Spinster

[Tennessee Whiskey]

My present wife is much better. She told me she was leaving one time and I told her well just let me get my sh$t and I'll go with ya. I didn't know how good of a first wife I had till all the boys at the beer joint told me!

Yo Neck
Eric

[black85vette]

Still an awesome project Zee.   As always the journey was a fun one to follow.   I think you have set the standard in posting with fun and flair and not just technical information.

[NickG]

It is awesome and not all models can work, it would have been a bonus if it did but some things can't be scaled down this far I guess, the smaller it is the more difficult it gets. I've seen some great looking models of machinery but its doubtful whether they can cut metal like a real machine.
Not a failure at all, a massive success.

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks everyone. I really appreciate your comments.

One other thing I wanted to mention...This was the first time I put thread in the flyer. As you can see, it goes through the end of the spindle, takes a 90 through a hole, and through a notch in the arm before it gets to the bobbin. When I wound it manually (using the knurled bolt at the other end) I could tell it took quite a bit of power to pull the thread. Much more than I expected and I knew there was no hope. The band was likely to slip.

Still, when I started this I'd said I'd be surprised if it worked. I was already surprised that the flywheel came out as well as it did and that the pedals were workable. I learned a lot.

To be honest, I still think (perhaps foolishly) that it can be made to work but it would take much more than I can give it and the chances are too low to warrant the try.

I'm stuck on what to do next. I have this little dynamo to do. And a vertical boiler. But I can't get an 0 gauge loco out of my head. And the choices! Cracker, Idris, Dacre...I welcome any suggestions.

[Tennessee Whiskey]

Zee, if you started with with the dynamo then you would want to build an engine to run it. If you build the boiler then you are gonna wanna build an engine for it to power. Engine build in future with either one. I'm not that up on locos, but I'd guess with it you would have to build both engine and boiler. Now you have me undecided. How bout a blind draw. Put each one on a piece of paper and draw from a hat. Still bet one day you will have the Spinster spinning. You will be sipping on a jelly jar and you'll go "HEY I got it (not Hey You) and it'll work. You'll see, that I'm not undecided on.

Yo Redneck
Eric

[b.lindsey]

All in all a fantastic project Zee. What a fun trip too...all 45 pages!!!

Bill

[Don1966]

Carl,  I would do like Eric said or just start building an engine to drive your Dynamo. You have Boiler, Engine and Dynamo to choice from. All will go together when complete. Throw them in a hat and pick one, as they are all fun builds.

Don

[Alan Haisley]

Carl,
I like it. And I enjoyed your descriptions of what and how as the build progressed. Thanks for the ride.
Alan

[Dave Otto]

Zee it's beautiful!
 

Dave

[zeeprogrammer]

Thanks all.

You're right of course. The dynamo needs an engine. The boiler needs an engine. My heart needs a loco.

As to the engine...I need some help there too. The project idea is this...
Boiler drives engine. Engine drives dynamo. Well that's straightforward no?
But I want the engine to also drive a mechanical gizmo or two I have in mind.
The first gizmo involves some levers. The thought is to drive them from a governor. But I have no idea of forces required or involved. I have to do some experimenting. But as you can see, a governor is involved.

It may turn out the governor is not the way to go and I'll have to come up with some other mechanical doo-hickey driven by the flywheel. But I still want a governor.

The second mechanical gizmo I'm not sure about yet. That may involve some kind of pump.
Point is...I'm going for some kind of diorama if you will.

Suggestions for an engine would be very welcome. Just keep in mind I'm limited to a mini-lathe and mini-mill.

I haven't decided to do one after another. Spinster got tiring at times so I may play around with multiple projects even though that means they'll take longer. But we're used to long threads aren't we? 

[mklotz]

Sounds like you need to build a steam-driven marble machine.  Then you could include all sorts of devices unconstrained by any considerations of utility or standard practice.  Rube Goldberg goes steam punk.

[Don1966]

Carl, I suggest Ruby kouhoupt's forward and Aft Compound Steam engine. It had the ability of turning you Dynamo and other devices you have in mind. That engine is on my list of engines to build next. I will be using my PM Research Vertical boiler to drive it with also.  Just my suggestion.

Don

[zeeprogrammer]

Sounds like you need to build a steam-driven marble machine.  Then you could include all sorts of devices unconstrained by any considerations of utility or standard practice.  Rube Goldberg goes steam punk.

Speaking of which...when I first decided to get into hobby machining, the first project I dreamed about was a manually driven pin-setting machine (bowling alley model). I soon realized the enormity of the challenge. The second was a old-style slot machine (one-armed bandit). That too went by way of "yeah right". I've thought about marble machines too. But nah.

I wish you hadn't reminded me of that pin-setting machine.

Thanks Don. I'll look into it. Got a link?

[mklotz]

I wish you hadn't reminded me of that pin-setting machine.

Are there any other things you don't want me to remind you about?

I'm not sure but I think I remember a tableau in the Deutsches Museum.  It was a miniature, fully-operational model of a working coal mine, complete with winding gear, elevators, water pumps and functioning underground coal trains hauling the coal to the shaft.  Ever since seeing that I've wanted to add it to my imaginary train layout that looks something like the one in Hamburg - Miniatur Wunderland

[fcheslop]

I'm sure what ever you decide on it will be a fun journey with plenty of patter
Go for what you're heart desires
I need to look for the loco Dacre, Cracker is a good build I'm looking at doing Wild Rose built by Dave Watkins the plans are on his site as are the ones for Idris
Just to play devils advocate how about a boat as that involves the brown stuff as well
Best wishes