[modeleng] Re: Engineering education - rant

I read these forum pages avidly but rarely contribute unless I have something 
whorthwhile to say and Peter has hit a nerve where I am concerned.
 
35 years ago I did my apprentiship with Ford Motor Company in Dagenham. Since 
then I've been 'dabbling' in model engineering on and off as time and the 
pocket would allow. I now find myself in a position to afford not only larger 
machinery (for a 4" Burrell) but a nice big workshop and some time on my hands. 
I would not say I'm a master machinist but able to tackle most jobs in hand 
with respectable results.
Word has now got round - go see him, he's got a big lathe and a big mill. So 
they do and I get moaning and groaning that they only want this done or that - 
can't find a toolmaker anywhere, when they can they want the earth for a small 
job. The most common is 'they're not interested', jobs not worth the time. I've 
had one chap who only wanted a shaft turning to length and a an M10 thread up 
its bum - the machine shop asked if he had a drawing for it ???...Another 
example - I work in a technology company who employ ONLY graduate engineers 
with 1sts. One came to me the other week wanting to borrow, and I quote - 'a 
thing to make the hole that makes the thread in a bit of metal'. I sat, thought 
and looked at him and asked if would like to borrow a drill, a tap or even, 
maybe, a chisel ?. The 'boy' had a look of glee - 'oh goody, 3 things to choose 
from'.
 
Like Peter, I'm beginning to wonder what will happen in the future to our 
'engineering' capabilities. If things do not improve, and soon, 'British 
Engineered' will no longer be a by word, it will be extinct.
 
I know one thing though - If all these chaps keep turning up with these 'little 
jobs' that nobody else are willing to do, the Burrell is going to pay for 
itself in no time - which will be the problem - the TIME.
Right, that's my rant over as well.
 
Steve
 
 
-----Original Message-----
From: peter.chadwick@xxxxxxxxxxx
To: modeleng@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Thu, 29 Mar 2007 6.29AM
Subject: [modeleng] Engineering education - rant

So I'm out here at the office in San Diego. We needed a special test 
fixture, and rather than do sketches that get turned into proper drawings 
(or draw things correctly as I was taught 40+ years ago!) followed by 
trying to find a jobbing shop that will follow drawings rather than 
'improve' things to their ideas,  I made the necessary fixture in the home 
workshop in the UK and shipped it out here. Bit of turning, boring out 1 
inch diameter brass bar to fit 22mm copper water pipe and a 21mm diameter 
1mm pitch thread cutting , with bits of material threaded to suit, other 
turning, threading, knurling and milling jobs -  very much an apprentice 
job of 40 years ago.So I find all the engineers here (oldest is about 50) 
marvel at this.'Where did you learn to do this?' sort of thing. 'How do 
you get this funny finish on a thumb screw?'
'Oh, you mean knurling'
'Is that what it is?'
Just what sort of engineers are we turning out these days? OK, these are 
integrated circuit designers, but if you're working on radio stuff, you 
must realise that specialised fixtures are needed. I can see that in 10 
years time, this branch of engineering  will all be designed in the far 
East because our so-called engineers won't know how to produce the 
necessary mechanical fixtures. At the same time, 'one offs' that don't 
actually justify the time taken to program a CAE machine just won't be 
available. Meanwhile,our so-called 'engineers' have a very narrow view....

I wonder if the 'amateur' or 'model' engineer will suddenly be in demand 
for 'craftmanship', although God knows, I'm no craftsman. Go to the ME 
exhibitions, and marvel and wonder at the real craftmanship.......I do.

Not that I know any mechanical engineering. I took ONC Applied Mechanics 5 
times................and failed 5 times. Then gave up.

Peter Chadwick.
Radio Engineer (and proud of it!)
Swindon - sometimes. San Diego this week.

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