A Semester's Worth of Work (3 Engines Pics)

[jtrout13]

First engine built: Single wobbler, all from steel bar stock. Everyone in class built these, this one was the best of the group and it ran at 8000 RPM on 80PSI.

Second engine: Built for fun, was not required or endorsed by the school. Inverted Elmer's Wobbler, with a few of my own design alterations. Runs great! Built from aluminum and brass bar stock.

Sophomore Design Project: Air-Powered Generator, makes 10W electrical power. Built all by me except for the pistons and a few minor parts. I learned a lot from this, as all the material was scrap lying around the shop, which was milled and fly-cut to size on a Bridgeport mill. I also gained experience with a boring bar when making the mount for the little DC Motor. This was constructed ENTIRELY IN ONE DAY!! The guys who built the pistons made a few mistakes on it, so I had to do some Jerry-Rigging on it to make it more reliable (you will see the brass piston retainers which were necessary because of this). After some Loctite and crossed fingers, it works great! I learned so much!!

Special Thanks to Ed Taylor and the many other HMEM members who helped me design and implement this project!

The Whole Collection:

 

[SAM in LA]

Jtrout13,

Looks good.

I like how you modified the twin wobbler.

Are you planning a career as a machinist?

I am looking forward to seeing more of your work.

SAM

 

[jtrout13]

I am studying Mechanical Engineering. However machining has become a big hobby of mine. I plan on having a home shop at some point in my life, where I can make some more little engines. It doesn't take a ton of money to get started with a combo mill/lathe or whatnot, so I'd like to work towards that goal once I get a good job and get my feet settled in the workforce, etc.

As for a career in machining, I would love it. However, I don't feel like it's the smart thing to do for someone just now college-age, with the direction our country is moving. As our economy shifts away from manual-labor type jobs, I feel I need to seek out a skilled/educated type position. However, all is not lost, because engineers machine stuff all the time when building prototypes and stuff. I am sure I will get to machine plenty at work.

I haven't exactly decided when I am going to graduate. Our school has a world-renowned facilities setup/ graduate study program for the area of Metrology (study of precision measurement and tolerance), so if my current 4.0 GPA gets me into that program, I will get to spend more time researching in the shop hands-on, messing with the cool stuff down there. I played with an EDM (electron discharge machining) setup the other day, it was really something.

So, bottom line, I plan on a career in machining, but in the research/design end of it, not the machinist end of it.

 

[putputman]

Nice build jtrout13. :bow: :bow: :bow:

You have a good start on a hobby that can last you a lifetime regardless which direction you go for a career. Get into it as soon as you can afford to. You'll never regret it.

Best of luck.

 

[gbritnell]

One of the most important things about machining is the passion to do it. There are lots of people that machine things but only do it because they get paid for it. It looks like you really enjoy what you're doing. Great starting projects, keep up the good work.
gbritnell

 

[mklotz]

As for a career in machining, I would love it. However, I don't feel like it's the smart thing to do for someone just now college-age, with the direction our country is moving. As our economy shifts away from manual-labor type jobs, I feel I need to seek out a skilled/educated type position.

Good thinking! It pains me to say it but you've got it exactly right. My children are grown now but I would never have encouraged them to become machinists even if they had been interested in the field.

Don't confuse an intriguing hobby with what you need to survive in an ever more demanding and expensive world.

 

[dparker]

Jtrout13: Very impressive!! Those are good looking models and the generator is a great add-on to show some type of load for demonstrations.
Thank you for showing them to us.
don