What to do with finished projects?

Over the course of 30 years I've finished a few steam & Hit-n-miss engine projects. At age 75, I'm thinking I won't be here forever and am wondering what does one do with these beautiful, carefully finished, and completely useless lumps of brass & cast iron? My son would probably like to have one and that's about it. Each one represents hundreds of hours of work, not to mention hundreds of dollars in materials and paint But probably zero value to most people.

So, what do you all do with finished projects?

Ebay, scrapyard or give away with a wish of donating to homes for stray dogs and humans.
Making has been more fun than watching TV

I donate to local museums, schools, etc.

One of my large scale projects, an International Harvester Scout II, is in my trust to be donated to a local airplane group as it was built to honor WWII fighter and Bomber Pilots.

I find it more rewarding to let others enjoy my projects than to try to make a "quick buck".............

Many of us in that age group are faced with the same problem. A man I knew had made a series of all brass train engines following the evolution of the steam engine. He was going to give the collection to the local museum and when he talked to the museum he was told that they would take them but they could not guarantee that they would ever be displayed as a matter of fact they pretty much told him that they would probably just be put in storage and never displayed. He finally ended up selling them to a local businessman who probably bought them for less than he had originally paid for the brass but he put them on display in his office and set them up and ran them as a promotion for his business.

Many of us would love to give them to someone who would appreciate them but our family has no interest in them other that something to put on the mantel for a few weeks. My father made two hit and miss engines and I inherited them since I had an interest in them and would appreciate them. My brothers would not have a clue as to how to run them and were pretty bored when my father tried to show them what he had done.

I have been gradually giving away many of my engines over the years, mainly to friends and relatives who have shown an interest in them.

I don't really have anyone to leave them to, so my way of doing it is to stop them being thrown into a box and down to the local tip at the first opportunity when my shop is cleaned out by someone who doesn't actually know what they are.

I have had my enjoyment out of them, so I'm giving someone else the chance to enjoy them for a short while.

John

Well, this year a friend and I attended the NAMES show, at Wyandotte, Michigan. Between us we had some rare stuff, I had a Stuart V10 which was the only one I found in anybody else's display. In any case, 2 people asked if I'd sell one, and how much. I was surprised, I didn't think there would be a market for such things. Maybe shows would be a good place for sales?

I have no idea what will happen to mine when I'm gone. Doesn't really matter, I guess. I'll be done with them. Maybe I'll have my favorite packed with me in my casket. This leads me to another thought, but I won't hijack the thread, I'll start another about that soon.

TC

I would think something hand-built would make a wonderful memento to a relative or friend, especially if they shared your own enthusiasm for the hobby & what goes into models.

I don't have a clue how the Miniature Engineering Museum works in terms of model donations, but I can say it was one best places I ever visited because of the collection diversity & calibre. Its very well managed, models are nicely positioned for display... http://craftsmanshipmuseum.com/

Those who really want engines are the same who will pay well for them. Even those wishing for a novelty over an appreciation for craftsmanship. Craigslist, Ebay, enthusiast forums and swap met/ flea markets some venues to market through. For donations, charitable organizations who fund raise at fairs and car shows.... and trade schools that have machine shops will display with a tag line of, "What you learn here today, what you build tomorrow"! And who doesn't think a model engine would not attract new students to a trade! Pass some of your heirlooms to loved ones and spread around some of your legacy to the rest of the world!

I will give my projects to others and sell my unused castings on eBay.

I feel that I no longer need additional funds from selling a finished project on eBay and the ending sales price is beyond many beginners or folks just wanting one.

I only hope that by doing such I might interest someone in this crazy hobby.

Another problem is what happens to our machine, tooling and misc equipment. I have visions of hundreds of dollars worth of cutters, tool bits, set up equipment etc just dumped in the trash. Also what happens to the machines themselves? Like the old joke "I am afraid that my wife may sell the machines for what I told her I paid for them".

It has been pointed out from time to time that labeling things is a good idea. Because the one sorting may not know what he/she is looking at, it would probably be a good idea to make a label or tag that tells what it is and any accompanying information (such as "This is a scale model of the Major-Whatsis located at the Acme Processing Enterprise founding site.") as well as a destination for it if that has been decided.

