# Every Boy His Own Manufacturer



## The_Paso_Kid (Jan 14, 2017)

I just ran across this book on-line and thought that I'd pass it along.

Every Boy His Own Manufacturer; published in 1872

https://archive.org/details/everyboyhisownma00roor


Pages 28-32 "How to make an oscillating engine."
Pages 32-53 "How to make a working model of a locomotive."
Pages 54-57 "How to make a model steamboat."
Pages 58-60 "To make a steam cylinder."

The Locomotive and the Steamboat projects are more refined and look like they will work, unlike those featured in Beeton' Boys' Annual in 1869.


----------



## bmac2 (Jan 14, 2017)

Great stuff Paso, compared to the way we live today its hard to believe how books like these where written for boys, so what 12 and up?


----------



## valentin (Jan 14, 2017)

Nice stuff, thanks!.


----------



## goldstar31 (Jan 15, 2017)

Of course, these books were written for 'rich' school boys.  The average school boy then wasn't at school, he was at work by 12 years.
My UK generation- born in 1930, left school at 14 with little or no education. There was a war which lasted 6 years and after that we went into uniform by 18 and were on the Reserve until Heaven knows when. 

If you think that is grim , read Charles Dickens about children as chimney  sweeps. If you want to return to the original topic, my grandfathers were probably helping to make full size locomotives- or worse. 

I suppose it all depends on one's social class.


----------



## itowbig (Feb 5, 2017)

cool old book. i like reading these old books . lots of great information in them.


----------



## Jennifer Edwards (Nov 15, 2018)

Hi There,

Thanks for sharing, when I was eight years old an aunt of mine gave me a 24 volume set of books called "The Book of Knowledge' published right around the end of the Victorian era. It was organized into about 40 or so repeating "books" within the set. like "the book of things to make" the book of science", "the book of things to do", they included stuff from embroidery to steam locomotives. it took me about three years to read it all, an I have never regretted having done so, as it inspired me in so many ways.

your post just bought back memories of those endless nights, reading myself to sleep in the wee hours whilst my family happily slept.

Thank you!
Jenny


----------



## chucketn (Nov 15, 2018)

Thanks for the link to this marvelous old book. I've downloaded it and printed the locomotive section. I'm going to try to draw the loco up in Fusion as a "cobweb in the brain" preventer.
Jenny, do you still have the "Book of Knowledge"?


----------



## Jennifer Edwards (Nov 15, 2018)

chucketn said:


> Thanks for the link to this marvelous old book. I've downloaded it and printed the locomotive section. I'm going to try to draw the loco up in Fusion as a "cobweb in the brain" preventer.
> Jenny, do you still have the "Book of Knowledge"?



Sorry I passed it down to my son who has done the same to his daughter. It is 24 thick volumes,

One thing I remember from it  was a steam monorail locomotive, It had three wheels like an in-line skate, and had a multiple tonne gyroscope that took three days to stop spinning! It was in one of the “ book of science” sections.


----------



## chucketn (Nov 15, 2018)

Jennifer Edwards said:


> Sorry I passed it down to my son who has done the same to his daughter. It is 24 thick volumes,
> QUOTE]
> I'm glad you passed it down. I don't have anyone in my family or friends close to me that has any interest in my shop or what I make there. I have to write instructions into my will for it's disposal.


----------



## chucketn (Nov 15, 2018)

BTW, since Jennifer woke this thread up, has anyone drawn or built the loco 'Lightning', described in the book?

I have already drawn 9 parts of the loco in /fusion 360.


----------



## mohavegun (Nov 16, 2018)

I am 69 years old, when I was 12 my grandmother gave me an old book,"The Boy Mechanic, 1001 things for a boy to do & make"  and I truly loved that book, had it until it was lost in a fire about 30 years ago.  I found a second edition of it but it does not have all the same projects as the original volume first edition I had which if I remember correctly was published before WWI.  Recently I found a book at a yard sale, "The Dangerous book for Boys" and is it a hoot, lots of good information for any young man to read!  I passed it along to grandson...  I did not get a positive reaction though!


----------



## goldstar31 (Nov 16, 2018)

mohavegun said:


> found a book at a yard sale, "The Dangerous book for Boys" and is it a hoot, lots of good information for any young man to read!  I passed it along to grandson...  I did not get a positive reaction though!



