Office of Steam Forum for Model & Toy Steam Gas & Hot Air Engines

The Regular Stuff: Chat, Buy, Sell, Off Topic, etc. => General Discussion - Model & Toy Steam Engines – Stirling Cycle – Flame Lickers – Small Antique Originals => Topic started by: RedRyder on May 09, 2024, 06:19:58 am

Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant now with Live Steam Test Video
Post by: RedRyder on May 15, 2024, 09:41:37 pm
Beautiful job on that one, Gil!
.
Thanks, Mike..!!
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant now with Live Steam Test Video
Post by: Junkologist on May 15, 2024, 04:12:32 pm
Beautiful job on that one, Gil!
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant now with Live Steam Test Video
Post by: Mike on May 15, 2024, 03:35:51 pm
That’s a real beauty, Gil. You did a fine restoration job and now it looks like it could be equally at home in a museum.

Agree with you on all counts Mike, but in my opinion that engine is already "at home in a museum", as the Office of Steam most certainly qualifies within that definition as I understand it!!!

From what I’ve seen in pictures and video, I would have to agree Daniel.
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant now with Live Steam Test Video
Post by: Stoker on May 15, 2024, 02:32:15 pm
That’s a real beauty, Gil. You did a fine restoration job and now it looks like it could be equally at home in a museum.

Agree with you on all counts Mike, but in my opinion that engine is already "at home in a museum", as the Office of Steam most certainly qualifies within that definition as I understand it!!!
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant now with Live Steam Test Video
Post by: Mike on May 15, 2024, 02:19:54 pm
That’s a real beauty, Gil. You did a fine restoration job and now it looks like it could be equally at home in a museum.
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant now with Live Steam Test Video
Post by: RedRyder on May 15, 2024, 07:12:06 am
It's beautiful. The wood, light blue, black, and polished nickel is the best combo of colors.
I know a black stack is original but that polished one looks better IMO. It's beautiful.
Thanks, Tommy.

I have an unplated brass stack inbound that will get a coat of black lacquer just like the original.

Gil
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant now with Live Steam Test Video
Post by: Woe is me on May 14, 2024, 12:32:56 pm
It's beautiful. The wood, light blue, black, and polished nickel is the best combo of colors.
I know a black stack is original but that polished one looks better IMO. It's beautiful.
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant now with Live Steam Test Video
Post by: Fullraceflathead on May 14, 2024, 08:10:15 am
Great video of the steam engine running congratulations on getting it restored!!!
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant now with Live Steam Test Video
Post by: RedRyder on May 11, 2024, 08:29:50 pm
Very enjoyable video, Gil, very nice repair and restoration.
Thanks, Jim!
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant now with Live Steam Test Video
Post by: RedRyder on May 11, 2024, 08:28:49 pm
The big ole Jensen definitely found itself in the right hands! Considering all that it's been through, it's still looks great.  Great restoration on a rare piece!
Thanks, Doug!
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant
Post by: RedRyder on May 11, 2024, 08:22:16 pm
Hey, maybe those aren't really cigarette burns, but rather are actually cigar burns .... ala Tom Sr!?!?
T. J. Sr. likely left a few cigar burns on his work benches.
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant
Post by: RedRyder on May 11, 2024, 08:13:07 pm
Nice job Gil, that cleaned up very nicely. I like those cigarette burns, looks like an old bar table.
Thanks, Tommy!

Gil
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant
Post by: RedRyder on May 11, 2024, 08:10:34 pm
Very very nice steam engine!!!
Thank you!
Gil
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant now with Live Steam Test Video
Post by: skeptic49 on May 11, 2024, 03:30:03 pm
Very enjoyable video, Gil, very nice repair and restoration.
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant now with Live Steam Test Video
Post by: krypto31337 on May 11, 2024, 03:07:25 pm
The big ole Jensen definitely found itself in the right hands! Considering all that it's been through, it's still looks great.  Great restoration on a rare piece!
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant now with Live Steam Test Video
Post by: RedRyder on May 11, 2024, 11:03:50 am
Here's the first run on Live Steam since who knows when.

Enjoy,

Gil


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6YOt20n1ukw
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant
Post by: RedRyder on May 10, 2024, 06:15:26 pm
We are now much closer to steam-up time as I have fitted a new heater to it and a cloth cord (I have a roll of it). It also got a period accurate reproduction brown bakelite 10 sided (decagon) plug.

I had these heaters made up about 18-20 years ago.

The one thing remaining is a couple gaskets for various boiler fittings.

