Recent Tomm Article by GB

Why, Pat? My Bedfords aren't on the road so I'm not worried. LOL.

JB, as I see it, you have restored a huffing and puffing portable by restoring what you had and recreating new parts built to exact specifications. I can't see how the portable could be a recreation when it has always been a portable!

I've been reading about restorations (aircraft and trucks mainly) for close to 20 years (I'm 32) and been involved in a few aircraft restos and have come across this restoration vs recreation argument many times. I always look at it from a repair point of view. If you had a working portable (or aircraft etc) and it was happily doing its job when it got damaged (or crashed), then you'd repair it with new parts - original or otherwise. A crashed aeroplane would would receive new metal, a pranged truck might get newly rolled mudguards and a portable might get new pipes. JB, if you had built the portable from nothing, that's a recreation. What you've achieved is remarkable so keep showing it and stuff the naysayers.

Thanks for all your kind words everyone!

And just to confirm what Bparo mentions. Him and MrsP are a couple of my closest and longest friends. Even predating our joining the HCVC by many years.

Yes we disagree on some things. But at the end of the day we agree that Internationals are great! (sometimes! ) We like all you guys try and do the best we can with our toys. And regardless of what happens we will have fun!

At the end of the day if you don't repair steam engines correctly with new components they would not be safe to operate. And would be a big shame if they were static.

While we are preserving history. We do this because we enjoy it!

By the way I can't find that crook rivet! Some one will have to point it out to me some stage!

I will continue to have fun with my toys! And I hope bring enjoyment to others when they see it in operation.

Like Deadly says (he will be supprised that I agree with him ):-
"Life is to short to worry about some blokes just get on with it and enjoy your hobby"

JB, one of the classic comments when greeted by those who love to pick at your work and then tell you about it is to ask:

"How have you done it on yours?"

Or, if someone complains about the colour - "What colour is yours?"

JB - That is one fine piece of work, regardless of whether some dropkick wants to split hairs over whether it's a restoration, repair, rebuild, a re-creation .. or a straight-out copy. Ask him where HIS restoration project is, so you can compare!
EVERY single restoration involves re-creation in some manner. 99.999999% of restorations start with a wreck or the item in poor shape. This dropkick must think you can run down the road to your local Marshall agent and just pick up all the new parts you need. Some people just need to spend their time knocking others work. If the workmanship is dodgy, rough or poor, I could understand it .. but all I see is an excellent rebuild of an engine that very few living people have ever seen in operation. Keep up the good work.
Those of us who have wielded sledgehammers, and bashed and skinned knuckles know exactly how much sweat, blood, and tears you've invested in your great engine. It looks terrific, and I love to see them chuffing away.

Hi All
This subject has been interesting reading. This comment from JB ' EVERY single restoration involves re-creation in some manner. 99.999999% of restorations start with a wreck or the item in poor shape' is so true
The REO car belongs belongs to my wife

JB,you`ve done a schmick resto,that thing looks bueatifull (except for the rivit),which I reckon gave you many hours of satisfaction.The unfortunate thing about clubs in general is that sooner or later someone`s a pain in the axxxe.Enjoy your hobby,enjoy your mates,and the rest can stick it where the pope don`t wash.

So .. I wonder what sneering comment that journo could produce about THIS following total re-creation!! ..

Don Hunter, a 79 yr old retired patternmaker, started off with just ONE main part!! .. the crankshaft .. and totally reconstructed a 1904 Holt Steam Crawler .. from drawings, some original blueprints, some old photos .. and no doubt, a lot of guesswork! ..

This bloke put .. wait for it .. 20,000 HOURS .. into this project! He even built drop forge dies to reproduce the track shoes .. and made complex patterns and core boxes to cast the track links! He built missing critical components out of tool steel .. and then heat treated them to the correct hardness! The list goes on and on! ..

The end result is stunning .. and it's the only crawler of its kind in the world .. because all the originals have been long ago scrapped. If it wasn't for Don Hunters persistence and amazing ability, no-one would even have an idea of what one of the original Holt Steam crawlers looked like in the metal .. or sounded like, working.
This machine was the forerunner of modern Caterpillar tractors, and set the basic track design of crawler tractors for over 70 years.

www.smokstak.com/forum/showthread.php?t=...ighlight=caterpillar

Hi Onetrack
This is what is know as the worlds first crawler built by Hornsby
Ian

Rusty Engines - The Poms like to think they built the worlds first crawler tractor .. but the Ruston Hornsby was built in 1905, and the Holt was built in 1904.

Their main claim to fame is that they were the first to use a stationary ICE "oil engine" power unit, while Ben Holt used a steam power plant.

However, Ben Holts track and drivetrain design, which included steering clutches, sprockets and rollers bolted to a track frame, is the design that survived and went on to become the basis of the later Cat crawlers.

Ben Holt didn't produce an ICE-powered crawler until 1908, when he used an "Aurora" brand "gas" (petrol) engine.

The Ruston was a flop, it was too expensive, and they only sold one or two. One went to Canada for use on a mining project, and that one has survived.

JB
Your portable is great job. During my resto I have needed to fabricate/make some bits & pieces, that's life so let's just give credit where it is due. On the subject of clubs accepting/welcoming the next generations to their ranks well they better get a move on we're not getting any younger . Holt crawler steam power crawler shows that anything is possible. My dad built a steam powered paddle steamer on the Murray when he was 68 so we all have a chance of acheiving our dreams. (He has just finished a T ford @ nearly 82).

Graham