Author Topic: Hi everyone, from Costa Mesa, CA  (Read 1170 times)

Offline Bocam

  • Jr. member
  • **
  • Posts: 2
  • Costa Mesa, CA, USA
Hi everyone, from Costa Mesa, CA
« on: October 14, 2018, 01:48:32 AM »
Hi everyone!  I'm new to machining and sort of new to engine building!  :D Actually my first encounter was over 40 years ago in high school when a friend brought an engine to our wood shop class (I guess it was called a wobbler).  He just wanted to build a wooden base for his engine but I decided I wanted to build the entire engine out of wood!  The wood shop teacher said "If you build it and it runs you get an A."  I ran it on compressed air and it took more pressure than it's metal counterpart but I got and A in that class. ;D

More recently I took my high school age kids to the Craftsmanship Museumhttps://www.craftsmanshipmuseum.com/ in Carlsbad, CA and was actually inspired by all the different models in general and specifically the miniature engines they had running on display!  I was particularly intrigued by the "Fire Eater engine" demonstration.  I had never seen anything like it.  As luck would have it I (semi) recently purchased a cheap import mill/lathe combo tool for another project, this was my first adventure in machining.  In my typical fashion, I plunged headlong into looking up a set of plans and am currently getting close to finishing a fire eater.  After looking around on this forum I realized I made a few mistakes but nothing that can't be fixed and I'm having a great time doing it! 

Thanks,
Bob

Offline b.lindsey

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 13860
  • Dallas, NC, USA
    • Workbench-Miniatures
Re: Hi everyone, from Costa Mesa, CA
« Reply #1 on: October 14, 2018, 02:05:12 AM »
Hi Bob and welcome to the group. That looks like Phillip Duclos design, not an easy place to start but yours sure looks nice. Hope you can get it all sorted out and running soon. They are such fun engines to watch!!

Bill

Online Kim

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 7862
  • Portland, Oregon, USA
Re: Hi everyone, from Costa Mesa, CA
« Reply #2 on: October 14, 2018, 03:32:04 AM »
Hi Bob,
Welcome to the forum!
Nice looking engines there - that little wooden oscillator is unique!
Kim

Offline Bocam

  • Jr. member
  • **
  • Posts: 2
  • Costa Mesa, CA, USA
Re: Hi everyone, from Costa Mesa, CA
« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2018, 05:18:38 PM »
Hi Bill.  Yup it's the Phillip Duclos design.  It's the same design I saw at the museum.  I found the plans at http://www.plans-for-everything.com/.

Hi Kim. Thanks for the comment.  The wooden engine was lots of fun to build.  :D

Offline Roger B

  • Global Moderator
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 6133
  • Switzerland
Re: Hi everyone, from Costa Mesa, CA
« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2018, 06:48:53 PM »
Welcome to the Forum  :ThumbsUp:  :ThumbsUp:

Your wooden oscillator  reminds me of the old joke about Wille made a wooden whistle but it wouldn't work etc.  :)
Best regards

Roger

 

SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal