Antique Vertical Steam Engine - Part 1 [Restoration]
This restoration is on a 1920s Orr & Sembower vertical steam engine. It was apparently found in a river in Kansas, USA before being shipped to me. This steam engine is one of the worst condition items to ever come across my workbench. I have not worked on a steam engine before, so this will be a fun learning experience.
In Part 1, I completely disassemble what is remaining of the steam engine and start to work on remaking all the missing parts. At some point, it was stripped for bronze or brass scrap metal, so almost all of those parts will need to be replaced. This includes the bronze shoes on the crosshead, as well as all the steam fittings and fasteners.
After rust removal, I can see the steam engine used to be black and that there is significant wear in all of the babbitt bearings, so they will need to be re-poured. The piston and piston rings are damaged and will both need to be replaced. The main shaft is too deteriorated to be salvaged and the eccentric has an improperly fit repair.
At this point, if this steam engine can be brought back to life, I will be very impressed.
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Podcast (with Jimmy DiResta and Andrew Alexander) - anchor.fm/fitzall
Anyone else find this channel completely soothing while drifting off to sleep?
Gratuitous camera cuts for "The Walk" to the blasting cabinet is Oscar worthy.
And the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor goes to HTR, meaning our new Best Actor is Media Blasting Unit #12!
Клоун разводным ключём всё открутил.
@@R.Daneel I acknowledge your opinion and point. For me, Socially Distant Garbage On The Floor deserves a nod and consideration for this most esteemed award.
Epic Walking! Bested only by _Lord of the Rings_
@@Stevarooni That’s hilarious!
This is the best restoration channel on the KZhead.
This is THE restoration channel.
Considering it was found in a river, those nuts and bolts play along surprisingly well. Also, that chocolate wrench in the beginning totally got me :-p
07b
Some people get a little heavy handed with body filler on these types of restorations but it's nice to see that Hand Tool Rescue is more subtle.
It does explain the current filler shortage in Saskatchewan.
@@oobaka1967 a fellow Canadian? Wow. I never thought that there'd be restoration people in Saskatchewan of all places considering they're all in like Switzerland or Sweden and even Belgium
Gun restoration a very old found in the junkyard | Rusty Vintage Pepperbox
@@Babushkabongwatr I restore clocks in Florida
I take my hat off to you machinist guys, restoring these ancient machines. To remake worn or broken parts, to know where parts (and especially nuts and bolts) go, when reassembling , to know how the thing works, and to produce a super good looking and working new machine is something I find oddly satisfying
I just love the sillyness, even while doing complex restorations of historically significant artifacts, this talented man does not forget to not take himself so seriously and make us all laugh at his silly shtick!! Love it, thank you for bring some levity to our lives!!
Gamer moment
Utterly to the contrary here. I was almost about to hit like, but he bit in to a fake wrench, so I changed my mind and will in no wise subscribe either. Pity because he has such fascinating finds, but I can't abide the extraneous nonsense.
@@innominatedude ------ You're obviously a very gloomy type. It's dangerous for a health.
@@innominatedude ROFL...you sir or madam need to go purchase a sense of humor. His goofiness is why I come back.
@@innominatedude It is the fun that makes these more interesting. He doesn't present himself as a God, and that is good.
Next restoration: just a handful of rust flakes that will become an entire locomotive.
Mmm Rust Flakes, I eat mine in a big bowl with degreaser, and glass of "nutella"
*japanned locomotive
Rust flakes? Gay.
Watch me turn this paper into a mill
That's not possible. He would at least have to start with a pile of rust the size of a locomotive. Don't be ridiculous. Think before you hit send. Unbelievable. I won't be able to sleep tonight now.
Now I can rest in peace. I lived that life to see Hand Tool Rescue restore a steam engine. I feel complete. Congratulations on your work from everyone in Brazil.
Waaaaaait until Part 2!!!!!
Your skill and knowledge are astounding for a man so young. I really enjoy a your antics and the non speaking just adds to it.
Your comedy is so funny! Part of the reason you are my fav Restorer on YT. Other reason is you're just so good and knowledgeable.
As a native Kansan, it's good to see the long tradition of putting moving parts back together with various types of wire, usually baling wire.
