Problems with my beam.

[ronkh]

Hi gents,

I have recently completed Elmers #24 Beam Engine (apart from some tarting up, rough edges etc and spray-painting, maybe a teenie bit of bling!) but I am having no joy in getting it to run.
It is doubled up in size and I know that I have made the parts to the correct dimensions.
When the piston is down, I connect the air and it will go to the top of the stroke but then stops. With the piston in the upper position there is slight movement but I can not turn it by hand as because of the air pressure in the piston. It is not binding on any other part as I can turn it using the flywheel axle by finger and thumb with the air off. I do not think it could be because of the flywheels weight (no brass that dia') though I could be wrong.
Trout, I see you have completed one in your three in one go project which has been brilliant to follow even if its in time-lapse Rof} :hDe:
I did not make this a pictorial build as I believe there have been others who have done so but saying that, perhaps I should of because any errors made, could of been pointed out to me.
Also, it would of kept Zee happy with the pics!! Thm:
I have included a few pics if this helps.

Kind regards all,

Ron.

 

[gbritnell]

Hi Ron,
The only thing I could think is that the valve is out of time.
gbritnell

 

[ronkh]

Couple more.
Any help would be very much appreciated. It might also distract me from my "man cold/flu"

 

[ronkh]

gbritnell (George?),

Yep, that occurred to me so best to make a new one?
I said I know my dimensions are correct but we do make errors no matter how many checks are made or how confidant we feel.
Maybe time for another strip down.

Regards,

Ron.

 

[b.lindsey]

Ron, I have to agree with George, if you think the parts are dimensioned correctly and it spins over freely by hand then there isn't much it can be other than timing. Mine, which i made years ago at the original size has a thin, spoked aluminum flywheel that is very light and yet it runs good, so I don't think the flywheel is the issue. Timing is easy enough to check without having to remake anything yet.

Hang in there, it will run !!!

Bill

 

[lazylathe]

I agree with the timing!

When i had issues getting my Stuart S50 to run i was pointed in the timing direction.
Adjustment of the slide valve and eccentric was needed.
Took about 5 minutes and it ran beautifully, even on breath power.

Andrew

 

[Jasonb]

Does sound liek a valve timing issue. Do you have clearance around the piston valve where it goes through the cylinder cover as that acts as the exhaust at the top.

Jason

 

[kvom]

I would take off the cylinder cover, reassemble, and then you can then verify the position of the valve at both the top and bottom of the stroke. Obviously if the cylinder is pressurized then the valve must have the exhaust port blocked.

 

[Troutsqueezer]

Ditto to everything above. If it turns smoothly without air, meaning when you turn the flywheel by hand and there's no binding, it's likely a valve thing.

-Trout

 

[ronkh]

Many thanks for the replies.

I have it sorted now and it was the timing.
I'm afraid that I am not used to this hobby and was/am a bit ignorant in expecting it to "run" almost first go.
Lesson learnt is to take time over things and not take it for granted that all will go right on the first attempt.

Kind regards.

Ron.

 

[lazylathe]

Great news Ron!!!! :big:

Now how about a video of it running??
And then you can take it all apart and make it shiny!! ;D

Andrew

 

[b.lindsey]

Great Ron!!!! Glad you found the problem and got it fixed. A video would be much appreciated too of course.

Bill