Category Archives: video

Waukesha Model Farm

Teardrop Trail Log: June 17, 2016

Each year, a local group hosts the Red Power Roundup, in this case Chapter 4 of the National International Harvester Collectors, Club, Inc. in Wisconsin. Other local clubs exhibit in the Chapter House, and I went there next. There is often a raffle, and I always register hoping a classic tractor will follow me home. Having completed that important bit of business and looked the various chapter tables over for interesting swag, I was about to leave when I spotted a model farm setup at the opposite end of the building.

It was a large and elaborate setup, with at least a dozen toy tractors and I stopped to look. As I made my way around the exhibit, the model owner introduced himself and we began to chat. It seems the model farm had a good story, and the owner, Allen H. Martin enjoyed telling it. Always on the lookout, I asked him if he would tell the story on camera, and he readily agreed. The video you see here was the result. He tells the story better than I can so …

Victor Horizontal Hit-Or-Miss Engine

Continuing my stroll through the machinery exhibits, I encountered a Victor Horizontal Gasoline Engine. You see “hit-or-miss” engines at every Red Power Roundup, but this was the largest model I had ever seen. Judging by the size of the fly wheel, this beautifully-restored single-cylinder engine must have been rated at about 20 horsepower. With the integrated wagon, it was considered portable and was even equipped with the optional cooling tank and muffler.

Photo of The Victor Horizontal Engine

The Victor Horizontal Engine

According to Dun’s Review, International Edition (Vol. XX, September, 1912), the Victor was “A reliable, economical and convenient source of power for various purposes around the farm, shop or mill” and was “built in eight sizes, ranging from 4 to 25 horsepower”. The “make-and-break” ignition on the four-cycle engine used a “hit-or-miss style governor” to control the speed. It could run on natural or artificial gas (a mixture of hydrogen, methane and carbon monoxide), alcohol, kerosene or gasoline. “A catalogue giving full details and illustrations of these engines” could be requested from International Harvester by mail. It was high-tech in 1912.

As I watched the machine operate, it was fun to see how people reacted to it. We take compact, portable and inexpensive power for granted today (think: lithium-ion battery powered tools, bicycles or automobiles for example) but such an engine would have been special in its day and represented major labor savings when pumping water, milling grain, cutting wood, or running anything that required rotary power on farms that wouldn’t have electricity for some decades. A marvel of the age indeed.

international-gasoline-engines-logo

International Auto Buggy Rides

Teardrop Trail Log: June 17, 2016

After breakfast, Marilyn went to her first book signing event, and I was free to explore Red Power. I see new things each time, and this year was no different. Walking into a shed at the far end of the fairgrounds, I was transported back to yesteryear — A line of International Auto Buggys from the turn of the 20th century. We had seen Auto Wagons — the farm truck version from the same time period — at the Sedalia Red Power, but here was a line of several motorized carriages that were more elegant and clearly intended for passengers. Best of all, they were in running condition and the owners were giving rides!

photo of the International Auto Buggy

International Auto Buggy

The Auto Buggy was a 2-cylinder, air-cooled motor car produced between 1907 and 1916. An immediate success, it marked International’s first foray into the world of motorized vehicles. Octane Press has an excellent article about the vehicle and a sales catalog is also available to scratch that curiosity itch.

Some started easier than others and I watched one owner struggle with the buggy, while his colleagues were driving away. Patience paid off though, and he was finally successful. It was such fun to see passengers load up — especially one gentleman who appeared old enough to have ridden in one of these wagons the first time around. It was clear he relished the opportunity.

graphic of International Logo

International Logo from early sales catalog

 

Photo of The Visitors Center

A Close-up Look at the McDonald Observatory

Teardrop Trail Log: March 29, 2016

We headed south to the McDonald Observatory, located in the mountains of West Texas. At an elevation of 6719 feet, it is under some of the darkest skies in the continental United States.

My introduction to the Observatory came through the StarDate radio broadcasts on Public Radio. At last, we were driving up Dark Sky Drive on Mt. Locke towards the Visitors Center. We had reservations for a 2:00 pm solar viewing and tour. We met our tour guide and enjoyed the solar program in the visitors center for an up-close look at the large research telescopes. We took the shuttle to the top of Mt. Locke and the overlook of the 107″ dome.

A photo of Our guide at the top of Mt. Locke

Our guide at the top of Mt. Locke

After sharing the history of the Observatory, the guide took our group to the lobby and we climbed the four flights of stairs. He described the parts of the telescope, the functions and how the astronomers use it.

The most exciting parts of the demonstration were when he showed the telescope’s motions and then rotated the dome. We felt the power of the motors that moved the large structure. 

Photo of the Hobby-Eberly Telescope

Hobby-Eberly Telescope

The next part of the tour continued at the summit of Mt. Fawkes and the Hobby-Eberly Telescope. The guide explained that an amazing collaboration between four universities allowed this telescope to be built at 80% of the cost of an optical telescope of similar size. The primary mirror is the largest yet constructed making it one of five biggest telescopes in the world. Renovations have just been completed for a new cutting-edge research project, Hobby-Eberly Telescope Dark Energy Experiment (HETDEX). It is the quest to understand dark energy, the mysterious force that makes up 70 percent of the matter and energy in the universe.

We were hoping to attend one of the “Star Parties,” later that evening but the forecast called for cloudy skies so we headed back to Balmorhea and our teardrop.

Ranches in the Big Bend

Teardrop Trail Log: March 26, 2016

On our way to Castolon and Santa Elena Canyon, we encountered exhibits on two large ranches in the Big Bend that were founded between 1909 and 1929. Known as the “Sam Nail Ranch” and the “Homer Willson Ranch” (ne. Blue Creek Ranch), they varied in size from 15,000 to 28,000 acres. Both were occupied until the 1940’s , and later incorporated into the Big Bend National Park. The Homer Wilson ranch was one of the largest ranches in the United States, and the most significant one in the Big Bend Area.

Homer Wilson Ranch was the first such operation in the Big Bend area, and required self-reliance, independence, a life with moxie and strong character.

photo of Homer Wilson Ranch on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, Big Bend

Homer Wilson Ranch on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, Big Bend

Hit or Miss Engines

Jim, September 15:

You never know what you’ll find on the Teardrop Trail, and the Red Power Roundup in Sedalia, Missouri was no exception. While looking at the expected tractors and other IH memorabilia, I discovered a assortment of “hit or miss” engines. They were first available around 1890 from various manufacturers including International Harvester (after 1902) for use in pumping water, generating electricity and cutting firewood. The video shows models spanning several decades and demonstrates the “hit or miss” behavior and resulting name.

They fire every few cycles and rely on a large flywheel to maintain a relatively constant speed. Producing a small amount of horsepower relative to their weight and size, they were displaced by newer internal combustion engines by the mid-20th century, although they are still desirable for some low-speed (250 rpm or so) applications like oil-field pump jacks. International Harvester produced a variety of hit or miss engines, and the video shows three well preserved and and functioning models.

This display of engines was a surprise to me — I hadn’t seen this many working hit or miss engines in one place before. The engine owners were on hand to answer questions and I learned a lot about this part of our Harvester Heritage. Fun!