IndianaRog and the Temple of Steam
Toy and model steam engines and turbines by Jensen, Karsten, Mamod, Stuart, Empire, LiNEy & others plus engine videos with sound & helpful restoration tips
Empire Steam Engines
A little something about Empire: Click Here
Engines in this Collection:
(click hyperlink to jump to that engine type)
Approx. Dates Model
1926-30......................Model B-42 Twin Cylinder/Twin Boiler/Cast iron base
1921-31......................Model B-31 Vertical Boiler/Cast iron base
1921-41......................Model B-30 Horizontal Boiler/Cast iron base
1925-40......................Model B-35 Turbine/Cast iron base
Accessories in this Collection:
(click hyperlink to jump to that accessory)
1933-40......................Model B-47 Ferris Wheel
1939-?.......................Model #50 Water Pump
1935-53......................Model #56 Windmill and Water Pump
1930-?.......................Model B-34 Variable Speed Unit and Windlass
The Empire cast iron based engines are a close favorite to my Jensens, with similar "tank-like" construction. Unfortunately there is much less history, folklore and data available on Empires compared to Jensen. Empire's parent company Metal Ware Corporation of Twin Rivers, WI U.S.A. went out of business in the '60's, having made all manner of steam engines, steam accessories and other toys since the 1920's.
One gentleman named Don Stilson has done a yeomans job of accumulating, photographing and publishing more information on Empires and the Metal Ware Corporation than anyone I'm aware of. Don's Website features his own significant collection of steam toys and he can be contacted via the website about purchasing his superb Empire book published in 2005. Don is also the only source I am aware of for a limited group of Empire replacement parts such as chimney stacks, whistle tops and wood knobs which are often found missing on eBay or attic finds. I've bought all from him and the quality was top notch.
My interest in Empire relates solely to their toy steam engine and accessory line, further refined to their four cast iron based engine models. Empire also made a number of pressed sheet metal engine models, but as I have learned quickly, you have to focus, or pursue the impossible task of trying to collect everything. Finding all four cast iron based engines wasn't too difficult with the help of eBay where I picked up three and a private collector sold me the fourth. All four were electrically heated and include the B-30 horizontal, B-31 vertical, B-35 turbine and B-42 twin boiler-twin cylinder. I have restored all but the B-35 and will get to that eventually.
I've also managed to locate four of the pressed steel Empire steam accessories which are very well made. So far I've located the B-47 ferris wheel, #50 water pump, #56 windmill-pump and the #B-34 variable speed windlass all in original, perfectly good condition.
There are several other unique accessories that were made, that include the #52 circular table saw and #48 carousel-like rotating swing. I've seen pictures in Don's book, but so far I have never seen one in the flesh or for sale. I would be interested if anyone reading this has a #48 swing for sale or trade.
One very appealing feature of the Empire cast iron based engines is the one piece cast brass engine frame/cylinder combination with internal steam lines. Simply put, everything painted RED above the boiler is heavy brass except for the wooden valve knobs and everything painted RED below the boiler is of made of cast iron. Pistons and connecting rods are also heavy brass construction with built in piston oil grooves, something usually found on only the best engines.
Empire Accessories
In addition to their cast iron based engines, Empire did another thing very right. They made a set of pressed steel accessories different and more robust than any others by any maker I have seen.
I know some of the Nurembourg makers had pumps, windmills and waterfalls for example, but the guage of tin used in them seems less than half that in the Empire group. I think the Empire accessories were truly built to be kid-tough, and as a result they have lasted well and by the numbers seen on eBay, they made a lot of them.
Using Stilson's book (bible), I have been able to confirm model numbers, approximate years of mfg. and even the official names. As best I can tell there were 7 total accessories made. So far I've collected four of them...the B-47 ferris wheel, #50 water pump, #56 windmill-pump and the #B-34 variable speed unit and windlass all in original, perfectly good condition. A few of these had different numbers and slight modifications over the years of production, but these four seem to be the core "available pieces".
