Harrogate 2008 show photo's

[Divided He ad]

Just returned from the show and thought I'd share the photo's I took ;D

Firstly I'd like to say how much of a pleasure it was to meet some of the members of HMEM (in order of appearance...) Circlip, Bogstandard and JohnS. A very nice group of gents. Thank you to Bogstandard for your gifts. I will be blinging away as soon as I sort out the polishing. Thank you to Circlip for your Kind comments on my work... A bit embarrassing but very happily received. JohnS, it was very nice to chat with you whilst rooting through the milling cutters, I hope your new cutters work well (you will have to post some photo's of the result's )

Now on with the show.... 148 photo's! some a little blurred... sorry I'm no Lord Lichfield!!

I'll post a few of my current favourites and then the album link at the bottom so you can view at your leasure... some are a little sideways! you'll have to stand on your heads!? :big:

First my favourite (some may have seen this but it's a first for me!)

The 'Silly steam engine' WOW ;D

some very interesting stirlings

Video to follow.

a beautiful steam boat.

Something for the I.C. lovers

This is really nice... Reminded me of some of the work I've seen on here

This I really loved to see.... Helping Grandad ... This kid probably will never understand how lucky he is!?

Finally one for Marv

:big: couldn't resist! ;D


http://s289.photobucket.com/albums/ll221/dividedhead/model show 2008/



Ralph.

 

[BobWarfield]

Now that had to be good fun spending an afternoon with all that!

Cheers,

BW

 

[firebird]

Hi

Just got back from Harrogate show. What a day out. Spent to much and didn't have enough time to see it all.

Cheers

 

[Bogstandard]

To save making a new post, Ralph has got it all covered basically, most of his piccies are better than mine anyway. It must be the rough cut look he goes on about, people just let him in, but he is a good little pussycat type when you get to know him. Armed with two cattleprods and spiked boots, I just couldn't get near to where I wanted to.

I would just like to say how nice it was to meet so many of the members.

Capricorn, Ian
John S III
John S I
Divided He_ad, Ralph
I did meet Mike 4517 on my way out to get my diabetes boost from the car. Sorry about not being able to find you when I came back in.
To all those that missed the meet up point, sorry, maybe another time.

Maybe in future years, we can get a bit more organised, and have a good sit down and chew the fat.

Anyway here are a few pics that show a few locos, I don't think Ralph was interested in those too much.


Just to show the size of some of the displays. I think this was a full size layout in gauge 1. Beautiful miniature locos running under live steam.

This was the maintenance and refueling area.

A few more fantastic live steam model boats.

A bit bigger scale in locos this time. 7 1/4" gauge. This is one of the main reasons I like the Harrogate show, you can get in, and look and touch if you need to, and everyone is so helpful.

Now this is where I disagree with the judges, the HRD engine, on the left, was voted 1st. To me the show stopper was the one in the top right. I couldn't get any closer than this because of the crowd. But this very skilled model engineer had built a true scale model of a gas turbine, not from exotic materials or castings, but stuff that is obtainable from anywhere. The engine dated from the late 40's early 50's, so not much exotic stuff about then anyway.
The engine was about 2 ft long, and perfect in every detail, and all fabricated, and the damned thing runs as well.

Here was another show stopper in my opinion, the wood and brass live steam US loco was a work of art, and it must take him weeks to polish it.

This was my first meeting with my internet apprentice, John S the 1st. Two years teaching by email, and finally get to meet. Thanks for taking the piccy Ralph.
I think that because of the temperature in there, I was the only idiot wearing a jacket. I must have lost about 10 lbs, I need to lose some weight anyway.

Ralph took a couple of good shots of the Stirling engines on the Experimental Engineers stand. If you notice, the engines have wooden bases or blocks on the ends of the displacement cylinders. These actually house small bulbs (show in the forefront of one of Ralph's pics) and are used to power the engines. Methinks we are only playing at it compared to the big boys.
Anyway, Here is a not too good short vid of some of them in action.

[ame]http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=XPLvrgZLBcY[/ame]

You heard the background noise, it was like this everywhere, you just really had to try hard to hear anything.

Not much bought, a couple of new centre squares, a set of blacksmiths drills, tips for the profile tool, and a few round nose and roundover bits, but biggies this time, a few small tins of paint. I also bought my lathe while I was there, very good show price, due delivery late June. When I go to the same company's showroom to buy the miller, I will negotiate a few extras.

Was a good time had by all, I think so.

