What Did You Do Today 2026

[Speedy Builder5Participant @speedybuilder5]

I think I trumped you Larry.

I left the Italian coffee percolator on the gas while answering a knock at the door.  Unfortunately, I thought the percolator was “primed” with water and coffee when I lit the gas, but later I heard a disturbing noise whilst still at the front door.  I cut the caller short and attended to the enfolding disaster.

Apart from the acrid burning smell in the kitchen, I saw flames emitting from the spout of the percolator and a melted plastic handle beside it. The flames were caused by the sealing ring between the top and bottom pieces melting and the gasses from that igniting.

Turning off the gas, I ran cold water into the kitchen sink, grabbed hold of the perc’ with a cloth for transfer to the sink but unfortunately mid travel ‘tween gas hob and sink, the cloth caught fire and I had to pause by dropping the hot perc’ on the wooden work surface. Eventually, flaming cloth and red hot perc’ arrived in  the sink leaving a lovely round burn mark on the wooden worktop.

Fortunately, management weren’t around, so a hasty internet search said use bicarbonate of soda paste to remove the burn mark etc etc.  YES I had to come clean and I now have to re-finish the whole of the worktop with Danish oil and elbow grease plus replace the percolator !!

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, Speedy, that reminds me of our poor old grandmother, who came to live with us when our granddad passed away, when one day a rather acrid burning smell was coming from the kitchen, only to find she had put an electric kettle with three plastic feet, on the gas stove, unfortunately she had developed the early stages of Alzheimer’s, of which it only got worse in a very short period of time, and so we all had to keep a watch on her. although she didn’t live much longer than about two years after that, with six weekly periods in and out of care. She was however, the kindest and gentlest person we ever knew, I was about fourteen when she passed away, blest her.

Regards Nick.

[DalboyParticipant @dalboy]

When you buy a new toy(piece of equipment) to do some jobs in the future and end up making something for the missus. The bracket and spacers are all from Aluminium unfortunately I did not have any stainless or brass fittings

The new toy

And a new bracket for a small solar panel for some lights.

The bracket on the underside turn up a couple of lips to add strength

On the gutter the lip will be pinched to hold it tight, so no screws needed to fix.

 

 

Panel fitted with space as the mounting point is not flat with the back

 

 

Well at least the missus is happy and answers the question of “why do you need more stuff for the workshop”

[old foolParticipant @old-fool]

Today and lots of other days I’ve got bogged down sorting failed lights on my camper van. Just below the steering wheel is a large electronic unit which seems to have expired. Mr google says they are now obsolete! There was a 2nd hand one on E-bay which had just sold when I got there. So decided to “wing it” I’ve built a panel with a bank of relays, so far so good (said with crossed fingers, and other things crossed). Just have the wiper system to sort now

Bob

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Ooh- thankyou for reminding me I should have replaced a headlamp bulb on the car today, before making Vacuum Brake Application Valve Parts!

Myy version of the valve differs from the commercial item that had been fitted to the club’s loco (the Ken Swan design, 7.1/4″g Kerr-Stuart ‘Wren’). I’m making it as a change-over to close the pipe from the ejector before opening the train pipe to air.

The commercial one simply creates an opening to air so competes with the ejector; which seems very inefficient with only about a foot of small-bore pipe from valve to ejector but nearer six feet to the first passenger-truck brake cylinder on our normal set-up. The intervening driving-truck simply has a basic lever-action hand-brake.

It nearly replicates the standard full-size valve in function, but the sectional diagram in the BR handbook suggests that does switch the train pipe from ejector to air, not open both to air at the same time. The diagram is not very clear though.*

It was something of a challenge to design, as the works are all very close together in that small size. I used TurboCAD in 2D for the preliminary geometry, but Alibre Atom for the working drawings, using its ‘Assembly’ facility and making the rotor translucent to test the action. Depicting radial holes in the rim of the cylindrical 3D ‘model’ was the hardest part.

Challenge to make too, as the lathe left the mating surfaces slightly convex!

 

*(The Standard locomotive classes have this simple OFF / ON application valve, and a very complicated, graduable-application affair combining the train’s vacuum brakes with the loco’s steam-brake. The original narrow-gauge “Wren” class has merely a screw-down hand-brake.)