I can also find my two grandsons have a similar reaction.
It's a question of genetics.  Both my late wife's family and mine have wills of their own. My wife could do Latin and Greek at 8 and had a string of arts and music degrees--- so she did dentistry.
Another was the famous Alice Pleasance Liddell famed for 'Alice in Wonderland' whilst another designed the Central Station in Newcastle-- and Dear Old Queen Vic came to see it. While she was doing it, Alice was knocking the sh1t out her son and heir. So Alice never became Queen except in the book!
 The other side= mine, were equally zany.  One branch of the family was expelled- several times but managed to become one of richest in the land. I mean dear Rowan- Mr Bean and Blackadder.
My father set fire to a couple of horses and missed being killed in WW1. Cousin Doug blew up the chemi lab at the local grammar school, went into the Army, became a partisan, went to Yalta with Churchill and when I joined the RAF was-- a Group Captain in Education.
My son was , according to his tutors- hopeless.  So he did a degree in French and Geography and ended up in London speaking exclusively French. so much so that one of his colleagues asked him to bring some Christmas wine back- assuming he lived in the Touraine but he quipped 'Would you settle for Newcastle Brown Ale instead. Today, he part of huge German bank, transport firm and whatever. I taught him to drive at 14- not much else and he has a a fleet of cars- and seems to be able to put them together.
My daughter played bass clarinet in a prestigious all boys school- and instead of a career in music, did dentistry. Her son before the age of 14 has been interviewed for university and is in the top 4 in maths in the whole grammar school- but plays drums rather well.
Me, I simply deny all connections.  I fart, smell a little or a lot, came out of the gutter and am happiest being drunk although I do have to scrub up, sit on finance committees- and am expected to 'do things for charity'.
I am to found whilst moderately sober to run 3 houses or is it 4 in all sorts of countries but try to make things -in me shed.

Monday- I have to put on a morning suit and devour or try to devour about 20 courses at a Chinese banquet. Oh, I have to do 'the prayers'  but what the ****'?

I'm not going to influence -or be influenced by ancient books- or anybody.
Oh, yes and Thank you.

N


----------



## ShopShoe (Nov 17, 2018)

"I'm not going to influence -or be influenced by ancient books- or anybody."

Norman, I don't think you need to worry about that: You seem to be writing one with your own life.

It's always interesting what you say. We don't always agree, but differing opinions give everyone something to think about and remind us all that sharing experiences and contemplating diverse opinions makes the world better than screaming decrees from the mountaintop.

My family, like most, has its share of crazy people who have contributed to the world and its equally crazy share of those who have nothing but crazy to share.

--ShopShoe


----------



## alanganes (Nov 17, 2018)

Jennifer Edwards said:


> Hi There,
> 
> Thanks for sharing, when I was eight years old an aunt of mine gave me a 24 volume set of books called "The Book of Knowledge' published right around the end of the Victorian era. It was organized into about 40 or so repeating "books" within the set. like "the book of things to make" the book of science", "the book of things to do", they included stuff from embroidery to steam locomotives. it took me about three years to read it all, an I have never regretted having done so, as it inspired me in so many ways.
> 
> ...



Hi,
 This sounds quite fascinating. Do you have any further info on this set like the publisher, the editors or author, publication date, etc? I'd be curious if it can be found on Gutenberg or some similar site. If not, it should be!! I don't seem to be finding a clear reference to it under the name you quote. Maybe my search skills are off today...

Would this be the same set by any chance?? :
https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=NA4oAAAAYAAJ&rdid=book-NA4oAAAAYAAJ&rdot=1


----------



## goldstar31 (Nov 17, 2018)

I
deleted


----------



## reubenT (Nov 17, 2018)

Some boys have the mechanical aptitude and some don't,  but back in the age of rapid mechanical progress, (mid 1800's to mid 1900's generally)  It seemed there was much increased interest among boys in such things., maybe just because that was what was in front of them to grab their interest.   I think the modern age of electronic media devices has diluted interest a lot,  and the educational system hasn't helped much. Tending to suppress free thinking rather than  promote it and introduce boys to sports instead of mechanical trades and making things.     But I was of the extreme mechanically inclined type and had zero interest in sports.  Those kind of books would have been consumed by me with intense interest if I had them. When little more than a baby my mother told me I was always asking "how it work?"  about things.    I found enough in the library to keep me busy though,  then delved into radio electronics for some years.  Returning to mechanical things later as the need arose to repair and make things to help out with work.


