What did you do today (2015)

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

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Just had this delivered to store some of my most frequently used engineering type tools in as they are presently scattered all over the workshop and I can never find the damn things.

Nick

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> I suspect that there might be a moral in there somewhere!!

Sounds like you need a crane Bill – or a Cornish jack

I love the unconventional action on your flame licker, Tim!

Very posh Bruce! Very posh Nick! We are moving up-market now!

Neil

[Anonymous]

Lovely looking box Nick, but you've bought the ladies version with the mirror!

Andrew

PS: Of course the mirror is really there for a different reason.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

The clouds here in Hampshire had disappeared by dusk. A couple of hours observing until the clouds rolled in again at 1 am. One successful Perseid out of about 500 images:

Cheers,

Rod

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I got a bit better hit rate than you, Rod, three out of 249 images!

Total count was 43, plus lots of satellites, one satellite flare and six bright flashes that could have been satellites or meteors. Was lucky to be at a site where the milky Way was visible between the clouds much of the night.

I've seen one ten-minute exposure that has six meteors and the andromeda galaxy in it

Kept going until 1:30 and batteries went flat, then when I got home the lock had been latched so five hours in the car

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

Time seems to be in short supply at the moment apart from last weeks machining parts and upgrades to the hydro for last Sundays Kingsbury bash **LINK**

Now repairing for a demo start up at a two day motorcycle etc. speed do at Elvington a surface I know well.

Will try to get some pictures of the full size fast guy's.

If time permits will attempt to do an article on the preparation of the flash steamer before a speed attempt for ME it's a lot of work for the contributors to our favourite magazines.

Paul

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

One mammoth meteor I saw left a persistent trail. I had time to let my camera finish the 30-second shot it was on, turn it, and get this shot of the trail. At least two other people in Staffordshire recorded the actual meteor, and one has a gif of it fading over 30 seconds.

This is Lauries's GIF (30 seconds of captures) of the Staffordshire Fireball:

Interestinh how parallax has moved the stars to the left of my trail to above the one in the video.

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 13/08/2015 13:50:47

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 13/08/2015 19:27:57

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Was out in the back garden just after 2300h last night, lovely clear sky, but I wonder if we see even a 10th of 1% of the stars here in Europe.

It certainly appears so compared to the clear night skies I remember in Jhb, with horizon to horizon stars.

The Milky Way, however, was the most inspiring and amazing sight, it looking like a dust cloud all lit up.

Only saw one streak East to West, BUT a very bright spot moving fast across the sky in a SSE to NNW direction.

Called it a night around 2330h as nothing further was sighted.

Geoff – Cooler today, so last Unistrut up.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Despite it being a bit cloudy here up on the North Downs last night I still went outside to the shed and withing an hour or so these had appeared on the workbench, not sure if they had fallen from the skies or a lepricorn had left them for me but they look more fun than stars

Anyone care to hazard a guess as to what they are or what they will become?

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

A 3inch traction engine?

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Pedestal engine ?

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Not a traction engine and not steam, you are closer John.

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

.

A gizmo that makes Jelly babies.?

** OK I will get my coat. …… Bye.

Nick

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

A vertical gas engine. (Gas not petrol.)

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Well David I think I will give you that so you win the sack of cast iron swarf when its complete.

Its a 1/3rd scale model of the 1HP Allman Gas engine 1889-1891 made in limited numbers by Debolt in the US back in the late '90s. The original would have been gas with hot tube ignition but the model uses liquid fuel and a spark plug.

Here is a video of a nice one running, just need to brush up on my banjo playing.

 

Edited By JasonB on 13/08/2015 16:51:04

[David Clark 13Participant @davidclark13]

Very nice. The radiator casting confused me, it looked like a traction engine spectacle plate in the parts box.

[Ed DuffnerParticipant @edduffner79357]

I have a resonator banjo for sale if you want one Jason. …and I don't know about "squeal like a pig", but that video sounds like it has a snorting pig in the valve-gear

[Frances IoMParticipant @francesiom58905]

gas engines have a long history – 1862 Cylopaedia of Machinery (1862 exhibition) – tome which makes really interesting reading has on p409
CHAPTER II. GAS-ENGINES.

