This Stuart kit was bought to build as a present for my father.
Several aspects of this kit made it particularly easy to machine. First of all it was designed with a more simple overhung crank, rather than the full crank used in the Stuart 10 range. The base casting was also amazingly complete, with bolt details included and the main bearings for the crank which would just need drilling and reaming to size to complete them.
The valve rod was supplied ready-made to help the beginner machinist.
Another feature which simplified the construction of this model was the 6 bolt holes used to hold the cylinder ends in place. 6 evenly spaced holes were indexed using the 3 jaw chuck and a spirit level as shown. A sharp centre-punch was clamped in the tool post to mark the component before drilling on the pillar drill.
The end results with this method were not perfect but they were cosmetically acceptable and more than accurate enough if the cylinder was drilled to match.
The finished engine running on compressed air.
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