There are several other unique accessories that were made, but either they were not that popular or maybe didn't hold up that well, but I have NEVER seen one in the flesh or on eBay. They are pictured in Stilson's book, so at least one of each was made!! These rare pieces include the #48 carousel-like rotating swing, #51 buffer and grinder and #52 circular table saw. I would be interested if anyone reading this has a #48 swing for sale or trade, the other two are nice to haves but I can live without them.
Empire B-42 Twin Cylinder Twin Boiler
My B-42 pictured below was running upon receipt, but just barely.
The two heaters were dying and sending tingling current leakage into
the boilers accompanied by lots of water squirting everywhere from bad
gaskets. NOT a good combination! As with most of my
engines, the B-42 got a top to bottom overhaul including cleaning and
rewiring the heaters, new gaskets, rust removal-new paint and lots of
polishing. The B-42 results turned out pretty
dazzling if I say so myself (I'm my #1 fan by the way), hence it's the
"Cover Girl" for this section of the website.
1926
Empire B- 42 Twin Cylinder Steam Engine
Empire B-31 Vertical Boiler
Although the B-42 is a pretty impressive looking piece and desirable in part because they are hard to get...it is NOT my favorite Empire.
1921-31 Empire B-31 Vertical
Favorite Empire honors have to go to my B-31 vertical which is really just a B-30 horizontal turned on end. I'll get to the B-30 in a little bit. Pictured to the right, you can tell this is a stout piece just by hefting it your hand.
The engine and boiler are of very solid brass stock, with the base of solid cast iron. Using Don's Empire book, I'd place the dating of this piece between 1921-1931
Aside from the stout construction aspect I like of these engines, the best part of the B-31 is the really unique chuffing sound it makes under steam. I think that is caused by the piston and cylinder orientation, but whatever the reason, it is a delight to run and listen to. It is the 2nd most popular cast iron Empire in my opinion, based on frequency of seeing them on eBay today.
Click below to see an instant video via YouTube:
Empire B-30 Horizontal
The B-30 was actually the first Empire I acquired having spotted it on eBay and thinking it was both robust looking and quite charming. I knew nothing about them, but I figured it had to be a substantial piece just by the shipping weight!!
Don Stilson's book indicates this model was popular and had a long production run from 1921 to 1941. The popularity and resultant number made explains why this is the most frequently seen cast iron Empire on eBay today...there is usually one or more for sale each week.
As received the engine was an eager runner, but likewise an eager leaker. Unlike Jensens where you can get all the gaskets you need with a toll free phone call, Empires don't come with that luxury. It's a trip to the hardware store with engine in hand and a sheepish grin asking "do you have something that will fit this" (then 20 minutes explanation of what "this" is). Ultimately a few gaskets end up being store bought from the toilet washer section and the rest home made from flat gasket stock!!
Nearly all old steam engines with sight glasses arrive on their new owners door step as leakers...that is practically a given unless a prior, recent owner did the honors and sometimes even those are less than perfect. I won't go into gasketing further here, but check the tab "Restorer's Toolbox" which I will be populating with trivial little time savers and repair solutions as I get to it. Fixing the sight glass gaskets and getting the stack/pressure valve to be steam tight are both covered in that section.
Click below to see an instant video via YouTube:
Empire B-35 Turbine
When
you have 3 of a set, you close your eyes and buy the 4th regardless of
it being somewhat homely. Why Empire couldn't have designed a
turbine with a bit less of a megaphone look is beyond me, but here it
is in all it's glory. Stilson's book notes that original Empire literature referred to the B-35 as "a miniature duplicate of a large, single-phase steam turbine, with a fascinating turbine hum and unexcelled for speed". Maybe a single-phase steam turbine actually looked like this???? Though not one of my favorites, maybe it will grow on me once I give it a new paint job, polish it up and run it.