As for machines or such, it would probably be a good idea to have your executor know who to call for help with certain things. (I.E.: when faced with surgery I told my wife who to call to get files and personal information off my multiple computers before passing them on.) The attorney who prepared my will included a clause in the will that references a separate document which lays out these things so that that separate list can be changed and updated whenever necessary without going through the process of making a new will. Of course, that probably varies by location.

--ShopShoe

You find a young guy like me who loves model engineering and wants to maintain and cherish old engines and tooling for years to come (for the next 35 to 40 years) if I'm lucky.

I'm 38 years old and LOVE engines and old tools.

A friend of mine 60+ retired from the hobby and sold me all of his old tools (some were his grandfathers) and I keep them stored safely in my shop. I will never sell them until I'm old and grey and find a younger guy willing to take care of them.

The only way to keep this hobby going is to find young guys who are truly appreciative of the craftsmanship and time that goes into these projects.

Donating your engines to a museum means they will sit there as static displays and be viewed by people who don't really know what they are looking at!

Donate or sell them to a young guy in the hobby...they will be brought to shows, maintained, talked about, and preserved for many years to come. Don't let the iPhones and video games win!

Finding a museum that will actually display models is a problems. Most museums have way more 'stuff' than they have display space, so they need to be careful in what they display, what they store, and what they sell off. I think every museum has terms in their gift agreements that give them the right to sell any donated item. So what you think is going to a museum may just turn up on ebay, but being sold by the museum.

There is the craftsmanship museum in CA, started by Joe Martin of Sherline. I have not been there, but have looked at their web site. I am sure that none of my models would match the quality of the items displayed there, so if I donated mine they would likely get sold off.

I think The Cabin Fever auction has become the best place to sell models and related machinery. The audience are mostly modelers, with some collectors. At least everyone there will know what the items are and will value them.

As I see it there are only about four options.

1. Sell to someone who appreciates the item, whether engine, clock, carving or whatever. Unless the model is unique or of extremely outstanding quality don't expect to get anything near what you have invested, particularly in the time that has been put into it.
2. Give them away. Here again I would only give them to someone who shows a great interest. Otherwise when the novelty wears off they will probably end up in a dumpster somewhere.
3. Donate to a facility that might display them. Here again they have to meet the criteria spelled out in #1.
4. The last thing is don't worry about it.
As I try to explain to my wife my engines, models, artwork and everything that I have created over the years is me and who I am. Building, sharing, painting etc. brought me pleasure throughout my life. No one else will ever have the personal attachment to these 'things' like I do so when I'm no longer here it really doesn't matter.
In sharing my work with other people over the years these people knew me and I knew them. We both enjoyed a like interest. When I'm gone and they're gone Joe Smith in Timbuktu doesn't know who I was and in most cases could possibly care less so don't worry about it.
My greatest wish is that the talents of so many gifted artisans could be shared with future generations, especially the things that we as craftsman/builders do. The metal hobby as we know it is dying off and in the not to distant future no one will know how these things were created.
gbritnell

Hi,

I've only made one engine so far and a couple of cannons (no working). I intend to keep building until I'm longer able.

I hope one of my 5 kids will want what Dad built. Or maybe even of the grandkids when we get them.

If not, ebay or gifts or the bin. Kinda sad but that's life.

Ben.

Well guess we all face the same thing, I have a collection on had tools and old mechanic book back to the 30's Machinist book back to the 1800's and only one machine that a fellow gave me that is a pumping jack that he posted here years ago, worth posting again, I value it and the tools, they were given to me because they saw a good steward of what they had and hope someday I will find that good steward, we will know them, have a friend that has several gas engine he built and air operated would never ask for them but only in a weak moment, I have not built but only two engine that are not much but plans are for some in the future, many projects in the way, got a full time job, house, large garden wife and a little dog that runs the house, stated with a lathe then got one to make parts for it and a few parts for the neighbors well talk gets around and soon some of the old machinist that had there kids sell most of the tooling but could not move the lathes, I now have 9 lathes, one that is still not in place in the shop was Lehman 20" swing with a 13 foot bed, the old timer told me if I don't take it the kids are going to bring it to the scrap yard, while loading it one of the little smart A_ _ e said that they were going to sell it for scrap, told him to check with the scrap yard tell them its cast, they don't want cast in this area, I would pay him, blank stare (it was built in 1926) and sold only a few miles from my home, while unloading it by my self a fellow and his wife pull up did not know them, they asked me if I would take a lathe out of his shop with all the tooling because same story, what do you tell an old couple that can hardly walk, building a skid to put it on so I can move it, (16" swing with 13 foot bed) built in 1916, that is the finest, tight late I have ever seen, my son asked me about a 9" South Bend A lathe that I have he said it would fit in garage, while talking he took that dam cell phone and looked on ebay to see what it would resell for, when he got done I told him, if at all possible I and the others will be in the hands of a good steward not a reseller, again blank stare, I appreciate a man with a mind that can do what you fellow do, If I stop getting lathes maybe I can make something, I read a lot here but don't always post, want to say thanks for sharing your knowledge, there has been a lot of copy and paste then file and printed in my books of your projects, hope to repeat them some day, thanks, Joe