----------



## Jennifer Edwards (Nov 18, 2018)

Sorry that was not it. However I did find s few vols on eBay not quite as old here is a link: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Antique-...averley-Pre-WW2-Vol-1-3-5-6-7-8-/283262854514

It was an encyclopaedia published every few years. Mind was 24 volumes plus an index. Unlike most encyclopaedias it was not arranged alphabetically but as I described earlier; every chapter was s book in itself. Some like “the book of history” would continue where the last one left off.
Not every volume would have every “book of whatever” in it,
I got a kick out of things like how to make animal traps in the book got boys, or how to churn butter in the book of things for girls to do. I did notice that the edition I had was heavy on needlepoint and embroidery.
What really jazzed me was the book of science. I was amazed by what we knew about physics and electricity.
There was also s book of transportation that had lovely detailed stories and plates about steam locomotives.
I did not try “abebooks.com”, that’s where I hunt got out of print stuff,


----------



## ShopShoe (Nov 19, 2018)

Norman,

I posted a compliment to you and I just re-read what I said last week. If your deleted post was meant to respond  back to what I said I apologize. I can see that I wrote something that could be interpreted 180 degres from what I wanted to say. I wanted to say please keep posting and I am interested in what you say. The phrase "Screaming from the Mountaintop" was in my head due to some of the things in the news and public discussion here in the USA following the recent highly-contested elections and was not meant to refer to you or to anyone else here on this or any other forum.

If anyone else is takes something I said wrong I am sorry as well. I am in favor of diverse opinion expressed thoughtfully and respectfully and that is what makes any part of the world better. 

And now to the subject on discussion: Just a reminder that the back issues of Popular Science and Popular Mechanics are online. Those were my go-to sources when I was a boy. It's interesting to go back and see that I can remember most of the projects that were featured in those days. 

--ShopShoe


----------



## terryp (Nov 19, 2018)

Wow, That book is a treasure. I had no idea the interweb had old publications, Popular Mechanics etc for all to see. I spent hours with these as a kid. Also had zero interest in sports, preferring to cruise the alleys on garbage days for treasures (much to my mother's chagrin). I still do that, much to my wife's chagrin. Always curious, always learning. A dumpster diver from way back. Terry


----------



## goldstar31 (Nov 19, 2018)

As a parent and a grandparent,  I read enough of the book(s) to be extremely worried not just for my kith and kin but others too. As it stands, making fireworks in the UK without permission can lead to 2 years in gaol.
On Sunday past, the Scottish Parliament is so concerned just with the use of fireworks has sparked(?) a review.
So please understand my motives.
Going back into history, my father was a sapper- and his episodes with horses - well?  My cousin was 'bomb disposal' but no more.  Father and I went out in the war to tackle unexploded German incendiaries- whilst one bomb had not exploded. It did- later.  War over, my father had an accident  working alone on a locomotive  boiler and dropped a new boiler tube and ended up in hospital. In context with what happened next was, I was given permission by a kindly boss to visit him.  There had been a mis-fire and in an adjoining colliery several miners were gut riddled and were in the same ward. 
Me, I'm 'war disabled' and deaf. Not one to give in, I became a founder member of a mountain rescue team and was well aware of 'sweating ammunition' on crashed B-17's still on the hills.

Have I said enough? Well, Sir, I've just put a suit on- with a Veterans Badge with a RAF 31 ( The Goldstars) underneath it. In memory of three of my Goldstar mates who didn't make it- like me.

So now you really know

Cheers

N


----------



## mohavegun (Nov 20, 2018)

Norman,

I was curious about your handle "Goldstar" and now I know!...  I was in the US Army during the Viet Nam war but they sent me to the 'other' war zone, I did my whole tour of duty after training in the Chicago defense area.  Got there right after the big riots in the 60's.  

Rod


----------



## goldstar31 (Nov 20, 2018)

mohavegun said:


> Norman,
> 
> I was curious about your handle "Goldstar" and now I know!...  I was in the US Army during the Viet Nam war but they sent me to the 'other' war zone, I did my whole tour of duty after training in the Chicago defense area.  Got there right after the big riots in the 60's.
> 
> Rod



Glad to know you. 
Keep well

Norman


----------



## capjak (Feb 9, 2019)

A while ago there was a discussion about a Penbwl mode boat powered by a steam outboard engine. It referred to plans for the engine published in the August, 1933 edition of Popular Mechanics. While searching for a copy of the magazine on ebay, I found a offer of seven CD's containing over 600 past issues of Popular Mechanics for $19.99. I bought them and boy, what a find. The vendor has more copies of the discs available. Now all that I need is some free time to read them and find some projects.


