Occasionally, a situation arises which we feel compelled to
address. We realize that you are probably tired of hearing us harp
about safety at our shows, but then, hardly a season goes by in
which some injuries do not occur. So, we’ll probably keep on
harping about it, in the hope that our admonitions might bring
‘an ounce of prevention.’
This month however, we wish to bring up another issue-that of
courtesy, common sense, and hospitality.
Recently we heard from a reader very upset about being refused
permission to display an engine at a show. We are unsure of the
rules in effect at the time, but we do know that this was a vintage
engine-not something built in the last few years.
This writer is of the opinion that all shows and exhibitions
should be operated with the bare minimum of rules. We can’t
imagine anyone objecting to safe operation of their equipment,
roping off the actual exhibit with twine, and similar activities.
On the other hand, it seems that we move from the sublime to the
ridiculous when we become too restrictive in organizing our
shows.
Over the years, we’ve seen a lot of rules-not running
engines on Sun-day forenoon, requiring exhibitors to operate during
specified days and hours of the show, and some years ago, a
suggestion was made to this writer that engine shows should be
limited to a respresentative model from each company-one John
Deere, one Stover, one Witte, and so on. It is fortunate that this
idea didn’t catch on.
The gas engine and tractor hobby is unique in many respects, but
one of our best assets is the great outpouring of hospitality to
all comers, regardless of whether they have a single Maytag or a 15
horsepower Worthington, and whether it is a veteran collector with
a couple hundred engines, or ‘the new kid on the block’ who
has one or two engines, has never been to a show, and doesn’t
know anyone except perhaps a traveling companion. Ye olde Reflector
contends that if we are serious about perpetuating our hobby, then
we indeed must welcome everyone who comes, regard less of whether
their 1? HP John Deere makes the thirty-ninth one on the grounds.
To that particular exhibitor, the many hours of work, and the pride
in having a role in the preservation of our mechanical past-these
factors alone would suffice!
When this writer became interested in ‘old iron’ nearly
40 years ago, the attitude of a great many oldtimers seemed to be
that they alone had the key to the mysterious kingdom of steam
engineering. So far as some of them were concerned, if you had not
been somehow predestined to learn the fine points of being an
engineer, you weren’t about to gain rights of passage from
them. We believe that this is one factor in the decline of steam as
a popular hobby. To carry the thought still further, a scarcity of
hospitality and good will could very well see a decline of our
hobby within another generation.
For ye olde Reflector, the bottom line is this-Organize your
shows as safely and orderly as you can. Talk up safety above
everything, but do it diplomatically. Beyond those things required
by common sense, forget about pages of militaristic rules and
regulations. Remember, if you don’t have exhibitors, you
eventually won’t have a show either, and then the whole
caboodle will end up in a bonfire. Above all, welcome your
exhibitors, help them get parked, and show them good old fashioned
hospitality. Kind words reap big rewards!
24/7/1 Asbestos SubstitutesArt DeKalb, Van
Alstyne Drive, Pulaski, NY 13142 writes that the Armstrong
Industrial Products Division at Lancaster, Pennsylvania
manufactures Syntheseal Non-Asbestos Gasket Materials. They should
be available from your local industrial supply house, or the
Industrial Products Division may be able to direct you to a
supplier. Art also advises that he has literature on Evinrude and
Elto outboard motors for the 1925-55 period, and may be able to
help other owners. We presume you will include return postage
though.
24/7/2 Kermath Engines Q, I have a Kermath
model 20 engine, s/n 21060. It has four cylinders using a 4 inch
bore and stroke. The cylinders and heads are cast in one piece. The
boat in which it was installed was built before 1920. Can anyone
supply information such as the year built, horsepower, etc.?
Clair Barnes, PO Box 1808, Minden, NV 89423.
A. Our files are bare on Kermath-in fact, we
missed it entirely when compiling the index for American Gas
Engines. Can anyone be of help to Mr. Barnes?
