I heard about this wooden engine from an old timer in the area that said he remembered an old engine that had a chain driven cam shaft on the farm next to his when he was a kid and it ran a water pump, that story started the chase by locating the farm and then the family that lived there during the time he was a kid and then down thru the family because it kept getting passed down and finally after about a year I finally found it and talked to the owner and it still took a couple more years till I could buy the engine. I have not tried to start the engine since I've owned it because I'm kinda scared that the wood might be getting to brittle and fly apart. Only metal parts are cylinder, piston, crankshaft, and valve system. Even the bearings are wooden. The hopper is made kinda like Stovepipe Domestic in that is has the tin wrapped around the cylinder and the ends are wooden. It has hot tube ignition, a skip link chain that drives a cam shaft that operates both intake and exhaust valve. It has a pendulum governor that actuates the intake valve and opens the valve when it needs fuel to fire. It's a very interesting engine to sit and study and for now it just sits on the shelf until the day I get the nerve to try and start it up. :) Tom