Why do we do it?

[Jo]

I found this article in a magazine dating from the early part of WW II and I thought I would share it with you.

I must say I still agree with the original author. Do you?

Jo

[sco]

Yep.

For me a lot of the reward comes from the journey not just the end result.

Simon.

[Steam Haulage]

Humphrey's pump?? Others might have known these but they are new to me. Wikipedia has an article and a description.



Jerry

[Steam Haulage]

Sorry. I tried to post a link aand should have posted an image.

Yer 'tis

Jerry

[philjoe5]

Jo,
An interesting article that says it all.

Recently, after completing my first IC engine project I caught myself sitting on my thumbs pondering, "What's next?".  I decided to keep myself sharp I'd make some gears.  So off I went making a 9 to 1 gearbox.



Seemed to work well, so I thought I'd hook it up to one of my compressed air model engines and drive a little DC motor as a generator.



A few more connections and we'll see what kind of output I get. 

I think of this project as a kind of machinists "scrimshaw".  We do these to stay sharp and keep the machines oiled up

Cheers,
Phil

[tangler]

Jo,

Thanks for that.  Bang on.  The reaction of people to something I've made is very bi-polar - It's either "Wow! You made it all yourself?" or "Whatever".  Clearly the wow people have some understanding of the effort and at least some skill invested in the outcome.  The whatevers I'm not sure about.  Perhaps they have no comprehension at all of making something, after all made stuff comes from shops or they feign indifference through embarrassment of knowing they couldn't do it themselves (and they are probably wrong).

Whatever,

Rod

[zeeprogrammer]

The article mentioned one of the joys as being smells. So true.
I remember when I started this hobby. When I got my machine and the beginnings of a tool kit...the smell of oils brought back so many memories of when I was a kid.
My grandfather's shop (he was an apartment building super)...the electric train under the Christmas tree...the oiled wrapping of whatever toys.
Even now...so much of the pleasure of receiving a bearing I ordered, or a bag of bolts is the smell of the oil.
I still have an aromatic box that came with a microscope inside when I was a kid. The scope is long gone. Anytime I open that box... the feelings I get are so strong...almost overpowering.

For me a lot of the reward comes from the journey not just the end result.

Yes. The end result is short and sweet. A moment to savor the success and pride...and then start anew.
Hm...I can think of several analogies to that...
Getting ingredients together, cooking this and that, tasting, and then the short and sweet moment to enjoy.
Hm...my other analogies are not appropriate here.
I think I'll take a few moments to reminisce...I'll get back to you. Maybe.

[Roger B]

I think that I make things because I want to understand things properly. I want to know exactly how they work. As time progresses this seems to get harder.

When I got my first car, a Triumph Herald for the British readers, I could understand and work on it all. I could quite happily dismantle, repair and reassemble anything, carburettor, dynamo, rear axle , gearbox. With my current car, VW Touran 1.9TDI, it's a rather different story 

When I got my first computer, a BBC model B again for the British readers, I could understand it. It came with a circuit diagram, I could read the machine code and understand how it did things. With my current HP whatever running Window 7, no chance. 

My father, certainly a very clever man, understood almost all of the technology of his time. He was a graduate apprentice with English Electric, worked on Radar during the war, was a keen model maker and could repair almost anything that came along. 

How much will my children understand of the technology around them? 

[mikemill]

To explain the pleasure and satisfaction ME’s get from seeing the many hours and hard work come to life when a model first turns over to those who have no or little knowledge of engineering is not easy. Others get their pleasure from pursuing individual interests, but I doubt their satisfaction is a great as ours. I for one will never forget the joy in watching my 9 cylinder Bentley BR2 rotary engine roar into life after two and half years of work, even today just walking past it twenty years on gives me pleasure, and you can’t buy that.

Mike

[PStechPaul]

I found the Wiki link and it is a rather clever mechanism:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Humphrey_Pump
 
I'm not sure how well it would scale down to a bench-sized model, but it seems to be a worthy (and possibly even useful) project. Although I enjoy seeing model engines, I find it difficult to become too enthusiastic unless I can find some practical use for them. However, I also enjoy the process of designing, machining, assembly, and testing/demonstration. I was elated when I rewound a single phase AC induction motor to three phase and made a simple electronic drive that enabled it to run on a 12V battery.
 
Life itself I think is best viewed as a process, and the more you can enjoy every hour of each day, the happier you may be. Setting a lofty goal of attaining a certain amount of material wealth and slaving away for years to attain it is likely to be frustrating and unhealthy. You don't know what tomorrow will bring, and many people work well past their ideal retirement age to make just a bit more money or acquire some other item that is supposed to bring happiness, and it may never be realized. Unless you have something else to do, that is your passion, and look to retirement as a chance to do more of it or get involved with learning other skills, it is very likely that you will die within a year of finally quitting the well-paying job that you never really liked for 30-40 years.

[steamer]

Ditto on all counts....my life is nuts at the moment, and my son and daughter need me to work on their RC cars...but I've gotten a great deal of satisfaction engineering my son's race truck and making it very competitive.   The race car engineering scales very well, and it gives me an outlet in the shop, and brings me closer to my son and daughter.

So....a good thing this ME gig.

Dave

[AussieJimG]

It p**sses me off when people ask "but what does it do?"

My first answer is usually "look ... it's doing it".

And then I ask when they asked that question of a sculpture or painting.

Maybe I'm just grumpy.

Jim

[steamer]

Simple...


"It makes me happy!".....when they give you the weird pitiful look....just smile.

Dave

[ths]

It's 1o'clock AM, I've worked all day, and I've just spent four hours on the lathe making half a jig for my sons design and technology project. I do it because I can, it expands my experience of this life, and like Dave, it makes me happy. Hugh.

[Niels Abildgaard]

I am with Phil and Paul.

I having worked much of my life making rich peoples stupid ideas work .
Spending my retirement fredom  making steam or fourstrokes is not very likely.
Many Years ago I stopped subscribing to Model Engineer and to day I understand that it was due to Radford not writing more on learning Myfords (I had one) to behave,and Dr Chaddock who despised modelling and did experimental engineering himself.
In England grown up people get close to inpolite sometimes after some Live steam model efficiency competitions,but a fellow asking help and advice for something far more important:

http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/f26/small-engine-small-electric-generator-21515/

was not offered any help even if the site is full of small put putting engines.

I like to se pictures of model engines and locomotives,but I do not really understand.