Cherry Hill's Models

[GWRdriver]

I just got back from the UK where I was able to view the Cherry Hill models collection at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers, London. They are, as most of us have always seen and read, spectacular in their detail and execution, made more difficult due to their scale (3/4") and the smallish prototypes. Every detail of the prototype was included. The machining and final finish were such that I couldn't find a non-true (ie, non-square, non-parallel, non-symmetrical, etc) surface or radius anywhere, which wasn't supposed to be that way. For example, tiny cotters fit into their slots so closely and neatly that there were virtually no visible edges or separation point, they looked like solid metal. There were no tooling or file marks anywhere on any surface. Every part of all the models was like that. So the miracle of all this IMHO is not that someone possesses the ability to build a model of that level of finish, but that they possess the ability to sustain that level of work over several decades and dozens of models. I have a few pictures but unfortunately the models were in a glass display case in a small gallery room in very poor lighting conditions.

 

[jwcnc1911]

That's awesome! I love to see fine machining. I look for tooling marks or evidence of how it was made in everything I touch.

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Charles Lamont]

A hair-splitting correction perhaps, but one which may help find the 'Institution of Mechanical Engineers'.

 

[GWRdriver]

A hair-splitting correction perhaps, but one which may help find the 'Institution of Mechanical Engineers'.

And so it is.

 

[cidrontmg]

Cherry Hill (nee Hinds) is aged 81, and IMHO, is still working his Cowells 90 CW lathe, sometimes.

 

[Sshire]

That would be working HER lathe

 

[Sshire]

A link to Harry's excellent post
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/f49/greats-model-engineering-cherry-hinds-hill-19685/

 

[edspin]

Plenty of good photos now available>

 

[Swifty]

Ordered it on the 9th of December and the mail van driver knocked on my door on the 15th with my book. Not bad service seeing that it had to come from England to Australia. A very nicely presented book, all glossy pages with great photos, just a nice book to have to be blown away by the detail in her engines.

Paul.

 

[crueby]

My copy arrived today - just incredible models! Definitely going to get inspired by these (and depressed when I cannot get close to the quality!) models, and have already seen shapes for parts that will be copied in future work too.

 

[kvom]

Got mine from Book Depository day before yesterday. Impressive to say the least.

 

[edspin]

Cherry Hill (nee Hinds) is aged 81, and IMHO, is still working his Cowells 90 CW lathe, sometimes.

And her many other lathes in her workshops in the UK and US. And the milling machines. And...

 

[terryd]

I had the privilege of seeing a couple of Cherry Hill's models at the Model Engineer Exhibition at Sandown Park Racecourse a couple of years or so ago. They were not in glass cases so all the detail could be examined from all sides. I can confirm that they are really something, almost out of this world. The lady herself was attending and it was yet another privilege to be in the same room as her. Just wonderful.

Terry D