Would have loved for him to inspect the wire, give it a rub with some wire wool, and remake a new wire out of bronze
And given the relative decent shape of the cast iron, that piece may have not been in the river that long. It was likely stolen, stripped of any copper/brass/bronze and dumped in the river to cover it up. Scrap metal theft has been a big issue here for about a decade, a byproduct of meth addiction.
That spool of MIG wire the apprentice messed up sure comes in handy.
As a fellow Kansan, I approve of this message
this guy is something else... something we should protect and preserve...
I'm worried about long term brain damage from too much use of the sand blaster...
and restore?
All efforts to preserve hand tool rescue have so far been thwarted by the limits of medical science
Six million dollar handyman
So you're saying we should dunk him in Evaporust and then give him a good Japanning?
As an 80s child your intro still makes me laugh every time and its been quite a few now. 🤣 love it
Having watched Keith Appleton work on model steam engines for a while I have a small inkling of how deeply insane this project is. I hope you are able to get it running again! Watching that steam chest cover come off was like watching a horror movie when someone opens a door in that you just know the killer is behind. The state of the valve did not disappoint.
It’s basically exactly the same as a Stuart 10V… only 5 times as big in all dimensions, so probably 25 times as powerful?
I got a feeling from the video that this restoration was more challenging than most. You're the man, Eric!
The journey to the sandblaster was epic.
I'm dying to see a "making of" video. I'd love to see how you research the tool, figure out how to disassemble it and keep track of the parts as you take it apart.
Isn't that what we're watching now?
@@whaddabunchashit We're watching the sausage going into the casing. I want to see how the sausage is MADE. He has to have a detailed method of researching and keeping track of all the parts.
@@azskyking6542 i love you that is phrased. i think i may start using that and it’s all thanks to you for introducing me to the best way to word that specifically point.
@@mwskyrim5516 Thanks
@@azskyking6542 Awesome comment, I may plagiarize
I really like your attention to detail and that you share your techniques. The results are excellent. You are a true craftsman. Plus I love this episode’s sandblaster dramatic montage.
I have your wrench in the three sizes and I use them all the time the little one is a constant companion in my back pocket. I love watching you do this stuff because the town my dad lives in his got machines like this all over the place and I often think about restoring something for my own use and my own shop and this gives me hope and also inspiration to see how some of this stuff goes together
I'm eagerly awaiting part II, when Eric takes on the persona of Victor Frankenstein and re-makes 'Life'. Hopefully, at the end we can all shout ... "it's alive, it's alive"! 🔩⚙🛠
Gun restoration a very old found in the junkyard | Rusty Vintage Pepperbox
This is the only thing that is worth notifications on my phone. Love what you’re doing. Keep up the fantastic work, dude!
If they gave out awards for open video credits, you would win the awarded without a doubt. I just wish you made more than one video a month. Watching you rebuild old worn out machines to be like new again and you humor in the video's, I love to watch you work on tools I never have seen before. Thanks for sharing.
Watching you remove bolts from an antique machine with an antique wrench satisfies a nameless something in my soul.
15:23 You need a smaller shop or move the sandblaster closer to your work station, if it was any further away, you'd need to pack a lunch LOL Good job bro👍👍
I kept waiting for “this asbestos probably contains asbestos.”
This comment probably contains asbestos...
@@InstrucTube LOL!! It DOES!! 😂🤣
His dirty ass beard contains asbestos.
I spent years working on old steam rollers and traction engines, so really looking forward to seeing you finish this project!
When you said that your oven isn't large enough for japanning my heart skipped a beat... Say it isn't so! We must find an antique commercial oven for you to restore and use for the large items😜
"Found this in a river. Can you fix it?" is not something I would jump into working on. You're brave.
It is amazing how overbuilt steam engines are. Try leaving a modern engine out in a river, and it will be junk in no time. Great find, and a great video.
cast iron does not rust as easily as modern steel
Well,it’s made in the 20’s,and stuff back then was all well built,and workers had proud of their job. Unlike today,just a bunch of made in China junk.things need to change to make America great again.😔
@@jacobthecoincollector9962 there is America and there is the United States. The United States is the regular peons, America is the ones with the power. Make America great again is the slogan used by those in power to keep the peons down and fool them into thinking that they care about them, they don't give a damn, they just want their quick Return On Investment and the HELL with the people
@@jacobthecoincollector9962 besides being well built, engineering just hadn't come as far then. We don't overbuild things anymore, in part, because we've gotten so good at building things "just right" so they work for their intended usage while being as efficiently built as possible. Man does it not have the same charm, though.
