On 05 Oct 2015 02:36:11 -0300, Mike Spencer
wrote:


Ed Huntress writes:

OOohh...you have an Acadia? You mean one of the old make-and-break
engines? That must be fun.

Yeah, it is! It's a 10 HP. They were made in Bridgewater, about 13
miles from me and I was in the plant in the early 70s when they were
still making them. They had a contract from the government to make
them for government wharves -- wharves built in many small fishing
villages, owned and maintained by the feds for the local fishing
fleets. Those 10HP Acadias came equipped with a sprocket and a
chain-driven winch to haul boats out on a skidway. That ended in the
70s and many of the engines were vandalized or stolen.

Mine is the same size but isn't one of those. It's equipped with a
flat-belt pulley. Shortly before the plant was closed, the manager
gave me a photocopy of the "manual" for my engine. I've put it on
line:

http://home.tallships.ca/mspencer/acadia/index.html

Those old beasties are pretty cool to watch running. They had lots of
folks bring their running engines to the old Vista, CA Gas and Steam
Engine Museum during the Fair days. Ditto the Pottsville shindigs in
Merlin, OR up here. Everyone called them "hit & miss" engines. I got
to help a few guys get theirs running (mostly grunt work, but fun),
but never tore one down. The centrifugal governor grounded the spark
and kept the exhaust valve open during overrev. Simple yet effective.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXkNqjUPL_M Running engine

--
Canadian: An unarmed American with healthcare.