What did you do Today 2018

[Adam MaraParticipant @adammara]

Even Prestel got hacked in the early eighties, and only 90,000 of us on it! Happy days. 300 baud if I remember right, a bit different to todays speeds.

[charadamParticipant @charadam]

Bad back guys – sock putters-on to be had here (and many other places)

https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_sop=15&_osacat=0&_odkw=wok+tools&_from=R40&_trksid=p2334524.m570.l1313.TR1.TRC0.A0.H0.Xsock+assist.TRS0&_nkw=sock+assist&_sacat=0

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

I've got a bad back ,maybe not so bad as some. I put my socks, pants and trousers on while standing up. One leg at a time obviously. Never thought about 'till now.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

[David Standing 1Participant @davidstanding1]

Ah, trousers sorted, but not socks Neil

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Spent half the morning stripping the motor out of my saw bench just because the capacitor on my milling machine has blown, and I thought the one on the saw bench motor would work. Saw bench motor 750 W, 100uf, mill 1kW. 300 uf grrrrr. I noted that the Korean mill's capacitor was only rated at 125 volts, but it did survive for about 33 yrs.

Ian S C

[davebParticipant @daveb17630]

Thank you all for socks/trousers putter onner info.

Any of you with bad backs, if you are not already aware, the problem will not go away. While you are fit enough to move about, get youself some walking sticks, crutches, a Zimmer frame and whatever else you need for minimum mobility BEFORE you need it. If you leave it until your back packs up, you get in a NHS Catch 22 situation where you have to go somewhere to be assessed. NOT useful at all if you need crutches (which you haven't got) to go and get crutches. You may not think it important until you actually have a problem but a week or more without sleep will definitely change your mind. You will be fortunate indeed to get any effective pain relief without visiting your GP, which you will not be able to do without some mobility aids.

Dave

[MikeParticipant @mike89748]

A lot of people in our stroke survivors' group have mobility problems, and they use a thing called a rollator – like a zimmer with wheels and a folding seat. Our group recently bought three – two new ones made of aluminium tube, and an all but useless second-hand one in steel tube. The steel one is so heavy even a fit person would knacker their back lifting it out of a car boot. As a person whose walking is a bit dodgy these days, I road-tested all three around the village, and found the aluminium ones brilliant. You can even add a shopping basket to them.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Day off so went over to EDMES Friday coffee morning chat which turned out to be 'rebuild the community centre gate' day. So Kevin welded, Ces tidied up with the angle grinder, and Dave acted as a mobile spark shield from the grinding sparks. Then we left Deric to paint it while we went for a bacon butty. Watching people work can be quite exhausting.

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Cleaned out & resealed around bath with bathroom & kitchen silicon… messy stuff no matter how you try & prevent it getting on to your hands.

George.

[Phil WhitleyParticipant @philwhitley94135]

Finished machine number two yesterday, after finishing and testing the Colchester. Was up the steps putting the cover back on the electrical dis board when all the lights went out, what a time for a power cut! Yes Neil that chuck is a BIG one, and only a 3 jaw, I have the original, but it has about 17 thou runout. This is a much better chuck, with reversible jaws but it looks wrong, and is a bit clumsy to use.. Luckily I have others and I need to get or make an L0 backplate for one of them, to give me a chuck for everyday use! here is machine number two, dragged out of the old shop, cleaned and ready for use. I may move it to another location in the new shop, not sure yet.

[Ed DuffnerParticipant @edduffner79357]

For the sufferers of lower back pain, may I suggest one of these back support straps. I'm not linked with the seller in any way.

I put my back out at work lifting a HT8 floor sander and was out for 4 days. I got the support on the 4th day and was able to go back to work the next day. I was a bit sceptical about such supports but was proven wrong.

The support is also great for when I'm taking longer to complete turning or milling jobs, bent over the machines doing set-ups and watching the cut etc, however I try not to be dependent of it.

Ed.

[Steve Skelton 1Participant @steveskelton1]

Ed I have the identical one, they do work well but I find that they make your back sweat a lot and I end up soaking wet with prolonged usage.

Steve

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Ed and Steve – +1 on both counts! For easy reference, they are known as 'Nailer's Belts', apparently. Tend to use mine when things are really bad.

rgds

Bill

[Adam MaraParticipant @adammara]

Finished of conversion of my bench. I read Sean Floods article on his floor stand for a lathe in Model Engineers Workshop, liked the idea of mounting the lathe on a beam. A search in the workshop revealed 2 short lengths of 50x50mm steel tube, and a length of 80 x 80mm. Dropped the existing bench top 130mm, and bolted the 50×50 at each end, and the 80×80 bolted though the 50×50 and the bench. Made a 700 x 400mm drip tray this morning of grooved and folded ACM, just some odd bits and tidying to be finished off tomorrow.

