Lathes as bling!

[Ian Johnson 1Participant @ianjohnson1]

The posts above made me think about Taiwan's relationship with China! I never really considered Taiwan as being part of China, it always seemed to be a separate entity to me! I think China may have 'claimed' Taiwan as part of their PRC territory.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

China has led the world at times in its history and is surely a contender to take the lead again. We have luckily been able to take advantage of China undercutting the rest of the world for manufactured goods, it is unlikely to last indefinitely as a competitor will appear and the workers will want paying properly for their labours. I expect we will be discussing the merits of Brazilian lathes against the wonderful Chinese ones of a few years ago.

Mike

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Well they certainly have large investments all over the planet. Even maybe a finger in Aston martin.

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Posted by Ian Johnson 1 on 17/01/2020 20:59:18:

The posts above made me think about Taiwan's relationship with China! I never really considered Taiwan as being part of China, it always seemed to be a separate entity to me! I think China may have 'claimed' Taiwan as part of their PRC territory.

Yes it's a matter of some contention, with the Taiwanese regarding themselves as separate and the Chinese building new islands and naval bases all around them getting ready to make their move. These days, who's going to stop them?

[SteviegtrParticipant @steviegtr]

Unfortunately China are a bit like you know who adolf. Frightening.

[JAParticipant @ja]

Posted by JasonB on 17/01/2020 14:35:23:

You could have a nice Hardinge copy from Grizzly complete with ELS for £29K

It is rather nice. Perhaps Boxford could copy it (I doubt it).

A bit of reverse bling.

I took this photograph as an ordinary member of the public visiting a heritage railway workshop.

JA

Edited By JA on 18/01/2020 09:23:10

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Posted by Ian Johnson 1 on 17/01/2020 20:59:18:

The posts above made me think about Taiwan's relationship with China! I never really considered Taiwan as being part of China, it always seemed to be a separate entity to me! I think China may have 'claimed' Taiwan as part of their PRC territory.

Depends on your point of view. Before WW2 Taiwan (Formosa) was part of China. When the Chinese Imperial Government collapsed in the early 1900's (arguably due to the bully boy tactics of the British, Americans, Germans, Japanese and other Western powers), China broke into multiple factions with many areas controlled by War Lords – power blocs not nations, mostly led by incompetent right-wing types. A deeply miserably time when famine, war, disease, and political instability overrode thousands of years of advanced civilisation.

After WW1, the Japanese expected to be rewarded for their role by being granted territory in China. This ambition was thwarted, leading eventually to a Japanese invasion of Korea and Western China, and the severe tensions with Western Powers that led to Pearl Harbour.

The War Lord problem & Japanese invasion resulted in the Chinese re-unifying under two main leaders – Mao Tse Tung (Communist) and Chang Kai-shek (Nationalist). Between 1945 and 1949 the two factions fought a bitter Civil War which ended by Chang Kai-shek retreating to Formosa, which he led as the Republic of China until 1975. Mao Tse Tung led the mainland as the People's Republic of China until his death in 1976. Both administrations consider themselves to be the legitimate government of China.

The part played by the West in Chinese History is not taught in British Schools, and most Brits are blissfully ignorant of the immense trouble in China caused a hundred plus years ago by Western powers (including Japan). Nor are they familiar with China's rejection of Russia and Russian communism, or the deep regional stresses during the Vietnam and other Wars, some of which are still active today. But the subject is taught in Chinese Schools, which is a worry because it leads to serious disrespect of the West and a sense of Paranoia.

I find it ironic that Brits get hot and bothered about the mythical 'China Export' mark, whilst the Chinese get hot and bothered about the sacking of the Imperial Palace in 1860, and again in 1910, after which the entire country collapsed into chaos…

China's industrial success impresses me greatly. The common assumption that China are struggling to catch up technically is dubious, for example Huawei are ahead of the Americans developing 5G technology, which discovery shook the USA last year. What the Chinese do with their new muscle is worrying : although the current regime is a curious mix of capitalist and communist ideas, it has ambitions and history that might tip it into serious conflict with the west. As might clumsy ignorant attitudes on our side. There's more to Foreign Policy than lapping up the Daily Mail or Guardian…

Dave

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

Posted by JA on 18/01/2020 09:21:36:

Posted by JasonB on 17/01/2020 14:35:23:

You could have a nice Hardinge copy from Grizzly complete with ELS for £29K

It is rather nice. Perhaps Boxford could copy it (I doubt it).

A bit of reverse bling.

I took this photograph as an ordinary member of the public visiting a heritage railway workshop.

JA

Edited By JA on 18/01/2020 09:23:10

Nice to see it's been well looked after!

Tony

[JAParticipant @ja]

Dave

At school we are lied to and spend the rest of our lives messed up.

I strongly believe that history should not be tought to those under sixteen.

JA

[Tony Pratt 1Participant @tonypratt1]

Posted by JA on 18/01/2020 13:44:30:

Dave

At school we are lied to and spend the rest of our lives messed up.

I strongly believe that history should not be tought to those under sixteen.

JA

Maybe English

Tony

[larry phelan 1Participant @larryphelan1]

Martin, I agree, and I am the idiot in question, but so what ?

