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Metalworking (rec.crafts.metalworking) Discuss various aspects of working with metal, such as machining, welding, metal joining, screwing, casting, hardening/tempering, blacksmithing/forging, spinning and hammer work, sheet metal work. |
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Strangest first project.
Today someone was asking about my first metalworking project as a kid, so I
thought I would share it with you guys. When I was 12, my uncle gave me an old lawnmower, along with an old wringer washing machine. These were my first project parts aquisitions. I wanted a power tool, so I took the motor off the washing machine. The mower was next, losing the head and all external engine parts along the way, except for the flywheel and coil assembly. I made angle clips and mounted the engine block to a plywood base with the piston upright. Took the rings off the piston, drilled holes in the top of it to mount two angle clips a couple of inches long. Added an oil dipper on the connecting rod. Cut pipe spacers and mounted a small piece of plywood to the top of the block with countersunk head bolts to allow the "table" to clear the angle clips. Bolted a sawzall blade to the top of the piston using small bolts through the clips, and cut a slot in the table for it to pass through. Belted the flywheel and motor together, wired it, and plugged it in. I was proud as hell of my new "jigsaw" I had created, and got my Dad the carpenter, to show him my work. He was duly impressed, and asked me if the spark plug wire was still sparking. This got me to thinking, so I rigged up a ground rod and attached it to the block, then ran a probe from the ignition lead to ground a foot or so away from it. Upon trying my new device, I discovered I could saw wood and shock fishing worms out of the damp ground nearby at the same time! I'm 51 and I haven't stopped building things since that first worm shocker/saw. I chuckle out loud every time I happen to think about that thing. Anyone else brave enough to share THEIR first project? RJ -- "You're just jealous because the voices are talking to me, instead of you." |
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Strangest first project.
If you were that creative and fluid with your thinking at
12, and you are now 51, howscome you're not chief engineer at NASA, or bragging how you were best buds with Kelly Johnson? Hmmmm? JR Dweller in the cellar Backlash wrote: Today someone was asking about my first metalworking project as a kid, so I thought I would share it with you guys. When I was 12, my uncle gave me an old lawnmower, along with an old wringer washing machine. These were my first project parts aquisitions. I wanted a power tool, so I took the motor off the washing machine. The mower was next, losing the head and all external engine parts along the way, except for the flywheel and coil assembly. I made angle clips and mounted the engine block to a plywood base with the piston upright. Took the rings off the piston, drilled holes in the top of it to mount two angle clips a couple of inches long. Added an oil dipper on the connecting rod. Cut pipe spacers and mounted a small piece of plywood to the top of the block with countersunk head bolts to allow the "table" to clear the angle clips. Bolted a sawzall blade to the top of the piston using small bolts through the clips, and cut a slot in the table for it to pass through. Belted the flywheel and motor together, wired it, and plugged it in. I was proud as hell of my new "jigsaw" I had created, and got my Dad the carpenter, to show him my work. He was duly impressed, and asked me if the spark plug wire was still sparking. This got me to thinking, so I rigged up a ground rod and attached it to the block, then ran a probe from the ignition lead to ground a foot or so away from it. Upon trying my new device, I discovered I could saw wood and shock fishing worms out of the damp ground nearby at the same time! I'm 51 and I haven't stopped building things since that first worm shocker/saw. I chuckle out loud every time I happen to think about that thing. Anyone else brave enough to share THEIR first project? RJ -- "You're just jealous because the voices are talking to me, instead of you." -- Remove X to reply -------------------------------------------------------------- Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes Doubt yourself, and the real world will eat you alive The world doesn't revolve around you, it revolves around me No skeletons in the closet; just decomposing corpses -------------------------------------------------------------- Dependence is Vulnerability: "Open the Pod Bay Doors please, Hal" "I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.." |
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Strangest first project.
Well RJ I gotta say that was also probably one of my first powered projects.
I had built some coaster cars before but a subscription to Popular Mechanics and finding the jig saw project you describe led me to build this saw also. I ran across the saw head and blade a few years ago in dad shop, but it was quite rusted.. I also am a year north of 50. I didn't do the worm thing though as I don't fish. lg no neat sig line RJ wrote I'm 51 and I haven't stopped building things since that first worm shocker/saw. I chuckle out loud every time I happen to think about that thing. Anyone else brave enough to share THEIR first project? RJ -- "You're just jealous because the voices are talking to me, instead of you." |
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Strangest first project.
I used to LOVE those old 60's Popular Mechanics when there were things to
BUILD in there. Do you remember the saucy skimmer? But, alas, they, like a lot of magazines, turned into glossy ads. You might still be able to find bound volumes of the magazines at your local library. My library still had copies back to 1947 about 3 years ago. RJ -- "You're just jealous because the voices are talking to me, instead of you." "larry g" wrote in message ... Well RJ I gotta say that was also probably one of my first powered projects. I had built some coaster cars before but a subscription to Popular Mechanics and finding the jig saw project you describe led me to build this saw also. I ran across the saw head and blade a few years ago in dad shop, but it was quite rusted.. I also am a year north of 50. I didn't do the worm thing though as I don't fish. lg no neat sig line RJ wrote I'm 51 and I haven't stopped building things since that first worm shocker/saw. I chuckle out loud every time I happen to think about that thing. Anyone else brave enough to share THEIR first project? RJ -- "You're just jealous because the voices are talking to me, instead of you." |
#5
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Strangest first project.
