It Doesn’t Has’ta Be An Engine

By Staff
Published on August 1, 2001
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R. D. #1, Box 642 Morrisdale, PA 16858

After years of restoring engines, I needed a new challenge.
Little did I know it would soon come to be, and that it would
occupy many days and evenings of my time.

One day I was visiting my brother Mack. He dug an old ten quart
ice cream freezer out of his shed. He had bought it at an auction
for $1.00. It was a Gem freezer, manufactured by North Brothers
Manufacturing of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It was in sad shape,
and I told him that he should restore it. Well, that was the wrong
thing to say! A few months later, it mysteriously appeared on my
work bench in my garage. Now what was I to do with this?

After considerable thought, I rose to the challenge. My
wife’s nephew, Brian Homman, made a new container for it out of
stainless steel. I might add, he did a great job! Now, the rest was
up to me.

First, I purchased some six-quarter pine and started cutting and
shaping. A lot of brain power was involved to get them just right.
I cut and sanded, and sanded some more. Getting them to fit
properly was quite an experience.

I salvaged all the hardware except the hold down bracket from
the right side and the bands to hold the bucket together. Those I
had to make. I rooted through boxes of junk I had and found
materials to make the bracket. Now on to the bands. I purchased
1/8 x strap iron and hammered the taper in
them to fit the tub.

While looking around the basement, I spied a broom handle, and
since my wife wasn’t anywhere in sight, I turned it into a very
nice handle.

About a month had passed, since beginning the project, cutting,
painting, hammering, complaining, and admiring the finished pieces.
Now to put it all together. They actually all fit after some more
sanding and tugging and some frustration. I decided this is my
first one and last one to do. I felt that I owed it to Mack, since
he was so good to me several years ago while I was experiencing
some severe health problems.

Before returning the freezer to its rightful owner, we tried it
out one Sunday afternoon. Our son-in-law, Mike; grandsons, Mike and
Nick Patrick; and four-year-old granddaughter, Jade Williams
strengthened their biceps while creating delicious ice cream. We
all enjoyed the finished product.

A week later, we gave it back to Mack and his wife Mary. They
took it to an ice cream social at the Church of God at Wallaceton,
Pennsylvania. The parishioners all joined in and provided the
people power to churn the ice cream. They got to enjoy the fruits
of their labor. Yum! Yum!

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