What Did You Do Today 2019

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

I made a wind vane model of my favourate aeroplane, a Cessna 185 B at least 10 years ago using plastic realestate signs made of Coreflute or similar type of plastic, no structural failures, even with wind to 100 kph, and snow loaded about a foot on top of it at another time. Had to replace the prop bearing 4 or 5 years ago. Can't remember what glue was used, probably epoxy from the $2 dollar shop.

Ian S C

[Ron LadenParticipant @ronladen17547]

Posted by Andrew Johnston on 10/05/2019 14:52:23:

Over the recent Bank holiday weekend I assembled enough of one engine to have it sitting on it's own wheels:

After I'd recovered my jaw from where it hit the floor my reaction was bleep bleep that's seriously BIG! Where on earth am I going to put the second engine? It's just as well I moved the parts out of the kitchen, the assembled engine won't go through the door. Fortunately I got the specification for the front door correct when it was replaced a few years back, there's an inch or two of clearance.

Andrew

Thats impressive Andrew and quite a sizeable beast, from starting how long has it taken you to get to this stage.

Ron

[SillyOldDufferModerator @sillyoldduffer]

Got bored and in the interest of science tested the perspex shield off my Warco lathe's tool post by shooting it with my trusty Webley Premier .22 air pistol.

For comparison, first test was of a sheet of 1.5mm DIY store acrylic as sold for glazing sheds etc.

Anyone planning to use this stuff to protect themselves should think again!

The performance of the Warco guard was more impressive – it stopped the pellet fired point blank with no damage to the guard. Although being 3.5mm thick helped, I guess the shield is made of tougher plastic than DIY store sheet, perhaps polycarbonate. Look very carefully and you can find a .22 diameter smudge on the greasy surface:

Before and after shots of the pellet show it to be badly crushed after impact:

The lead pellet weighs about 1.2 grams and would have been travelling at about 220mph on impact, about 8J of energy.

The shield passed the test! Whilst I don't use the tool-post shield because it gets in the way, I keep the chuck guard in place and now think it could prevent a high energy accident.

No duffers were injured during this experiment…

Dave

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Nice demo, Dave

One would have hoped/expected that the Warco item would be Polycarbonate … But it's still comforting to see the the performance.

MichaelG.

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

Maybe run of the mill but I,m cock a hoop my 3" TE passed it.s hydraulic test today

H

[AdrianRParticipant @adrianr18614]

I finally finished levelling my Warco BH600 the hard way with shims under the pedestal, and made my first bits of curly steel.

Seeing the shield test above reminds me that I need to refit the chuck guard that was removed by the previous owner.

[Jeff DaymanParticipant @jeffdayman43397]

Congratulations on the the successful hydro test Harry! well done.

[Harry WilkesParticipant @harrywilkes58467]

Posted by Jeff Dayman on 16/05/2019 20:47:50:

Congratulations on the the successful hydro test Harry! well done.

Thanks

H

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Congratulations, Harry! The rallies and exhibitions beckon…

Me? Collected the car from being serviced and MoT'd, then continued fitting the DRO to the milling-machine. E-posted Machine-DRO to ask which was better – static magnetic strip or static sensor.

Alice Coles' very helpful reply was that most users go for the former (and it is easier and more logical for the long travel) but it does not matter from the electronics' point of view.

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

Went into Lidl today with my wife, whilst she did the groceries I went to see what 'specials' were on offer, found automatic welding helmets on offer at £22.something, just had to get one at that price!

Is it any good? No idea yet as not tried it, but it seems well made and 'the business' – ripper!

[Anonymous]

Posted by Ron Laden on 15/05/2019 13:31:28:

…………from starting how long has it taken you to get to this stage.

I'm embarrassed to say about 10 years. But in my defence I'd note the following:

• I'm building two engines, so everything in the picture is doubled
• There are quite a few parts made but not yet installed, like hollow pistons, eccentrics and brake handles
• All the parts exist in 3D CAD for several reasons; some imperial materials are no longer available, I've made a number of design changes for increased authenticity, I've redesigned a lot of items as the original drawings are poor and riddled with errors
• I have an out of control garden
• I've got sailplanes and aeroplanes to fly
• Until recently I've been working full time

That's probably enough excuses to disguise my indolence.