[vic neweyParticipant @vicnewey60017]

Did a bit of fiddling with my Holbrook B8, the flat belt up from the gearbox below had stretched and the tensioner wheel was clonking on it. Luckily I have a box of original Alligator belt clips so i cut an inch off the belt and hammered on the two halfs of the clip, struggled to try and hold the two ends together with one hand while pushing in the 2 pins with the other’

I then decided to remove the two ratchet bars that the carriage handle tracks along, I think it should be one  long piece because if not adjusted then you can feel the join as you pass over it. Got that sorted and decided to refit my home made taper turning attachment.

I bought this lathe in the 1980’s, I hadn’t noticed when I viewed it that the slotted spur part of the top slide was broken off. A previous owner had ground and filed the end square. About 8 years ago I asked if anyone had the attachment and could give me dimensions and photo’s and someone kindly obliged. The slotted spur was milled from a solid block of steel on my vintage Emco Mentor mill and is fixed with 2 hidden screws into the original slide block and one screw in the top.

The top taper plate was milled and shaped and is fitted to a length of 10mm angle iron and holds position on the back of the lathe bed is a T slot provided for the purpose, thus it can slide along if need be. As is usual the bolt removed from the leadscrews Bronze nut is refitted into the sliding block. It works perfectly and the metal has now matched the original. After just a few years it blends in perfectly with the general ageing.

I made a very short video  https://youtu.be/jHRTlkpqe6M? 

 

 

 

[Andrew CrowParticipant @andrewcrow91475]

You have made a nice job of restoring the lathe Vic, and we’ll worth the effort as Holbrooks were quality machines. I worked on a couple of different ones many years ago, the last one had a small cast plate on it which said “war time finish, accuracy and quality as normal” and it was still good some 30 years later when I was using it.

[Andrew Crow]

On Andrew Crow Said:

You have made a nice job of restoring the lathe Vic, and we’ll worth the effort as Holbrooks were quality machines. I worked on a couple of different ones many years ago, the last one had a small cast plate on it which said “war time finish, accuracy and quality as normal” and it was still good some 30 years later when I was using it.

It is a high qualiy machine for sure, even the cabinet top is machined as a surface plate,

A lot of owners have removed the overhead and fitted a motor direct although that bypasses the 2 speed gearbox. The model B number 8 is ony 20 inch centres so small compared to the others. I visited Tony Griffiths up in Derbyshire in the 1980’s he just sold machines back then and l was looking for a Boxford or similar and then spotted this, it came with steadies, collet set in original holder, Oak box for the gears etc,

His delivery man broke an axle on the way and just delivered the lathe but no cabinet till the next day,l don’t know where the cabinet spent the night at the roadside

[John HinkleyParticipant @johnhinkley26699]

In another thread, I posted that I have ordered a Carvera Air CNC mill which is currently in a container on a ship off the south east coast of Africa en route to me. In the same post, I also said that I hadn’t decided on the first project for the mill.  Well, now I have,  They are a pair of low profile edge clamps which I saw in a YouTube video and liked the look of.  The designer has placed the STEP files on MakerWorld.com for free download. I have 3D printed them in Hyper PLA-CF for evaluation and the results look pretty good.  I used black filament so they don’t photograph well with my equipment so here is a screenshot from Alibre Atom:

The leftmost pair are oriented as they would be in use.  I need now to order some 12.7mm aluminium so as to be ready when the machine arrives.

YouTube video from which I got the inspiration:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG_L6rEXC0E

I had to slow the replay down to ½ speed for the interesting bits, otherwise it’s a bit of a blur!

John

 

 

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Completed the two new halves for a disc-type vacuum-brake application valve (7-1/4″g loco, for the use of).

I had made one pair last week then realised I wanted them opposite hand to suit the mounting on the loco! I also improved the design slightly.

Frustratingly, my poor old Myford lathe won’t face square, necessitating a couple of hours’ extra work with emery paper and metal polish to flatten the work as best I can.

