Challenge Steel

[topcop491]

Is this mill a Challenge Steel? I had one, but it was not as stoutly built as this one. Was there more than one version of the Challenge Steel? Sorry for poor pictures, taken from an online auction site. J.D.

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[Windcatcher530 Dan]

I would say that's not a challenge steel.

[Wayne]

Looks to be an internal gear mill? The Challenge Steel was an internal gear mill. The vane looks right it has that funky hinge. I think it could be.

[windybob]

I think I read that Challenge had only one internal geared mill, the Challenge Steel. On the other hand, Challenge had more different models on the market than any one else. I have a Challenge steel, but have never started on it yet. Let me do some checking, maybe they had more than one of those.

[windybob]

It's hard to tell if that's a true Challenge Steel by from what I read. It does have things like a Challenge, on the other hand, it does not. The tail is not the true Challenge shape like on the Dandy, Xray, etc. Also, a 1 piece crankshaft goes thru the crank gear, bolts to it, and fastens at each END by bearings in the mainframe. Does not appear to be like that in the pictures. Challenge Steels were made from about 1906 to 1916. They were not the first steel mill by Challenge, in fact they were maybe 3rd in the line. OIl soaked hard rock maple was used for the lower end of the pitman arm.

There are things it does have in common. The internal gear, the word Challenge on it, the pipe tailbone, The rocker arm idea. The brake band is questionable. On a "Steel" it only rides on the upper 1/2 of the internal gear. Also, there should be a place for a side-vane for assistance with the governing. That could be gone, but the place for it should be there.

I'm guessing at the moment it's not a true Challenge Steel. However, they had SO many different models on the market, and in the disign stages, that it could be a form of it. I will look mine over closer and check it out.

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

It's not a challenge steel.The challenge steel had a crank shaft that works the pitman.Its not a dandy or Pearl either or a B.O.E. It could be a X-ray or decohra I've never seen them up close

[windybob]

No it's not. I went and looked at mine. Much different.

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

It's also not a challenge snow I'm looking at mine right now.Forgot about that one

[topcop491]

I did some "research" on Neil's site. I think it is a Challenge 24. The bent support on the tail, I believe is a tell all of a Challenge 24.

[Windcatcher530 Dan]

If that is a model 24 it's very rare they were only made for a couple months.