Boy! It’s sure been hot around here-how about you folks?
I’ll bet some of the shows were scorchers this year, but
I’ll bet the enthusiasts didn’t wilt under the strain-
probably a lot better for them than mud and rain! Do hope you are
all having a great time sharing ideas and swapping stories. Let us
hear some of them too. And now we’ll read some of the letters
that find their way to this column.
Awhile back AL GREGORITSCH, 3 Iby Street, South Burlington,
Vermont 05401 had requested S/Ns for Associated engines. He sent
this letter as a followup: ‘First of all, I’d like to thank
the many people who answered my request for serial numbers for
Associated engines. Over 100 S/Ns were received! Lloyd Halbard from
Marlette, Michigan sent the results of his research done at
Waterloo, Iowa. The 1912 city directory there has a picture of a 1
HP air-cooled Chore Boy. 1920 was the last year the name Associated
was used. In 1921 the name was changed to Iowa Engines from 2 HP-25
HP. From 1933 to 1937 they manufactured the Iowa cream separator
and a HP engine. In 1938 they made automatic oil burners.
‘From Ray Miller of Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada came the
following: ‘About 1896 a company known as the Iowa Dairy
Separator Co. began building cream separators. The plant was
located on the corner of W.Mullan Ave. and Jefferson St. in
Waterloo, Iowa. Their products were good and sales grew rapidly.
The company later became known as the Associated Manufacturing Co.
and products increased in number. Engines were built such as the
Iowa Oversize, Hired Man, etc. in ten sizes, 1 to 25 HP. When sold
to Hamilton Engineering Co., Chicago, Ill., in 1946, their products
were listed as register and air-conditioning grills, medicine
cabinets and magnetos.’
‘From the serial numbers received, I could not uniquely date
any engine. However, the following is what I havegathered
from studying them: 1) The first digits in the serial number
correspond to the engine’s HP rating. This only applies to
engines with brass nameplates and not the ones with S/N on end of
crank. For example:1 HP all start with #2; 1 HP start with 3; 2 HP
with 3; 2 HP with 1; 2 HP with 1; 3, 3 and 3 HP with 5; 4 HP with
4; 6 HP with 6. 2) An Associated catalog printed in approximately
1913 lists the following sizes: 1 HP Busy Boy, air-cooled; 1 HP
Chore Boy, air-cooled and water-cooled; 2 HP Hired Man,
water-cooled; 4 HP Farm Hand, water-cooled; 6 HP Six Mule Team,
water-cooled; 8 HP Foreman, water-cooled; 12 HP Twelve Mule Team,
water-cooled. From this, I conclude that the , 2, 2, 3,3 and 3 HP
engines with Associated nametags were built somewhere between 1913
to 1920 when the company changed its name.
‘Again, I want to thank everyone who sent
information!’
‘I read the GEM cover to cover when it
comes and really enjoy the magazine,’ says EDDIE TURNER, Route
2, Box 279-B, Pamplico, South Carolina 29583.
‘Here is a little info that might help all the old iron nuts
like me. I havea Bosch magneto Type 1922 that goes on a 2 HP
headless Witte engine log saw that nobody knows anything about. The
magneto has three patent dates on it. I found out that when you
have something for which you can’t find information or
instructions, if you know the name of it, patent dates or numbers,
write to theU.S. Department of Commerce, Patent and Trademark
Office, Washington, D.C. 20231. Tell them you need a photocopy of
the original patent drawing and information and send 50 for each
photocopy you need per patent date. This information really helped
me out, so maybe it will help someone in Engine Land.’ (Thanks,
Eddie, I’m sure some folks will be glad to know that.)
TOM CAMPBELL, 39443 N. Greenbay Road, Zion, Illinois 60099 sends
an account of his activities which may interest you:
‘As a lot of GEM readers know, I have been
working for about ten years researching the company history and
keeping owner’s files on the Challenge brand, built in Batavia,
Illinois, while displaying my 1 HP Challenge in northern Illinois
and southern Wisconsin. To all Challenge owners I have located and
who have given me their name address, PN, SN, HP, pictures etc., I
have given photocopies of Challenge history, literature, etc. and
decals for their engines.’
