Angel

Some while ago I posted about an XY-plotter I made. In fact it had a Z dimension in that it could lift the pen off the paper. The X direction was a platen roller. The Y direction was the pen carriage travelling along a true steel rod which I had salvaged from somewhere, about 12mm diameter, mounted over and parallel to the platen. I wanted a key-way slot milled down the length of this rod, into which the pen carriage was keyed so that by turning the rod the pen would lift.

On discussing my plan with my father he arranged a visit to an "angel" who, if my memory serves me, lived at Ovington House. I think this man ran a 5" gauge (or thereabouts) railway in his grounds and was one of my father's business clients, but I cannot find any reference to the railway in Google. In any case he, who must have been an angel, led us into his workshop where he had a milling machine. After I had explained what I wanted and why, he set the machine up and, wonder of wonders, told me to work it. Meanwhile he turned down the end of a small bolt that would follow the key-way. After profusely thanking him, he asked me to show him the plotter when I had completed it. That action I never took, and I live to regret it.

According to Google, the "angel" was Harvey Hoare of Hoare's bank. Whether so or not I remember one anecdote - my father told me the man would take micro-naps during the day, sitting in his chair, during which he would be totally non-communicando but after a few minutes would wake and be fully attentive.

The aerial view below might be Ovington House and the outbuildings arranged in a triangle strike a small chord in my memory - we had to walk outside to get to his workshop. And there are extensive grounds which could have housed a miniature railway.

Ovington House

Young Theo here wanted bits of wood which I gladly supplied. I asked him what he was making - it was, I think, "something to fire corks". I too would have loved to see his completed article working. Not because I want to see some inferior childish construction, but because I'd love to further inspire Theo's creativity. Like my grandfather once did who watched my disappointing attempts to make things and took me aside and helped me make a small wooden box that actually had at least a suggestion of precision and purpose.

The moral? Be an angel - facilitate but never discourage a creator-in-the-making.