Auckland Meccano Guild

Auckland Meccano Guild meeting 8 May 2010

The above meeting took place at the home of David and Elizabeth Wall. Eighteen members attended with a good selection of models making for some lively discussions.

George Ovenden had brought along a very well modelled fire engine with ladder in red and silver and a gantry type travelling crane in yellow.

Les Megget is constructing another large mobile crane, this time a Leibherr of which he has completed the chassis and it is up to his usual high standard.

Gary Higgins brought along a steam truck modelled in blue gold Meccano and based on a model in an L set manual. He has adapted the drive by using a modern motor and gearbox and a second motor with gearbox to raise and lower the truck tray, the motor being swung on an axle. He also has a racing car modelled in blue gold and a plastic Meccano dragster. He also had brought an early Buz builder motor connected up to a steam pump to demonstrate its abilities. It works with two thin copper strips pressing directly onto a flat commutator.

John Denton had made up a walking model of a strider from the film Avatar. It walked very nicely and looked the parts in black and yellow stripes.

Rick Vine had brought along a model of the crazy inventors car, a steam engine nicely made using the new vintage set ( one of the best models made with this set ) and a small non-Meccano cat which hopped forward when activated.

Gerald Hart had a very nice articulated truck and trailer in red and green. The trailer has its own crank down stand, as with the real thing.

Mike Stuart brought along a front end loader made in red and zinc. The model is from a no10 set model plan. Mike was asked how he kept the red and silver parts so pristine. He had the red powder coated some time ago and the zinc had been re plated but , like all zinc the shine deteriorates in time. Some trials with a new zincing process had resulted in a blued finish with a lot less lustre than the original.

Henry Porter had brought along his model of a steam struck in red and green, a racing car and a land rover of his own design with a full gear box and differential and working headlights and even working windscreeen wipers all controlled by small toggle switches mounted inside the cab. For the headlights henry had fitted electrokit bulb holders into torch surrounds. Henry also had some very nice bicycle wheels with a fitted tyre from a Japanese plastic bicycle available commercially. These would be suitable for models requiring spoked wheels with realistic wire spokes and a selection of helical gears of larger size made by exacto. These were very thin in cross section though compared to the smaller diameter gears.

Graeme Mills had made a single flyboat using some curved and flanged erector girders which he used to good effect on the sides and numerous trunnions made up the seats.

David Wall brought a small model of a vertical steam engine, the original of which was based on an apprentice’s model he saw overseas. It ran very well powered by a small electric motor in the base.

Richard Sealey had an impressive number (4) of set 0 aero constructor aircraft. These are now days rather rare and not a sight you often see in New Zealand. One is an early grey military model which will require some restoration as it is entirely covered in fine rust.

Graeme and Kegan Wrighton had a small no 2 set model of a horizontal steam engine, a small dockside crane from the 20 model set and a fighter aircraft of their own design.

Matthew Carey had made up a very nice model of the Queen Mary in red green Meccano. Neil is still working on his locomotive but admitted to tying the string in Matthew’s model.

from Left, Peter Hancock, William Irwin, Gerald Hart, Gary Higgins, George Ovenden, Graeme Mills, Mike Stuart, Graeme Humphry, Graeme Wrightson, Rick Vine, Henry Porter ( front ), Bob Pentney, Les Megget ( front) , John Denton (partly obscured), Richard Sealey, Kegan Wightson, David Wall.

William Irwin had brought along his usual selection of overseas magazines.

Also attending were:

Bob Pentney
Peter Hancock
Graeme Humphrey.

Model X

Peter gave a talk on this year’s model X arrangements and asked for volunteers to man the display.

He also thanked Gary and William for their help with the two websites and hoped they would support the other clubs in getting online.

There was some robust discussions about the 2011 Meccano exhibition which will be held in Palmerston North at Easter. Further details can be found on the NZFMM website and in the magazine.

Peter gave a report on the April Antics 2010 at New Plymouth which was by all accounts very successful.

The next meeting will be held at Neil Carey’s and further details are in the club magazine and on the AMG website.

A request from Lloyd Spackman, please pay overdue subs for NZFMM a.s.a.p.

Les Megget gave a report on the NZFMM magazine and would like more copy please, even ideas from past issues of Meccano magazines providing they are relevant or perhaps someone could do a rebuild of some earlier models and write them up.
Models made for April antics could be written up. I’m sure there are a lot of closet authors out there who have designed models and could do a write up.

Finally, a big thanks to all those who use their own residences to host our meetings and a thank you for all those who bring a plate to the club meetings, if you don’t you can always start at the next meeting.