Friday, May 25, 2012

Gifts To Go

Being in the machine shop we are often asked to make unique things. One of those things is going away gifts. Over the years I have made a scaled reactor vessel and a small steam generator for departing folks. I have no pics of those.

Last year one of the senior staff here at work decided to retire.

The company has a standard three figure plaque design they give to retiring management. Problem is I have worked for him in some capacity for over 28 yrs. He and his wife are wonderful folk. His daughter baby sat my kids when they were little. Knowing his family is being part of his family.

For him I wanted to make something a bit more unique. His main field is turbines and turbine generators.

This is not the first time he has left a company where I worked for him. For his first departure I machined a small steam turbine as his going away gift. I turned it from solid brass.  That was about 17 years ago.


This time I wanted to create something more complex. I designed this as a miniature turbine generator. It’s the thing that is turned by the turbine and generates electricity at the power plant. The actual components vary but a common unit is approximately 42 inches in diameter and up to 40 ft long. A bit large for setting on your desk.

This is the concept drawing.


This is the final product.


It is about 10 inches long and has a brass body with 64 hand formed copper windings. I had the body turned by our machinist and the stainless steel end rings turned outside. I made the slot wedges and formed the copper windings. My fingers were sore for days. There are a total of 83 pieces in the completed model.

He seemed to like it.






















15 comments:

Ach du lieber said...

Wow! That's amazing. You are gifted.

Anonymous said...

Seemed to like it? I'd love if someone took the time to do something like that for me.

Diane said...

Okay, I would have had no clue what that was if you hadn't told me but I am straight up impressed that you made it with your own hands.

He had to love it!

KaLynn ("MiMi") said...

I am impressed! You are a truly gifted artist! Go you! I would love it as I am sure he did!

Not So Simply Single said...

You are too brilliant for me, that is the truth of it!

Gifted, brilliant, smart and sexy, all wrapped up in one man.

Your wife is a lucky woman!

Simply Suthern said...

Dont believe anything NSSS said except my wife is a woman.

Bunnym said...

LOL...I don't understand most of what you do and I really don't understand what you created....But what I do understand is that you are truly gifted. Seems to me you found your passion in life and that's all that matters..

Your crazy family? That I understand..lol

bun

Menopausal New Mom said...

Wow!! You really are more than just a pretty face!

Hope you enjoy a wonderful weekend!

ipenka said...

I don't know squat about machines but can still appreciate a beautiful gift.

It's nice that you have such a wonderful boss/family friend who can inspire such craftsmanship.

Juli said...

I believe everything NSSS says. :) And second it. That is a work of brilliance.

You are both so lucky as to have had the pleasure of working together for so many years. I have a few old employees that have turned friends, and honestly wouldn't want it any other way.

Rick Watson said...

I know I would enjoy a gift that someone put that much thought in to.

Jolene said...

I think it's safe to say that you're a kick-ass gift giver.

Can you build me a robot to tidy up my house so I have more time to enjoy my life?
No?
Spoilsport.

Simply Suthern said...

Jolene, We did build a robot a couple years back but the only thing it ever scrubbed was radioactive surfaces. It's still in storage if you think you might want it. A suggestion, you'll want lead gloves.

Jolene said...

:)

I knew I came to the right place!

Radioactive surfaces.. kitchen
surfaces. Tomato, Tomaatoe...

I'm sure your robot (soon-to-be my robot) can be "persuaded" to help me out a bit.

Lead gloves?
Ebay, here I come!

Have a good long weekend.

MsNscr said...

Way freakin' cool!