My Apprentice

[Bogstandard]

As you all most probably know, over the last couple of years, I have been instructing a young, older generation model engineer, using purely the internet for communication.

John publicly thanked me for my efforts a couple of weeks ago, a thing I personally hate being done. So it is now payback time.

John has been struggling for the last few months to get accurate and repeatable results, and so was feeling a bit sorry for himself.

I had my first face to face meeting at the Harrogate show (the sight of me must have scared him almost to death), and he was duly invited to come visit me in my lair.

He did this a few weeks ago, and after the obligatory cup of coffee we set off for the shop.

So followed a few hours on the basics of joining bits together so you can machine them in one go, setting up the milling vice and rotary table to make sure what you are making comes out as expected, and how to use the DRO and backstop to get repeatable results. All these things I couldn't explain accurately enough to get it over in an email.

Anyway, John went away with all his new found information, and set to work putting his machinery in order, and using the techniques I had shown him.

A few days later, I got an email. He had got over the hump, and was turning out repeatable parts, that were accurate and interchangeable, and stated that he now looks forwards to going into the shop again, knowing that he will have more success than failure.

So now is payback time.

JOHN S. IS NOW NO LONGER TO BE CLASSED AS A NEWBIE


Just to prove my statement, I have attached a couple of shots that he sent me a few hours ago.
John is building a three cylinder version of the Liney Halo, with very little input from myself, and these are the results so far. Most of the hard stuff has been done.

Well done John

Bogs.

 

[Divided He ad]

Looking good JohnS, this one will be a good runner for sure ;D

Nicely done John, public display of pride in your apprentice. Sure John will blush a bit, but I bet he'll be smiling more
I bet you were grinning when you opened those pics? ;D

Well done both student and teacher.



Ralph.

 

[JohnS]

If Bogs thought he was getting revenge for my thanking him publicly for all the help he has given me then he has failed. To be honest I am immensely proud of what I have achieved. The ability to make little engines out of lumps of metal that actually work and (to my eye) look good is something I have only dreamt about. To achieve this at almost 70years old has given me a new focus on life. The fact that John considered my latest efforts worthy of showing you guys, well, I can’t deny that I am more than pleased.

When success eventually strikes after weeks and months of toil and effort in my workshop I am ecstatic – my long suffering wife says, ‘very nice dear’ as I show her a strange little engine that has taken a garage full of noisy machinery, costing hundreds of pounds to produce. But hey, who cares, this is fun and an email with photo attachment is rushed off to Bogs.

If John thinks I am going to thank him again for all the time, encouragement and patience he has freely given me then he will be very disappointed. I have leant my lesson – in more ways than one.

John S

 

[Bogstandard]

Blast, failed again.

 

[CrewCab]

Blast, failed again.

Hey ......... Don't worry John ........... you've got Ralph n' me to edjicate now ..... : ..... Gawd elp ya ;D

JohnS now appears to have ascended to a higher level with your assistance ...... respect to you both :bow:

JS ........... brilliant work young man 8) ........ enjoy .... we do ;D

CC ........... aka ......... Dave

 

[Bogstandard]

Dave,

You've got it all wrong, John will still have complete support, whenever it is required. Once the bond is there, it is for life.

It just makes my life a little harder supporting more than one.

I am also doing a bit of freelancing away from the board, I am just instructing a young man and his 8 year old son from Dora, Alabama, on how to make Elmers Tiny. I have already made the accurate drilling jig and sent it to them, so it seems that they are well on their way. I will introduce them to the site a little later, when their confidence is a little higher, and that will then take the pressure off me a little.

John