Weeden No. 49 - Condition Check N Value

[Szoreny]

I'm working my way through my grandmother's estate and have come across some of my grandfather's old things, including a Weeden No. 49 vertical steam engine with a nice patina.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_2kELvaKVqnk/Ss...0/P1010412.JPG

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_2kELvaKVqnk/Ss...0/P1010415.JPG

Looks like it has all its parts to me, except the burner.... The action on the wheels and pistons is nice and smooth when I spin them by hand. The view tube has some red gunk around it's base - visible in the photo below...I suppose that's some kind of home repair....

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_2kELvaKVqnk/Ss...0/P1010414.JPG

I'd like to test the engine if I could...If I've interpreted the information on the web correctly I can unscrew the little post on top of the boiler and blow compressed air into it to test the fittings and action?

Also what's the value on a weeden like this, - My grandmother once told me she was offered $400 for the engine in the 90's....but I don't see any selling on the web for that much....

thanks everybody -

[John Newman, Jr.]

Be careful if you try to run it with compressed air. These are usually made to run at under 20 psi. If you try to give it too much pressure, something could blow apart. In addition to possible personal injury, it could destroy your wonderful antique engine and / or boiler.
Be careful...