Saving Old Seagulls

Oooh. I just remembered something. There were two different base plates. One with a sleeve where it fits the crankcase which the locating screw screws against (variable timing) and the other with a smaller aperture and no sleeve and a dimple in the crankcase. Has this got anything to do with renumbering?

JM base plates.

All good stuff

I'm also curious about those missing magnetos. I wonder what happened to them? Stationary engines, or other marston products maybe?

I'm not convinced they're missing, the numbers seem to add up, If you can point out where my logic falls over let me know, I've just checked my pile of base plates waiting for restoration or robbing for bits, & there are at least 12 of them.

11 with sleeves & 1 without, never noticed this before (thanks Hugo), the strange thing is the sleeveless one has traces of green paint & no JM number.

I've been buying duff 9/16" coils for a while as I plan to get them rewound & to lower the price, the coil winding machine machine requires them in batches of 6 & I'll have to strip them without causing any damage to the components made from unobtanium!

Hugo

Why not start a new thread to ask if anyone has a JM ignition with a number between A-C & F-L to see if we can fill any of your gaps.

I had two Atco Standard mowers at different times (the ones with an external fan you could put your fingers into), and they had the Villiers magneto type under discussion, complete with an aluminium clip-on cover with an enamelled Villiers badge in the centre, and I also had in the dim-and-distant a motor cycle (nasty pressed frame thing with a Villiers engine) and the same magneto setup.
Regret I wasn't looking for JM numbers at the time, so can't recall/confirm if they were present, but I assume they would have had serial numbers in the Villiers tradition??

Amongst all this, don't forget that Marston and VIlliers were one in the same to all intents - were the JM numbers to identify magnetos going to their parent company for example?

Hello Charles

Seeing you are looking to rewind coils, did you want the later Villiers one as well? Might be a source of bits, tubes etc..

I have a few here, brand new but suspect. (at least one is a dead short inside) They biodegrade in store just as easily as in use!

I will save them for you. (I refuse to sell them!).

john

I’ve also got several, if the chance to rewind comes up I’m in.

One day l might do a basic rewiring myself. It won't look original though and it may not work! Part of my electrical fitter/mechanic apprenticeship was 3 months in a rewire shop. Many many decades ago. Basically l will be removing the outer secondary coil and weighing it. Also being aware of connections, terminations and insulators. I will then measure the diameter of the wire and find a replacement. I will then rewire by weight. Either measuring the coil or measuring removed weight of bobbin. I also believe the condensor needs to be matched to the new resistance. Further research will be required. A foot controlled low speed motor to spin the coil would be handy.... any ideas? or hand crank. Anyone know guage or diameter of wire? I vaguelly remember soaking for a few days in warm varnish. Seems like a good idea particularly for maritime environment. Wonder how often I'll break the wire!!

Charles uk wrote:Hugo

Why not start a new thread to ask if anyone has a JM ignition with a number between A-C & F-L to see if we can fill any of your gaps.

Go for it Charles! I'll see if l can find the number of my uncollared base plate.

I'm only thinking of only getting the 9/16" JM coils rebuilt.

You will have to strip them yourself & they will require the following components in a condition suitable for final assembly, cardboard tube, brass HT cap, 2 mica insulation squares, the core with the 2 cheeks & the undamaged cotton covered primary winding, the brass hex headed point connection bolt removed & the primary/secondary grub screw loosened or the soldered points connector desoldered & the grub screw loosened.

Each coil will take probably 2 to 3 hours work over 2 weeks & a liter of mentholated spirits, now you will understand why I don't want to strip them for you.

Getting George to rebuild with a Chinese clone will probably an awful lot cheaper if your not doing a 100% restoration of a Marston.

Sorry I hijacked your thread Hugo!

Uncollared base plate is JM11731.

The only other mag I have that is not aligned to any motor is JM2438

Not really my area of interest Hugo, my main areas of interest & research is prewar, the Marston era & post 1980, 125's,170's & all the QuB's.

Just doing some riveting on my boat and realised the roves have a similarity to the HT pick up contact.