Hello from Massachusetts

[Walsheng]

Hello everyone:

I just found this site recently and I am glad I did.

I am a tool maker by trade, started around 40 years ago designing and building molds for plastic parts but haven't cranked handles in quite a few years.

I built a Stuart 10H about 35 years ago (the kit cost $19 at the time) and haven't done anything engine related since then. About 15 years ago I was given a Stuart No. 9 kit and a Stuart 504 boiler (unfinished) and about a month ago I decided to take them on for a winter project.

I currently have a Micromark lathe and mill and a 1947 South Bend mill (yes, they made mills.)

Looking forward to learning new stuff.

John

 

[Philjoe5]

Hi John,
Welcome to the forum.

I lived in Amherst, MA and South Hamilton, MA before moving to Pennsylvania 24 years ago.

There's a model engineering club that meets at the Charles River Museum in Waltham, MA and their annual show is Feb 16, 2013 (edited to correct date). I'm planning to go this year, weather permitting.

Cheers,
Phil

 

[Tin Falcon]

welcome to the forum.
are you familiar with the NEMES group in Waltham ? http://www.neme-s.org/
show Feb 16th 2013
Tin

 

[Walsheng]

Hi John,
Welcome to the forum.

I lived in Amherst, MA and South Hamilton, MA before moving to Pennsylvania 24 years ago.

There's a model engineering club that meets at the Charles River Museum in Waltham, MA and their annual show is Feb 17, 2013 (I think that date is correct). I'm planning to go this year, weather permitting.

I'm in Norfolk, next town over from Foxboro (Go Pats.)

Cheers,
Phil

welcome to the forum.
are you familiar with the NEMES group in Waltham ? http://www.neme-s.org/
show Feb 16th 2013
Tin

I think they had a show around 35 years ago at the Lars Anderson auto museum. I am going to try and make that one.

John

 

[Tin Falcon]

this is the 17th annual show....
Tin

 

[RonGinger]

I think they had a show around 35 years ago at the Lars Anderson auto museum. I am going to try and make that one.

John

No, you are confusing a couple events. The NEMES group has never been associated with Lars Anderson Museum. We started and have always been at the Charles river Museum of Industry in Waltham. Meetings are monthly, the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 The annual show is always the 3rd Saturday in February. See neme-s.org for all the details

I recall some shows at Lars Anderson many years ago, which I did not attend, but heard about after the fact. As far as I know that was never an organized club, just a one day summer event.

 

[Walsheng]

No, you are confusing a couple events. The NEMES group has never been associated with Lars Anderson Museum. We started and have always been at the Charles river Museum of Industry in Waltham. Meetings are monthly, the first Thursday of each month at 7:00 The annual show is always the 3rd Saturday in February. See neme-s.org for all the details

I recall some shows at Lars Anderson many years ago, which I did not attend, but heard about after the fact. As far as I know that was never an organized club, just a one day summer event.

Well it was a very long time ago, somewhere around 1976/1977. Was the NEMES group around then?
You know the memory is the second thing to go!

John

 

[RonGinger]

Well it was a very long time ago, somewhere around 1976/1977. Was the NEMES group around then?

No, NEMES was started in April 1995. They had a show there and my friend Rollie and I went down to look around. While walking around I had one of those 'Ah ha' moments. A small group of guys had been getting together to talk shop and had talked about a formal club. I realized the museum would make a good place for a club, so the next week I called the Director and made a pitch for a club. It took almost 6 months to convince her and the museum board that it was a good idea. I predicted we might have 20-25 guys attend, but the first night we had about 75 and is been around that level since.

My 'gatherings' had started with a friend form work, Mainer. We got together occasionally to talk shop and each of us would meet another guy and invite him to join us. It was at one of those gatherings that Rollies father showed us how to align a lathe. Mainer wrote the story up for HOME SHOP MACHINIST, then one of the NEMES guys picked it up and put it on an early web site.

We have had many very interesting speakers. Rudy Kohoupt came up a couple times and as well as the meeting ran an afternoon workshop. One time we had a Sales Engineer from Loctite. I thought he would get mobbed when he said he had some free samples. We had many other sales engineers talk, from places like Moglice, Kenametal.

Our own members have given many interesting talks. One of them talked about his early rocket engine experiences at MIT- where he taught rocket science. Another night one talked abut the process of firing up a stone cold navy WWII destroyer. We also had a guy talk that was the last living member of the team with Frank Whittle that invented the jet engine.

So, its a great group, lots of fun and friendship and plenty to learn.

 

[compspecial]

hello John and a warm welcome to the forum! wouldn't it be great if you could still buy a set of 10H castings for $19? but I guess the pay was much less then too..
Stew.

 

[Walsheng]

RonGinger: Thanks for the info on NEMES and I have the show on my calender. You also have a very nice and extensive web site. I am going to have fun pouring through it.

Compspecial: Yes a casting kit for $19 would be great but at the time I was a first class tool maker and the going rate was somewhat south of $10/hr. Don't want to go back there!

John