In the area around Corry there are a large number of talented machinists and of them there are a few who have extensive knowledge in the workings of vintage steam and gas engines. One such man has been a volunteer helping us analyze the parts and pieces which have been disassembled for many years. Some of those parts have had work done to them and some have not. A couple of parts were missing, but we had enough information and measurement that we could machine new ones.
So in late October we took advantage of a beautiful Fall day to load the engines on to Norm’s flatbed trailer, tie it down, pack up a few totes full of parts and haul it all to our Machinist Friend, and Volunteer, Bill’s shop.
From there the engine will be disassembled and inspected. Bill, with Norm alongside, will be making and acquiring some new parts, making new gaskets and adding new packing and wool-waste for the oiling reservoirs, making sure all clearances are proper, adjusting as necessary… and then final assembly and adjustment will take place.
Since then, much of this has already happened. Bill discovered a few things which indicated that communication between Keith and his machinist wasn’t the best. The work that was done WAS well done… BUT… from the looks of it, the machinist just did what he was told to do and had no input into the project… meaning that the machinist may not have been an “old engine guy” and wasn’t anticipating what Keith was ultimately wanting to have happen… which when final assembly would have begun, some major problems would have reared their collective heads and several things would have had to have been redone. I won’t get into it deeper here, but Bill believes that we have caught all of those issues.
The bores of the cylinders were very straight… very slight taper… cross-hatch honing patterns are still on the cylinder walls right from the Climax factory in 1902, indicating extremely low mileage on the engine and drive-line. There are a few small detail parts that Bill is having made…. just because… and at this point we are waiting for new Piston Rings coming from Niagara Piston Rings, just across the State-line in Clymer, NY… their shop was here in Corry at one time but is now actually located in Panama, NY, just 17 miles away… so, in a few weeks Bill will start the final assembly followed by testing under air…
Come Spring we will bring it back to the shop and it will be here for folks to see as it awaits the reconstruction of the frame and trucks. Stay tuned!!!
