# Crafting engines from scratch (tl;dr, no)

**URL:** <https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/crafting-engines-from-scratch-tl-dr-no/14678>\
**Category:** The Drawing Board\
**Created:** [December 6, 2017, 4:18am UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/crafting-engines-from-scratch-tl-dr-no/14678 "2017-12-06T04:18:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
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**Author:** ![druidniam](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex016/user_avatar/discourse.cataclysmdda.org/druidniam/32/1368_2.png) [@druidniam](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/u/druidniam)\
**Post date:** [December 9, 2017, 11:13pm UTC](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/crafting-engines-from-scratch-tl-dr-no/14678/11 "2017-12-09T23:13:37Z")

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> [@Grinding your Mechanics past 10](https://discourse.cataclysmdda.org/t/grinding-your-mechanics-past-10/14578/11):
>
> I think by the time you have Mechanics and Fabrication up near 10, the only real problem is “I don’t have a machine shop” - CNC tools, metal lathes, etc.

The model T engine block was sand cast which is a technique thats been around for centuries. Most of a modern engine assembly starts this way still before a 6 axis cnc gets its grubby little mits on it. A CNC machine in three axis is easily homebuilt (zillions of tutorials on youtube) a precise lathe can be made from junkyard parts and cast from concrete (built one as a class project. Low chatter on a cement floor). That leaves a milling maching which can be build from the lathe and a drill press, also from a lathe. I can’t remember the name of the guy but he wrote a book series on builing a machine shop litterally starting with a bucket, sand, charcoal, and a looooot of scrap aluminium and pig iron. And that was in the 70s.

Edit: David Gingery

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