THE EXHAUST
The voice of the Ashtabula Co. Antique Engine Club, Inc.
Ruth Lazor, editor
®
Volume 31 Issue 3
March 2014
RAFFLE PRIZES
First prize in our 2014 July show raffle is a 1949 Massey Harris Pony which has been restored by
members of our club.
The Massey Harris Pony was built between 1948 and 1958 by the Massey Harris Co. in Woodstock,
Ontario, Canada to compete with the Farmall cub and the John Deere H model markets. It came equipped with
a 4-cylinder Continental gasoline engine rated at 10 HP drawbar and sold for $900 in 1948. With an optional
rear PTO with a flat belt attachment, it also had a manual lift for the implements that were a 5 ft. side-mounted
sickle bar, a disc harrow, a plow assembly and cultivators, to name a few.
The Massey Company was started in 1847, manufacturing the
world’s first mechanical threshers. Later it became known as the Massey
Harris Company and started making early gasoline tractor models in the
early 1930’s. In 1953 they merged with the Ferguson Company and became
known as the Massey Harris and Ferguson company. The name was
shortened in 1958 when they shortened to Massey Ferguson and tried to
consolidate the two product lines. They still exist today and are known as
AGCO and remain a major seller of farm equipment around the world.
(submitted by Gary Goodge)
This is not the actual raffle tractor
but is a MH Pony. Year unknown.
Second prize is a International Harvester LB 1 1/2 hp hit and miss
engine. Early publicity had identified this engine as a LA but upon further
inspection, it has been found to be a LB. There is very little difference between
these two models—namely an automatic valve oiler is on the LB. The LB model
replaced the LA in 1941. The 1 1/2-2 1/2 and 3-5 horsepower sizes were available
through 1948. A gasoline carburetor was standard equipment but could be
equipped with kerosene or natural gas carburetors making it easy for most uses.
Production of the smaller LB reached it height in 1947 with 16,600 unit. The
compact size was a major factor in its acceptance by the farmer for small jobs—even
running his wife’s washing machine.
A sheet of 8 tickets is included in this newsletter to give you a head start selling tickets. This sheet of
tickets sells for $7.00 (6 tickets for $5.00 + 2 additional $1.00 tickets). Additional tickets are available from
Ruth Lazor (440-293-7392) and Larry Lipps (440-576-5418). Tickets will also be available at all club
meetings and at the Spring Gas-Up on Saturday, May 10. Ticket stubs and money may also be returned by
mail—ACAEC, P. O. Box 168, Williamsfield, OH 44093.
Let’s make this our most successful raffle to date!
Massey Harris tractors and International engines are also our featured equipment this year.
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THE PRESIDENT’S CORNER . . . .
by Henry Lipps
Hi, Folks!
Greetings from Florida! What a winter we are having! This hits our economy quite hard. Some folks
will still be paying their heating bills in July! However, on the upside, I presume the ski slopes and other
winter sports like snowmobiling have been flourishing.
Although we don’t have a business meeting until April, your officers are still taking care of business,
such as picking up the mail, paying the electric bills, etc, keeping our food license current, and paying the real
estate tax (which is actually the Ashtabula County 911 charge billed with real estate tax bills). Thanks to
many concerted efforts, Ted Siefert recently submitted several grant applications, and we’ll keep our eyes open
for any others in order to raise funds for another building. We will pretty much be at a standstill until we can
house other items and displays. We are also making plans to move some machinery around and create a 1940
style dentist office. The building and engine from the Oil City area are still coming to our grounds. The
engine and some of the building are on the grounds, but the remainder has yet to arrive. We also voted to
accept another (large) air compressor, and will finish installing the one behind the Fairbanks building. Spring
will bring more work to the Passenger Depot where we hope to put the large center room back to original.
Bob Sergeff is installing another Fairbanks diesel engine in the west end of our big engine building. More
kitchen cabinets will be installed, paid for by donated funds from Thrivent Financial.
It is also time to dream about the future of our club. The area of small farms that sparked our interest
in primitive hand tools to horse power, steam, hit and miss engines, and to 2 or 3 plow farm tractors is about to
come to a close. The farm family that survived on 75 acres is gone. However, the story of how we got to
where we are must be shared, and those artifacts of that era must be housed. We will be looking at what
people are collecting, how we can involve those people in our club, what new displays will create interest, how
we can educate the public that attends our shows, and what interests them enough to attend seminars during the
shows.
