Model Engine Maker
General Category => Chatterbox => Topic started by: sshire on August 22, 2013, 12:21:05 PM
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I've been threatening to visit the American Precision Museum in Windsor, Vermont. They are having their 14th Annual Model Engineering Show on Saturday, Oct. 12.
I'm going to pack up some engines and make the drive. Anyone interested?
They're having a few issues with the link to the show registration page, but they assure me it will be up next week.
http://www.americanprecision.org/
Best
Stan
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Wish I could...it looks like a great show and location. Hope you will take some pictures while there Stan. Unfortunately that is the same weekend as our local antique engine festival here in NC.
Bill
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I have gone to the show on many years, but last year they changed to the Columbus Day weekend, instead of the last weekend in Oct. That weekend is prime 'leaf peeper' season and the area hotels go nuts- a room I used to get for $70 was over $130. everything was also booked weeks ahead. If you want to go book a room now. I have usually stayed up in White river Junction, about 15 miles north. There are several motels there.
It is also a very small show. The last couple year have had only 1 or 2 vendors, and just a few tables of exhibits.
However, the museum is worth a visit, and doing it the weekend of the show adds a bit. They hold a reception for the exhibitors on Friday night, with wine and cheese and an open time in the museum. On some years they take tours up into the storage areas which is really interesting.
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Pictures will be a definite. Bridgeport #1 among other goodies.
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Yeah, I saw that on the web page. Can't tell for sure but the table looks as if it has holes (threaded perhaps) for hold down rather than tee slots...could just be the picture though. Other than that they have changed surprisingly little over the years.
Bill
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Just a reminder for anyone planning on going. The online registration link is on this page. Pre Oct 1 exhibitor fee is $10. After that, $12.
Just PayPal'd my 10 bucks.
http://www.americanprecision.org/2012-01-18-16-22-51/model-engineering-show
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I'll be there Stan....I'm not sure about the rest of the clan at the moment. But...
See you there
Dave
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Stan, don't be letting Dave have all our 12 year old now ya heah. You boys have fun and don't get into any trouble. It's to far to come to be bailing you boys out :lolb: I'm sooooooooooooooooo jealous. There better be a whole lotta piccy evidence.
Whiskey
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12 year old? I use that to rinse out the glasses before I pour in the good stuff. Look for pics on Sunday.
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Road Trip!!
I'm off to the model engineering show at the American Precision Museum in Windsor, Vermont. Should be meeting up with Steamer (Dave) and Vascon (Chris).
Spent some time getting the engines ready. The Pumping Engine is already packed. This is the last lot, getting a lube and polish.
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps34540628.jpg)
Reading material came yesterday from a used bookseller in the UK. Royal Mail seemed to find the colonies without issue.
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps9012e02b.jpg)
The car is packed and gassed up. Ready for a 9am departure
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/road-trip-1.jpg)
First stop will be Bridgeport, Connecticut for lunch and a look at the corner of Capitol Ave and Lindley Street where my Bridgeport mill was built nearly 45 years ago. I'll post pix from there.
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps3bd6bcf5.png)
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Looking forward to seeing you Stan!....I've got to figure out what I'm bringing myself....probably the engines I'm working on and my boat engine.
Got work to do!
Dave
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Have a good trip guys; and try to take more pictures than I did at the GEARS show.
Dave
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Man! I am missing another show, you all have fun for me and drink a couple for me also. Be safe and watch that traffic. :cheers:
Don
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Man! I am missing another show, you all have fun for me and drink a couple for me also. Be safe and watch that traffic. :cheers:
Don
I'll be thinking of you buddy!
I'll take pictures!
Dave
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Road Trip 2
Two and a half hours after leaving, I stopped for lunch in Bridgeport, CT.
As promised, I made a stop at the factory where my BP was built and.....
OH-NO!! It's a vacant lot. Sad.
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps715091b5.jpg)
After the shock wore off, I had lunch and continued on.
This must be Vermont. As far as I can see, the whole state seems to be one big forest.
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zpsbf27d6af.jpg)
Bigger post tomorrow. Show setup and the long-awaited visit to the American Precision Museum. Stay tuned for pix and a post.
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Cool Stan
You should have done an excavation in the vacant block. Never know what you might find :naughty:
Steve
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Cool Stan
You should have done an excavation in the vacant block. Never know what you might find :naughty:
Steve
YUP....I would a done it! :lolb:
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Hi Stan,
Sad photo another iconic factory turned to dust.
The road could do with a facelift as well. Or is that all the old castings edging their way to daylight.
Have a safe trip, a great weekend, (don't get Dave too drunk); and remember Photos please.
Best Regards
Bob
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YUP
Bridgeport CT is the former home of Bridgeport and still the home of Moore Tool......neither is in a good neighborhood.
Those days are looooong gone
Dave
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Road Trip - 3
I setup my engines early. Next, to the museum.
Amazing. Not large but the collection is excellent.
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(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps80b8751a.jpg)
It's in this factory building
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(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps0d54c646.jpg)
For some reason, I was magnetically attracted to this.
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zpsd5af6683.jpg)
Nice serial number
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps79461c49.jpg)
And a few details.
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps4e8be386.jpg)
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(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps05015905.jpg)
Some of the other machines
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps50d557e1.jpg)
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zpsbc357646.jpg)
The original factory was water-wheel powered and, apparently, *it wasn't a union shop or they had a toilet paper shortage.