----------



## alanganes (Feb 9, 2019)

I love going through those old magazines, there is so much interesting stuff in them. That's $20 well spent, I think.

As an aside, all of those old Popular Mechanics, Popular Science and lots of other similar magazines are available free on-line through Google books. Some may not be accessible to those outside of the USA, sometimes due copyright rules and other such nonsense.


----------



## Aerostar55 (Feb 24, 2021)

capjak said:


> A while ago there was a discussion about a Penbwl mode boat powered by a steam outboard engine. It referred to plans for the engine published in the August, 1933 edition of Popular Mechanics. While searching for a copy of the magazine on ebay, I found a offer of seven CD's containing over 600 past issues of Popular Mechanics for $19.99. I bought them and boy, what a find. The vendor has more copies of the discs available. Now all that I need is some free time to read them and find some projects.


I found the Polly Wog steam outboard engine article on the web site for Popular Mechanics.  I'm going to attempt to build it.  The drawings are small and the dimensions are all for copper pipe fittings!  So the dimensions ( for example) of the 3/8" copper tube cylinders shows 9/16" ID.  The Tee fitting for the lower gear housing is a 9/16 BR  "slip fit"  T , cut down and reamed to 13/32".    I have had trouble finding these size fittings locally, so I'm just going to use some brass tubing.  I will attempt to make some drawings in my crude way and document the build as I go.   If anyone has built one of these I would love to see some pictures.


----------



## goldstar31 (Feb 25, 2021)

Another gem from these old Popular Mechanics is Martin Cleeves Swing Boring Tool made from scrap bits
Later, Cleeve altered the design several times as a single ordinary lathe tool, then put 2 of them on the boring tble of his lathe.   Then he modified the gadget again to be retracting device for screwcutting.


----------



## Drillrod (Feb 25, 2021)

Aerostar55 said:


> I found the Polly Wog steam outboard engine article on the web site for Popular Mechanics.  I'm going to attempt to build it.  The drawings are small and the dimensions are all for copper pipe fittings!  So the dimensions ( for example) of the 3/8" copper tube cylinders shows 9/16" ID.  The Tee fitting for the lower gear housing is a 9/16 BR  "slip fit"  T , cut down and reamed to 13/32".    I have had trouble finding these size fittings locally, so I'm just going to use some brass tubing.  I will attempt to make some drawings in my crude way and document the build as I go.   If anyone has built one of these I would love to see some pictures.


Here's an original Boucher Models Polly Wog in exceptional condition. Perhaps the pictures will be useful? 
Vintage 1929 Boucher Polly-Wog model speedboat steam Outboard Motor NO RESERVE | eBay


----------



## olympic (Feb 26, 2021)

I made the Polly Wog outboard but not the boat:


----------



## DLanum (Feb 27, 2021)

Aerostar.
I have drawings for the polywog I can share.
I will look for them.
I'm curious, where are you located.
May have an extra casting for the lower gear box.
Doug


----------



## olympic (Feb 28, 2021)

I used a small brass pipe tee (3/8", I think) for the lower unit gearbox.


----------



## Tim Wescott (Feb 28, 2021)

reubenT said:


> Some boys have the mechanical aptitude and some don't,  but back in the age of rapid mechanical progress, (mid 1800's to mid 1900's generally)  It seemed there was much increased interest among boys in such things., maybe just because that was what was in front of them to grab their interest.   I think the modern age of electronic media devices has diluted interest a lot,  and the educational system hasn't helped much. Tending to suppress free thinking rather than  promote it and introduce boys to sports instead of mechanical trades and making things.  ...



Well, yes.  OTOH, there's a pretty large cadre of young adults out there custom-building scorching-fast PCs, doing all sorts of tricks to speed them up for gaming, etc.

They go on to be engineers doing cutting-edge work in industry (I work with a couple of them), or being the whiz-kid at getting the CNC mills & lathes to sit up and beg appropriately, etc.

Just because it doesn't look like what you did when you were a kid doesn't mean that useful life skills aren't being learned.  They're just different useful life skills.


