Hi, folks!
I stumbled across this forum while searching for info on a mill and for the last couple weeks I've been peeking in on things. I'm amazed at the quality of work you guys are cranking out and the always-positive attitude around here. I learn something with every post I read and I'm loving it. I find myself going to bed two hours later than I planned just reading this forum. I've wanted to build an engine for several years and this is going to be very influential. It's already answered a lot of questions.
I've got a Jet 9x20 and a Mini-Mill that I've been playing with for the last few years. My main problem is a lack of tooling which stems from a lack of funds due to the economic downturn, but that just makes me think creatively so it's not all bad.
My main experience with machinework is carving crawlspaces and basements out of dirt with heavy equipment but unfortunately that doesn't transfer over much to a lathe or mill. I've been commercial fishing for the last year and it gives me several days at a time in the late winter and spring to tinker in the garage and opportunities to check out boats. Old, heavy, slow turning boat engines that thump rather than whine have fascinated me and today I was able to go aboard a retired fishing boat and watch the original 1926 Atlas Imperial 4 cylinder run. Someday I'll build a model of one.
But to start with I'm halfway through the E-Z Engine for a first build and it's been a lot of fun. I'm thinking Chuck Fellows' John Deere is going to be next. Somewhere along the line I want to get into gas engines and build something I can put in a radio-controlled tugboat. So many things I want to do...
I stumbled across this forum while searching for info on a mill and for the last couple weeks I've been peeking in on things. I'm amazed at the quality of work you guys are cranking out and the always-positive attitude around here. I learn something with every post I read and I'm loving it. I find myself going to bed two hours later than I planned just reading this forum. I've wanted to build an engine for several years and this is going to be very influential. It's already answered a lot of questions.
I've got a Jet 9x20 and a Mini-Mill that I've been playing with for the last few years. My main problem is a lack of tooling which stems from a lack of funds due to the economic downturn, but that just makes me think creatively so it's not all bad.
My main experience with machinework is carving crawlspaces and basements out of dirt with heavy equipment but unfortunately that doesn't transfer over much to a lathe or mill. I've been commercial fishing for the last year and it gives me several days at a time in the late winter and spring to tinker in the garage and opportunities to check out boats. Old, heavy, slow turning boat engines that thump rather than whine have fascinated me and today I was able to go aboard a retired fishing boat and watch the original 1926 Atlas Imperial 4 cylinder run. Someday I'll build a model of one.
But to start with I'm halfway through the E-Z Engine for a first build and it's been a lot of fun. I'm thinking Chuck Fellows' John Deere is going to be next. Somewhere along the line I want to get into gas engines and build something I can put in a radio-controlled tugboat. So many things I want to do...