Suggestions:

1. Cabin Fever Auctions. Ive been there many times but often the problem (for me) is that they get a good penny for most of the stuff auctioned off. Ive seen locomotives go for as much as a sports car.

2. Museums are a possibility only if you can find one that fits what you have to give away. That is they could fit the item in with their on going displays. Otherwise the items are likely to get auctioned off.

3. You could E-Bay the models yourself and also you can get rid of tooling this way. The problem is shipping and getting a decent price.

4. Sell the stuff locally via clubs or other avenues. Locomotives are always of interest at train clubs. As is machine shop equipment. A lot of tooling gets moved at flea markets so that is a good possibility.

5. Give away stuff to youths in the neighborhood. Seriously the old guy down the road opened my eyes to the concept of craftsmanship, in this case custom guns and promoted my model rocketry. It doesn't need to be much either, especially if you as a kid have little to himself. In fact little is better because you don't want the kid hurting himself. The idea here is simple models and tools to promote an interest.

6. Schools are always a possibility, especially technically oriented ones. Finding one that needs tooling is maybe a bit more difficult these days but the schools are still out there. Models engines might not be that useful but on the other hand they are good discussion pieces and teaching aids.


Of course there us another way to look at this. Why not enjoy your stuff for as long as possible and not worry about it when you are gone. A lot f things could happen after you kick. After you are gone, Putin could drop a nuke on your house melting everything into a slag. You won't care six feet under. Maybe that is a little to dark and depressing to think about but I'm not a big fan of the idea of controlling things after my death. Basically you have no control at that point nor should you.

One of the best things you can do in my mind is to clearly mark your tools and the things you build. Over the years I've purchased a lot of used stuff, especially hand tooling, and frankly i like to see the names of the former owners on the tool. It makes the tool into something that is a bit more than a piece of cold iron and it helps to encourage you to carry on in those footsteps. In a slightly different way a plaque or engraving on a model increases its value. Well it does to me.

What should that Plaque have on it? Good question!!!!!
How about:
1. The name of the Prototype if any.
2. The year the prototype was built. Its scale also!
3. The start and finished dates for the model build.
4. Your name.

Why all of that? Well if someone buys this unit and wants to put it on display, you will have covered most of the information that people will ask about. It adds history and frankly demonstrates that you cared enough to put your name on the work. In other words a little plaque adds a lot of value, you see this at auctions where engines with no history end up going for junk prices.

Earlier this year I attended a "Steampunk Tech Fair" or something like that. Multiple venors selling really old equipment, tools, microscopes etc. Lots of cool stuff, and lots of guys like us. One of them had 3 model steam engines. Those steam engines attracted more attention than anything else in the room. i waited 45 minutes just to talk to the guy. Te sold 2 of his engines for WAY more than I would have paid, and people were bidding against each other. These engines weren't anything special, except the last one which wasn't for sale. every time i looked over at him someone was asking about that last engine and he was shaking his head "no".
So look for that sort of event in a town near you!

I would add, stamp or engrave your full name, city and date of build on the bottom somewhere. That sort of thing is cherished by each new custodian in future years.

Mine just go in the shed but I'll probably try and sell them on ebay at some point to make room.

After all the time. After all the money. I may look at the finished project for a day or so... then it goes into the garbage can. Don't have anyone interested. Don't have anyone that even wants some of these things...AND I don't have room to keep this stuff in the shop OR in the home. This is why my New Years resolution is to quit making these wonderful trinkets.