Tom goes on to describe how he has computerized his engine
records on a Timex/Sinclair 1000 computer. A lay-off from work gave
him the opportunity to spend time working up a program for engine
record keeping for this computer and he would be happy to share
this knowledge with anyone else who keeps such records. His phone
number is 311-872-7029.
A lot of our readers may enjoy the following missive on magnetos
which comes from JOHN MACK, Carberry, Manitoba, Canada: ‘From
time to time in your magazine there are inquiries into magneto
troubles. I will attempt to clarify some of these questions in an
overall description of my experience and what I have learned over
the years.
‘The older magnetos were of the low tension type used to
fire an ignitor. Of these, there is a rotary and reciprocating
type, but basically of the same make-up. They consist of a magnet
(sometimes two), a wound coil which passes by the magnet and
produces a current that is passed on to the ignitor electrode by
means of a collector ring, and carbon brush.
‘Usually, the magneto is dirty, rusty, wet or worn. The
first three are easy to rectify and the only parts that wear are
the bushings and in extreme cases the shaft. At times you may
notice that the brush is worn too short.
‘If the bushings are worn, the rotor will tend to pull
toward one side of the magnet. When it touches the magnet, the
effect of generating electricity is lost. In my experience,
I’ve found that if cleaning and drying the parts doesn’t
improve the magneto, the bushings are worn. One thing I forgot to
mention is that the magnets can be weak. This is very rare, but if
found to be weak they can be recharged at an electric shop. A
charger can be made but unless they are used a lot, they are too
expensive to make. However, that is another story.
‘The other magneto is the high tension magneto. Of these,
there are various types. The Wico used on the old ‘M’
McCormick Deering stationary is a reciprocating type in a way. It
was likely designed that way to eliminate the use of an impulse to
speed up the action of the magneto.
‘The rotary is the most common with rotating armature,
rotating magnet and rotating poles. They all have the same results
but are put together differently. The disadvantage of the rotating
armature is the fact that it is nearly impossible to replace a
coil-the whole armature has to be replaced.
‘The high tensions coil differs from the low tension in that
it has two windings, a primary winding which is the same as the low
tension, but in addition has also a secondary which boosts the
voltage up to thousands of volts but lowers the amperage to a
fraction. The high voltage gives it the ‘punch’ to jump the
gap at the spark plug.
‘Again, cleaning and drying usually clears up any troubles.
If a spark occurs at the breaker points but no current at the spark
plug, often the secondary winding is burned out, or the bakelite
cover on the magneto may have a crack in it. Even the lead wire to
the spark plug can have a crack where the spark can jump to any
metal part of the engine that it is near. The condenser can be weak
or burned out, too. If you are not familiar with them any
electrical repair shop can test them in a few seconds.
‘In the case of a multi-cylinder engine, a distributor is
added to the magneto to get current to the proper cylinder at the
proper time. If there is a crack in any of the distributor parts,
trouble occurs again. For an old, hard-to-get part of a
distributor, at times, they can be repaired by drying thoroughly,
cleaning and giving a good coat of shellac. I had one magneto that
some thoughtless person shot at with a rifle, breaking a part of
the distributor off. It was necessary to fabricate part of the
distributor with fiber glass commonly used in auto body work using
wax plugs for placing screw holes and lead outlets. It now works
perfectly.
‘A word of warning when pulling out a rotor-make sure all
carbon brushes are removed. I have come across so many magnetos
that have been ruined this way. Usually, the insulating discs
around the collector ring is broken, creating a current leak. Some,
I have fabricated with epoxy, but it makes a lot of unnecessary
work.
‘Magnetos aren’t really so complicated-just take them
apart carefully, clean them and look for wear. Put them together
again and nine times out of ten, they will work.
