Shingle Mill - Official Work Thread

[Mike Fox]

This is a Continental 6 cylinder. Been sitting for years. Surprised it ran this good

[Terry Harper]

Mike,

Under your care I am sure you will have it running smooth as silk soon. 

[Mike Fox]

As Stewart mentioned in Sundays post, my main objective for the weekend was make the shingle mill run. Saturday I played with the motor a bit more. New plugs helped it out, but not a lot. So I got it running the best I could. I had gotten the belting ready and with the help of our saw mill guy Dean Copeland, learned how to use our belt splicer. I had 2 leather belts ready for Sunday. After some thought on the way home, I brought my little mirror with me and removed the plug from the motor from the offending cylinder ( I figured out which one by using my temp gun on Saturday, 5 of 6 cylinders were about 400 degrees on the exhaust manifold) and looked in. The exhaust valve was stuck open. I tried various things to get it back closed, but it would not budge. Knowing this would not harm anything other than compression on that cylinder, I decided enough playing with the motor, time for some action.

So I set about getting the flatcar in position and then used Ichabod to place the Continental on 126. I had the belt hooked up and did a test run before Dana came back with the 11am train. I had Dana come over and fired it up again. We did some oiling trying to free things up. Remember, this is the first time in probably 20 years or more this has run.

Test run complete, I grabbed some lunch then got a cedar "bolt" ready. I cut it to 15 inches, and set it in the jaws, while Brendan held them open. Time for the real test. I gave Brendan the quick lesson on the Continental and he started it up, and engaged the clutch. I then engaged the clutch for the carriage and the show began. One thing worth mentioning, the long stringy shavings travel about 10 or 15 feet, in this case right toward Brendan. After a few test cuts, we shut down because it was not cutting completely though the bolt. So I took the power saw and did a vertical cut through the bolt, re-inserted it in the jaws, and we tried again. This time we got complete shingles. Some were thick, some were paper thin. Only one or two had tapers. There is so much adjustment in the machine that after some fine tuning, it should make shingles (and the stringy sawdust) just fine.

Plenty of pictures were taken, but not sure of any while it was actually running.. I did see the Facebook team there, so I am sure some will appear there soon.

[John McNamara]

Congratulations! Another "oldie but goodie" saved!
-John

[Ira Schreiber]

I had a flat head 8 cylinder Studebaker engine with several stuck valves. I pulled the head and "gently" tapped the offending valves down and rotated the engine. In short order the valves started opening and closing properly. A little oil on the stems, reinstalled the old head gasket and fired it up. It purred on all eight. Mission accomplished.

[Roger Cole]

Most likely the offending cylinder's exhaust valve was left in the open position after the last shutdown prior to its dormancy.  Moisture from all those years probably froze it in the "up" position.  I agree with Ira that removal of the head and "gentle" tapping (with a little penetrating oil} should do the trick.  Pulling the head on a flathead sure beats an OHV or OHC engine.

[Chuck Watford]

Looking forward to seeing photos!  Might try a little Marvel Mystery Oil in the gas tank and the engine on on the old Continental, might help free up the sticking valve.

[Mike Fox]

I have found that a complete gasket set can be purchased at a very reasonable price. A lot of the gaskets have leaks, and by taking the time to replace them will keep the engine cleaner in the future.

Other than the stuck valve, there was little smoke from the exhaust. So I do not think anything more would need to be done. It would be nice if the valve went back that easy. I could get on it but not with anything I could hit. Not enough clearance. I will be putting some oil in there again Sunday and let it sit.

[Brendan Barry]

Pictures from Sunday.

[Roger Cole]

Try one of the newer 'penetrating' oils.  I've used PB Blaster and was amazed how it was able to penetrate rusted frozen nuts & bolts enabling me to take them apart without twisting the nuts off or going the hacksaw route.

[Wayne Laepple]

Here's a Lane shingle machine, built in Vermont, run by a traction engine at the Rough & Tumble Engineers at Kinzer, Pa.

[Wayne Laepple]

Here's another rig nearby:

[Wayne Laepple]

I'll second Roger's note above about PB Blaster. It's great stuff for rusted nuts and bolts. Works overnight.

[Richard Cavalloro]

If the PB Blaster doesn't work, Kroil should do the trick.

[Mike the Choochoo Nix]

Also don't forget a 50/50 mix of tranny fluid and acetone. It worked on my old Chevy.
Mike Nix