Member postings for Cornish Jack

Nigel G 2 and others - I get the feeling that I am not alone in still being 'adrift' in an 'imperial' (as distinct from Imperial) sea! Thankfully most vendors suffer my "pound of ... and a pint of ..."   requests, but even they might baulk at my childhood potato-buying in 'gallons' ... 10lbs.

Youngsters, like Andrew J probably take to the metric thing quite readily, but my calculations still operate aitomatically in £sd and I have to 'convert'. It didn't help that the UK changeover happened when I started a 3 year stint in Cyprus. Coming back to UK was a shock.

All I have managed in auto-conversions, so far, is a cm is about 1/2"! Given my tolerance standards, that's probably close enough!

rgds

Bill

Edited By Cornish Jack on 04/07/2020 10:15:16

Don't use my Perfecto much, but the only 'odd' tooling I've used is a 'swan's neck' which, supposedly, has the advantage of 'spring' to ease the cut impact. Got mine ready made, but forging ones from bar stock HSS might be an 'interesting' exercise.

rgds

Bill

Thank you, Jason - looks to be what's needed. Don't understand why I didn't pick that up in the Zeus.

rgds

Bill

On topic, I hope.

I have recently unearthed a 'Rotozip' drill/sander/polisher W.H.Y. kit and the collet closing 'nut' is missing. Difficult to measure, but the thread appears to be 28 tpi and diameter 1/2". Zeus doesn't list anything matching. Does anybody know what it would be ?

rgds

Bill

Too late now to edit my post re. the 'crane' but, as no doubt realised, the quoted jib length of 50mm should have been 50 cm!! ... (Bloody new-fangled meaurements! What was wrong with the groat and bushel?)

rgds

Bill

Edited By Cornish Jack on 30/06/2020 09:35:12

Hi Paul - thanks for the query. The 'crane' started life as a mobility scooter or wheelchair car lift. Capacity about 160 kgs? I bought the basic, non-working motor, base and jib. It's mounted on a 6 mm steel rectangular tube welded to a 170mm, 6mm thick sqare base plate. I 'fixed' the motor and wired in a vari-speed RS transformer to give the 12volt power. The jib is about 50mm long, slightly extendable and swings through 270 degrees. I use g-clamps to secure it so that I can use it on other caster-based benches. I'll take a few more piccies and put them up here.

Let me know if any further needed.

rgds

Bill

Andrew - good to hear you were successful on spares. No problems with the workshop rummage - well overdue and it's amazing what you find - things long since faded from memory!!

Your grandchildren are very lucky!

rgds

Bill

Just finished a fitting on my mill. Slightly more complete bits but instructions needed a magnifying glass and deep searching to find the right reference. Your question about read head clearance - my instructions suggest between 0.1 and 0.9 mm, so reasonable latitude. Most of our members seem to find it quite straightforward - my skill set meant much head scratching!!

rgds

Bill

Andrew (got the name right this time!!) - Back from the 'jungle' and located the Wilesco. Mine is the D 141 Steam Plant. Haven't seen it for a while but I would have thought the boiler/steam plant would be common across the range. If you think this is suitable for the dimensions you want, let me know what is required.

rgds

Bill

Recently had the same problem but realised that mounting options were the answer.

With the preferred direct drive vertical mounting, the rotation was wrong, but by mounting the motor horizontally and driving via jockey pulleys, the spindle output was correct. Don't have piccies at the moment but can produce if wished.

rgds

Bill

" This was my first effort at building an engine"

Not sure whether to comment on that statement or the result ... either way, please stop it. The usual standard of build on this forum makes me feel inadequate, that just makes me want to give up!!! Far too many plusses - ambition, planning, innovation, fine workmanship, persistence ... the list goes on. A natural entry to Sir John's Trophy, I would have thought.

