Desperate, at about 16, needing to arc weld some parts for the engine installation I was attempting (surely not a run of the mill affair), I had no job,spent far too much time out in my "shop" messing with the car, school grades kinda slipping after near straight-As first two years, I spotted an ad in some govt surplus publication for "GE type R-1 Aircraft Generators", $45. Rated at 300 amperes! Plenty to weld up a storm. I had the factory 292 cu in. engine out of my 1955 Mercury, having installed a modern big-block 352 FE engine. Why not, I reasoned, mount the generator on the front of the engine, driven with a camshaft timing chain, bigger sprocket on crank hub, to get ~ 4000 generator rpm at 2000 eng rpm? Could it pull such load? The generator arrived by Railway Express Agency (REA), big, heavy thing. I checked it's brushes; no sign of wear! It turned slick as a dream.....So I set to work with my lathe making up a hub to connect the generator shaft to the engine crankshaft, made strong brackets to support it, set up the contrivance next to the garage, outdoors, but within distance of welding cables. Even put a muffler on the engine! Had to keep the neighbors anointed if not totally happy! About 7 inches in diameter, maybe 20" long, it was BIG and HEAVY! I began then to wonder how much our govt paid for such parts, in unimaginably huge numbers. FORTY-FIVE BUCKS! The venerable 292 "Y-Block" V-8: This is a timing chain set such as I used to drive the generator: This is a rear axle differential carrier, and it's gearing. It's purpose is to allow the two rear wheels to turn at the necessary differing speeds when not going in a straight line. Drag racers, however, often experienced one rear wheel "spinning out" and losing traction, thus locking the two axles together was desirable (nuts as it sounds!) The very first use of my welder was to lock up the rear axle differential gears: Thus, upon turning the sharp entrance into Bob's Big Boy, our local burger hangout which had pretty girls serving the cars right in the parking lot, the rear tires chirped and squealed, eliciting critical stares from many of the "hot-shots"! These guys had poured mucho-dinero into their cars, but feared MINE! Most displeased of those concerned was my Dad. OTOH, as he well knew, my abilities kept his own fairly new big-block (1959 Galaxie, 332 cu. in.) running in perfect shape at all times. This was still the days of burnt ignition points and spark plugs, as well as numerous other concerns. Frank
You had access to a lathe while in high school? Sounds like you come from a fairly well grounded family,to be able to afford all that as a teen.
@Peter Renfro If you mean well-to-do, I'll say not really. My Dad had a skilled trade: Tool & Die Maker. As such, he was exempted from serving in WW-II, but really was beyond draft age by 1940. One year he worked 10-hour days 6 days a week straight through, using the income to pay off the mortgage. He never bought a car on "time pay", always cash. Our War-years car was a 1935 Ford bought new for $605. It served us until 1948. Of course, a skilled-tradesman would have plenty of tools at home, and I learned early on how to use them. I wanted to build things constantly, and he explained to make the metal parts I proposed required a metal-turning lathe. Sears Craftsman had a small one, 6-inch X 12-inch, which was financed by my Mother's "slush fund", dough she saved after buying the week's foodstuffs. That lathe cost ~ $55! Thus I learned how to make small parts, but soon, working on cars, I needed a lathe capable of making parts needed for my work: installing big engines in little cars, engine mounts, spacers, bushings, an endless variety of stuff. At about 14 I got my big lathe, a Sears Craftsman 12" X 24", made by Atlas Machine of Kalamazoo, MI. It was the smaller of two big models, and was ordered without the quick-change gears, something like $165. I have and use that lathe to this day, 65 years later! This was the model I got: Here is a couple of pics from my present shop: The lathe I got 60+ years ago. Replaced one ball bearing in motor, start switch twice, nothing else! Making an extended magazine tube for my High Standard 10-B Police Shotgun: Combination lock mechanism I made for my gun safe: Here is my lathe, Bridgeport Milling Machine (bought 1990s), welders. Other equipment on other end of shop. I acquired my equipment piecemeal, over an entire lifetime, thus even though it looks like the possessions of a rich man, it is not. The big question now, as I approach 80, is how much of it should be disposed of before I croak, leaving it in my wife's hands? Frank
I envy your skill. My son is a new machinist. As far as cars, I messed around with bolt on improvements,but nothing to deep. No kids? How about an auction while you are still kicken? Would save the wife a ton of hassle and put a bit of play money in your pocket. Auctioneer probably gets 30%,but it is fast and easy.
@Peter Renfro My Dad engaged in lively "shop" conversation very often, depending on the folks present. He taught our neighbor's son in law the Tool & Die trade, so they talked quite often over the back fence. I remember the subject was frequently associated with employment with a small vs a large company. So, your son is an upcoming machinist? In what way is he associated with machine tools? I mean, will he specialize in custom parts-making, grinding, milling, or a combination? The suggestion of an auction is a good one....thank you. We held one before we moved here t o AZ, living in Missouri, very rural, netted about $4500, $3700 of which was derived from disposal of my firearms, unfortunately. That was 10 years ago, before I became disabled, of course, so most of the tools & machinery were kept. Frank
My son enrolled in a program run by the local community college and a couple of corporate sponsors He got into Goulds Pumps,but every thing there was production, mostly CNC work. after a year or so he got into a fabrication shop that while is some CNC is mostly conventional manual machines. They have a government contract for some kind of widget,which they do in slack times,other wise it is all custom work
@Peter Renfro Thank you for the info! With such work, boredom is rarely an issue. Chances of error are higher, too, so attention to detail is more important. CNC has robbed us of human-produced creativity. Frank