Sanderson Beam Engine from Blackgates

[Deleted]

If you've seen my other posts, you know that I have been kicking around a few ideas for my next stationary engine project. The Brunnel tandem compound and the Simpon and Shipton short stroke were the two I had narrowed it down to, and I was leaning fairly heavily toward the Brunnel. I was all set to place the order, when I stumbled across the Sanderson Beam Engine in the Blackgates catalog. It's a fine looking engine and costs about the same as the Brunnel, but I haven't been able to find anything about on the internet.
Has anyone build one of these? If so, please share your opinion. Thanks.

Zach

[districtgrandmaste]

I'm also attracted to the Sanderson Beam. They do appear at exhibitions from time to time. What is lacking, for me, are any 'words and music' - I need them to keep me motivated during the build!

I recall a short series of articles that appeared a few years ago in either Model Engineer or, more likely, because I subscribe to it, Engineering in Miniature. Can anyone give details?

[jgb7573]

Construction was described by Stan Bray in Model Engineer, issues 4083-4105 (every other issue). That's in volumes 182 and 183.

[baggo]

Have a look at:

modeleng.proboards20.com/index.cgi?board=general&action=display&thread=3305

This model was discussed December last year. There's a reference to the ME articles as well.

John

[gugger]

I was given an untouched set each of Clarkson castings including drawings for the Sanderson beam engine and for the Murdoch and Aitken Engine.
Both engines would appeal to me, but since many of the parts would have to be scraped due to the quality of the castings, I hesitate a bit to start one of them after I have finished my present project.
The photo referred to was taken by me of an engine belonging to a friend here in Switzerland, deceased in the mean time. I have some more photos showing details.

Walter

[Deleted]

I would be very interested in seeing the photos.

[districtgrandmaste]

Thanks very much jgb - luckily I have all those MEs' and now have to take a close look and decide whether to buy the castings - priced at £158 back in 1998 but now nearer £300!

Hey ho I should have bought them earlier!

[Deleted]

Any chance I could talk you into scanning those articles for me? I do not have ready access to back issues of ME here in the US. I would certainly be willing to reimburse you for your efforts.

[ettingtonliam]

Walter
would you consider selling the Murdoch Aitken castings?

Regards
richard

[miner]

Ztarum: I have a full set of unmachined castings and drawings bought from Blackgates 10-12 yrs. ago, How the current castings and drawings compare to mine I can't say, But the Clarkson drawings describe all castings to be cast iron but the Blackgates castings are aluminum for the bedplate, gunmetal or bronze for the rest and cast iron for the flywheel. My nephew is re-designing these drawings in autocad and he's finding a fair number of mistakes. The area for the valve linkage on the bedplate is one example. Over the years Blackgates may have? redone the Clarkson drawings, But if not you will be finding these mistakes the hard way. You may want to consider making a casting"kit" by milling and turning all the castings from cast iron plate and bar stock.

Pete

[jasonb]

The engine was originally all cast from Iron, Maybe Blackgates are using teh original patterns and getting different shrinkage rates and thats whats throwing your sizes off.

Pic of original iron castings here

Fabrication may be an easier way to make the parts instead of machining from the solid. Make any critical faces a bit larger to allow for any movement when silver soldering then machine like it was a casting.

Jason

[GWRdriver]

I am contemplating doing a Sanderson in the future and normally I would be an advocate of using castings, and using the proper metal in the proper place. But for this one I've decided to fabricate rather than use castings, at least commercial castings, as I understand even the original Clarksons castings were a bit notorious for inconsistency in their quality and machinability, not to mention the cost. I've done a quick look-round and don't see anything that can't be fabricated, including the flywheel, and I see the beam as the most fiddly fabricating job, that is if one replicates the original design. I could see myself making patterns for a few parts and having those cast, the column to cylinder brace for example.

[Deleted]

That's not a bad option. I really don't like the fact that most of the casting are bronze. I did order a set of drawings, but they haven't arrived yet.