‘If the spring is rusted out on the breaker points, it may
be necessary to make a new one out of an old clock spring or
something of similar nature.
‘I hope this will be of some help to beginners. The whole
thing is, don’t be scared to dive in and learn about them. You
may be surprised to find they are not such a mystery after
all.’
Sending this picture and waiting for your correspondence is
JESSE LIVINGSTON, Route 2, Box 118, Troy, Tennessee 38260: ‘I
recently dug up this Ottawa 2 HP out of a fence row. It seems to
have had an air-cleaner under the long oblong part of the mixer.
There is a square hole in the center of the long oblong part to fit
a carriage bolt. I need to know what the air-cleaner looked like,
that is, if that is what actually goes there! Need to know color of
engine and pinstriping, if any. All letters will be
answered!’
ROBERT D. SEELEY, RR3, Box 176, Warrensburg, Missouri 64093
sends along some great advice for those seeking any avenue of
information in their hobby: ‘From some articles that I read in
your magazine as well as from correspondence with other old
machinery enthusiasts, I find that many are not aware of valuable
sources of information in their own localities. Therefore, I offer
the following in hopes it will be an aid to the readers:
‘Telephone directory service: If you know a name and
location, or even approximately the place, the directory service
can solve your problem in less than one minute- the address can
also be obtained.
‘Library service: Most public or college libraries have
telephone directories of major cities in America. You can locate
individuals, manufacturers and services. Some hotels have
directories, too. Another reference often in libraries is
theThomas Registry. This consists of about 12
volumes listing products, services, companies and other
information. For example, I located a supplier of old pump organ
parts from this source. Another useful source is theBennett
Formulary, a nine-volume work listing recipes for making
everything from rust remover to toothpaste. If your local library
does not have these publications, ask them to order them!
‘There are other publications available as well. A librarian
may not know a one lunger from a drug store Indian, but there is a
very good chance that he will know of the source that does, so
ask!
‘Finally, libraries periodically discard old publications
for a small price. They may be just the ones you want. I’ve
acquired several old books on farm machinery and magnetos by this
process.’(Thanks for a lot of valuable information,
Bob.)
Inquiring about two Evinrude outboard motors, this communication
comes from PETER THOMSETT, 81 Earlham Road, Norwich, Norfolk,
England: ‘Sometime ago I bought two Evinrude outboard motors.
One is as illustrated inGEM Vol. 17, No. 6. It has
a vertical magneto made by Elkhart Man. Co., Monroe, Michigan and
the #347 stamped on the bracket.
‘The other motor is similar in design but much larger with a
flywheel magneto. The #35819 is stamped on the tank. The story is
that these engines were imported to power a Norfolk wherry. They
were sailing vessels used on Norfolk broads and rivers as cargo
carriers and were pulled along when unable to sail. I don’t
think the Evinrudes succeeded in this as both appear hardly
used.
‘Can anyone over there tell me the age and any other
information on these engines and are they rare?’(Can you,
fellows? Peter will be happy to receive your letter.)
EARL HURT, 2646 Broad Street N.W., Roanoke, Virginia 24012
writes, ‘I restored a Fordson tractor about 1975, or you might
say, I rebuilt it. I was fortunate to find a new set of pistons,
rings and wrist pins for this tractor. The pistons were .0060
oversize that a farmer had bought 45 years before to overhaul his
Fordson, but before he got to it he had the misfortune of letting
his tractor freeze and bust the block, and I got the pistons for
$40.00. So, I had the tractor cylinders bored to fit the oversize
pistons.
‘I read in Smoke Rings that someone was interested in the
ignition system of the Fordson. He stated that all the old timers
he had talked to had said the Fordson was hard to start, especially
in cold weather. I believe the worst thing wrong with the old
Fordson was the operator! Very few people understood the weakness
of the Ford ignition system. They were good for the first few
years, but they were like all other machines-when they got a lot of
wear, they had to be repaired.
‘Here is the best solution for the poor ignition system as I
discovered when my father-in-law bought his first Fordson in 1925.