Mike, we all know what happened to the English motor bikes, they never moved with the times, but the Japs did !

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

Posted by larry phelan 1 on 18/01/2020 16:36:01:

Martin, I agree, and I am the idiot in question, but so what ?

Mike, we all know what happened to the English motor bikes, they never moved with the times, but the Japs did !

Tongue in cheek, hence the

[Guy LambParticipant @guylamb68056]

Let China sleep, said Napoleon, for when she awakes the whole world will tremble.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 18/01/2020 11:36:13:

The part played by the West in Chinese History is not taught in British Schools, and most Brits are blissfully ignorant of the immense trouble in China caused a hundred plus years ago by Western powers (including Japan).

You missed out the opium wars, which still aren't forgotten and are part of their mistrust of the UK.

Neil

[not done it yetParticipant @notdoneityet]

Posted by larry phelan 1 on 18/01/2020 16:36:01:

Martin, I agree, and I am the idiot in question, but so what ?

Mike, we all know what happened to the English motor bikes, they never moved with the times, but the Japs did !

My JAP engines were made in Prestwick! My Japanese engines were made by Honda.

[JAParticipant @ja]

Posted by not done it yet on 18/01/2020 19:03:07:

Posted by larry phelan 1 on 18/01/2020 16:36:01:

Martin, I agree, and I am the idiot in question, but so what ?

Mike, we all know what happened to the English motor bikes, they never moved with the times, but the Japs did !

My JAP engines were made in Prestwick! My Japanese engines were made by Honda.

By Prestwich in Tottenham, London (my play ground, bomb sites, as a kid)?

JA

Edited By JA on 18/01/2020 19:20:33

Edited By JA on 18/01/2020 19:21:34

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

Posted by JA on 18/01/2020 09:21:36:

Posted by JasonB on 17/01/2020 14:35:23:

You could have a nice Hardinge copy from Grizzly complete with ELS for £29K

It is rather nice. Perhaps Boxford could copy it (I doubt it).

A bit of reverse bling.

I took this photograph as an ordinary member of the public visiting a heritage railway workshop.

JA

Edited By JA on 18/01/2020 09:23:10

Shame to see such a fine lathe in such a terrible condition. It could be saved but not without a huge amount of work. I'm nearly completed with a full rebuild of the exact same model. Bed grind, apron rebuild, new motor, new electrics, new spindle bearings all the sliding parts scraped.

[Mick B1Participant @mickb1]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 18/01/2020 17:54:36:

Posted by SillyOldDuffer on 18/01/2020 11:36:13:

The part played by the West in Chinese History is not taught in British Schools, and most Brits are blissfully ignorant of the immense trouble in China caused a hundred plus years ago by Western powers (including Japan).

You missed out the opium wars, which still aren't forgotten and are part of their mistrust of the UK.

Neil

I thought SOD was including that, along with the Boxer Rebellion and other imperial adventures. Sometimes I think we're lucky their revenge so far amounts to outselling our lethargic engineering manufacturers…

[Nick Clarke 3Participant @nickclarke3]

Posted by larry phelan 1 on 18/01/2020 16:36:01:

Mike, we all know what happened to the English motor bikes, they never moved with the times, but the Japs did !

My Francis Barnett hardly moved at all!

[Nick WheelerParticipant @nickwheeler]

Posted by Tony Pratt 1 on 18/01/2020 12:29:49:

Posted by JA on 18/01/2020 09:21:36:

Nice to see it's been well looked after!

Tony

If it's being used, who cares what it looks like. It's a tool, not jewellery

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

Posted by Nicholas Wheeler 1 on 19/01/2020 11:12:56:

If it's being used, who cares what it looks like. It's a tool, not jewellery

I agree with the sentiment but that machine isn't in use. All of the handwheels are red with rust.

[BazParticipant @baz89810]

I was always taught that a skilled person always looks after their tools, there is absolutely no excuse for a machine to be left in that condition if it is being used or not.

[Nick WheelerParticipant @nickwheeler]

Posted by Pete Rimmer on 19/01/2020 11:39:05:

Posted by Nicholas Wheeler 1 on 19/01/2020 11:12:56:

If it's being used, who cares what it looks like. It's a tool, not jewellery

I agree with the sentiment but that machine isn't in use. All of the handwheels are red with rust.

Perhaps the owners are getting on with their real business?

I have tools that haven't been used in years, and their cosmetic appearance shows that. But it doesn't affect their utility.

[Pete RimmerParticipant @peterimmer30576]

Posted by Nicholas Wheeler 1 on 19/01/2020 11:58:17:

Perhaps the owners are getting on with their real business?

I have tools that haven't been used in years, and their cosmetic appearance shows that. But it doesn't affect their utility.

Indubitably they are doing something else but the damage on that lathe is not cosmetic.

As it sits, it's not a working machine. That machine's been brought in from being left outside and disregarded.

Rail preservation guys should know better. My dad ran a rail preservation workshop and the sight of that would have made him very sad knowing how difficult it was to get quality machines especially smaller ones like the HLV.

[JAParticipant @ja]

I don't understand how a Hardinge lathe ended up in a railway workshop. These were bought by the likes of the Atomic Energy Research Centre and used in clean tool rooms.

JA

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