I like to watch this video every year, it makes me feel like I am there with you folks! Thanks very much for sharing this great fun and wonderful history!
Fantastic, very interesting! Great to see a line up of well sorted old engines which all start first time. Fine collection, thanks for sharing it with is.
We in the hobby call these engines both "contract" or "jobber" engines. All of these engines were manufactured by the Waterloo Gasoline Engine Company in Waterloo Iowa, but were sold under different contract company names. There were at least 65 different contract companies. Many were just general mercantile stores. If you had a contract with Waterloo Gasoline Engine company, you could have whatever name put on the engine. Sandow, John Smyth and Faultless are 3 examples of the 65 contracts.
It also takes the right technique to get these engines to fire up first time like this and the buzz coil engines start easier than the lt mags. My first hit & miss I cranked for hours before it fired up, now I have the right technique it fires right up every time. I've watched this video a few times now and always enjoy seeing them fire up.
Thanks Rob, that makes sense now, kindO like Sears never manufacturing anything but having there name all over everything in the store. Thanks for taking the time to explain n interesting and unique idea for this vid.
I'm pretty sure I had never heard of a 'hit & miss' engine until a saw some displayed at the Burton (Texas) Cotton Gin Festival on Saturday. I really enjoyed your video showing how they operate. The folks in Burton have restored the 1925 Bessemer engine in the gin and they bale a few bales of cotton every year for the festival.
Yes kind of, we have a yearly get together where we store and work on our engines. We have it in December when there are no other shows. It keeps us from getting cabin fever in the winter.
I wouldnt describe these as undesirable at all. They may have been made very cheaply and in great numbers, but I think they are the best slow runners out there. I have a 4 mule team to restore and I look forward to starting it up.
very nice guys. u guys had a nice setup at Pinckneyville this year. I really wanted to see your john deere 6hp at Pinckneyville, but I won't be picky. wish I got to talk to you guys more then, but maybe next year.
Will these engines run in either direction? It looks like the 4th engine (the one before the Cray) was started in counter clockwise direction and ran for a number of revolutions then stopped. He then started it in the opposite direction? Great video!
It is possible to run these engines in either direction, but not without making some adjustments to the position of the cam gear. We have set one of our Waterloo boys up to run in the "wrong" direction. The only reason that the engine runs backwards for a few revolutions in this video, is because I am attempting to "bump start" the engine. This procedure of positioning the flywheels in the proper position, helps to "trick" the engine making it easier to start without having to roll the engine through compression. When I rolled the flywheels forward, I put a little too much muscle into it, and forced it through the compression in the opposite direction (that was not supposed to happen) and tripped the magneto simultaneously. The engine then fired and the flywheels turned in the wrong direction until it was ready for the exhaust valve to open, but the position of the cam was such that it would not open the exhaust valve so the engine stopped because the piston was just compressing the exhaust gasses in the cylinder. If you watch the video again and watch me correctly bump start the last 2 bigger engines you will see what I was attempting to do to the smaller 4hp engine that looked like it was running backwards for a moment. Like I said, these engines can be set up to run in the opposite direction. I appreciate your question, it makes me want to set another engine up to run backwards and make a video of that.
@Rob Gill Are these engines extremely fuel efficient? Why not run a generator? What would it be like if we modernized this "hit & miss" concept? Fuel injected with computer control (or mechanical)? Is it sucking in fuel on the non firing strokes? Do they have Diesel models?
Mr. Terminator. These engines were fuel efficient in their time. What you must keep in mind is the engines in our video are not doing any work. We have tinkered with them so that they run as slow as they can without quitting. If they were pulling a load they would be firing at a much higher frequency. Some may correct me but I believe you can make approximately 700 watts of electric power with every 1HP. So, the smallest of our engines in the video could produce, at best, about 1400 watts. Don't get me wrong, I like your idea. But it is hard to compete with 100+ years of engineering. These engines do not use fuel on the non-firing strokes. I am not aware of any Diesel engines that are hit and miss. We also have a 1926 Cummins Diesel 2 cylinder coupled to an 8000KW DC generator and the only time it "misses" is when it reaches above 600 RPM. Under full load our Cummins engine would not coast/miss at all. Personally, I just love them for what they are and where they have brought us to today. Thank you for your comment. Sorry it took so long to reply back to you.
37th Annual Antique Gas Engine and Tractor Show Paducah KY September 18th, 19th & 20th 2014 More than 800 restored farm machines, tractors, automobiles, railroad motor cars, wagons and stagecoaches. Antique tractor pulls, parade, pony rides, petting zoo, flea market, barbecue and more! Carson Park Fairgrounds : Joe Clifton Dr. & Madison, Paducah, KY 42001 Watch my invitation video from last year. PLEASE NOTE THE DATES FOR THIS YEAR'S SHOW HAVE CHANGED to: September 18th, 19th & 20th 2014 Paducah KY Antique Gas Engine Show invitation 2014
Powell engines are British made and are simiar in design to an Ingeco engine, Powells are very well built engines and are heavy for there size. check out my channel for a Powell engine aswell as other rare British and American engines 😊
i just brought a 4hp waterloo boy most original in Australia, and an Olds 4hp for $2500 the pair the mans shed is full of engines there is also a Tangye 7Hp blow lamp start he wants 5 grand.