The tractor ran well for the first few years, but after that he
would have to pull it with a team of horses to start it. One day I
was helping him and he pulled it to the top of a hill in order to
get a good run downhill, but as soon as he got it turned around and
started the team running down hill the tractor would start. I knew
there had to be something wrong that corrected itself when the
tractor was turned downhill. Upon examination, we found that the
main bearings were made of babbitt and had worn on the ends and
gave the crankshaft too much end play. To correct this, you use a
pinch bar between the fan belt pulley and the front end bearing and
pry the crankshaft forward. Then, remove the fan belt pulley and
insert a flat washer between the pulley and bearing and that holds
the flywheel up against the magneto post. The next best thing to do
is take the carburetor off and throw it away and go to the junk
yard and buy a side draft carb off a John Deere G or GP and go to a
good machine shop and have them make an L coupling to fit on the
Fordson intake manifold and carb. Then connect the hand gas feed or
governor to carb. This is how I have my Fordson rigged up and it
works perfectly. It will sit and idle so slow you can count the
strokes.
‘Now to start the tractor. Don’t ever crank a Fordson
With spark lever advanced as the vibrator coils will cause the
engine to fire on a back stroke and the crank will slap your wrist
and break it. You can use a 6 volt battery to start if you install
an on and off switch. Do the cranking with the switch off. Then
advance the spark half way open turn on switch and if any of the
four pistons is at firing position the vibrator coil will fire the
spark plug and all the rest will fall in line firing-you might have
to try several times, but do not ever crank the old way as it is
too dangerous. I hope my ideas will help some of the
readers.’
‘I need information on a Lauson engine out of a Lansing
cement mixer. It is a 2 HP, 525 RPM, Type 5611 and S/N 81094. It
has solid cast flywheels with a solid brass oiler. I would like the
age of the engine and any data on the Lauson Co. of New Holstein,
Wisconsin, as well as painting tips.
‘I could also use some help on a small belt-driven feed
grinder that is pictured. It is painted red and has a 12′
diameter flywheel and an 11′ square hopper. I would like to
know where and when it was made.’ This comes from DEAN R.
HELWIG, R.R. #1, Carson City, Michigan 48811.
‘Can anyone tell me the make or name of the engine I have
recently purchased?’ inquires ERNEST SCHENSTAD, Star Route Box
64, Zahl, North Dakota 58856.
‘It is a 1 HP as all parts have 1 on them plus the plant
number. The water-cooling hopper is unusual in that it has two
fuel, or gas tanks, in recessed areas on each side of the hopper
and two fuel lines to carburetor or mixer.’
Interested in a Lang tractor, is DOUG LANG, R.R. 1, Howick,
Quebec, Canada J0S 1G0: ‘In reading through the book The
Agricultural Tractor 1855-1950 by R. B. Gray, I see on pages 50 and
51 a bit of information on the Lang Tractor. It apparently was made
in 1917 in Minneapolis and it had some form of power steering.
I’m interested in knowing whether any one has ever seen one of
these tractors, or has one that I could see or request a picture
from them. I would really appreciate it.’ (If you have an extra
picture it would really be an aid to Doug, and of course any
information.)
H. ROSSOW, Box 15, Weston, Idaho 83286 would like to hear from
some Fordson owners as he exclaims: ‘I can’t get the spark
back on mine!
‘Also, in working on a Chief engine, the only mention of
this engine I can find is in July/Aug. ’82 issue
ofGEM titled Engine Trade Names by Darvin E.
Jahnke and I’m not sure it’s the same. There is no I.D. tag
but a decal on the water hopper reads Big Chief, Waterloo Co. This
is around a left profile of an Indian. I wrote to Alan C. King as I
have one of his listings and he thinks it is a special built, but I
don’t. Anyway it’s missing two vital parts, the carb and
mag, but I have no idea what numbers or models to ask for.’
(Let him know, fellas, and then he can send in an ad and probably
find his parts.)
