Gas Engines His Hobby

By Staff
Published on July 1, 1974
article image
James Walsh
Courtesy of James Walsh, 30 Skene Street, Whitehall, New York 12887

30 Skene Street, Whitehall, New York 12887

The picture with my story, shows a few of the engines, that was
taken two years ago and as I remember and from help from the wife,
the first is a Hercules made for and used in the Jagear cement
mixer. The other is a Fairbanks Morse, Bulldog with the oscillator
and make and break ignitor and further back on a shelf is a Newway
air-cooled with the fan on the side which has a spark plug and
vibrator coil with battery. I guess my pal, Tippy, also got in the
picture.

I have a Maynard sold by the former Charles Williams Stores.
This is a five H.P. I run this one with the coil and battery as the
Mag needs repair. Another that I have just rebuilt is an
International with one disc flywheel and the pulley turns in the
opposite way. I have a Fairbanks upright, water-cooled with the
make and break ignitor, three H.P.

One of my gems is a Deering three H.P., water-cooled that has
the make and break with a Mag. This has a solid hot head and should
operate on kerosene in the main tank. For starting there is a
compartment in the carburetor for gas and after it warms, it is
turned over to the kerosene and water is mixed with the kerosene. I
believe this was the idea of adding humidity, the same as the older
cars run better at night when the air was more humid. This has a
throttle governor and starts and runs real well. I have a Maytag
air-cooled two cycle that used the coil and battery.

Also, I have the old Briggs and Stratton with the carb in the
base and one push rod for the exhaust. Both valves are headed over
on top. Another is a Witte that has a mag and spark plug,
water-cooled two H.P. and an Ottawa log saw, one flywheel, five
H.P. water-cooled. The only one that I have not run is an
International Mogul with the make and break and mag. I used nail
heads for points but will have to get better material as it does
not fire under compression. Also, I have used an old six volt auto
coil which is not the proper coil but will work.

James, pictured with his engines [a man of great spirit, for
though blind, he does not let that keep him from enjoying his gas
engine hobby].

I lost my sight completely in 1960. Until then I was operating a
dairy farm so was used to machinery. When I started as a youth my
dad had a Ruggles six H.P. that we used on the saw, thresher, and
silo filler, and we had a Taylor Vacuum engine on the milking
machine. None of these engines would run when I got them so it was
a challenge and I put in a lot of time getting them to run and
tuning them up. I got to the Lancaster show twice and to the
Schaghticoke Fair where the Pioneer club had a nice display of
engines that were in fine condition. I am not aware of any
collectors in this area so am on my own as we are on the Vermont
border on the south end of Lake Champlain and we are trying to
prove Whitehall as the birthplace of the American Navy.

I would be glad to hear from anyone and will answer all
letters.

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