Oil Well Supply Co.

[Brian Manning]

Hey guys, I'm new to this forum but have been hanging around in the Steamers for awhile. I need some information on a oilfield steam engine I just got the other day. Its a statiojnary steam engine built by the Oil Well Supply Co of Oil City Pa. Its a 11" x 12" b & s, Serial # 6662. It has 2 flywheels, one thats 55" x 3", and 28" x 14"-both 6 spoke, the engine has the Stephenson Link reverse motion. It was siezed solid as it hadn't turned over in nearly 60 year's! and was full of mice but I have got it free now and ready to begin to dismantle it for restoration. It is missing the piston and rod but the rest is complete. I would like to know if anyone else has one that I could contact for for help in restoring this engine. Thanks Brian Manning

[sbeates]

The 1884 Oil Well Supply catalog was reprinted so you might be able to find a copy of it at a reasonable price through www.bookfinder.com. Post a photo if you haven't had your questions answered yet and I can look it up in our catalog collection here at Drake Well Museum in Pennsylvania.
Sue

[Brian Manning]

Here is a picture (I hope) of the Oil Well Supply engine that I'm in the process of rebuilding now. I have taken it down to the very last nut, de-rusted and painted the original colours from some that was left underneath the flywheels. The cylinder has been bored out and the valve and face machined as well. I'm in the process now of making the piston and rings, plus re-doing the slides on the crosshead. Seems that this engine and alot of others were basicly copies of the Ajax engines asd were built sometime around 1920.

[Chris Austin]

I thought you might like some information on your engine out of a Oil Well supply catalog I have. Some dimensions listed as follows.

11 X 12 B&S is a 25 HP engine.
RPM 150
WEIGHT, COMPLETE 4,500 Lbs.
Price complete $435.00

"Complete" According to the catalog includes pulley,balance wheel,extra rims,throttle valve,lubricator,oil cups,pet cocks,foundation bolts and wrenches.

Hope that is some interest ot you.

[Brian Manning]

Chris, THANKS, that bit of info really helps as far as this engine goes I wonder if I can go back on the warrenty and get the missing parts!
Brian

[Brian Manning]

Chris, I was wondering if there was any way you could post the page/s from your catalouge. When I get this one running, I sure would like to put a copy of an original spec sheet in front of the engine explaining to the public what it is and its attributes. Thanks Brian

[Chris Austin]

Here is the catolog page. This is from a 1916 catolog.

[Phillip Hutchinson]

G'DAY
I-was-wondering-if-these-engines-where-used-to-drive-a-pump,why-would-they-have-reverse-links-on-them-?-(---no-space-bar)
Reagards-Phillip

[Doug Waggonner]

Phillip, These engines were first used for the drilling of an oil well, and needed the reversing to be able to power the drill out of the ground. And also to run the bailer down the hole then to lift it back out. It seems that about the time these engines got popular, Gas engines took over. More than likely because they were cheaper to run. And at the time you could buy gas engines that had a reversing clutch.

[Brian Manning]

Thanks Chris for the posting of the catalouge. The reversing handle on this one had a 4" pipe over it and had been flattened out with the gap filled up with babbit and spikes. It weighed about 75lbs when I took it off The only thing we can think of why it was there was because the operator running the rig was 30 ft from the engine and controlled it by a handle and rope, with this on the handle when you release the rope when in full reverse, it automatically moves into full forward motion pretty smart them old timers.

[Chris Austin]

Brian,

I know I have a few big toys, But it looks like a locomotive tender in front of your OWS engine. Just curious, what is it. And from what RR. Very cool

[Brian Manning]

Originally Posted by Chris Austin

Brian,

I know I have a few big toys, But it looks like a locomotive tender in front of your OWS engine. Just curious, what is it. And from what RR. Very cool

