What did you do today? (2014)

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Posted by Raymond Sanderson 2 on 05/08/2014 07:58:32:

Well now there's hat I haven't seen any self respecting Aussie wear since they were being made in Asia back in the 80's. The corks were often thought to be used to keep the flies and mozzies away. In fact it was so they new how many bottles they had open at one time.

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I always thought Castlemain XXXX was because they couldn't spell BEER

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Er… thanks Bill…

Blimey John, I didn't realise just how much you had picked up.

So, are you going to make that Sweet Pea … no excuses

Neil

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

No Neil, not interested in loco's at all but I know someone who will be very grateful for this lot and hopefully it will all be gone in one lot by the weekend.

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Yesterday whilst doing some watering, I lifted the lid from one of my compost bins and thought –

"That's an effing big worm"

Then it uncoiled!

!SNAKE!

The lid was back in place PDQ I can tell you.

Now I know why the mouse poison I'd put down hasn't been touched. It has had a feast.

Searching the Internet, it's either a Gass or Smooth specimen, so quite harmless.

I had/have absolutely no intention of taking a second peek to check its markings.

In the brief look I got though, I didn't notice any chevron/diamond patterns on it.

No doubt it has scarpered by now, having been disturbed, BUT where to?

It WILL remain undisturbed, that I CAN promise if still in place.

Geoff – Is it isn't it conundrum. Makes life interesting.

[Martin WParticipant @martinw]

Geoff

It could have been laying eggs in the warm compost if so then next year you could have a few more mini reptiles slithering about you garden!! Not sure when they do lay their eggs but there again it could be there just for the warmth. I think they are lovely creatures and I used to catch them for fun when I was a lad.

Good luck and happy snake spotting.

Martin

PS

Extract from Wikipedia:-

The leathery-skinned eggs are laid in batches of eight to 40 in June to July and hatch after about 10 weeks. To survive and hatch, the eggs require a temperature of at least 21 °C (70 °F), but preferably 28 °C (82 °F), with high humidity. Rotting vegetation, such as compost heaps, are preferred locations. The young are about 18 centimetres (7 in) long when they hatch and are immediately independent

Edited By Martin W on 05/08/2014 10:46:40

Edited By Martin W on 05/08/2014 10:50:42

[Martin WParticipant @martinw]

Geoff

Reading your post again you thought it might be a worm which could indicate that it is actually a hatchling, if that is the correct terminology, from this years brood. Lucky man you to have them living wild in your garden.

Martin

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Hi Geoff,

You lucky man!

How big? If it was rich golden bronze colour it could be a slowworm. When I was a boy my nan would take me to see a colony of a good half-dozen that lived under old buckets and corrugated sheet 'tin' at the end of the garden.

Grass snakes have a 'collar' marking and like to be close to water, the biggest one I've see was about four feet long and as thick as my forearm… Smooth snakes are very rare.

Neil

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Better get in touch with Tel, he the one with hats!! Think the last one he had was a Crown.

Adjustable hat blocks were available, looking down on the block it's divided in quarters, and adjusted with screw threads, but hatters preferred solid blocks, and looking at mums old block, bits were held in place with drawing pins. It's probably 40 years since the hat block was last used, ladies just stopped wearing hats, even to church.

Ian S C

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

A worm it most certainly wasn't, as it was at least an inch or more in diameter, just my initial fleeting thought on seeing it.

Sorry guys, but I wasn't about to undertake a detailed close-up inspection, so can't give any definitive details.

However, it looked at least 18" or so long in its curled up state, and being a dark grey/brown colour with black and light markings, from memory.

If it's gobbling up the mice, then he/she is a most welcome guest.

Geoff – Biltong hung to dry.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Clive Hartland on 03/08/2014 07:53:25:

A few days a go I mentioned and asked if anyone was following the Rosetta probe that is chasing a comet and will rendezvous with it in 3 days time, there were no replies?

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It made the BBC News this evening, Clive.

But I was surprised see that they featured other "rent-a-quotes"

I would have thought that Chandra Wickramasinghe would have been the obvious choice.

… He's a fascinating speaker, catch him if you ever get the chance.

MichaelG.

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

Hi MichaelG, Thats also just appeared in the BBC net news. A bit of a gloss over as the media have all but ignored this for a long time.

Clive

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

It was on this evening's PM. To be fair, it isn't really 'news' until something happens. When I was a teenager I remember being astounded how little fuss was made about the last couple of moon landings.

Neil

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Ok, actually DID some metalworking today. I added an M5 grub screw to my lathe's motor pulley, my hand-finished keyway was resulting in a small but irritating tick. I knew I had that grubscrew somewhere, it just took weeks to find it!

