Author Topic: The New Kid  (Read 6250 times)

Offline Weston Bye

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The New Kid
« on: April 24, 2009, 08:58:03 PM »
I seem to have gotten the cart before the horse by jumping right in, at PTSideshow’s invitation, to comment on my entry in the Machinist’s Challenge.  That was the cart, so by way of introduction, here is the horse:

I am most notorious for my column “The Mechatronist” in Digital Machinist magazine, and a few articles in The Home Shop Machinist magazine.  In my day job I pose as a Manufacturing Engineer for a company that makes solenoids, coils and electromechanical devices, although I have no degrees in engineering or anything else.

  My formal education came courtesy of the U. S. Navy, a short Avionics A School, back in the early ‘70s when they were still teaching tube theory.  My checkered past includes TV, stereo, electronic organ and medical equipment repair.  I was self-employed for 18 years building machine tool and automation control systems, panels, hydraulics and pneumatics.  Past distractions in my life include a pilot’s license, amateur radio, stained glass, a little blacksmith work, building two houses, and building a small boat.

As previously noted, my primary interest is designing, building, and writing up projects for the column in Digital Machinist.  If this sounds like shameless self-promotion, it is.  I want the magazine to prosper, and that requires reader interest.  I have spent much of my career creating new devices on demand.  Article content is not much different.  As time goes on, tell me what you would like to see in the magazine, and I will see what I can do.

Weston
Weston Bye
Practitioner of the Electromechanical Arts.
author of The Mechatronist column
Digital Machinist magazine

Offline Divided he ad

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Re: The New Kid
« Reply #1 on: April 24, 2009, 09:57:32 PM »
Hi Weston  :wave: Welcome to the collective  :borg: (bit of a fun title for erm... All of us  :dremel: types :thumbup:)

I have to admit to never seeing or hearing of  “The Mechatronist” in Digital Machinist magazine. Sorry bout that! I'll get a look at some of your works when I get a free evening (don't hold your breath.... But I will look at them :thumbup:)

Now I do like the idea of "creating new devices on demand." Sounds like fun.... Make something and show us how it was done!.... Is that what you mean?  :lol:


I hope you have a good time looking round here and of course joining in  :thumbup:  We're all quite happy to chat about pretty much anything.


Enjoy yourself and as always please remember   :mmr:   :ddb:




Ralph.
I know what I know and need to know more!!!

Offline sbwhart

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Re: The New Kid
« Reply #2 on: April 25, 2009, 01:46:49 AM »
Welcome aboard again Weston

As Ralph said this is a fun site do join in the discusion and a gentle bit of leg-pulling won't go amiss, and of course watch out for  :proj: and anything you do must have pics as  :worthless: (well that's most of the banners posted Ralph missed) I'll leave a few for the rest of the chaps  :lol: whoops ther's another.

Have Fun

Stew

 
A little bit of clearance never got in the road
 :wave:

Location:- Crewe Cheshire

Offline Weston Bye

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Re: The New Kid
« Reply #3 on: April 25, 2009, 05:57:10 AM »

...  Now I do like the idea of "creating new devices on demand." Sounds like fun.... Make something and show us how it was done!.... Is that what you mean? 

Yep.  Narrative, photos, dimensioned drawings, schematics.  I try to choose projects that have a mix of machined and electrical or electronic content.  My articles tend to be more about what you can do with your tools rather than building tools.  I haven't gotten into CNC (yet).  There many other good authors doing that.  If you follow the link in my signature line below, there is a tab (edit: called Coming Soon, scroll down to the archives) there that leads to a list of the articles in the back issues.  Feel free to ask questions about particular articles I have done and I can put up a few photos and details here.

Ralph, I particularly enjoyed your torches.
« Last Edit: April 25, 2009, 09:08:43 AM by Weston Bye »
Weston Bye
Practitioner of the Electromechanical Arts.
author of The Mechatronist column
Digital Machinist magazine

Offline Darren

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Re: The New Kid
« Reply #4 on: April 25, 2009, 06:02:07 AM »
I'd love to get into CNC, but got to master the manual method first....one day..... :thumbup:

Welcome to the forum Wes.... :wave:
You will find it a distinct help… if you know and look as if you know what you are doing. (IRS training manual)

Offline John Stevenson

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Re: The New Kid
« Reply #5 on: April 25, 2009, 07:58:58 AM »
Wes,
Nice to see you here.
I'm in the process of getting the back copies of Digital machinist sorted, I have the first two then VP cocked their web site up and it's only recently that I have got signed up again.

Hopefully if things get sorted I may have someone bringing them along to Harrogate from the States. We don't have anything like that, only Model Engineers Workshop which has to weight content up so as not to upset the flat earth society.

What amazes me though is the title, Digital Machinist but when ordered it's a 4 week wait for the copy to arrive, in the meanwhile all the  good bits have been thrashed out and we can't see them. I can get a letter or CD to the States in 3 days, it's 'digital' so why not a pay to download ?
Perhaps you as a contributor could mention this. Since David Clark took over as editor of ME and MEW they have got all the world, except America, down to a 1 week delivery from 4 to 5.
America is next on the list to sort out so it can be done.

John Stevenson
John Stevenson

Offline Weston Bye

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Re: The New Kid
« Reply #6 on: April 25, 2009, 09:26:48 AM »
Ah, Sir John, good to see you here also.