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

I vacuumed the apple tree today with the shop hoover (Sorry Neil – Vacuum cleaner) to capture / remove nests of caterpillars. looked a bit strange and odd looks from neighbours, but no change there. Once captured they were dispatched in a humane way. I guess I captured about 1.5 lbs weight of them and they are only 3/4" long !
BobH

[Mick HenshallParticipant @mickhenshall99321]

Strip wash and boiled lots of kettles, had a power cut when power was restored my gloworm boiler made some peculiar panting noises pilot flashing turned off tried again same result now dead as a doornail, can't get a boiler bloke till after bank holiday, and I ain't messing with a gas boiler, oh well such is life

Mick 😟

[Wout MoermanParticipant @woutmoerman25063]

Posted by Adam Mara on 26/05/2018 17:11:58:

Finished of conversion of my bench. I read Sean Floods article on his floor stand for a lathe in Model Engineers Workshop, liked the idea of mounting the lathe on a beam. A search in the workshop revealed 2 short lengths of 50x50mm steel tube, and a length of 80 x 80mm. Dropped the existing bench top 130mm, and bolted the 50×50 at each end, and the 80×80 bolted though the 50×50 and the bench. Made a 700 x 400mm drip tray this morning of grooved and folded ACM, just some odd bits and tidying to be finished off tomorrow.

Adam, can you show some pictures of the new bench? Makes me curious, can't really visualisee the construction. Which MEW, BTW?

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

Went clay pigeon shooting this morning, usual Sunday morning activity, quite chuffed as I scored better than 2 of the clubs best shots, obviously a pure fluke today, they complained the heat was affecting them, it was hot easy to burn your hand on the gun when breaking it. Club Annual Shooting Competition next week so I am sure I will revert to normal form, we live in hope though. Dave W

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Dave W, no one is unbeatable, go for it, you have done it once, do it again.

Ian S C

[SamsarandaParticipant @samsaranda]

Many thanks Ian, makes you feel that much more confident when you know you have support, even if it’s on the other side of the world, I am definitely going for it.

Dave W

[RobinParticipant @robin]

Went to tidy up my other workshop yesterday, still at it today. It has become apparent that my only real way forward is to rent a skip. All the machines are getting doused in gunk which will hopefully loosen the surface crust.

I just discovered my son's sump oil collection and came home for a cup of tea, a 25 litre plastic jerrycan and a wide funnel.

Also a few cardboard boxes so I can be skip ready. An empty skip on the industrial estate attracts the local denizens like a shuffling horde of trash bearing zombies. You have to race and fill it before they arrive. Has the makings of a video game, why am i not rich?

The 40mm beech worktop has been split lengthways, probably when the 4" Record vice turned up it's toes.

I should take a picture or three, bit late for before and after, but better late than never

[Adam MaraParticipant @adammara]

Posted by Wout Moerman on 27/05/2018 09:18:04:

Posted by Adam Mara on 26/05/2018 17:11:58:

Finished of conversion of my bench. I read Sean Floods article on his floor stand for a lathe in Model Engineers Workshop, liked the idea of mounting the lathe on a beam. A search in the workshop revealed 2 short lengths of 50x50mm steel tube, and a length of 80 x 80mm. Dropped the existing bench top 130mm, and bolted the 50×50 at each end, and the 80×80 bolted though the 50×50 and the bench. Made a 700 x 400mm drip tray this morning of grooved and folded ACM, just some odd bits and tidying to be finished off tomorrow.

Adam, can you show some pictures of the new bench? Makes me curious, can't really visualisee the construction. Which MEW, BTW?

It was in the May MEW, I just pinched the idea. Hopefully I have posted a photo, it was taken while the job was in progress, still a little more to finish off

[Sam Longley 1Participant @samlongley1]

My machining is now on hold until september as i am off sailing. I had just got my traction engin to the point where i could put an air test to it and absolutely nothing happened. The piston did not even shoot to one end. I wish in a way i had not tried as i only had half an hour before i had to shut shop & leave so now i have left wondering what on earth i have done wrong until september

2 things happened which may be of interest to nature lovers. Between Dieppe and le Havre a bird about third the size of a sparrow flew on to the boat in fog and explored the boat. It went inside the cabin &looked all round then came out, hopped on to my arm and up to my shoulder where it sat for a few seconds. It stayed for 15 mins

Then between Le Havre and Cherbourg in very rolly seas the boat was rolling 35 degrees each way. A squall of 25 kts came & out of nowhere a pigeon suddenly landed on my knee. Gave me the fright of my life as i was dozing. I stroked its head , picked it up and placed it on the opposite seat. It had a job to stay put so i put it in the corner by the bulkhead. It drank a lot of water &i expexted it to leave. That was 14-00 hours. When i docked in Cherbourg at 00-05 it was still there even though i had to step over it to rig fenders & lines & sail the boat. There was a lihtening storm for 90 mins. I hate those a 15 metre high mast is not what one wants in an open ocean with lightening belting the sea all around one.

In the night it rained heavy so i moved it under cover but as soon as it stopped it flew on to the pushpit. This morning the winds are light and it has gone

Sad to think that this young bird when it finally gets back to the uk the owner will ring its neck for being so slow but that is what so called "pigeon fanciers" are renowned for

Still i am off to guernsey tuesday then Brest & hopefully into Biscay for a short stay. Then back to pick up a friend to cruise the Dutch canals late august until early sept then i can sort out why my piston does not go back and foreward

 

Edited By Sam Longley 1 on 27/05/2018 15:17:31

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Fitted a new toilet seat

Got one with stainless (hopefully) fixings but not very impressed by the soft close (yes A and B are on the correct sides, I checked!)

[Author]

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