Hello from Honiton, Devon

Morning all, just wanted to say hellooooo.

I thought it was about time I joined the forum as I've been stalking around the site for a couple of years. I bought a Boxford AUD a few years ago to reacquaint myself with machining. Last time I machined anything, was 1977 during my apprenticeship and a 2 week stint in the college machine shop. Of course I'd forgotten everything….! so am basically starting from scratch. Been mainly using the lathe for general workshop tasks rather than anything too technical. I'd love to make a small stationary steam engine though so any recommendations for a kit or plans would be great. Regards to all, Si

Welcome, Simon, you will get a huge ammount of help as soon as you mention steam engines, what about the type with the oscillating cylinder for a start?

Welcome aboard shipmate ! If you have questions there will be someone here who can answer for you. There are several books on making small simple steam engines. A stuart 10 V or H may be ok, there is a small book on building this engine. Good luck Noel.

Simon

If you want to make a small stationary engine, what about the Muncaster's Simple Entablature Engine serialised in Model Engineer? Jason did a series of explanatory posts showing the method of producing each item.

**LINK**

It only needs one casting (the flywheel). I made it as my first model and found it interesting as a way to learn various techniques.

This is mine running on air:

**LINK**

Stuart

Good to see some more Westcountrymen on here. Plan your shopping in Exeter so you can come to EDMES located next to Morrisons at St Katherine's Priory. We have just had someone else join EDMES from Honiton so you might be able to share lifts to the club nights. (next one tonight Friday by the way).

Welcome!

It will be a bit like riding a bike; you never forget completely, and little experience brings it all flooding back.

Buy a set of Zeus Charts, you will refer to them very often.

To remind yourself of the basic priciples and methods, read books like:

Ian Bradley "The Amateurs Workshop!

L H Sparey "The Amateurs Lathe"

Harold Hall or Neil Wyatt "Lathework" Two books by different authors, one more recent than the other.

Some of the "Workshop Practice Series" for more detailed info. on things like Drills, Taps and Dies. Buy one as the need arises.

Eventually, you will want to cut threads, other than with Taps and Dies, so there are books on this,, particularly on setting up changewheels for screwcutting.

Tubal Cain "The Model Engineers Handbook" An invaluable reference book, IMO

Bring back your early memories by doing simple work: Tool grinding, make a Centre Height Gauge, Tailstock Sliding Die Holder . (Pictures of commercial items will show one body into which various sizes holders can be fitted.) (I made a modified version to take Taps, as well. It is not fair to expect newly cut threads to drag along a Tap held in a drill chuck in a Tailstock. Fine threads will strip if you do this! ).

You might find a Mandrel Handle useful, at some future time.

All will bring more experience and confidence.

All will be useful, as learning tasks, and as tools for regular use.

Finding a local Model Engineering Club and joining will bring you into contact with like minds, and mines of information.

HTH

Howard

Welcome to the forum

H

Hi, joining a club may be your best bet. Near you is Taunton model engineering. A bit thin on ground at the moment due to c19. But there are some members with lots of experience you can talk to.

Many thanks for all your replies and the encouragement. I can see that this forum is going to be a great help.

Stuart, love the look of that engine but I need to get a few things before I can really start. Reamers, new DTI etc etc.

I've been following Abe Swash on YouTub

**LINK**

and like the look of his small steam engines and he also explains how to make this engine without a milling machine. I do like the idea of starting with something thats simple. I've seen a couple of guys modifying a Myford Verticle Slide to fit a Boxford on YouTube which could be a good cheap solution to get me started. I'll almost certainly be asking for plenty of advice soon in the 'newbies' section so speak to you all soon there….. Si

Stan Bray (The founding Editor of M E W ) invited members of Peterborough S M E to view some of the models that he has made over the years,

It would be nice to be able to show them to a wider audience, in M E perhaps?

Howard.