The words used were PROJECT, not invention. I like working with my hands. I
don't know Kelly Johnson. BTW, what was YOUR first project? Hmmmmm?? RJ -- "You're just jealous because the voices are talking to me, instead of you." "JR North" wrote in message ... If you were that creative and fluid with your thinking at 12, and you are now 51, howscome you're not chief engineer at NASA, or bragging how you were best buds with Kelly Johnson? Hmmmm? JR Dweller in the cellar Backlash wrote: Today someone was asking about my first metalworking project as a kid, so I thought I would share it with you guys. When I was 12, my uncle gave me an old lawnmower, along with an old wringer washing machine. These were my first project parts aquisitions. I wanted a power tool, so I took the motor off the washing machine. The mower was next, losing the head and all external engine parts along the way, except for the flywheel and coil assembly. I made angle clips and mounted the engine block to a plywood base with the piston upright. Took the rings off the piston, drilled holes in the top of it to mount two angle clips a couple of inches long. Added an oil dipper on the connecting rod. Cut pipe spacers and mounted a small piece of plywood to the top of the block with countersunk head bolts to allow the "table" to clear the angle clips. Bolted a sawzall blade to the top of the piston using small bolts through the clips, and cut a slot in the table for it to pass through. Belted the flywheel and motor together, wired it, and plugged it in. I was proud as hell of my new "jigsaw" I had created, and got my Dad the carpenter, to show him my work. He was duly impressed, and asked me if the spark plug wire was still sparking. This got me to thinking, so I rigged up a ground rod and attached it to the block, then ran a probe from the ignition lead to ground a foot or so away from it. Upon trying my new device, I discovered I could saw wood and shock fishing worms out of the damp ground nearby at the same time! I'm 51 and I haven't stopped building things since that first worm shocker/saw. I chuckle out loud every time I happen to think about that thing. Anyone else brave enough to share THEIR first project? RJ -- "You're just jealous because the voices are talking to me, instead of you." -- Remove X to reply -------------------------------------------------------------- Home Page: http://www.seanet.com/~jasonrnorth If you're not the lead dog, the view never changes Doubt yourself, and the real world will eat you alive The world doesn't revolve around you, it revolves around me No skeletons in the closet; just decomposing corpses -------------------------------------------------------------- Dependence is Vulnerability: "Open the Pod Bay Doors please, Hal" "I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that.." |
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Strangest first project.
Backlash wrote:
Today someone was asking about my first metalworking project as a kid, so I thought I would share it with you guys. When I was 12, my uncle gave me an old lawnmower, along with an old wringer washing machine. These were my first project parts aquisitions. I wanted a power tool, so I took the motor off the washing machine. The mower was next, losing the head and all external engine parts along the way, except for the flywheel and coil assembly. I made angle clips and mounted the engine block to a plywood base with the piston upright. Took the rings off the piston, drilled holes in the top of it to mount two angle clips a couple of inches long. Added an oil dipper on the connecting rod. Cut pipe spacers and mounted a small piece of plywood to the top of the block with countersunk head bolts to allow the "table" to clear the angle clips. Bolted a sawzall blade to the top of the piston using small bolts through the clips, and cut a slot in the table for it to pass through. Belted the flywheel and motor together, wired it, and plugged it in. I was proud as hell of my new "jigsaw" I had created, and got my Dad the carpenter, to show him my work. He was duly impressed, and asked me if the spark plug wire was still sparking. This got me to thinking, so I rigged up a ground rod and attached it to the block, then ran a probe from the ignition lead to ground a foot or so away from it. Upon trying my new device, I discovered I could saw wood and shock fishing worms out of the damp ground nearby at the same time! I'm 51 and I haven't stopped building things since that first worm shocker/saw. I chuckle out loud every time I happen to think about that thing. Anyone else brave enough to share THEIR first project? RJ -- "You're just jealous because the voices are talking to me, instead of you." mine was a metal turning lathe.. did not know even if a lathe existed, but this is what i did.. took an old washing machine motor and used to plug in in to just watch it spin... i then found a 9 in. piece of pipe which seemed to be alum.. i beat it on the motor shaft and then watched the motor spin the pipe... wow i thought, now i can put a file on the pipe and make something... used to file away on the pipe with the motor running... well i had long sleeve shirt on and the cuff got caught into the end of the pipe.. it pulled me down into the pipe.... the inside of the arm was pretty red from the force of the pipe pulling me into it.... well that was the last of the lathe.. it took me about 20 more years before i had chance to play with another lathe.. this one i bought and remembered to roll up my sleeves.... |
#7
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Strangest first project.
"Backlash" wrote in message ...
I used to LOVE those old 60's Popular Mechanics when there were things to BUILD in there. Do you remember the saucy skimmer? But, alas, they, like a lot of magazines, turned into glossy ads. You might still be able to find bound volumes of the magazines at your local library. My library still had copies back to 1947 about 3 years ago. RJ Most libraries have converted them into microfilm these days, alas. Bandsawed the binders off and photographed them, then pulped them. I do have my personal set of Popular Science from about '70 or so back into the mid-30s. Microfilm just isn't the same. Stan |
#8
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Strangest first project.
