Exhibition in Windsor, Vermont

You have probably noticed an ad in Home Shop Machinist by the American Precision Museum (http://www.americanprecision.org) in the small town of Windsor Vermont, which is holding its first model engineering show in October, 2000. I just thought you might be interested in my personal knowledge of the museum and nearby other attractions.

I've been there a couple of times and can recommend it highly. The exhibits of old machines (some of wooden construction) cover the main floor of a large old building. In the foyer is an amazing exhibit of scale models of shop floors and power generating station, beautifully crafted and so realistic that photos I took fooled people into thinking they were looking at pictures of a real shop with dozens of machines.

Try to get a tour of the nearby Cone-Blanchard plant. (Blanchard is the name given to surface grinding with the face of a wheel -- spindle usually vertical). I asked them about creep-feed grinding, and they confirmed that it is feasible to grind with deep cuts (maybe 50 thou) and slow feed, rather than the usual shallow cuts and fast feed, so any milling machine with a fast spindle speed can become a surface grinder.

Another interesting place not far away is the Simon Pearce glassblowing plant. It's all just ornamental work, but the shop itself - which is always open to visitors - is fascinating.

If you like camping, there is nearby 3000 ft Mt. Ascutney which offers camping, hiking, hang gliding, and a road to the top for a sweatless view.

If your club charters a bus to go there, I might be interested in a ride myself.

Frank Stokes, Munster, 838-5700, frank.e.stokes@sympatico.ca