New member in Colchester, Essex

[jps1982Participant @jps1982]

Good morning all. I’ve signed up here after posting elsewhere for advice on finding online resources for model engineering.

Growing up in the ’80’s I trod the path of Hornby HO/OO railways, Mamod/Wilesco steam engines and 1/10 radio controlled cars and extensive Lego creation. Concisely, I have a general interest in cogs and gears and things that ‘go’…!

Professionally i’ve ended up doing very non-mechanical work, but have laboured at a kit-car project for the last decade (when life has allowed!) to scratch that itch. Going beyond that I am aiming to learn some machining and engineering skills, so have recently joined my local model engineering society and am thinking to begin the journey with a small static steam engine to build some basic skills in the coming months.

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Welcome to the party ! Glad you have joined a club, there should be useful help there. As to making a simple engine,  you don’t say what equipment you have access to ? There are several books on the matter and also some kits that give you the materials to make an engine. You may feel that to start with a Stuart Models 10 series is a bit complexed. Tee Publishing do the books. Good Luck. Noel.

[jps1982Participant @jps1982]

Thanks Noel, good point!
<p style=”text-align: left;”>I’ll be using the club workshop initially which means I have access to lathes and a mill. I’m novice with a lathe, just a tiny bit of experience doing very simple turning, and absolute beginner with a mill.</p>

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Welc ome to the Forum.

You will m,always get help on here, but do find a local Model Engineering club and join.

You will find like minds, and learn from their experiences.

FWIW, my advice would be, before launching into a model, where a mistake could be expensive, gain experience by just maching odd bits of metal.

If you make a kistake, you mwill learn, mand the sacrap will have some value to you for just that reason.

My advice would be to learn by making a few simple accessories. A centre height gauge, to aid setting tools to the right height, then perhaps a Slidingf Tailstock Die Holder.; and using a small drill chuck, a Sliding Tailstock Tap Holder. (You can use the same tailstock arbor for both)

If you turn something a bit undersize, it will not be a total disaster, you just machine the mating part to suit the size you have, so experience gained at minimum expense.

Don’t rush into using carbide tips. You will learn by grinding your own HSS toolbits. And older machines were not designed for the speeds and feeds that optimise carbide.

Carbides have their uses, but walk before trying to sprint! It used to take four years before becoming qualified as a skilled turner.As you gain experience, you gain skill mand confidence.

Once, none of us had even seen a lathe, let alone used one. We all had to learn!

Howard

[JAParticipant @ja]

Welcome

I have the impression from my club that most club members are happy to help run things and never go anywhere near a lathe or milling machine. Have a chat to those who do and see what simple projects they recommend. They will usually recommend those they are familiar with.

If they don’t, I would suggest a Stuart 10. There is a readily available booklet on how to build it, I find Stuart castings good quality, individual castings are available from them in case you wreck one (as I did) and, finally, the only difficult machining operation is the crankshaft. Personnally I would not start by making tools. They are only the means to make the serious stuff.

Have fun.

JA

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