What Did You Do Today (2017)

[HacksawParticipant @hacksaw]

The other day i was using my sawbench, cutting some bits of hardwood that were far too small… and it grabbed it and went bang.. Ting…. Ripped a tooth right off !! Today rather than throw the blade away i cut more teeth off it and mig welded them to short 10mm square bars …and very good lathe tools they do make .Carbide tips , i read about it somewhere , was it M.E. ?

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by JasonB on 17/05/2017 13:23:31:

The old gas isolating valves typically had a spring at the bottom to keep the tapered spindle tight in teh seating.

As MichaelR stated earlier the gland packing provides the compression (downwards) to hold the spindle down into the taper (as the spring does in a gas valve)and has the added advantage of sealing the spindle (sideways) where it exits the body.

Also allows the friction to be adjusted by how far the nut is tightened so the valve does not close due to vibration while driving along.

I did say a spring rather than packing might be best! I wouldn't mind betting that's how the original was arranged.

[Colin HeseltineParticipant @colinheseltine48622]

Not quite today, but last night. I collected one of these.

It does not appear to have been used and was being sold off on behalf of the family following a bereavement.

Once I have some imperial adaptors made I can start and sharpen my end mill stock, most of which are imperial.

Colin

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

Was busy yesterday doing alls orts checking my old 1990 Renault 5 for MOT next month just waiting for top strut bits then found some welding to do.
Then a bit of gardening my Foxgloves are just getting ready to flower years ago when Dodsworth in Micklegate York was trading in their little backyard there was a lot of them and birds were going mad feeding on the insects round them so have been fascinated by them since.
Next a little jig made for some jobs on the big steam machine.
To round it off sorting a fault with the model hydro’s prop skeg.
Now playing with the computer to sort ideas out.
Amazing after a few painful hours after getting out of bed I seem to be OK crawling under the car and pottering about at home.
If I go for a continuous walk for a few hundreds yards to the local shops I feel knackered and the legs start hurting.
Next month it’s all checks at the Hospital to do physio later leg problem to be investigated by one consultant then another consultant to see about the progress after the hopefully successful Chemotherapy which the PET scan showed no sign of the Lymphoma.
Like the majority of us that’s had a wake up call through health problems if capable you try to do as much as possible and not sit on your arse watching the World go by.
It just takes so long to make things as I’ve got older when working for a living I’d knock up a cylinder head for the model in a week nowadays it’s a marathon.
Have another flash steam hydro head to make as high speed crashes into water when head red hot does not do the material any good also a prop to make to replace the one that smashed at 130 mph plus after somersaulting.
Oh the joys of making and repairing things.

This weekend the top speed record attempts Guys and Gals are blasting down Elvington runway just hope weather is favorable.

[Anonymous]

Hmmm, the check valve model created more of a conversation than I thought it might!

I did what I should have done first, look up Gilbert. Lo and behold the sectional view of a Burrell check valve doesn't have a tapered plug, or any sort of shut off valve. Apparently some engines had them to start with, but they're a bad idea especially in the water pump line. If they're closed when the pump is running something is going to go bang.

I'm going to stick with the basic design, but lengthen the sleeve so that it bears directly on the taper plug and forces it down under the influence of the nut. In reality it's not a valve that is really going to get used.

I intend to cylindrically grind both the taper plugs and the tool to make the taper hole. At the same setting of course, and I should get a better finish than directly off the lathe.

Time will tell if I am right. And time is what I don't have. After a relaxing long weekend last week it's all gone pear-shaped. First my glasses frame has broken – very poor design. And of course they don't make it any more. So it looks like a new frame and new lenses. Plus the time to select which overpriced frame I want. Worse than that I've also got a stream of people asking me to quote for machining jobs.

To make matters worse I've had a rotten day in the EMC lab looking at conducted emissions, ESD and surge. The technician didn't seem to know what he was doing. Having been told there's a new standard coming out regarding conducted emissions from signal lines he promptly connected the CDN up back to front. And while we we're twiddling our thumbs waiting for the AC surge tests to complete he bored the pants off me with talk about websites and apps that allowed him to get free texts and SMS on the mobile dog 'n' bone. It's all very clever but I really don't need an app to remotely tell me if the garage door is open if it starts to rain.

