What did you do today (2015)

[V8EngParticipant @v8eng]

Pleased to see that they took the Goldfish out of the tank before testing that!

Edited By V8Eng on 19/08/2015 10:46:03

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by V8Eng on 19/08/2015 10:44:34:

Pleased to see that they took the Goldfish out of the tank before testing that!

Edited By V8Eng on 19/08/2015 10:46:03

Not the most thrilling video…

Neil

[Nick_GParticipant @nick_g]

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Went to work.! This is most frustrating and a disruption to my harmony as I have had a set of casting for a Stuart No.4 delivered.

Nick

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

This looks more interesting than the usual run of the mill part-work kits:

http://www.build-solar-system.com/solar-system.php

Its available as a ready made unit from the manufacturer for a similar price.

Seems a good design, apparently it takes about 42 seconds to send Earth round once, and includes Ceres* and Pluto. Apparently the moon is the only rotating satellite.

The clever bit is all the big gears are the same size, which must keep costs down a bit.

Neil

*probably taking advantage of the need for double reduction for Jupiter.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 19/08/2015 12:19:40

Not the most thrilling video…

… but a great concept all the same.

MichaelG.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 19/08/2015 13:29:43:

This looks more interesting than the usual run of the mill part-work kits:

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… Previously issued some years ago

I bought the introductory Part_1 and immediately lost interest … Those pieces were very shiny and very attractive [to a magnet].

MichaelG.

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Oh the joy of the English language … "brass plate" 

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 19/08/2015 14:38:25

[john carruthersParticipant @johncarruthers46255]

Made the Eaglemoss planetarium, worked out to about £250+. The speed can be varied with a pot underneath the motor housing. I would have liked to do the tellurion too but couldn't afford it.

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

In honour of the recent blue moon I used my mill in horizontal (well, boring) mode today:

Actually it was easier than setting up an angle plate – I must do it more often

Rod

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Things have been quiet due to the humidity of late, but much better now.

Yesterday thought it time to de-sag the MTT shelves.

Before: 

After:

Method of de-sagging:

Wood from neighbour's skip.

Today made a start making the last two drawers, as the empty spaces have been bugging me.

There as been a slight pong in the Workshop for a week now, but seeing a fly disappear under one of the bottom drawers rang alarm bells.

Pulled a couple of drawers out to have a look see and this was found:

Not a pleasant sight, notwithstanding the maggots.

Had put poison down some time ago just in case.

How the frig did it get into the Workshop (brick garage) I wonder?

Geoff – USAF and now RAF noise making me wonder if Norfolk is now a War Zone?

Edited By OuBallie on 19/08/2015 18:18:16

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 19/08/2015 14:26:25:

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 19/08/2015 12:19:40

Not the most thrilling video…

… but a great concept all the same.

MichaelG.

I'd love one to play with – but I'd use it in the lake, not a fish tank it barely fits in! I assume it has a built in camera?

It has made me think of getting hold of a little 'spycam' and fitting it to the toy submarine I have somewhere.

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 19/08/2015 18:59:55:

(a) I'd love one to play with – but I'd use it in the lake, not a fish tank it barely fits in! I assume it has a built in camera?

(b) It has made me think ..,

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letters added for ease of reference

.

Neil,

(a) Here is a little more information

(b) Good … that's why I posted it

MichaelG.

[Steve WithnellParticipant @stevewithnell34426]

Couldn't find a better place to post this. My Dad who is knocking on a bit mentioned the "Hobby Annual" from when he was a kid. So I've managed to procure a few copies of this from the 1930's.

What struck me reading through these (I guess the target audience was under 14) is the inspiration and ambition in many of the articles.

One article is about aeroplanes – not fanciful stuff, but the design process – wing loadings, calculating the wing area required to support payloads, engine outputs required for certain speeds and so on.

Valve radio construction – laid out for a youngster to build.

An article on the Brough Superior and its ability to exceed 100mph – and technical details of how it is built and operated.

