1910 12 HP Boardman-Monitor
Made by: Erie City Iron Works, Erie, PA (steam engine); Robert Boardman Co. Ltd., Oil City, PA (cylinder)
Year: 1910
Horsepower: 12
Bore: 8-1/2-inch
Stroke: 12-inch
Governing: Hand-throttled
Ignition: Hot tube
This Monitor steam engine was converted to gas by the Robert Boardman Co. Ltd. of Oil City, Pa.
Boardman was one of the few 4-stroke conversion companies that utilized the original steam cylinder. On top was the original oscillating steam valve, and due to the fact that the steam exhaust went down to the bottom of the frame, you had a ready-made water jacket. Boardman also bored the cylinder out and put two short sleeves on each end of the cylinder to block off the steam ports. An uncooled cylinder head was then fitted with the intake and exhaust valves.
Read more about this engine and 38 others in the new book, “Coolspring,” published by Gas Engine Magazine. It is available now at www.gasenginemagazine.com and at the Coolspring Fall Expo, Oct. 13-15, 2011.