I need make a larger version of the valve for the driving-truck. Since manufacture involves the rotary-table, I am considering milling the mating surfaces on that; rotating the discs against a fast-revolving cutter. It will leave little squirls all over them, but if the parts are flat overall they will be easier to finish-lap than lapping an entire convexity out.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

Machined the bracket for mounting above said vacuum-brake valve on the loco.

A simple rectangular plate with one end cut semicircular and a few holes drilled through it might have sufficed; but having created a slightly more elaborate design, I decided to turn it into an Alibre drawing exercise and a “production” experiment.

The experiment was to see how far one can go using a rotary-table on the milling-machine – the answer of course is it’s possible to make such an item entirely thus. Though I did start by using the lathe to produce the shallow nest that locates the cylindrical valve on the bracket. That showed I lack boring-tools for anything much under an inch diameter!

The Alibre part had two aspects: firstly, obviously the drawings of the components; but secondly producing a sort of “tool path” diagram: a copy of the part drawing edited so the outline represents the locus of the chosen cutter diameter rather than the component. This to establish the machine movements right from the start.

 

Did it work?

Not entirely as well as I hoped, but it was a moderately successful first attempt at formally organising the making of components where this is feasible, to reduce the workshop time, and to spot and minimise potential difficulties.

For example, I realised a better order of machining, afterwards; which may have avoided unexpected difficulties.

It also revealed the need to consider:

– how to use the RT to best effect, not least angular and clamping repeatability when the part has to be inverted between operations,

– and the risk of distortion when machining a very thin part from 6mm steel plate I think cold-rolled.

[FulmenParticipant @fulmen]

Made a couple of drop-in T-nuts:

[Charles LamontParticipant @charleslamont71117]

With the rotary table axis horizontal, I find I have the common problem that I cannot get close enough to this job, with the cutter in an Autolock or ER 32 chuck, without fouling the rotary table chuck jaws.

I also have a 1/4″ side lock holder which will clear – but – I found the 3/16″ slot drill would not fit in the hole. That is odd, I have used that holder before. It turns out that the holder, marked Clarkson, none of your rubbish, was actually a smidgen under size, while this particular cutter’s shank was, unusually, almost dead on 1/4″. What to do?

I could polish the cutter shank down, but that is not a solution for next time. The holder is hardened, so I am not even going to try a reamer. Hmm – I wonder if I can lap it. I don’t have a 1/4″ lap. Can I improvise?

With the INT 32 holder held precariously in the lathe by the parallel part at the small end, I used a piece of 1/4″ copper tube, hand held in a drill chuck, and some 320 grit grinding paste. A couple of tries of a few seconds at 300 rpm does it.

I have a precious little bar which lives with the measuring gear.  It was retrieved from a dead VCR, is dead on 1/4″, and is hard and finely polished. It now slips into the holder nicely.

[Nigel Graham 2Participant @nigelgraham2]

SWEMES!

 

Several of we Weymouth & District MES enjoyed a few hours at this new, first if many, South West England Miniature Engineering Show; at Newton Abbott Race-Course.

Interesting that use of the adjective. Most of the displays are of what we normally class as model-engineering, but one stand has a fine rank of model warships, particularly aircraft-carriers (US Navy I think); and the “garden-gauge” railways were represented too.

 

More modest in scale than the Fosse is, and Harrogate was, it is still graced with a goodly selection of club and trade stands. (Present tense as I’m writing on Friday and it’s on tomorrow too). And yes, I spent some money on tools!

Outside, a few traction-engines (3 – 4.5″ scale) and a portable miniature-railway (7-1/4″g) operate on the asphalt concourse between the stand and the race-course itself, in the bright sunshine I hope will be Saturday’s weather too.

 

Taunton MES has its very own “jumble-sale” stand next to its display, selling cheap a lot of the things you don’t need but must be able to find a use for (if identifiable). I was told some are from the workshops of deceased members. I must admit I’d not seen this at other exhibitions. Clubs don’t normally sell anything, except the occasional finished project on behalf of a member or family. This did yield to me, a handle as potentially for the cross-slide lock on a Myford ML7.