John

 

[Divided He ad]

It was good fun BW ;D . I really felt for you in that jacket John... It was 25C (77F)according to my cars temp guage when I left!

I have a pic of the turbine you missed... used height, long arms and luck to get it ;D There was a big crowd around it all the time!

It got a first certificate... What ever that means? ???

I'm glad the piccy I took for you came out ok too... unfamiliar camera, you never quite know what your going to get!


Ralph.

 

[Bogstandard]

Thanks for the pic of the gas turbine Ralph, I hadn't noticed the 1st certificate, so apologies to the judges, they do have taste after all.
But you can see the workmanship in it. Truly amazing.

I also noticed how many disabled people that were there, and interested in our 'sport'. It must be one of the best for not only therapy, but competing on an equal footing. I was watching a young blind girl for a while, 'feeling' over a small steam engine, the enjoyment on her face was pure enjoyment, so appreciation just isn't by looking alone. Also don't forget the ladies, there were a lot there, some of them do support our hobby to the full, including my better half.

John

 

[Circlip]

Quite a day out, Went to a stand to look at a steam engine display set up by a member of another forum and whilst waiting to ask the stand rep where the guy who set this particular display was, overheard " And it will be Wednesday before I get the flywheels back from having them chemically cleaned"
As I'd read this comment on here at 5.20 AM (Brit. Time) Guess who?? Yep, the big guy in the brown leather jacket, He overshadowed me, well he is about a foot taller than me. Just to show the flywheel problem, he dived into his bag and brought out one of the said bits and sure enough it looked quite mucky, don't understand how this happened as after "blasting" some crankcase bits on a full size alloy casting, mine came out the way I think John was expecting, but no doubt everything will come out "In the wash."
John's second delve into his goody bag revealed "The Turbine" WOW, The article and pictures don't show you how SMALL it is in real life, and just to clarify, we were talking about Capricorn's plan to put two turbines in a model of a Fletcher class destroyer and the steam requirements.
Wandered off and was looking at another display, and given his self description,"Red hair ,Glasses, 6 2 tall" Asked "Is your name Ralph?" Couldn't really be anyone else - Divided head. Overshadowed again, (next time take some step ladders) My "embarrassing" comments to him were to complement him on the standard of his work displayed on this forum and the artistry in aesthetic designhe has shown as a non "structured" machinist. Lots of us who have been brought up in machine shops, although producing excellent "linear" work don't "Knock the corners off them" Described to him what John B looked like and saw them in conversation later in the "Tool Hall"
Looked in on "Lord John - MBE" on the stand on which he was displaying small "Boxed" CNC machines (encased with lift up covers) - Bob W, you would have wet your knickers, also wish I'd taken a camera cos the trays of mixed carbides in the tool hall would have kept you busy for hours.
Then the model stands, well covered by the photo's, but just to expand on the model gas turbine engine mentioned by John and Ralph, this is the De Havilland Goblin, the type we sent over to your goodselves for evaluation to develop your own jet engine industry, USSR as well at the back end of WW2. (Now dives for the cover of a high trench) The Bentley 3 and a half litre engine on the same stand was run at various times a certainly drew a crowd.
Given the fact that some of you come across the pond to play golf and fish, you should really time it to take in this show, as a Yorkshireman, I'm biased but I think it's the best one in Britain. Regards Ian.

 

[Bogstandard]

Ian,

It was nice to meet you, even though fairly briefly. The chap I was talking to is an engine collector, and does me some nice favours.

The problems with the flywheels came about because some of the polishing soap got ingrained into the bead blasted area, but it should soon be sorted.

Ralph does look rather daunting, but once you have spoken to him, you realise that he is just a very likeable person, and being of the younger generation, he needs as much assistance as possible to 'bring him on'. Ralph, you made a very lasting good impression.

I am sure, in the future we will be able to organise things a little better, and get to spend some quality time as a group of like minded people.

There were so many people from the site there on the Saturday, and I only managed to say hello to 50% of them.

And now a bit for our American friends.

It might seem silly to yourselves that we can't all be at the show. But it is so difficult and expensive to travel in the UK I will try to show you how much.

I live 94 miles from the showground. It cost me for the return journey over £20 ($40) in fuel alone (and my car is very economical at about 50MPG). Most of my journey was motorways (I think you call them freeways), it took me 2 1/4 hours to cover the 94 miles, and that was on a slack day, if it was a Friday, I expect to add almost an hour to that time. So really, unless you live within fairly easy striking distance, it can be a rather expensive and time consuming exercise. If you came say from the London area, your travelling time one way would most probably be around 5 to 6 hours, and costs around the £50 mark, if not more. So even though we don't live very far from anywhere compared to yourselves, the costs and times involved can be rather treacherous.

