Ken Sprayson

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

Looking at 217 MEW I see Ken Sprayson will be in the next edition of MEW.

In my younger days on motorbikes he was legend on frame building a wizard building frames for many of the leading circuit racers plus Thrust 2 record car.

Hurry up next edition of MEW I have also just ordered his book.

Paul

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

Motorbike frame builder

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

This is what home workshops should be about, not just models and choo choo's

[ronan walshParticipant @ronanwalsh98054]

He made some interesting frames for the old british bikes and vastly improved on the factory frames. To be honest tiddly little models and machine tools that you can sit on a table top don't do it for me, a bit of full sized home engineering would be welcome in the magazine , and something i think i am correct in saying , that no other magazine caters to ?

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Assuming that this one proves popular [as, of course, it should] …

How about a follow-up by Tony Foale ?

MichaelG.

[Oompa LumpaParticipant @oompalumpa34302]

The whole issue of Models versus "Real World" seems to polarise opinion.

Well, my take is that it takes all sorts to make up our world and each has it's place. Some things interest me not in the slightest and other facets of engineering grab 100% of my attention. But I just can't be having the "it's this or nothing" brigade.

Personally, I will be going CNC soon. Something I hope to be reading more of in the Mag.

graham.

[WALLACEParticipant @wallace]

Careful John…

People have been tied to a Myford and burnt alive on this forum for even thinking such thoughts…

But I agree …the sooner the word ‘Model’is dropped from the title of MEW and the contents changed to reflect this, the better. …

W.

[Oompa LumpaParticipant @oompalumpa34302]

Posted by WALLACE on 01/06/2014 22:38:55:
Careful John…

People have been tied to a Myford and burnt alive on this forum for even thinking such thoughts…

But I agree …the sooner the word 'Model'is dropped from the title of MEW and the contents changed to reflect this, the better. …

I think the contents are changing, it's attitudes that are proving stubborn

What is engineering anyway? In my humble opinion, a good deal of "engineering" is problem solving. And that can be electrical, electronic or mechanical. In the case of some home workshops it can even encompass Civil.

graham.

[WALLACEParticipant @wallace]

Actually, I not sure if ‘changing’ the contents is what I really mean.

I think it should be ‘adding’to them !

Imagine that – an ‘Engineers Workshop’ with maybe twice the contents or more….

W.

[“Bill Hancox”Participant @billhancox]

Stop All Engines!!

Gentlemen.

Perhaps one should consult a thesoreass. Therein you will find several synonyms for the word "model" including the word "replica". Personally, I would be in favor of replacing "Model" in MEW with "Metal". After all, metal crafts existed long before the advent of electricity and "Sparkies". Metal work is the Senior Craft, is it not? … Stir-Stir-Boil and Bubble

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

I have said for years that the Yanks [ Hawk – spit – ding ] got it right with their magazine called Home Shop Machinist in that the title covers everything.

Many of my friends [ all 2 ] that have workshops do so to support another hobby be it vintage bikes, RC models or, hang on that's the 2 covered.

Doesn't stop you making models or choo choos if you want.

When Dave Fenner was editor he produced a few mags with cars and bikes on the cover and apparently they outsold other covers from the same time period.

Lets face it only an anorak could spot a mag with say a dividing head on the cover from 15 paces in W H Schmitt and Co GMBH.

Rather fitting the Sprayson article having just watched the first of the sidecar TT's from the Isle of Man on the box

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

I have to say I have never made a model and will almost certainly never will. I'm more of a machine builder than a scale modeller but I've been reading ME since the mid seventies as then it was the only way a boy could read about how to make stuff at home.

I'm fine with the shared content, even in MEW. However like a lot (some?) of the current readership, I move with the times and so 3D CAD, CNC etc is definitely on my current radar.

And cars, bikes, engines, steam, machine tools, welding, electronics…. It's all fine by me!

Murray

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

Reading a write up on Kens book it says Completely self taught he shows what a person can achieve when you have a passion for your job, hobby or sport.

