The Make and Break Club

D._Frederick · May 06, 2005, 12:47:43 PM

The MAKE-BREAK ENGINE CLUB had a get together at are local shopping mall parking lot. Most of the bigger engines were mounted on a trailer, so they were parked, un-hooked, and cranked-up.

One fellow had two dragsaws , a Vaughn and a RM Wade. He was trying to saw with the Vaughn but was having fuel problems.

The Vaughn dragsaw was sawing

The RM Wade dragsaw

There are two types of make and break engines, the vertical cylinder engine and the horizontal cylinder engine. The vertical engines have a sealed crankcase that has lube oil in it to lubricate the crank and connecting rod. They were a much better engine with a lot longer life than the horizontal engines. The horizontal engines did not have a very good way to lubricate connecting rod bearing. I remember my DAD re-pouring the Babbitt bearings that were hammered out for the lack of grease.

Below are the vertical engines

Below are the horizontal engines

MULE_MAN · May 06, 2005, 01:23:30 PM

Good picture's !!! I never seen a drag saw like that before !! It's different !!

tnlogger · May 06, 2005, 07:40:25 PM

good pics gota love dem old engines 8)

Jeff · May 06, 2005, 07:51:22 PM

I'd love to have a wade dragsaw. smiley_blue_bounce

Larry · May 06, 2005, 07:59:05 PM

Thanks for taking the time to take and post the pictures D. Interesting stuff.

In this part of the country we call them things "hit and miss"....first time I ever heard the term "make and break". Is it some kind of regional thing?

D._Frederick · May 06, 2005, 10:01:06 PM

Larry,

The make and break refers to the type of ignition these old engines used. The ignition consisted of a dry cell battery with an induction coil, inside the engine head is a set of points that on the firing stroke is closed, upon opening they produce a spark that fires the engine.

Corley5 · May 06, 2005, 10:13:31 PM

Great pics 8) I love hearing the old engines run

UNCLEBUCK · May 07, 2005, 12:09:53 AM

Every saturday a very old man in a suit stops by to see me and tries to get me to be a jehova witness , I have always been nice to him as they seem to get run off alot, he asks alot about the sawmill etc.. one saturday he is a master accordian player and grew up running a big frick sawmill and has a huge collection of drag saws . Never heard of such a thing so I go check it out . These things are awesome . What a invention ! They call those engines hit and miss here in west central minnesota . There is a ad in the Lehmans catalog where a hit and miss is hooked up to a 5 gallon old fashioned ice cream maker. A million uses for them but highly collected . Thanks for showin D.

sawguy21 · May 07, 2005, 08:16:42 AM

There is a collection of hit and miss engines at the fall fair in my hometown each year. They are neat to see and listen to. What is the origin of this type and why were they so widely used instead of a conventional engine?

pigman · May 07, 2005, 02:33:27 PM

There is an old tractor show today in Carrollton,Ky. There was a Whitte drag saw made by Whitte Engine Works, Kansas City, Mo. It was not running but looked to be in good condition.

asy · May 07, 2005, 04:02:47 PM

Seemed the right thread to show a photo I took at the wood show the other week.

This old saw was sure making a racket!

It had a loud pop every cycle!

asy :D

Grawulf · May 07, 2005, 04:25:02 PM

Have any of you ever been to the old engine show in Escanaba? My brother and I were just happening through on the way to some canoeing in Wisconsin (early Sept. of last year). I kept looking for FF hats - never saw one.................. :'( It is well worth the stop and look-see. 10 - 12 steam engines, kerosine engines, lots of hit and missers, about every year of tractor you can think of. Steam powered sawmill and edger - shingle mill - rock crusher. Anybody up for another road trip after Sawlex? We might even get Chet to show us some Yooper UFO's!

D._Frederick · May 07, 2005, 05:31:08 PM

ASY,

The Vaughn and Wade drag saws were the 2 cycle type engines and run quite smooth with little noice while sawing. They are somewhat lighter in weight than the make and break or (hit and miss) type engines with the big flywheels. At the fairs and shows were they have these engines running, they never have much of a load on them. When these engines have a heavier load they can fire every 2 turns and sound a lot different. When working, these engines make a lot of steam.

We have a steam-up every year at Brooks, Ore at the antique power land on the last weekend of July and the first weekend of August. They have every thing that G. was talking about.

sprucebunny · May 07, 2005, 06:07:56 PM

Well...I got to say......that as a literal minded child neither 'make and break' or 'hit and miss' sounded good when you were about to take a trip in a BOAT powered by one

My father had a 'St. Pierre/Miquelon dory' with the traditional engine. They were both new but didn't really look it .
I lived to remember it, so it must have got us back somehow.

fancy dory

maple flats · May 07, 2005, 06:11:51 PM

Around these parts they are often called skip fire engines. Sure do look strange. A few days ago I hapened to watch a hunting show on tv that was set in Mexico beyond the power lines. They showed where they had a generator that was used to generate electricity. The hunt was at a working ranch and the ranch owner started the generator by grabbing a handle on one of two large flywheels and spun it over several turns as fast as he could and it started. Didn't look like it went any faster under it's own power than during the starting crank. They said that it had run every day for the last 70 years. Really says something about them if maintained properly. Didn't hear how much it generated but my guess is not much. I think they said it is only used for lights and not full time.

Jeff · May 08, 2005, 12:57:57 PM

Around here we call them Hit and Miss engines. I got one. ;D

Link to engine tag photo

video clip.

http://www.hit-miss.com/albums/jeffsengine/MOV00996.mpg

Frank_Pender · May 08, 2005, 01:18:02 PM

I have four of themdrag saws, now, Jeff.

I am having one completely rebult.

Corley5 · May 08, 2005, 06:08:14 PM

I was at the Escanaba show last year and Jeff was too but we missed each other :

. I seldom wear a hat. We need grey FF T-shirts ;) http://www.upsteamandgasengine.org/index.html

UNCLEBUCK · May 08, 2005, 10:00:52 PM

I need f/f bumper stickers and a 4x t-shirt for my road trips across the u.p. and over the big bridge because sooner or later my old diesel is going to suddenly sound like a hit and miss then I can pull over and hang my f/f shirt on my antenna and wait for all my f/f pals to save me and make me board man to earn my keep while I wait for truck to get fixed . I can eat you out of groceries right quick ! I sound like a hit and miss at the table especially if there is real maple syrup . :D :D

Grawulf · May 10, 2005, 07:51:50 AM

Corely,
DanG! I can't believe that we missed each other - I think I'd at least know Jeff If I saw him..........I think the T-shirt is a good idear. Master Jeff, any chance o doin' that? I don't wear a hat 'cause I don't want my hair to fall out any more than it is but by golly a T would get used almost every day. My brother is in advertising and could get things rolling ifn you'd be so inclined.

Jason_WI · May 10, 2005, 05:32:51 PM

I would buy a few FF Tee's myself if they were available. 3XL for me.

Jason

Jeff · May 13, 2005, 02:16:03 PM

I would love to guys, but I just dont have the cash right now to lay out to get t-shirts printed up and I really would like to get more hats as well but Ya gotta remember, I've not been in the sawbooth since last october. :-\