Gunderson's Amazing Do-All Machine

2011 - Volume #35, Issue #3, Page #44

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If you were the kind of kid who liked to tear things apart just to see how they worked, you'll love Mark Gunderson's Amazing Do-All Machine. It's hard not to be awed by the movement, the bright colors and the whimsical humor of this complicated machine.
    Mark Gunderson, Charleston, W. Va., is an electrician by day and a tinkerer by night. He created the Do-All Machine a decade ago, after being inspired by machines he saw at antique engine shows. His goal in building it was to entertain while showing off the internal workings of many machines.
    A 10 hp Witte gas engine is the main power source. Gunderson took the engine apart, painted the pieces and reassembled it - minus the exterior. He did the same with other engines in the piece: a V-8 motor, a boat motor, a weed eater motor, a Wankel rotary engine and Gunderson's personal favorite, the engine from a B25 bomber.
    He got the plane engine after hearing a B25 had crashed. With just the name of a town and knowing that the property owner raised pigs, he made calls until he located it. The owner said he could have it.
    "It looked like a 2,000-lb. piece of aluminum foil that had been thrown against the wall," Gunderson recalls. The engine had two rows of 7 cylinders, so he picked out the best ones to make just one row.
    It's not the only time he's gone out of his way to salvage trash to turn into Do-All Machine treasure.
    When he heard about a 220-lb. tapered roller bearing that had been thrown out, he got permission to do a little dumpster diving.
    "I wrestled it out of there and put it on the Do-All. It rolls perfect," Gunderson says.
    He's particularly proud of the square gears he made out of a rack gear. He had to get the teeth and pitch to line up perfectly.á
    In addition to intertwining gears, pulleys, and sprockets recycled from implements and vehicles, there are personal touches ûwhirling hand shapes traced from his children's hands, a horseshoe one of his children found, and his sister's old satellite dish that spins with the sun on one side and the moon on the other.
    In addition, a blacksmith blower blows bubbles from soapy water in an ammo can. A squirrel cage off a furnace blows air to wiggle the bright red tongue of the "nagging wife". A straight gear alligator slides back and forth chasing a chicken.
    Gunderson bolts everything securely to a 13-ft. trailer and has taken it to schools and antique engine and air shows in West Virginia and nearby states.
    Gunderson continues to tinker and is currently tearing apart a straight 8 Packard engine.
    As he creates, Gunderson notes that he's learned many skills including foundry work, blacksmithing, how to gear up and gear down, and understanding hydraulics. He's always looking for an odd gear or mechanical piece to add to his Do-All Machine.
    Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Mark Gunderson, 2292 Four Mile Rd., Charleston, W. Va. 25312 (ph 304 965-6440; www.gundersonsdoallmachine.com).

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Gunderson s Amazing Do-All Machine FARM HOME Miscellaneous If you were the kind of kid who liked to tear things apart just to see how they worked you ll love Mark Gunderson s Amazing Do-All Machine It s hard not to be awed by the movement the bright colors and the whimsical humor of this complicated machine Mark Gunderson Charleston W Va is an electrician by day and a tinkerer by night He created the Do-All Machine a decade ago after being inspired by machines he saw at antique engine shows His goal in building it was to entertain while showing off the internal workings of many machines A 10 hp Witte gas engine is the main power source Gunderson took the engine apart painted the pieces and reassembled it - minus the exterior He did the same with other engines in the piece: a V-8 motor a boat motor a weed eater motor a Wankel rotary engine and Gunderson s personal favorite the engine from a B25 bomber He got the plane engine after hearing a B25 had crashed With just the name of a town and knowing that the property owner raised pigs he made calls until he located it The owner said he could have it It looked like a 2 000-lb piece of aluminum foil that had been thrown against the wall Gunderson recalls The engine had two rows of 7 cylinders so he picked out the best ones to make just one row It s not the only time he s gone out of his way to salvage trash to turn into Do-All Machine treasure When he heard about a 220-lb tapered roller bearing that had been thrown out he got permission to do a little dumpster diving I wrestled it out of there and put it on the Do-All It rolls perfect Gunderson says He s particularly proud of the square gears he made out of a rack gear He had to get the teeth and pitch to line up perfectly á In addition to intertwining gears pulleys and sprockets recycled from implements and vehicles there are personal touches ûwhirling hand shapes traced from his children s hands a horseshoe one of his children found and his sister s old satellite dish that spins with the sun on one side and the moon on the other In addition a blacksmith blower blows bubbles from soapy water in an ammo can A squirrel cage off a furnace blows air to wiggle the bright red tongue of the nagging wife A straight gear alligator slides back and forth chasing a chicken Gunderson bolts everything securely to a 13-ft trailer and has taken it to schools and antique engine and air shows in West Virginia and nearby states Gunderson continues to tinker and is currently tearing apart a straight 8 Packard engine As he creates Gunderson notes that he s learned many skills including foundry work blacksmithing how to gear up and gear down and understanding hydraulics He s always looking for an odd gear or mechanical piece to add to his Do-All Machine Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Mark Gunderson 2292 Four Mile Rd Charleston W Va 25312 ph 304 965-6440; www gundersonsdoallmachine com

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