Blacksmithing

An adult male chimpanzee standing bipedally while using a tool to dip for ants in the Goualougo Triangle.

The way humans make and use tools is perhaps what sets our species apart more than anything else. Now scientists are more and more uncovering the forces that drove our lineage to our heights of tool use — and how tool use, in turn, might have influenced our evolution.

GMorrison

An adult male chimpanzee standing bipedally while using a tool to dip for ants in the Goualougo Triangle.

The way humans make and use tools is perhaps what sets our species apart more than anything else. Now scientists are more and more uncovering the forces that drove our lineage to our heights of tool use — and how tool use, in turn, might have influenced our evolution.

 

Metal working is a good skill for a modeler to have.  Sometimes PE parts needs to be annealed- I bought one of those old alcohol lamps to anneal them instead of cranking up my propane torch, which I still need for heavier soldering jobs.  Notice how hard it is to get a 250 watt soldering gun these days?  I did shop around and got one from Sears.

I did buy a toy soldier casting set to make small pot metal castings.  I have plans for a charcoal foundery, and have gathered parts, but just not got around to building it. I do have a small modeler's lath and two drill presses-  a regular one for heavier work and a small bench model (max 1/8 drill size) for on top of the modeling bench.

Eventually hope to build some of those operating model engines- one or two steam ones first, then a working IC engine.

mississippivol

Tim Allen excepted, of course...

Don Stauffer

 Notice how hard it is to get a 250 watt soldering gun these days?  I did shop around and got one from Sears.

Good point; haven't looked lately.

I must presume due to surface mount vs. the older and higher voltage tube technology.

Nice idea Dash8 ! 

Could a Coffee Can Foundry and Gingery lathe be next on the list? 

http://makezine.com/2010/08/19/gingery-metal-lathe-build/

Note:

The author of the above MAKEZINE article describes himself as :

......"descended from 5,000 generations of tool-using primates."  

Sprue-ce Goose

Nice idea Dash8 ! 

Could a Coffee Can Foundry and Gingery lathe be next on the list? 

http://makezine.com/2010/08/19/gingery-metal-lathe-build/

 

Note:

The author of the above MAKEZINE article describes himself as :

......"descended from 5,000 generations of tool-using primates."  

 

 

Don,

I enjoy metal work as well as plastic modeling. Here's a pic of a Philip Duclos "Flame Sucker" I made a number of years ago - haven't run it in a long time. I, too, would like to make an IC engine one day.

Bick

Wow Bick!  Is that thing scratch-built or a kit?  Educate me a lil' please.  Either way, it looks terrific.  If it is scratch-built, than I'm even more impressed.  Perhaps you would take on a commission build of a small-block Chevy V-8?

Gary

Bick, what is that little one in the lower right corner?

I have a book with the flame sucker in it, and figured I'd start with something like that even before I made a steam engine.  The boiler bothers me for steam, though I know you can run them on compressed air.

Texgunner

Wow Bick!  Is that thing scratch-built or a kit?  Educate me a lil' please.  Either way, it looks terrific.  If it is scratch-built, than I'm even more impressed.  Perhaps you would take on a commission build of a small-block Chevy V-8?

Gary

Gary, Yes it is scratch-built from aluminum bar stock with a steel piston. axle and brass bearings. And, thank you for the complement. My equipment won't handle a small-block Chevy but miniature - well maybe. I really want to build a 5 cylinder CO2 radial though. A bit of trivia - there are 1-72 set screws in it - uses an 0.028" hex key. When I made it I was shocked that 1-72 set screws were available.

@Don, The little engine is a compressed air one I built for a 'cookup' on a now defunct forum. Sorry, can't remember the designer though. It was made on  my Unimat 3.

Incredible!  Yes, I was thinking of maybe a small scale V-8, ie 1/5 or so.   Set screws that small?!?!   Man, I admire skill like that Bick.  Were you trained as a machinist?

Bick

 

 

Don,

 

I enjoy metal work as well as plastic modeling. Here's a pic of a Philip Duclos "Flame Sucker" I made a number of years ago - haven't run it in a long time. I, too, would like to make an IC engine one day.

 

Bick

 

 

Really nice work !

That takes a lot of patience and skill.

Texgunner

Incredible!  Yes, I was thinking of maybe a small scale V-8, ie 1/5 or so.   Set screws that small?!?!   Man, I admire skill like that Bick.  Were you trained as a machinist?

Texgunner, thanks again. No, self taught from books and lots of ruined parts LOL. Formal education in BioMedical sciences.

@Spruce Thank you.

And back to the OP, clever and it is great what one can do with a few files, a hammer and some bits of metal.

Bick

 

 

Don,

 

I enjoy metal work as well as plastic modeling. Here's a pic of a Philip Duclos "Flame Sucker" I made a number of years ago - haven't run it in a long time. I, too, would like to make an IC engine one day.

 

Bick

 

 

One recalls the little dry pellet fired steam engine models.