Elderly novice

[islanderParticipant @islander]

Hi, my name is Mike, I live in Orkney on one of the off islands. I have been owned a Myford ML7 for many years which I used mostly in my work as a vehicle electrician, always with the idea that one day I might do a bit of model engineering. Well at last retirement beckons and I am now setting up a home workshop with the hope of fulfilling a dream but really don’t quite know where to start, obviously with something simple!

I have a resonable stock of hardware that came with the lathe (4 & 3 jaw chucks, face & driving plates, milling attachement, centres, v blocks etc), but I really would like to know where to find plans/kits to get me started.

Any help would pe much appreciated!

Mike

[noel shelleyParticipant @noelshelley55608]

Welcome Mike, your entry into this game is a bit like mine, but with a S7. It very much depends on what you want to make, a small simple oscillating engine and if you want it to work then a pot boiler. Stuart Models is the name that comes to mind for both the castings and plans for a more challenging job. There are many others, Jason on here will I hope answer as he has much knowledge on this. Old copies of ME is another route. Good luck.  Noel.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Mike, yes welcome, there are a few well known suppliers like Reeves2000,   Blackgates,   EKP/Kennions,   Maidstone, and many others, but you may get some higher postage costs.

Regards Nick.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Is there any particular branch of the hobby that you are particularly interested in as to some extent that will dictate where you get pointed to. For example are you interested in stationary steam engines, internal combustion, locos, traction engines, clocks or do you just want to make tools that may one day get used?

Assuming the first two then something made from bar stock materials will generally be a lot cheaper than a casting set, present less challenges so you get a working engine to encourage you and should a part be mucked up it is only a bit of metal that is needed to get you back on track.

The model trade tend not to supply much in the way of drawings for barstock beginners engines preferring to sell a package of castings with drawings. However a search for “Elmers Engines” will bring up about 40 designs, Stewart Harts “potty” engines will give another 3 or 4 choices. Or I have a few spread around this forum, the most recent was quite a detailed description aimed at those new to the hobby and may be of interest. Thread here.

As for a casting kit the usual name that crops up is Stuart Models, though Blackgates have a couple of good beginners engines within their “clarkson” range. If you are a subscriber then the next issue will see a new series of articles by me on building this engine to a set of updated drawings which are in metric and hopefully address the errors and omissions of the originals.

[islanderParticipant @islander]

Thankyou Jason,

I think I will prpbably start with a couple of bar stock model first, the cost of ruining a casting kit frightens me!

I will have a look at your recomendations and look forward to the next edition of MEW

Cheers,

Mike

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

A few more of mine to tempt you.

Jowitt

Jowitt MkII Popett Valve Engine Build

Muncaster No1

Muncaster No1 with Reverser BUILD & DRAWINGS

Chuky

CHUKY Flame Licker Build

If you have been subscribing for a while then look back through the mags for my Muncaster’s entablature engien and the Thompstone horizontal which are both barstock but nice looking engines.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Search for “Potty engine” on this site. You will find the search engine comes up with a lot of wrong results but keep going through them to find the words. These are a series of simple beginners engines made from bar stock.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

There are also lots of drawings here https://journeymans-workshop.uk/downloads.php#elmers

but be warned there are also several threads on this forum where people are finding mistakes or other problems with these drawings.

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