Chris, yeah I know what you mean-my toys just keep getting bigger all the time, but like a wise man told me once "if you never put your stuff in straight row, they'll will never know how much you have" This is 1 of 2-120 ton steam locomotives that I have the privledge of being the Chief Engineer over, and making a living being able to drive, fire and maintain at Heritage Park, historical village in Calgary, Alberta. We have rolling stock from 1885 up to the 1920's as well as stationary steam engines, a replical of the famous Dingman Well oil rig, a 1917 Case 65hp traction engine and farm machinery. Google Heritage Park Calgary and it should take you to our site. I have 5 engines of my own but don't get much time to play with my own stuff

[20 Reeves Highwheeler]

Originally Posted by Brian Manning

Chris, yeah I know what you mean-my toys just keep getting bigger all the time, but like a wise man told me once "if you never put your stuff in straight row, they'll will never know how much you have" This is 1 of 2-120 ton steam locomotives that I have the privledge of being the Chief Engineer over, and making a living being able to drive, fire and maintain at Heritage Park, historical village in Calgary, Alberta. We have rolling stock from 1885 up to the 1920's as well as stationary steam engines, a replical of the famous Dingman Well oil rig, a 1917 Case 65hp traction engine and farm machinery. Google Heritage Park Calgary and it should take you to our site. I have 5 engines of my own but don't get much time to play with my own stuff

Brian,
You do have some neat toys to play with! It is good to see you there.
Gary

[survivingworldsteam]

Originally Posted by Phillip Hutchinson

G'DAY
I-was-wondering-if-these-engines-where-used-to-drive-a-pump,why-would-they-have-reverse-links-on-them-?-(---no-space-bar)
Reagards-Phillip

Here is a picture of a steam rotary drilling:



It has a locomotive-type fire tube boiler on the left. The engine turning the rotary table and raising the drill string through the crown block on top is just hidden behind the boiler (you can see the flywheel); the pair of mud pumps are on the right.

The exhaust for the steam engine is that black pipe to the right of the boiler smokestack. You can just barely see the steam line coming from the steam dome and branching off to the steam engine; it then runs out to the steam pumps. The discharges for the mud pumps goes up to the top of the drill string; the suctions would have been down in a mud pit next to the well.

I have a picture of the engine itself; but not online; but you can see that as Doug said, the engine would have run the derrick itself. The mud pumps are a pair of duplex pumps; both this rig on display in Jennings, LA and the Spindletop rig on display at the Texas Energy Museum in Beaumont, TX had pumps made by the Stilwell-Bierce & Smith-Vaile Co. of Dayton, OH.

-James Hefner
Hebrews 10:20a

Surviving World Steam Project

[Brian Manning]

Here's an update on the progress of the restoration of the Oil Well Supply steam engine. The engine cylinder casting is back from the machine shop were I had it bored out to get rid of the pitting (damm mice ) and polish the slide valve faces. The engine was pulled down to the very last bolt and every piece was de-rusted, re-built or replaced. The cylinder casting is re-installed on a freshly painted engine bed. The mains were scrapped and re-fitted and the reverse gear was all removed and bushed or re-made to take up all the lost motion, and boy was there alot Made a new piston,rings and piston rod as they had been removed years ago and were not with the engine when I pulled it apart. I'm in the process now of machining a insert for the cross head to accept the piston rod as the old cast iron threads were too brittle for the punishment that it would get in operation. It won't be long now untill its complete. When I get it finished I will post a picture or 2 of it, can't wait to hook it up and run on live steam

[Brian Manning]

Well, here she is Had a fairly nice day on Friday and managed to get alot done. Finished timing the Stephenson link reverse, (took up almost 3/8" lost motion) pinstripping, new piston rod packings and a few finishing paint touchups. I'm working on rebuilding the original throttle valve that was on it as well but someone took the disk and the insides are as badly pitted as the cylinder. Also rebuilding an original solid maple wagon frame (to mount the OWS engine on) that was built by The Adams Wagon Co. Ltd, Brantford Ontario Canada, sometime before 1909 as that was the time that cockshutt Plow Co bought them out. This wagon frame still has the original stenciling on the back and will be done in the original colours. Should make for a real smart looking outfit. My plan is to be able to pull it behind our 65 Case steam engine and run a steam line to it and run it REAL SLOW for everyone to enjoy. Hope you enjoy.