ATTN: MMD

[Dave Fleming]

Was down to the San Diego Maritime Musuem today and in conversation, one fellow stated that the Lunenberg Foundry had burned down along with many of the Patterns! They were concerned because they need a good sized anchor winch to replace the well worn and bent shaft one on the Californian.
You hear or smell anything?

[ 12-08-2002, 11:20 PM: Message edited by: Dave Fleming ]

[Dave Fleming]

Just bringing this back up so mmd, can see it.
Or perhaps he is out of town on business.

[NormMessinger]

Nothing shows up when "Madam Librarian" guided me through a search of Lexis. That might be a good sign. We checked full text of major news papers and all wire services.

--Norm

[Dave Fleming]

Thanks O&O Midwest.

"Scrounger" for museum said he had talked to Lunenberg that AM and the operator at the factory had made that comment before connecting him to a saleperson. Salesperson did not want to talk about it!

[NormMessinger]

Well, just to confirm the "madam librarian's" research skills were still at least satisfactory I called Lunenberg Foundery myself, just now. The lady there said yes, they did have a fire--in 1905. She said she felt that if there had been a recent fire there she would know about it. I told her the story as you've stated it here. She said they do not make anchors anyway.

So there you have it.

--Norm

[Dave Fleming]

O&O Midwest, gonna have to smell the breath of that 'scrounger' at the museum, that's for sure.
And they are after an ***anchor winch***, manual powered kind, with racheting pawl,two heads one for chain and the other for rope/hawser.

[reddog]

Dave;
I haven't heard any news of a fire but I was last in Lunenburg a week ago.Everything looked fine then.They would probably cast you an anchor if you asked 'em real nice.
all the best;Earl
Whoops! Make that a winch,(wench locally).

[ 12-05-2002, 09:21 PM: Message edited by: reddog ]

[TomRobb]

Do cast wenches cook and do windows?

[ 12-06-2002, 11:24 AM: Message edited by: TomRobb ]

[reddog]

Tom;
It's like..."would you look at that wench I got on the front of ma truck..."

[Dave Fleming]

I called the 'scrounger'at the SD Martime Museum with O&O Midwests findings and he then tells me, he was going on some story he heard on the SD waterfront! I told him to hit the FAX machine direct to Lunenberg Foundry and Engineering and see what they have to say about supplying him with parts for the ***anchor winch*** or ***wench*** if that fits your dialect.

He sorta 'hemmed and hawed' and agreed that that was probably what he should have done in the first place.
I was sorely tempted to ask him if he had any spare buckets of steam as my steam box just ran out of fuel, BUT, I didn't want to confuse the poor fellow any more than he is.
See, I can be good hearted if I wants to.

[Meerkat]

I've read that Lunenburg closed down their iron foundry in 1993.

http://www.marinestove.com/sproducthistory.htm

[Syd MacDonald]

They don't cast iron anymore due to atmospheric pollution but they still cast silicone bronze to their plugs or yours.

[gary porter]

Lunenburg Foundry web page is alive and well and they are also listing the Atlantic engine agian.
I talked to them a year or two ago and they were not making it then but could and said they might start making a few again. You might also find an anchor out of Port Townsend , the foundry there.
http://www.tallships.ca/life/cat/profile.html#foundry
Gary

[Dave Fleming]

Guys please read my original post...
It is an ***anchor winch***.
And the forms used in casting are called ***patterns*** made bye very skilled woodworkers called, ta dah, Pattern Makers.

Thanks for the interest.

[mmd]

Hi, Dave. Yup, you were right about one thing - I've been out of town. A trip to NYC, Atlantic City, & Philidelphia with a boatbuilder client scoping out the next frozen snot projects. Three cities, four clients, nine meetings, what southern New Jersey called a blizzard (sorry you NJ-area guys, I know six inches of snow is a big deal to you, but that's light flurries to us), and a Saturday night out in Philly - all in four days - has left me a bit burned-out.

I'll be in Lunenburg tomorrow on business and will be visiting the Foundry. I'll take a picture to confirm its continued existance. I also hope to get in to the Fisheries Museum to check on the progress of the Tancook Whaler. I have a lot of "catch-up" work to do in the next few days, but I'll try to get some new NS-boatporn pics up soon.

To enquire of custom silicon bronze work at Lunenburg Foundry, contact Kevin Feindel (General Manager) at www.mail@lunenburgfoundry.com or visit their website at www.lunenburgfoundry.com and their snailmail/landline info is:

Lunenburg Foundry and Engineering Limited
P.O. Box 1240
Lunenburg NS
B0J 2C0

tel: (902) 634-8827
fax: (902) 634-8886

[Dave Fleming]

MMD, your dear wife was kind enough to contact me off line about your whereabouts.
That must have been verrrrry interesting trip.
Take your time, flush the 'perzons' of the Jersey Shore out of your system first.