Hello HMEM from Nova Scotia, Canada

[Sparticusrye]

Hello HMEM members,

I've been checking out all the builds over the last week or two and am excited to get machining again. I am a Marine Engineering Technician, which is a fancy term for stoker, in the Canadian Navy. I've been Naval Machinist for a few years now and just finally after much begging and saving pruchased a lathe for my home shop. Next big purchase will be a mill but until then I'll do any required milling at lunch on a machine at work. (Machine availabliity dependent)

I've got a far amount of formal training in machining and will do what I can to help out. My first project is in the chuck atm and I'll start a post once I've made a little progress (still waiting on a shipment of measuring tools). Can only do so much with calipers and a few mics. At the moment I've got the crankcase for a "Bill - 1906 Four Cycle Gas Engine, by Jerry Howell" in the chuck awaiting some telescopic guages. Probably should have picked a different part to start with but it was printed on sheet 2 of the drawings and I was excited to get started. Now its stuck there to keep concentricity until I can bore the bearing hole to size.

For a lathe I've got a Craftex 10" x 18" benchtop lathe that so far is better then I expected. I made a couple MT2 arbors for it just to get a feel for the machine and it seems to be accurate enough for the small jobs I've got planned. I've also got a drill press that was my final project for the Naval Machinist course, very accurate way better then store bought, machined from castings that the class packed moulds for and helped cast of the Lunenberg Foundry here in Nova Scotia. Then of course my shop has a grinder and various hand tools, files, drills, etc.

Well that's a little about me.

James

 

[b.lindsey]

Hi James and welcome. Your s/n looks familiar so it must have been from one of your other posts. Sounds like you have the experience you need and definitely more than I had when i got started. Here's hoping your tools come in soon so you can get back to the build. Don't forget .... th_wwp

Regards,
Bill

 

[Maryak]

James,

Welcome to our forum. wEc1

Best Regards
Bob

 

[steamer]

Welcome James!

Dave

 

[gmac]

James;
Good to see another Bluenose'r on board! You'll love this gang of pirates.... :big: You won't find a friendlier bunch.
Best regards
Garry
(New Glasgow born and bred)

 

[Chitownmachine]

Hello from Chicago! I'm having a blast and hope you do too! Would love to see pics of the drill press when you get a chance. Thanks! Can't wait to see what you have instore!
Eddie

 

[Sparticusrye]

Sorry it took so long to get a picture. Took me awhile to figure out how to post one.

So anyway, this is my drill press that I made as a final project for my Naval Machinest course. The Head, table, and stand are all cast aluminum. The class went to a local foundry and packed the moulds and then assisted in pouring the metal. At the same time we cast some brass for a gear pump that was the second last project.

 

[Tin Falcon]

Welcome to the forum. Think you will like it . There are at least a good handful of military trained machinists here. I went through the US navy basic electronics course while in High School. (Civilian HS ,Navy course material) Then US Army radio operator Field mechanic course. ... A few years later USAF Machining and welding.... This is the short version
I like the fact you were at least exposed to foundry practice and got to do a real take home project, to me a real project that you are allowed to keep adds meaning and purpose to a course. I do still have a few practice pieces from school but they are just that.

I like the drill press light weight , simple but likely more accurate than almost anything off the shelf.
Tin