im new here!!

[Lee MatthewsParticipant @leematthews87535]

[Lee MatthewsParticipant @leematthews87535]

hello everyone im new here, i wish to start in model engineering but am not from an engineering background, i am reasonably good with mechanics, and have had an obsession with steam locomotives since childhood, however i dont know anything about lathes and my experience has been limited to building gauge 1 kits, my question is how hard would it be to find someone who might let me help out on a reguler basis in their work shop so i could learn how to do things, i am nearly 40 now so do you think i might be taking it up too late in life, i presume that most people in this game have been doing it from school leaving age?

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Hi Lee

you are not to old. Many people start when they retire. Most people don't have the money for tools until the kids grow up. Why don't you start by scratch building something for gauge 1? A locomotive tender would make a good start.

[Paul LousickParticipant @paullousick59116]

Hi Lee,

Welcome to the group. I would suggest that you join a club in your area that has an interest in model engineering or model locomotives. Club members are always willing to advise you of where to start. I live in Sydney, Australia but I am.sure that there should be one in your area. Lots of good information on the internet and Youtube.

Paul.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Welcome Lee,

I started at 37, which is about half the average age

See if you can find a club – what area are you in?

Neil

[Lee MatthewsParticipant @leematthews87535]

to keep a long story short mr wyatt, i have just restored a narrow boat to live on so i can keep living costs to a minimum and be able to afford to persue my passion which is steam locomotives, so i am planning to move about until i find somewhere that i like,what i want to do is rent a small lock up so i can eventualy start getting some machinery and tools, and i will be doing some volunteer work with a heritage railway, hopefuly i can find one with a carriage works as i can weld. i will see if i can find a club as you have suggested, i have come to the stage in life where i would like to start from scratch and learn something new, sort of like starting as an apprentice and going back 25 years, if you know what i mean, i only wish i had done an engineering apprentiship when i left school but life took me in a different direction.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Lee, you say you are reasonably good with mechanics, so I would think that you should have no problem learning to use a lathe ect. and it is never to late to pick up model engineering.

Regards Nick.

[Lee MatthewsParticipant @leematthews87535]

thank you all i feel a bit reasured now, i was worried after talking to a civil engineer on the blubell railway who said i probably would struggle and to stick with kits! as i said i want to join a club so i can learn to understand things like reading drawings properly and such like.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

You could do worse than but a few volumes of Model Engineer back issues from across the years.

Neil

[Lee MatthewsParticipant @leematthews87535]

thank you again i will try that as well

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

A lot of the build of a loco does not involve a lathe at all. You can make a start with hand tools and a vice.
If you paddle round the Grand Union you can pause near St Albans one Thursday and go to the evening class at Marlborough School to turn some wheels. If you give the horse a carrot you might be able to get up here in time for the St Albans and District Model Engineering Society exhibition on the last weekend of September.

[Lee MatthewsParticipant @leematthews87535]

noted and thanks that might just be the icebreaker im looking for, i will certainly come and have a look

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Welcome Lee

You are never too old to learn; life is a learning curve from the day we are born 'tll the day we go to the great workshop in the sky, and its always accompanied with 'well, I didn't know that… but now I do', plus another golden oldie, 'why didn't I think of that…

There is a fountain of knowledge on this site from all the members & it's freely given, even for those that have been in the eng. business all their working lives , so if you want to find out anything… don't be afraid, just ask.

George

[Lee MatthewsParticipant @leematthews87535]

has anyone got reccomendations for any particular club, or is that a howlong is a piece of string question?

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Box Hill club in Melbourne is very good as is Tullamarine..

But if you mean nearby then just put the name of the nearest towns + model engineer club in a search engine and mostly it will come up with a few.

[Lee MatthewsParticipant @leematthews87535]

dont even joke mate you might just get a knock on the door one day followed by a barrage of questions about how too……………..!!!!!!

[Lee MatthewsParticipant @leematthews87535]

just one more quick question and ill leave you all in peace, do you think when i join a club it might be worth buying a half finished steam loco instead of a scratch build? or would that open a host of more complex problems there seems to be quite a few on ebay, i would like to have your opinions, rather than making a fool of myself in public by asking stupid questions at a club evening?

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

That's a way many people have started, especially if they can get a rolling chassis with a boiler.

Neil

[Lee MatthewsParticipant @leematthews87535]

yes im looking at a couple on e bay now, ill do some homework, then aproach a club and ask for some advice before parting with cash

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Lee, welcome from NZ.

It would be handy to put up a little info about yourself, then we don't have to ask where you are, although I suppose your location may change from time to time.

Ian S C

Edited By Ian S C on 14/09/2015 12:44:34

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Done it again

Edited By Ian S C on 14/09/2015 12:42:26

[Lee MatthewsParticipant @leematthews87535]

sorry i didnt mean to be vauge, i should have made it clearer, my plan as i have very nearly finished restoring my narrowboat is to have a good look around and to settle in an area where i can find a suitable club, that caters for beginers so i can start what will be a very steep learning curve when i choose to start a project, as i said i am interested in building a steam locomotive, probably from a half finished project to start with, i am and always have been very interestes in 2.5 inch gauge locomotives and have a thing for lbscr and lner locos, the most difficult part is i have no engineering backround , and as i have already said i have only built gauge 1 kits, so i will need alot of teaching to start with, i plan to do some work if i can find a heritage railway that will have me as welll.

[Lee MatthewsParticipant @leematthews87535]

sorry i didnt mean to be vauge, i should have made it clearer, my plan as i have very nearly finished restoring my narrowboat is to have a good look around and to settle in an area where i can find a suitable club, that caters for beginers so i can start what will be a very steep learning curve when i choose to start a project, as i said i am interested in building a steam locomotive, probably from a half finished project to start with, i am and always have been very interestes in 2.5 inch gauge locomotives and have a thing for lbscr and lner locos, the most difficult part is i have no engineering backround , and as i have already said i have only built gauge 1 kits, so i will need alot of teaching to start with, i plan to do some work if i can find a heritage railway that will have me as welll.

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

I would suggest Aylesbury vale club which is based at quanton in Buckinghamshire. Lots of canals in that area as well. Nice place to live if you don't have to rent or buy a house.

[Lee MatthewsParticipant @leematthews87535]

now that sounds like my cup of tea!! i will have a look now for their website, and send them an e mail, to find out more, as i said the money i can save as you quite rightly point out about house prices i plan to spend on steam locos! what i am planning to do is to rent a small lockup for when i start to get some tooling, however if i can find the right club that has got a small premises i was going to suggest, when i buy some larger tools i could keep it with them for everybody to use, this might be of benefit to a club and i would be able to get some guidence as well.

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