27/7/46 What is It? Q. See the two photos. This
unit was made by Foster & Husler, Chicago, Illinois. 6 x 6 Twin
Granite 2906. The water hopper is bolted over the cylinders and to
the base of the cylinders. Cylinders are cast separately. Unit
weighs about 1,000 pounds and has a 6 x 24 inch flywheel. Any
information on this unit would be appreciated. Virgil Lilly, 58
Pulaski Ave., Radford, VA 24141.
A. Foster & Hosier was located at 431 S.
Dearborn in Chicago. This firm appears as a producer of polished
granite columns and other granite products. We suppose this
compressor was used in that endeavor, and probably was sold as part
of the firm’s total package. It could have been used for any
air compressor purpose, but since the company was rather
specialized, it may have been used for cutting gravestones and the
like
27/7/47 Information Needed Q. I have an Ottawa
5 HP log saw, and would like to have more information on it. The
Webster bracket is 303K62.
The second engine is a Lansing 2 HP, No. W79702. After cleaning
I found the number W13 cast into each flywheel. It also has a Wico
EK magneto. Can anyone provide any information on this engine, even
a clue as to the proper color, etc. Your help will be appreciated.
Bob Benoit, 209 Craven St., Fayetteville, NC 28306.
27/7/48 Shaw Du-All Q. Can anyone provide
further information on the Shaw Du-All shown in the accompanying
photo? I especially would like to know when it was built, and the
proper paint scheme. C. Skip Kezar, RR 1, Box 2, No. Berwick,
ME 03906.
27/7/49 Sieverkropp Engine Q. I recently
acquired a 1? HP Sieverkropp engine, built in Racine, Wisconsin. Is
this engine run on a two-cycle fuel mixture! What are the original
colors? I would be interested in talking to or corresponding with
other collectors who are familiar with this brand of engine.
John K. Kreider, 327-A East Main, New Holland, PA
17557.
27/7/50 Worthington Engine Q. We have a 1? HP
Worthington engine which we believe was made in 1922. Does anyone
know of any decals that are available for this engine? Wilfred
Laprise, RR1, Pain Court, Ontario N0P 1Z0.
A. Can anyone be of help on Worthington
decals?
27/7/51 Sattley Striping Q. Recently you
commented that you didn’t think the Sattley engines were
striped. Here are some photos of an original engine with faint
signs of striping. The striping is yellow.
Can anyone supply color information for the following:
1) Bauer 2 HP 2) Ottawa Log Saw 3) Sattley (Montgomery-Ward) 4)
Fairbanks-Morse ‘Z’ 5) Witte 7 HP
Your help will be appreciated. Earl Skiles, 2472 W. 91st
Dr., Federal Heights, CO 80221-5180.
A. Thanks for shedding some light on Sattley
striping. Look closely at the photos for some idea of how they were
striped.
So far as colors go: 1) No information; 2) Sherwin-Williams 9353
Green; 3) DuPont 7498 Green; 4) PPG 43846 or DuPont 93-72001 Green;
5) similar to PPG 40952 Forest Green.
27/7/52 A Thank You Thanks to all the people
who have written to me concerning my Witte engine per query
27/3/23. Sincerely, Andy Whiten, 3763 E. 24 St., Tucson, AZ
85713.
27/7/53 Thanks To Don Colee, 7728 N. Central
Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85020 for forwarding a set of pictures taken at
the Old Vulture Mine near Wickenburg, Arizona, in the Vulture
Mountains. There are some interesting engines there, and if one is
in the area, it may be worthwhile to stop by and see them.
27/7/54 Johnson Iron Horse Q. Can anyone
identify the year the Johnson Iron Horse engine was manufactured
(see photos). It is an early Model X3, Serial 3054. Note the
cylinder and crankcase are cast in one piece. Later models are
two-piece with the cylinder bolted (4 bolts) to the crankcase
making it much simpler to grind the valves and replace the rings.
Note the two nameplates as opposed to a single larger one on all
later models.
Also is there any history available on Johnson Motor Company,
Waukegan, Illinois, or the Canadian subsidiary, Johnson Motor
Company, Peterborough, Ontario, Canada. I would be interested in
forming a collectors club if there are enough collectors of these
air cooled engines. Any help will be appreciated. Wm. R.
Gardner, 1 Cobourg, Goderich, Ontario N7A 2J1 Canada.
27/7/55 Further Information Needed Q. See the
photos of an engine, but I cannot find a serial number. The plate
says: Displ 118 and RPM 350 to 700. It is missing some parts but I
need to find out more information so I know what to look for. Any
information will be appreciated. Turpin, 7028 Mustang Road,
Shepherd, MT 59079.
A. The engine is a late model Fairbanks-Morse.
The serial number should be stamped somewhere on the cylinder.
Readers Write
27/5/24 Unidentified Engine Regarding this
article, the unidentified engine is definitely from a railway
section gang car. The lugs on the cylinders bolt to the frame of
the car. On the crankshaft opposite the flywheel is a disk for a
right angle friction drive. These engines had a lot more power than
the single cylinder two-cycle Fairmont engines that you usually
see. It had power enough to pull two or three trailers behind the
section car, with material etc. The fellow I got mine from said it
was made by Buda. Richard Wood, 5098 S. Livonia Rd., Livonia, NY
14487.
Bluffton Engines As with the Maynard engines of
Charles Williams Stores, it appears that Bluffton also changed
engine suppliers in the course of its operation. A few Bluffton ads
are shown in Alan King’s books. Bluffton Cream Separator Co.
displays a model clearly built by Associated. Then, as Bluffton
Mfg. Co., the Nelson-built model appears. If these companies were
actually one and the same, possibly Bluffton Cream Separator simply
changed their name to Bluffton Mfg. as their product line expanded.
A 1930 ad shows the Bluffton washing machine for example, with the
address now Findlay, Ohio. I think Bluffton switched from
Associated to Nelson because these Nelson engines simulated some
Associated styles (curved counterweight, flat fender, and vertical
exhaust design) not otherwise found on their engines. This
similarity may have been to lessen the appearance of change to the
customers. Even if these were competing companies, the ad shows
that Bluffton Cream Separator indeed carried the Associated model
as described in American Gas Engines, but the Nelson model pictured
should be under the Bluffton Mfg. heading. The Ideal engine
pictured there appears to have been supplied by the Ideal Motor
Co.; note the unusual muffler style.
I have been told that Banner could be added to the list of
engine names under Waterloo. I would appreciate these letters being
compiled into a GEM article. If someone else is researching Nelson,
I would be glad to hear from them, or be happy to help in any way I
can. Mark T. Baier, 11 Pleasant St., Milford, MA 01757.