With steam pressures you're gonna want overbuilt...
What a cool project! Stoked to see this one completed and running.
You never cease to amaze me with your expertise and ingenuity.
One day, he's going to pull out something that we weren't meant to see from that vat of rust remover, like the head of the long lost 5th teletubby. Mark my words. Mark them I say!
Very few people I actually get excited for new videos from, but HTR is at the top of that short list! Hi from England 🇬🇧
I am always in awe of the fantastically strange items you find to restore and the amazing results in the end. Keep up the great work!
It’s truly amazing to watch you do the things that you do and it comes out awesome thank you for all you do. Always love the head bump at sand blaster and little skits
Wait? Unnecessarily prominent adjustable wrenches is in this?!? I love that guy!
I like how right in the opening shot, that thing is literally held together with bailing wire. Off to a great start! :D
I made it a minute in and I feel like I'm losing my mind with the wrench bit. Well done you beautiful bastard.
I can feel this will be one of the coolest restorations on this channel to date!
Excellent use of the old shaft for "masking off" the section that didn't need to be painted.
A classic "Bottle" engine. The lower end looks like a bottle. Not sure about being from the 20's, more likely from 1895~1905. Also, note the thrust bearing on one end of crankshaft; could be used marine(?).
certainly not. Thrust bearing is essential on any babbit-beared shaft to stop its axial movements.
Yes, a very nice bottle engine. Given it does not appear to have a maker's plate or name cast into it anywhere, I assume it is VERY old. However, I think it must have had some work done on it in the past as there are hexagonal nuts on it, and truly old engines would have used the more primitive (hand made) square nuts (and bolt heads). I think it was made to drive machinery rather than a boat as it does not have reversing gear (typically Stephenson's), with which a marine engine would have been fitted.
@@elrond12eleven Well, I have two vertical engines. One 9X12 (1895) w/ no thrust bearing, and one 4X7 (189?) marine w/ a thrust bearing. Could be true, but I've not seen many non marine engines w/ them.
@@paulcampbell5202 12:30 when he takes the screw out of what I assume is a weird piston head, you can see a square nut, so you're totally on the money.
@@paulcampbell5202 The nuts were never hand made - the earlier Whitworth nuts were machined - 5/8 from 1” square stock and 1/2” from 1” round stock (giving a 0.707” face to face dimension). Hex heads came during WW1 to save metal and later they dropped one size as a further metal saving measure.
I love steam engines. Years ago(in the 50's - 60's) we had an Annual Threshers Reunion. Old steam engines from many states all came together to have a fun filled week. This was in Northern Illinois, USA. I think they still have the reunion going to this day. Our church had a huge covered wooden building where we cooked and sold fried chicken dinners. They were awesome. Every day people were lined up waiting patiently to get in for their turn for a delicious meal. We also had the 4-H fair where kids all brought their animals for judging and all hoping for the blue ribbon. Good old memories.
Love watching you work and your humour cracks me up every time. Great work so far, so interesting seeing the babbit melting/shaping part. Can't wait to see part 2 now. Thank's for sharing man.
So this is the thing that Keith Rucker was making those bronze shoes for. Nice.
Sure looks like it. We don't always know how long the production time is for a given video. Apparently, Hand Tool Rescue has had a longer production time so far. Looks like a cool project.
@@donsundberg5730 Understandable... restoring an engine in that condition will take a lot of time.
I started this in February 2021...
@@HandToolRescue Short sleeves in February? Must be global warming.
_"My lathe is dying."_ Maybe you can find someone who's good at restoring stuff!
Wonderful to see another great restoration coming from your hands!
The part where you were walking to the sand blaster, absolutely perfect.
We all need a giant bucket of rust converter on our shops! =) Awesome video man!
I thought for minute it was bottomless, still got that thought in the back of my head.
@@kevingade5615 Me too. It should be the Mary Poppins's bucket.
And he's going to need a bigger bucket 😂
That's not rust converter- it's Evapo Rust!