"larry g" wrote in message ... Well RJ I gotta say that was also probably one of my first powered projects. I had built some coaster cars before but a subscription to Popular Mechanics and finding the jig saw project you describe led me to build this saw also. I ran across the saw head and blade a few years ago in dad shop, but it was quite rusted.. I also am a year north of 50. I didn't do the worm thing though as I don't fish. lg no neat sig line RJ wrote I'm 51 and I haven't stopped building things since that first worm shocker/saw. I chuckle out loud every time I happen to think about that thing. Anyone else brave enough to share THEIR first project? RJ -- "You're just jealous because the voices are talking to me, instead of you." When I was a kid 10 speed bikes were a new thing. They had the derailer type shifter that moved the chain across a series of sprockets. I always wanted one. My bike was the old style English 3 speed. Finally I got one. I bought it from a kid that had busted it up. I fixed it up and rode it for a while but I was not satisfied. I wanted more speeds than anyone else. I wanted 30 speeds! I took the 3 speed hub from my English bike and mounted the 5 sprocket hub on it from the 10 speed bike. I had to braze the center of the 5 speed sprocket to the mount point where the sprocket went on the 3 speed hub. I had to lock the ratchet in the 5 sprocket hub because I needed the ratchet in the 3 speed hub to operate. I could not have both ratcheting mechanisms work at the same time because the English hubs required the ratchet to work so that they could shift. Unfortunately the English 3 speed hub had a different number of spokes than the 10 speed bike rim. I solved this problem by rearranging the spoke pattern in an uneven arrangement that was good enough to have a straight wheel. I put the 10 speed bike back together with my combined rear wheel and had my 30 speed bike. It worked great! I rode it on my paper route for about a year until someone stole it. I never did get my 30 speed bike back but afterwards, I checked every bike that I saw for my 30 speed modification. Pete. |
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Strangest first project.
Peter Reilley wrote:
When I was a kid ... I wanted 30 speeds! ... 3 speed hub ... 5 sprocket hub ... Boy, I'm impressed. That would be a significant project for me now, I wouldn't have known where to start when I was a kid. Bob |
#10
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Strangest first project.
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1 I doubt it was my FIRST project, but it sure was strange. I built a (mostly) wooden 1 cylinder electric motor when I was in junior high. A wooden flywheel, wood main bearings, a wood cam, all mounted on a piece of plywood. The non-wood bits were the crankshaft (a bit of coathanger wire), the solenoid (the cylinder/piston), and the microswitch (actuated by the wood eccentric cam on the crankshaft, to fire the solenoid) It was all powered by a Lionel electric train transformer. And, to get some metalworking content in here... A project that my dad & I worked on together was a WORKING model of an 18th century ships cannon. I turned the barrel out of bronze, and he built the carriage. The whole thing is about 14" long, bored to 60 cal, or so. We didn't have any plans to work from, other than a picture out of a Sears catalog. Did I mention, fully functional? About 50 grains of FFF black powder, some rolled up newspaper, and a coule inches of waterproof cannon fuse. FIRE IN THE HOLE! BOOOOOM! -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.2.0 (SunOS) iD8DBQFAPlCXtFqyA5Dx6qYRAhptAKCtq8zIEDrOOWMgeMKFNF g+Jo88lACfakor lwae7iXrzFRppBFEz8m5pus= =Cdyb -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- -- --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jim Wygralak | PGP (or gpg) signed messages get a free ride past my spam | filters. Public key available on request. |
#11
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Strangest first project.
I also lost a left sleeve many moons ago on my Atlas/Craftsman 12" right
after I first got it during the winter. Impressed me, too. G RJ -- "You're just jealous because the voices are talking to me, instead of you." "jim" wrote in message ... Backlash wrote: Today someone was asking about my first metalworking project as a kid, so I thought I would share it with you guys. When I was 12, my uncle gave me an old lawnmower, along with an old wringer washing machine. These were my first project parts aquisitions. I wanted a power tool, so I took the motor off the washing machine. The mower was next, losing the head and all external engine parts along the way, except for the flywheel and coil assembly. I made angle clips and mounted the engine block to a plywood base with the piston upright. Took the rings off the piston, drilled holes in the top of it to mount two angle clips a couple of inches long. Added an oil dipper on the connecting rod. Cut pipe spacers and mounted a small piece of plywood to the top of the block with countersunk head bolts to allow the "table" to clear the angle clips. Bolted a sawzall blade to the top of the piston using small bolts through the clips, and cut a slot in the table for it to pass through. Belted the flywheel and motor together, wired it, and plugged it in. I was proud as hell of my new "jigsaw" I had created, and got my Dad the carpenter, to show him my work. He was duly impressed, and asked me if the spark plug wire was still sparking. This got me to thinking, so I rigged up a ground rod and attached it to the block, then ran a probe from the ignition lead to ground a foot or so away from it. Upon trying my new device, I discovered I could saw wood and shock fishing worms out of the damp ground nearby at the same time! I'm 51 and I haven't stopped building things since that first worm shocker/saw. I chuckle out loud every time I happen to think about that thing. Anyone else brave enough to share THEIR first project? RJ -- "You're just jealous because the voices are talking to me, instead of you." mine was a metal turning lathe.. did not know even if a lathe existed, but this is what i did.. took an old washing machine motor and used to plug in in to just watch it spin... i then found a 9 in. piece of pipe which seemed to be alum.. i beat it on the motor shaft and then watched the motor spin the pipe... wow i thought, now i can put a file on the pipe and make something... used to file away on the pipe with the motor running... well i had long sleeve shirt on and the cuff got caught into the end of the pipe.. it pulled me down into the pipe.... the inside of the arm was pretty red from the force of the pipe pulling me into it.... well that was the last of the lathe.. it took me about 20 more years before i had chance to play with another lathe.. this one i bought and remembered to roll up my sleeves.... |
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Strangest first project.
