30 replies to this topic

[GMACKIE]

Called in to Dave's to-day, just for a chat. Except for a 'new' Colchester lathe, not much has changed. And I know I'm getting old now, because I didn't get the usual greeting - "There's young Greg".

 

Among other things, we talked about Phil Irving...guess who's up for the 'Phil Irving Award'.

[E1pix]

As long as he didn't say "There's old Greg," middle age ain't so bad. ;-)

[Ray Bell]

'New' for a machine at Big Dave's would almost mean it was made since the war...

Here's little more about the man:

http://forums.autosp...e/#entry1372038

[GMACKIE]

I was hoping to keep this thread about Dave Mawer's shed, and his award, not about you, Ray.

[eldougo]

Sorry Greg my memories are about the workshop in No10 Ford St Greeacre.    Never been to the shed Yet.

[Ray Bell]

I hardly see that that's about me, Greg...

In fact, I'm sure that if you read through my posts on the linked thread you'll pretty much see a bit of why Dave's up for the award.

His shed, of course, is very large. It sits on the skyline on one of the ridges of the hills that make up Orangeville, Dave bought the shed unassembled from someone who'd gone broke IIRC. Like a giant Merccano set, steel beams and posts, huge steel sheets to cover it, he made up a crane on an old Albion and put it together himself, I'm sure he had help from Harry, his father. The shed is tall enough to be a 2-storey building plus a bit, maybe 30' high, while it's about 80' x 40' in floor area.

He obviously kept on working during the construction project and then he and Di lived in the shed while he built his house a couple of hundred yards to the south.

The area at Orangeville is all small 'hobby farm' blocks with a tendency to attract people escaping from the rat race of Sydney but who want to live in an area they see as up-market. Therefore, Dave's shed there on the skyline might have been difficult to get approval for from the Wollondilly Shire Council, but Dave duly submitted his plans some time late in 1974 or early 1975... just after our conversion to metric dimensions.

Dave, of course, being something of an Anglophile, put the plans in just as they'd come from the manufacturer - with all dimensions in feet and inches. The Council rejected these as they weren't metric. Dave duly converted all the dimensions to metric, which was no small task, and re-presented the plans.

The measurements he chose to use were decameters...

I'm sure you remember them, Greg, the last time you saw them was probably on the back side of your wooden school ruler. And I'm sure you'll agree that they pretty much haven't been seen or heard of since.

Dave's often said that he's sure they passed the plans because they didn't know what a decameter is and therefore they didn't know how big the shed was.

Just for now I'll not mention the scarring of the shed...

[GMACKIE]

What have I done to deserve this !

[GMACKIE]

Sorry Greg my memories are about the workshop in No10 Ford St Greeacre.    Never been to the shed Yet.

You should make the effort, eldougo ...it will be worth it.

[Ray Bell]

Originally posted by GMACKIE
What have I done to deserve this?

It seems you don't deserve it, Greg...

But I'm trying my best to post according to the title of the thread, the information you've given and to elevate the tone of the thread.

eldougo would understand, I'm sure. So would Paul Hamilton.

Just in case you missed the points in the linked thread relating to Dave's abilities:

Originally posted in another thread
Big Dave: "Business is always good. That's why I kiss Di goodnight after dinner and come back down to the shed and work the nightshift.".....

.....Big Dave, the gifted engineer, of whom Elwyn Bickley has told me, "Dave can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. I can make the silk purse, but I have to start with silk..."

Having seen cars ranging from a 1904 De Dion Bouton to a P207 BRM in his shed, it's clear that he's the right man to go to if you need bits fixed or made for anything.

[Catalina Park]

Sorry Greg my memories are about the workshop in No10 Ford St Greenacre.    Never been to the shed Yet.

I used to go there occasionally, but that's a Wally Storey.

Edited by Catalina Park, 08 January 2016 - 00:26.

[eldougo]

Now that a man i have not seen for many a year WALLY STOREY,is he still doing the V8 racing CRAP  .

[elansprint72]

Called in to Dave's to-day, just for a chat. Except for a 'new' Colchester lathe, not much has changed. And I know I'm getting old now, because I didn't get the usual greeting - "There's young Greg".

 

Among other things, we talked about Phil Irving...guess who's up for the 'Phil Irving Award'.

Even I have heard of Phil Irving! From where I'm sitting he seems to be an Australian version of Harry Weslake; both brilliant engineers who worked from first-principles and were at the top of their game in bikes, then cars (plus a load of other stuff too). Best wishes for Dave's shot at the award.

