[ cost/benefit analysis ]

MichaelG.

On 4 September 2026 at 22:38 Bazyle Said:
Listing mistakes and ebay tricks aside if you want to see something inordinately expensive for its size look at ‘pivot files’.

Also look at the price of a 1.5mm Albrecht drill chuck, make the 3mm one look cheap!

Ian P

Admittedly not such a wide range of styles, but these are very nicely made

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Not sure what that proves, but I think I should grab some more whilst they are available.

Drawing-boards and accoutrements are still being made. It’s possible most go to the art sort of “designer” rather than the engineer or architect, of course.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/297505599160

MichaelG.

If anyone thinks that ink on plastic film was a pain, they have forgotten just how difficult ink on the linen drawing sheets was…[Read more]

Robert.

On 3 September 2026 at 22:04 mark costello 1 Said:
I wonder what would be the difference in torque generated in a handle that is 1 1/8″ round verses one that is 1 1/4″ round? Enough to make a difference?

11%

What makes it so noisy when driving the fan ?

MichaelG.

Julie

https://youtu.be/-Usiqpow_s0?si=MAW8GYESnhaeKUh0

Never thought of looking on YouTube – thanks!

Alan

On 4 September 2026 at 12:32 Bo’sun Said:
I remember those yellow erasers.  I think they were made by Rotring, and appeared (to me at least) to be impregnated with some form of solvent, presumably to dissolve the special drafting film leads.

The yellow one was, if memory serves me, actually for erasing their drawing ink…

On 2 September 2026 at 16:55 JasonB Said:
<p class=”bsp-quote-title”>… A Myford one for example needs the boss out the back for the thread …</p>

Certainly, but some Myford backplates position the thread and part  of the register inside the body of the chuck thus giving less overhang and less depth behind the jaws. I think the near chuck in…[Read more]

Whatever is fuelling the Google brain must psychedelic !

MichaelG.

On 4 September 2026 at 10:39 Nigel Bennett Said:
The diameter of the Staedtler clutch pencil on my desk is 2mm. We used all sorts of different grades for use on paper and draughting film. Using “plastic leads” on paper was dreadful and using graphite leads on film was a recipe for appalling smudges. Rubbing out the plastic lead lines on film req…

[Read more]

On 4 September 2026 at 14:34 Michael Gilligan Said:
[ NEWSFLASH ]

I have just caught Google’s AI telling fibs !

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Don’t worry … I found the actual patent for Jason’s crop

🙂

MichaelG.

But have you found the mysterious Charles P. Hollister and his “Driven Fan”, and why has his patent been re-assigned to a telephone switchboard system?…[Read more]

I have just caught Google’s AI telling fibs !

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Don’t worry … I found the actual patent for Jason’s crop

🙂

MichaelG.

After a frustrating start I think I…[Read more]

The chuck feels like it needs a good clean out and at the moment it’s in soak in paraffin. Normally Jacobs type chucks can be pressed apart for cleaning and light lubrication, this one although not a Jacob’s appears well made but has tube type…[Read more]

A few more photos, if you look…[Read more]

Regards Nick.

Mark, if you are only getting a yellow flame, that usually means there is not enough air getting the mix prior to combustion.

Andy

(other suppliers also sell this make) I’ve found them to be very good.

Regards Nick.

One being somewhere to store my chuck keys for the various lathe chucks (surprised by how many you can accumulate) It is only something simple, but it saves having them all in a pile on a shelf.

And the second is to replace the wooden tops…[Read more]

I would just like to say thank you for alerting me to this scale

…. I dithered for a while [having no immediate need for it] but eventually bought one, and am very pleased that I did.

MichaelG.

On 4 September 2026 at 10:57 Adrian 2 Said:
Thank you Michael and Southernchap.

That’s it . Nothing to do with lead times or foundry problems, just thoughtfulness , politeness , and consideration for the customer.

Adrian.

Totally agree, the very least they could have done was to inform you of the casting shortage and give you the option of w…[Read more]

That’s it . Nothing to do with lead times or foundry problems, just thoughtfulness , politeness , and consideration for the customer.

Adrian.

Yes, that’s a much clearer way of working … but Reeves is retailing catalogue items, not responding to RFQ

MichaelG

Six to eight weeks is not an acceptable wait without prior notification

I agree completely.

That’s the essence of it … most of the discussion about the harsh realities of foundry-work  is ‘noise’

MichaelG.

On 3 September 2026 at 15:35 southernchap Said:
Bloody hell, a lot of people on here are rather ‘forgiving’ these days, aren’t they?………………………

Not sure where that came from.

Most of the replies here relate to the title of “how long” that is no being forgiving of Hemingway it is simply stating the way it is. When did you last…[Read more]

Howard

If a plane is selected ‘the wrong way round’ – the ‘reset view‘ tool will ‘flip’ it for you.  Planes have a ‘direction’ that you can’t do much to influence.

Switching to and from sketch does not delete your reference lines – you are probably opening a new sketch instead of editing the one you placed the lines in.  It may help you to r…[Read more]

To make it easier to see where the drilled passage is going I would suggest either making the part less opaque so you can see into it. Or as you have worked out how to do section views that can also be used to…[Read more]

After discovering this post I’d like to put my twopenneth in based on a number of comments.

1. Dean Rogers (me) did not float in and out of STW during its 18 years in business. I was there from day one until i left in Dec 2024. I actually greed to sell STW in Nov 2023 (which as closer to 60 than 50 year old owner of a company who…[Read more]