Florida Flywheelers at the
Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park
Thanksgiving Old Tyme Farm Days

We went to the Suwannee Music Park on Monday, November 25, 1996 for The Old Tyme Farm Days. This was Thanksgiving week so we mixed the show in along with a visit to our daughter's place near Gainesville. Tuesday, we were set up with the ol' Jaeger running on display for the area school kids, who had a great day viewing the demonstrations of the old ways. I think they had their best fun riding the mule drawn wagons and every now and again those mules would beller out a loud HEEE-HAAW! Actually, I think the driver had a rope connected to one of the mule's tails because they were doing the he-haw quite often. I had my internet display sign on the engine and I think the kids connected better with that than the old iron.

We spent Thursday at Debbie's home along with Heather and other friends and family. I put the Jaeger out on the lawn and give it a run to show them what this crazy new hobby is all about. Checking into the stationary-engine mail list, I also found out that more than a few families were having their own engine runnings for the holiday.

Friday, we returned back to the show to find even more activity. Sonny and Clara Carter of Lakeland, FL had a Grist Mill setup going for grinding corn meal. Jeannie was wearing her "Harry's OLD ENGINE Home Page" T-shirt that we made on our new color printer and when Sonny saw it we made an internet connection. Sonny is scarter375@aol.com if you'd like to write to him.

Here's Sonny Adjusting the carb on the ol' Fairbanks-Morse 6HP "Z" engine:

Each time you add a horse to these old engines they get two steps bigger and heavier. That's sure an interesting belt idler and pulley setup. After Sonny started and adjusted the engine, he just dropped the belt on the engine pulley and away it went. I also took note that it has a Sumter Plugoscillator Magneto/Igniter, the same as my 3HP Fairbanks does.

Here are some of the other neat engines I found around the show area:

Point AND click for enlargements!

A rare single flywheel, open hopper New Holland.
A Sandow Lines with lots of brass and neat wood.
A Gray Motor Company 2-1/2HP Farm Engine.

And right in the middle of it all, there sat a MAGNETO CHARGER on the back bumper of a motor home! I guess I can walk right by things and not see them. This also happened when I stumbled onto an old pump for sale - just what I needed for my Fuller and Johnson pump jack engine. At least I got to watch as Jud Behe put a charge into a WICO magneto. Evidently plans are available to construct this charger, but the problem is that after buying the materials and doing the work, the project can get expensive. Very interesting!