23/7/21 Q. I recently acquired a Greyhound
tractor. The serial number on the rear housing is 22600 and the
engine number is 43536. When was this tractor built, and what are
the proper colors? Any information will be appreciated. Robert
L. Lauson, 24755 Northlea Dr., South Bend, IN 46619.
A. As you probably know, this tractor was built
by Allis-Chalmers, with the biggest difference being that a
different top radiator tank casting was used. Obviously the tractor
in the photo has ‘Greyhound’ cast in place. Your tractor
was built in 1929, according to the Allis-Chalmers serial number
listings.
23/7/22 Q. Can anyone identify the Webster
igniter body in the photo? It bears the number 303K12. The bolts
are on 2-inch centers and mounts on the engine with three 5/16 inch
bolts in a symmetrical pattern. Measured from center to center of
the bolts die distance is 2 1/8 inches.
John Preston, 2455 Hickory Lawn, Rochester, MI 48063.
A. Our information on Webster magnetos does not
include the 303K12 number. Anybody out there who can help?
23/7/23 Q. I take the device in this photo to
be part of an old grain mill, but need to have additional
information so that I can restore it. Any help whatever will be
appreciated. Walter Nieland, 1610 N. West,, Carroll, Iowa
51401.
A. The corrugated rolls appear to be crushing
rolls rather than grinding rolls. When used for grinding purposes,
roller mills usually have one roll turning faster than the other.
But then, what you have may have been used for something else
entirely. We don’t know, but perhaps one of our readers has
seen a similar device.
23/7/24 Q. I would appreciate hearing from
anyone with information on a 25 HP engine built by S.M. Jones,
Toledo, Ohio; also on a Caille 2 HP marine engine. R.C. Eckert,
O.D., 203 E. 6th St., Jasper, IN 47546.
23/7/25 Q. Does anyone know of a source for
wiring diagrams on small light plants? I have a Kohler 2A22 and a
little Briggs PC-200. In both cases the engines run fine, but
someone not understanding them has cobbled up the generator ends.
Ray Rylander, 805 E. San Rafael St., Colorado Springs, CO
80903.
A. Wouldn’t it be grand if such a book
existed! Probably the best bet is to somehow or other locate
someone with the specific information, hopefully through this
column. If this approach is not successful, then we would suggest
someone familiar with motor winding and repair, and preferably
someone who might have worked on these units in the past. If we
have good copies of the diagrams, we’ll try to reproduce them
right here in this column for a permanent record of same.
23/7/26 Q. I’ve located a 5 HP Sta-Rite
engine. They are not at all plentiful in our area, and I’m
wondering whether they are common in the United States?
Additional information on these engines is also needed. N.
McWaters, RR 6, Belleville, Ontario, Canada K8N 4Z6.
A. So far as we know, Sta-Rite engines are not
commonly seen anywhere. We would suggest them to be fairly scarce.
Some of our readers, particularly those in Wisconsin (where the
Sta-Rite was built) might be able to supply additional information,
proper paint colors, etc.
23/7/27 Q. What is the color and year built of
a Stover engine, KA151807? Also a Stover CT-2, s/n TB267118? What
is the age of a Briggs 6 volt ‘Power Charger’, s/n 323007?
It looks to be of WWII vintage. D.C. Robie, P.O. Box 414, So.
Weymouth, MA 02190.
A. The KA was built 3/7/1923, and the other
Stover is listed with a date of 1/30/1940. We can’t tell you
anything about the Briggs. The KA engine was finished comparable to
DuPont Dulux 24166 Brewster green to which some black has been
added. This gives a very, very dark Brewster green. Later engines
seem to have been somewhat lighter in color, but there is no
consistency-no constant shade of green-it seems to have varied
through the years.
23/7/28 Q. I’m new to the hobby, and have a
question. What is the year and correct color for a
McCormick-Deering 1? HP engine, s/n AW65576? Ken DeKam, Box 13,
Pinecrest, Clancy, MT 59634.
A. Your engine was built in 1928. We find that
PPG #43846 White Motors Green is a comparable match. These engines
had no striping, only decals.
23/7/29 Q. Enclosed find three photos of an
unusual engine which I think was built in the 1940’s. It is
horizontal, about 1-1? HP. The filler plug is a cast iron bear that
appears to be factory made. An air cooled head is used, along with
a water cooled cylinder jacket. The crankshaft is mounted on ball
bearings. A rope-pull starter is used. One point on the engine is
stamped, ‘Pat’d. 4-8-43.’ The flywheel bears the number
9V29. The original color is apple green. Could this be a
‘Bear-Cat’ out of Thomas Engineering Works of Portland,
Oregon? Any information will be gratefully received. Blair
Davidson, 1826 Via Quinto, Ocean-side, CA 92056.
23/7/30 Q. Do you know if the 1? and 3 HP
McCormick-Deering engine originally came out with the same size
trucks? What is the color number for these engines? What is the
color for the Fairbanks-Morse battery equipt engine with the
disk-type flywheels, as pictured on page 165 of American Gas
Engines?
