Member postings for Michael Smith 15

Thanks to everyone for their help .Book ordered from J Formby ,and I will be very interested to see the patent link when the server is up and running again.Thanks Mike

Thanks for the link. I had already seen it, but unfortunately it does not give any detailed information .The article by Akhed in the HJ was very detailed ,Thank Mike

Hi I am trying to find a detailed description of this clock .It is built into a tower at the Killruddery estate in Ireland .I know there was an article about it in a 1980s Horological journal but can find no trace of it, can anyone help me locate it .Thanks Mike

I have recently had to attend a 3 day course to allow me to carry on driving a HGV truck .This is an attendance course only so in theory you could spend the entire time asleep and still receive the Drivers qualification card. Every HGV driver has had to attend this course if they want to carry on driving commercialy .I have had a HGV for 37 years and my little finger has forgotten more about how to secure difficult loads than the guy taking the course would ever know .I am also self employed so had to take 3 days off work and pay £350 for the privilege . Mike

During a audit by a Loyds register of shipping safety inspector I was told that a method statement should be written in such a way that any person regardless of training or experience should be able to understand it and perform the task required , apparently experience counts for nothing.This left me wondering why I had to spend so much time attending so called training courses . At the time I was part of a small very experienced team installing very large pieces of equipment at major airports .Most of the pieces weighed in excess of 40 tons and due to the length of up to 120 feet required 2 cranes. Tandem lifting is one operation that HS inspectors dislike mainly because if it is not planned very carefully when slewing its easy to get into situation were one or both cranes go out of there safe working zones . We often lifted into very restricted spaces and positioned pieces with a few mm of clearance . We never had a single incident and every job was delivered on time but in the end we would only work at night when all the HS bods were safely tucked up in their cots . All they what is high tech answers for low tech labour and nobody is allowed to thing for themselves . So next time you walk through T5 heathrow look at the link bridges and boarding bridges that take you to the plane and spare a thought for the people who installed them against a barrage of health and safety that made it difficult to work. Mike

Thanks for al the links and information .I have put the batteries on charge and they seem to be holding a charge .I want to use them to drive master and slave clocks for which they are ideal as I can use them to supply voltage in multiplies of 1.2 volts. Mike

I have been given two banks of small NIFE cells .These are quite old and have not been charged or used for many years . I have tried searching the net but can not find much about regenerating old cells .As I understand it these cells are virtually indestructible ,what i would like to know is ,what should the electrolyte level be ,how to make new electrolyte ,and how to wash out the cells prior to refilling .The cells are 5 inches tall 1.5 deep and 3 inches wide and difficult to see inside . In total i have 25 cells .What is the voltage of each cell and what is the best way to charge them . Thanks Mike

I have recently acquired the Boley5LZ that was at Bede tools .It is a metric machine and the headstock is 5 morse taper .I assume that the a12 size 4 collets fitted directly into the headstock .In the only literature i can find there is no mention of a morse taper spindle The chucks are flange mounted and located by a short taper .I would be interested in hearing from anyone else who ones one of these lathes. Mike