Gil


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Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant
Post by: Stoker on May 10, 2024, 10:29:34 am
Hey, maybe those aren't really cigarette burns, but rather are actually cigar burns .... ala Tom Sr!?!?
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant
Post by: Woe is me on May 10, 2024, 10:25:37 am
Nice job Gil, that cleaned up very nicely. I like those cigarette burns, looks like an old bar table.
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant
Post by: Fullraceflathead on May 10, 2024, 09:55:07 am
Very very nice steam engine!!!
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant
Post by: RedRyder on May 10, 2024, 08:05:33 am
A few more pictures...

The correct chimney should be painted black for the 1930s, not nickel plated.


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Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant
Post by: RedRyder on May 10, 2024, 08:01:34 am
Next up...

  Putting the Myford lathe to work making a brass slug for the chimney stand.


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Here's a video.... I'm a beginner.

This video is also embedded in the Machine Tools, Machining, and Toolmaking (https://www.officeofsteamforum.com/machine-tools-machining-and-toolmaking/) board.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w2dFF028_2M
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant
Post by: RedRyder on May 10, 2024, 07:54:52 am
More progress
        and pictures.

I don't know why but some of these pictures stretched out.

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Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant
Post by: Woe is me on May 10, 2024, 06:59:50 am
That's fine, more pictures. Thanks guys.
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant
Post by: RedRyder on May 09, 2024, 07:50:32 pm
Gil, do you have a picture of it all together as it came to you?

Not quite what you were really asking for Tommy ...... but here's the original eBay listing for this engine I believe:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/364731615554?mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&customid=link&campid=5336780572&toolid=20001&mkevt=1
Yes!
That is it.
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant
Post by: Stoker on May 09, 2024, 11:27:58 am
Gil, do you have a picture of it all together as it came to you?

Not quite what you were really asking for Tommy ...... but here's the original eBay listing for this engine I believe:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/364731615554?mkcid=1&mkrid=711-53200-19255-0&siteid=0&customid=link&campid=5336780572&toolid=20001&mkevt=1
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant
Post by: Woe is me on May 09, 2024, 11:16:34 am
Gil, do you have a picture of it all together as it came to you?
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant
Post by: Stoker on May 09, 2024, 10:41:24 am
Some people ... and their children, make me wonder how we have survived this far as a species?!?!

You have your work cut out for you on this one Gil .... but I know it will be a labor of love!!!
Title: Re: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant
Post by: RedRyder on May 09, 2024, 06:40:51 am
Not sure why someone soldered the steel slug to the end of the cartridge heater tube. 
I wrapped the barrel with a wet towel and placed it in a bucket of water with only the top 1/2" above the surface to avoid melting the soft solder off the escutcheon pins (rivets) and end cap. The boiler was also full to the same level. I was hoping this would help protect the original solder holding the heater tube in the end cap. 

Still... I assumed the worst and that the cartridge heater tube was leaking or melted out. 

I was very pleasantly surprised after removing the steel slug to find the heater tube not just intact but also not leaking.!
I filled the boiler with water and pressurized it to 25 psi and there were no leaks re the heater tube.


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Title: 1930s Jensen Big Power Plant now with Live Steam Test Video
Post by: RedRyder on May 09, 2024, 06:19:58 am
Here is a 1930s Big Power Plant, a recent (February) eBay auction win by our friend Bill for $1,525.

This style is incorrectly identified in the Jensen online museum and archives as a #10. It is not.
It is a Jensen Big Power Plant as described in early Jensen literature. The larger #20 cylinder is used and the cast iron base is extended to accommodate the Bakelite brush holder for the direct drive DC generator. The #10 utilizes the smaller #25 cylinder. In addition these engines were never assigned style numbers in the 1930s. These designations were backward assigned to 1930s engines based on post-war pieces that do have factory assigned style/model numbers.
It also has a 3"x 6" riveted boiler while 10s and 25s have a 2.5" diameter boiler.

A previous owner soldered a steel slug over the cartridge heater tube entrance and proceeded to build fires under the boiler and managed to turn that part of the wood base into charcoal. There are also several cigarette burns on the wood base. These indignities will remain after the clean-up as they are part of this engine's character.

It is a very interesting piece with a few oddities. The original blue paint is correct for mid to late 1930s. The large thick steam chest is early 1930s as is the round disc instead of a crank arm. Curiosity makes one ask why is that early 30s big cylinder and crank disc doing on the mid to late 30s cast iron base with mounting tabs instead of the early bases with screw holes drilled through the top surface of the base? Best answer is Tom Jensen Sr. wasted nothing.

I will add more photos and explanations as time allows.

Gil


Here are some as arrived (before deep cleaning) pictures.


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