Bolton #12 beam engine

nhoj · Nov 21, 2014

Hi, I've just acquired a semi completed Bolton # 12 which is an Stuart major beam engine made in Australia under license by EJ Winters in NSW, it came with most of the castings and a set of plans, some from Stuarts and some from Bolton and it appears that the measurements differ between the two so I'll have to check carefully to see which ones have been used, there are some pages missing also, so I'm hoping to find someone who has built one or has one so as to pick their brains, I'm in the middle of building an
PMR #7 twin cylinder and when its finished I'll be starting on the beam,
John.

ShopShoe · Nov 21, 2014

nhoj,

That looks like a great model. I hope you get the dimensions sorted and finish it. I'd like to see a build log with lots of pictures.

Good Luck,

--ShopShoe

nhoj · Nov 23, 2014

can any one tell me what the brass item on top of the cylinder is? my guess is a drain cock though it looks more like a lubricator, its not in the position I would expect for either application,
John.

RonGinger · Nov 23, 2014

Looks like a lubricator to me- one to admit steam oil into the cylinder, not to lubricate a bearing.

Jasonb · Nov 23, 2014

Yep its a lubricator. They often put them on the top of the cylinder as the warmth would soften the animal fat/oil and then the cock was opened to let it flow into the cylinder. As it was carried through the engine by the exhaust it would lubricate the slide valve.

J

oliomio · Nov 23, 2014

Hello John
I have built an EJ Winter Bolton 12 recently. The ejw model is bigger than the Stuart model. You can see mine on johnsmachines.com.
I am happy to help
You will definately need the ejw plans for the ejw castings.
Contact Kelly Mayberry at ejw
John Viggers
Jviggers@ iinet.net.au

Sent from my iPhone using Model Engines

nhoj · Nov 23, 2014

oliomio said:
Hello John
I have built an EJ Winter Bolton 12 recently. The ejw model is bigger than the Stuart model. You can see mine on johnsmachines.com.
I am happy to help
Hi John, you sound like the guy I was hoping to hear from, and thanks to everyone for advice on the lubricator, I haven't seen one in that position before, I think I'll go for the displacement type in the steam line when I get to it, as for drain cocks since its a double acting cylinder should there be a drain at top and bottom? the cylinder in the previous photo only appears to have one at the bottom,
John.

oliomio · Nov 24, 2014

Hello John,
I have not yet installed any drain cocks on my beam engine, but in view of the cylinder size, I intend to install them at the top and bottom of the cylinder. The top cock needs to be positioned very carefully, so it will drain with the piston at TDC. I am not yet steam ready, just running on air so far.
I installed a displacement oiler. to be steam ready, but I intend to make a mechanical oiler at some stage.
Have you looked at Graham Shorrock's site? He has a great collection of photos of his Stuart Beam build. I found them to be very useful with my EJW build.
John johnsmachines.com

nhoj · Dec 4, 2014

Hi, I would like to hear from anyone who has experience in operating cast iron steam engines of the size shown in post #3 above on steam, and what procedures they use to prevent rust forming in the cylinder, the cylinder shown above has a lubricator on top so does it operate like an displacement type collecting water inside that would then have to exit through the cylinder or does it work on gravity alone, I can see that if there was no water in the lubricator once the engine was stopped some oil could be let down and the engine rotated a couple of times to coat the cylinder and protect it, sorry for being so longwinded,
John.

bouch · Dec 8, 2014

nhoj said:
Hi, I would like to hear from anyone who has experience in operating cast iron steam engines of the size shown in post #3 above on steam, and what procedures they use to prevent rust forming in the cylinder, the cylinder shown above has a lubricator on top so does it operate like an displacement type collecting water inside that would then have to exit through the cylinder or does it work on gravity alone, I can see that if there was no water in the lubricator once the engine was stopped some oil could be let down and the engine rotated a couple of times to coat the cylinder and protect it, sorry for being so longwinded,
John.

I have a Stuart Turner #1 and a 3/4" locomotive with cast iron cylinders. I always take my oil can and give a good squirt of steam cylinder oil into both sides of the cylinder after running on steam. I unscrew the drain cocks and squirt it right in with piston at mid stroke. No problems with engine seizing. Then spin the engine over a few times (roll the loco back and forth 4 or 5 feet, spin the flywheel)

nhoj · Jan 14, 2015

Hi all,
I've got a little bit of progress on the Bolton to report, I finished the other projects I was working on by Christmas so now can put all my effort into the beam engine, I started on the two bevel gears for the governor and after a couple of failed attempts finished up with two gears in brass that run together very well, I next machined the two ci bearing blocks for the valve linkage shaft and then made the bearings for the con rod, last I made a drain cock with a bronze body and brass plug and was surprised at how well it turned out, I'm only fitting one drain cock at the bottom as I think the top can drain out the exhaust ports, I've got some holes to drill in the base for the water pump and the bearings and then I'm going to clean up all the parts and start painting, some of these parts were made years ago and are in need of a good clean, some pictures below,
John.

nhoj · Feb 10, 2015

Hi, some photos of how the Bolton #12 is coming along, I won't bore you with details of the machining as most of you are much better at it than me, just to say it took about 3 attempts at the gears to get them right, the ball turning went well and the drain cock sealed first attempt, the water pump was fabricated from solid brass rod, I think its starting to look pretty good,
John.

kvom · Feb 10, 2015

Beautiful!

oliomio · Feb 10, 2015

Congratulations on your progress. I am very impressed by you managing to make the bevel gears. I "cheated" and modified some gears out of an angle grinder for my Bolton 12.
I am interested that you have chosen a dark green colour. That is almost exactly the same colour which I am using on my Bolton 12. But I will leave the central column nickel plated.
I am now making a Bolton 9 triple expansion steam engine. Not as pretty as the beam engine, and much more complex. John. johnsmachines.com

nhoj · Mar 17, 2015

Hi, just a quick link to the Bolton running on steam for first time, still needs
a little work but very encouraging [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fB8IPPFz8nU[/ame]
John.

ShopShoe · Mar 17, 2015

Beautiful. Just beautiful -- whether standing still or running.

--ShopShoe

cwelkie · Mar 17, 2015

Very, very nice. Always a treat to watch the transformation from rough castings to a beautiful, running engine.

Bolton #12 beam engine

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