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steamboat willie

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Jun 2, 2012
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Hello!
My name is Bill, known as Steamboat Willie both here and on the Mamod and Other Model Steam Forum. I like model steam and model boats, so it seemed a good handle, reflective of the combination of these two interests.
I live in Canberra, Australia.
I am an amateur hack hobby machinist, having had several years of assiduously failing the hobby Fitting and Machining Course at the local Technical College. Eventually I was told that I must have learnt something...and couldn't re-enroll. (Damn!).
I started off getting involved in doing my own machining as a result of a terminal disease that I have - its to do with a incurable love of veteran and vintage cars. In particular, I like Fiats, and have a fully restored 1922 Fiat 501 convertible, and am building my very own sports car - on a 1924 chassis with 1924 running gear. I have never had a sports car and decided that I wanted to become a member of the Toothless Hoons befoe it was too late. An interest in machining became a necessity for me as I found that no shops around here stocked parts for 90 year old cars... This was further compounded when a couple of years ago I purchased the makings of a 1910 Tipo 1 Fiat Landaulette which has an all-wooden body. This car is also under restoration, as my limited health allows. (I hobble around on a stick, and have good days and bad days, as I am sure many others can empathise with.
I have always likes model steam , and dabble in that when I find I am unable to work on the veteran and vintage cars. I refer to it as my therapy!!! I have an old (1959) Nuttal lathe with a gap bed (which I find extremely helpful to do some of those b-i-g bits on the veteran). I also have a smaller (chinese) lathe which I use exclusively for small and light (usually brass) parts. It is this lathe that I have fitted with the Multifix Suisse -Aa- toolpost, and for which I am seeking additional tool holders).
I have done courses in both arc and oxy welding (again at Tafe) which I use extensively rebuilding up worn bits prior to remachining. I have also done 3 years of panel beating, an essential when restoring vintage cars. And just for good measure, I did a course of dressmaking too!
Well,that's a bit about me. Please feel free to contact me if you think I might be able to help you in any way. Knowledge is useless if you don't share it, and I find mistakes just too easy to make!!!
Cheerio for now!
Steamboat Willie.




 
G'day steamboat. Sounds like you got your hands full. Welcome to the forum
 
Welcome to the forum and thanks for the introduction.
Tin
 
Welcome Willie, from a coupla hours North of ya!
 
Hi Willie, welcome to the forum. I have also done a few of the hobby courses at Fyshwick so we probably know a few of the same people. There are a couple of other like-minded lunatics in Canberra and surrounding areas so we might be able to provide a bit of mutual support.
Jim
 
wEc1 From Arrawarra ,N.S.W. Call in when you come north for some warm weather.

Ian (seagar)
 
Willie,

Welcome to our forum. wEc1

Best Regards
Bob
 
Hi from the other side of this great land.

Brock
 
Maybe us Aussie blokes should have a get together.What do you think?
 
We should meet somewhere central to everyone :big: :big: :big: :big:

Brock
 
Mawson's Hut or Uluru scratch.gif


At one we'll need a big fridge - the other the beer runs are 6 months apart *beer*
 
ShedBoy said:
We should meet somewhere central to everyone :big: :big: :big: :big:

Brock

Somewhere near Birdsville by my reckoning!
 
In a former life I had the pleasure ??? ??? ??? of driving the Birdsville Track looking for petrol and diesel pumps and would you believe checking the serial no's thereon. 14 tyres and 54 punctures later we were back at Woomera. The Eldo Mess sure was a welcome sight. Maybe the Alice that's about in the middle and reasonably civilised.

Best Regards
Bob
 

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