Of particular interest to our club was a Kerr-Stuart “Wren” I felt ought have been better displayed raised off the floor. We built one as portable-track work-horse, and are presently making some modifications to it. The one displayed is immacult in shiny new grey gloss-paint with white lining, but we were drawn to examining the custom variations on the “plumbing”.

 

Minus points? Only, for me, being rather disappointed by the small range and quality of the food available in the cafeteria – just floury baps with assorted fillings, but the cakes were good. Perhaps this being an event new to the venue, the caterers do not want to risk a lot of wasted food. None of the bars was open, but that’s no hardship… not with a 70-odd mile ride home!

The proper car-park entrance for the show is a bit ambiguous too, using that normally dedicated to the horse-race owners, officials, etc. rather than public race-goers, but not very clearly signed for the exhibition.

 

On the drive home one of the party asked if we’d go again next year. “Yes”, we agreed.

 

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Also at the SWEMES show pity I didn’t know you were there to meet up but I did find Nealeb of this forum on the Newton Abbott stand.

See my other thread under the events and Exhibitions section of this site – will post some photos later.

The entrance is on the roundabout opposite the Tesco and next to Premier Inn. Easy to miss as one is concentrating on the traffic on the roundabout and it isn’t signed.

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

At the show I picked up an old 345 tooling block with a matrix of holes at 3/4in spacing and probably 1/4 threaded. Marked PD857/1 and RL ???? So wondering who used that kind of number – just idle curiosity during coffee break. No, google’s AI bot doesn’t know.

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, yesterday evening (Sat) while I was using my Laptop, this notification popped up out of the blue.

I had no idea what it meant or what caused it to happen, but none of the keys had any reaction, and so I couldn’t restart it, or even shut it down, even after two hours or so with this on the screen, I did go online about it, and there were many reasons for the cause, and many reasons to resolve the situation, some of them needed to Laptop to be shutdown for hardware checks/replacements. One of the causes said it could have been over clocking, which I really don’t know what that is or how I could have caused it. I decided to disconnect the charger, which forced the battery to reach the critical low level and auto shutdown, which it did after about an hour or so, and I then charged it up again for about an hour or so, before starting the Laptop up again, which it did, and it was as if nothing had happened, and so I don’t have any idea what caused the problem in the first place.

Regards Nick.

[NealebParticipant @nealeb]

If the machine becomes unresponsive like that, pressing and holding the power button for maybe 5 seconds or so will generally force an instant power-down.  Then you can restart and just keep your fingers crossed! Quicker than waiting for the battery to run down.

Which Windows version were you running? I haven’t seen this message for a long time myself. There’s a good chance that you will never know what caused it and unless it happens again, I would ignore it.

[roy entwistleParticipant @royentwistle24699]

When it happened to me on my laptop I unplugged the battery for a couple of minutes then plugged it back in and everything was ok.

Roy

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi Nealeb, I tried holding the power button down for several seconds a few times, but nothing happened. This is Windows 11.

 

Hi Roy, don’t like to remove batteries while in power on electronic stuff, as a there is a chance it could produce a spike, and damage components or even the hard drive.

Regards Nick.

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Made a replacement part for my sliding patio doors. Modeled in FreeCAD, exported to Bambu Studio for slicing, and priinted in PETG.  Made and fitted all in one day.  No more drafts 🙂

Russell

 

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

I think this is the little bird Nigel mentioned above:

 

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Spent at least 2 hours trying to find what I thought was a software problem causing a stepper motor to misbehave. Turned out to be a speck of dirt in one of the teeth of the gear drive. I suspect some slight eccentricity in the larger driven gear allowed the spec to pass most times but not when the clearance closed up.  Cleaned it all off with an old toothbrush and it now seems to work. Should finish the job tomorrow if I can avoid family visits

[Nicholas FarrParticipant @nicholasfarr14254]

Hi, Yesterday while looking for something else, I came across this 1935 ME & PE supplement, and thought I’d share it. The Editor described it as an old but very handsome type.

I don’t know if anyone ever built one, but it would probably look good.

Regards Nick.

[duncan webster 1Participant @duncanwebster1]

Excellent, although a lot of the intricate mouldings would have to go if I were to attempt it.

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