Skilled Model Engineer Services wanted

Hi >>

I'm looking for a skilled Model engineer based in the UK for a private commission job.

It will be a historically correct, highly detailed 1/10 scale WW1 8inch Howitzer that will be fully functional (non firing of course) and made from steel.

Payment will be discusse privately.

Email [email protected]

Many thanks

Edited By Diane Carney on 04/04/2013 09:49:26

bump

Hope he has deep pockets, its going to cost a bob or two, pay by the hour plus any extras. Ian S C

Hi

I'm not looking for ecconomy job. I'm looking for quality and will pay accordingly.

It will mean interupted thread breech. I have an engineered sample of this already on a 1/10 scale armstrong deck gun model.

Please email me to discuss finance if you are able to do this job and are interested

hi bob

I think you will have great difficulty in finding anyone on here, none of us have the time to finish our own project and this is a rather expensive hobby so there arent too many people strapped for cash who participate.

Best of luck

Fizzy

Hello Bob

I wish you well in your search for someone who can help - I am afraid that I am not your man. What I think will make it difficult for you is this:-

Up until the 70's / 80's there was still a reasonably thriving engineering industry in this country. A small percentage of skilled craftsmen used their skills to further their hobby of model engineering. Back then someone like you would have had a far better chance of finding a bod to do your job.

Back to the present. With maybe a few exceptions, the only blokes that could engineer a job like this would be time served toolmakers. (I don't believe they make 'em these days do they?)

If you loosely accept the aforementioned then it follows that you would most likely be looking at a retired toolmaker or instrument maker or similar.

Such a man who is retired and pursuing what is often an expensive hobby is unlikely to need to work for a crust. I am a retired toolmaker and at 66 my hobby is a way of relaxation, keeping oneself occupied and keeping the old grey matter from atrophying. I expect that chaps around here of my age - or older - might well feel the same way.

Nevertheless, never say die and good luck in your search.

Rik

P.S. If you are successful and find your man (or woman) and can spare the time, please come back here and prove me wrong.

It may help if you say if you have scale working drawing or will a prospective builder have to produce these from works drawings in which case 1:10 is not the easiest to convert from imperial and still allow the builder to use stock sizes of material.

I would say there are several hundred hours of work in that one, you may be lucky to find a retired person willing to do it for "pocket money" if they have the time to spare but if i were charging a true wage then you would be looking well in excess of £10k.

J

I must say that I'm a bit surprised that the moderators allowed this thread in the first place. I think previous attempts to enlist assistance in commercial ventures have been pulled ?

N

If an individual want to commission someone to build a model surely its not a commercial venture.

In this case the OP was trying to spend (not make) money.

IanP

Bob, put up a picture of the field piece so that an assessment can be made. For information the 8" Howitzer had steel wheels like a steam engine with radial spokes and two recuperators over the barrel. It also had a hoist to lift the 8" projectiles into the breech and was manually rammed. That means that it was either bag charge or a short cartridge obturation. Compared to other guns it had a fairly short barrel.

This was a big heavy gun and had a considerable detachment of Gunners to serve it.

I concur with Jason B that it will take many hours of detailed work and ability to bring it to conclusion.

Clive

It seems you posted as I was writing Bob, so duplication of detail.

Edited By Clive Hartland on 16/04/2013 21:35:28

sorry i posted last one from my phone. bad grammer and spelling. post pics tomorrow.

Bob, you obviously just bolted your tank together and did not craft the individual pieces, had you started from scratch I can assuer you it would have taken far longer.

Also as you can possible see from my avitar I have been known to mak ethe odd traction engine wheel and they are not "cast". The rim will need to be fabricated as rolling tee section is not that practical, spokes will need to be cut either manually or water/laser cut. The hubs machined as again it is not really practical to cast the spokes into the hubs although I have seen it done on models, then there are the strakes to be cut, bent to the helix angle, drilled and rivited on. You can then build a jig to assemble the weel and finally rivit it all together.

Having spent probably in excess of 1500hrs on each of my traction engines I do know what it takes sto build a model from scratch not bolt together a kit. ( no offence to kit builders) but its a different ball game.

J

Why doesn't everyone leave it to Bob and whoever he gets to make this ?

Hi Bob,

You could try placing an ad in MEW and ME as there are many readers who don't use the forum .

Maybe send David Clarke a message to discuss this as i have little idea of cost etc .

You could also try some ME clubs as they may know of some one who can do this job.

Got any photos of your Tigers ?

The only thing i like more than Tanks are Spitfires !

Put them in your album and we can check them out .

Ian

Bob

So is this a "sub contracted" commision job for a museum as well ?

If it is for yourself, you must want one "really badly" to contemplate paying what it wll cost to have it made.

Just curious really, I dont have any spare time on my hands either, but I do agree that you have probably under estimated how much you will need to pay someone.

Phil

Hello Bob Gould.

You may get more interest if you define the project specification more clearly.

I suspect if you have production ready drawings you are at least half way there..... The actual machining while not easy is the other half.

On the other hand engineering a model from assorted photos and old undiminished documents is a completely different story. In this case maybe a third design development a third documentation and a third actual manufacture. (And I am not sure I have allocated enough time to design development).

Cheers

John McNamara