Paul

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Engineering is engineering no matter what the size of the end product. Model engineering due to the size of the finished article uses techniques from instrument making and watch/clock making as well as other size methods. I doubt that anything is unique to model engineering.

Mike

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I'm going to follow up Ken's article with one by a motorcycle builder whose designs are about as different from Ken's designs as you can get…

As far as I'm concerned the magazine's brief is to cover light engineering in the home or small workshop. No hard limits on materials or subjects.

The two articles relating to 'modelling' (mandrels and 'milling a flywheel&#39 both got good receptions – they may be about 'modelling' but the principles have far wider application.

I also have a few shorter tool builds coming up – probably 3-4 parters, and planning to fit in a lot more short articles as well.

Stay tuned…

Neil

[maurice bennieParticipant @mauricebennie99556]

Hi all ,I will be polite and say " Who cares what the mag is called . we all make things of all sizes and in any material" as long as we know where to look for what we want.

Happy building Maurice

[maurice bennieParticipant @mauricebennie99556]

Hello Neil , you beat me to it ,carry on as is.

Maurice

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

+1 for dropping "Model" from the title. My home workshop started off for restoring vintage cars but since retirement has been used for model making, clock making, machine building, and above all repairing household items that would otherwise cost a fortune to have repaired or replaced.

I also think the scope could be widened to cover all branches of engineering.

Just my two Euro cent's worth

Russell.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Posted by WALLACE on 01/06/2014 22:38:55:
Careful John…

People have been tied to a Myford and burnt alive on this forum for even thinking such thoughts…

W.

.

I can supply the Myford

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

I note that George Daniels had a Myford in his workshop amongst a selection of desireable machinery.

Mike

[Douglas JohnstonParticipant @douglasjohnston98463]

Yes please, get rid of the word "model" from the title of MEW, it sends out the wrong signals to many people. From now on let's have EW.

Doug

[Bob RodgersonParticipant @bobrodgerson97362]

Today I have been trying to advance the installation of a Tormach Mill in the workshop to the point that it is all ready to plug in and install the operating system (Mach 3) I should get it all finished tonight and then tomorrow I have to return to work for another two weeks. I will leave installing any software until after I come back home in a couple of weeks by which time I should have received the automatic draw bar and tool changer, then I will load up the software and give it a whirl.

It has been a big job getting it set up, particularly given that my workshop is fairly tight for space but I am pleased with what I have bought. Oompa Lumpa (Graham) you are more than welcome to come and have a gander once I get back next trip.

[MadMikeParticipant @madmike]

Good evening Bob. Does that mean you are going to miss MadMikes Gathering on the 15th June?

[Oompa LumpaParticipant @oompalumpa34302]

Posted by Bob Rodgerson on 02/06/2014 17:16:32:

It has been a big job getting it set up, particularly given that my workshop is fairly tight for space but I am pleased with what I have bought. Oompa Lumpa (Graham) you are more than welcome to come and have a gander once I get back next trip.

Have a "gander"! I have news for you – I have it's first job here – Fifty off. Think I am joking? I have the material too!

graham.

(drop me a line, I will be straight 'round).

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

Having a life long interest in all aspects of pure speed attempts mechanical as well as human and at the moment looking at the various welding techniques for motor cycle frames.

Have come across this from Ken Spraysons old firm Reynolds they are back into motorcycles

**LINK**

As all my home built frames were bronze welded like Reynolds used to be but according to what I have been told for competition in the USA that's not allowed.

Are there any forum members with practical experience of Tig Welding motor cycle frames mainly out of cold drawn mild steel as my old frames were made out of.

Not the more exotic 531, 631,853,953 alloys.

The Tig welded dragster frames sometimes are stress relieved a bronze welded frame is more flexible.

The Tig joint preparation has to be first class as well as cleanliness.

I want to find out about the type of joints required to relieve or spread stress.

Do I have to stress relieve them and how.

For cold drawn mild steel tube will Mild Steel Tig rods be suitable.

Are there any books on the Tig welding and building of motorcycle frames from scratch.

I have had some useful advice from this forum in the past and hope for more.

Paul

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