Old School Machinist

[steve schwartzkoph]

I have always been fascinated with steam engines. I built my first one when I was 18 yrs old, no plans on paper just from the minds of two of my mentors that grew up in the steam age. Unfortunately my first engine was given to one of my mentors when he retired (because I had built it on company time). I recreated that steam engine in 1997 and drew it up. I was trained as a Tool and Die Maker but only did that for 1 year. I then was a general machinist in the Aerospace industry for 1 1/2 years and ended up as an MFG Engineer at Allied Signal Aerospace for 10 years. After that I started my own machine shop and ran that for 20 years. I retired in 2011 and now I have a Mill and Lathe. I picked up a Stuart D10 and #4 casting kit on Ebay about 26 years ago and now I'm finally planning to machine them.

 

[lee webster]

Hi Steve, welcome. You have your location as Lincoln, NE. Is that the Lincoln here in the UK, or a Lincoln somewhere else?

 

[minh-thanh]

Hello .
Welcome to the forum !
Glad to have a new member.

 

[SmithDoor]

I have always been fascinated with steam engines. I built my first one when I was 18 yrs old, no plans on paper just from the minds of two of my mentors that grew up in the steam age. Unfortunately my first engine was given to one of my mentors when he retired (because I had built it on company time). I recreated that steam engine in 1997 and drew it up. I was trained as a Tool and Die Maker but only did that for 1 year. I then was a general machinist in the Aerospace industry for 1 1/2 years and ended up as an MFG Engineer at Allied Signal Aerospace for 10 years. After that I started my own machine shop and ran that for 20 years. I retired in 2011 and now I have a Mill and Lathe. I picked up a Stuart D10 and #4 casting kit on Ebay about 26 years ago and now I'm finally planning to machine them.

Welcome to the group

Dave

 

[GreenTwin]

Welcome Steve, I would guess you are on this side of the pond, but if not, we will claim you anyway.

I built a steam engine and boiler as a 12th grade science project when I was 17, and I have been hooked on steam ever since.

I have had a busy life, and so it took me 36 years to get back into building steam engines and getting proficient at machining (better late than never as they say).

I must say I have had a blast building a steam engine (one so far).
It is fulfilling a lifelong dream for me.

Good luck.
Keep us posted on your efforts.

Pat J

.

 

[lathe nut]

you going to love these people, I call them the "Well Spring of Wisdom", like you story glad that you will be able to see dreams come through, I was raised on a Rice farm in SW Louisiana, U.S.A. there was a Corless Steam Engine that was installed to pump water from the River to flood the rice fields, when I was 13 years old I ran the 11:00 to 7:00 shift, I used to watch the old work on it since I was a little one and they trusted me I was really scared to run it that first night, but kept the Boiler full and everything oiled, it was installed in 1895 and we shut it down in 1971 still working but they wanted to up grade, I still sets there, I tired to buy it but they won't sell now trees all about it, had a 30 foot flywheel, you mention Old School, here when that is said from the younger people it is a put down, they say that we don't have an education, my response, you wrong about old school but you are no school, that shuts them up, Lathe Nut

 

[justinlmartin07]

Welcome to the group.

Justin

 

[jrslogs52]

I have always been fascinated with steam engines. I built my first one when I was 18 yrs old, no plans on paper just from the minds of two of my mentors that grew up in the steam age. Unfortunately my first engine was given to one of my mentors when he retired (because I had built it on company time). I recreated that steam engine in 1997 and drew it up. I was trained as a Tool and Die Maker but only did that for 1 year. I then was a general machinist in the Aerospace industry for 1 1/2 years and ended up as an MFG Engineer at Allied Signal Aerospace for 10 years. After that I started my own machine shop and ran that for 20 years. I retired in 2011 and now I have a Mill and Lathe. I picked up a Stuart D10 and #4 casting kit on Ebay about 26 years ago and now I'm finally planning to machine them.

Welcome to the forum and enjoy making Stuart D10. Please post your progress.

 

[steve schwartzkoph]

Hi Steve, welcome. You have your location as Lincoln, NE. Is that the Lincoln here in the UK, or a Lincoln somewhere else?

Sorry I didn't clarify that. I live in Lincoln, Nebraska USA right in the center of the USA.

 

[awake]

Welcome to the forum!

 

[Apprentice707]

Welcome Steve, I know Nebraska well having been stationed at Offutt AFB in the early 70s. It was a great 3 years and my daughter is proud to have been born there.
Go Big Red

Regards

B

 

[lee webster]

Thanks Steve. The NE. should have been clue enough for me! I didn't have my thinking head on. Greetings from Cornwall. The cornwall in the UK, not Canada.

 

[Zeb]

Hi Steve, I have relatives in Lincoln. I've probably worked around many components you've produced through the years.
Go Big Red

 

[steve schwartzkoph]

I was born, raised and educated in Lincoln. I moved away when I was 21 years old and lived in Phoenix for 33 years. Most of the manufacturing I have done was in Phoenix. I retired and moved back to Lincoln in 2011. I still do repair and rework for Hartzell, Lycoming and McCauley Propellers and Hubs. I also design and build tooling to service the Propellers and Hubs.