Hello from Berkshire

Just joined and looking forward to being a member of this great site. Interest in M.E. started in the 1990's when I inherited a near-complete set of bound vols. of Model Engineer from Issue 1. Attended M.E evening classes for 3 years and learned some of the basics, but still a beginner and just getting the shed organised as a retirement project.

Machine tools are a 1930's Milnes type R lathe, Fobco Star bench drill, motorised Adept no 2 shaper, hand operated Adept no 1. shaper and a Drummond round-bed lathe. Also have a Coronet Minor wood turning lathe with a tool grinding head. The Milnes and Adept 1 are fully operational but the others are "works in progress". Should have the Fobco back in service this week. The Drummond is one of the very last made circa 1943 and I'm currently getting it back together.

Main interest is limited to toolmaking and accesories for the machines, but I do have a Hemingway Atom Minor kit as a project.

Hello John,

Welcome to the forum, two Adept shapers! I have a manual No. 2

Neil

Welcome, sounds like you need to ad a mill to your growing list of machines to get sorted.

Thanks gents.....welcome much appreciated.

Hi John , did you attend evening classes in Berkshire?, I spent most of the 90s attending the classes in Maidenhead, which were excellent. Stephen

Stephen....yes I went to the classes at East Berks College in Maidenhead from (I think) 1994 to 1997. They were really good I thought. The tuition from Messrs Eatwell and Phillips (I think those were the tutor's names) was first class. The site is now a housing estate I believe.....such is "progress". I wonder what happened to all the machine tools and tooling??

Ah, happy days - the wonderful Pete & Norm!

Lovely guys and great mentors.

Regards,

IanT

The workshop was moved east to the other side of Maidenhead as part of the "reorganisation" but most of the machinery was sold off in the process and the 'new' workshop was a shadow of it's former self I'm afraid. No demand for apprentice training in the area any more, so it all got cut back.

You may also remember Sid from those days. I still see him wandering around town and he's still - well - very 'Sid' like!

Regards,

IanT

That's right Peter and Norman. I started their classes in 1991 and must have continued for at least 10 years. I was building a steam boat engine , 2.5" bore and stroke which I eventually finished.

It's good to hear Sid is still about, I vaguely remember where he lived as I gave him a lift a few times.

I'm living in Twyford and back into model engineering and 505 hours into a sweet pea build. I'm a member of RSME.

STephen