Andrew

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Posted by Andrew Johnston on 19/05/2017 21:24:00:

Time will tell if I am right. And time is what I don't have. After a relaxing long weekend last week it's all gone pear-shaped. First my glasses frame has broken – very poor design. And of course they don't make it any more. So it looks like a new frame and new lenses. Plus the time to select which overpriced frame I want. Worse than that I've also got a stream of people asking me to quote for machining jobs.

I extended the life of my glasses by using armour-etch to remove the damaged anti-scratch coating. You get about two more years, but then suddenly you realise they are now crap and with your prescription drifting your really need new ones. So off to opticians and somehow end up ordering three new pairs… (distance, intermediate and reading). I won't use the reading ones but they cost 1/10 of the price of the other two!

Good news is no more over-pressure and no signs of glaucoma

Much of the time I've gone back to my titanium framed glasses from about 20 years ago -they seem to fit my prescription better and are barely scratched – the coatings must have been better in the old days. You can bend the arms in a circle but the bridge long ago became an interesting twisty shape of brass tube and silver solder and the nose-pads are hot-melt glue…

Funnily enough one of the new pairs claims to be titanium. All three of the new ones together cost less than the 1997 titanium pair – you can tell I bought those before becoming a model engineer (or having children)!

Neil

[Neil LickfoldParticipant @neillickfold44316]

John, that flip up threader, how does it go on fine threads in Aluminium? Does it benefit from having some counter balance on the back behind the pivot point ?

Thanks for sharing and taking the time to document the process as well. I'm quite hopeless at documenting what I make. I just do it and take the odd picture of setups that were quite involved or innovative for me at the time.

Neil

[JAParticipant @ja]

Posted by Andrew Johnston on 19/05/2017 21:24:00:

To make matters worse I've had a rotten day in the EMC lab looking at conducted emissions, ESD and surge. The technician didn't seem to know what he was doing. Having been told there's a new standard coming out regarding conducted emissions from signal lines he promptly connected the CDN up back to front. And while we we're twiddling our thumbs waiting for the AC surge tests to complete he bored the pants off me with talk about websites and apps that allowed him to get free texts and SMS on the mobile dog 'n' bone. It's all very clever but I really don't need an app to remotely tell me if the garage door is open if it starts to rain.

Andrew

I am sorry to ask this, but do you really need the money?

If so, there must be better options.

JA

Edited By JA on 19/05/2017 23:49:32

[Anonymous]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 19/05/2017 21:48:18:

Much of the time I've gone back to my titanium framed glasses from about 20 years ago -they seem to fit my prescription better and are barely scratched – the coatings must have been better in the old days. You can bend the arms in a circle but the bridge long ago became an interesting twisty shape of brass tube and silver solder and the nose-pads are hot-melt glue…

That's my impression too; the current lenses always seem to be dirty. I rang the optician this morning to make an appointment – and got a completely different story! The lady on the 'phone said even a broken bridge (on a titanium frame) could be repairable. It's worth a punt. I'm going over to Bedford this weekend anyway, so I'll drop the broken glasses through the letterbox tomorrow morning ready for an assessment on Monday.

Andrew

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

Posted by Neil Lickfold on 19/05/2017 23:07:27:

John, that flip up threader, how does it go on fine threads in Aluminium? Does it benefit from having some counter balance on the back behind the pivot point ?

Thanks for sharing and taking the time to document the process as well. I'm quite hopeless at documenting what I make. I just do it and take the odd picture of setups that were quite involved or innovative for me at the time.

Neil

To be honest I don't know, I only tested it on a 12mm steel bar with an M12 thread which was fine. I don't think a counterbalance would be a good idea as the tool might then not drop back down cleanly. You could of course manually flip it up at the end of a pass run the lathe back and manually drop the holder back down. You could add a small handle somewhere to make this easier. There are a couple of links at the bottom of the article which show alternative versions with more pictures and even a video. Hope that helps a bit.

