Mike Nelson's Home Page

Welcome to Mike Nelson's Home Page

I was a Design Draughtsman, Chief Draughtsman and Engineering Designer for Cambridge Consultants For 31 years until December 2005
During that time I designed special purpose machines and was part of the team that gave the world the Round tea bag.
I also looked after Mechanical CAD systems and did a significant amount of customising to simplify their use.
Since leaving I have spent a rewarding 6 years sharing my skill and experience with the younger consultancies around Cambridge.
To see some of the things I designed have a look here.
In my own time I make and play acoustic musical instruments - Guitars, Mandolins, Violins, and Northumbrian Bagpipes. I also build and fly Model Aircraft - mostly Controline but also some Radio Control.
I am currently working hard to recover my Northumbrian pipe playing and I have created some pages to help me remember the tunes I am currently working on (click here to download all 3 files in PDF).

Page 1. Tunes I am able to play from memory
Page 2. Tunes I am working towards playing from memory
Page 3. Tunes I have started working on
Page 4. Tunes I have started working on. Updated 11/06/2024

These files are in a state of constant update. I have added the notation for some of the more unusual tunes. Not all are there yet but I will continue to add more as my playing improves!
(Hover your curser over the image and if a hand appears then there is notation available.)

The links below will direct you to the areas of my interests (click on the pictures):-

I was contracted to produce the drawings needed to recreate the 1898 Baldwin 2-4-2 LYN for the Lynton to Barnstaple railway. This is a working log of the work. My input finished in 2015 and the Locomotive is now running on the Lynton to Barnstaple railway in Devon. visit the web page to see LYN running Updated 23/07/2021

The Design of Northumbrian Smallpipes for easy manufacture and use in mainstream school music education. Updated 22/03/23

Make yourself a set of Northumbrian small pipes. All the drawings and information to make a high quality set in either concert F or concert G Updated 22/03/23

I am working with Karen Tweed to explore the possabilities of improving the accordion. This page records the work to date Updated 04/10/2017

Since I retired I have been keeping busy restoring old model aeroplane engines and making new ones. Here are some tales from the mill side. Updated 26/11/2013

Aeromodelling information. Mainly controline stunt and free flight with a little radio control thrown in. also Brian Turner's making a modern stunt engine in pictures complete with full drawings and 3D models. Updated 20/01/14
music links including a link to the ceilidh band I play with (in the picture on the left)

I have made a number of mandolins and here are some pictures and techniques I have gathered. Updated TBA

I used to play with a local bluegrass band called The Radio Cowboys. This page is mainly a historic memory of those days
I helped Pete Sayers to fit a new cone to his Dobro and took a few pictures along the way.

Pipe repertoir

Shirley

	I was contracted to produce the drawings needed to recreate the 1898 Baldwin 2-4-2 LYN for the Lynton to Barnstaple railway. This is a working log of the work. My input finished in 2015 and the Locomotive is now running on the Lynton to Barnstaple railway in Devon. visit the web page to see LYN running Updated 23/07/2021
	The Design of Northumbrian Smallpipes for easy manufacture and use in mainstream school music education. Updated 22/03/23
	Make yourself a set of Northumbrian small pipes. All the drawings and information to make a high quality set in either concert F or concert G Updated 22/03/23
	I am working with Karen Tweed to explore the possabilities of improving the accordion. This page records the work to date Updated 04/10/2017
	Since I retired I have been keeping busy restoring old model aeroplane engines and making new ones. Here are some tales from the mill side. Updated 26/11/2013
	Aeromodelling information. Mainly controline stunt and free flight with a little radio control thrown in. also Brian Turner's making a modern stunt engine in pictures complete with full drawings and 3D models. Updated 20/01/14
	music links including a link to the ceilidh band I play with (in the picture on the left)
	I have made a number of mandolins and here are some pictures and techniques I have gathered. Updated TBA
	I used to play with a local bluegrass band called The Radio Cowboys. This page is mainly a historic memory of those days
	I helped Pete Sayers to fit a new cone to his Dobro and took a few pictures along the way.

This site is created and maintained by Mike Nelson for his own pleasure © 1997-2024 Mike Nelson

This site is created and maintained by Mike Nelson for his own pleasure

© 1997-2024 Mike Nelson