In the 30's this must have been huge stuff – I've tried to place that in context of what inspires kids of the current generation and to be honest I'm struggling.

Where do the kids get really inspired and challenged? The internet is one place – eg Colin Furze and his madness is inspiring stuff for a kid, but then what?

Steve

[Tim ChambersParticipant @timchambers76147]

Beesleyboy has an interesting channel.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Tim Chambers on 19/08/2015 20:09:07:

Beesleyboy has an interesting channel.

.

… He sure does! Thanks Tim

MichaelG.

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Did a test run on my latest oscillator & the paddle steamer demo model hitched together…

**LINK**

George

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Sometimes nice to do small jobs that have been lurking for years.

I have a piece of very accurate ground, 1/4" square and hard steel that came out of a dot matrix printer. Ideal for parallels, and I have two I use regularly, but finally got around to cutting the last bit into three useful lengths and tidying the ends up on a linisher. I felt guilty using the bandsaw on 1/4" material!

Then I picked up a bit of 5/16 phosphor bronze that reappeared last week after a long absence (I think it had been pretending to be a copper tube). I used it to make a 3/16" pin for my simple 'straight in' knurl holder (bar of steel with a slot and hole in it). Nice to find a small e-clip which was the ideal way to keep it secure without wasting working room. E-clip better than the insulating tape which had held the 3/16" drill that had served as a spindle for a year or three. Not something that gets a lot of use, so i was surprised to see how the knurl had worn the drill shank! I'm sure the bronze will work better in this role.

Know with a woking straight knurl, what can I test it on? Ah yes! Put a nice edge on my M42 to 1.25" eyepiece tube adaptor. Might try anodising it, although there will be a faint line where two parts are epoxied together.

Neil

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Given the abundance of cheap remote-viewing helicopters and quadricopters at bargain prices, and the RC subs available for under £20, I'm surprised no-one has put together a really economical package yet.

Neil

[Boiler BriParticipant @boilerbri]

Fetched a milling machine that I bought back in July from northwales today. I bought it on a whim as it was in such good condition. I intended replacing my Harrison, however the spindle is R8 and all my tooling is INT30! I never checked, what a wally.

Bri

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

Posted by Boiler Bri on 19/08/2015 21:25:48:

Fetched a milling machine that I bought back in July from northwales today. I bought it on a whim as it was in such good condition. I intended replacing my Harrison, however the spindle is R8 and all my tooling is INT30! I never checked, what a wally.

Bri

So when you decide will you be selling the other one?

Ian P (with MT2 on my mill)

[ANDY CAWLEYParticipant @andycawley24921]

Spent Wednesday tootling around Cheshire in the GN in company with a dozen other like minded eccentrics. Thursday we will visit Jodrell Bank in the morning. The group is staying in the Manor at Alsager if any locals want a look.

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 19/08/2015 21:16:31:

Given the abundance of cheap remote-viewing helicopters and quadricopters at bargain prices, and the RC subs available for under £20, I'm surprised no-one has put together a really economical package yet.

Neil

Well how about a quad that does not mind getting wet, though not really economical.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I'd have thought it needs a launch pad?

I wonder how it copes with trees

Neil

[NJHParticipant @njh]

I view these drones with dismay.

Andrew – if you are lurking – what is the view of these in the gliding / light aviation community? As far as I can see there is no control over their use and the prospect of a collision with one doesn't bear thinking about.

Norman

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

There are CAA regulations that should be followed if useing one professionally but nothing to stop a spotty kid flying one where he likes. I just fly mine indoors

[Four stroke FredParticipant @fourstrokefred]

Spent the last few days casting the parts for a 3 cylinder Atkinson engine and today started to machine the cylinder block. Tomorrow will be boring ,literally ,as I hope to machine out the cylinder bores ready for the cast iron liners. The engine has an air cooled head and water cooled cylinder block with automatic inlet valves and side exhaust. George.

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