Stationary Engines - Education

[simonrowley]

Hi,

I have designed and had build a range of stationary engines to sell for education purposes - hence very simple, see
www.chilternmodelsteam.co.uk - work in progress.

Has anyone been into schools or museums to talk to kids about engineering and generated some interest? Or are the "Playstation, Facebook" generation just not interested.
I welcome some thoughts.

Simon

[chris vine]

Hi Simon,

I go to schools quite often to talk about the Peter's Railway books. One of the things I take wtih me is an oscillating engine with a glass cylinder. You can blow it round with lung power alone.

You would be amazed at the fascination it creates. So Facebook or no, kids are still fascinated by engines!!

Chris.

[Tel]

Way back when my kids were in school I attended it, and a few others, about once a year and there was always a lot of interest shown, always had to do the display 7 times instead of once - to cater for all the classes. Don't know whether any of the seeds took root, but I like to think so!

[welshy]

I work in A secondary school and have in the past run a few after school engineering clubs for electronic projects and model engineering attempting to build some Stuart Turner models. There was lot of initial interest with a hand picked group of pupils but after a few weeks and the realisation that it takes a bit of work and patience to construct the projects interest seems to fade. Todays generation does seem to want instant results. They did all enjoy running my already machined stationary engines on air and most were keen to find out how they worked.
The Technology we teach in schools these days does in no way reflect or replace the old school type woodwork and metalwork classes of my generation, The pupils are now pretty much spoon fed in the Technology dept.
Mike

[ace]

In todays education most of the every day basics are not covered, my kids school did teach metalwork, engineering etc but this was withdrawn years ago due to health and safety issues. Plus there was the maintenance cost of the machinery.

I was lucky to have an education that did include metalwork and engineering classes. I even remember my first metalwork project which was a tap and die holder set. I still have some parts of the die holder.

My lad now 18 has shown no interest in engineering even when he's helped me in the workshop. Its all ipods and game stuff now. ;D ;D

ace

[Shawki Shlemon]

I have four grand children ,three girls and one boy 11 years old ,one on the way soon , I named one engine after him ( Dean ) and he is allowed to take it if he chooses to at any time , guess what , he is not interested , he is interested in X box games , what do I do ? . This is the main reason why I am selling some of my engines .

[russell]

Mar 8, 2011 23:53:12 GMT ace said:

I even remember my first metalwork project which was a tap and die holder set.

Mine was a beaten copper ash tray. It wouldn't be allowed today - not politically correct

Russell

[sonicspeed66]

My metal work project was making a hunting knife .........
I think the teachers would run scared if it was allowed today ...there are plenty of knives in school with out teaching kids to make them i would think......

This country needs to encourage kids in to this sort of thing as it would (hopefully) awaken some of there dormant brain cells.

Ready to assemble kits would be the way to go to get them interested then to look at the machining proses..

just my thoughts.
Mark

[freddo1]

Ready to assemble kits would be the way to go to get them interested then to look at the machining proses..process

Kill two birds with one stone if you buy a Modelworks kit then?

[Smifffy]

I recently gave a presentation at my daughter's school. It was to two classes in her year.

I took along my part made Royal Scot with some of the other part machined parts. to give the model some context and to fit in with what they are currently learning (Victorian Era), I ran through some slides on travel in that era and the opening of the GWR (I live in reading). Not surprisingly, many of the boys were quite well informed and able to answer some of my questions, which was very satisfying.

When I pulled the sheet off my Loco, there was a genuine gasp of surprise which was even more satisfying. I'm used to presenting to customers, who are often very picky and critical.

After I had finished the teacher did ask about being able to support a model making club, but being in full time employment (sigh) I was not able to help.

On a more humorous note, like Russel, my first metal work project was also a hand beaten copper ash tray - incredible to think of that in this day and age.

And.......................I also have an X-Box :-)

[steamlaser]

Mar 9, 2011 9:27:36 GMT russell said:

Mar 8, 2011 23:53:12 GMT ace said:

I even remember my first metalwork project which was a tap and die holder set.

Mine was a beaten copper ash tray. It wouldn't be allowed today - not politically correct

Russell

My son recently did a technology course at school.It was all plastics and heatguns.The one lathe they have, is new and never touched! He wants to do engineering, but has never even done a simple metal based project.
I delivered a vast pile of new aluminium off cuts to the school and the Art Dept took the lot! The Technology Dept. seem to show zero interest in any further donations!
It is interesting that most of our foreign students come to us with workshop skills, whilst our home grown Uni students have never been near (or want to go near) anything mechanical ,unless a PC is connected to the side.

[Tel]

Mar 9, 2011 9:27:36 GMT russell said:

Mar 8, 2011 23:53:12 GMT ace said:

I even remember my first metalwork project which was a tap and die holder set.

Mine was a beaten copper ash tray. It wouldn't be allowed today - not politically correct

Russell

Yeah, beating coppers is definitely frowned upon these days!

[phil1001]

I reckon Russel and Smifffy must have had the same teacher as me then!!. After the ashtray (which is now a 'politically corrrect' bon bon dish!!) we went on to make a paper knife in brass. We even had to learn to rivet the handle on to the blade for that. Don't remember much else we made (except for a couple of fishing rod rests) until the last project which was a drill vice - my first real bit of tooling. Except for the ash tray, they all got lost on the twisting road of life unfortunately.
Phil.

[isc]

We made a tap wrenchone year, and a 6" hand cranked grinder the next, that involved casting in aluminium the gear case, and cutting the gears. We used old pistons from city counsel busses, I used one to make a ash tray for dads office desk. Last year at primary school we had a class visit to a cigaret factory, we did'nt get any samples. isc

[pault]

Hi All
I would say don’t give upon the kids. If they show an interest at some point, that interest does not go away although it may be suppressed at times. My son loved helping me with locos, but when he started school the other kids took the p*^s out of him so he refused to help me. Once he left school the interest picked up again, although now he is at uni so can help me much. I was the same from 12 to 18 years old I was at the railway all the time. But then when I started driving, going to pubs, and found out girls were different I stopped going. 10 years later with a grumpy 2 year old I went back to amuse him for the afternoon, and got hooked back into it.

Regards

Paul

[simonrowley]

Thanks for everyone's replies, especially the words of encouragement.

I'm still in the planning phase but will post experiences as I go.

all the best

Simon

[steammadman]

I have 2 grandsons, 1 is 19 NO interest im anything mechanical or other wise,says he was never taught that at the catholic school he attended,so he is happy to plod on in the ranks of the unemployed,(un-employable), what a waste ! ! .
My other grandson is 9, not iterested in ,as he calls them, useless lessons like french, religion,
geography, history etc, BUT, give him a chance to go in my workshop with me, then he has more questions than university challenge.
H e has been told when i depart this life my workshop will be his,now he calls it HIS workshop
BRING ON MORE COMPANIES LIKE CHILTERN MODELS
I hope i can live long enough to get him making some steam engines etc, which he can take to school and she his mates what they are missing.
BRING ON MORE COMPANIES

[steammadman]

CILTERN MODELS plan to encourage shools and their puils to take up our wondeful hobby

[simonrowley]

Quick update. I have finally received the parts for the model steam engine kits.

I put one of each type on ebay just to test the water and had sold one almost straight away, the other has a large number of "watchers".

I also have a contact at a local engineering college who seem interested in helping develop educational materials for schools.

Fingers crossed I can make some progress eventually!

See www.chilternmodelsteam.co.uk for more details.

[springbok]

Well I must be one of the lucky ones my youngest grandson (18) has built a stirling hot air engine in my workshop amoungst other things and is now doing an engineering course

Bob