A. Quite possibly the 1? and 3 HP engines used
the same trucks, although we can’t be sure with the information
we have on hand. The comparable color match is listed in 23/7/28
above, or DuPont Dulux 93-1863-H Red.
READERS WRITE
23/2/44 Sattley engine Thanks to all the
response to my earlier query, I was able to finish this engine, and
submit this photo (RW-1) of the completed project. Many thanks to
everyone who helped! J.W. Skutt, 4280 Fairway Drive, Eureka, CA
95501.
I was able to get some parts for these tractors from American
Farm Machine. Ted Mack, RR 1, Box 683, Ottertail, MN 56571.
23/4/3 Model A Ford conversion There was a firm
in Peru, Indiana that used to specialize in conversion kits to swap
engines in autos, trucks, and jeeps. This might be a lead.
23/4/12 Lister engine The correct address is:
Lister Engine Co., R.A. Lister & Co, Ltd., Dursley,
Gloucestershire, GL11 4 HS England. (The above two items were
submitted by Bob Johnson, 514 Brown St., Jackson, MN 56143).
Repairing Mall chain saw tank Tim Fox and I have
successfully repaired a number of tanks with Devcon brand 5-minute
epoxy or with the liquid plastic used with fibreglass to repair
auto bodies and boats.
1. Sandblast the inside if at all possible. If this cannot be
done, at least wash it inside with auto brake cleaner to remove all
traces of oil. Sandblasting is the guaranteed way to prepare the
inside though.
2. Cover all pinholes from the outside with masking tape to seal
them. In the case of large holes, wrap thin (about tin can
thickness) sheet metal over the missing part of the tank. Hold it
tightly in place and seal the edges with masking tape. A thin
coating of oil or grease on the tin will keep the epoxy from
bonding to it.
3. Mix the epoxy and hardener well and pour it into the tank.
Roll the tank around slowly until the entire inside is coated. Prop
up the tank so that the epoxy will settle in the worst rusted
area.
4. After the epoxy has fully hardened, remove the tape and tin
sheet from the tank. Voila! it is done except for a little
smoothing on the outside and possible drilling out where the
petcock screws in.
We have restored tanks which had holes half as large as your
hand and built complete ends for others this way. In the case of
large areas like this, we used fibreglass to give the epoxy
strength. We put the fibreglass inside where possible. This method
has never failed us and some of the tanks are 10 years in service
since the repair. Jesse Livingston, Rebel Supply Co., Rt 2, Box
118, Troy, TN 38260.
23/4/34 Cushman engine cooling tanks Charles
Foland, RR 3, Box 22, Grant City, MO 64456 also needs information
on the size of the cooling tank for an 8 HP Cushman engine. We have
DuPont Dulux 93-62713-H green as a comparable color.
22/12/17 Unidentified engine I believe this
engine is probably an Olds.
23/4/8 Engine This engine is a Kalamazoo
railroad car engine, and I have a manual for it. (The above two
responses are from Leonard Spoelman, 3221 Brookshire SE, Grand
Rapids, MI 49508).
MODELMAKER’S CORNER
Regarding the saga of the small steam engine model in recent
issues, Mr. N.D. Fay, 4 Shadylane Ave., Northboro, MA 01532 writes:
‘The most important difference of a Corliss from a slide valve
is that the initial pressure remains constant on a Corliss. A slide
valve governs by throttling. A Corliss governs by cutoff. Since the
efficiency of a steam engine is a function of the temperature drop
across the working cylinder, the Corliss is more efficient because
the admission line does not drop with throttling.’
Mr. Arnold L. Teague, 195 Bridge Street, San Luis Obispo, CA
93401 forwards a letter and some photos concerning some recent
engine models from his shop:
‘The photos contributed by Norman Brockelsby and Eddie
Mittelstadt in the April 1988 GEM show fine examples of the
creative work they have done. Eddie and Norman were among the very
first to make the 1/3 scale Aermotor pumping kit.’
‘Photo MM-1 shows an engine put together by welding two
Aermotor blocks to form a combustion chamber common to both
cylinders. The cranks are synchronized by a train of gears. The
fuel is propane, using Leo Fellman’s flow control valve. Both
the intake and exhaust valves are mechanically operated by rocker
arms pivoted in the shaft housings as cast in the Aermotor block
and controlled by a single lobe cam attached to the timing gear for
a four-stroke cycle.’
‘Also included is Photo MM-2, showing an Aermotor set up as
a three-way force pump. The old man is doing maintenance work from
the ladder in the pit.’
‘Photo MM-3 is a ?-scale Reid engine. For several years I
have been making models of the results of man’s efforts to
‘turn the wheel.’ Windmills, hot air, steam, and internal
combustion engines are included in the list. Internal combustion
engines with ignition systems using spark plugs and high tension
coils, ignitors and low tension coils, and magnetos, but no hot
tube ignition, so the Burns & Horner Engine Co. ad for the Reid
got my attention. And, after an informative talk with Harry Horner,
I was sure it should be in my collection even though it is larger
than I have been making. The order was sent in and shortly, UPS
delivered two boxes.’
