Running my Stuart S50 on air

This topic has 13 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 25 September 2011 at 22:03 by Sub Mandrel.

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16 September 2011 at 16:10 #75021
Dismaldunc
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@dismaldunc
Hi Folks, another appeal for help, I have built my S50 and it runs just lovely, however how do Y’all connect the poor wee thing to compressor without blowiing its socks off. I made an adaptor to go between the engine and the tye inflator thingy but I can’t control the flow properly..

So , in essence what do I buy to connect the 2 to allow an nice slow running engine?

Thanks in advance

Dunc
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16 September 2011 at 16:10 #5662
Dismaldunc
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@dismaldunc
16 September 2011 at 16:45 #75022
elanman
Participant
@elanman
Duncan,

You need a pressure regulator somewhere between the compressor and the S50. Some compressors have one, I would have thought 10 psi would have been ample.

Cheers

John
17 September 2011 at 12:33 #75047
Ian S C
Participant
@iansc
For a quick, and crude method put a hole in the tube, or a T in the line. For full pressure, put a finger over the hole, for partial pressure, partly open the hole. If you want to run your engine for more than a miniut or two use a regulator, one of the members has a bit about building regulator for running motors on another site I think. Those tire inflators can get up quite a pressure, And if you connect it to an air tank you need a pressure switch. Ian S C
17 September 2011 at 14:27 #75049
Steve Withnell
Participant
@stevewithnell34426
Hi Duncan,

Make sure you keep the internal moving parts lubricated, you either need to get some oil fed into the air supply or only run it for short periods (a few minutes I think) between manually getting some oil into the cylinder. Even run on steam, lubricators are used to get oil droplets into the steam supply.

Steve
17 September 2011 at 14:46 #75050
Ian S C
Participant
@iansc
I seem to remember some thing about an in line oiler for air tools, although back in the 1960s when I was in the aircraft engineering industry our tools, drills and rivit guns were just connected direct on the air line without any fancy oilers. If you run the engine at a sensible speed, ie., a few hundred rpm very little oil will be required.

I’v got one of those tire inflators hooked up to the low voltage supply I have in my workshop, its handy for pumping my bike tires, but I don’t know how long it will last. I think they are designed to sit in the car boot until you need it, then not to work, either siezed up, or the hose perished. Ian S C
17 September 2011 at 15:38 #75051
Geoff Theasby
Participant
@geofftheasby
Hi Duncan,

I have three stationary engines which I run on air. I inject a little oil through the steam inlet port before I start, and I don’t run them for long periods.

I cut off the end of the pressure hose from the compressor, and fitted a miniature globe valve from Reeves or similar with the aid of copper pipes suitably stepped in size and soldered together to accommodate it, with the appropriate nipples etc., and that lets me vary the air from maximum to zero according to demand. I have an S50, a Stuart beam engine and a 7A, all fed with 4mm plastic piping from the local car accessories shop.

Regards

Geoff Theasby
17 September 2011 at 16:17 #75052
Dismaldunc
Participant
@dismaldunc
Great stuff ! I think I will get one of those in line oiling thingummies from stuart, thanks once again for all the advice, living on a scottish island I dont have a club I can pop into for info so its good I can pick all your brains
17 September 2011 at 16:27 #75053
Geoff Theasby
Participant
@geofftheasby
Duncan,

Just in case you don’t know, inline lubricators from Stuart only work with steam, not air. (They depend on the steam condensing and displacing oil) apologies if you knew this.

Regards

Geoff Theasby
17 September 2011 at 16:48 #75054
Les Jones 1
Participant
@lesjones1
Hi Duncan,

You could try one of the in line oilers designed for air tools. If you do a search on Ebay for “in line oiler” you will find some. Machine Mart and Axminster tools also sell them. If you want to spend a bit more you could get a combined regulator, filter and lubricator.

Les.
17 September 2011 at 16:54 #75055
Steve Withnell
Participant
@stevewithnell34426
Posted by Geoff Theasby on 17/09/2011 15:38:24:

Hi Duncan,

I have an S50, a Stuart beam engine and a 7A, all fed with 4mm plastic piping from the local car accessories shop.

Regards

Geoff Theasby

Wouldn’t it be easier to buy yourself a compressor?

Sorry couldn’t resist
17 September 2011 at 17:12 #75057
Dismaldunc
Participant
@dismaldunc
thanks Geoff I didnt know about the stuart oilers only working with steam, haviing now buggered about with this new compressor I have infact found the pressure regulator knob! and all is well… I was beffudeled by the chinese instructions.

Dunc
18 September 2011 at 11:27 #75087
Ian S C
Participant
@iansc
Duncan, you can proberbly get a cheap Chinese inline air tool oiler. I’v got a2010 Axminster catalogue, and it shows one for 5.5 UK Pounds, and10.25 UK Pounds for 1 L of air tool oil. Ian S C
25 September 2011 at 22:03 #75413
Sub Mandrel
Participant
@submandrel
Don’t worry too much about oilers not working on air – beacuse you don’t get condensation washing the oil out you don’t need continuous oiling running on air. I just put a squirt in pipe before connecting up the air.

FWIW my engines run on only a couple of PSI; air is very kind for ticking engines over on no load. For driving a load though, you really need steam.

Neil
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