mike freeman mikes-models models engineering

Hello, my name is Mike Freeman and I am a retired Chief Fire Officer from
the United Kingdom with a keen interest in model engineering, silver caddy
spoons and sea fishing. I live in the pretty fishing port of Brixham, South
Devon, in the United Kingdom.

I am a sufferer of degenerative osteoarthritis, which impacts on the amount
of time I can spend in the workshop, and is the reason why you will see
seats and a stool in some of the photo's. I have only recently added the
above sentence after a discussion with one of my Doctor's from the
excellent pain clinic, based in Torbay. This does affect concentration one of
the reasons why I double then re-double my measurements and set ups.

Before completing nearly 30 years of public service I and my wife Sandy,
owned and ran, a small restaurant in Okehampton Devon. Prior to marriage
I worked for my father in his various businesses, in the early days these
were garages, which he bought in a run down state, then built them up
before moving on, to start again.

I took every opportunity in those early days, to work in his workshop's
learning 'on the job' rather than as an apprentice. This, I suspect, is the
reason why my building various model's in the early days, turned into model
engineering, when funds allowed the required equipment to be bought.
My workshop comprises one half of a detached double garage. It has a
stud wall separating the two halves and unusually perhaps, its own
shower/toilet/washbasin compartment! (the true reason for buying the
bungalow - don't tell the wife!!!)

It is fully insulated with a ceiling and fluorescent lighting supplementing the
one window. Several double electrical sockets are dotted around in
relevant positions.

Equipment consists of 2 lathes (1 Myford ML 10 and 1 Chinese variable
speed motor with etched glass DRO's), 1 milling machine (RF25 far East)
floor standing pillar drill, Proxxon bandsaw, Warco bandsaw, 6" wire brush
and polishing mop motor, 6" coarse and fine grinder, Proxxon mini drill,
various benches and an engineers vice. I have just acquired a third lathe, a
Myford ML7 which I am at present evaluating so I can decide which of the
Myford's I will keep.

I have only just bought the Chinese lathe and had it fitted with DRO's prior
to delivery. And what a bonus they are! So good in fact that I decided to
buy another set for the Milling machine. Whilst my engineering experience
can only be described as limited, I find the use of DRO's has affected my
accuracy levels which have improved tremendously (although that's not
saying much!) and would recommend their fitting to any model engineer.
Prior to retirement I built for my son's 17th birthday a Locost car. This
was a tremendous project and a great feeling when it passed its test. The
book it was based on suggests it can be built for Ł250. Ours was nothing
special in the sense of all new parts but still cost about Ł900 to build.
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