Member postings for Andrew Tinsley

Didn't mean to tread on any ones toes re explaining Ebay practices.

I am just intensely curious as to the lathes origin. It seems very familiar, the headstock and tailstock are the things that are familiar.

Isn't annoying when the brain refuses to do the random access search that is necessary.

Andrew.

Didn't mean to tread on any ones toes re explaining Ebay practices.

I am just intensely curious as to the lathes origin. It seems very familiar, the headstock and tailstock are the things that are familiar.

Isn't annoying when the brain refuses to do the random access search that is necessary.

Andrew.

Ebay bidding, wandering off topic. Who made the lathe? It is annoyingly familiar and yet...........

Andrew.

When I was a lad it used to be Northings and Eastings, !

Andrew.

Hello Martin

Thanks for the precise location! Getting up early may be more of a problem!

Thanks,

Andrew.

Hello Martin

Thanks for the precise location! Getting up early may be more of a problem!

Thanks,

Andrew.

Hello Jason,

Thanks for correcting me. So someone does still make ME taps and dies in HSS. I should have noticed Tracy Tools offering, but have not spotted it. Maybe need new glasses or more likely brain!

If as is usual with Tracy then the HSS will cost precisely double that of carbon. So the choice is there for Bob to make. I would not bother with HSS for the odd ME threads that I might need, but Bob's requirement may differ.

As to breaking small taps, all my disasters have been HSS taps. I have never broken a carbon tap yet! Having said that, my next breakage just has to be a carbon tap!

Andrew.

Hello Bob,

You will be lucky to find the ME range of taps and dies in HSS. I have never seen any advertised, but stand to be corrected.

By all means use Carbon steel ME taps and dies, Those from Tracy Tools, Devon, are excellent and sharp too. They won't stay that way if you have a large number of jobs to do, but they are quite adequate for most amateur use.

There may be other suppliers that do good carbon ME taps and dies and I am sure folk here will tell you of them.

Andrew.

Hello Martyn,

Where on earth is this car boot sale? It must be worth a trip to if there is such good stuff to be had.

Andrew.

Whenever I have a clear out, you can be absolutely certain that whatever is thrown away / recycled, will be desperately required in a couple of month's time.

Just another version of Sod's Law.

Andrew.

I never said that I would buy them! I usually buy carbon taps and dies from Tracey, unless it is a well used size when I buy HSS.

I actually find that The Tracy tools carbon taps are sharper than say a Presto HSS tap. I do realise that they won't stay that way for long with a lot of use.

Andrew

I was idly looking at taps and dies on Ebay and noticed that a fair number of cheap sets claimed to be tungsten steel. Is this some form of Chinese hype or is there really an intermediate type of steel between HSS and carbon for taps and dies?

Andrew.

Thanks gentlemen.

So micrometer blue is just "scraping" blue. I have plenty of the stuff, having done a fair bit of scraping. I just didn't know it was referred to as micrometer blue. I thought it had something to do with micrometers which in a way I suppose it has.

Andrew.

Okay, I will bite and show my ignorance. What is micrometer blue and what is it used for?

Thanks,

Andrew.

Hello Dean,

When you first started posting, I really wasn't much interested in your work. As time progressed I became more and more enthusiastic about your effort and dedication to Curly's designs. Now, to say that I am impressed, is an understatement.

I am sure that many people feel the same and I do hope that a webpage could be the ultimate goal. I did not realise how extensive LBSC's work was and I congratulate you on the results so far.

Andrew.

Hello Mick,

The CCF had quite a large number of 12/15s, probably around 25 or more. I think having a bigger population of rifles showed up the odd weak points in the design. I also suspect that dry firing took place without benefit of empty cartridge case. For bolt action rifles I always use your trick of closing the bolt with the trigger depressed. I don't know if it works for a Martini action, I will check when I next use my BSA Mk2.

Andrew.

Hello Mick,

You are correct, the firing pin didn't break. However the firing pin was part of a rectangular metal frame (just a slot milled in the rectangle). These frames broke across the slot, thus rendering the pin U/S.

I also made triggers and one sear, although this was a perfect pain and took ages to get right!

The 12/15 was a bit light for a competition rifle, but in the right hands could turn in a very good score.

Andrew.

I have some of said Double Super Hydra tool steel and confirm that it is excellent stuff. I wish I had more of it.

Andrew.

Many years ago, I used to make spares for the old BSA 12/15 0.22 rifles used by the local CCF. I made them because spares were unavailable. Nowadays I would suspect that I was breaking the law making firing pins etc.

Never gave it a thought in those days.

Andrew.

Brian 's book is a real mine of information and it looks good too. I leave it out on the coffee table to confuse visitors!

Seriously it is money well worth spending, get a copy, you wont regret it.

Andrew.