Andrew

[BufferParticipant @buffer]

Cant believe sillly old duffer shoots his equipment when he gets bored. Good job it was just an air pistol. What does he do to them if he gets angry ?

Rich

[MeunierParticipant @meunier]

quite accurate at 25m – who am I kidding it was 10m

DaveD

Edited By Meunier on 17/05/2019 17:25:21

[BufferParticipant @buffer]

I reckon I could shoot a peatol lathe with that at 25m.

[EmgeeParticipant @emgee]

Finished off making a few small parts, as an idea of size the threaded stud is M5 and M8, threaded holes are M3.

The studs are 316 stainless, the linkages are HE15.

Emgee

[Mark RandParticipant @markrand96270]

Used the milling machine for the first time since just before Christmas. I've been sorting out some feedscrew alignment problems that I hadn't fixed after scraping 20-30 thou off the table and saddle combined. Had to move all the feedscrew bracket holes… I've added some more way wipers after seeing the damage that has happened in the short time after I rebuilt the mill (it's a Mk 1 Beaver VBRP, that had some design issues leading to rapid wear) I also took the opportunity to mount the support profiles/extrusions for the magnetic strips for a DRO.

For most of the last six months there have been bits of milling machine scattered around the shed, but I had to re-assemble it all so that I can machine the brackets to support the reading heads for the DRO .

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, this was yesterday, not sure if I used enough clamps.

Regards Nick.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

You are Bob Clampett and I Claim My Five UK Pounds

[Robert Atkinson 2Participant @robertatkinson2]

I went to the Dunstable Downs amateur radio boot sale. The only thing I was looking out for was a UHF signal generator. Typically I didn’t find a signal generator but did come away with an arbor press (BNL No.1 MP1), a Sorba HV5 5” rotary table and a 12” APE microball micrometer height gauge. The press seems better made with a round rack rather than the square common on cheaper modern ones. I’d not come across the microball height gauge before. It seems quite nice and the size suits my small surface plate. These were all items on my shopping list for the workshop so at £60 I’m pleased even though I didn’t get a sig gen (I did get some other electronics )

Robert G8RPI.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Nipped down to the cricket field in time for half time tea and found myself stripping the new generator behind the pavilion so didn't see our side batting which was just as well as we lost heavily. Couldn't find an obvious fault so suspect the regulator. It's still under warranty so hope they can get it swapped by next weekend,

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 19/05/2019 10:08:03:

You are Bob Clampett and I Claim My Five UK Pounds

Hi Neil, very interesting info about Bob Clampett. Yes I must admit my clamps look a bit looney, but It was the only way I could get those two 200 x 6mm flat bars totally flat and it was a bit of a joke getting enough tack welds on to hold them flat, it was a bit like working in a very dense forest but managed to get them welded on OK. No prize money available though.

Regards Nick.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, not so many clamps today, but this afternoon I had to press out a bit of distortion after welding the fat bars to my frame. I had anticipated this would have to be done, although they remain flat, the welds across the top of the SHS distorted them by about 0.5mm out of alinement to each other, but this was soon corrected by jacking each side, but by the same amount and at the same time.

Once the adjustment was made, a very slight amount of upward pressure was then applied before and was held during welding on a pair of braces on each side. When all the welding had cooled, the pressure was released and the bars remained in alinement.

Regards Nick.

[Anthony KnightsParticipant @anthonyknights16741]

Yesterday evening actually. Finished re-assembling my milling machine after a full strip down and clean. Not as big a job as it sounds as it's only the Clarke version of the Seig X1 mini mill/drill. Replaced all the slotted gib adjuster screws with hex socket types. I find these so much easier to adjust. Everything lubed and adjusted, then checked the tramming. Column leaning foreward and to the right. Intended shimming the bottom of the column but then realised I had no suitable material for this. Nip to the local shop and buy a 4 pack of liquid refreshment, consume the contents of one and the cut up the can. If you believe the adverts I now have "Probably the best shims in the world". Fitted the shims and after considerable trial and error got it about right. It's not perfect but is considerably better than it was.

Just a thought. The material from the can seems to be a springy type of aluminium. Hope this doesn't distort over time and I have to re do the tramming.

[Joseph Noci 1Participant @josephnoci1]

Robert G8RPI.

Not sure how you would send that in morse…

Joe

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Joe –

.-. — -… . .-. – –.—.. .-. .–. ..

rgds

Bill

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