I want to make something pretty

[Guldberg]

Hi there

Ive been doing machining and machine building for a couple of years now and the time has come to test my skills.

Along the way I made many parts for my different projects, but the main design goal has been functionality. Now i want to try and make something both pretty and functional and im looking for inspiration, but mostly for a complete set of plans I can follow. This way I can also train my skills in reading drawings etc.

Ive been thinking of something like a steam engine or similar small-scale machines or maybe some tooling. Below is a list of some criterias

1. Full set of plans (not necessary free)
2. Maybe 10-50 components (to begin with)

I have access to all the common equipment: mill, lathe, press, sheet metal bender/shear, little CNC mill (Sieg KX3), my homebuild CNC lathe and a cnc router (300mmx300mm)

Please show of your "pretty" project for inspiration too

[John Welden]

Isn't there a home machinist magazine that has drawing/plans in it? I seem to remember seeing something like that in there. Could be wrong.

JW

[RICHARD ZASTROW]

"Home Shop Machinist" magazine??

Dick Z

[Kipper]

How about an Orrery? as a challenge make it life-size

[garagefela]

Originally Posted by Kipper How about an Orrery? as a challenge make it life-size

What in the hell is an Orrery I said to myself?????????

Ahh here it is, yes life size would be a challenge. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orrery


Cheers M

[John Welden]

Originally Posted by RICHARD ZASTROW "Home Shop Machinist" magazine?? Dick Z

Home Shop Machinist: Amazon.com: Magazines

Home Shop Machinist: Amazon.com: Magazines

I think I saw it at barns and noble book store. Can't quite remember.

[Guldberg]

I have subscribed to Home Shop Machinist, Digital Machinist and Machinist Workshop for the last year. None of them where very interesting IMO and I didnt extended my subscribtion. I would definitly not classify any of the things they made as "pretty":-)

[John Welden]

Originally Posted by Guldberg I have subscribed to Home Shop Machinist, Digital Machinist and Machinist Workshop for the last year. None of them where very interesting IMO and I didnt extended my subscribtion. I would definitly not classify any of the things they made as "pretty":-)

Why don't you design your own "pretty" thing? Take plans for something and improve them. Is it that hard to find a project to make?

[harryn]

I personally think decorating guns and knives is very artistic. There can be some very complex 3 D curves in it to pull it off. Perhaps a swiss knife or multi tool.

Usually when I want artistic inspiration, I ask my wife and kids - they are much better at that sort of thing than I am. If you don't have anyone yet, a question like that would be a great way to meet someone.

Perhaps visit an art gallery, museum, or other artist hang-outs for some ideas.

If you want to get a bit more involved, I am hoping someday to build a 35mm camera. (just for fun). That is quite a precise, artist endevour. I have some ideas, but not nearly the equipment and skills yet.

[mc-motorsports]

I don't know if you would call it artistic, hows about a scale model IC engine? Ask the guys in the IC forum about prints, I'm sure pleanty of them are free.

Very detailed and precision work, would be a good test of your skills. Some of the work those guys do is what I concider art.

MC

[Kipper]

Originally Posted by John Welden Why don't you design your own "pretty" thing? Take plans for something and improve them. Is it that hard to find a project to make?

Design your own....what....not just copy or re-engineer some-one else's design...Radical

[Guldberg]

I already have plenty of projects where I do the design myself (http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showth...=51688&page=24 http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showth...t=76676&page=3). The whole idea of this excersise is to build something from a set of drawings, something I could do in between my other projects.

Small scale IC engines isnt a bad idea, but maybe they are a bit to complicated to begin with, I will look into it