What a great evening !! You must be so pleased with the community response. You put much effort in the production -what a great success. Enjoyed it immensely—especially your commentary. You have a real talent !
Bruce
Thank you so much for the movie that was shown here in Watford this past Thursday night. My name is Debra Searson and I would just like to share with you my granddaughter’s view of the movie. I was not able to go this past Thursday evening, so on our trip to London Sat. afternoon I was told all about it. The joy and laughter in her voice as she told me about Neil Werden turning the crank was just wonderful to here. Michela is 9 years old and she and two of her friends were there to see the movie with one of her friends mom. She told me about the people in the movie and the man who built it from” scratch Nana , from scratch.” She went on and on about it. Neil is one of her Sunday school teachers and she talked to him this morning. What a great thing to get these young ones interested in. So thank you once again for doing something so wonderful and showing our young ones what can be done. Deb
Just came from the world premier in Watford Ontario for the “Maxmobile”. It was AWESOME!!!, great job Max!! My two sons (age 11 and 7) loved it too, and are proud to be your cousin (they are Laurena Carrothers great grandsons).
Murlena Somerville
When David Maxwell began operations in the 1890′s, large electric motors were scarce and expensive. Blacksmith shops and early machine shops were often powered by one large gasoline engine that turned a line shaft the length of a small building. Along that length of large steel tubing were numerous pulleys and belt shifters that powered individual machines. Speeds were changed by shifting the long leather belts from one pully to another thereby increasing or decreasing an individual machines speed with respect to the speed of the line shaft. The early engines were started by turning a large flywheel that had to be spun by a very muscular arm. Once started the engine would run at a governed speed until its spark was grounded out or its fuel supply interupted. The belts had tensioners that were engaged with a long lever, otherwise they idled around the line shaft’s pulleys. They often flapped against the back side of the belt giving a sound much like a barber’s razor being stropped against a short piece of leather attached to the barber chair. As electrification across the country increased, the price of motors dropped until each machine was eventually powered by its own motor.
When workers became disgruntled over management practices they would all start their machines simultaneously causing a severe load on the drive engine and it would stall out, bringing the entire factory to a standstill. The ‘good old days’ were tough and inginuety flourished.
This blog is for people who love old cars like the Maxmobile to share stories and information on the first cars invented. Please feel free to send comments and posts. Max