Author Topic: Hello from Merseyside UK  (Read 1981 times)

Offline paulc1

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Hello from Merseyside UK
« on: June 19, 2019, 08:06:24 AM »
Hello everyone, Paul here from Merseyside UK I am a typical sheddy and presently building a small horizontal steam mill engine from scratch(my first build), I have enjoyed it so far however I just cant seem to get enough time in my shed at the moment to get a good run at it mainly due to work :'(

I am the wrong side of 55 and also a caver and like beer :Lol:..HELLO :ThumbsUp:

Offline Roger B

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Re: Hello from Merseyside UK
« Reply #1 on: June 19, 2019, 08:50:03 AM »
Welcome to the Forum  :ThumbsUp:  :ThumbsUp: Pictures of sheds and models are always appreciated  :)
Best regards

Roger

Offline MJM460

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Re: Hello from Merseyside UK
« Reply #2 on: June 19, 2019, 09:39:26 AM »
Hi Paul, Welcome to the forum.  We all look forward to seeing some pictures of your engine in progress.

Have to agree it’s bad being the wrong side of 55, too many years of work still ahead of you.  However, time will solve that, then you can take on the new challenge of how to find enough ship time when work is not getting in the way.

MJM460

The more I learn, the more I find that I still have to learn!

Offline Alyn Foundry

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Re: Hello from Merseyside UK
« Reply #3 on: June 19, 2019, 11:30:06 AM »
Hello Paul.

Welcome to MEM from a " retired " caver who still likes his beer, Real Ale these days!   :)

Cheers Graham.

Offline paulc1

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Re: Hello from Merseyside UK
« Reply #4 on: June 19, 2019, 12:18:55 PM »
Welcome to the Forum  :ThumbsUp:  :ThumbsUp: Pictures of sheds and models are always appreciated  :)
Hi Roger, MJM460 and Alyn Foundry Graham thank you for the warm welcome :)
as you can see my shed is 8ft X 6ft and way too small but full to the gunnels I have squeezed in an old Prazi hobbymat milling machine which is 27 years old and a little chester conquest lath that I have fitted with taper bearings in the headstock, as you can probably see I have no room to swing a cat even if I had one :)
20190619_111952 by ,

again the the other 3ft of my shed is crammed with a wood lathe and sander and stuff
20190619_112014 by ,

the engine that I have been building is loosely based on elmers 33 mill engine and I mean loosely in so far as it has a 1/2" piston and a 1.5" stroke and that is it, I am making it from any bits I can find but have had to buy the bar stock to make the cylinder and flywheel I am presently just making the components and then will concentrate on making it look buffed and pretty, the steam cylinder and steam chest valve function okay as I have tried it on a car tyre compressor and it ran without any packing with me manually operating the valve but I need to make proper spacers for the cross slide rails and the eccentric strap etc as you can see there is plenty to do still, I know that it is pretty rough after looking at the quality on this forum but it is keeping me occupied when I can actually get out to my shed.
steam engine by ,
another picture, as you can see I am not ashamed to use the soldering iron and loctite ;D
20190619_112754 by ,
anyway, that is my shed and the engine but even if I had a bigger space it would still be full to the gunnels :)

Hello Paul.

Welcome to MEM from a " retired " caver who still likes his beer, Real Ale these days!   :)


Nice to know that the craving for beer remains when the craving for caving has gone :) our trips always end in the pub Graham Alwayslol, this is the club that I am a member of, check this loco project that was undertaken in the Milwr tunnel in wales in 2015
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbzgPuH8oq8" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbzgPuH8oq8</a>

thank you all again for the welcome :ThumbsUp:

Offline b.lindsey

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Re: Hello from Merseyside UK
« Reply #5 on: June 19, 2019, 12:53:24 PM »
Hi and welcome Paul and thanks also for the pictures of your shed and current project. Looks like a cozy place to hang out :)

Bill

Offline Alyn Foundry

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Re: Hello from Merseyside UK
« Reply #6 on: June 19, 2019, 01:32:11 PM »
Hi Paul.

I'll watch your video later, shopping and school run for grandchildren looms close. The subject is familiar though. I converted a Lister Autotruck into a Lister Railcar for a friends 2 Foot gauge garden railway in the mid 80's.