George Bulliss (the Editor of Digital Machinist) and I had lunch together (he paid) while we were at NAMES.  We had an enjoyable and wide-ranging discussion that included digital publishing.  There is nothing I can report, other than that the topic is under discussion.

I see that there is already a Wes here, so to avoid confusion I will sign as - Weston
Weston Bye
Practitioner of the Electromechanical Arts.
author of The Mechatronist column
Digital Machinist magazine

Offline Brass_Machine

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Re: The New Kid
« Reply #7 on: April 25, 2009, 09:40:25 AM »
Weston,

Welcome again. We are a picture loving bunch... so feel free to post as many as you want  :poke:

I don't mind the plug for Digital Machinist. It is one of those things I want to see survive (much like other magazines devoted to my different hobbies).

Our other Wes has been MIA for awhile, dunno if he will be back. On a side note, funny perhaps (well perhaps only to me)... I work in the IT field with an emphasis on virtual servers (google vmware). I also work with another Erik. Since most of the virtual products have been placing a 'v' in front of the names, such as vRanger (back up software for virtual servers), I started signing my emails at work 'vEric'  My boss got a kick out of it.

Eric
Science is fun.

We're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.

Offline usn ret

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Re: The New Kid
« Reply #8 on: April 25, 2009, 12:51:00 PM »
Weston,  Welcome aboard.  Unlike your short Navy career, I stuck around for 26yrs.  Started machining as a hobby after retirement, a hobby that sort of pays its way.  If you are looking for ideas to kick around, have you done a CNC retrofit for a lathe?  If not do you have any suggestions other than don't do it. :coffee: :coffee: Yep I do like my  :coffee:

Cliff :beer:
If it isn't broken your not looking hard enough!

Offline Weston Bye

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Re: The New Kid
« Reply #9 on: April 25, 2009, 08:11:23 PM »
Cliff,

Pleased to meet you.  I am still some ways away from any CNC projects.  Besides, there have been other authors in the magazine doing series on CNC and ballscrew retrofits.  I will leave that to them.

Without hijacking my own thread and turning it into sea stories, where did you serve?  (edit: oops, sorry, just found your intro thread) My full tour, after A school was with RVAH-13 (Google it) from Albany GA, deployed on the America for a Med cruise, and on the Enterprise for a WestPac cruise.  By the end of my tour I was an AQB2.
Weston
« Last Edit: April 25, 2009, 08:13:50 PM by Weston Bye »
Weston Bye
Practitioner of the Electromechanical Arts.
author of The Mechatronist column
Digital Machinist magazine

Offline Divided he ad

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Re: The New Kid
« Reply #10 on: April 26, 2009, 09:22:30 AM »
Weston... Glad you like the torches... My first real try at a "proper" machining job.... Still probably my best too!  I've had multiple people ask for my crappy drawings and build sheet...Sent them out... even sent the corrections when I realised I'd mucked up the write up (I isn't no wizzard wiv words!) All I ever asked in return was a picture or two of the ones made by the guys who asked for the plans.... Still never had the pictures of a completed one! Or had the "decent CAD drawings" promised from a few fellas either  :poke:    But then I ain't paying for 'em so I can hardly moan ehh?  :thumbup:

I've only see one of your works so far...The walking beam transfer posted by Glen It's very crazylooking (in a good way)  and shiny.... I like shiny :)  (is there a video of it?)
No I haven't clicked the link yet ::) sorry... Been busy  :beer:

I read the thread just and have got to say I got lost in all the naval jargon at the end excapt for one bit that tickled me..... I'm really sorry but I gotta... I just gotta.....
Quote
on the Enterprise for a WestPac cruise.
Did you "boldly go where no man had gone before"  :lol:  Oh,oh.....  :lol:   I'm sorry... It just had to be said.... I bet you've never heard that one before ehh!!??


I'll get me coat!


Glad you're sticking around for the chat..... If your still here after that dad joke then there's a good chance you'll fit right in! :thumbup:


Ralph.
« Last Edit: April 26, 2009, 09:33:13 AM by Divided he ad »
I know what I know and need to know more!!!

Offline rleete

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Re: The New Kid
« Reply #11 on: April 27, 2009, 01:34:39 PM »
Weston, welcome to the nut house.  I really liked the ball transfer thingy; my dad made a much simpler, hand cranked wooden one for my brother when we were young.


Divided He ad,  I haven't forgotten you or the plans.  Just a very low priority right at the moment.  Unlike Bernd, I have to jump when the wife says so.
Creating scrap, one part at a time

Offline Divided he ad

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Re: The New Kid
« Reply #12 on: April 27, 2009, 07:06:44 PM »
Quote
I haven't forgotten you or the plans.  Just a very low priority right at the moment.  Unlike Bernd, I have to jump when the wife says so.


I know Roger.... Just taking a  cheep :poke:   :)    (Your not the only one  :thumbup: )    I know your up to your neck!!  :bugeye:




Ralph.
I know what I know and need to know more!!!

Offline Weston Bye

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Re: The New Kid
« Reply #13 on: April 27, 2009, 08:58:03 PM »
Did you "boldly go where no man had gone before" 

No, I don't think they installed any new fixtures in the head while I was aboard.  Besides, I was a little more bashful back then. ::)
Weston Bye
Practitioner of the Electromechanical Arts.
author of The Mechatronist column
Digital Machinist magazine