Build log the Hick over on MEM forum, have a feeling someone has also done the winding engine there, have a trawl through the “engines from castings” section. You need to be registered there to see some of the attached images.

I’ve built two Hemingway kits, the Boring-Bar set (for between-centres boring on the lathe) and the ‘Worden’ Tool-&-Cutter Grinder. I’ve also started a Slotting Tool (for cutting keyways on the lathe).

The last is particularly aimed at Myford lathe owners but could be adapted to fit other lathes with slotted cross-slides with the same or more height clearance; e.g. by making a raising-block.

I am very happy with them: good quality castings, properly-made drawings, clear manuals advising how to make the kits. The company seems to test the construction on a Myford lathe, and base the instructions on that, judging by the photographs in the hand-book.

The only point to watch is that it supplies bar material as blanks cut to length plus machining allowance, sometimes difficult to hold in the machine. In some such instances I have resorted to my “stock” collection of material.

If you don’t want the basic steel, brass etc, I believe that for overseas customers they do a castings and drawings only service to save shipping costs,  You could contact Kirk at Hemingway’s to see if he would supply in that format for a UK customer.

Andy.

I have made engines and workshop tools from Hemmingway kits and always been happy with the kits. The quality of drawings and instruction sheets is very good, as are the materials supplied. In particular I have found the castings to be of very good quality; no holes or hard bits. As others have noted, the materials are often cut close to size, so some thought can be required on holding in the lathe or mill. Sometimes I substitute from my own stock if it is easier.

I am currently making the Fieldhouse engine (see photo) which is an interesting project. I live in France so probably won’t get to the Tolson Museum to see the original. However, the curator of the museum is very helpful and kindly sent me photos of it. It is worth bearing in mind that the flywheel is 8 5/16 “in diameter and the casting weighs 1.683Kg. The winding drum is also a bit of a lump, weighing in at 2.956 Kg. I have the equipment to cope with it, so no worries there. I have started to write a construction series for an article in Model Engineer but will not put much more effort into it until I see how the new style magazine develops.

I did have an article published in Model Engineer on the Ransome and May engine built from a Hemmingway kit in 2014. That was a nice engine to build and now powers my model of an engineering workshop.

Please don’t hesitate to ask if you have particular questions about constructing the Fieldhouse engine.

I used a couple of their small surface plate castings in my current CNC build:

They machined and hand scraped very well. Good quality castings.

Dave