# Gilbert Erector 1920's P58 Motor



## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

OK ... this is not actually train related, but ...

I was at a MA train show this past weekend, up to my favorite pastime ... rummaging through the junk boxes of stuff for sale underneath the display tables. An old, rusted motor caught my eye ... a real relic, but somehow still graceful in form and style. I forked out $4 for the motor, which came mounted to an Erector winch gizmo.

Once home, I looked at the motor a bit more closely. It had an electric field (not magnets), so it's designed for both AC and DC operation. Some Google and eBay searching told me I had a very early Gilbert Erector "P58" motor, likely from 1915 to 1930 or so.

To my delight, I hooked up some power leads, and the old motor quickly came to life ... squeaky, whiny, but actually running!

OK ... so that inspired some fun. A full strip down, clean up, polish, and rebuild is in the works.

Has anyone else ever fiddled with one of these old P58 motors??? Might someone recognize the winch gizmo, to pinpoint a set / date?

Cheers,

TJ


Here's the motor as-found ... for $4 ...





























Here the winch gizmo that the motor was mounted to ...











And here's the strip down, clean up, and polish in the works ...


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## longle (Mar 7, 2015)

Very unusual find and a very nice job of restoration. Generally they are listed as either a DC motor or a Battery motor. The worm gear was used with the #7 steam shovel (and maybe others). Not on the motor itself but on the slave shafts.

http://www.prc68.com/I/Gilbert-Motor.shtml

http://www.girdersandgears.com/erector-steamshovel.html










Larry


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

*Project Update ...*

Thanks, Larry, for the info and links above ... quite helpful. Interestingly, the worm gear as found was on the motor shaft itself, but it didn't connect to anything else on the winch gizmo ... a big old gap between the worm gear and any of the other winch gears. I will certainly reach out to Erector fans on those other sites to see if others can shed some more clues on specific vintage and the winch functionality. You've given me a great head start. Thanks!

If any other readers have any more Erector clues, I'd certainly welcome them.

And, the moment of truth. Here's my old-relic P58 motor all cleaned up ... and running reasonably smoothly! All original, though I did add some modern wire insulation over a few sections of the original wire where the old fabric was frayed badly. All in all, a new lease on life!





































Cheers,

TJ


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## longle (Mar 7, 2015)

Beautiful! :appl:

Larry


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

TJ

That is a treasure. 

It brings back strong memories...My dad and I
constructing the Erector Set Ferris Wheel using
that motor the Christmas before we lost him
in a construction accident...that was 1938.

Don


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Thanks, Don. I hope your Dad is smiling from above!


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Nice tj, When I first made my train layout I though about going with all toys. Lincon logs, tinker toys, the erector set ferris wheel. I never went that direction but the old toys are way cool.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

I must have missed this thread somehow? 

Nice find, good save.:smilie_daumenpos:

The question is......what will you do with it now?

It looks like new now.:thumbsup:


Tj, how come your pictures are coming out a little too large lately? Not all of them just some?
They never used to be as large as they are showing years ago?
No big deal to me, I just hit the control and minus one click, but your pictures never used to come out large....I was just wondering.

Mine were doing the same thing, I found that I must have somehow changed something in both of my my camera's settings. I reset them and now they come out the right size for viewing.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

You should mount it on a finished board with a brass plate.:appl:


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Thanks, guys!

Ed, I should downsize the size of my photos a bit ... to 1400 pix, or so. I used to do that before upload, but I've forgotten lately. Good reminder.

T, the little motor is sitting on a display shelf in my living room ... a wood base sounds like a great idea. TJ's off and running!


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Just sitting on the shelf?
You have to put it to work somewhere on you layout?
Now you need an old erector set. 



Couple of links for you to look at if you want.

I guess it is a Meccano motor?
http://www.usmeccano.com/parts/usmotors.htm

All about Erector sets, a lot of info in there.
http://www.acghs.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/Gilbert_Erector_Set_Guidebook.pdf

Parts numbers?
http://www.rfgco.com/erector/erectorparts.html


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Great info / links, Ed. I like the pictorial parts I.d.

I don't think my motor is Meccano. Your article says that the near-clone Meccano motors had no bottom feet. Mine does. 

I'm going to 'net poke around Erector history a bit more. All new, for me.

Cheers,

tJ


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Where did my prior winch gizmo photo go???

Hmmmm ...


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

*Do you remember?*

This thread goes back to 2010. It is my p58 motor. It took a while to did up the thread so now it is linked to yours.


Here is the 1929 AF booklet page that has the motor.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

Thanks for the post / link, T-Man ... much appreciated! I had forgotten that you have a few Erector motors under your roof. I see you bought your P58 for $2 ... as compared to the whopping $4 I forked out for mine. Jeez ... I feel cheated!   

I'll add some extra info to the thread. There's a current eBay listing for another P58 motor, but this one from 1915 ... the first Gilbert production run. It differs from later motors. The ebay seller notes:

"This is an early production and the motor side plates were secured by a turned steel rod, then peened over, securing it to the side plate. As a result, it is a difficult motor to align or adjust. This method was discontinued in future productions, which used a long threaded screw and nut, with spacers. It may also have parts value, as the armature shaft is a nominal 1/8" which was later replaced by the standard 5/32" shaft."​
Here's a pic from the eBay listing (Item 171752114062):










Cheers,

TJ


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

By unintended choice, I'll be trying out a new cleaner and lube oil on my revamped Erector motor...

I was fumbling at attempts to open a new bottle of balsamic vinegarette salad dressing tonight. I twisted the top but didn't break the plastic overwrap. After I peeled that away, I gave the bottle a shake ... And BAM! ... my world went dark ... literally. Globs of salad dressing in my eyes, all over the walls, on the display shelves, and all over the little P58 motor. My kids watched the explosion in disbelief!

So, with all due respect to ServoBruce and his 10W-40 motor oil preaching, I think I'll be trying out a little Balsamic dressing on this motor! 

TJ


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Rotfl!


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## 400E Blue Comet (Jul 11, 2014)

The real question: How are you gonna use it? 
I don't think the winch picture uploaded though...
I had an Erector set once. It was that bullet Hudson that you could make run on G Scale tracks or just the floor. Unfortunately the switch broke and I lost all the parts...


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

It's display-shelf eye candy, at this point.

I fixed the winch pic, hopefully

TJ


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## 400E Blue Comet (Jul 11, 2014)

tjcruiser said:


> It's display-shelf eye candy, at this point.
> 
> I fixed the winch pic, hopefully
> 
> TJ


Yeah, it's working now. Did you clean the... _well dressed..._ motor? :laugh: I hope it's still working, I can't imagine salad dressing being very good for electronics.


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## tjcruiser (Jan 10, 2010)

All cleaned. 

We had grilled chicken and salad, again, tonight. I opened the bottle VERY carefully! 

TJ


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## Magic (Jan 28, 2014)

I should hope so. :laugh:

Magic


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