# A project just for fun



## black85vette (Jan 3, 2010)

I posted about this before and threatened to make one so here it is. Called by a number of names including Do Nothing Machine and BS Grinder. I am between engine projects and am trying to get better at dovetails so what better project than two dovetail slots and two sliding pieces in them? Body is aluminium and sliders are brass.

I figure for the times I have visitors to the shop that just don't "get it" when talking about model engines I can just hand this to them and let them amuse themselves.  ;D

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hNPO2MosQNQ[/ame]


----------



## Powder keg (Jan 3, 2010)

Nice!!! I've been wanting one of them do nothin machines)


----------



## ksouers (Jan 3, 2010)

That's cool, vette.
I'll have to give one of those to my boss.
Should keep him busy for days...


----------



## bearcar1 (Jan 3, 2010)

Great looking BS Grinder. I'm certain that even *if* you handed that to a lot of folks and told them that is what it was, they still wouldn't get it. ??? :big: :big:


----------



## mklotz (Jan 3, 2010)

It's also an ellipse generator. Turn it through one revolution and watch the path that the crank handle traces. It's a perfect ellipse. In fact, I believe you can buy a machine similar to what you've built to cut elliptical mats for photographs, prints, etc..


----------



## Twmaster (Jan 3, 2010)

That grinder is not big enough for all the BS -I- have...


----------



## tmuir (Jan 3, 2010)

Nice job.
My youngest son who has only just been allowed to come into the workshop would love to be given something like that to play with.
He is only 2 1/2 and at the moment just gets given wheeld and pulley castings to hold, which at the moment he thinks is great, but I'm sure that soon will become boring.


----------



## Powder keg (Jan 3, 2010)

They can be made with T nuts also. I've seen them made this way in wood.


----------



## Deanofid (Jan 3, 2010)

How many PSI of hot air does it run on, Vette?
; )

They're fun things, like most types of finger operated machines.
Good dovetail practice, too!
Thanks for sharing with us.
Dean


----------



## shred (Jan 3, 2010)

tmuir  said:
			
		

> Nice job.
> My youngest son who has only just been allowed to come into the workshop would love to be given something like that to play with.
> He is only 2 1/2 and at the moment just gets given wheeld and pulley castings to hold, which at the moment he thinks is great, but I'm sure that soon will become boring.


 be careful with that.. a friend has a Monarch 10EE and two young daughters that love to play "driving the bus" with all those cool knobs and handwheels, so he never knows what it'll be set to when he wants to fire it up.


----------



## tmuir (Jan 4, 2010)

shred  said:
			
		

> be careful with that.. a friend has a Monarch 10EE and two young daughters that love to play "driving the bus" with all those cool knobs and handwheels, so he never knows what it'll be set to when he wants to fire it up.



My oldest son 5, likes to do that too, but he knows he is not allowed to turn any dials, or pull any leavers without asking me first.
At the moment he is ually happy with just doing it on the drill press, and on rare occasions I set up a block of wood for him and help him drill a few holes in it which he just loves.

Though I'm thinking he will soon be asking for his own steam engine and then not long after that for me to help him make one. :big:


----------