I ask you to give your support to the people that use our grounds such as the Native American and
Bluegrass Festivals, the Andover UMC Arts and Crafts Fair, and the Lakeland Chapter of the AACA Car
Show, since we do receive a percentage of the gate admissions. Anything we can do to help these groups is
also good for our club. We currently need someone to work with Dan Strang at our Flea Market before and
during our shows. Please contact me if you are interested in helping Dan. See you in the Spring!
§§§
CRAFT COORDINATOR NEEDED
The Craft Area at our July show was started many years ago so the ladies would have something
to do while the men admired the engines. It has grown throughout the years because crafters would
come and display their handcrafted items. There have been demonstrations of wool carding, broom
making, wooden fork making and many other areas of interest.
We are in need of someone to coordinate this area in the grove by the pavilion and perhaps bring
in more crafters. It would involve sending out letters (the club pays for postage and supplies) and being
on hand to help the crafters the day before the show and the Friday morning of the show. Being a
crafter is not a pre-requisite for becoming involved. Your hours of availability are determined by you.
Please contact Ruth Lazor (440)293-7392 or Linda Lipps (330)876-1482 if you are interested .
Please help!!
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Building a buzz coil with modern day components
By John Unterwagner
I recently acquired my first Hit and Miss Engine, a 1922 Fairbanks-Morse, 1-1/2 HP, Model Z Dishpan
Engine.
The engine came with an American Bosch rotary magneto, which seemed to produce spark, but I was
unable to get the engine started with the magneto. A little research indicated that this engine originally came
from the factory with a battery and buzz coil ignition. The timer contact was in place and in working condition.
I decided that I would build a buzz coil, using modern, readily available components, to see if I could get the
engine to run.
In my stockpile of spare parts, I found an ignition coil from a Kohler single cylinder cast iron engine, and
a re-chargeable battery. A trip to the local NAPA store set me up with a 12 volt relay with a normally closed
NC contact, (meaning that the contact is closed when the relay is not energized and the contact opens when the
relay is engergized). I also picked up two automotive ignition condensers, an on-off switch, a fuse holder with
a 5 amp fuse, and some 14 AWG hookup wire.
The electrical diagram of the buzz coil setup is shown below.
Operation is as follows: When the On-Off switch is closed, and the engine timer contact is closed, the
circuit is completed. At this point, power is applied across the relay coil and the Kohler coil. As soon as the
relay energizes, the NC contact, 87A in the diagram, opens and the circuit is broken, at this time the ignition
coil produces a spark across the gap of the spark plug and the relay de-energizes, allowing the NC contact to
go closed again and start another cycle. The relay being energized and de-energized causes a buzzing sound,
hence the term buzz coil, just as it was in a Model T Ford. As long as the timer contact on the engine remains
closed, the buzz coil will produce a steady stream of spark across the spark plug.
The timer contact on the engine is controlled by the camshaft gear and is only closed for a short period just
before the engine reaches top dead center on the compression stroke. The engine timer contact remains closed
for a short period, perhaps 5 degrees of crankshaft rotation, and then goes open until the next compression
stroke.
Condenser 1 protects the timer contact on the engine and condenser 2 protects the contact in the relay, in
the same manner that the condenser protects the points in a conventional automotive distributor.
(continued on page 4)
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John’s Buzz Coil (cont.)
I packaged the whole thing in a wood box as shown in the picture below. The green wire going to the engine block is the wire labeled “Engine Ground” in the diagram. The green wire with the clip on the end is the
wire going to the “Engine Timer Contact” in the diagram. The wire coming off the top of the coil goes to the
spark plug.
After hooking up the buzz coil, I followed standard instructions, closed the choke, turned the engine over
two revolutions with the choke closed and ignition off. I then opened the choke fully and switched the ignition
on. The engine fired and ran on the first revolution! This 91 year old engine runs like a top!
Here it is all buttoned up with a lid on the box.
(continued on page 5)
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John’s Buzz Coil (cont.)
