New model maker

[Daniel GrantParticipant @danielgrant15006]

Hello!

I am an engineering teacher with a particular interest in combining electronics and mechanical engineering, usually in some form of robotic application. I enjoy learning to use new tools and materials and have taken on (and occasionally finished) projects including CNC'd wooden board games, dirt buggies, BBQ's and a range of combat robots. I have just inherited a Triac milling machine from the school I teach at and need some pointers to get it up and running, but I'll save those for another post.

[Daniel GrantParticipant @danielgrant15006]

[Tractor manParticipant @tractorman]

Hello Daniel and welcome to the forum.
I didn’t think engineering was still taught in school. Certainly our local comprehensive schools only dare to hand out round ended scissors to their alumni lol.
Where abouts in the world are you by the way?

[Daniel GrantParticipant @danielgrant15006]

There are still a few places offering Engineering. I'm at a school in Sheffield, we teach Engineering at GCSE level and have the students using lathes, CNC mills and routers, 3D printing and laser cutting. It's good fun, although it does take a while for the students to get their heads around the fact that there's more to Engineering than making things.

[Tractor manParticipant @tractorman]

Hi Daniel. I live close by in Barnsley. It’s good that engineering is still taught, especially in Sheffield which was the home to so many great engineering companies and still has some notable engineering going on.
I was taught knife making at kelham island mudeum and have gone on to self learn model engineering.
I’m not familiar with the machine you have as my machines are all manual but I have refurbished all my tools in order to get myself running. Drop me a line if you need anything. Regards

[Brian HParticipant @brianh50089]

Hello Daniel and welcome to the forum where I'm sure you will find lots to interest you.

Like Tractor Man, I didn't think any meaningful engineering was taught at schools and I'm delighted to be proved wrong, especially in Sheffield.

All the best to you and if you have any questions, someone on here will almost certainly know the answer.

Brian

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Tractor Man, I visited Sheffield back in "84, and spent quite a while watching the Smith making knives, at Kelham Island, that was one place I found fairly quickly when I arrived in the town. Engineering and Wood work are (among others) things that have to be got back into schools, all counties need more of the trades, sure we need some accountants, and lawyers, but they won't get far without a roof over their heads, or transport or power.

Ian S C

[Tractor manParticipant @tractorman]

Ian. I saw kelham island in a children’s school programme. I went along and asked how to make knives, that was in 1990, I now know a fraction of the subject but feel I can call myself a Sheffield trained knife maker. I don’t make knives that often these days but still keep my eye in.
One incident that highlights your point about such skills happened when the doorbell rang at kelham. A lady came in asking if we could make her a knife. She had a hand that was not properly formed at birth and could not hold a normal table knife. When she was a child a Sheffield knife maker had made a table knife with a ring to fit over her thumb and a wrist strap. It served her well into her 50s but had finally fallen to pieces. She had spent hours visiting every cutlery firm in the city trying to find someone who could replicate the original. All she was told was “We put steel in here and a knife comes out there” there was no skill other than machine operation. I spent a few days making an improved version of the original for her and she was amazed at what I had created. If it hadn’t been for a museum of our out of date trades she would have not been able to eat or cook as she had most of her life.
Embrace modern tech by all means but don’t forget first principles of making things with your own hands. Mick

[CirclipParticipant @circlip]

TM, – try Denford of Cleckhuddersfax fame. for TRIAC, the late great Sir John knew them well.

Regards Ian.

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Hi Daniel

For information on your Triac go to the link below which is the Denford Forum, if your machine is listed you will also find manuals and electrical drawings.

**LINK**

Emgee

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Tractor Man, in 84 when I was in Sheffield the son of the people I was staying with was doing his apprenticeship in cuttlery, and was making high quality knives, forks and spoons, by hand. Sorry got a bit OT.

Ian S C

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