3235 Executive Ridge • Vista • CA 92081 • (760) 727-9492
Exterior of the new office, shop and museum facility.
(Click photo to view larger image.)
The on-line version of our museum offers us the chance to honor the work of many craftsmen world-wide without having to possess any more than photographs of their work. We do, however, also maintain a growing collection of actual examples of excellent craftsmanship at our new facility in Vista, California. The Facility includes a museum housing examples of the work of a number of the world's best craftsmen. We also maintain a growing collection of the most significant small machine tools of the past and present. The new facility includes a well-equipped shop manned by craftsman Tom Boyer who is on hand to help us run the shop and make it possible for visitors to watch a craftsman at work. This office will also become a gathering place where the best craftsmen can share problems and solutions with others at their high skill level in hopes of advancing the level of work for all. Our book collection covers books on and by some of the best craftsmen and also includes books covering the use, care and history of tools. Both are now open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 4 PM. Driving directions and a phone number can be found on our contact page.
A group from a local senior community center takes a tour of the museum. Young Park's aluminum 1/16 scale P-51 Mustang is one of the most popular displays. (Click on photo to view larger image.)
Items on display in the museum have been donated by some of the world's finest craftsmen or their families. Young Park's 1/16 scale Corsair was sought by both the San Diego Aerospace Museum and the Smithsonian, but we were fortunate to have Mr. Park donate it to us along with his newly completed P-51 Mustang. Barry Jordan's 1/14 Bridgeport mill is the only example of his world famous work on display in the United States. A recent donation by the niece of the late Rudy Kouhoupt brought a very large engine collection by one of the most significant model engineers of our time to our facility.World reknowned clock maker William R. Smith has donated his gold medal winning Strutt epicyclic train clock. More exhibits are being added all the time. We solicit the donation of any significant items by craftsmen who either have no family to leave their life's work to or simply desire that it go somewhere where it will be properly maintained, displayed and appreciated by others in their field. Now that we have been approved by the IRS as a 509(c)(3) organization, all contributions are tax deductible at full appraised value, which might offer a sizeable tax advantage to a retired craftsman or to his family.
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1. Vintage model airplane engines from some of the pioneer manufacturers. 2. Rudy Kouhoupt's steam tractors and steam roller. 3. A wide variety of steam engines by Rudy Kouhoupt. 4. One of three live steam #1 scale trains by Rudy Kouhoupt. 5. Projects by Michael Dunlap, Jerry Kieffer, Roger Ronnie and others. 6. Small engines by Rudy Kouhoupt, Bill Smith's Strutt Epicyclic Train Clock, Manitowoc construction crane by larry Simon and, in the foreground, Young Park's two aluminum Corsair models. 8. Young Park's P-51 and two Corsairs in aluminum. (Click on any photo to view a larger image.)
The first photo shows Paul Knapp and Joe Martin upon the delivery of the engine collection to the museum. The new display now includes these additional 51 engines housed in glass display cases, each with their own information card telling about the engine. (Click any photo to view a larger image.)
In April, 2008 the museum received on loan a selection of 51 miniature engines from the collection of Paul and Paula Knapp. The Knapps host the site www.engine-museum.com and have displayed portions of their large collection at the Denver Airport, Deer Valley Airport, Champlin Air Museum and Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport in the past. Although Paul Knapp is a skilled craftsman himself, and several of the engines in the collection are ones he built himself, he has an abiding interest in unique and well made small engines that inspired the collection. We are very fortunate to be able to share some of these fine examples with the public in our own museum. The varied collection includes radials and rotary aircraft engines, V-4, V-8 and V-12 engines, horizontally opposed engines, in-line engines, hit-n-miss engines, outboard motors and even a Dooling "Tadpole" tether car.
Another addition to the museum displays as of April, 2008 is the 1854 Smith & Wesson "Volcanic" lever action pistol in 1/3 scale. The miniature was built by Master Miniature Gunsmith David Kucer of Canada and engraved by a specialist in miniature arms, Roger Samson.
On-site craftsman Tom Boyer (turquoise shirt) explains the function of an optical comparitor to visitors to the museum shop. More recent shots show Tom at work on the Howell V4 project. In the last photo the finished Seal engine can be seen ready to run on its stand. The Sherline lathe and mill are used for smaller precision parts and can be seen on the bench at the right side of the second photo. New storage racks have been added to the far wall to hold tooling and raw materials. (Click on photo to view larger image.)
In 2006 the Foundation hired tool maker Tom Boyer of Escondido, CA to be the shop craftsman. Tom works each week building an engine project so visitors can see quality machining in progress. He also helps out by hosting tours through the shop and museum. Tom's hours are Tuesday through Friday, 9-3 PM. On Mondays volunteer Larry Simon helps out and director Craig Libuse is always available when Tom or Larry aren't here.
The first project Tom completed was a Seal 4-cylinder internal combustion engine. He is now working on a second engine—a V4 designed by Jerry Howell. You can see parts being made in person or follow the build by going to the links above.
The front room and rear entry hall currently house a
collection of significant small machine tools from the past and present. The
smaller machines are in the entry lobby (left photo) while the larger lathes are
displayed on shelves (right) in the entry. (Click any photo to enlarge.)
A new ShopFox lathe, a Bridgeport mill, optical comparitor,
grinder and small Cygnet mill were the first machine tools to be added to the
shop facility. We now also have a Deckel pantograph mill on hand and a complete
setup of Sherline miniature machine tools. Also included are a large ground
granite height table for measuring and a drafting board. We are still in the
process of outfitting the shop and have many more hand and measuring tools that
will be included in the near future. These photos were taken when the facility
was first built and the shop was yet to be used.
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