A memory comes to mind of when I dismantled our power reel lawnmower, and
built a wooden go-kart, with tiller steering, from the drive unit. After I got it together, I had to take it for a spin. up the alley and on to the street. I went about ˝ a block and got pulled over by a cop. He told me to get that piece of **** off the road. Since he was yelling it over the bullhorn, it startled me so much that I jerked the rope handle, and ran the kart into the curb. When I hit the curb it ripped the nails out holding my steering board on. I had to drag the unit home in pieces. My Dad was not thrilled when he got home from work to find the lawnmower dismantled. The go-kart was very dangerous by today's standards, as the reel was still attached and spinning. The positive outcome of the go-kart incident was Dad bought a riding lawnmower. it didn't take long for me to discover that the new lawnmower would get the front wheels off the ground when I let out the clutch fast. not real good wheelies, but being under 10 years old they were enough to keep me mowing the yard almost everyday. -- Please visit my website. http://www.wallenderengineering.com "Backlash" wrote in message ... I also lost a left sleeve many moons ago on my Atlas/Craftsman 12" right after I first got it during the winter. Impressed me, too. G RJ -- "You're just jealous because the voices are talking to me, instead of you." "jim" wrote in message ... Backlash wrote: Today someone was asking about my first metalworking project as a kid, so I thought I would share it with you guys. When I was 12, my uncle gave me an old lawnmower, along with an old wringer washing machine. These were my first project parts aquisitions. I wanted a power tool, so I took the motor off the washing machine. The mower was next, losing the head and all external engine parts along the way, except for the flywheel and coil assembly. I made angle clips and mounted the engine block to a plywood base with the piston upright. Took the rings off the piston, drilled holes in the top of it to mount two angle clips a couple of inches long. Added an oil dipper on the connecting rod. Cut pipe spacers and mounted a small piece of plywood to the top of the block with countersunk head bolts to allow the "table" to clear the angle clips. Bolted a sawzall blade to the top of the piston using small bolts through the clips, and cut a slot in the table for it to pass through. Belted the flywheel and motor together, wired it, and plugged it in. I was proud as hell of my new "jigsaw" I had created, and got my Dad the carpenter, to show him my work. He was duly impressed, and asked me if the spark plug wire was still sparking. This got me to thinking, so I rigged up a ground rod and attached it to the block, then ran a probe from the ignition lead to ground a foot or so away from it. Upon trying my new device, I discovered I could saw wood and shock fishing worms out of the damp ground nearby at the same time! I'm 51 and I haven't stopped building things since that first worm shocker/saw. I chuckle out loud every time I happen to think about that thing. Anyone else brave enough to share THEIR first project? RJ -- "You're just jealous because the voices are talking to me, instead of you." mine was a metal turning lathe.. did not know even if a lathe existed, but this is what i did.. took an old washing machine motor and used to plug in in to just watch it spin... i then found a 9 in. piece of pipe which seemed to be alum.. i beat it on the motor shaft and then watched the motor spin the pipe... wow i thought, now i can put a file on the pipe and make something... used to file away on the pipe with the motor running... well i had long sleeve shirt on and the cuff got caught into the end of the pipe.. it pulled me down into the pipe.... the inside of the arm was pretty red from the force of the pipe pulling me into it.... well that was the last of the lathe.. it took me about 20 more years before i had chance to play with another lathe.. this one i bought and remembered to roll up my sleeves.... |
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Strangest first project.
" The go-kart was very dangerous by today's standards, as the reel was still attached and spinning. The positive outcome of the go-kart incident was Dad bought a riding lawnmower. it didn't take long for me to discover that the new lawnmower would get the front wheels off the ground when I let out the clutch fast. not real good wheelies, but being under 10 years old they were enough to keep me mowing the yard almost everyday. When I was quite young my Dad helped my little brother and I build a go cart using a Maytag washing machine motor, baby buggy wheels and some 3/4" pipe. He made the motor slide forward to tighten the drive belt by stepping on a pedal. It had a farm implement seat that sat over the motor. quite top heavy but when you are going 6-8 MPH it was safe enough. Boy we had a blast with that rig. |
#14
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Strangest first project.