 

Now Greg... about my shed.....

[GMACKIE]

Dave's got the Phil Irving Award 'in the bag'.

 

Now Pete...about your shed...

[Dale Harvey]

Some photos of his shed and projects would be good.

Dale.

[Ray Bell]

You can find it on Google Earth...

But 'street view' doesn't show much because of all the greenery in the way.

[Dale Harvey]

I mean the inside and the work in progress.

Dale.

[GMACKIE]

I knew what you meant. Dale...next time I will take the camera with me.

[Ray Bell]

I have a couple of photos I've taken somewhere...

When I get home I'll have a bit of a look for them.

[Dale Harvey]

I knew what you meant. Dale...next time I will take the camera with me.

[Ray Bell]

Here's Dave working at the 'new' Harrison...





...mind you, the pics are from about ten years ago.

The 'old' Harrison is in the background and the Rossi-Vo mill can partially be seen to the left. The 'Grinder section' of the workshop is in the background too.

Dave bought the 'new' Harrison so augment the 'old' partially because it has a 127-tooth gear within its workings which would enable him to screwcut metric threads, even though he's simply not a fan of metric.

It's not unusual to see some pretty fancy gear at Dave's for finishing-off or repair, this was from the same era:



Not in the picture, but off to the left is the Welding bay with various gas bottles and electric welding equipment, the bench with legs from Peugeot torque tubes (leftovers from the materials sourced for Bob Stevens' building of the doomed Commodore, they formed the cases for the airjacks) while to the right the steel racks can be seen in the corner, there's a mezzanine floor above the office for more storage, the new big lathe is now installed just to the right of the BRM alongside the old 'big lathe' and the power hacksaw.

All around, of course, are shelves and cupboards for the multitudes of bits and pieces, potions and tooling to be sourced as needed for any job in the works.

Edited by Ray Bell, 10 January 2016 - 23:24.

[DanTra2858]

Ray have you any photo's of Bob Brittons work shop, maybe a separate site for Australian Workshops.

[Ray Bell]

Check your PMs, Daniel...

I wrote to you a couple of weeks ago.

[DanTra2858]

What you asked of me a couple of weeks ago has NOTHING TO DO WITH MY LAST POST, so I will ask again, Ray have you any photo's of Bob Brittons work shop, maybe a separate site for Australian Workshops.

[Ray Bell]

Yes, Daniel, I'm sure I do have some pics of Britto's workshop...

I might even dig up something of the Bowin workshop back in the seventies, James Lambert, I'm sure, will weigh in with stuff from Elfin's.

I'll start a thread.

[brakedisc]

A look at Elwn Bickleys workshop would be cool too.

[GMACKIE]

We've had a bit of "stuff" happening here for some reason. While reading an editorial to-day, I decided [rightly or wrongly ] to post this :-

 

http://www.southernh...itorial/?cs=262

[E1pix]

Sad truth, Greg.

"Anti-social media" is gaining traction... while courtesy's on an inclined skid pad. I bailed off another forum just one week ago from exactly that; once the fun's gone, it's over for me.

[baz]

Another place this sort of behaviour is rife is channel 40 on uhf ( the truckies channel ).Mainly in the cities, hiding behind the mike gives courage to some very strange people.

[timbo]

Yes, Daniel, I'm sure I do have some pics of Britto's workshop...

I might even dig up something of the Bowin workshop back in the seventies, James Lambert, I'm sure, will weigh in with stuff from Elfin's.

I'll start a thread.

Before posting photo's of peoples sheds/workshops, it might pay to ask permission of the owner to post the photo's. 

I wouldn't post photo's of my shed's contents just in case someone starts to take a liking to something I have (doubtful, given the crap inside the shed), and pays me a visit when I'm not home.

[Lee Nicolle]

Sad truth, Greg.

"Anti-social media" is gaining traction... while courtesy's on an inclined skid pad. I bailed off another forum just one week ago from exactly that; once the fun's gone, it's over for me.

I actively ignore Bookface and Twatter. In my opinion a place for people without lives, or brains. Just read the media daily for the antisocial stuff that happens on those sites. Far too many people it is their lives.

This forum is as close I would ever get.

[Ray Bell]

I'm told Dave's acceptance speech at the CAMS' do on Saturday was well said...

He told of how he enjoyed the challenge of helping people repair or develop their cars, solving the engineering challenges and so on.







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Edited by Ray Bell, 12 January 2017 - 22:06.