Hello Jason

looks a very interesting book

I does say in the description-

"It looks at how Cherry developed as a model engineer from a young age, and how she goes about researching, designing, constructing and painting the models. However, there are no details of her machining techniques, which seem to be conventional, but done superbly well. "

hope this helps

regards

paul

I seem to recall an article in ME that showed her milling something like a con rod out of the middle of a big flat strip about 5 times the size of the part while most people would find a strip close to the width. Perhaps if you value your time highly the material wastage is insignificant and you can concentrate on being precise.

Thanks guys

That's my Christmas present from my wife sorted …..and ordered.

I will thus be in a position to give a detailed review at the end of December !

If there is no description of the "How" I'm still happy to view ( and marvel at) the results. To be realistic, with even the greatest degree of description of the processes, there is no way that I could achieve the same. Just as I would not be helped by an explanation of how, say, Monet, produced his paintings I do still get a great deal from seeing the results!

Norman

The ME show demonstrates that there are other people who can produce exceptional quality work. Perhaps some of them would provide articles for the magazine. When they then just say they turn a rod and it comes out with a brilliant finish challenge them to do it on a 50 yr old Drummond to tease out what is due to skill and technique and what is nice machinery.

There was an article in ME, probably in the 90s, I seem to remember it was in the form of a Q & A interview.

Ian S C

I have a copy of this book. In fact I've had it for a fortnight or more, so my pre-ordered copy must have been despatched quickly.

This is a beautiful book, and I am keeping it for my Christmas stocking.

There is a single chapter entitled "How its done" with photos from Cherry's workshop. The rest is a 'coffee table' book, with gorgeous photos of beautiful models. As a long time fan of the lady's work, I'm absolutely delighted with the book. The author has done a fine job; as has the publisher.

Yes; a blow-by-blow exposition, with some of the techniques and tools revealed would have been nice, but that's not really the aim of the book. So, after a heavy lunch with family and relatives, I will leave the others to the tv and chocolates, and slope off to a quiet corner on 25th December, for what I expect to be a joyous celebration of the very best in model engineering skill.

Did I say I like the look of this book…

Marcus

from what i recall, Cherry Hinds-Hill makes her fiddly intricate parts for her models out of solid but with the part still attached to the rest of the material…. so a part will get fashioned and drilled and tapped etc whilst still attached to the rest of the metal if this makes sense. only when all the work has been completed will that part be cut off leaving just one side to be finished.

cheers,

julian

Thanks for the kind comments from those who have bought my book. Must be quite a few of you as Amazon has already re-ordered. I would also like to address some of the comments on this forum from those yet to read the book questioning its practical value as a sort of workshop aid.

This book is mainly a record and celebration of each of Cherry’s models. It also describes how they are produced. And I use the word ‘produced’ advisedly rather than ‘made’. The whole process of the creation of a Cherry Hill model is what separates her work from others. In her view the least interesting part is what goes on in the workshop.

While the workshop itself is described, its equipment, etc, as is the general approach, it would be impossible to describe in a worthwhile way actually making components (up to 7500 in each of 18 models). It would be interesting, perhaps, to describe how to machine a segmented internal ring gear for a Blackburn Agricultural engine. But no-one else is going to make one. In the unlikely event of another coming up, the model engineer making such a thing is unlikely to need to be told how. Also how interesting is it to see how Cherry makes a rivet or a screw (yes, she makes all her own). Is there anyone else out there that makes their own rivets? Probably the same way cherry does? How she makes a screw is by entirely conventional machining. The lesson to be learned (if there is one) is that ‘good’ is not good enough. If it’s not perfect it is scrap. It is her approach that wins Gold Medals, Duke of Edinburgh Awards, Sir Henry Royce Trophies for the Pursuit of Excellence, an MBE and so on. So, sorry, readers no quick tips to machine up a Gold Medal winner – although I could not resist a description of how she paints her models. Something we all need help with!

I reckon your dog has excellent taste.

All I get from my cat is Furballs

Edited By Lofty76 on 14/10/2014 14:56:00