On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 20:48:27 -0500, "Backlash"
wrote: Anyone else brave enough to share THEIR first project? Some 1-tube and 2-tube radios about 5th and 6th grade. A 35mm photo enlarger made from an old Argus camera, a lamphouse made of a tomato juice can (1 quart) with a vacuum cleaner blowing in it to keep the bulb heat from curling the negatives. A jet engine, run on gasoline, that never produced any thrust but made a pretty spectacular flamethrower that would melt snow instantly for at least 15 feet. |
#15
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Strangest first project.
On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 20:48:27 -0500, "Backlash" wrote:
Anyone else brave enough to share THEIR first project? As a kid, my fascination was with radio. I built a couple of crystal radios, a working telegraph (metalworking content, I made the keys and the sounders), etc. I was about 7 then. Later I made a radio telescope (stacked homemade yagis on a homemade az-al mount). It used a 416B as the preamp and it would actually show sun noise on the oscillograph (paper tape). Won a science fair with that when I was 12. Then I got interested in high voltages. I built a Winhurst machine, a Van de Graf generator, and a Cockcroft-Walton voltage multiplier. Also built assorted Tesla coils and Jacob's Ladders. My workshop, a converted brooder house, looked like something out of a 1930s science fiction movie. Any metal parts I needed for any of those projects would send me off to my father's machine shop. Either I made the parts myself, or my father or my uncle helped when I didn't know how to do something. Gary |
#16
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Strangest first project.
In article , Gary Coffman says...
On Wed, 25 Feb 2004 20:48:27 -0500, "Backlash" wrote: Anyone else brave enough to share THEIR first project? As a kid, my fascination was with radio. I built a couple of crystal radios, a working telegraph (metalworking content, I made the keys and the sounders), etc. I was about 7 then. Later I made a radio telescope (stacked homemade yagis on a homemade az-al mount). It used a 416B as the preamp and it would actually show sun noise on the oscillograph (paper tape). Won a science fair with that when I was 12. Likewise. The first "thing" I ever built that really worked was a one tube radio, right out of the "boys first book of radio." I forget the author's name but it was a classic. My radio didn't *look* like the one in the book, but after building crystal sets that got only one station (wabc) it was great to have some volume and selectivity. I didn't have a socket that fit the 37 tube so I just strapped the tube down over its base and soldered to the pins. The fillament was by battery, but the B+ was from a suplus military dynamotor, with the 28 volts provided from an old train transformer. I recall being vaguely amazed that the thing had enough pizzaz to give me a good shock once. Jim ================================================== please reply to: JRR(zero) at yktvmv (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com ================================================== |
#17
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Strangest first project.
"Gears" wrote in message ... A memory comes to mind of when I dismantled our power reel lawnmower, and built a wooden go-kart, The go-kart was very dangerous by today's standards, as the reel was still attached and spinning. Remids me of my firsy go-cart. I found a rell mower with motor in the junk yard near by and brought it home. I poured some gas into it and it started riht away. So at least I knew it ran. Next I removed the handle. I then drilled a hole through the narow deck. I then mounted some buggy wheels on a board and attached the board to the hole drilled in the deck. It was great fun. Went through a deep puddle with, and you guessed it, when the reel hit the water I got a shower. That was my first and only go cart. After reading all the messages and seeing what guys did to entertain themselves it makes me wonder what kids of today are going to say what there first project was 20 or more years down the road? Bernd |
#18
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Strangest first project.
Mine wasn't a radio, but a mount to carry a portable radio on my bicycle.
Vacuum tubes didn't take too kindly to the bumps, but it did play most of the time. Those were great days. Bicycling out Croton Lake Road on a summer day, radio going to WINS, fishing rod across the handlebars and a few friends along. Still like the same music, but I sure don't miss that old one speed tank on the hills. Or maybe I do miss it.... but not on the hills. The go cart came next. Too bad that my two sons, and most of the kids their age that I know, won't be posting replies to a thread like this forty years from now. Growing up, my dad had a bench grinder, a power drill, and a flexible shaft tool, and later a radial arm saw that I wasn't allowed to use. I have a basement full of saws (table, band, scroll), lathes (wood, 2 metal), shapers (wood, metal), milling machine, drill press, jointer and planer. Not to mention the power hand tools. And, yes, that old bench grinder and the flexible shaft tool. While each boy - now 24 and 20 - has built things in the shop, I don't think either has ever done a major project entirely on his own. That's sad. John Martin |
#19
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Strangest first project.
my Dad helped my little brother and I build a go cart
using a Maytag washing machine motor, baby buggy whee............... Ah-memories.... Especially the Maytag motor. Did that ever remove my little brother's jeans. And did he cry.... Not a scratch but was he worried about the neighborhood girls seeing him withou pants on... That big open flywheel was wicked!!! Paul in AJ AZ |
#20
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Strangest first project.
Backlash wrote: The words used were PROJECT, not invention. I like working with my hands. I don't know Kelly Johnson. Kelly Johnson was the project manager at Lockheed on the YF-17, which became the SR-71. They were working on something about 20 years ahead of anyone else in the world. Jon |
#21
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Strangest first project.
In article , JMartin957 says...