John

 

[Circlip]

Didn't want to look as though trying to monopolise John, as you say some of us could talk for hours, Have "met" Bunkerbarge on another forum, and went back and had a longer conversation with him. You certainly need longer than an afternoon Bob,I was there before the "official" opening time of 10AM and didn't see everything. And just to expand on John's costs, petrol is now $10 a gallon over here. Ian.

 

[PTsideshow]

Great pictures keep them coming! Wonderful stuff so nice to see what is being done on the other side of the pond!
;D

 

[Divided He ad]

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrgggggggggggggggggggg!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! second time in two days , I wrote out the full post yesterday and the new one here and it crashed and said hmem site was not set up to blah blah with my computer!!!!! ??? :-\


Anyway I'll try again!

As I was saying..... Good to know that I will not be shunned from future events John I have been told on many occasions by 'them' that I can be taken as unapproachable!? I can only assume that they had 'in head' approach difficulties of there own? 'cause Ian came over and happily introduced himself (no cattle prod either! :big: ) I had a very good day and will no doubt be hunting for more shows in the future... Speaking of which, perhaps a 'HMEM meeting point' banner unofficially erected in a corner of a hall would work? Just a suggestion (wouldn't need a jacket then! ;D )

Now back to the main point of this new posting .... my new video of the exhibition... well a bit of it anyway
No apologies for the shaky videoing as at arms length through a crowd of droolers can get quite difficult!!

hope you like it....
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zrzRio7RiA[/ame]



Ralph.

 

[Bogstandard]

Ralph,

That video says it all, absolutely great.

I think you have just volunteered to cover every show in the UK now.

John

 

[Circlip]

Just goes to show how friendly Yorkshire folk are Ralph. Was always accused of being inscrutable and stand offish myself but let's face it, we can then CHOOSE to whom we talk?

 

[Divided He ad]

Good to hear, have you put some stars on youtube then? :big: Sounds like a challenge John!? I would first need to know where they all are... then figure out a budget... then sell some stuff to cover the costs!! :-\ ... maybe I'll just hit a few? still need a heads up from all of the U.K. members as to where the exhibitions are

Yes Ian that certainly is true, all of it. JohnS is a wetherby local and is a very nice bloke too. (I went to school in Yorkshire, well Ilkley to be exact... Only a year when I was 12... I found the people nice then too ;D )


Ralph.

 

[rake60]

That video is fantastic Ralph.

Thanks for your efforts in putting it together
and sharing it here.

Rick

 

[cfellows]

Hey Ralph, thanks for the excellent video. Appreciate the time and effort to put it together to share. By the way, did you figure out how the rowboat at the end works? Very imaginative!

Chuck

 

[te_gui]

I have to agree about the rowboat, that was very cool. I can envision how one might create some kind of linkage/motion to row evenly with both oars, but to remotely hold one up will turning with the other was amazing, and there isn't a whole lot of visible mechanism. Would love to see a close up if someone has some or at least some thoughts by any observers.

Brian

 

[Divided He ad]

Thank you Rick, Chuck. I had a little think about the boat as I was watching it. My thoughts were towards a constant forward backward motion (variable speed I assume?) and by pivoting the spine of the rower from left to right it would force the motion from side to side, shortening the one arm stopping the rowing on it and putting all the pull into the steering arm?
But that's just my preliminary thoughts, no testing to back it up!
I've never been into remote control but do understand a little of what servos can do in the right hands ;D

Do I get a gold star if I'm correct? come to think of it... Who's going to tell me if I am!! ???

Glad you liked the video ;D


Ralph.

 

[JohnS]

Great to meet you at the show Ralph - after seeing your pics and video I nearly went back for a second visit today, especially to see that HRD motorcycle engine, its a beauty - I must have missed it yesterday. Meeting up with you and Bog(my mentor)Standard must have inspired me cos this morning I was ferreting in my scrap box to retrieve my V-twin Halo engine which I had discarded in frustration. Pictures to follow when I've removed those machining marks from the ali crankcase.

JohnS

 

[Divided He ad]

Good to know that your engine will rise again John ;D
I don't know if you looked at my album too? 'cause there are a couple of different shots of the HRD engine... That was really nice looking!

I'm looking for polishing kits now... got to try out my new bling turners ;D (and want some of those shiny nails )

We await your pictures...


Ralph.