Reader Participation

Unlike Jason, and many others, (I am in awe of their abilities and what they produce. ) I am not really a Model Engineer.

Why?

I don't think that I am skilled enough to make models, so make tools.

Some are made to satisfy a particular need, a gadget to do a particular job, (Removing or fitting bearings, for instance ).

Others are because, "It seemed a good idea at the time" or "That might be useful" and the whim takes over.

Consequently, some products see regular use, others rarely, if ever., but there is satisfaction in having made them..

Other folk use their machining skills to support another hobby, model railways, restoring classic vehicles of all types.

Both camps can overlap, and one needs the other..

Sometimes a model maker needs a tool, or a fixture to do a job whilst making a model.

A screw modification fixture is a useful tool to have.

A tool and Cutter Grinder can make life a lot easier when machining parts for a model; so some make one and use it.

We all enjoy cutting metal, and gain satisfaction from the end product whatever it is.

M E W and this Forum provide meeting places where we can either help or learn from each other. In some cases, our range of skills expands..

In that way, our particular strand of our hobby survives.

It takes all sorts!

Howard

Well said Howard!

Jay

Neither am I, in at least two senses.

Andrew

I confess that I don't 'get' the workshop photo thing.

We mostly all have workshops populated by what we have been able afford and want to use at the time. I suspect that no one would pay money to see a series of photos of my old light industrial iron + pro mig welder and compressor.

The new 3-way metal bender, roller, guillotine is a pile of junk that you can get working with care. I left it boxed up too long to return it. The c shape 10-ton bench press is great but intended for the American market, somehow it found its way here. These can be seen in Machine Mart or Ebay.

The 30A plasma cutter anyone can see in Lidl at the correct times, that's also great.

Is everyone else bored? I know I would be by now.

Well you can have too much of a good thing, but I quite like ogling other people's workshops. The sparkling ones inspire me to tidy up, the pigsties make me realise I'm not the only one! The main benefit is seeing how other people do things - organising space, lighting, power, tools etc. All my best ideas are nicked from others...

Dave

And this is the axis on which the world truly turns!

Jay

Maybe it's because a lot of the forum users don't check out all the website sub divisions. I had never heard of the Stevensen Trophy, although I now have and assume it is linked to the late great JS who is also remembered across the pond.

I've said before that not everyone on this forum has necessarily seen other workshops to compare his own to. Seeing other people's workshops can help you better equip or lay out your own, or just make you better aware how not to do things.

I'd find it interesting to know what proportion of members of this forum haven't ever had a job that at some point gave them experience of a workshop, or haven't had a parent or uncle or sibling or friend or club in whose workshop they were able to gain at least some experience of machining procedures before they set up their own.

My feeling is that a history like mine of total non-contact with other workshops puts me in a minority here, and that people in my situation particularly do benefit from seeing other workshops, whether in magazines or on the Internet.

Regarding Derek's post about newbiesaking simple items to ascertain whether they are suited to the hobby. I suggest that for an engine design chosen, make a start by attempting the mechanical lubricator. Lots of small parts, fiddly to make but low total cost of materials. Join local club with a workshop so get to use a lathe and perhaps other machines to make lubricator and get tuition from experienced club members. If newbie makes a success of this part then he/she is likely competent to complete the whole engine. At least the cost of a years membership and a few bits of materials and drawings will amount to a cheap way in to test ability without buying a lathe and she'd to put it in, should they decide that the hobby is not for them. Drawings could be sold on. Seems like a relatively inexpensive test of ability.

John

That's assuming new comer to the hobby wants to build a Loco or traction engine as most other aspects of the home workshop won't need a mech lubricator. I suppose the downside to that is the complexity of a lubricator may put the newcomer off if it does not turn out well.

I'm more inclined to say pick something simple related to what you are interested in and build up to the more complex parts as you become more confident and your equipment grows to allow those parts to be made. A few spacers or fixings for that car or bike project, engine mount for that RC helicopter, disc flywheel for a stationary engine would introduce newcomers to some basic machining just as much as some of the simple tools suggested and would not be as daunting a task as a new oil pump, swashplate or governor for those respective interests.