It is the best thing ever having and isn't as expensive as you imagine if you use a little patience and shopping. Large containers like that can be found all over facebook marketplace and craigslist for $25-$55 depending on area and size. The expensive part is the Evaporust But if you patiently watch sales on amazon and other carriers, you can regularly buy the gallon jugs for under $15. Buy a few every sale and it doesn't take long to have a huge amount of it without breaking the wallet. Sure if you buy it all at once it is obscene, just spread it out.
Awesome bit of kit! Cant wait to see it all steamed up :)
Always makes me smile when I see one channel I subscribe to commenting on another!
GAH! Did you just tell me 13 minutes in that I don't get to see it run?!?! 🤬 Curse You Comments! Why do I scroll down...
If you follow him on Instagram you would have already seen it running :)
@@naturalorang3 YT is as close as I get to social media.
@@naturalorang3 See it running on his story, which is only up for 24 hours? lol
Been on a binge on these ever so clever restoration videos. These remind me of a saying we have here: "Excessive precision is just lack of technical knowledge." By this I mean that it's wonderful that you don't overdo your restorations and let the age of these things show through.
This is completely insane!! Awesome work, waiting for the 2nd part!
He deserves an Oscar for the intro and an Emmy for engineering
15:23 When you find that perfect montage track, but just don't have enough footage xD
Best viewing material while working night shift. Only wish I had found this sooner! Bring on #2
I’m so seriously impressed with the edit as you approach the blast cabinet. That’s all.
You two-part loving goober... the suspense is killing me! Oh, and I vote for resurrecting Mr Rogers as far as life-creation goes.
Nice, looking forward to the next instalment, those spoiler clips at the end look awesome! Keep at it Brother 👊🏼
This is too cool ! Searching for part 2 then realized you just put this up ! Look forward to part 2 !
this whole channel is such a gem
Aye, it's a bit bigger than Quinn's Steam Engine Kit! That's some task and what's still to be done. Loved the Sand-Blaster Approach'N'Dunk routine. Great video and thanks having us along. Cheers!
The US company "PM Research" make a very nice set of castings to build an engine about 1/2 the size of this one (it is 19 inches tall completed) and is rated at a true 1/4 hp.
"Why do I do this myself?" Because the Bridgebort demands it.
Never a dull moment in this shop. I enjoy every upload.
One of my favorite videos I've seen of yours this engine deserves to be reborn by your hands and put into service or displayed like the antique steam engine treasure it is! PS when I worked at the horse farm we use a different kind of stud puller she did donkey shows too! 🤔👍🍻.. don't ever question the importance of what you do.. if you didn't do it nobody else would and all of the beautiful pieces of machinery you save would be lost forever!! 👍 Can't wait to see part two!!!
I only use premium bailing wire to hold my steam engine together.
HTR: "the worst I've seen" Ebay ad: "oil and she's ready to start, some rust"
Great! Another restoration video I can't stop watching till it's done..
Love your vids, love how you put humour in to them as well. Sets you apart from the others. Keep up the great work 👍
Очень ждал нового выпуска! Спасибо за твоё творчество!
один нюанс, у него есть специальный девайс для выкручивания шпилек, это отличная вещь, только двумя гайками проще, быстрее и дешевле! А так топ контент, как и всегда!
Взаимно
Nietzsche on the Übermensch: I say unto you, one must still have chaos in oneself to be able to give birth to a dancing star. I say unto you, you still have chaos in yourselves. The Übermensch: 0:06
Super excited! I love all the old tools and machines and farm equipment and stuff that you fix, but this will be particularly exciting
You our friend have put yourself in some very well respected company of steam engine builders, ruststorers, restorers, and mechanics of all levels to say the least. I think it is safe to say from what we have seen so far the rest of the project in the end will look great and will operate as good as it did when it left the factory and most likely better.
Considering how long it would have been in the bottom of the river, that thing was in remarkable shape. Lathe restoration next video?
you can almost hear the sigh of pain at 18.05 when he realized.......
The intros are perfect. I love your humor. And the restores are great. I am really enjoying this
Love your videos, you are a very skilled professional. Really looking forward to the next part.
Given that it was found in a river I'm surprised that it wasn't just one solid lump of rust! Maybe it was down in the mud at the bottom and that formed an anaerobic environment protecting the metal?
It was the river in flint Michigan, it removed all the rust
@@crackedemerald4930 If it had soaked in Flint water the pits would have been filled in with lead.