Those were great days. Bicycling out Croton Lake Road on a summer day, radio going to WINS, fishing rod across the handlebars and a few friends along. Still like the same music, but I sure don't miss that old one speed tank on the hills. Or maybe I do miss it.... but not on the hills. Hmm. Croton lake road, now just where would that have been? Jim (who now motorcycles to work around the croton reservoir) ================================================== please reply to: JRR(zero) at yktvmv (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com ================================================== |
#22
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Strangest first project.
, JMartin957 says...
Those were great days. Bicycling out Croton Lake Road on a summer day, radio going to WINS, fishing rod across the handlebars and a few friends along. Still like the same music, but I sure don't miss that old one speed tank on the hills. Or maybe I do miss it.... but not on the hills. Hmm. Croton lake road, now just where would that have been? Jim (who now motorcycles to work around the croton reservoir) Thought that might get you - I recall your mentioning something about the reservoir. We lived on W Main in Mt. Kisco, right about where the Saw Mill crosses it. Moved later to Tripp St., near the Armonk line. Bicycling to Croton for summer fishing was either out Croton Ave/Croton Lake Road or out Crow Hill Road. Crow Hill Road was the fun one - downhill, anyway. Where you at? John Martin |
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Strangest first project.
Jon Elson wrote:
Backlash wrote: The words used were PROJECT, not invention. I like working with my hands. I don't know Kelly Johnson. Kelly Johnson was the project manager at Lockheed on the YF-17, which became the SR-71. They were working on something about 20 years ahead of anyone else in the world. Jon and still are.... |
#24
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Strangest first project.
Jon Elson wrote:
Backlash wrote: The words used were PROJECT, not invention. I like working with my hands. I don't know Kelly Johnson. Kelly Johnson was the project manager at Lockheed on the YF-17, which became the SR-71. They were working on something about 20 years ahead of anyone else in the world. Jon Huh? The YF-17 was precursor to the F-18 Hornet. Similar in shape but with spindly little Air Force landing gear. Thinking of the YF-12 maybe? Cheers Trevor Jones |
#25
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Strangest first project.
John, this is sad. I've got a shop full of tools now.
Bandsaw/shopsmith/table saw/2 routers/and old wards wood lathe/compound miter/hand tools out the ears/grinders and a LeBlond lathe on the way and I'm all of 29. It just floors me that the current youth aren't interested in how things Work....or even yet how things are put together. Of course I had to fire my last SWMBO in order to get all of the above and "keep" them. She took all the money and a new car (paid for) but that's another story. I'm sure some of you guys can console with me on that one. But either way I digress I'm a young'n and I enjoy figuring things out. Projects? Give me one. =) Currently I'm building a automated counter pressure bottle filler for home brewers soda and beer. (quite possibly just for me.) Anyway I had to put my 2 cents in. Reno, Paul "JMartin957" wrote in message ... Mine wasn't a radio, but a mount to carry a portable radio on my bicycle. Vacuum tubes didn't take too kindly to the bumps, but it did play most of the time. Those were great days. Bicycling out Croton Lake Road on a summer day, radio going to WINS, fishing rod across the handlebars and a few friends along. Still like the same music, but I sure don't miss that old one speed tank on the hills. Or maybe I do miss it.... but not on the hills. The go cart came next. Too bad that my two sons, and most of the kids their age that I know, won't be posting replies to a thread like this forty years from now. Growing up, my dad had a bench grinder, a power drill, and a flexible shaft tool, and later a radial arm saw that I wasn't allowed to use. I have a basement full of saws (table, band, scroll), lathes (wood, 2 metal), shapers (wood, metal), milling machine, drill press, jointer and planer. Not to mention the power hand tools. And, yes, that old bench grinder and the flexible shaft tool. While each boy - now 24 and 20 - has built things in the shop, I don't think either has ever done a major project entirely on his own. That's sad. John Martin |
#26
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Strangest first project.
In article , JMartin957 says...
Thought that might get you - I recall your mentioning something about the reservoir. We lived on W Main in Mt. Kisco, right about where the Saw Mill crosses it. Moved later to Tripp St., near the Armonk line. Bicycling to Croton for summer fishing was either out Croton Ave/Croton Lake Road or out Crow Hill Road. Crow Hill Road was the fun one - downhill, anyway. Where you at? You bicycled on crow hill rd?? Nowadays that's unfortunately not possible, it's a fairly major shortcut for folks who are heading in/out of mt kisco. Narrow and cars drive real fast. I live in peekskill, so I ride the back roads that wind around the reservoir to get to IBM in yorktown heights. I can go either on the north or south side, and now that I've got a dual sport bike, the dirt roads that border the reservoir are open to me as well. For those who are interested, the New Croton Reservoir is a larger, expanded version of the reservoir that made NYC possible. In the mid 1800s the city decided they needed water because NY simply had nothing to drink, and no way to put fires out. So they created an aquaduct about 50 miles long and ran water from westchester county down to New York. All by gravity. Later on, around the turn of the century, they realized that bigger was better, so they expanded the size of the reservoir by about ten times, and created the largest hand-hewn stone structure in the world, the New Croton Dam, and this still provides a major source of NY's drinking water. The story of how the dam was built is among one of the most fascinating engineering stories I've ever come across. Jim ================================================== please reply to: JRR(zero) at yktvmv (dot) vnet (dot) ibm (dot) com ================================================== |
#27
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Strangest first project.