M. Lenoir, Paris, exhibited a gas-engine in working condition. In general appearance it is like a

horizontal steam-engine, with a piston reciprocating within a cylinder, propelled by the explosion of a mixture of gas and air at each end, alternately. The gas and air to be burnt are admitted to follow the piston during half the length of stroke ; they are then shut into the cylinder by the valve, and exploded by an electric spark, and the products of combustion, by their expansive force, supply the motive force, which operates during the remaining half of the stroke. M. Tresca has estimated, from his experiments on M. Lenoir’s engine, that it consumes about 90 cubic feet of gas per horse power per hour. The engine is started by simply opening a cock, and assisting the fly-wheel for two or three turns.

Mr. C. W. Siemens, London, exhibited a gas-engine, ingeniously constructed, which works on the same principle as M. Lenoir’s. It is composed of four cylinders, of which the piston-rods are separately >connected to the ends of the four arms of a cross, of which the centre works in a fixed bearing. The cylinders work consecutively, and their pistons rise and fall in succession, so that there are not any dead points in the system ; and a continuous circular motion is taken from the centre and transmitted by a connecting-rod to a crank on the shaft. The valves of the four cylinders are worked from a cam-plate on the shaft. A regenerator is provided for saving a great part of the heat which would otherwise be discharged with the waste gases; and there are theoretical grounds for expecting the engine to be economical.

Gas-engines consume, no doubt, a good deal of gas, but they might be conveniently adopted in certain situations in preference to a steam-engine; and there is this to be said for them, that they do not consume anything whilst standing. M. Tresca has suggested that the ordinary illuminating gas might be replaced by a liquid hydrocarbon, through which it would be sufficient to pass the air, and from which the air would absorb a proportion sufficient to constitute an inflammable mixture. Gas-engines appear to be specially applicable in cases where a limited supply of power is required-say from 1 to 3 horse power-at intervals, and where the use of steam is to be absolutely avoided.

The suggestion of inflammable hydrocarbon/air mixture would appear to be quite farsighted

Edited By Frances IoM on 13/08/2015 18:57:41

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Problem with these gas engines especially the early ones with slide valves is that you need to blend your gasses for best results and need a good supply of Hydrogen gas!

One of 4 pallets at a recent US show

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Typical August. Continuous dripping cloud above 900ft and intermittent light drizzle but thankfully no heavy rain on the Okehampton showground. Trying to get tractor drivers to go into the ring in order is like herding the proverbial cats. More like the start of a formula one race so give up and run for cover behind an immaculate MGTF.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

This 4in Burrell was the only steam exhibit running a thresher. Member of Tiverton club.

These tools were all made from old files, the long oblong type in the picture. ingenuity or desperation?

Some cats!

One for Jason. I thought the bearers were of interest.

One for the 2 wheel fanatics. This 1912 Triumph as been in one family since 1919.

[Bill PudneyParticipant @billpudney37759]

After a few weeks out of the shed, due to the cold and damp (it's Winter up here in Australia), finally got there today. I celebrated by making a couple of glow engine venturies for some club mates. They have been made out of some red Delrin offcuts supplied by a friend. Before anyone says RED Delrin?? Yes it's not very common, but it is available, I also have some green!! The friend used to use it in his dental implant business.

Hopefully now that the weather has turned a bit, I'll be able to get more shed time in.

cheers

Bill

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Thanks Bazyle, nice way to adjust belt tension once you have the cart pegged to the ground.

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Neil – "sounds like you need a crane Bill… Etc.. Aaagghhh!!

Basil Brush would have been proud of that … 'Boom Boom!!'

rgds

Bill

[Raymond Sanderson 2Participant @raymondsanderson2]

Posted by Bill Pudney on 14/08/2015 06:51:10:

After a few weeks out of the shed, due to the cold and damp (it's Winter up here in Australia), finally got there today. I celebrated by making a couple of glow engine venturies for some club mates. They have been made out of some red Delrin offcuts supplied by a friend. Before anyone says RED Delrin?? Yes it's not very common, but it is available, I also have some green!! The friend used to use it in his dental implant business.

Hopefully now that the weather has turned a bit, I'll be able to get more shed time in.

cheers

Bill

Hi Bill.

Always nice to get off cuts of any sort.

Got to agree with the weather although days are beaut the icy winds keep it cool, it is warming in the sun though.

I'm in Western Sydney where abouts are you if you don't mind me asking?

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