Hello from South Africa

[xavier]

Hi Guys

I found this forum by accident while looking for copper plating methods and I found what I was looking for on this forum. It has been a while that I wanted to build a steam tractor, looks like now could be a good time to start.

All the best
Xavier

 

[Antman]

Hola my 'bra,
Not many South Africans on this forum. I get the impression that there is not much model engineering in RSA these days. At the Durban Society of Model Engineers I was told they only have about 40 members and of those only 6 are even machining anything. Good luck on your traction engine. If you are in one of the big centres, see what's happening at your local model engineering soc. I am far away in the Free State most of the time.
Welcome,
Ant

 

[rhitee93]

Greetings! It is interesting how often one accidentally finds something on the internet that kindles an old interest. I hope you decided to start on the steam tractor soon and also decide to share your progress with us.

 

[xavier]

If you are in one of the big centres, see what's happening at your local model engineering soc.
Ant

Hi Antman

I'm a bit far from you but a farmer I take it that you are one too? I'm in the Walkerville area close to Mayerton and 80Km from Vereeniging. I have always been interested in steam engines possibly it's the mechanics behind it that makes me drool over them LOL but lets face it the copper the brass and the cast iron do look good together.

Hi rhitee93

I wanted to quote but I did not figure out how to quote two different posts yet. I do not own any milling machine nor a lathe so my plan is to use all sorts of scrap that I may find. I think that this could be a fun thing to do. I will post photos of my progress, the things that I find and how I modify them to do the job. I guess that this sound quite enthusiastic but I love a challenge.

All the best to you all
Xavier

 

[Antman]

Hi Xavier,
Not a farmer, not even a Boer, an escapee from the ratrace that is Johannnesburg. I live in one of the small towns (dorpies) near the Lesotho border. My piece of the Free State is only big enough for a few ailing fruit trees (only my pears are doing well) and a not too successful veggie patch. I know the Walkerville area. Way back in the 90's we used to do the Eikenhof flea market regularly, supplemented our income very nicely with 2nd hand baby and kids' clothes and toys.
If you like doing things with scrap ... first a warning: Some people won't even go into a scrapyard without their tetanus shots up to date. Personally, I tend to wash everything I bring home from the scrapyard with soap and water first. You should Google "multimachine" It's an open source bunch of ideas for making machine tools from automotive scrap using the already accurately machined flat and square surfaces and bearing housings, found in engine blocks, wheel hubs, etc.
Cheers,
Ant

 

[xavier]

Great Antman

I will have a look at that site, sure sounds interesting. I'm sure that your vegetable patch will come right as soon as we get some rain and the temperature goes up a bit. (I don't like this cold weather) I'm not too concerned about the tractor being a perfect replica so I will start by building the engine having done that I will have a better idea on the scale of it. At the moment I'm busy fixing my Volvo 2654 tractor that we got from an auction (What a mess) just about everything is in working order now and I cant wait to put it in the field to test it. It's the brakes that got me making more grey hairs at the moment LOL.

All the best
Xavier

 

[Ken I]

Xavier,
Welcome to the forum the are a few SA nutters around - me included.

Good luck with the tractor.

Ken

 

[compspecial]

Hello, and welcome Xavier, good luck with all your projects.
Stew.

 

[xavier]

Hi Guys

Thanks for the warm welcome. I'm planing to go to a scrap yard to find some toys to play with LOL I have some ideas on how to build the engine I'm not sure if they will work but if I don't try I will never know. I once build a cannon I used powder from 303 shells well it worked once then blew up, OK I was still very young at the time but I found out that it did not work at all LOL

Regards Xavier

 

[Antman]

Ken, what makes you think you include yourself with the nutters?

 

[Ken I]

Antman,
When most of one's hobbies are what most people consider "fringe" then they think you rather odd, at best eccentric if not perhaps a little mad.

When my brother found out I'd started building model engines he said "Well that makes you a certifiable old fart".

You need a little madness in you.

And just to confirm that a customer flew down today to sign off on a machine I've designed and built for him - first thing he noticed is its built the wrong way around.

An honest mistake - but I did the same thing last time ! Bugger !

Ken

 

[Antman]

Ken, I take you for one of those South african geniuses like the guy who invented Pratley putty

 

[pieterfry]

Any South African on, I want to hear from you guys. I am in Randfontein.
Email or phone pieter-at-rhinobag-dot-co-dot-za 0768109557

replace "-at-" with "@" and "-dot-" with "."

 

[robcas631]

Xavier------- welcome!

 

[Antman]

Hey Pieter from Randfontein, it's usual on this forum (as most) to post an introduction. Tell us about yourself and your interests in engine modelling or machining. Most people would be reluctant to give their personal phone number out on the interweb. Not many South Africans on HMEM. Ken I is very active, most of his technical info is way above my head. You should check out some of his builds and his Project of the Month winner. I'm the guy who mostly asks very noob questions, but the help and advice I have received at HMEM has been a major boost to what little I have achieved in my workshop.
Cheers,
Ant

 

[dsquire]

Any South African on, I want to hear from you guys. I am in Randfontein.
Email or phone pieter-at-rhinobag-dot-co-dot-za 0768109557

replace "-at-" with "@" and "-dot-" with "."

Hi pieterfry

Welcome to HMEM. It would be nice if you could make an introductory post so that we might know a little bit about your wants and needs in the hobby similar to what xavier did to start this thread.

I have taken the liberty of editing your email address. This will make it harder for computer bots find your address and fill your email box with junk emails. Similarly it is not a good idea to post your telephone number in a public forum like this. Many good people and unfortunately a few bad people read these pages every day.

The best way for people to make contact with each other is via "Private Message". To do this left click on the users name then left click on
Send a private message to "user-name"
Now a new tab will open to send a "Private Message".

Enjoy your time on HMEM and we look forward to more posts in the future.

Cheers

Don

 

[xavier]

Hey guys

No I did not disappear I went away for the weekend (I do that from time to time) Any way I wanted to let you all know that my plan to build an engine from scrap is coming along. I now have a piston a con-rod and a crank, the cylinder will have to be hand made next is to find a flywheel but that should be no big deal. I'm hoping to start on the boiler tomorrow. The reason why I'm doing things in this order is the time that I have disposable to me and no other reason.

Hi Rob

Thank you for the welcome. I already feel at home here. I'm sure that I will have a good time here with you guys and that I will learn a lot from you all. I also have duties on another forum (Nothing to do with model building) but I will be here as often as possible.
Hi pieterfry

Quote" Any South African on, I want to hear from you guys. I am in Randfontein.
Email or phone pieter-at-rhinobag-dot-co-dot-za

0768109557

replace "-at-" with "@" and "-dot-" with "." End of Qote

How is Randfontein? I haven't been to that part of the world in donkeys years.

All the best to you all
Xavier