The Internet Craftsmanship Museum Presents:

Clif in his shop with a Stuart engine project being built as a Christmas gift.

At the 2003 Pacific Rim International Model Exposition in Eugene, Oregon, Joe Martin spotted some models that not only had the craftsman's touch, they also exhibited a great variety of learned skills and techniques, including casting, machining, woodwork and sound model engineering. We felt you would enjoy seeing some of the work for yourself.

"Fix it or do without"—Learning to build things from an early age

Clif Roemmich is a native of South Dakota, born in Aberdeen SD in 1947. While growing up on a farm, his early mechanical skills were learned from his father.  During the farming years and living at home with his parents, money was short and if things could not be repaired it was “do without.” The earliest experience with mechanical things that Clif can remember was when his father removed the flat-head V-8 engine from a 1948 Ford, set it on the ground and said, “I am going to the fields. Take it apart so I can inspect it for rebuild when I get back.” This was at an age of 7 or 8, and Clif recalls the head bolts were tough!

By the time Clif was a teenager the family had moved to the Black Hills of western South Dakota. A summer’s work mowing lawns was needed to purchase a series of project kits from a supplier (American Basic Science Course) that advertised in Popular Science magazine.  Some of the projects were building a radio, analog computer, photo developing and an electric motor. The education and skills resulting from these kits helped lay a foundation for future projects.

When Clif reached an age where he could own a car, the first one he bought was built the year he was born. Needless to say his mechanical skills needed to grow just to keep it running. Because of these skills he often was called upon by other teenagers to repair the mechanical parts and body of their vehicles.

After graduation from high school Clif joined the South Dakota National Guard and was trained as a combat engineer and also as a water purification specialist.

From gas station tune-ups to foreman of a maintenance shop

After returning from military basic training Clif worked for almost a year in a gas station doing vehicle tune-ups and light mechanical work.  Shortly before his 20th birthday he went to work for an electric utility company as an apprentice electrician. Two years later Clif transferred to a job in a welding and mechanical maintenance shop. Clif worked in the shop for 18 years, eventually becoming the shop foreman. The shop work included vehicle maintenance, hydraulic equipment maintenance, metal project fabrication and welding. The job also included the repair of a wide range of electrical and mechanical equipment. After 36 years of service Clif is now part of middle management for the utility.

Clif married at 20 and he and his wife Judy raised two children. While the children we growing up Clif and Judy owned and operated a commercial greenhouse for 17 years. Clif constructed and maintained all of the buildings in his spare time. In what little time that was left Clif served as a Cub and Boy Scout leader for 9 years.

From wood turning to metalworking

During the years at high school Clif took wood shop all four years and was a prolific furniture and cabinet maker. In the school wood shop was an old South Bend lathe. Clif took an interest in learning to run the lathe but the instruction that was available from the shop teacher was limited. To feed his hunger for machining knowledge Clif began hanging around the local machine shop watching the machinist ply his trade. Also of interest to Clif was the shop course text book that had a section devoted to greensand metal casting. Again, no training was available. When Clif graduated from high school he bought a copy of the text book with hope of someday learning to cast metal.

Shortly after Clif began working in the utility company shop he bought an old South Bend lathe that had been in a garage fire, was covered with tar from the melted roofing and had sat outside for a number of years—a great find at $100. Cleaned up, repaired and painted, the 1935 lathe was the beginning of 35 years of learning to use machine tools. Accessories were purchased a little at a time and through trial and error Clif began to develop the skills of a machinist craftsman. The progression was from lathe to milling machine attachment for the lathe, to table top milling machine, to floor model milling machine, to a modern lathe and a surface grinder.

Two different views show some of the tools in Clif's shop. (Click on either photo for a larger image.)

Clif’s skills were developed through a number of hobbies including building black powder guns, rubber band airplanes, plaster craft, carpentry and blacksmith projects. At about 30 years of age Clif began collecting and rebuilding antique gas engines, tractors and machinery and was a very active member of the local steam threshing bee. During this period Clif built an automobile using a horse drawn buggy and a 1921 single cylinder engine. He also restored an antique cable-drop well drilling machine and attempted to drill a well on a piece of property he had purchased with the intent of building a home. The well drilling project was abandoned after drilling 28 feet, but that’s another story.  After filling three buildings with the restored items Clif decided that as he grew old he would not be able to move and display the items. An auction came next to spill the rust and old iron from his blood.

About 7 or 8 years ago Clif became a member of the board of directors of a local blacksmith club that was being formed. While working with the club members and while he was building a gas fired blacksmith forge Clif recalled his high school desire to cast metal. A search for the old high school shop textbook was successful, and thus began a metal casting phase of skills development. The blacksmith forge led to the building of a gas fired metal foundry. With the purchase of a good library on sand casting and pattern making, numerous new projects were completed. The high point of the period was the development of a ½ scale model of a four horsepower side valve Witte hopper cooled engine. The Witte was patterned, cast and machine by Clif.

Midwest Model Builders Club

In the mid 1990s Clif decide to try to form a club of hobbyists with similar interests. As the result the Midwest Model Builders Club was organized and continues to meet on a quarterly basis. The focus of the club is to provide a network where craftsmen interact and share their knowledge with others. After attending a model show in Detroit, Clif decided to see if he could get a model engineering craftsmen show started in western South Dakota. The effort was successful, and the Black Hills Model Engineering Show has been held in 2001, 2002 & 2003.

Clif has the skills to work both wood and metal. The majority of his projects have been base on castings and plans purchased from others. Some of his projects have been built from an idea, planned in his head, and usually built without drawings. An example is his model Avery steam tractor. While working with the steam threshing club Clif worked around a full size Avery. After eleven years of looking at pictures and planning the project in his head Clif began building the tractor and the project was completed in five months. Clif indicates as he builds he has a constant goal of improving his skills.

Clif continues to work a full time job and devotes 20 to 30 hours per week to model building. The projects that are waiting in boxes and in Clif’s head are more than enough for a couple of lifetimes. Retirement is not far in the future, and when that day comes the chips will really fly.   

Here are several examples of Clif Roemmich's work:

(Click photos for larger images.)

New Submissions Welcomed

If you have additional information on a project or builder shown on this site that your would like to contribute, please e-mail craig@CraftsmanshipMuseum.com. We also welcome new contributions. Please see our page at www.CraftsmanshipMuseum.com/newsubmit.htm for a submission form and guidelines for submitting descriptive copy and photos for a new project.

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