"Backlash" wrote in message ... Anyone else brave enough to share THEIR first project? RJ When I was in sixth grade in 1963, some of the guys in the neighborhood were trying to build mini-bikes. Standard procedure was to scrounge some electrical conduit, cut and bend into something resembling a frame, then find someone to braze it together. Thinking this was too complicated, I decided to use an old bike frame. I mounted a 14-inch spoked solid rubber wheel from a tricycle on the front. On the back was an eight-inch solid rubber utility wheel that I somehow wedded to a large bike sprocket. For $7 I bought a junk Reo reel mower whose engine had built-in gear reduction. At my buddy’s house, we nailed it to his dad’s workbench and removed the carb. After using some gas to wipe it down, I pulled the starter rope. It roared to life for a second and scared us to death, but we took it as a good omen that it didn’t even need a carb to run. With a pair of high handlebars from Santa, I was ready for action. I pushed my stuff two miles to the local machine shop (the one with overhead lineshafts) and begged a busy machinist to braze a couple pieces of angle iron onto the base of my bike frame to hold the engine. Years later I realized what a feat of craftsmanship this was. (Apparently this was before the Age of Liability.) Of course the engine and rear wheel chain sprockets had to line up, which meant the engine had to hang way out to one side. No problem, we just leaned the bike over enough to balance! I couldn’t afford a centrifugal clutch, so the starting procedure consisted of raising the back tire off the ground by lifting on the seat, running forward a few feet, dropping the back tire and hopping on as the engine roared to life and the machine took off. Very soon I realized it would be nice to have a way to stop other than pulling off the spark plug wire. Thus was born the “dead man’s throttle”, as we called it. I ran a piece of monofilament fishing line along the frame from the spring-loaded throttle up to the handlebar grip, and adjusted the idle so slow that the engine would stall unless you kept tension on the string with your thumb. A wad of duct tape to protect the thumb was my lone concession to comfort. A cone-shaped plastic nozzle from a CO2 fire extinguisher made a great exhaust pipe megaphone. “Sounds more boss than a Honda 50!” claimed my friends. Our driveway was soon covered with skid marks from drop-starting and I recall my dad not being outwardly amused when he came home and found that we had turned the front lawn into a muddy oval track. It had not taken long for us guys to realize you could do better spin-outs on the grass when it was wet. Of the half-dozen home-made mini-bikes in my neighborhood, rarely more than one would be running at the same time, so our dream of a pack of us running traffic off the roads never came true. But we did amuse ourselves greatly by occasionally driving onto the school grounds in the evening in order to get the janitor to come running out after us. He never learned we were always a little faster than he could run. I kept track of my project expenses: the whole thing cost $17, including the welding. My family moved a few weeks after finishing it and I couldn’t take it along. I sold it to another kid for $24 and discovered capitalism. Carl Joplin |
#28
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Strangest first project.
Thought that might get you - I recall your mentioning something about the
reservoir. We lived on W Main in Mt. Kisco, right about where the Saw Mill crosses it. Moved later to Tripp St., near the Armonk line. Bicycling to Croton for summer fishing was either out Croton Ave/Croton Lake Road or out Crow Hill Road. Crow Hill Road was the fun one - downhill, anyway. Where you at? You bicycled on crow hill rd?? Nowadays that's unfortunately not possible, it's a fairly major shortcut for folks who are heading in/out of mt kisco. Narrow and cars drive real fast. I live in peekskill, so I ride the back roads that wind around the reservoir to get to IBM in yorktown heights. I can go either on the north or south side, and now that I've got a dual sport bike, the dirt roads that border the reservoir are open to me as well. For those who are interested, the New Croton Reservoir is a larger, expanded version of the reservoir that made NYC possible. In the mid 1800s the city decided they needed water because NY simply had nothing to drink, and no way to put fires out. So they created an aquaduct about 50 miles long and ran water from westchester county down to New York. All by gravity. Later on, around the turn of the century, they realized that bigger was better, so they expanded the size of the reservoir by about ten times, and created the largest hand-hewn stone structure in the world, the New Croton Dam, and this still provides a major source of NY's drinking water. The story of how the dam was built is among one of the most fascinating engineering stories I've ever come across. Jim Crow Hill Road was a great ride, but that was 1956-1960 or so. Things have changed there, I agree. When we moved down to the Armonk end of town in 1959, Tripp Street had only recently been paved. Check that one out sometime - especially Murphy's Hill at the south end. Many of my friends growing up were the sons or grandsons of Italian stonemasons who had originally come over to work on the water projects. I've never seen a book about the building of the dams and aqueduct, but would like to. The aqueduct itself was an interesting mystery - there were lots of guesses as to where it actually ran, but no one that I knew really knew its exact route. I would imagine that most of the town engineers knew, but we didn't - and I'd imagine that post-911 it's even harder to find out. I do recall that one of the action movies - a Bruce Willis, maybe? - had a chase scene involving bank robbers using the tunnels to escape from Manhattan. John Martin |
#29
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Strangest first project.