John

[Anonymous]

Posted by JA on 19/05/2017 23:48:14:

I am sorry to ask this, but do you really need the money?

There are many things I'll pontificate about, but I have no intention of discussing my finances on this forum with you, or anybody else.

Andrew

[NJHParticipant @njh]

Well what I've done today is drive all the way to Exeter to buy a carpet protector so that I can "drive" my swivel chair over the new carpet when I'm sat at my computer. ( That was this morning)

This afternoon I've driven all the way to Exeter to exchange the carpet protector for the one that I SHOULD have bought this morning!****!! The new one says that I have to unwrap it and leave it for 72hrs before use – watch this space! On a positive note the replacement was £15 less than this mornings error and my plastic card was thus a trifle heavier on the way back!

I think I'll have a lie down now!

Norman

[Sam Longley 1Participant @samlongley1]

I am recovering from a weeks holiday.

A month ago i gave a talk on navigation to our yacht club to persuade some of the sailors to join me in a cruise to Boulogne for a 4 day cruise.Some of the members ( based on the River Blackwater in Essex) think that Bradwell power station, at the mouth of the river,  is like the moon- They have never seen the other side

Upshot was that 10 put their names down, but by the time their uncle's neighbour's dog was taken ill & the library book had to go back we were down to 5

But no worries it ended up in a trip to Dover, Boulogne ( stopped a day) Ramsgate & home. Spent a fortune in wine & merry making. Had a boat break down & get towed in to Boulogne. I had to be hauled 15 metres up my mast to everyone's enjoyment but we all made it home safe.

Here my son is filming me, filming him. The London Array wind farm in the background.

So now I have started thinking about the hand pump for my PYRTE traction engine with some of the bits purchased from the Doncaster exhibition last week.

Wish I could get some decent drawings — Anyone able to guide me to a free simple one for a 12 inch X 4inch diam boiler running at 45lbs PSI for side mounting in the side of the tender. Instructions with the details are Carp

 

Sam L

Edited By Sam Longley 1 on 20/05/2017 17:35:32

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

Almost unforgivable I know but I had some of The Brown Stuff in the workshop today. MDF in fact. This stuff is to the woodworker what machinable wax is to the proper machinist in terms of ease of machining. Anyway, all traces of such activity including the tools for doing so have now been cleaned away.

Used this:

To change this disorganised jumble of 30 and 40 taper tooling:

Into this:

Must do something about those empty positions….

Murray

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Dodging in and out of the temporary site container to avoid the heavier showers while erecting our Men's Shed. Worst bit was at 3.30 the kettle had just boiled when the latest shower stopped. Expected to get back in for my Mars bar and tea in five minutes but it decided to stay dry for the rest of the day.

[KettrinboyParticipant @kettrinboy]

Ive got a 25ft ash tree in my garden that needs cutting back a bit so yesterday I took delivery of a Fiskars telescopic pruner which would be just the job I thought for reaching the highest branches , but after getting all the wrapping off I found that during transit some careless plonker had managed to snap the sliding inner tube that carries the cutting head completely in two ,my first thought was to send it back but after looking at the tube I thought no I can fix this myself , its thin walled aluminium tube of three quarter round section so the only viable solution was a split sleeve to join the two ends, so after 3-4 hrs of work today on the lathe and mill its fitted and works a treat , just shows the usefulness of having an equipped workshop ,mines certainly got me out of the poo numerous times now over the years and will do again in the future no doubt.

regards Geoff

[matt merchantParticipant @mattmerchant42413]

well between work and keeping things in harmony on the domestic front its only today ive found the time to clean off the packing grease and lube her up.

so far only checked for sloppiness and done the initial spin up, and happy to report all good right out of the box.

tomorrow will see some swarf being made, just a few test cuts more for my benefit than the lathes to see if I remember how

Matt

​​

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

Spent a wet morning at Kingsbury (EWR) miniature traction weekend always a good events however today was a very wet one photos for anyone interested link

Edited By Harry Wilkes on 20/05/2017 21:53:53

Edited By Harry Wilkes on 20/05/2017 21:55:17

[JourneymanParticipant @journeyman]

Posted by Neil Lickfold on 19/05/2017 23:07:27:

John, that flip up threader, how does it go on fine threads in Aluminium? Does it benefit from having some counter balance on the back behind the pivot point ?