I remember " running the gauntlet " into the upper system of the Hendre quarry, dodging the security men on several occasions.

There was a nice early Victorian vertical steam or more probably air engine near the entrance into the upper workings, years ago. We called this the " old boys " area dating back to the late 1700's but as you pushed deeper you were met with the Victorian works. This was massive by comparison, you could literally have driven a car through the tunnels! I saw the areas where munitions had been stored during the last war and an opening into the underground quarry where your light just petered out into blackness! Happy underground memories.

My " stamping ground " was the Minera Lead mines. Cabin to be precise. I spent hundreds of hours looking for those " elusive " bits of " natural. "  My last trip underground was to revisit Ogof Dydd Byraf, ODB, I enjoyed it immensely but my body told me to " hang up my clogs " but keep on with the beer!!   
:DrinkPint:

Cheers Graham.

Online Kim

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Re: Hello from Merseyside UK
« Reply #7 on: June 19, 2019, 03:09:53 PM »
Hi Paul,
Welcome to the forum.  Thanks for sharing pictures of your shop.  It looks like you've taken full advantage of the space! :)
Kim

Offline paulc1

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Re: Hello from Merseyside UK
« Reply #8 on: June 19, 2019, 03:42:52 PM »
Thanks Bill and Kim for the warm welcome to the forum :ThumbsUp: I am in awe at the capabilities of the members on this board and I have not even had a really good look around yet.

Graham, I was in Hendre just a fortnight ago, no security these days and pretty well flooded on the lower level and in cabin shaft last year, you are blessed in wales for caves and mines and thankfully from Wirral where I live I can frequent Wales to get underground.

Offline Roger B

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Re: Hello from Merseyside UK
« Reply #9 on: June 19, 2019, 05:43:54 PM »
I also exist in a very small space with a Hobbymat lathe/mill combination. Don't be put off by the work you see on here, everybody started out as a beginner and everybody develops in their own direction  :)  :)
Best regards

Roger

toolznthings

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Re: Hello from Merseyside UK
« Reply #10 on: June 19, 2019, 07:00:49 PM »
Nice shop setup and welcome to the forum. Your project looks good ,too.  :ThumbsUp:

Offline paulc1

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Re: Hello from Merseyside UK
« Reply #11 on: June 19, 2019, 09:09:24 PM »
Thank you for the welcome Toolznthings Brian, very kind of you :ThumbsUp:

Roger B, I love my old Hobbymat milling machine and have often wondered about changing my Chester conquest mini lathe for a hobbymat MD65 so I could mount them together as one unit but recently I had to fit new gearsets to the lathe so I went the whole hog and fitted new spindle taper bearings and countershaft bearings so I will be something for the future again, the MD65 hold their prices really well I find when ever I look for them.
As for beginning somewhere, I only decided to have a go at making a little engine after my neighbour bought a small mamod engine at a junk sale and asked me could I make a small pulley for a dynamo that came with it, a quick look on google for reference and I had to have one myself :), I would imagine that if I really get the bug and hooked properly then after years of practice I may turn out work like some on here and it is lovely to see such great work in miniature, I am also glad to hear that I am not the only member here with a small space ;D..small is beautiful but often untidy in my case :Lol:

Offline wirralcnc

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Re: Hello from Merseyside UK
« Reply #12 on: June 20, 2019, 08:53:17 PM »
hi paul
nice to see someone else from the northwest. i'm from st helens my self. only 15 years till retirement lol :lolb:  .
im a machinist for a northwest oil refinery.

Robbie

Offline paulc1

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Re: Hello from Merseyside UK
« Reply #13 on: June 21, 2019, 08:15:57 AM »
hi paul
nice to see someone else from the northwest. i'm from st helens my self. only 15 years till retirement lol :lolb:  .
im a machinist for a northwest oil refinery.

Robbie

Hi Robbie and Thanks for the welcome :ThumbsUp: only 12 years till I retire myself ::), lucky for you that most oil plant pensioners become millionares upon retirement :ROFL: seriously though its true :Lol: Thanks again for saying hello Robbie.

Paul

 

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