410 S. 8th St.,Holland, Michigan 49423
Am enclosing a picture of my half scale Five H.P. Steam Traction
Engine. It’s a free lance resembling a Port Huron simple
cylinder with the exception of rear wheels. This engine has all the
appearance of a factory built engine with all brackets bolted on
boiler such as counter shaft, rear wheels axle shafts and
Now for those contemplating building a half size engine, this
makes a nice size to build, so am enclosing size of boiler here
below, as this makes a very easy steaming engine, never lifts the
water or blows over, no matter how hard you pull it, which is a
great advantage, which waves water and fuel. Boiler size diameter
16 in., length of boiler 91 inches, smoke box 12 inches, length of
flues 48% in. by 1% in diameter. 19 flues in number, flue sheet 3/8
in. thick in fire box, 5/16 in. in smoke box, rear boiler head 5/16
in. thick, throat sheet 3/8 in. thick, fire door size 6 x 8 in.
dome size 8 x 9 in. boiler in. thick, crown sheet 5/16 in. thick
with a 2 in. drop at the rear end of fire box, with 18 stay bolts
5/8 in. size. All stay bolts are threaded, riveted, light float
weld for seepage, 4 5/8 size bolts in dome, 6 rows of 6 stay bolts
on each side of fire box, 6 in row, or 72 stay bolts in all, with 9
stays in throat sheet, and the same in rear end of boiler. 1 in of
water clearance on fire box sides and 1 in. clearance on both ends.
Grate size in fire box 25 in by 13 in. or 331 sq. in. of heating
surface or 7 sq. in of grate service to every gallon of water as
boiler holds 45 gals, of water, with glass of water. Cylinder size
4 in. bore by 5 in. stroke.
For size of wheels, rear 39 x 10% in., front wheels 26 x 6 in.
axle (front) VA in. rear axle shaft in 2 in. of diameter. Boiler
Hydrostated tested at 240 lbs. sq. in. cold water.
Last, but not least, to the builders of Model Traction Steam
engines, be sure and use all new material, and a good grade of
steel boiler plate for boiler.
I started operating steam engines and threshers in the year
1913, so now if I blew my whistle too much, just let the steam go
down.
In regard to your Iron Men Album, we enjoy it very much and
think it is one of the best.