@@1978garfield the babbitt bearings however would've been in perfect shape
Hand Tool Rescue: Me: Also: please show us restoring your lathe. You can do a ragtime / Buster Keaton montage of you hand-scraping the ways...
Świetna robota! Jestem pod wielkim wrażeniem umiejętności i wiedzy :)
I love all of this but what particularly fascinates is Babbit malarkey. Brilliant engineering
HTR: "Why do I do this to myself?" Literally everyone else ever: Because you love it, and better yet, WE love it." On a different note... wtf was that thing you removed that double thread side bolt with? I've never seen anything like that before in my life!
stud remover.
Stud remover, also good for exhaust studs.
@@broncobum I never knew one existed but now I have to have one! That will definitely save me from boogering things up with Vise Grips.
came here to essentially say the same thing, "Why? Because it's FUN!"
I was a little worried about the direction of force (working to also bend rather than just turn the part) because of how far it lifted the leaver. Wouldn't it be significantly better if the stud remover was shaped more like a large nut so there was minimal bend forces, and only rotational and shear forces applied?
That's honestly not in that bad of condition considering. Looking forward to the next part! (Also, seems like your lathe needs a brake added...)
If anyone sees this and knows where to get a brake for old Logan's, tell us lol
That's a heck of a project thanks for taking us through it
Great project!! Your skill level is amazing. Cannot wait for part two
15:00😂 You absolute tease
I sure didn't expect to see you here lol
Ждём вторую часть!.
Really nice work. I look forward to the rest of the restoration.
I would like each of your videos just because of the intro. Never stop!
Oh my god, I haven't heard that sound for about 20 years now! I worked at Best Buy as a merchandiser when I was a teenager and I'll ALWAYS recognize the sound of a Big Joe platform being raised!
Why was Evaporust not in the intro for something that had literally been at the bottom of a lake?
Indeed! Of all the restorations that need Evaporust as a sponser...alas.
Boy, when you make a video, you give 'er all the way, full send. Excellent, entertaining effort, patiently waiting for part 2, and am a big fan of machining things to remake parts.
I am very ready to watch part 2 of another amazing restoration!
Here's what kills me... steam powered spinners existed back in BCE times. Imagine what today's world would look like if only someone had thought "Hey, maybe this spinny doohickey can do something useful" and we had the industrial revolution 2000 years ago.
I've always wondered the same thing, ever since I read about Heron's steam engine! Surely SOMEONE at the time must have thought about using it to do mechanical work. For all we know, maybe someone actually did try to use it to power a cart and the first automobile was actually invented in ancient Greek times? 😂 So much information has been lost, I wonder if ancient civilizations might have actually been a bit more advanced than we think.
@@ct92404 I feel like there'd be more of an archaeological record, but yeah, I've always been fascinated by the idea.
labor saving devices aren't as attractive when you have a ton of slaves to do all the menial work
@@warrentb1 that argument doesn’t convince me very much. Steam engines were invented when there were a ton of slaves. Probably more then in the ancient world.
@@francesconicoletti2547 Yes but the industrial revolution took off in GB/UK where slavery disappeared by ~1800 (and mostly consisted of household servants for some time before) and where capitalism first developed. If you pay your workers a wage labor saving devices will obviously be desirable.
"only small amounts of filler" - I want you to be my bartender.
Wouldn't mind having him as a soda jerk
😄 This guy makes me laugh each time I watch. He puts such a funny face.👍 I also like his choice of objects to be restored. Thanks
Love the intro to your videos. "Featuring Hand Tool Rescue, various other stuff, and also Hand Tool Rescue!" Wow, you're featured TWICE! Great intro music, too.
I don’t know if Eric has a significant other but if I were them I’d be so tempted to throw some random nut bolts and other junk into those evaporust baskets, with the other bits
v funny
I think his SO is featured in the flame thrower restoration video. Her line is "I'm going to kill him!" She says this after witnessing him testing out his Little Giant flame thrower.
@@1978garfield many thanks I may have subscribed after that so will search for it now
@@1978garfield you were correct thanks for that,
Heh HTR getting about as "steam"ed as his latest project 😊
Just used some evapo-rust for the first time after watching this channel for years. Really good stuff, I see why he uses it!
Your sand blasting entry was EPIC. I thought I was watching an action movie. I just had to squint my eyes. lol.