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Author Topic: Weeden Big Giant with Youth's Companion Box  (Read 1153 times)

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Weeden Big Giant with Youth's Companion Box
« on: November 16, 2024, 01:16:32 pm »
Here is the Big Giant my brother Nate had to buy off eBay because the seller is ornery!  I cleaned her up and replaced the sight glass seals, then it fired right up.

A previous owner soldered down the pressure valve but it seems to be doing its job.  Other than that, a perfect Big Giant and shined right up too!

PS: Attached are all the "Hoisting Drum & Tackle" hits I found for Youth's Companion on Archive.org.

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Richard

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Re: Weeden Big Giant with Youth's Companion Box
« Reply #1 on: November 16, 2024, 02:02:14 pm »
Very Nice Rich ...... congratulations on that beauty!
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Re: Weeden Big Giant with Youth's Companion Box
« Reply #2 on: November 16, 2024, 04:56:35 pm »
That's a really lovely Weeden.
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Re: Weeden Big Giant with Youth's Companion Box
« Reply #3 on: November 16, 2024, 05:17:00 pm »
Thanks guys!

This Big Giant runs Grrrrrreat!  The seller did a air test video (he does that I think on all of the engines) but noted "It has been air tested (video) but it might be a challenge to operate it on steam".  Pfft... the guy generally doesn't know much other than his own delusion of grandeur.  Well, he did know how to find and buy tons of engines, that's for sure!

I swapped out the stack & base from my steel Big Giant, they are both in better shape.  The base that came with this one, the bottom is pushed out.  If you ever had / used one of those old oil cans that you pushed from the bottom to "pump out the oil", the bottom is like that.  So with it pushing out, it likes to spin around like a top when it is running!  Pretty funny to watch actually, until you try to hook up a accessory LOL

I've been debating about trying to remove the pressure valve's solder job.  I have the one from my steel Big Giant and a reproduction from David Roenigk.  I couldn't image the hole is messed up but as of now I am letting sleeping dogs lie.  I would transplant my the whistle too but JB Weld'ed that on the other tank (hind sight is 20-20).

Here is a photo, the Big Giant setup just fits on the bottom self of my corner light stand.  What a beauty :-)

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Richard

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Re: Weeden Big Giant with Youth's Companion Box
« Reply #4 on: November 16, 2024, 05:34:17 pm »
Oh two other things.

It is interesting the flywheel has a screw and the end pulley unscrews too.  I don't recall seeing a Weeden where the flywheel had a set screw but it came in handy when I was polishing the tank!

On the shipping box, there is a 9 cent stamp, which I believe is a 1914 9c Franklin, salmon red stamp (from my Googling).  You'd think that Youth's Companion would go through their stamps, so this could be a 1914 engine or not much after 1914.  Heck, makes it a good paring for the Hoisting Drum as Frank's site says you could only get that accessory from 1915 to 1917!

Edit: 
Clearly I don't know about stamps but I get its a thing with people that collect.  I am sure a proper stamp expert could nail down the year, as they all have their personalities.
Third Bureau Issues (1908-1922) ...commonly known as the Washington-Franklins Head Issue (or simply the Washington-Franklins) appeared in late 1908.

I think it has 10 perforations, so perhaps it's a #471 - 1916 - Perf. 10 - Unwatermarked 9 cent Benjamin Franklin stamp - Issued first in July, 1916.  This stamp is also a precanceled, with the solid two lines with "Concord N. H" in the middle of the lines.  After this, USPS went with 11 perforations, with the #509 on May 12th, 1917.

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