Here is a parts list for anyone who might want to build their own modern day buzz coil.
Ignition Coil Kohler # 231281*, typical is NAPA #ECH IC64
Battery
A 12 volt sealed lead acid battery with a 5 AH (amp-hour) or greater rating is recommended.
Typical NAPA # BAT ES712
Condensers Two required, any automotive condenser will do, typical is NAPA # MPE FA82SB
Relay
Any 12 volt automotive relay with a normally closed contact will do, typical is NAPA # MPE
AR272SB
Switch
Any SPST switch rated for 1 amp or more will do. Typical is NAPA # BK 7511086
Fuse Holder An in line fuse holder and 5 amp fuse is needed. Fuse Holder NAPA # BK 7823103, ATM
style fuse 5 amp NAPA # BK 7821128
Wire
14AWG stranded hookup wire, 6 feet required.
Terminals
Crimp terminals as needed.
NAPA part numbers are referenced; purchase new these parts will cost around $90.0, however most of these
parts can also be found at swap meets and on e-bay at very reasonable cost.
*Any similar coil from a Kohler cast iron single cylinder engine can be used. These coils do not require an external ballast resistor as is the case with many automotive coils.
A note on the battery, a 5 amp-hour rechargeable battery is recommended, because they are readily available,
and not too expensive. A fully charged 5 amp-hour battery will run this ignition for over 700 hours on a single
charge, that’s about 30 days. A smaller battery or even a 12 volt dry cell can be used, depending on what is
available.
§§§
Recently, we sadly said goodbye to three good friends of the Club—Lee Robishaw, Bob Lipps
and Steve Ragalyi.
Lee had been a long-time member most remembered for his love affair with John Deere green.
He owned several of these tractors and took great pride in them. Many hours were spent by him at
the club grounds mowing, mowing and more mowing. He continued this until his health would no
longer permit it. Being on the pull back tractor for our tractor pulls at the July shows was one of his
favorite jobs. His ready smile and sense of humor will be greatly missed.
Bob was a Lifetime Member. He was always ready to help, wherever his talents were
needed—from mowing grass to helping power wash the kitchen floor mats. He and his faithful dog
Duke could be seen traveling around the area, sometimes just “checking on things”. We will miss his
help.
Steve Ragalyi had not been a member for a long time but was a fixture at our shows. He was
always willing to talk tractors and farming and had a ready smile for everyone. He had been a farmer
in Gustavus for many years.
Our heartfelt sympathies are extended to each of these families for their loss.
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The following is a list of experts, printed with permission from Gas Engine Magazine. Perhaps you
will find the one person here who will be able to help you with your problem engine. Be sure to check out the
complete list—information included below. They will be more than willing to help.
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WHAT’LL YA’ BID?????
On Friday May 9, there will be an auction at the Club Grounds featuring farm primitive tools,
household primitives and country store items.. This is being held so long time member Dave Cover can “thin
out” his collection. He doesn’t have room for all that he has collected and wants to share them with others.
One of the items in the household primitives is a large collection of washing and ironing items. The farm
primitives include corn growing and harvesting items, hay knives, blacksmith tools, a fanning mill
manufactured in Ashtabula, OH, a footed churn and many, many other items.
Fred Shohayda, well-known auctioneer, will conduct the sale and also have some of his collections up
for bid. The sale will be advertised in local newspapers such as Farm and Dairy, Jefferson Gazette
publications, The Free Press and many others.
The sale will start at 9:30 a.m. and continue until all items are sold. The engine club kitchen will be
open to serve refreshments.
This will be a big sale so bring your lawn chair and plan on spending the day.
§§§
coming events
April 5
May 3
May 9
May 10
MAY 10, 11
June 7
June 20, 21, 22
June 29
July 4, 5, 6
Meeting, 7:30 p.m., Wayne Town Hall
Meeting, 7:30 p.m., Wayne Town Hall
Dave Cover Auction, at Club Grounds, 9:30 a.m.
SPRING GAS-UP
FLEA MARKET
Meeting, 7:30 p.m. at club grounds
Native American Festival
Work Day begins 9 a.m., potluck supper begins at 6 p.m.
July monthly meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.
33rd ANNUAL SHOW
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