John Stevenson

Gone, but very definitely not forgotten, I'll remember him every time I use my dividing head - RIP.

Andrew

Luckily last Friday we put MEW 261 'to bed' because I didn't feel much like working today. I ended up going in the workshop as that seemed to 'fit'. Getting to know my new lathe properly I made a lot of cockups, but in the end I made a good job of a replacement crankshaft for a steam engine I'm making, as the old oneisn't good enough.

It has loads of different diameters and needed five shake-free fits. I managed to get all five OK, and the flywheel and crank are 'twist fits' - I had to work to better than 0.01mm to get that.

But I dedicate this day's work to John and I'll remember him whenever I look at it.

Why? Long before I got this job I was a forum member, and John did me a favour by putting two flywheel blanks into one of his laser cutting jobs. He tidied up my files and let me have them at cost, which as I recall was next to bugger-all. I also used a super small running centre that he gave me to support the end of the long thin shaft.

So every time I look at this, with John's flywheel, I will remember how he was ready to help anyone who needed it. I bet he was laughing at my stupid mistakes and pleased when I got it right - and I was damn well going to get this one right.

Job's a good un' John, thanks.

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 23/10/2017 21:57:29

Sad John has passed away. Condolences to his wife and family. Rest in peace.

Very sad news.

RIP John.

Condolences to his family

Dennis

My condolences to Debs and family. I met John just once, he replied to a thread I started asking for info on a collet chuck by offering to sell me one of two hiding under his work bench. And refused to take the full value of the one I bought off him over a cup of THAT coffee. But I had many interchanges with him over this forum, mostly about Myford change gears, and the enthusiasm and expertise he brought to my questions were limitless. What a gent!

The Bodger's departed the Lodge,

His illness was too much to dodge.

With a toolbox or two, and a cup for a brew,

He's teaching the angels -

that they've been making it far too complicated and there's a much simpler and more effective way...

Rest in Peace the Good Earl of Blidgeport.

.

Nice tribute, Neil

MichaelG.

Hi, I can only agree with what has been said and add my sincere condolences to all his family and friends. I've only met John at the shows, but like most people have learned a lot and alternative ways of doing things, from his posts on this forum. He is one of those that I take my hat off too. RIP John Stevenson.

Sincere Regards Nick.

As an outsider who never met or corresponded with John I hesitated to contribute to this thread. But remembering the amazing number of times over the years that his name has cropped up alongside articles or forum posts that have taught me something new or how to do something better, I just had to express my appreciation and respect.

To judge from past and present remarks of those who knew him he was clearly someone who made the world a better place. Deepest sympathy to all who were close to him.

Mike.

Just stumbled across this thread as i only drop in here occasionally, but what terribly sad news to be greeted with. Sadly people like John are a dying breed, down to earth, knowledgable and helpful. Rest in peace to the man and condolences to his family.

RIP John.
Condolences to your children and family.

My J A Radford lathe book came via him (long story) so i'll remember him every time I pick it up.

Love and Respect,

Mike.

A great loss, at least there is some small comfort that John's vast knowledge is not lost in this digital age. His wisdom will go on help generations of engineers.

RIP John - we never spoke or interacted but I always enjoyed your postings and other Internet activities - thank you so much.

Condolences to Debs, your family and all friends, and a special thanks to Ketan at this difficult time.

Martin

Vasbyte to Debs and family.

Cannot add much to that already said, other than to say that a more helpful individual would be hard to point to.

One of a kind.

Geoff - Sad!

What an intelligent and practical man we have lost.

What a good friend he became with his readiness to help and his astonishing wit.

All of these things added up to a unique mix, something to be valued - and he was.

I write here with tears in my eyes not only for John but for the cruelty of life that takes so many good people well before their time.

Be thankful to have known him, being able to stand in his shadow, as only we can next to someone so talented.

Every loss diminishes us.

Rest in peace John.

Steven P. Sparrow

Hello everyone,

Here is a picture provided by Deborah...

I never met him but admired his great skill and intelligence. R.I.P.

What sad news!

I only met John once, but already knew of his skill, innovation and ready wit. To send condolences to Debs and family seems inadequate, but words are not really adequate.

The world has lost a good, down to earth, practical Engineer with a tremendous sense of humour.

Not only will he be missed in the world of Model Engineering, but throughout Industry. His skill returned many machines to productive use, rather than to the scrap yard.

He would probably never have admitted to it, but he was an environmentalist, keeping machines running that would otherwise have had to have been replaced, entailing vast expenditure of energy and material.

His work was often an inspiration.

He will be very greatly missed, by many.

Howard

That is very sad news indeed. I have had innumerable phone conversations with John over the years since I first met him (when he sold me his old ML7) - a typical phone conversation would last at least an hour, and would cover wide-ranging topics from gear cutting, CNC, and machining, through to reminiscences of his biking days and the time he spent in various engineering companies. I will always remember him for his generosity, his humour, and his honesty - he is a great loss, to his family, to the engineering community, and to those of us lucky enough to be able to call him a friend. He was always up for a practical joke, and sometimes his methods of conflict resolution were, shall we say, somewhat direct, but his stories about them were always told with a twinkle in the eye. A couple of anecdotes that illustrate this:

I was showing my DivisionMaster at Harrogate one year, and John had said he would drop by on the Saturday morning. He arrived a bit later than expected, looking a little sheepish. "I've had a visit from Plod" he said. Apparently, the teenage son of a neighbour was into repairing old bangers, and had two or three parked in the street - he wasn't particular about where he parked them and John had to have words a few times about said bangers blocking his driveway. This happened again on the morning of the show, so John's patience finally ran out. John got out his forklift truck, raised the forks to car side window height, and drove the forks through the side windows of the banger, raised the forks and lifted the car up bodily, took it across the road, and dropped it squarely on top of one of the other old bangers. Job done - he could now get his car out of the drive. However, apparently plod was not amused...

Or there was the time he was in his workshop and spotted a customer coming up the drive. John happened to have an old, broken portable phone lying on the bench, so he picked it up and pretended to be on the phone having an acrimonious conversation with a supplier - just as the customer came in the door, John was in full flood, turning the air blue and foaming at the mouth. He paused for breath, slammed the phone down on the bench, and beat it to smithereens with a large hammer. He turned to the customer, who was stopped in his tracks by the invective, John's glare, and the smashed phone. "Err...I'll come back later!" he said, in a trembling voice, and beat a hasty retreat.

I will miss him greatly.

Regards,

Tony

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 24/10/2017 17:37:13

Typical - managed to miss out the best part of the second story. Here goes the full version:

Tony - I hope you don't mind, that story was so typical of John and so wonderful to read I've put the corrected version into your original post.

-Neil

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 24/10/2017 17:38:38

It was good even before you added the hammer

Edited By David Standing 1 on 24/10/2017 17:48:17