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Author Topic: Help, Identification wanted  (Read 508 times)

Quickj

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Help, Identification wanted
« on: May 16, 2023, 05:04:21 pm »
I came across an auction listing last week for "Disassembled Small Hobby Machine Pully Drive Assembly." and the details said, "may be missing components". From the pictures I could tell it was a small Steam engine and I ended up winning it for $80.00.

I picked it up today from the auction house.

This thing is a Beast.  2" bore and Stroke,  All Cast iron castings.  It is very well machined, but probably never fully assembled.  All the parts were there except for a couple of nuts and bolts.  I loosely bolted it together for the pictures, and now I am looking to see if anyone can identify the castings? 

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Here are a few of the pictures from the auction:

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Doe's anyone recognize these castings?

I will post more pictures later on as I clean it up, paint and polish, mount on a board etc.

Jim in Minnesota
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Stoker

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Re: Help, Identification wanted
« Reply #1 on: May 16, 2023, 05:43:35 pm »
Don't recognize it, but most certainly looks to be one hefty steam engine. What is the bore on that beast?

Reeves and Cole come to mind, but I don't think it is either. Probably not a "Little Engines" model either.

Perhaps Gil, or some other more knowledgeable person will chime in here before too long.

Whatever it turns out to be, congratulations on acquiring what is clearly a big and capable engine of such impressive dimensions!
"Information is not knowledge, Knowledge is not wisdom, Wisdom is not truth, Truth is not beauty, Beauty is not love, Love is not music: Music is THE BEST...   
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RedRyder

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Re: Help, Identification wanted
« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2023, 05:23:10 pm »
Congrats, Jim..!!  You've won a bargain.

It looks like a 1/4 HP American Model Supply of Chicago engine.
They were offered in 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 hp sizes.

These engines were also offered by Evray Model Supply, other Chicago area industrial supply houses and even Strelingers.

The main thing missing is the cast base.

Here is a video that includes one the same size.

Gil



RichSteamTx

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Re: Help, Identification wanted
« Reply #3 on: May 17, 2023, 08:54:54 pm »
that is really cool, I LOVE the sound of these guys!
Richard

Quickj

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Re: Help, Identification wanted
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2023, 08:58:54 pm »
Thanks Gil.

The American model supply is very similar. I think though that the one I got is 1/2 HP or larger.  This has a 2" bore, and is much larger than my 1/4 HP SIPP.  I will have to see if I can track down a set of drawings for this.  There are a couple of holes drilled and tapped into the cylinder for cylinder drains (I think) that I cannot figure out the thread on.

Shame about the Cast Iron base if it did have one, it wasn't included in any of the auction lots or in any of the pictures.

Jim in Minnesota
A complex system that does not work is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked just fine.
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txlabman

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Re: Help, Identification wanted
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2023, 03:57:38 pm »
Nice find Jim!

Quickj

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Re: Help, Identification wanted
« Reply #6 on: October 30, 2023, 09:00:10 pm »
I found this one on eBay, and it appears to have the same castings as my unknown mill engine, and looks to be the same size.  I would think that this one on eBay has the correct cylinder and valve chest, whereas mine has those parts made not from castings.  So this looks very much like the engine Gil identified as American Model supply in Chicago. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/186109911409?hash=item2b5503 is the eBay listing.

Here is a photo comparison.

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A complex system that does not work is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked just fine.
View/Subscribe to my YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCv2_Ao6XtHt9bXvJCiKYtpw

Stoker

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Re: Help, Identification wanted
« Reply #7 on: October 31, 2023, 12:49:48 pm »
Looks to be a real "bruiser" of an engine, probably capable of some real work!
"Information is not knowledge, Knowledge is not wisdom, Wisdom is not truth, Truth is not beauty, Beauty is not love, Love is not music: Music is THE BEST...   
Wisdom is the domain of the Wis (which is extinct). Beauty is a French phonetic corruption of a short cloth neck ornament currently in resurgence..."
F. Zappa ... by way of Mary, the girl from the bus.

Nick

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Re: Help, Identification wanted
« Reply #8 on: November 27, 2023, 12:57:24 am »
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Nick

Quickj

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Re: Help, Identification wanted
« Reply #9 on: December 04, 2023, 06:44:43 am »
That price is considerably lower than when I first noticed it on eBay.  I was even thinking about driving over and looking at it since it was somewhat local (The other side of Wisconsin).  Did you get it Nick?
A complex system that does not work is invariably found to have evolved from a simple system that worked just fine.
View/Subscribe to my YouTube channel.
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Nick

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Re: Help, Identification wanted
« Reply #10 on: December 04, 2023, 08:22:51 am »
Yes, it is here :) it didn’t look quite as big on eBay, so I am glad I seen yours in person

https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/collections-pictures/took-another-little-road-trip/msg59047/?topicseen#msg59047
Nick

RedRyder

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Re: Help, Identification wanted
« Reply #11 on: December 07, 2023, 03:51:35 pm »
Here is a catalog reference to the American Model Supply engines as displayed in the Evray Mechanics Supply catalog.

You can see the 4 sizes they were offered and not that they were marketed on the same page as the Sipp Engines.

This catalog (I believe) is from the 1930s.

Gil


On the cover you will see the Model Supply engine featured front and center.
In the bottom right the vertical is the smallest Sipp. 
There are ither items and engines you will recognize.


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