ALLAN M. HEASLIP, R.D. 2, Asbury Road, Hackettstown, New Jersey
07840 sends this: ‘With the help of a fellow old-iron
collector, Dick Roy of Branchville, New Jersey I recently acquired
an engine with ‘NANZY’ BUILT BY WEAVER & WITTLE,
LEBANON, PA. cast into each of its twin flywheels. It is a vertical
air-cooled of probably HP. There are no serial numbers or I.D.
plate. It has a side-draft Schebeler carburetor which I suspect is
not original. It seems to be operable and I presume the black paint
is original. Can anyone tell me a bit of history of the
manufacturer, approximate date of manufacture, typical uses,
idiosyncracies, etc.? Hope to use to power a small walking-beam
diver’s air pump. Will provide a synopsis of findings to all
respondents. Thanks!’
‘I wonder if any readers can give me some needed information
on an Ideal Model R air-cooled engine which I just bought?’
inquires NORMAN ANDERSON, 323 South 8th Street, Livingston, Montana
59047.
‘I can’t seem to understand the oiling system. It has a
drip type oiler on the cylinder. Does that also oil the rod and
main bearings and if so how many drops per minute? It has Timken
main bearings and the crankcase is enclosed, which has no drain or
filler plug. Also the bore and stroke and RPM and HP? The S/N is
X30248 and it has a spark plug and is a hit and miss system. Would
surely appreciate any information.’
‘I’ve been receiving your fine magazine for four years
now and it’s the BEST and most helpful,’ declares KEN
CURRIE, 9056 Riverside Drive, Brighton, Michigan 48116.
‘I recently got an engine that doesn’t appear in any of
the literature I’ve been collecting. It is a 14 HP Waterloo
Boy, hit and miss. See picture (and that is my six year old
daughter Karen with it). The tag has patent dates up to 1907 and
the S/N is 115308. The old Waterloo Boy catalog I have only goes to
12 HP and it must be about a 1911 catalog. I surely would
appreciate some help on the year from some of our pals in Gas
Engine Land. Keep up the fantastic work!’
‘First of all, you have a great magazine!’ says LEON
HANSEN, Route 1, Box 9, Irene, South Dakota 57037.
‘Now, my problem! I recently bought a Centaur tractor.
I’ve never seen one before and I would like to correspond with
someone as to what color to paint it and any other data they might
have available.’ (Watch the mails, Leon, I’ll bet you get
some answers.)
‘I am hoping that some reader of your Smoke Rings may be
able to give me some information on my engine,’ says MARVIN E.
RUEBUSH, R.R. 5, Box 187C, Staunton, Virginia 24401.
‘Here is what the brass tag states: Alamo, 6 HP, BF Avery
& Sons, Atlanta, Georgia, Factory at Hills-dale, Michigan. It
is a horizontal, hopper-cooled, and igniter is fired by a Webster
magneto, hit and miss engine. It is extremely heavy for a 6 HP
engine. Does anyone have an engine like this and I wonder if this
is the same Avery Company that made steam engines and tractors?
Will appreciate hearing from your readers on above subject. (The
Avery Planter Company, which produced the famous undermounted steam
engine and a relatively unsuccessful line of tractors, was located
in Peoria, Illinois.)
‘I just want to write to you to say I think
GEM is great!’ writes WILLIAM ROGERS,
Independence Lane, Hannacroix, New York 12087.
‘I have 9 engines all of the same make and basic design. I
collect old cast iron Briggs & Stratton, models WI, WM, NS, 5S,
6S, NP and a very old FH.
‘I also have a very odd engine-a Cunningham. It is part
Briggs & Stratton with a Wico magneto and Tillotson carburetor.
It was made for, or by, the Cunningham Tractor Company in
Rochester, New York. I have seen only one other engine like this
one. My engines aren’t as old as many of the ones in your
magazine, but they are getting rare and I think they will
eventually be collector’s items, too. They were made in the mid
1940’s through 1954.’ Bill would like to hear from other
Briggs & Stratton collectors.
