Welcome to Carnets JLS

This site talks about model making in general. You will find some of my models as well as the description of construction methods. The photo-etched brass airplane kits, the traditional boats with wooden frame as well as the steam engines are some of my constructions. But to make all this, you also need machine tools, and what better than to build them yourself, and to add a numerical control it also home made.

"Carnets JLS" is a rewrite and an enrichment of the site "Passion Modélisme", known for the software Cnc3Axes and plans of the engine JLS-13-2, you can find the old site by following this link.

My interests : model making, mechanics, CNC machine tools for hobbyists, but also electronic hacks and some computer development as needed, these few software are available for download as freeware.

Welcome to these pages, and free your creativity.

Translation is in progress so some pages still in french at this time, sorry for non french speaking.

Home made machine tools

CNC lathe and mill built at home

Machine tools building is delicate and requires patience and precision. You must begin by knowing what you are able to do with the material you have, there is no place for improvisation and it is better to build simple to start then to improve what you have made. Never forget that once you finish your first machine, even if it seems a little simplistic, you now have to do better.

The Machines section presents the construction and numerization of the combined turning / milling machine that I have been using for more than 25 years now. Unfortunately, I do not have available plans, at least for the moment.

LinuxCNC Console

Standalone control panel design with touch screen and Beaglebone Black single board computer, runs with LinuxCNC.

Cnc3Axes

CNC software controller

LinuxCNC Console

Standalone control panel

Live steam engines

Single cylinder JLS-13

Single cylinder engine made of brass and stainless steel, parts machined with the combined turn-milling described in this site.

The stroke and bore diameter are 13mm, the distribution is provided by a slide valve and an eccentric.

The main parts are made from silver brazed elementary parts to copy "old-fashioned" foundry pieces.

This small engine can be used to propel a model boat from 90cm to 1m.

It's the first really efficient engine I've done.

The detailed description with the views of each piece is available on this site.

Steam engine simulation software MV-Simul a freeware will help you to understand better how a steam engine works.

Twin cylinder JLS-13-2

The famous JLS-13-2 which is a well improved version of the first engine.

With its two double stroke cylinders and its Stephenson slides valves make it the ideal marine engine for a home-made project.
Many Internet users have already build and run.

All the plans with measures and the method of build are available for free on this site, so do not hesitate to download them and get started in the construction of this great engine.

Videos also help to better understand how a steam engine works and show the model in operation.

MV Simul

Steam engine simulation software, a freeware available on this site.

JLS-13

Single cylinder twin stroke

JLS-13-2

Twin cylinder drawings

MV-Simul

Steam engine simulation software

Model boats and planes

Abeille Flandre static model scale 1/150th

The tug ABEILLE FLANDRE and her sister ship ABEILLE LANGUEDOC are assigned to secure the "rail" on the Channel. The Abeille Flandre is based in Brest and the Abeille Languedoc in Cherbourg. Their implementation was decided after the disaster of AMOCO CADIZ.

Model of showcase entirely made on the basis of the plans of the magazine "Le Modèle Réduit de Bateau", the hull is solid wood and the superstructures in plastic card, only the men characters are from the trade.

The photos show all the details of this model, note the fineness of the bodyguards, the main mast and the anchor winch.

Demoiselle 20 from Santos Dumont scale 1/48th

First light aircraft in the history of aeronautics, with a weight of less than 60kg, this is the latest contribution of the engineer Alberto SANTOS DUMONT to air navigation.

Model made entirely of photo-etched brass assembled by tin soldering. This is a kit marketed by AJP Maquettes.

The finess of the brass parts and copper cable stays make a superb rendering despite the reduced size of the model.