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MacGyver

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Joined: 12/05/2009
Location: United States
Posts: 1329

Posted: 06:03am 27 Oct 2009

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In the United States, there is a company called Shurline, which sells some dandy stuff. It's small stuff, but very accurate. Their factory is about 6 miles from my house.

A metal-turning lathe is almost a must if you're looking to support a serious windmill hobby. Myself, I build both windmills and small compressed-air-driven engines.

There is an attachment, which mounts onto a lathe, that allows you to use an 'end mill' (called a quill) mounted in the headstock. The attachment takes advantage of the longitudinal as well as cross-feed devices and adds a third "Y" dimension. The work is held securely on the attachment's table. This attachment might be something you could use if you're saving for a real milling machine once you have secured a good lathe.

You're young; may as well plan on having both a metal-turning lathe as well as a mill!. The rule of thumb is always buy the biggest machine you can afford. You'll always find a project that will make you wish you had a larger tool. It's just the way it goes.

If your school teaches metal fabricating, be sure and take the course. If you're going to use a lathe and mill, you'll need instruction. One last thing: These machines are designed to bite off chunks of metal, so flesh is no obstacle; be careful.Edited by MacGyver 2009-10-28

Nothing difficult is ever easy!
Perhaps better stated in the words of Morgan Freeman,
"Where there is no struggle, there is no progress!"
Copeville, Texas

birdhouse
Regular Member

Joined: 27/01/2009
Location: United States
Posts: 63

Posted: 10:39pm 27 Oct 2009

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i'm 28 years old.

general contractor (construction) that does about everything.

live alone, but i think my special lady friend may be moving in soon.

finished carving my 8.5 foot tsr 6.5 set of blades today! i'm stoked for that. also talked to my machinist buddy about making a hub for the taper shaft on my motor. getting there! hoping to have the mill flying by spring/summer. it's about time to start thinking about a tower...

i pee more than once before flushing, and don't have to flush at all up at the ranch!

Barry T Coles

Senior Member

Joined: 30/07/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 109

Posted: 02:28am 28 Oct 2009

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I�m 60, Married with two grown kids & working in the environmental monitoring/management of water supplies field; Engineering Surveyor by trade & spend 50 % of my time away in the field, this makes it a little hard to balance my home duties & my love for tinkering. (Having to work for a living sucks)

Been interested in electrickary ever since I got my first pushbike dynamo �remember the ones that ran off the side of the tyre�. The harder you peddled the brighter the light.
I modified one of these about 30 years ago when I was living in Geraldton W.A.� windy town�, did a reasonable job lighting up part of the back yard depending on wind strength.

I have lived in Karratha for the last 27 years, plenty of sun & buckets of wind during cyclone time, slowly working on solar & wind for our 5 acre retirement property just north of Perth W.A.

Cheers
Barry

I need to learn from the mistakes of others.
I dont have the time to make them all myself.

Bernie the Bolt

Regular Member

Joined: 26/10/2006
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 45

Posted: 12:39pm 05 Nov 2009

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Terrapinlogo - well done ! the world needs more young people like you to take hold of the energy crisis and change man's impact on the environment.
Macgyver has given you some good advice.
I am glad I started this thread , it is good to learn more about like minded people - also it's kinda humbling to think we are spread all over the world trying to do the same thing, and sharing our triumphs and mistakes here.

Bernie the Bolt

I'd rather be sailing!

KarlJ

Guru

Joined: 19/05/2008
Location: Australia
Posts: 1178

Posted: 02:40am 09 Nov 2009

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I'm 33 and just recently become unemployed, fortunately with a good payout.
I have 2 children 2 and 4 years old and wife keen for me to finish a bathroom I started over a year ago.

wind project is currently driving her nuts $100 here $300 there, but I've wanted to do it for years so I'm doing it like it or not.

KArl

Luck favours the well prepared

liqud

Newbie

Joined: 11/08/2009
Location: United States
Posts: 22

Posted: 06:22pm 15 Nov 2009

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Im 24 Im a journeyman 3rd generation electrician in chicago illinois USA I have been for more than 10 years collecting paychecks even when I was a pup. These generators are a whole different ball game. Finding places to put a ax fx here is about as hard as building one. I have no kids and a girlfriend that is very concerned about the money I spend on things she doesn't understand. I live in an apartment and have NO ROOM to spare. I just erected my first turbine 2 months ago and realized that I am actually married now... to my turbine! when I'm not on a call I tinker in my front room.
Its no back shed but I am proud of the fact I have hooked it up to my bike gene a few times.

Shawn C
Real power is not given its made...

windlight
Guru

Joined: 03/03/2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 331

Posted: 04:22am 15 Dec 2009

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I'm 56 had spent most of my working life operating power stations in WA and the territory, 37 years in total, last one a coal burner for 22 years. Retired because I did not have enough hearing left, I now grow fruit and make my own power in my retirement.

We live off and use re for our fruit packing shed, we are building a house that has a new 4 kw solar install linked back to the packing shed via a 750v link. Yet to put a wind turbine on that site but it will happen.

allan

"I like this place and willingly could waste my time in it" - (Act II, Scene IV).

VK4AYQ
Guru

Joined: 02/12/2009
Location: Australia
Posts: 2539

Posted: 03:09pm 22 Dec 2009

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Hi All

I am 64 retired due to health reasons wife thinks I am smart and crazy she dosnt like anything that sparks or makes mechanical noises solar is OK always thinking of ways to spend the money we are going to save on the electricity bill.

