Member postings for Andrew Tinsley

An easy solution is to dunk the wheel in an alkali solution. Sodium hydroxide solution is probably the best , but any alkali will do. Sodium carbonate solution (washing soda) or sodium bicarbonate solution should do the job, but more slowly.

Andrew.

Thanks gents.

I did all the obvious tests before asking people on the forum. It isn't magnetic and it isn't plated. Annealing it doesn't soften it and the filings are the same colour as the polished surface. It is a mixture of copper colour and silver.

I am certain that it is an alloy and asked here in case anyone knew of this peculiar stuff. The sheet shows no sign of oxidation and is as shiny as the day it was given to me several years ago. I tried some on my polishing mop and the finish was dazzling.

Andrew.

I was given some copper like material from a local pub. It was used in a refurb of the bar.

It looks a little like copper and is very shiny. Quite dense and very hard. Not easy too bend either. I have no idea what it is and I have a few square feet of it.

Obviously not boiler material! I am wondering what use I can put it too. Its a shame to see it in my material store without a potential use. So what is it?

Andrew.

The old wives tales are certainly still current. Do yourself a favour and get a slice of EN1,

Andrew.

+1 for a slice of EN1. Much easier and cleaner to work with than cast iron. ARC's back plates are steel and they are just fine.

Andrew.

Radio 3 is fine for me, just don't listen to the few very short news spots.

Andrew.

Filling double glazed units with argon actually makes a significant improvement in their U value. This has been proven by some significant trials by the British Board of Agremont. It all came to rather a sudden end, when it was found that the argon eventually diffuses out of the panel, thus returning the U value to the normal lower level.

Andrew.

Brian,

I took the ear bashing with pleasure. The damn inspectors don't have to douse the injectors with buckets of cold water to get them to work! Pity, as otherwise they may change their tune.

Andrew.

I don't know about other folk, but I always find the bigger the better . Or should I say easier and less demanding than small stuff.

One proviso is that your machining kit can cope easily without any dodgy setups to "just cope" with the size.

Andrew.

Please don't forget that you are the cat's servant!

Andrew.

Oh my word, fancy making the old mistake of thinking that BSP threads are the same diameter as the nominal size! I hang my head in shame. To make things worse, yesterday I explained to my son in law that 1/2" BSP backing nuts for domestic taps had a much larger internal diameter than 1/2". I then go and make the same mistake!

Maybe a PG11 cable gland and locking nut would do. I may have to put a drill down the existing tapped aperture to give clearance.

Better still I could perhaps take up Duncan's offer and cross his palm with silver?

Andrew.

Hello DC31k,

There is an Ebay seller doing 5 plastic 3/4" BSP cable glands for just under £5 including postage. These will do for my application.

Thanks,

Andrew.

Looks as if I have been using the wrong descriptions. Using 3/4" cable gland gave me plenty of hits! Apologies for using up valuable forum space.

Andrew.

Just been overhauling an old English Electric sleeve bearing electric motor. It is missing its 3/4" strain relief fitting for the incoming supply.

I cannot find one anywhere. Maybe I am using the incorrect search description? I know that most fittings are now metric, so are the old 3/4" bushes an extinct species! If so, has anyone got one that I could buy, or know of a source?

Thanks,

Andrew.

If the rotary converter still runs the lathe without a problem, then there is nothing wrong with the setup. If it won't run the mill, then maybe the mill requires 415 volts between phases (.ie. the motor(s) is/are wired in star) Maybe if the motor(s) could be rewired in delta, then it should work.

Now sit back and wait for the dissenting chorus.

Andrew.

Edited By Andrew Tinsley on 13/06/2020 09:55:22

Hello Old Mart,

George Thomas, debunked the oft quoted "Tool must be exactly on center height, if cutting a taper". He showed by calculation and practice that the tool could be significantly off center before it became apparent in the taper.

See his book Model Engineering Workshop Manual, Tee Publishing.

Andrew.

Hi Old Mart,

I always use pukka hydraulic fluid for jacks. I was given a lifetimes supply of brake fluid it is a pity I can't use it in jacks.

Andrew,

You could both be right. It was only leaking from the filler because it was on its side. Maybe clean it off and give it a coat of paint. The executors won't know!

Andrew.

Hello again,

Just got the jack down by forcing the handle to its lowest point, so you were right on the money Adrian! Thanks, my face is no longer red!

Now wait a minute Andrew. I shall not be putting it away for another 35 years, UNTIL it has been overhauled and fettled.

Come to think, I won't be around in 35 years (my friends are dropping dead like flies now). It will be the executors of my estate that will dig it out again!

Andrew.

Thanks gentlemen,

That rings a bell, however in my enthusiasm to pump the jack up, I have pumped the ram to the top and cannot get the pump handle to go down. I am sure that if I leave it long enough, then slight leakage will allow me to get the ram down a touch to enable me to "bottom" the pump handle.

I did notice that there seemed to be two positions for the pump handle at maximum height. I just thought that this was due to a 35 year lack of use. Maybe the two positions at the top are the equivalent of your two positions at the bottom, I will check, as I can lift the handle.

Before anyone cautions me not to use the jack, it would not be put to use without a strip down and seal replacement,

Thanks all.

Andrew.

Edited By Andrew Tinsley on 08/06/2020 15:20:09