‘Now to find out what we have! As unpacking progressed it
became evident that the foundry knew how to make a good-looking
casting. Then checking with the plans which had previously arrived,
it became evident that the patternmaker and moulder had their work
cut out for them to produce the cylinder casting. It will be
interesting to see if all those indicated passages show up in the
process of machining the block. All appears to be in good order.
The plans are clear and in common drafting practice, so the urge to
get to work on the project pushes aside other daily maintenance
things and work begins.’
‘Most machining operations can be performed on any one of a
number of machines that either turn the tooling or turn the
workpiece. All my models, including the Reid, were machined on a
20-inch Hendy lathe, circa 1900, and a 16-inch drill
press.’
‘The cast metal turned out to be sound and machined easily,
leaving a good finish; no ‘diamonds’ or voids were found.
The prints proved to be complete and accurate. The time span was
December 7, 1987 to March 24, 1988; working a few hours nearly
every day produced the engine shown in MM-3. During the
construction period, much interest was shown by several local
collectors. A friend, Ed Hunter, was in the shop often, working on
his Aermotor project, and several others contributed lumber for the
base, along with some advice of course.’
‘Start up time-well, it turned out I didn’t know all
there was to know about the finer points. Ed was on hand and
helping, and it turned out we didn’t succeed the first
afternoon. A phone call to Harry Horner found him out of town, but
partner John Burns called, and offered some suggestions. Both Harry
and John are very enthusiastic about their kit and are willing to
share experiences in a most helpful way. Next day, and a few minor
adjustments, and the engine comes to life. Ed was on hand to see
and hear; wife Peggy was called to witness ‘our’
engine’s first run.
‘I don’t want to imply that the startup problems were in
any way due to materials or prints. The model is ‘to print’
with no modifications except for two small holes in the chimney
near the burner to initiate a draft as Harry suggested might be
necessary. The problem turned out to be a small amount of a core
remnant that had been missed in the cleanup prior to final
assembly!’
‘If you are looking for an engine kit of high quality, and
backed by concerned suppliers, and a real attention-getter, then
the Reid might well be up on the list of kits now available to us.
The larger size may limit your choice if machine capacity is a
factor, but it should not be impossible to interest a friend in a
joint project.’
We commend Mr. Teague for this project and many others he has
completed in the past few years. Lest ye olde Reflector be accused
of sponsoring a ‘paid political announcement’ here, Mr.
Teague’s comments are his own, and have not been edited in any
way. We strongly encourage others who either are building models or
are suppliers of castings to send us details and photos of your
experiences so we can present them here in the Reflections column.
You no send ‘urn, we no can publish ’em!
Domestic engines ‘Back in the December 1987 GEM,
reference was made to a new kit for building Domestic stovepipe
style engines. A model was demonstrated by Mr. Shelly at the
Portland, Indiana show.
Two of these models have now been completed by yours truly, and
were first shown in Zolfo Springs, Florida on March 2,3,4,5, and 6
of 1988. See the two photos, MM-4 and MM-5, of these models.
Garland Jobe, 2114 Alamance Church Road, Greensboro, NC
27406.’
Mr. Jobe is the author of an extensive article entitled
‘Model Building’, which was published in the June 1988
issue of GEM. We’re confident that you will find many useful
ideas from Mr. Jobe’s presentation.
A CLOSING WORD
Thanks to several readers who have forwarded photocopy material
the past month. Of particular irterest is a set of photocopies from
John Scoville, 4625 C.R. 79, Butler, IN 46721. Mr. Scoville’s
grandfather bought a 6 HP Ellis engine in 1913, and later that same
year traded it in for a 12 HP model which he kept until about 1917
or 1918. John still has all the papers that accompanied the engine,
including the invoice of December 10, 1913, which shows that he
traded the 6 HP model in on the 12 HP engine for an additional
$181.00 in cash, plus a credit of $134.00 for the smaller engine. A
1916 Ellis price list shows the following sizes and prices:
1?HP ……………………………….$42.00
3 HP ………………………………….. 79.00
6 HP …………………………………. 112.00
9 HP …………………………………… 180.00
12 HP …………………………………. 285.00
18 HP ………………………………… 440.00
These prices included the freight prepaid, plus a 30 day trial
and a ten year guarantee.
At another point in the Ellis Instruction Book for 1913, the
company states, ‘We wish to warn our customers of the extreme
importance of using the correct oil for cylinder lubrication of our
engines.’ Included with new engines was a sample can of
Mobiliol Gargoyle ‘E’. Ellis noted, ‘If you are unable
to obtain it in your neighborhood, we can supply you at the
following prices, f.o.b. nearest shipping point:
Barrels ………………55? per gallon
Half-barrels………. 58? per gallon
5-gallon cans ……..65? per gallon
We strongly recommend purchasing in original packages.’