----------



## terryd (Mar 1, 2021)

Tim Wescott said:


> Well, yes.  OTOH, there's a pretty large cadre of young adults out there custom-building scorching-fast PCs, doing all sorts of tricks to speed them up for gaming, etc.
> 
> They go on to be engineers doing cutting-edge work in industry (I work with a couple of them), or being the whiz-kid at getting the CNC mills & lathes to sit up and beg appropriately, etc.
> 
> Just because it doesn't look like what you did when you were a kid doesn't mean that useful life skills aren't being learned.  They're just different useful life skills.


Hi Tim (I assume),

I agree entirely with your sentiments,  Here is an amusing and interesting read concerning education and skills which illustrates your point exactly,  written in 1939- but still relevant, it's worth the 10 minutes or so it takes to read the essay:



			CSE 102 - Visitors - Summer Semester 2021
		


Stay safe and healthy,

TerryD


----------



## Aerostar55 (Mar 2, 2021)

Drillrod said:


> Here's an original Boucher Models Polly Wog in exceptional condition. Perhaps the pictures will be useful?
> Vintage 1929 Boucher Polly-Wog model speedboat steam Outboard Motor NO RESERVE | eBay


Wow that thing went high.  Nice example.  Looks like the cylinders were cast?


----------



## Aerostar55 (Mar 2, 2021)

DLanum said:


> Aerostar.
> I have drawings for the polywog I can share.
> I will look for them.
> I'm curious, where are you located.
> ...


Doug:   Are the drawings you have the same as the pictures in the article?  I'm in Virginia, near Charlottesville.


----------



## Aerostar55 (Mar 2, 2021)

olympic said:


> I made the Polly Wog outboard but not the boat:View attachment 123418


That's a nice looking engine.


----------



## DLanum (Mar 2, 2021)

Aerostar55 said:


> Doug:   Are the drawings you have the same as the pictures in the article?  I'm in Virginia, near Charlottesville.


Yes they are.
An article from Live Steam Magazine and an extra drawing from a friend.


----------



## Aerostar55 (Mar 2, 2021)

DLanum said:


> Yes they are.
> An article from Live Steam Magazine and an extra drawing from a friend.


I Found the article online and the dimensions, when they are given are hard to read.  Also there is the difference in the pipe size and the actual diameter of the tube.  So any additional information would sure help.


----------



## Drillrod (Mar 3, 2021)

Aerostar55 said:


> Wow that thing went high.  Nice example.  Looks like the cylinders were cast?


----------



## Drillrod (Mar 3, 2021)

Yes, they were cast in a grayish-white metalium (aluminum or magnesium?) with the name Boucher on the side. Here's a video of a Polly Wog being test run on the bench. If the video is stopped at around 2:28, you'll see the cylinder castings clearly.
BOUCHER POLLY WOG LAST TEST ON STEAM - YouTube


----------



## Aerostar55 (Mar 3, 2021)

Drillrod said:


> Yes, they were cast in a grayish-white metalium (aluminum or magnesium?) with the name Boucher on the side. Here's a video of a Polly Wog being test run on the bench. If the video is stopped at around 2:28, you'll see the cylinder castings clearly.
> BOUCHER POLLY WOG LAST TEST ON STEAM - YouTube


Thanks for the link, I will take a look.


----------



## Aerostar55 (Mar 11, 2021)

Drillrod said:


> Here's an original Boucher Models Polly Wog in exceptional condition. Perhaps the pictures will be useful?
> Vintage 1929 Boucher Polly-Wog model speedboat steam Outboard Motor NO RESERVE | eBay





Aerostar55 said:


> Thanks for the link, I will take a look.


Yes!  That's it, good video.


----------



## Aerostar55 (Mar 11, 2021)

Aerostar55 said:


> Thanks for the link, I will take a look.


good video of the Polly Wog!


----------



## Aerostar55 (Mar 11, 2021)

Aerostar55 said:


> I Found the article online and the dimensions, when they are given are hard to read.  Also there is the difference in the pipe size and the actual diameter of the tube.  So any additional information would sure help.


----------



## Aerostar55 (Mar 11, 2021)

Aerostar55 said:


> Doug:   Are the drawings you have the same as the pictures in the article?  I'm in Virginia, near Charlottesville.


Maybe you could take an image and email it to me?


----------



## Ratbag (Mar 12, 2021)

deleted as irrelevant by myself


----------



## Richard Hed (Mar 13, 2021)

Ratbag said:


> deleted as irrelevant by myself


Rat, Love ur name.  I thimpfk someone is monkeying around with your motorcycle tho'.


----------



## goldstar31 (Mar 13, 2021)

Deleted


----------