24/7/3 Evarts Machine Co. Q, Has anyone come
across an engine with the Evarts Machine Company name on it? Evarts
is a machine company in Hartford, Conn, who manufactured some
engines in the 1910-15 period, and some of them may have been
marine engines. The company still exists, and we would be very much
interested in any information that might surface on the Evarts
engine. Horace F. Shipman, Evarts Machine Co., 21 Francis Ave.,
Hartford, CT 06106.
24/7/4 Unidentified Engine Q. See the photo of
an engine I just acquired. It has no nameplate. This engine has a
4? x 6? inch bore and stroke, and uses a Webster 303M69 bracket.
Any information will be appreciated on this engine. Frank
Haynes, 1925 Grandview, Medford, OR 7504.
A. The engine is a Galloway, and is of the same
style as that shown in the lower lefthand corner, page 198, of
American Gas Engines. The engine was finished in red, and accented
by yellow pinstriping, as is illustrated in the above title.
24/7/5 General GG Tractor Q. I have a General,
model GG tractor, s/n 1F A 3006, and need information on it, such
as year built, approximate monetary value, and any other available
details. Lamar B. Berry, Route 4, Box 489, Saluda, SC
29138.
A. The General was built by Cleve land Tractor
Company between 1939 and 1942. Standard equipment included a
Hercules engine. These tractors are rather scarce we believe, but
since market value is a subjective judgement, we’ll leave the
matter of its present value to others. Oliver Corporation
eventually bought out Cletrac, and shortly thereafter, the
Cleveland plant was closed.
24/7/6 Unidentified engine Q. Can someone tell
me the make and the proper color for the engine in the adjacent
photo? Cletus Seitz, 18681 Lock Two Road, Rt. 1, Jackson
Center, OH 45334.
24/7/7 National Chief Engine Q. See the below
photo of a ‘National Chief, 1? HP engine I recently acquired.
Could someone with a similar engine please send details on the
second governor weight, since one is missing. Austin Weeks, Box
41, Springfield Center, NY 13468.
A. Since the two weights will be identical, we
suggest you fabricate a second one from steel, using the one
remaining for the required dimensions.
24/7/8 Information Needed Q. I would like the
year built for a Fairbanks-Morse Z, Style D engine, s/n 767712.
Also for a McComrick-Deering 1? HP ‘M’ engine, A9412. What
is the diameter and number of teeth of the magneto gear for this
engine. The magneto is an American Bosch FX, left-hand style.
Marvin Bourgeau, 520 Hillcrest St., Coquitlam, BC V3J 6N5
Canada.
A. The FBM engine is a 1931 model, and the type
M was built in 1928. We don’t have the exact dimensions at hand
for the magneto gear, but it will be the same diameter and number
of teeth as the crank gear.
24/7/9 Goold, Shapley & Muir I need
information on a 6 HP GS&M engine I bought several years ago,
including the proper color scheme. Also need information on a
Franklin Valveless, 40 HP engine. Any information on either of
these engines will be greatly appreciated. Mel Lewis, 9251 E.
Monroe Rd., Britton, Ml 49229.
24/7/10 Lauson Engine Michael DePino, Walnford
Park, RD l, Box 213,Allentown,NJ08501 is restoring a John Lauson 6
HP saw rig, and would like to hear from anyone having instructions
or catalog information on this model. Also, the original
gear-driven magneto is lost, so correspondence is solicited
regarding the replacement or substitution of same. Mr. DePino will
appreciate hearing from anyone who can help.
24/7/11 Induction Motor Starter Q. See the
below photos of a Fairbanks-Morse induction motor starter. I found
this lying next to an early FBM 10 HP ‘Z’ engine. Any
information regarding this unit will be appreciated. Jeff
Stewart, 812 Hobert, Ellensburg, WA 98926.
