Member postings for Hillclimber

Nicholas, I had exactly the same happen to mine. Again, a secondhand machine in otherwise really good condition, although I have had the odd screw showing signs of overtightening.

I was lucky enough to have a topslide on the bench that I had acquired from fleabay, with a view to trying out the GH Thomas improvements. So I just swapped out the bases and carried on. Since then, I have also begun to use a rear tool post, which dramatically improves parting off.

Remember that the Radford improved topslide does not swivel, nor the Gibraltar.

Just to recap, it has an M10 drawbar. But I just use a couple of knurled thumb turns on it, so it is never held too tightly. And when I say ' the taper released', I just mean that it rotated. My guess is that you can transmit quite a bit of torgue through a disc of 3/32 HSS....

Chaps, job done. Now let me explain. And thank you all for your help.

First thing I did was look for an opposing pair of flats on the arbor to allow me to tighten the LH thread nut. There is none. So decided to work with what I had.

Next then, was to reinstate the key. This helped rather a lot. Except the Morse taper then released instead (albeit at a higher torque). This was not helped by the 140T saw not running eccentrically, hence cutting on only a dozen teeth announced by the swishing noise on each rotation (about 80 rpm by the way). For this, I can thank RDG for their 'generously' sized 1" bore - maybe just 5-10thou on the diameter, but enough to render the saw reliably off-centre.

So I swapped in a 32T 3/32" saw of English manufacture (Summit) that I had. Great, except it didn't cut 3/32". And checking with a mic showed it to be about 12 thou 'thin'. Progress remained painfully slow, as I was still unable to advance the cross slide at any reasonable rate without the MT releasing.

Reluctantly, I then pulled out an old dog-driven Myford arbor that is associated with my saw table, bolted in the 140T saw, mounted it between centres, and ripped away despite the ills of that saw. This has no key, but is positively driven, and does not slip. So I then replaced the scrap I was testing all this on with my workpieces, and the job was done in 5 minutes.

Lessons? I'm pretty sure I have an old Myford milling arbor kicking around somewhere. I'm going to dig it out, make up a couple of centralising cups to hold saws of other sizes. And do it old skool in future.

Many thanks.

Cheers, Colin

I am trying to use a slitting saw for the first time, and on a new setup. Problem is that the saw just sticks and rotates on the mandrel as soon as I advance the workpiece into it.

The arrangement is on a Myford S7. I am using a 3"x3/32" 140T slitting saw on a 1" mandrel. The mandrel is a perfectly nice item from Arc, with a left-hand thread locking nut, which I understood was the 'right' answer to stop the nut locking itself on. I have also removed the driving key as this seems to be advisable to avoid breakages if jammed.

The workpiece is a a simple EN3 piece of round bar of about 1/2" diameter in which I am trying to cut an axial slot on the end. The bar is clamped horizontally into the slot of a Myford vertical slide and advanced by the cross slide.

The mandrel is 2MT mounted with a drawbar, and held with a revolving centre in the tailstock.

Am I correct to be using a LH locking mandrel? It certainly makes it quite difficult to do up, as that action unlocks my drawbar - so I can't counter one rotation with the other? And is it correct to remove the driving key as I have done?

Cheers, Colin

You clearly need some hands-on help there. I'm on the other end of the QF Crossing, and prepared to submit to critical examination of your outputs....

I would not worry. Frans is inherently reliable, and extremely helpful. He helped me with a small part made from a particular alloy of unobtanium.

Steve, as to that timing, should I be putting one of these on my birthday or Christmas lists?

Cheers, Colin

Been in touch with Kayson Green, Sales Manager told me that these Lukas discs are no longer made and not available...

Cheers, Colin

Chris, you mean plastic downpipe? I'd call it rhone ware, but that technically refers to cast iron...!

https://www.screwfix.com/p/floplast-square-line-downpipe-65mm-x-2-5m-black-6-pack/34212?kpid=34212&ds_kid=92700020953276865&ds_rl=1241687&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1249404&ds_rl=1249799&ds_rl=1245250&ds_rl=1249481&gclid=CjwKCAiAqOriBRAfEiwAEb9oXdNppB9pRc_yCKsHu7Q0IB9hNsZcVGYH_JwLBRhFwIHnJL9oXg05HRoCF_gQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Cheers, Colin

Yes, there is no such thing as scrap. I also keep anything below about 35cm in stacking plastic boxes. It's the longer pieces...

Along similar lines, I was thinking about a couple of open-ended 30 and 60 cms lengths of wastepipe fixed vertically to the wall with brackets, and a couple of short lengths of chain on hooks to restrain the taller lengths.

I seem to have collected lots of 'bits' of unused stock, mostly steel bar/ tube/ angle in lengths from 30cms to 2m.

Before I reinvent the wheel, does anyone have tips on best way to sort/ store this stuff?

Cheers, Colin

Recently had to reduce the diameter and bore a piece of 4" round, 6000 series alloy block. Ripped through it with a CCGT insert. Used WD40 as others suggest.

I did have to pull the birds-nests off, but enjoyed high removal rates, and an impressive machine finish.

Cheers, Colin

Yes. Yes. Yes.

As a younger fellow my eyes may have been better. But this is the only way I can now be sure of hitting the mark.

I see that Warco are out of stock, but they were selling them at £28. This is the kind I have.

Cheers, Colin

Great idea. Thanks for that.

*experienced*

Agree 115% with this. But does Andrew's MGB have wire wheels and knockoffs, I ask myself.....

Andrew, a word from the wise....

Dont get a 1/2" set. Nothing you need to do at the roadside requires anything that large. A 3/8" set will fit better in the boot. Everything in your MGB, by the way is A/F. I like Sears Craftsman stuff, but Kamasa is nice and Hilka is fine.

Then supplement your set with a Laser 4775. Accept no substitutes, as they say. Possibly the most useful tool I ever bought, after a big hammer and a roll of duct tape.

Cheers, Colin

That really is quite a lot of beer.....

I am myself a recent recruit to (Chinese) Multifix.

Must be the 000, according the Arc Euro site? Ketan seems to offer an 'adaptor' kit to replace the toolpost pin etc on a Myford for this size....

Cheers, Colin