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zpsd6a9c75a.jpg)
The museum is having a reception for exhibitors tonight along with a "behind the scenes" tour. Apparently they have much more machinery in storage and in various stages of restoration that we're going to see.
Show tomorrow. Post to follow.
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Great so far Stan. Same time, same channel, I'm watching. Told Dave to bring you a metal detector to use on the trip back thru Bridgeport. I bet a magnet would stick to that piece of dirt. Y'all have fun.
Whiskey,
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Stan,
Good going.
You are to make the Starrett tour on your way home, and Steamer will put you up I'm sure.
:ROFL:
Mosey
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Wow! Stan it's just like being there, awesome photos. Love it so far and will be waiting for more this weekend.
Don
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I am jealous... I have to work this w/e otherwise it would be a trip to Vermont! I am just a few hours away...
Tom in MA, who will spend his w/e in RI... :(
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Sorry to hear Tom....I think I'll bring some scraping stuff too.....
Dave
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Loving the photos Stan, fantastic thread
Steve
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Road Trip - 4
The museum had a very nice reception for exhibitors: Vermont chesses, wine and local craft beers. In addition, we got the tour of the "attic"
The first stop was the library where they have nearly every issue of "American Machinist" which began publishing shortly after the American Civil War.
Then, perhaps one of the most fascinating collections of rare machinery and tools I've ever seen. They have about 100 machines on display and rotate others in and out. The total collection numbers over 4,000 pieces including very early examples of devices with interchangeable parts: typewriters, sewing machines and machinery. Lots of machinery. When it was built not just for function, but also for beauty.
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zpse3fc664c.jpg)
The watt-hour meter from Thomas Edison's lab.
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zpse2cc67c8.jpg)
A Norden bombsight from WW2
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps49bb79c5.jpg)
An indexing engraver to produce machinist's scales.
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps17160851.jpg)
I didn't get a shot of the logarithmic indexing engraver used by Keuffel and Esser to manufacture slide rules. They also have a horizontal rotary indexing engraver used in the manufacture of surveyor's transits.
Of particular interest is the collection of miniature tools by
John Aschauer. This steam plant was started when he was an apprentice at age 14 and completed 4 years later. Everything runs.
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zpsdf4dedea.jpg)
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps0ff71405.jpg)
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps48f7118d.jpg)
And one for Brian
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps8fe136fd.jpg)
They have a 155 pound bench micrometer made by Brown and Sharpe in 1878 to measure their gauge blocks. It's accurate to 1/100,000"
Much of this and more is on the website. Worth a look.
http://www.americanprecision.org/
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A great museum there Stan, and what a beautifully worded sign. I wonder if they had 'closet inspectors'?
Hugh.
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Stan I've got some personal things that have come up that I need to address at home, so unfortunately I won't be able to attend today.
Sorry man. Next time.
Dave
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Dave
Home stuff always comes first. Sorry we couldn't get together.
Cabin Fever?
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I might do that Stan...never been there...I should go.
Dave
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I think you should. Would be a great trip for you and William. We might could even walk a nearby battlefield together, the blue and gray. Hey, I don't hold grudges forever ;)
Whiskey
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I would be honored to walk that with you. but maybe not in the winter...hey?
Dave
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Cabin Fever is in April. Hardly the winter.
Gettysburg is only 40 minutes from Cabin Fever in York, PA and I'm a pretty fair battlefield guide and purveyor of useless (and some interesting) facts about the battle.
Let's do it.
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Road Trip -5
Machine Porn
The show was very well attended for a small show. I'm guessing about 20 exhibitors, one of my favorite vendors (New England Brass and Tool) and a bake sale from the local high school. Exceptional brownies!!
I'm just going to dump all of the machine porn on you.
Finally had a face-to-face with Chris (Vascon2196) from HMEM . It's great putting a face to a name.
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(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps413f8b88.jpg)
A fascinating talk by Bill McCarthy about his, absolutely perfect, replicas of Civil War Merrill Carbines. The tooling that he's made and the castings are first-rate.
Bill's rifle then the original
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps0796badd.jpg)
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/null_zps04aa884a.jpg)
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That's all. Going out to dinner. Single malt and a large NY Strip.
Great trip!
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l604/sshire/32b9f4047631f773cd4fa5a791ec3179.jpg)
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Hey Stan
Check your email when you get the chance....Interesting read.
Dave
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There is some mind boggling stuff there Stan, Amazing !
Love the last Pic though :cheers:
Pete
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Those triple expansion engines are fantastic. And the corliss!
Simon
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Great Pictures Stan!
Thanks for sharing.
Dave
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Love the photos Stan. Like Simon I particularly like the triple expansion engines. What date is Cabin Fever coming up?
Don
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Cabin Fever 2014
Setup April 11
Show April 12-13
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Thanks for all the pictures Stan...looks like an amazing show!! I like that last picture too.
Bill
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Thanks for all the pictures Stan...looks like an amazing show!! I like that last picture too.
Bill
Yeah, that old machine is still capable of some great work, bet that Bridgeport will still get it too! :lolb:
I'm very jealous right now, too far for me to go to these. Makes me want to start a show down here in the SEC.
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reddrryder on YouTube recently uploaded a long movie from the show, with many of these engines running:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fMnzxQ75H20.
Simon
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Thanks for the link Simon!
I enjoyed being able to see a great overview of the show.
Dave
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At 16:47 , my friend Greg Young's model of Sabino's engine is on display. It's modeled as a section view, but what isn't show, is that the sections missing bolt on, and it runs! :o
He's was a fellow volunteer engineer on Sabino.
Dave