Member postings for Rik Shaw

I grew up as a child in Queens Park (AKA Slopers Island), Bedford the home of WH Allens Queens Works where some of the best medium/heavy engineering in the world was crafted.

My little old granny from rural Wiltshire was tickled pink when she first saw the hundreds of workers bikes flooding into Ford End Road at dinner time (lunch was for toffs back in the 'fifties) and every working man in those days seemed to be wearing an old demob mac

My old mate Tab remembers his National Service time in the navy and the respect held for the reliability of Allens engines, turbines, gearboxes etc. He told me that when his ship was underway two armed guards were posted either side of the main gearbox hatch to prevent sabotage to the Allens made gear within.

Although the factory is no longer in Queens Park the spirit lingers on in Bedford where service engineers are still dispatched around the world to fettle Allens kit.

**LINK**

I liked the vid. The only time I ever repurposed pallets was when someone gave me a load when I was a young dad. I sawed the lot up and burnt it in the living room fireplace. Good job we never had a carpet back then because the stuff cracked, banged and spat sparks everywhere. A chippy where I was working told me it was probably poplar - "truly lethal in a fireplace" he said.

Rik

I stand in awe at the skill and imagination of the maker/s. What a fantastic work of art ! I could no more criticise this clock than fart in church.

Rik

My workshop is what was once our garden studio. It is still a room and it is still in the garden but you get my drift OK? All timber construction with thick MDF flooring panels on sturdy timber bearers sitting on a concrete base. To further strengthen (and protect the decorative tiled original floor) the whole lot has been boarded out with T&G MDF floor panels.

Before my Warco BH600G moved in I bolted the sheet metal stand to a length of 1.5" thick kitchen worktop then the lathe was lowered on and bolted lightly.

When my friend and his men delivered the machine they found it easy enough to slide the whole heavy lot into its final position using the worktop as a skid. The skid remains bolted to the sheet metal base spreading the weight across the bearers.

I’ve used a couple of steel rods to brace the lathe to the workshop wall.

In the years I have used the machine accuracy has not been a problem but a “free floating” install such as this means I have to be mindful of the problems of out of balance set ups and speeds used before pressing “GO”. But it works for me!

Rik

I've got the CY 90 and like John I get my blades from Tuffsaws in welsh Wales. I have made a few mods to the "vice" to get it to hold stuff better. My only gripe is that when cutting through large sections of steel the motor gets hot then hotter and finally very hot indeed. Its at this point I switch of to avoid spontaneous combustion and continue the next day when things have cooled down a bit.

Its a situation I can live with as I am not bashing metal for a living. I am pleased though that for all its faults it saves me having to suffer the pain of using a hacksaw!

Rik

Warm deep filled apple pie with a big dollop pf Cornish clotted cream - even tastier if scrumping is involved! These local blokes brew cider to die for.

Home Page (harroldcalvados.co.uk)

Its in Southwold (Suffolk) museum and is identified as a sail makers sewing machine.

Rik (another creaky old antique)

I spotted this lovely bit of vintage machinery in a museum last week. I'll not say which museum as it might give the game away. What specific job was it made to do?

Answers on a postcard please to The Tea Room.

Rik

My eyesight is not as good as it was when I installed 4x fluorescent ceiling mounted strip lights some years ago in the workshop so I intend buying one of these 30w jobs (or similar) to fix to the ceiling and brighten up the bench area. I have already tried a 10w version but it needs to be brighter. I think a 50w unit might be a bit OTT.

**LINK**

I can have it in cool white or warm white – not sure which to choose for best results. Any recommendations?

The flood will be sighted as indicated at top LH corner of pic and will need to illuminate the bench area to the right of my bar stool.

Rik

"If a farmer can't make money out of it then he kills it"

and in the case of pheasant shoots, he does make money out of it but still kills them

Rik

Like a lot on here I get the usual arthritic creaks but what really stops me in my tracks - maybe once a week - is cramp in either my left or right hand where my fingers curl up into a claw. Once it starts it is impossible to work. I have not found a remedy so when it happens I just abandon work and wait a few hours for it to go away.

Rik

Wife and I always look forward to a night or two in Leamington when the show is on so when they gave a thumbs up earlier this year we were v.pleased. "Shall I book the hotel" says she at the time. I thought about it but decided that the pestilence was to unpredictable and that it would be sensible to delay any booking until nearer the time.

We were disappointed but not surprised when it was subsequently cancelled.

Doing the tourist thing in Leamington for us means visiting the pump rooms in town and then a nice stroll in the sunshine round Jephson Gardens on the opposite side of the road where you will be able to feed the biggest grey squirrels we had ever seen.

If you need a bite we like to eat in Bill's restaurant just up the road past the poshest Co-Op in the UK. His chips served in a tin can are a work of culinary art.

Rik

Edited By Rik Shaw on 23/08/2021 14:49:41

I have just glanced through the results of a study entitled “The Pathological Effects of Melamine and Cyanuric Acid in the Diet of Walking Catfish” in which it records that said catfish fed on a diet of cyanuric acid and melamine displayed skin darkening (staining) within three days.

I would not suggest for one moment that cyanuric or even uric acid is finding its way into your sink - but if it - is this might explain the staining on your mugs.

Rik

"has a small rectangular plastic composition sink"

Loads of oxalic acid in rhubarb leaves. Give it a rub with one and hope it doesn't crumble

Gerry – I used to use J&S (and other various makes) of surface and universal grinders and my preferred small surface grinder was always the J&S 540. I would love one if I had the room but I have not. If I DID have one I would not want to use it without coolant, especially when working to tight tolerances.

You only have to look on ebay at the current crop to see the wide variation in pricing. Bear in mind that if something ‘orrid happens to say – the hydraulics – you will be facing a hefty bill to correct it. By the way, even some of the more expensive examples I looked at appeared to have had heavy use.

So on that basis I would go for a smaller, cheaper manual job. But even with a basic machine, if you are looking for good finishes you will need a diamond dresser – cheap enough for a single point on ebay – and a well balanced wheel.

For now though I will continue to use my bench top T&C grinder for the smaller surface grinding jobs and my linisher for blinging larger lumps.

Rik

And one more from me. Ordered half a dozen more QCTP holders from WARCO on Thursday PM and they arrived at 11.00 AM today with free delivery. I reckon that is pretty good going

Rik

Terry - I think the MT shank MIGHT be removable but I am a bit windy about trying. The reason I say MIGHT is that the shank "foot" has a different finish to the main body. Also if you look at the photo you should see three pins on the foot on an equal PCD. An exploded diagram might answer your question but unfortunately I have no docs/manual.

Hope this helps.

Rik

Simon - Hope you can make use of it. I have the Model PA with an MT2 shank which I bought for peanuts. A superb piece of tooling and always a pleasure to use.

Rik

Having purchased, used and finally got shot of my older than yours model all I can say is that the speed control board is pants. The last one I fitted was repaired by a very nice bloke on here who is no longer with us. My new machine means I have to shift belts around to change speed - a bit of a pain but at least it does not involve blue flashes and puffs of smoke

Hope you get yours sorted soon without to much expense - good luck.

Rik

Had a little chat with a very pleasant new lady at WARCO re: my recent order for more QCTP tool holders. I cheekily enquired as to how much the pestilence is duffing up their business only to be told that business is booming. It seems – she explained – that with little else to do folk have been splurging on kit and basically indulging themselves.

Could it be that this nasty bio critter will help in keeping our hobby alive and thriving?

Rik

P.S. If she reads this I hope Lindsay has a long and happy retirement.