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Miniature Maytag Engine

Posted: Sun Aug 17, 2003 8:58 pm
by icemaker
Does anyone know if Norman Brockelsby is still around and making the castings for the scale model matag twin engine? I saw a picture on the front of a back issue of Strictly IC and the source was listed as Norman's Miniatures. I couldn't find any information for this. Thanks.

Re: Miniature Maytag Engine

Posted: Thu Sep 01, 2005 7:55 pm
by pstephens
I realize that this reply is pathetically late, but I only just discovered this forum.

I know the engine you're referring to, as I am the builder. It was completed in early 1994, and Mr. Washburn was gracious enough to place it on the magazine cover.

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Norman's Miniatures was the business name for Norman Brocklesby's model engine enterprise. He produced a number of model engine kits, foremost among them the 2-cyl Maytag, and an FD/FH Briggs & Stratton. I have the Briggs kit, but have yet to start on it.

Unfortunately, I have not kept in contact with Norman for the past ten years, or so. He was well into retirement when we last corresponded, and I don't know if he's still around. The last time I saw him was at the '95 NAMES show, I believe. I remember him as a wonderful old guy, extremely helpful, and very prolific in the model engine hobby. He was so tickled when one of "his" engines showed up on the cover of a magazine!

Here's a picture of one of his Briggs engines (1/2 scale, 1-1/8" bore):

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If anyone would like to try contacting him, here is the most recent info I have:

Norman Brocklesby
1127 1/2 North Sherman
Grand Island, NE 68803
(308) 382-5766

Re: Miniature Maytag Engine

Posted: Fri Sep 02, 2005 9:50 pm
by icemaker
Beautiful work on your engine. I would really like to build one. I did find that address shortly after I originally posted here and sent a letter. It was not returned by the post office and I never received a reply. Thanks for the reply and again, very nice work. Bill

Re: Miniature Maytag Engine

Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2005 2:04 pm
by pstephens
Thanks for the kind words!

If you're still interested in building a Maytag engine model, there's a guy named Brad Smith who sells casting kits for the Maytag upright and fruit jar engines (half-scale, I believe). They're not the highest quality castings in the world, but a talented builder could make a really fine model with them. Here's a picture of a model made from one of the upright kits. Sorry, I don't remember the name of the builder:

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Source of casting kits:

Brad Smith
7574 S. 74th Street
Franklin, WI 53132
(414) 529-3440

Re: Miniature Maytag Engine

Posted: Sun Sep 25, 2005 7:04 pm
by Kelly T
Last I heard of Norman Brockelsby he was living in an nursing home. This is just the scuttle butt aroung the shows though!

Kelly T

Re: Miniature Maytag Engine

Posted: Tue Nov 26, 2013 4:18 pm
by corlissbs
Noman passed away. I used to have his obit, but I don't anymore.

In regards to my casting kits of both the Upright Maytag and the Fruit Jar Maytag, I no longer sell castings. I had kept a few pieces of each part in a box to replace castings that had been damaged, etc, but since so long of a time had past, I put the last castings into sets and sold them off. Every once in a while, one of my casting sets or finished models does show up on Ebay.

Brad Smith
Franklin, WI

Re: Miniature Maytag Engine

Posted: Thu Nov 28, 2013 9:17 am
by JackF
It's always nice to see an old thread revived. Thanks for the info Brad. :)

Jack.