JACK GHERE, RR1, Odin, Illinois 62870 has a 1 HP engine and
needs to identify it. All that is on the name tag is 1 HP, S/N
V105423, RPM 550. The only casting numbers are V82 on rod cap and
V80 on rod and 220 on base. It has a 3 bolt air-cooled head and the
color seems to be dark green. Any help?? Would be appreciated!
‘Can anyone help me with the light plant in the picture? It
is dark green and flywheel is red, points at oil filler. I found
only a No. 1923 stamped on the block. Bore 3 & 5/16′. I
need to know output, maker, etc., as a lot of bits are missing.
Thank you!’ says MICHAEL CAR-WOOD, Stratford Lodge, Raheen,
Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow, Ireland.
Coming up are some of our shorter requests for help, starting
with STANLEY BYERLY, Route 2, Box 97, New Salisbury, Indiana 47161,
812-347-2186, who would like to know how to tell the year of a Case
tractor by serial number. He says he has been told different ways
but sometimes it just doesn’t come out right!…OSCAR A.
BUEHLER, 7145 Ryan Road, Medina, Ohio 44256 has just purchased a
row crop Graham Bradley farm tractor, and he needs to know the
original color. . . .DOUGLAS GORSUCH, Route 1, Box 190, Lindside,
West Virginia 24951 would like to know who made the Bear Cat
two-wheel garden tractor and what engine was used on them. . .
.MARTEN W. WALTER, 215 S. Second, Box 432, Guttenberg, Iowa 52052
has acquired an old corn planter believed to be a Fuller &
Johnson. It has a lever on the left side to adjust the shoes for
hillside planting. He would like to know if F & J made
horsedrawnfarm machinery and what year. . . .E. J. BUNDSCHUH, 503
Evergreen, Sherman, Texas 75090 rebuilt an unknown gas engine which
turned out to be a Waterloo Boy K3. He’d like to know original
color and HP. . . .BRADLEY MARTIN, 2212 South T, Fort Smith,
Arkansas 72901 has a 2 HP Arco S/N 3S1619 and wants to know when
this engine was made, how common it is and what carb he should
have. . . .WENDELL L. STAHLER,2095 Huntington Drive, Lima,
Ohio 45806, 419-645-5103 would like to know thecolor of a 1920
Samson Model M. He says there seems to be controversy over how dark
or how light the gray should be. He will also answer all letters
pertaining to the Samson. . . .HARRY P. MASTER, Route 3, Box
50, Hattiesburg, Mississippi 39401 would appreciate hearing from
you with data on a Johnson iron horse engine, Model X-519, S/N
121846. He believes it was manufactured during or slightly before
WWII. Would like the correct year of mfg. also. . . .GLEN OTT,
Route 1, 550 N., Churubusco, Indiana 46723 wants to know how to
tell years of Maytag engines by serial ‘number. . . .MARVIN
MILLER, R.R. 3, Box 197, Logansport, Indiana 46947 has a Rock
Island horsedrawn corn planter and would like to know when and
where it was made. Some people called it sprattle wheel or crazy
wheel planter. . . .DAVID L. WACHTER, 2409 Alpha Street,
Lansing, Michigan 48910 recently purchased a Stover No. 4 Ideal
Burr Mill and would like to know the year it was made, the color
and the HP needed to run. . . .JIM ADKINS, 808 South Turner
Road, Independence, Missouri 64056 has recently purchased a 1
cylinder Leroi gas engine and would like to know the correct paint
color. He also wants to know the correct magneto this engine
used. . . .LLOYD LINDERSON, 2907-93rd Avenue S.W., Olympia,
Washington 98502 is trying to find out how many of the old first
year Sears Economy engines are still around. He would like to
correspond with other owners of 1909 Sears Roebuck built Economy
gasoline engines.