One of my earlier projects was making a brass headed hammer on my
dads atlas lathe for driving dress maker's pins when building comet airplane kits. Later made a motor-bike out of a bicycle and a 3 hp briggs engine. It would go like hell until it would tear the guts out of the 3 speed rear hub. Later I had a Wizzer motor-bike. The valves were about the size of a dime. Using the atlas lathe I put in a much bigger intake valve from a briggs engine. Way to fast for me. Went through a" November Sky " phase, amazing that I am still alive. Some times a parent like me is thankful that their kid is a mere vidiot. Larry Reiss Omaha NE -----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =----- http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World! -----== Over 100,000 Newsgroups - 19 Different Servers! =----- |
#30
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Strangest first project.
Later I had a Wizzer motor-bike.
Me tooo.... Then I got two false (front) teeth. Made a nervous wreck out of my mother. Paul in AJ AZ |
#31
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Strangest first project.
In article ,
Backlash wrote: Today someone was asking about my first metalworking project as a kid, so I thought I would share it with you guys. When I was 12, my uncle gave me an old lawnmower, along with an old wringer washing machine. These were my first project parts aquisitions. I wanted a power tool, so I took the motor off the washing machine. The mower [ ... ] Anyone else brave enough to share THEIR first project? Reading through the thread, I've been trying to figure out what *was* my first project. It depends on just what you would call a "project". :-) 1) Lots of things from Tinkertoy and Erector sets, none of which survive, and I never could tighten the screw sufficiently at that age. 2) Probably the earliest was an electric motor kit in which you assembled the frame and rotor, wound both assembled a (short-lived) commutator and brushes. It worked (from a single screw-terminal dry cell), but didn't really have enough power to run anything worthwhile. 3) An adaptor to turn what used to be a music stand (I guess) into a camera tripod (of sorts), involving taking a length of 1/4" mild steel rod to the town's machine shop to get 1/4-20 threads (before I discovered things like dies), and then I sawed off end and with some time with a hacksaw and a file, managed to add the ability to tilt the angle of view up or down. (I also "invented" rivets, using part of a nail as material. :-) By this time, I actually had a power tool -- an electric drill. 4) Things like home-built telegraph keys and sounders. (We were too far from any citys for a crystal radio to be worth much. :-) 5) And eventually, I built a 10-1/2" reel-to-reel tape deck in imitation of the Ampex that I saw at the school radio station. (But not nearly as good. :-) Lots of metalworking in that one. Enjoy, DoN. -- Email: | Voice (all times): (703) 938-4564 (too) near Washington D.C. | http://www.d-and-d.com/dnichols/DoN.html --- Black Holes are where God is dividing by zero --- |
#32
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Strangest first project.
I wish I could convince my parents to equip the basement, so far the wood
lathe has not gone over well at all, metalworking content: me trying to harden the damn carbon steel rod that I payed 16$ for, and finding a way to attach the tool rest(train track) to a bench. A go kart would not last very long here, the police are right now handing out 109$ tickets for riding on the sidewalks with bikes, or riding no helmet. While each boy - now 24 and 20 - has built things in the shop, I don't think either has ever done a major project entirely on his own. That's sad. John Martin |
#33
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Strangest first project.
On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 06:15:15 GMT, Reyd Dorakeen wrote:
A go kart would not last very long here, the police are right now handing out 109$ tickets for riding on the sidewalks with bikes, or riding no helmet. Sounds good to me! Puppy is deathly afraid of bikes since the sidewalk warrior wiped out at high speed while swerving around her on the grass and damned near landed on her. On the other hand, civic employees shut down the mower used to mow the boulevard, even though I have picked her up and indicated that they do not need to do so. Gerry :-)} London, Canada |
#34
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Strangest first project.
"Gerald Miller" wrote in message ... On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 06:15:15 GMT, Reyd Dorakeen wrote: Sounds good to me! Puppy is deathly afraid of bikes since the sidewalk warrior wiped out at high speed while swerving around her on the grass and damned near landed on her. On the other hand, civic employees shut down the mower used to mow the boulevard, even though I have picked her up and indicated that they do not need to do so. Gerry :-)} London, Canada Gerry, You have confused me entirely. You picked up the mower? Reno, Paul |
#35
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Strangest first project.
On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 16:21:54 -0800, "Paul"
wrote: "Gerald Miller" wrote in message .. . On Wed, 17 Mar 2004 06:15:15 GMT, Reyd Dorakeen wrote: Sounds good to me! Puppy is deathly afraid of bikes since the sidewalk warrior wiped out at high speed while swerving around her on the grass and damned near landed on her. On the other hand, civic employees shut down the mower used to mow the boulevard, even though I have picked her up and indicated that they do not need to do so. Gerry :-)} London, Canada Gerry, You have confused me entirely. You picked up the mower? Reno, Paul Never seen a female mower, OTOH female puppy is the BOSS, especially when she needs to find a puddle at 3 AM. Right now she is objecting to my typing because she had her nose snuggled in between my body and my elbow. Gerry :-)} London, Canada |
#36
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Strangest first project.
"Gerald Miller" wrote in message ... Never seen a female mower, OTOH female puppy is the BOSS, especially when she needs to find a puddle at 3 AM. Right now she is objecting to my typing because she had her nose snuggled in between my body and my elbow. Gerry :-)} London, Canada Ah Yes! Yes I have. Reno, Paul |
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