Model Engineering for schools

I am an Engineering teacher in a secondary school and have successfully had six students build the steam engine described in Kenneth Wells book, ‘step by step metalwork 3’. I am looking for a copy of T E Haynes book, model engineering for schools book 1 ‘steam engine and boiler’. Even ebay and amazon have been unable to help me. If someone out there has one that they would be happy to copy for me I would be very grateful.

Lisa Smit from NZ was asking on this forum last year for one of these, don't know if she got one of course

Have a look at modelsteam.myfreeforum.org if you haven't already done so.

Phil

Hi Neil,

Congratulations to you and your students!

If you can't find that book, look for 'Making Simple Model Steam Engines" volumes 1 & 2 by Tubal Cain.

They include several designs simple enough to make with limited equipment and time.

Neil

I can also recommend the Tubal Cain books. At SMEE we use his Polly design from book 1 as the basis for our Polly course which has been very successful.

It introduces most of the metalwork skills a model engineer uses - using hand tools, soft and silver soldering, turning, thread cutting etc. It does not use castings so mistakes are cheap.

We diverge from the book to some extent - we prefer to use seamless copper tube for the boiler and put three bushes in the boiler (steam outlet, safety valve and filler).

You may save some money by using 42mm plumbers tube for the boiler instead of 1 3/4 inch but will need to adjust the engine stand design slightly.

Roger Woollett

Hi Neil " Dusty"

( We had a master at school nicknamed "Chalky"- from the chalk dust that flew from his gown as he walked. Any relation to the "Dusty" part of your nom de plume?)

Thank goodness someone is still teaching workshop skills! Although I didn't persue a career in "metalwork" the interest and skills learned in the school workshops have stayed with me all my life. Now with time, a little cash and a workshop of my own I have an absorbing interest to fill all those "spare hours" ( spare - don't you believe it !) of my retirement . If you can awaken an interest in your students you will have given them a priceless gift for the rest of their lives .

Cheers

Norman

Edited By NJH on 07/04/2013 13:02:35

Greetings, I have looked through my bookshelves, crammed with gems that "The Boss" would have me dispose of & what do I find, Model Engineering for Schools Book 1 Steam engine & boiler.perhaps you could email me, & I would be delighted to post it to you, no charge, BUT, you must promise to send me a photo of the engines your pupils make. regards Brian Baker

Neildusty, it might be worthwhile having a look on the/ stirlingengineforum.com And look for Chriske, hes a teacher in Belgium, and each year his class builds a stirling engine, not just any old thing, these are works of art, he has a thread on the first page at he moment called Stirling Engines - School projects".

About 10 yrs ago,maybe more our local high school ran a night class, and we built an engine similar to the one you write of. We got photo copied plans headed "Steam Engine and Boiler, designed to be made by hand tools". Ian S C

You can try thise site in the US **LINK** full of plans for school based engines.

Stew

Many thanks to you all for your help, I have contacted BB1 and have taken up his generous offer. For NJH there is no link, my first name was taken, so I added the cats!

Its a small world! Neil is a teacher in the same Town that I retired from teaching in 7 years ago.

Hi,

I am a new member and this is my first post.

I am here because I have been searching for Kenneth Wells' book, ‘step by step metalwork 3’ as I made the static steam engine when I was at school (Holland Park, Notting Hill gate - 1979). It was actually the first one that worked properly. My teacher was Mr. Brown, a fantastic teacher whom I would like to reconnect with, though I am not sure if he is still alive or not.

I would like to get the book because I would like to recreate the static model as mine was destroyed. I don't have a lot of money to spend on it but if anyone can point me in the right direction it would be much appreciated.

If you click the view pdf it will give you the plans for the stationary engine

Plans for the traction engine here and if you intend to make patterns the drawings are here

If you have a search around the HMEM site there are some engines on there and details of someone casting batches of parts.

J

Edited By JasonB on 07/08/2013 07:35:45

Also have a look at the MEM site (model engine maker) there are a couple of boilers there. ian S C