This Silver Dollar steam engine was built by Les Cade. The tiny engine was originally made to be handheld over a flame for boiling water. This engine is unusual in that the flywheel is made from a bicentennial Eisenhower silver dollar. The engine sits atop its own copper boiler, which is filled with water by unscrewing the cap the engine is fastened to. A wooden handle allows the engineer to hold the tank over a stove or flame to boil the water to make the steam to run it. See another Silver Dollar engine made by an unknown builder.

Exhibit added: October 10, 2012 - Last modified: February 28, 2024

Presented by The Joe Martin Foundation for Exceptional Craftsmanship