A Maker Space in Eastern Pennsylvania Opens

[b.lindsey]

Thanks for the update Phil. I am guessing we have all been at that point in the video where things go awry!  No harm, no foul though in this case and another lesson learned  for the builder. The engine looks very nice though I must say and I like the wood base as well

Bill

[zeeprogrammer]

Very neat Phil.

What was the age range of the people involved?
I think the closest makerspace to me is in Philly. Too far.

[philjoe5]

Thanks Bill.  We had a good laugh over the "loose screw incident".  Just the typical excitement of trying out something you've worked on for a few months.

Thanks Zee, the ages ran from 19 - 64 with one husband-wife couple in their 40's.

Cheers,
Phil

[cheepo45]

Sometimes, it's more fun when things fly apart. More memorable!
We learn a lot more from failures than we do from successes!
 cheepo45

[Roger B]

Great work in introducing people to engineering    The video reminds me of a motto we have had on the wall for many years "I've learnt so much from my mistakes I think I'll make some more"
Keep up the good work   

[philjoe5]

Cheepo,
In that case it was quite a learning experience   Lots of mistakes but we were able to recover from every one.  Only one part had to be remade and it was my fault.  I had them use a hand reamer in the mill/drill chuck to make the bore, a blind hole.  It wouldn't allow the piston to reach TDC, so we switched to a chucking reamer that had less of a taper on the end.

Roger,
I like the saying, that sounds like a definite addition to the machine shop.

Cheers,
Phil

[Hugh Currin]

Since this effort 2 more students have fired up their engines with the same result.

Phil:

I'd have thought they'd learn from the first loose screw. You should tell the rest of the class to tighten that part up so they don't all have "the same result".

But really, great job.

Hugh

[philjoe5]

Hugh,
Sorry, I meant I had 2 more students successfully run their engines, only had that one "loose screw incident"

Cheers,
Phil

[Don1966]

Nice work Phil, and I bet there was a lot of excitement getting the first one running. One good thing about the parts coming loose is that they will never forget it, so it has served it's purpose well........

Don

[philjoe5]

Thanks Don.  You're right about the learning experience.  You don't get that from reading a book.

Cheers,
Phil

[Hugh Currin]

Hugh,
Sorry, I meant I had 2 more students successfully run their engines, only had that one "loose screw incident"

Phil: I gathered that, but couldn't resist. Humor on the Internet, I just can't get it right.

Thanks.

Hugh

[philjoe5]

Hugh,

 , you got me

Cheers,
Phil

[philjoe5]

I'm running a second introduction to machining class at our makerspace and thought I'd share some photos of the participants:






We're having some fun.  No taps broken (yet )

Cheers,
Phil

[Jo]

I like the way the lathe and mill are both at a child friendly height for them to have a go  .

Jo

[philjoe5]

These two guys, ages 7 and 10 helped their dad build a Wobbler engine in our makerspace.  Dad, who took the picture, had the same grin on his face when the engine first ran on compressed air.  These fellows actually operated the lathe and milling machine with their dad's hands on theirs turning handwheels.  It does take a certain personality to do this safely and these folks had it.  There was never an unsafe move by the boys.  They watched the tap and die work as well as any autofeed work on the lathe.



Cheers,
Phil