Thanks for sharing and taking the time to document the process as well. I'm quite hopeless at documenting what I make. I just do it and take the odd picture of setups that were quite involved or innovative for me at the time.

Neil

I tried a thread M12 in aluminium, seems to work OK some very fine burrs on the edges of the thread but the tops haven't been rounded at all (I think metric threads should be flat). I ran a bit of green abrasive pad over it and all is good. I put a video on U-Tube, I'll see if it will embed below:-

Warning – The video is 5 minutes long very boring and the auto-focus didn't work very well but it does show how the toolholder works! I haven't got the top-slide on the lathe so I am feeding the tool straight in so not actually the best way to cut the thread. The nut fitted without using a die or chaser which is a result.

John

Edit: spelling

Edited By Journeyman on 21/05/2017 10:05:04

[Anonymous]

Posted by Muzzer on 20/05/2017 18:06:39:

Must do something about those empty positions….

Too right! You'll need more than one drill chuck; I've got four for the CNC mill. Plus a boring head, and you can never have too many ER collet chucks……..

Andrew

[matt merchantParticipant @mattmerchant42413]

and ping said the parting tool blade!

first swarf made on the new Sieg, not really making much just testing how much I remember which apparently doesn't include not feeding the parting tool blade too fast.

I have made a start on an idea for a Georgian dolls house light which may or may not turn out like the voices in my head say it will

Matt

[Raymond Sanderson 2Participant @raymondsanderson2]

With a predicted wet weekend from Thursday night plans had to be altered and one cancellation of intended.
Local show/fair was out due to the wet on Friday with Sat & Sun not starting off well either.

Sunday morning QLD Historical Vehicles group put on a great truck show at Rocklea. On the way home called in to se a new group QAMC Qld Artistic Metal Collective like mined member who dabble in all sorts from Blacksmithing, Glass making, knife & sword making. Sue and I were welcomed warmly by those there even treated to a top lunch of pulled pork and sausage sanga. Wish we had been there earlier but can't do everything at once. They had spent the day making forge tongs. We'll be going back.

[Bill PudneyParticipant @billpudney37759]

Flip up toolholder………..some time ago I made one of these. As most of the threads I use are fine (0.5 to 0.8mm pitch) in al.alloy, obviously I was worried about the thread getting messed up before the thing "flipped up". So on the operators side of the flip up pivot I put a bit of 4 or 5mm rod as a handle to manually flip it up. It works a treat, and no damaged threads!!

cheers

Bill

[Martin KyteParticipant @martinkyte99762]

Posted by Muzzer on 20/05/2017 18:06:39:

Almost unforgivable I know but I had some of The Brown Stuff in the workshop today. MDF in fact. This stuff is to the woodworker what machinable wax is to the proper machinist in terms of ease of machining. Anyway, all traces of such activity including the tools for doing so have now been cleaned away.

Used this:To change this disorganised jumble of 30 and 40 taper tooling:

Murray

Do keep an eye on the tapers. I made something similar but used ply and there was definitely an issue with surface corrosion where the tapers met the wood. Never really decided if it was moisture in the wood or acids in the gluelines. My workshop does not have a condensation issue. The simple fix was to line the holes with self adheasive velour (the stuff that looks like snooker tables). You may never have a problem with MDF but it's worth keeping an eye open.

regards Martin

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

That's a good tip Martin, like the idea of the velour.

Wood can be corrosive, just think oak and steel (or iron as it was then) bolts in old boats, the bolts get wasted away within the wood. There may not be a condensation issue within the shed but there is always moisture in the air in varying degrees of humidity. Just suggesting!

Chris

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