.html  this one is done entirely on the lathe and has jigs and holding fixtures






						Stuart 10V Build Log - Complete Beginner... | Model Engineer
					






					www.model-engineer.co.uk
				




There are more but those are the ones I watch most. Joe Pie and Blondehacks build a different brand but the process is still the same just different ways of going about it.


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## YotaBota (Apr 1, 2022)

Figured it's about time for an update, not as far along as I'd hoped but still making progress. The bottom end is pretty much done, next will be starting on the cylinder. It seems I spend as much time figuring out fixtures and mandrels as working on the engine parts,lol. It ended up I over bored the flywheel but a piece of .001 shim stock wrapped around the crankshaft tightened it up nicely.  I put what I've done together and all spins with no resistance.  So far so good.


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## YYCHM (Apr 1, 2022)

What the heck is that skinny long drill bit about?


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## YotaBota (Apr 1, 2022)

I used ( the long skinny bit) it to spot drill the base. The base was then drilled and tapped for the studs that hold the two pieces together.


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## YYCHM (Apr 1, 2022)

YotaBota said:


> I used ( the long skinny bit) it to spot drill the base. The base was then drilled and tapped for the studs that hold the two pieces together.



I've never seen a drill bit that long.  Where does one get such things?


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## YotaBota (Apr 1, 2022)

They were in the tools I inherited from Dad, there were 6" and 12" long drills in the box.


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## Tomc938 (Apr 1, 2022)

YYCHM said:


> I've never seen a drill bit that long.  Where does one get such things?


I was in the Restore today and saw some drill bits that were about 36" long!  Shaft was smaller diameter than the drill portion.  Guessing for running wires, not machining, but they were tempting.


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## YotaBota (Apr 1, 2022)

The ones I have are all under.250, I think the smallest one is a 1/16.


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## PeterT (Apr 1, 2022)

Machinery suppliers usually carry long ones. I'm not sure if 'aircraft drills' are long but not full length flutes?






						Results Page 1 :: KBC Tools & Machinery
					






					www.kbctools.ca


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## 6.5 Fan (Apr 2, 2022)

I picked up some small dia. drills at PA 12" long.


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## Susquatch (Apr 2, 2022)

YYCHM said:


> I've never seen a drill bit that long.  Where does one get such things?



Just plug long drills into Amazon. If you want good ones, call Varco or Fastenal or Grainger. 

I am like others here, I inherited some beauties from my father in law.


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## Mcgyver (Apr 2, 2022)

I've collected quite a few from various complete kit purchases over the years, and have also made many drills and reamers by silver soldering on extensions


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## Janger (Apr 2, 2022)

Mcgyver said:


> I've collected quite a few from various complete kit purchases over the years, and have also made many drills and reamers by silver soldering on extensions


Let’s see some silver soldered extensions. I’ve tig welded a few.


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## Mcgyver (Apr 2, 2022)

Janger said:


> Let’s see some silver soldered extensions. I’ve tig welded a few.



I'll start a thread, don't want go so much OT on the Stuart build


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## David_R8 (Apr 2, 2022)

YotaBota said:


> Thanks folks, still have a long way to go.
> DP - here are a few of links to 10V builds, you need to filter and choose the the ways of doing things that seem best for you but all are good info.
> 
> Machining the Stuart 10V Steam Engine Castings - Part 1 - YouTube  this one is long and takes a lot of coffee
> ...


That fellow's channel is really good. That's where I saw the Hemmingway knurler I'm going to build.


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## YotaBota (Apr 2, 2022)

Mcgyver said:


> I'll start a thread, don't want go so much OT on Stuart build


 I just went thru the welding folder and there is no thread for silver soldering which is something I need to learn. To many broken bandsaw blades sitting in the corner. This will be a good topic for a thread of it's own, a lot of time is spent searching for things that are buried off topic in other threads.


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## YYCHM (Apr 2, 2022)

YotaBota said:


> I just went thru the welding folder and there is no thread for silver soldering which is something I need to learn. To many broken bandsaw blades sitting in the corner. This will be a good topic for a thread of it's own, a lot of time is spent searching for things that are buried off topic in other threads.











						Bandsaw Blade Repair.......
					

I spotted a YouTube where a guy repaired a broken bandsaw blade using silver solder.  I have 2 broken blades, some SS, Flux, torch, and Map gas so I thought what the hey lets give it a go.    Clamp the blade ends together, apply flux and then silver solder.  Probably a little to much SS there...




					canadianhobbymetalworkers.com


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## YotaBota (Apr 2, 2022)

@YYCHM - I thought there was something somewhere but just couldn't remember, it's CRS syndrome.


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