Steamboat pump variations never cease to amaze me. Darrell Clarke
mentioned his pump was a four-banger. I've never seen one of those. I
wonder if that was a forebanger to the sixbanger? Now sixbangers I've
seen too many of. And some of those have 8 flaps apiece! So when you
rebuild it, you are obliged to replace 48 flaps and 48 seats. If you
enjoy pure drudgery, this is it. Lock yourself away so you can't get
out of the shop, after buying two whole skins of good beef hide-- one a
suede, the other heavy shoe leather. Get yourself some heavy chisels
and bars, and be prepared for some broken wood too, because you have to
get those feeders off the trunk and they are permanently glued to
poplar plywood. I  can tell you are just slathering at the mouth to do
one of these.

   I have never seen a 1914 Stroud D/A yet, so maybe I have another
experience ahead of me. But steamboat pumps are definitely sweat-shop
projects for basement trolls! And if they happen to have the pot metal
pulley system which used four reduction belts and one drive belt, then
it will cost you about $175 to replace that with good old iron stuff
today.

   There is one redeeming quality however. Because of their slow speed,
they can be perfectly quiet and will not wear out their covers as fast
as rotary pumps can, since ultimately, it is the heat generated in the
rubber that causes the wear and tear.

Craig B.