A. This unit is for starting a large induction
motor, specifically, one rated at 7? HP. In the early days of power
plants, the heavy inrush load of even a 7? HP motor would cause a
major disturbance on the power line-one that was very noticeable
and annoying to other customers. Units like this provided reduced
voltage starting and minimized the problem. Today however, power
lines are designed to handle heavy starting loads with little line
disturbance, and motors of very large sizes are designed for
direct-starting without the use of a compensator.
24/7/12 Stover engines Q. What is the year
built for a Stover, s/n Y136431? Also the year of a Stover engine
built for Stewart, s/n KA190339, (see 24/7/12 A) and a Stover
Junior 2? HP sold by Sandwich Mfg. Company, s/n W32059 (see 24/7/
12B). What was the connection between Chicago Flexible Shaft
Company and Stover? Were Stover engines ‘the Sandwich line’
before they themselves began building engines? What is the proper
color of red for the early Stover engines? Rick Rohrs, 1125
Broad Street, Box 132, Martell, NE 68404.
A. First the serial numbers- 136431, 1909;
190339, 1927; and 32059, 1911. Chicago Flexible Shaft bought a
great many engines from Stover, but beyond that there was no
connection between the two firms. Sandwich apparently sold the
Stover engines through their branch houses for a number of years
prior to establishing their own engine line. We have DuPont Dulux
93-2564 H red listed as a comparable color for the early Stover
engines.
24/7/13 Ohio Motor Company Q. Where is the
serial number located on an Ohio 6 HP engine, and what is the
original color? It was built by Ohio Motor Company, Sandusky, Ohio.
Ronald F. Paul, Po Box 333, Salisbury, PA 15558.
A. If the serial number is not on the
nameplate, or if the latter is missing, then we can’t tell you
where to look- perhaps on the end of the crankshaft, somewhere on
the cylinder, or per haps on a crank web. We suggest DuPont Dulux
93-143-H maroon as a comparable color.
24/7/14 Spark Plug AdapterInstead of having to
buy the rather expensive spark plugs with the ? inch pipe thread,
take a ? x 1/8 NPT bushing and
drill it out with a ? inch bit, then tap with a 14mm x 1.25 thread.
This permits the use of N-12Y Champion plugs. John R. Russell,
2519-22nd Avenue, Parkersburg, WV 26101.
24/7/15 Sandwich Engine Update For Sandwich
engines the closest stock color we have found is DuPont 24166D
Brewster Green. Sandwich sold Stover engines before starting with
their own. All the Sandwich records were destroyed years ago, but
the engines were built from about 1913 till 1930 when they were
bought out by New Idea. Engine numbers run from 500 to 32000 and do
not match the year built. I am still interested in Sandwich serial
numbers. What I need is the number, horsepower, and type of
magneto. When I get a list into manageable form, it will be made
available, so send me your information on Sandwich engines. Ray
Forrer, 105 North Street, Box 43, Somonauk, IL 60552.
24/7/16 Titan 45 Tractors I would like to
correspond with anyone who has or knows of an IHC Titan 45 Oil
tractor. Orville W. Ihde, 307 All Hallows, Wichita, KS 67213.
24/7/17 A Thank YouThanks to Dennis Silva, 89
Arrow head Drive, Griswold, CT 06351 for sending the Reflector some
photo copy material on Stoddard, Lycoming, and several other
engines. This material will go into the files!
24/7/18 Pittsburgh Pump Co. Q. See the
photos of an engine with the following nameplate: Pittsburgh Pump
Co. Pittsburgh, Pa., 3 H.P. @ 450 RPM. This engine uses a Webster
Type A magneto with the bracket number of P-2. The engine is dark
red with yellow pin striping. I understand that Pittsburgh Pump
Company did not actually build engines, so any information as to
the original builder will be appreciated. Thomas J. Buchanan,
331 Taylor Avenue, Indiana, PA 15701.
A. A check of the Webster magneto list on pages
2-13 of the December, 1986 GEM shows a P-2 bracket being used on
engines built by Nelson Bros. Company of Saginaw, Michigan. Perhaps
some of our readers might wish to comment in this regard.