HENRY NUTT, 26 Tennyson Street, BULIMBA, Brisbane, 4171
AUSTRALIA has an inquiry: ‘I have an American-made engine which
I hope to restore. It is the Model, Auburn, Indiana USA., No. 1543,
2 HP, 350 speed. Patented February 22, 1898. It is a horizontal
engine with twin 24′ x 2’ six spoke flywheels. The governor
is built in the timing gear and the head, barrel and base are
monocast. Someone has fitted a Ford ‘T’ carburetor and a
spark plug where the ignition points should be. Could your readers
supply me with any information on this type of engine-mainly on the
carburetion system and kind of dynamo used in the ignition
system?’
‘Hi Anna Mae-do love your philosophical thoughts and ideas
inGEM! Here is a picture of a lamp I made of an
old Maytag engine. I do read myGEM by it, natch!
My next project is to make a coffee table with heavy glass top on a
small engine- to rest my feet on-with the tape recorder playing the
snorts and pops of a running engine-who could ask for a better
atmosphere? Keep up the good will and work!’ (It was signed
‘The Atomic City Kid in Idaho’-and that’s all. Perhaps
when you see this, Idaho Kid, you can send me your real name and
address! The lamp is pretty nifty.)
Some tips on taking engine pictures come from JERRY FARMER, 5733
Bluebird Lane, Minnetonka, Minnesota 55343 who relates: ‘We
hope all collectors will stop and dwell for a moment on a problem
that perplexes just about everyone from time to time. Namely, the
photograph! Someone recently sent me a picture and a request to
identify it. Not one shred of written clues, and the picture
was-well, a mystery! Every mistake that could be made was. Matthew
Bradys we ain’t, but hey! Here are a few commandments that
should be followed:
‘1. Take two shots, not one. If you take a single side, then
180° is automatically shut off from the viewer. 2. Quarter them,
instead of broadside. This increases the visible field. Often, two
quartering shots are as good as four broadsides. Don’t
superimpose structures on one another. 3. Get close. The photo I
mentioned was so far away, I couldn’t improve it with a
magnifying glass. A few dollars for a close-up lens is well worth
it. 4. Always backdrop. A sheet or such. I use a piece of plywood.
If you don’t, every hunk of iron in your shop clutters up the
view. 5. Make sure there is light. Even if you have flash bulbs,
don’t assume there will be sufficient light. Many cameras will
shut out excessive light, but can only create a fixed amount with
the bulb. If there is not enough the result is often-well,
you’ve seen ’em.
‘Commit these five rules to memory. No doubt there are more,
but if these five cautions are heeded, at least, the viewer will
not feel so puzzled! Good luck and good clicking!’ (These are
good rules to follow, and also remember when sending pictures
toGEM, we get far better reproduction from a black
and white print than from a color one.)
‘I have been a fan of your great magazine for over five
years and now I find I must turn to your many readers for some
help, ‘writes PETER D. HASKELL, Box 98, South Freeport, Maine
04078.
I am trying to identify the marine engine shown in the photo. It
has no markings or S/N. It is headless design, spark plug ignition,
cast iron with a bronze rod, water pump and timing assembly.
Approximate dimensions are: bore and stroke 4′, solid flywheel
15′ dia., face 3′, overall height 19′, length 21′.
The outstanding features seem to be the horizontal positioning of
the water pump and the timing mechanism, which consists of a bronze
collar containing an insulated contact, surrounding a fiber spool
on the crankshaft, which has a brass contact on it. The whole
collar will rotate on the shaft and has a rod with a wooden handle
sticking up from behind the flywheel to adjust the timing. Sure
hope someone out there has an idea on what this might be. Thanks
for your help!’
And now to leave you with some thoughts: Revenge is the sword
that wounds the one who wields it. . .You can learn a lot from the
bible; you can learn more practicing it. . .If you are afraid of
criticism, you’ll die doing nothing. . .If you want work well
done, select a busy person-the other kind have no time. . .A smooth
sea never made a skillful mariner … And that’s it for this
time, Dear Ones, I’m thinking of you-have fun at the shows and
write me-Bye-Bye-
