The History of One-Half Size 13 HP and 16 HP Reeves Engines
July/August 1988
W. W. Danuser
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Serial #4, owner and builder W. W. Danuser, finished 1982.
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14 Valley View Drive Claremore, OK 74017
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Serial #1, built by Haston St. Clair in 1946, weight 3400 lbs.
This engine has been all over the mid-west and has taken many blue
ribbons.
The late Mr. Haston St. Clair, of Holden, Missouri created both
one-half size engines. The measurements were both from 13 HP and 16
HP scaled down one-half to make prints and sketches. In my opinion,
he did a fine job, in both size and quality.
Haston had built some 50 engines since 1950. So, in other words,
he is the grandaddy of all one-half size Reeves engines. Both mine
and Haston's dads were Reeves dealers back in the teens,
therefore, we both liked and ran Reeves engines.
Attached is a picture of Haston's half-size of 13 HP, and
Danuser's half-size 16 HP. I would, and did borrow patterns and
prints from Haston, and I also borrowed his engine for other
dimensions. I started buying castings and steel in 1978, and
completed the engine in 1982.
My dad, K. B. Danuser (1871-1937) owned the following engines:
Case, Huber, Robinson, Frick, Jumbo, Peerless, and N & S. After
buying a 20 HP Reeves in 1910, all single engines had to go! He
used the Reeves up until 1937 with K & G separators. We had 4
different size Reeves engines: 13-20-25-32 HP.
All bearings are roller or ball in the one-half size 16 HP.
Crankshaft is made from solid 4140 steel, also ground mains and rod
journals. Stainless steel piston rods and valve rods, bore
3.125' x 4' stroke. Boiler code-welded
3/8 and boiler plate 23 1' flues carry
175 pounds of steam. By being code stamped, there is no problem
with boiler inspector. It has power steering, rocking grates, two
' injectors, and one Beisch two cylinder pump.
I know some people will say Reeves didn't have ball bearings
or roller bearings. This is true, but had they made them in the
teens, Reeves would have had them as standard equipment. The weight
of the one-half 16 HP engine is 4000 lbs., and it will turn both
rear wheels any where both hard and soft surfaces.
Serial #8030, this engine was sold in 1915-16 and shipped to
Golden City, MO. It has a Canadian boiler and was completely
rebuilt in W.W. Danuer's own plant.
The bell behind smokestack and rear tank was added at this time
This engine was used for threshing in southwest Missouri for
approximately 20 years. All steel gearing, weight 50,000 lbs story
in this issue by Danuser on two half-scale Reeves engines.