Oh, did I mention, I'm quite impressed! +++

rgds

Bill

Paul - if this is the full workshop layout with lineshaft tooling etc, I have one ... somewhere! If nobody else sorts it first, I'll go 'on safari' in (for?) the next couple of days to find it. " I may be some time ..."

rgds

|Bill

Definitely not today, but over much too long a period, finally fitted a 2 axis DRO to my D-W mill. Thanks are due to all the members who provided hints, tips and suggestions plus the customer support at Allendale for sorting the digital bit! I'm posting a couple of pics which, if you can ignore the crap workmanship, may be useful for other D-W owners. The last pic is of the repair to the motor/head support tbe which was broken and which several members offered suggestions for repair. For logistical (proximity) reasons, I tool Pgk's advice and went agri-engineer. The repair has been deliberately left 'as-is' on mutual agreement that it would probably be stronger and the 'looks' suit my 'style'!!

Thanks to all who helped.

rgds

Bill

It's all very well for you keen-eyed youngsters who can see that sort of detail!!

I use a magnifying glass on the big Myford wall chart!

rgds

Bill

As posted elsewhere, I am in the process of installing DROs on a D-W mill. Almost complete but I was unable to access the console set-up function. I should point out that the kit was purchased over 18 months ago. Allendale picked up (from the forum) that I was having problems and offered to help. Rang them this morning and spoke to one of their techies who made a couple of suggestions, not mentioned in the instruction booklet. Bingo! all working as advertised!

Apart from the successful advice, it was made clear that they would be happy to deal with any problems should the advice not work - VERY reassuring indication of good customer service - worth noting for future reference.

The advice? ... hold down the ENTER key during the switch-on rather than during the 3 seconds after.

Thank you Allendale

rgds
Bill

As a devoted non-gardener, I can't understand this passion for areas of unremitting green. Happily, our tiny 'garden' is incapable of supporting 'normal' plants but works well with a wide variety of 'weeds'. The varying colours and textures are vastly more visually appealing than manicured green, it's easy to 'maintain' and, most importantly, it encourages a wide variety of insects, especially the bees.

Grass ? ... who needs it?

rgds

Bill

Michael - You have the correct video link in spite of my inverting the Company title !!

Allendales offer of assistance may well be called on.

In spite of my lack of expertise, I have actually managed to attach the required bits to the D-W in positions which offer working outputs. The astonishment which this generated caused me to break the habit of a lifetime and, before operating the console, I read the 'manual'!!!! Following the instructions (another first!) Step 1 was accomplished as was Step 2. However, Step 3 , and normal service was resumed ...book says press up/down arrows to sequence through to SETUP. Pressed the up and down arrows and irrespective of direction of travel, the result remained a 3 output sequence SDM/INC/ABS with the finger shortening requirement to scroll through 200 (!!!) increments of SDM before moving to the next in sequence. Pressing Enter at various points in the process had little effect, save for producing the ubiquitous digital equipment 'beep'! Trouble-shooting section has no mention of this behaviour and, thus, no cure. Resorting to my deep technical skills in these matters, I switched the console on and off (several times!) and have now retired hurt.

Should any members have useful knowledge (or inspired guesses) as to the cause and (preferably) the cure, I would be most grateful for such offerings. (otherwise basket-weaving beckons)

rgds

Bill

Edited By Cornish Jack on 19/06/2020 17:52:17

Edited By Cornish Jack on 19/06/2020 17:54:56

Alan - thank you for your kind offer of assistance and the reassuring news that things have changed. The item is, after all, a D-I-Y kit, so one shouild expect problems. My main gripe is the lack of useful, publicly available, general advice vis-a-vis your American competitors. I would think that the web would be the prospective installer's first port of call for guidance and your present offering explains the principles but little else. It is proving to be a good exercise in ingenuity but, at 85, simplicity rules! I shall continue the battle and, if successful, will post (carefully edited) photos

If no success, I shall retreat to basket weaving or other country pursuits

rgds

Bill

I had a near replica of Iain's 'collapse only mine was 'Rawlplugged' in to the walls. Thankfully mine happened while I was absent, so just the mess to clear up!.

My remedy was as DMB suggests, Dexion frames, free standing for weight bearing but wall fixed for added stability, if that makes sense? No further traumas (fingers crossed!)

rgds

Bill

Robert - your points are well made - certainly regarding not catering for specific machines. However, the bits provided in my set do not fit each other, never mind the intended machine. Allendale are at liberty to make their own decisions as to what they include in their offerings. I would suggest, however that they could learn valuable lessons from viewing their American competitors.

rgds

Bill