Small-power engineering.

Small-power engineering.

Looking through some pre-war Practical Mechanics magazines, published monthly and edited by the famous FJ Camm, I came across a notification of the September 1935 Model Engineer Exhibition that included the following:

Readers interested in model aeroplanes, model railways model boats model engineering and small-power engineering should make a point of visiting the Model Engineer Exhibition which takes place at the Horticultural Hall Westminster, London SW1 ……

What made me think about this notice was the words “small-power engineering” as I think this is a perfect description of our hobby as really this is exactly what we are about regardless of the actual end product.

Small is subjective. Ask Andrew J about his machines - not exactly small, but still used for hobby work.

But, there again, some have rather larger machines than Andrew J just because they were cheap, robust and adaptable.

Reading that para. , they have missed a comma btween boat and model which may slew the meaning slightly. No reason why all model engineers have to use ‘powered’ machines to make items - unless hand power or man power is included.

Were ‘simply build from supplied parts’ kits for model aeroplanes included as options?

If it had read ‘Readers interested in making .... ‘ that would properly encompass the hobby, I would have thought. Just to go and peruse the models and offerings would be attractive to a wider audience than just the real hobbyist makers of such items.

You also have to bear in mind that some of the workshops would have been powered by "small power engines" such as the Senior range that were also referred to as "workshop engines" See this photo I posted the other day from a 1936 mag where the engine being built is shown powering a lathe

I'm not so sure "Small power engineering" really covers what we do as clocks and tooling can't really be included in that.

Worth bearing in mind that tethered hydroplanes were popular at the time - definitely not models. ET Westbury was at the forefront of designing engines for power.

Rod

Indeed Rod, another illustration from the same 1936 engine article, just don't get your tie caught in the moving bits!

Stuarts also got in on the act too

Edited By JasonB on 01/09/2019 14:32:24

Clocks are micro power engineering!