Like Bill I have no engineering background but do quite like to see other peoples workshops, So you are not alone Bill, there are two of us

Edited By JasonB on 25/09/2022 07:41:23

Generally agree with JasonB's comments (although I must admit to having little interest in pics of workshops)

Many of us had the 'advantage' of being bought up in more hands-on times, where we either did extensive 'metalwork' at school, or were apprentices. We learned most of what we consider the basics during these times, however there is little equivalant these days so newbies must feel a bit lost of where to start,

Jason says: "I'm more inclined to say pick something simple related to what you are interested in and build up to the more complex parts as you become more confident and your equipment grows to allow those parts to be made." Which I think makes absolute sense, there is nothing more sure to kill your enthusiasm for a new hobby than taking on something that turns out to be far beyond your ability and equipment.

regards Mike

My apologies to Jason and Bill - I misread Jasons reference to Readers Tips, under the influence of a bad bout of 'flu. I would agree Readers Tips are perhaps overtaken by events these days, since most people with an idea seem to pop up in a forum somewhere.

Regards

I make no secret of the fact that I am a professional engineer, and that I don't regard myself as a modeller, although I am building a couple of traction engines. For me machining is interesting if it's something I haven't done before. Although there is satisfaction to be gained from making a part to the right tolerances and with a good finish machining is mainly a means to an end. I tend to have a different approach to making a part; if it looks difficult I'll try and change the design while retaining functionality. Of course, on my engines I tend to stay with what is prototypical.

What really interests me is understanding how things work and hence being able to create designs that perform as expected. For example the governor on my traction engine could never have worked as drawn. So I am in the process of redesigning the governor, and the steam passages in the cylinder, so there is at least a chance that it will work. To do this it helps to have an understanding of how the governor works and the mathematics behind it. Not many people seem interested in this aspect, as opposed to the making of parts.

A long time ago I started a thread here on injectors, as it is one of the items I need to design for my engines. Unfortunately the thread attracted some derogatory responses to the effect that I was wasting my time as the experts already had designs that worked and there was no need to change them. The recent articles in ME on injectors has confirmed my view that there are better ways of making injectors rather than the traditional arrangement of the cones, and that some of the features of the traditional design are not needed.

For a number of (non-engineering) reasons 2022 is turning out to be a bit of watershed year for me, so over the autumn/winter I will be considering what I want to do over the next few years, which may include writing articles again. It was a shock yesterday to get a letter from the DWP saying I could now apply to get the (UK) state pension.

Andrew

Edited By Andrew Johnston on 25/09/2022 10:55:34

Jason's point about making something you need(or want, or at least understand) is fundamental to effective and efficient learning. Just doing exercises is fooling yourself that you're making progress, a bit like being able to play scales on a piano is only a step towards Happy Birthday. This is the time where some tuition is a huge boon for the less intuitive aspects - like increasing the speed instead of reducing it, or not using the chunk of metal you picked up in the street.

The first parts I ever turned were two pegs with an M8 thread through the middle to locate the axle saddles to a leaf spring. Although they were the same diameter, they weren't quite the same length, as that wasn't an important dimension. But it did involve turning, facing, drilling, tapping and parting off to make a part that solved a problem.

Pictures of other workshops and equipment are particularly useful for ideas to solve layout and space problems. I'm sure we've all seen things that made us think I should have thought of that.

Hi Derek,

I haven't seen it ... it may have gone to my old email address which is now inaccessible.

Try sending to [email protected]

Thanks

Neil

Thanks for the feedback folks,

I have had several emails and some useful contributions, as will be seen. As well as more feedback on content. It IS being read and digested!

With workshop photos, I won't include an address and only a locality IF the person wants me to.

Neil

My workshop is home to good intentions, such as being tidy one day.... so you can't see it!

Well said, Jon.

I may be in the minority here, but like Howard, I actually like making tools. It's a bonus if they are to fulfil a particular need to do a specific job, but in the end I am not fussed. Tools are just nice things to make; lovely things to have; and a pleasure to look at - as well as a marvel that the thing actually gets completed (most of the time...).

I like seeing tools others have made, and I like reading about tools too. I subscribe to MEW. ME and EIM and I read the articles on making locos and the like, but I find the tools and manufacturing methods of most interest.

Each to his own, I guess.

Marcus

This makes your achievements even more remarkable.

Looks like it's not a bad club to be in, after all.