Member postings for Rik Shaw

Samples in the post Andrew, have fun.

Rik

Andrew - I have some older cadmium rich Silverflo 2. If it would help I could let you have a small sample to try a melt comparison test in your furnace. I have 1.5mm diameter rod and .180" x .040" strip. PM me with your details if interested and I'll get some of to you --- FOC of course!

Rik

Hello again Clive - How are the bees? My wife had both eyes done recently and apart from a couple of floaters she is very pleased with the results Her brother had his done around the same time with the same good results and also with floaters.

At my last eye test I was told I was also developing them in both eyes but don't worry she said, its very common when you get to your age (we are all early seventies.) The very attractive young woman who looked purposefully into my eyes also recommended wearing sunglasses when outside or driving as it would extend the time before I need something doing. I asked and was given a prescription for a pair of close work specs and an online specs outfit did me a pair for about £24 IIRC. Brilliant!

When I need anything stronger I have invested in and use a binocular Optivisor headband - highly recommended.

I hope you are as pleasantly surprised as my crew were following your treatment. Good luck.

Rik

Interesting Robert, do you know if these imported budget hobby machines are subjected to a safety earthing bonding test such as you describe before they reach the consumer?

Rik

Having once again removed the motor cover and front control panel I carried out all the earthing checks as suggested by David Halford and Chris Thorn using my Megger Avo 300 digi meter. The readings were all around .1 ohm so within safe parameters.

Once again thanks to all for your helpful advice ---- especially David and Chris. I hope now that I will find my DRO kit once again, reliable and accurate.

Rik

I was starting to unscrew the front panel to do more checks as suggested by David Halford and Chris Thorn (thank you both) when for the first time I noticed that the control box seemed a mite wobbly on its mount. Looking underneath I noticed that the silver collar had a tapped hole but nothing in it.

I screwed in a caphead and tightened it and found the box was now rock steady. Also rock steady was the X and Y display where previously it would have often flickered.

I zeroed the X and Y and spent a quarter hour pressing ON / OFF but was delighted to find the display on both X and Y would not move. I'll call that a result for now and cross fingers that the gremlin has been expunged.

I'll keep Chris and Davids advice on file and follow that through if the mean little beggar decides to return !

Rik

I have an X and Y cheapo magnetic scale and an XY readout fitted to my WM16 (from WARCO if I remember correctly).

I very soon started to experience the X and Y readings jumping all over the show. After a little experimenting I found that it was happening when I was pressing the ON/OFF button on the mill.

My solution was to isolate the scales and XY sliding readouts from the main casting by mounting them on plastic / nylon blocks and from then on the problem went away----- until the last couple of days, now the gremlin has returned. I have tried all the obvious things like cleaning the scales, replacing USB leads and new lithium cells in the XY readout unit.

Because the "jumping" is still happening when the ON /OFF button is pressed the fault still appears to be an electrical one caused by stray elec fields?? Having found the scales over the years to be indispensible I will either have to identify the cause then fix it OR replace the scales with the more expensive optical things.

So, if you have had a similar problem did you sort it and if so, how.

While I am at it, in the centre of the front control panel on the mill is a caphead screw with an earth sign next to it. I have tried connecting a wire from it to the main X casting but the problem persists. Why is an earth connection here? Being an electrical moron I would have thought that the earth wire in the 3 pin mains plug should be adequate.

Rik

I am also a fan of Nevil Shute Norway (to give the chap his full name). His style of writing seems to me to evoke the times during which he wrote his novels - very soothing and as Mike remarks, ideal bedtime reading.

I'll put this link here for those that are interested.

http://www.nevilshute.org/index.php

I had the pleasure some years ago of being invited to fly in an Airship Industries "windbag" and very exciting it was as we stooged around the Bedfordshire countryside above the Cardington hangars. I still have the certificate presented to me by the pilot authenticating my flight - magic stuff !!

Rik

Edited By Rik Shaw on 05/07/2020 17:05:09

Hello George - My Alba 1A has this plate on the side. I know it reads "Elliot" but they bought Alba out IIRC around 1959/60. I read online somewhere that to date the machine reverse the third and fourth numbers on the plate which would make mine 1959.

Geoff - when I repainted mine I did very little scraping as the very thick paint covering was marred only by some really deep cracks so before rubbing down I filled the cracks with body filler and then painted.

Not sure whether the following link to my blog will work but if it does scroll down a bit to where I did a short piece on tarting mine up.

**LINK**

Duplicate post - how did that happen?

Edited By Rik Shaw on 03/07/2020 01:44:51

I have tried brazed carbide tip tools on my shaper but the "no lift" clapper box drags the tool on the back stroke and dulls/chips the edge in fairly short order. I read somewhere that if using insert tools on a shaper you should look for "S6" as part of the insert number as it resists "drag" dulling. I have not tried them myself as I get by mostly using HSS.

Rik

John in a toolroom where I worked many years ago was grinding a 9" diameter shaft between centres when it came adrift and jammed under the grinding wheel. I never saw it happen but being only 15 or so feet away the bang as the wheel shattered was quite impressive. Fortunately Jones & Shipman had anticipated such events and the fully enclosed wheel guard contained all the bits - as did Johns trousers!

Rik

Knowing that Martin likes his stationary engines I wondered if he would be interested in this one!

**LINK**

My steel / iron stock of known flavours would probably weigh in at a ton or more but my first port of call for a new job is invariably the four large hoppers of scrap under one of the benches. I get a kick out of turning a rusty lump of tat into a useful tool or model part. For me it is all part of the pleasure !

Rik (eying up a sash weight for the pair of pistons I need) .

I have listened to Classic FM in the workshop for years but the LV adverts drive me to distraction, no more though. My new DAB radio was delivered yesterday and it can pick up Scala Radio . As there is no available space for the radio it's hanging from the roof by luvverly silver chains. Simply suspended sublime sounds

Rik......pass the bong please.

Hello Bill - I fitted my scales by following the instructions. The readout was very unreliable as the co-ordinates on the XY readout would jump about from one reading to another.

Eventually I came to the conclusion that stray electrical "noise" was the cause. The cure was simple and has been very effective with no problems since.

Fitting plastic / nylon blocks at each end of the scales isolated them from the main body of the mill - Bob's 'yer uncle !

Rik

Edited By Rik Shaw on 13/06/2020 15:09:24

Files ordinaire live here:

Tiny ones here:

Best Vallorbe Swiss here:

All the diamond files are in a box and I can't find it but at least THEY are organized !

Rik

Not cheap but this should do the job if drilled from both ends. Alternatively, I have seen precision tubing that would be a better bet. Depending on the OD of your spindle you may / may not have to turn down the OD.

Rik

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/6mm-Gun-Drill-Carbide-Tipped-16mm-Shank-6mm-x-180mm-x-230mm-SVIK-428-9-06-GS26/264651957407?hash=item3d9e7c649f:g:nUcAAOSwxaNeSuht

Edited By Rik Shaw on 12/06/2020 00:44:11

See Reeves website for issues:

**LINK**

Rik

Thanks Hopper but not my design by any means just my take on it. A version by Stew of Potty Engineering gave me the idea. Someone else had incorporated a mic head into their version and as I had one laying around I did the same.

Rik