Camden Miniature Steam Services

This Camden publication contains drawings and building instructions for no less than twelve items of very useful workshop equipment. All bar one of these have been described, in a different format, in the magazine Model Engineers Workshop, and have been lightly revised for this book. Two of the items are for general use in the workshop, nine are for lathe accessories, and the last is a very neat wood turning lathe. If you are in a tearing hurry to build your railway locomotive, model traction engine, IC engine or whatever, you will rush out and buy the workshop equipment you need, but if you are of a more contemplative frame of mind, and want to save money, making your own tools and machine accessories can be very satisfying.

As designed, most of the accessories described here are intended for use on Myford Series 7 lathes but, with a bit of thought (and measuring) can be adapted to fit any other make.  The specific projects show you how to build die holders, a machine clamp, a cross drilling jig for the lathe, a swan-necked turning tool holder, a tailstock die holder, a machine vice for the Myford, a floating toolholder, a saddle stop for the Myford, a milling head for the Myford, a collet chuck for the Myford and a rotating centre. Finally there are also the full drawings and construction details for the ‘Chipmunk’ Wood Turning Lathe, a superb and practical machine for anyone wanting to try wood turning.

After an engineering apprenticeship in the aircraft industry, Dyson Watkins has had a varied career, both in production engineering, and especially in education, having been a lecturer in engineering in South Wales for many years. He has always favoured a ‘hands on’ approach, and enjoys working in his own workshop. Given this background, it is no surprise that this book contains practical projects for practical model engineers, as well as useful ideas and ‘asides’.

104 A4 format pages. 30 B&W photos. 86 drawings. Also included is a very useful selection of appendices.