Every Boy His Own Manufacturer

[mohavegun]

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]

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

 

[user 1493]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

I made the Polly Wog outboard but not the boat:

 

[DLanum]

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]

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

 

[Tim Wescott]

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]

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:

https://cse101.cse.msu.edu/visitors/saber.php
Stay safe and healthy,

TerryD

 

[Aerostar55]

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]

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

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

 

[Aerostar55]

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

That's a nice looking engine.

 

[DLanum]

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]

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]

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

 

[Drillrod]

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]

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.