For the record, fitted to bear on the key, not the shaft.

Neil

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Posted by OuBallie on 05/08/2014 17:03:05:

Geoff – Biltong hung to dry.

.

Geoff, Are you *SURE* it's biltong that's hanging up ?

[Boiler BriParticipant @boilerbri]

Tried to decide if the loco I bought at auction is sm32, g guage or sm32 g guage or sm45 or ?

These smaller gauges are a mine field.

Turns out the wheels can be moved to make it either sm32 or sm45!

Decided it's better on the sm32 as the track is cheaper to buy, now there's a yorkshire mans decision. Final!

Bri

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

JS,

I have no idea what you are getting at.

Honest

I have an inkling, but the heat and humidity has caused the grey matter to become non co-operative again.

If it wriggles maybe?

Geoff – I give up

[Raymond Sanderson 2Participant @raymondsanderson2]

Went to get new wheels for my workshop stool and 5 hrs latter after a battery replacement in the Forester we got home.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Tel's got a furry hat with ear flaps now. Ian S C

[lancelotParticipant @lancelot]

Me…I was using the linisher and sanding machine ,when the the bearing on the face sander decided to let gothrowing the drive belt and wrecking the linishing belt…took the machine apart circlip that held bearing in position on roller shaft unseated out of almost nonexistant seating groove …solved situation after resetting roller shaft to correct position in bearing and fitting drive belt loctited using suoper grade loctite fixative …rebuilt and tested ,…works like new….next in line is the CHESTER CONQUEST milling machine… major surgery.

[Four stroke FredParticipant @fourstrokefred]

This week the clutch has been made and fitted to the tractor. There is still some work to be done including adding the friction material to the face of the cone clutch. The bracket on the side of the chassis rail is fabricated from eight pieces of steel silver soldered together.. The flywheel,cone clutch and pulley are made from cast iron with the view that the weight will encourage a slow running engine.

At last I have managed to get both words and picture on the same page- wonders will never cease!!

George

[Oompa LumpaParticipant @oompalumpa34302]

Picked up the nuts, bolts and other fittings off the Drill Press from my local Gun Blueing/Chroming Emporium
As always a very nice job by a guy who is a friend of mine and does a first class Gun Blueing job has done a great job on the Bits n Bobs I gave him, even the hard chrome on the two pins for the motor plate to mount on. I have painted the first coat to some of the bits and I am going to think about the colour overnight because it is very BRIGHT!

graham.

[Four stroke FredParticipant @fourstrokefred]

Yesterday I made and fitted the I exhaust manifold and silencer to the engine of the Saunderson & Mills tractor.This has started to fill in some of the gaps around the engine and makes it more interesting to look at . Today I used the CAD drawing program to design the inlet manifold and carburettor. This is quite a complex unit and it has to line up with both the governor, exhaust manifold and control systems. I intend to first make this unit out of wood to check that it will line up as some of the clearances are small. Looks like another busy day tomorrow!

George.. Today I

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Mitco pedestal drilling machine.

It was high time I organized where to put the most common bits and pieces used, so I fitted an aluminum tray to the side of the table.

Some time ago I bought a few 12"x8" aluminum trays for just this purpose, and to be used with the other machines as well.

Space restrictions, in the form of the Garage side door and shelving, prevented me fitting it on the more convenient lhs of the table.

Holes drilled and tapped M6 into the table.

Geoff – Getting there, but oh so slowly.

[“Bill Hancox”Participant @billhancox]

Posted by Oompa Lumpa on 08/08/2014 20:13:54:

I am going to think about the color overnight because it is very BRIGHT!

graham.

Graham

Superb! You are definitely scrupulous about your refurbishment projects. The gun blue and chrome are very complimentary. Once assembled however, you should probably avoid using the drill press in direct sunlight. I use Brownell's 44/40 cold blue on some of my metal work with very good results.

Cheers

Bill

[Boiler BriParticipant @boilerbri]

Today was a beautiful day in Llandudno on the west shore, if maybe a tad too windy. I joined my fellow members and finished the installation of the traverser.

All went well and now the track layers can move in and finish the last 4 meters of track required for the gap to be closed and the main outer loop to be finished so we can run around instead of end to end. Holiday makers and visitors to the 'blue cafe' are all keen to have a ride and take in the beautiful scenery and the afternoon saw many ' gifting' passengers.

 

RIDES are FREE at the moment so if your in area please call in and have a ride.

 

Brian

 

 

Edited By Boiler Bri on 09/08/2014 19:38:53

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