St. Charles, Missouri 63301
Hobby-Webster’s Dictionary. Definition: A favorite pursuit
or pastime.
You read in the G.E.M. where there was a good Farm Fest
Historical Club, or what have you.
As you read through some of the articles; somewhere along the
line someone gets the old dollar sign in their eyes.
When people get into this hobby of finding old gas engines to
restore and show and to make sure that old engines do not fade
away, it should be a pastime, not a business-for pay!!
It makes my days pay everytime some young one, or his dad come
up to my show of engines and pumps, and asks: ‘Sir what was
this engine used for way back when?’
And that is the name of the game.
The first time I went to a show with my engines I checked with
my homeowners’ insurance to see if I was covered: Little Hands
around HOT engines could be a liability! The answer was YES; as
long as I did NOT get PAID for showing engines.
To my thinking, your show PLAQUES that you get are your
GRATUITY! this is wrong. This is a HOBBY-not a BUSINESS. Yes, I
know there are people in this thing to make money; and it IS a
business with them, this I understand. Without them in the business
of parts, where would we go? When one cannot find the PARTS that
one might need in your own neck of the woods; or that cannot be
made in the home work shop!
I may be wrong to think this way, but I sure HOPE I’m
NOT!
