Cretor's engine for my Dad
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Hi, BC1. That is sad to hear about the ford museum. I have been there several times and love the place. I have been to the science and industry museum in chicago many times. They have got rid of a lot of the old displays and put in new ones. I think they ruined the place besides charging an arm and a leg to visit there. I think that instead of the current group in DC trying to fix the world and give away something for nothing. They build larger museums to display all that is in the back rooms!! . I got a back rooms tour quite by accident at the ford museum I will always remember. I bet old henry is spinning in his grave over that one.
hi jim that is a beautiful piece of work and a real nice thing you did for your dad.was he a machinist by trade or was it a hobby?also a question for you or anyone else,what would an engine like that have been used for in its full
scale size and what period of time did they start to dissapear from industries? thanks
shoprat
jeff
scale size and what period of time did they start to dissapear from industries? thanks
shoprat
jeff
Hello Jeff, thank you for your kind words of appreciation. Yes, my father was in fact a blacksmith/machinist/welder. He lived through the transition from horse to steam and finally to electric power, the industrial revolution as a whole. Here is a link that will give a history of the Cretor's company. This engine is in fact full scale and was used in the smaller carts and wagons and most were never used for anything other than vendor cart usage, although I suppose it is possible some of them found their way into home workshops for single machine usage.
www.wyandotpopcornmus.com/cretors_history.html
BC1
Jim
www.wyandotpopcornmus.com/cretors_history.html
BC1
Jim
Maryak
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Hi Guys,
Having worked in our states maritime museum for 15 years before my retirement, much of what has been said here about the collections policy is correct.
Despite any museum having a collections policy its is very much in the hands of the current curator as to how it is interpreted and actioned. Things do go missing and not just small things. In my own experience we managed to lose a whole 20ft boat
It was only when the family of the donator made enquiries as to where it was and why it was not on display that the curators realised they could not find it. I suspect it was dropped and broken during one of several storage relocations and the bits quietly binned by those responsible.
This brings me to the second point about what's on display. Most museums have on display at any one time some 10% of the collection the rest being in some other facility. This facility can range from a fully atomosphere controlled environment to an old wharf shed covered in pigeon droppings. Again what goes where is very much in the hands of the current curators and their interpretation of what is most important and what is of lesser importance.
Governments are very good at providing capital money to establish arts facilities. The kudos to ministers and senior public servants is front page news. After this they are extremely poor at providing money for the ongoing upkeep and maintenance of the facility and the artifacts it holds.
It grieves me to say this but my experience is......... if you really really value something of either historical or personal significance don't give it to a museum. Further IMHO technology museums should not be controlled by Arts Departments they have little interest and no understanding of such collections.
Jim, I hope this helps you reach an informed decision.
Best Regards
Bob
Having worked in our states maritime museum for 15 years before my retirement, much of what has been said here about the collections policy is correct.
Despite any museum having a collections policy its is very much in the hands of the current curator as to how it is interpreted and actioned. Things do go missing and not just small things. In my own experience we managed to lose a whole 20ft boat
It was only when the family of the donator made enquiries as to where it was and why it was not on display that the curators realised they could not find it. I suspect it was dropped and broken during one of several storage relocations and the bits quietly binned by those responsible.This brings me to the second point about what's on display. Most museums have on display at any one time some 10% of the collection the rest being in some other facility. This facility can range from a fully atomosphere controlled environment to an old wharf shed covered in pigeon droppings. Again what goes where is very much in the hands of the current curators and their interpretation of what is most important and what is of lesser importance.
Governments are very good at providing capital money to establish arts facilities. The kudos to ministers and senior public servants is front page news. After this they are extremely poor at providing money for the ongoing upkeep and maintenance of the facility and the artifacts it holds.
It grieves me to say this but my experience is......... if you really really value something of either historical or personal significance don't give it to a museum.
Further IMHO technology museums should not be controlled by Arts Departments they have little interest and no understanding of such collections.Jim, I hope this helps you reach an informed decision.
Best Regards
Bob