Ihave a background in engineering I used to build sawmill bits and pieces and vertical shaft mills for farm and power use.
Played with steam solar and gas solar plants

Am an active Ham when I get time VK4AYQ, did that in the valve days and have trouble comming to grips with these new fanged little plastic bits that everybody is so passionate about, I can hardly see them, I ordered some op amps and didnt realise that they where surface mount and they are so small I cant read the numbers on them.

8 grand kids and one gg kid on the way thank goodness they all live interstate.

I am a bit mad about aircraft having repaired and built them for the last 45 years.

I live on 42 acres 100 kl from brisbane with a small airfield a workshop with my old engineering stuff and assorted planes taking up all the room.
I used to get more done when I wasnt retired I think I walked faster then.

Full time carer for aged mother. { I used to think the show mother and son was funny} not now.

Short form of my life with controvercial bits left out.

All the best

Bob

Foolin Around

Bernie the Bolt

Regular Member

Joined: 26/10/2006
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 45

Posted: 07:36pm 31 Dec 2009

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Very interesting, I enjoy seeing new posts from this thread in my emails.
An update from myself, we now have two grand children in good old Blighty , Isla now two, and Luke just one. My wife and I cannot bear to be so far from them so we are moving back from France returning to live in the UK. Finances are also an issue as the pound is about parity with the euro, and interest rates are near zero, and i don't get a pension yet. So back to work !
I have not yet started my gennie build here in France ( based on a 100 LG ) so am thinking of taking the bits back with me to make an exercise bike/generator, maybe I can get the wife on it ! we will be renting a flat initially.
55 and climbing !

Bernie the Bolt

I'd rather be sailing!

Bernhard
Newbie

Joined: 01/02/2010
Location: Canada
Posts: 12

Posted: 06:35am 02 Feb 2010

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I am 65 and retired.
But Canada has gone metric, so 65 is only 18 Celsius!

Sonny

Regular Member

Joined: 17/01/2010
Location: United States
Posts: 66

Posted: 03:04pm 02 Feb 2010

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I am 63 and been retired for a few years now. All my working life as a machinist. I have a small machine shop and wood working machines where I make reloading jigs for military surplus ammo. I am financing my wind turbine stuff selling the reloading jigs.
I have been interested in wind power for about 25 years. But have never done anything with it other then building a unsuccessful generator once using a bicycle wheel and a car alternator and some really wild looking blades.

I happen to run across an article about a wind turbine a few weeks ago and that got me fired up about building a generator again.

Edited to add: I live in a small town in central Alabama called Sylacauga. I am also wondering why all you guys live in towns with such weird names.

Edited by Sonny 2010-02-04

a complete novice

Greenbelt

Guru

Joined: 11/01/2009
Location: United States
Posts: 566

Posted: 08:29pm 02 Feb 2010

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Sonny;

quote;
"I live in a small town in central Alabama called Sylacauga. I am also wondering why all you guys live in towns with such weird names" end quote.

Could it be synonymous with the "Odd Lot" that gathers
here. we thrive on being a cut apart. it is fitting that
where we live should also be different. SKYKOMISH, WA. USA

Time has proven that I am blind to the Obvious, some of the above may be True?

maheanuu
Newbie

Joined: 08/03/2010
Location: Polynesia
Posts: 6

Posted: 02:18am 09 Mar 2010

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Heh, and you think your town has a funny name, The district where I live is called "Apo'oiti" which means small hole in Tahitian, our town is Uturoa which means big lips. I am envious of all of you who are able to go scavenging runs. Not much gets thrown away down here, and there are no stepper motors on this island. I am reading and copying every thing I see. I am very impressed with what this group has managed to do on their own..

BTW, I turned 72 yesterday, I am a retired Navy Chief and I can fix most everything, I worked on generators, electronics,desal systems, electrical inspector for 5 islands, field engineer for Sperry Univac and still read and study and learn. When I am gone, I want my coffin loaded with my favorite books I don't plan on ever gettin lonely <grin>

kingw

Newbie

Joined: 07/03/2010
Location: United States
Posts: 23

Posted: 05:26am 09 Mar 2010

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Morgan Hill, California here. 24 years old and I have plenty of time to be learning.

My brother and I are trying to save for a few acres to farm and we are exploring the different ways to supply structure, power, water, etc to our ideas.

So far so good. I'm in an area where I can scavenge a few motors a week if I'm on top of it (nothing is excellent for wind as of yet). I might start tossing things on ebay to add to the fund for an efficient motor.

Looking forward to sharing my adventures.

-kingw

Perry

Senior Member

Joined: 19/11/2009
Location:
Posts: 190

Posted: 08:59pm 10 Mar 2010

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Hello all,
I'm 40 yrs old. I'm a mechanical engineer and have been working professionally in renewable energy the whole time. Lots of fuel cell work and for the past couple years as an Engineer at GE specializing in the 1.5 MW turbine line. So I guess I see my turbines as both a hobby and a profession. Don't know many people that have some aspect of their job as a hobby.

Perry

SSW_squall

Senior Member

Joined: 20/03/2010
Location: Australia
Posts: 111

Posted: 02:03am 20 Mar 2010

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Hi peoples,
I'm 29, been married for 3 1/2 years, no kids.
Married into 2x horses, goat, 2x dogs & cat (the wife's a vet)
Qualified electrical engineer (hons), studied at uni of western sydney.
I work for Krix loudspeakers doing R&D (design engineer) developing HIFI and Cinema products. Including audio electronics that will be profesionally manufactured and sold at our +40 dealers around austalia

Andrew

Einstein: Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not one bit simpler

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