This is the second postcard we have. And soon Valentine’s Day is upon us. XXX
Welcome to our Shed Family
3D Design and Printing
It’s pleasing to see interest being shown by some Shedders in learning upstream design rather than just downstream printing (which can be like watching paint dry!). Paul and Graham have been busy.
Paul was brought the challenge to make new windows for a “matchstick” dolls house made by a man from Starfish project who knows Ross and Martyn. It’s great when there is a real purpose to making something rather than just entertainment.
Paul also made some boots for the base of a stool needed by Martyn. However Martyn is now receiving some training to get him going so he can try design for himself (DIY).
Meanwhile whilst in Oz Graham replicated a wheel hub for his son’s truck. Back home it has now been 3D printed as a “Golden Hub Cap”. There is an outer shell (the gold) with an inner ring printed separately (in red).
Stage 1 – setting out the foundations
Stage 2 – the first few “courses”
Stage 3 – building the main structure
Stage 4 – topping off
The insert was printed which carries a ring of wire that acts as a spring to let the fingers grip onto the wheel hub.
The next stage is to compare the key dimensions with the original in Australia! We’ll do that over a WhatsApp video call.
Both Paul and Graham were design engineers. In their heads they still are. They cannot believe what is now possible to be done in a Men’s Shed and even at home with the new and now affordable technology.
Crafting in wood with saws, lathes and chisels and crafting in plastic are two sides of the same creativity coin.
How things have changed during the course of our lifetimes:-)
Normens visit to the Land of Iron at Skinningrove
8 Shedders (Walter, Ross, Martyn, Peter1, Chris, Peter2, Paul and Graham ) spent a very full morning at the Land of Iron. There we met members of the Staithes Shed. Shedder Keith was there in his capacity of tour leader at the Land of Iron.
The tour lasted around an hour after which we all met with Marie, the CEO of the Land of Iron. There Marie and Jim (of Staithes Shed) presented the vision there was to establish a new Shed, the Iron Shed, as part of a wider outreach to the local communities and in the summer months to vacation visitors.
The whole morning was impressive in several ways as not only did Keith do a very professional job at educating us but also we learnt that Staithes Shed, the Land of Iron and ourselves shared the same passion to work in the community to help local people (men and women) with purposeful activities.
Joan has something to cuddle.
Staithes Shed will pick up the practical task of setting up a workshop and undertaking some museum exhibit/maintenance projects agreed with Marie. There may be opportunities for Shedders at Norton to help under the wing of Staithes Shed or in specialist capacities. Paul’s 3D prowess was noted and Walter’s shipping interests!
Paul and Graham discovered a café adjacent to the museum where they enjoyed a substantial lunch after collecting a petrol lawn mower from Hinderwell.
Every day is a different day . . . . .
Part of the tour was a journey down the drift access used for bringing tubs laden with ironstone to the surface and the stream of empty tubs down. In the underground workings (not accessible for many years) the maze of horizontal adits leading to the working faces had heavy horses (Shires) in the pitch black hauling a train of filled tubs along. Ironstone requires blasting with gunpowder and a lot of care!
A 1903 (?) photograph of the Skinningrove mine. 1000 workers were employed. There were 350 cottages in the wider area to house workers and families. Payday was fortnightly. A wheelbarrow was taken to the bank in Loftus to collect cash. The return trip was escorted by the local bobby, truncheon in hand!
Not miners, just Walter and Chris. The tour route is subject to Mining Regulations.
The drift sloping down
Further along the drift
Trucks filled tunnel width. This is an escape recess!
Keith holding a piece of ironstone from the beach
Tub filled by a “Filler”. The metal fork is a brake!
No power drills to make a hole for the explosive. A long, heavy impact chisel.
Back to Norton Shed
Lots to do this week. Dennis was unwell and not able to go to Skinningrove but he filled in his time (reportedly) producing drawings for the wheels on Locomotion 1 and commencing the design of the body.
Tony was starting a new bowl on a lathe at the end of last week.
Tony in the foreground with Kevin and Dennis (facing away)
World Cancer Day – Guys & Gals (From BBC News)
Kate wrote alongside, “Don’t forget to nurture all that which lies beyond the disease.” A word for all of us about looking beyond cancer or other life shattering events.
A very productive Tuesday Shed
Seventeen present. It’s beginning to be a consistent number. And Pat and Kevin were not there. It basically signals Shed Full on the main two mornings. Only a couple of Shedders did much sitting! One of the problems is to keep up with the jobs to do. That’s why we are pleased when Shedders use their own initiative.
An example of that is Ray who started looking at and testing the router table. He will be looking at the thicknesser too. The intention is for him to work with another doing this (two heads are better than one!)
Feeding Walter’s passion
We removed some of the redundant pieces of timber on the exterior of the Portacabin in preparation for future cladding but the wind picked up ahead of drizzle and it was not safe using a ladder to deal with high timbers.
Walter did work on a Viking cargo (?) ship he had brought from the Land of Iron to strengthen and repair. We intend to follow what he does which will start on Thursday by applying a resin coat for strength.
On screen array of thingies to be laser printed.
A big leap forward came today with Raspberry Dave (as in Pi) who managed to get the computer and laser printer talking – it was a matter of matching baud rates he said. We all nodded knowingly from a position of ignorance! We achieved a burn of a thingy from Thingyverse.
A couple of posers.
So pleased was Paul with Dave’s achievement that they shook hands (for the camera!)
We so appreciate what Shedders do to help run the Shed by being active contributors to it. We don’t have any passengers.
Finally, several Shedders have been volunteered to write about their experience with the Shed. Why did they come? Why do they continue to come? What good has it done them? What good have they seen it do others! These will be added to our collection of stories.