To build the B-35, Empire simply took the B-30 design and modified the engine frame to direct steam inside the "dome" to spin the free wheeling turbine fan disk. As originally made, the bladed turbine disk was covered with a bit of screen, probably put there to keep kids from sticking fingers or other objects in harms way, but most screens have either been lost or pitched over the years. Easy enough fix and I'll add one back when I restore it.
Of the four cast Empires, I believe this one to be 3rd in popularity just based on what comes up on eBay.
Ferris Wheel
1940. It has six swinging seats and powers nicely from most any engine, though for realistic effect the engine needs to be run at low speed...I don't think ferris wheels are meant to spin like a circular saw!These come up from time to time on eBay. Just pay attention to whether piece you are looking at has all it's bits. Seats are occasionally missing as are the flared guides that the spring belt must ride on. Replacements for those could be made, but there seem to be enough pieces out there that you can find a complete one. Some come with a white Empire decal in the center of the red base, mine had no evidence of one ever being there, so maybe it was year dependent?
If you find one without the drive belt, not to worry...just hook a couple of Wilesco or Jensen 9" belts together and they work perfectly, that's what I used.
Water Pump
and built in check valves is evidence this was not meant to just be a pretty face. As the drivewheel is powered, a linkage works the piston up and down and out pours the water into a little square extension of an underneath 4 oz. reservoir for recycling over and over. This thing actually works and works quite well.
Watch for rust however on the pressed steel parts and ask the seller for condition of the steel if not evident in pictures. My guess is the rusty ones never got emptied after use...drat those kids!
It's probably the easiest accessory of Empire's to find on eBay and they come up quite often. I bought mine as part of a pair of items photographed poorly. I didn't want the mongrel steam engine it came with, took a few better pictures and put that back on eBay. The mongrel sold for enough that my pump netted out free of cost. I don't pull off such deals very often unfortunately.
If you get one with a sloppy linkage like mine had, a simple fix is a small ball bearing on the flared side of each linkage rivet, block of hard wood on the other and a pair of vice grips to squish things together a bit. The ball bearing needs to be about 3/8" to flare properly and it doesn't take much pressure. When all is done, a drop of oil on the linkage and you are good to go.
Windmill and Water Pump Combined
It is also a big piece, 21" in height. The drive wheel getting power from the steam engine directs that power two ways: UP to turn the windmill blades via a very long drive spring and it also directly connects to the water pump. Image is supposed to be a windmill driving a water pump but it's really a steam engine driving both. Pretty sharp how I figured that out, huh?
This accessory was a very popular piece and was in production from 1935 til 1953. Mine is the B-56 model, but an earlier iteration was called the B-36...similar but a little different. Notice the little white Empire logo on the tail, same one as on the windlass.
The pump mechanism is identical to the model 50 pump shown above and can be seen in the closeup below. Again, if you are shopping for one of these, watch for rusted metal bases which are as prevalent as seen on the model 50 pump and probably for same reason. Like the Ferris Wheel, you will need a long spring belt to reach the wind vane at the top. I linked two 9" long Jensen belts together and with a bit of stretch they work fine.
Windlass and Variable Speed Unit
Yes, that is the official name, but I just think of it as "the windlass". 
Empire number was B-34 and they made them from 1930 on, though production end date is unclear as with many Empire items. I have only seen a couple come up on eBay in several years of browsing, so the rule of popularity is probably in play again.
I bought mine as another package deal, though it came with some original Empire literature, so I was quite pleased with my "find". Notice the little white angular Empire logo in the center of this piece. That same logo decal appears on other pieces like the Ferris Wheel and Windmill, but my examples don't seem to have ever had it. It may have been done certain years only or crumbled off without a trace?
I can picture this used in some sort of Meccano setup to control power and feedline to a crane. Unfortunately I don't have any Meccano (Erector Sets to us Yanks) pieces to give it a try, so it will remain just a shelf queen until then.
I have made a video of my Empire B-31 vertical engine powering all these accessories at once...pretty good load but it did the job...enjoy:
Click below to see an instant video via YouTube:
