Starting Out

[Isaac FarnbankParticipant @isaacfarnbank]

[Isaac FarnbankParticipant @isaacfarnbank]

I am interested in model engineering and would like to build a miniature steam engine. However, my engineering facilities (no machining) and experience (As well as funds) are limited. Could anybody suggest avenues to explore. I have looked at various sites such as Steam Traction World, Maxitrak & live Steam models.

[Chris GunnParticipant @chrisgunn36534]

Isaac, you could try Stuart turner, they sell pre-machined kits of various engines, but without knowing your budget, I cannot say if they fall within it.

Chris Gunn

[Brian HParticipant @brianh50089]

Hello Isaac and welcome. As Chris says above, that is one way. Others are to join a local model engineering society, some of which have there own workshops and people on hand to advise or, there may be a school or college near you with facilities although, it has to be said that many schools have sold off any equipment because pupils would rather use computers. But it may be worth asking.

Please let us know how you get on. It may be worth indicating (roughly) where you live as there may be someone near you who knows about available facilities.

Brian

[Isaac FarnbankParticipant @isaacfarnbank]

Thank you very much Chris & Brian. In truth, Stuart models do not appeal to me as I would rather build a traction or roller engine or suchlike.

STW kits look interesting to me, but I don't know whether you can buy kit on a 'pay-as-you-go' style? May be a stupid question!!

In terms of location, Isle of Wight. There is a model engineering society but all activities have ceased due to the current madness.

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Welcome!

You will get a lot of advice on here, from folk with experience in a lot of fields. Some of it may even conflict!

Despite being in purdah under current conditions, I would advise two things.

1 ) Join the I o W Model Engineering Society

2 ) Be patient, and do nothing until things improve.

If you are a complete newbie, you need basic knowledge and face to face advice to get some experience before embarking on a model. You will scrap fewer expensive parts that way, and lessen the risk of becoming disillusioned..

Better to scrap a bit of bar used as a test / learning piece, than a casting as part of a kit.

A 20mm bar can be used to learn turning or facing by reducing it to 19 mm and then to 18 mm, and so on to gain experience, if only of acquiring the ability to turn a traverse handle at a reasonably steady speed. And the effect of various speeds and feeds.

You will begin to gather that you need tools, drill chucks an drills to start work.

The budget will control what machines you buy, and again, you need advice, especially if contemplating any secondhand machine. For that, you definitely need someone experienced to come with you to check the prospective purchase.. Also, a sympathetic Club member can give you face to face tuition and demonstrations.

In the meantime, devote some of the budget to buying a few books, to increase your understanding.

My suggestions would be:

L H Sparey "The Amateur's Lathe"

Ian Bradley "The Amateur's Workshop"

Tubal ,Cain "The Model Engineer's Handbook" This is a most useful reference book.

These will take £25 – 30 out of the budget, but may pay for themselves by a better understanding of what is going on, and avoiding damage to tool, machine, and possibly you!

Reading will not make you an expert, but give an understanding, so that you can avoid some of the total newbie's mistakes.

Before very long you will find that a set of Zeus charts are very useful.

A cheap start for measuring instruments would be a digital Calliper. You can get cheap ones for not much more than £10 from LIDL or ALDI when they come on special offer.

If you want to jump in straight away, for about £25 you could buy a Moore and Wright one from Machine DRO, which may be less expensive in batteries, in the long run, and better quality..

As an Apprentice, I found that putting on a 0.010" cut reduced diameter by 0.020", as a surprising first lesson, and later that the milling machine cut far better when I changed it to rotate in the right direction!

Ultimately, you will gain a lot of pleasure and satisfaction from Model Engineering, but learning to walk comes before running or sprinting.

Hope this helps a little.

Howard

[Howard LewisParticipant @howardlewis46836]

Isaac,

You have a PM. The envelope at the top of the screen should be flashing

Howard

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