Bessemer 8hp vert.

[TSmith]

I'm currently looking at a Bessemer 8hp vertical engine and have a few questions.

1)The engine is missing the Bessemer tag. Are they difficult/impossible to locate for the 8hp?

2)I have no experience running these 2 cycle engines, is there anything that I need to be careful about?

3)Is there a group that specializes in Bessemer engines?

Many thanks in advance for any help,

Tom
tsmith@hal-pc.org

[Andrew Mackey]

Are you sure it is a Bessemer? Detroit engine works also built a similar engine, using the middleditch injector system. As for running - oil does not get mixed with fuel! The piston and wrist pin, as well as the big end con rod bearing, are lubricated by the oiler. The crank mains are lubricated by grease cups, which also provide an atmospheric seal for the crankcase. 1/4 turn every hour should do. This engine should run well, in either direction Make sure you have water in the cylender - running dry may crack the cylender, due to excessive heat.
Andrew

[TSmith]

Thanks Andrew. That's the kind of general info poop I was looking for on this engine. I was aware of the Middleditch engines that Bessemer bought out, in fact, I have a photo that looks identical to the later Bessemer produced gear. Apparently Bessemer made very few modifications to the original design which makes positive identification difficult. I'm trying to run down proof that it is a Bessemer by getting to the original tag or the mounting dimensions of the tag. The original holes are there so I may be able to match up what Bessemer did with these tags if it's any different than Middleditch.

Thanks again,
Tom

[John Davis]

Tom,

I'm pretty sure that your engine is a bessemer, I don't believe Middleditch engine Co. made a engine with a removable head. I know for a fact that Detroit Engine Works did not.

John Davis

[JKWidener]

What model of Bosch magneto does this engine have?

[Kevin Kusel]

Tom I have a 8 HP Detroit vertical engine. Can get you anything you need is way of photos and so on.

Kevin Kusel

[Randy Y.]

just a friendly comment here..i've owned several upright bessies in various horsepowers..from personal experience in owning them,plus reading,plus personal observations at shows,they did not only come with bosch mags..i've owned bessies that used,dixie,elkhart and 2 styles of bosch,plus i've seen sumpters being used also..an old book i have says that 2,4,6hps came standard with battery n coil ignition,where as the 8and 10hps came with rotary high tension magnetos...no where does it name any 1 specific mag brand used..also another book i have mentions and shows a friction drive mag driven off the flywheel could be ordered as an extra..so hope this helps...

Randy

[Randy Y.]

also wanted to mention about the tags used on upright bessemers..i used to live within 2 miles of the bessemer factory in grove city pa..a few original engines i came across in farm sheds had brass tags which read Machine Shop Equipment of Grove City..the tags were the same exact size n located on the base door,just like where the bessemer tags are usually found..i once came across a former employee of the grove city plant that claimed that all the remaining parts for uprights was sold off to a local machine shop that continued to produce engines on order,until the parts supply was exhausted..i have no written proof of this mans story though,nor did i ever do any further research..
Randy

[John Derby]

Hi Tom,

I have a Bessemer 8 HP vertical parts engine for sale on Harry's site complete with the magneto but it too is missing the tag. Email me for details if interested. My engine was rigged to run on natural gas, not gasoline. Needs sleeved.