Member postings for Danny M2Z

G'day

I have had a few model aircraft plans published here in Oz.

Never was paid a razoo for the articles, the plans are on sale for $20-$30 by the magazine (+postage). I can take the same plan to a local mob on a memory stick and get a laser printed A0 copy for $3.50.

I have always suspected that selling plans was a lucrative way to pay for somebodys beemer

Regards from the land of the kangaroo

Cu Later * Danny M *

G'day

The parlance of undocumented units is vast. Although they are not real units most people seem to get the gist of what one is trying to say, for example if one was told to take-off;

A tad

A smidgin

A knat's whisker

A poofteenth

A mickhair

A sh*tload

...etc

of material, then the intent to take of a little bit more has been communicated.

Down here (in the colonies) Neatsfoot Oil is still available for leather dressing a 'Sam Browne' belt etc. But you have to earn the right to wear such a belt to learn where to obtain the stuff.

C'est la vie

Regards from the land of the kangaroo

Cu Later * Danny M *

G'day.

While sperm whale oil is still preferred by watchmakers for oiling delicate bearings, I still use tallow for checking piston/liner fits in model sized engines. What makes it a bit different from the U.K. is that I hunt the (feral) pigs with a .444 Marlin lever action and the tallow is rendered from the fat. Nothing is wasted as my neighbour has a smoker.

Regards from the land of the kangaroo

Cu Later * Danny M *

G'day

This might get you started **LINK**

It also has it's own links to other sites

Regards from the land of the kangaroo

Cu Later * Danny M *

G'day

Although this is not a chart (of which I love the idea), it is a really good unit converter. Lol, it even does light years to millimeters. **LINK**

Regards from the land of the kangaroo

Cu Later * Danny M *

G'day.

I still have a demagnetiser from early computer days. It works on steel cutting tools too.

My tools usually get magnetised due to sitting a magnet near the toolpost when working with cast iron. Lol, probably a bad habit I suppose

Some time ago I did a bulk buy of rare earth magnets for use in the workshop and thought of lots of uses for them. Although I still find them useful for some things, I now use them only temporarily on machines. The problem is they magnetise tools and things you don't want to be magnetic and collect swarf which is difficult to get rid of.

Cu later * Danny M *

G'day

No more hunting for my C3 minilathe chuck keys.

The magnet is from a pre-loved floppy disc drive.

Cost = $0

Regards from the land of the kangaroo

Cu later * Danny M *

G'day.

Made an ER 25 collet chuck for my C3 Minilathe.

Did not have a large chunk of metal, did not fancy turning most of it away either.

So a bit of plate was drilled, fixed in the chuck & trepanned. After cutting the register the holes were spotted through from my faceplate, then drilled and tapped. First time I was a bit sloppy, you can see the filled holes

When it fitted ok I turned a chunk of 2" steel with a spigot to fit the hole in the backplate and secured it with JB Weld. Just for a belt & braces precaution I then drilled & tapped the seam 5mm in 3 places and inserted some screws then turned the heads off the screws.

Mounted on the lathe (with a centre-pop to indicate jaw #1) the thread was cut to match the collet-closer from my mill ER 25 collet holder.

A 16mm rod was then chucked in the 4 jaw & dialed in, I slipped a collet over this and used a dial test indicator to get the topslide set at the required taper.

Then drilled & bored, kept testing the fit until it all worked.

A very productive few days in the workshop

Regards from the land of the kangaroo

Cu Later * Danny M*

G'day.

Like many of you I decided to build Harold Hall's grinding rest from the Workshop Practice book 'Tool & Cutter Sharpening'.

The problem was that I could not find the 1" plastic ball for the table mount.

Mentioned it to a mate & he gave me a 24mm steering arm ball joint from a car that his son had just bent a bit

Not only did it do the job perfectly, it also had a 10mm threaded spigot.

Here's the end result. Sorry if it's a bit rough but it was the second thing that I made

Regards from the land of the kangaroo

Cu Later *Danny M*

Edited By Danny M2Z on 02/06/2013 08:57:18

G'day from Oz.

Would a 3D printer be suitable for prototyping model engine crankcases?

Now if one could print in wax (or an easily vapourised medium) then lost wax castings would take on a whole new dimension.

Regards * Danny M *

Rik. That wire gauge is awesome. What units is it calibrated in?

Cu later * Danny M *

G'day. Here in Oz the weekend garage sale is popular. Just put your junk in the garage, a notice in the local paper & some balloons on the gate.

Last Sunday the whole town of Baranduda had a garage sale, just up the road. I found tools

Lady said they were in the shed when she bought the house, no good for the small kids as they're sharp. The screwdriver set is Bergeon; $5 - P&N 0-10 BA Tap & Die set with 20 extra 'Ace' taps $15 - Swiss 'Slick No5' disc vice? $2 - Slocomb 1" micrometer with warranty $10 - Moore & Wright micrometer $5 - Grey & Rushton 10" micrometer depth gauge $5 - everything else $2 each including jewellers loupes & a tin of Decca Soft Gramophone Needles.

Another bloke bought a pillar drill & a drop saw for $30 each.

So what bargains have you lot found?

Cu Later *Danny MZ*

Hi Paul.

I actually used a digital angle gauge from:

www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Measurement/Squares-Angle-Gauges-Protractors

G'day

I made a super accurate model aircraft propeller pitch gauge with mine

Regards from down-under

CU Later * Danny M *

> http://www.tracytools.com/taps-and-dies/BA-taps-dies?product_id=239

> You'll pay a premium for L/H but they do offer them and metric too although they are more

> expensive

> Bob D

Thanks for the speedy reply Bob - 2 L/H 10 BA taps only, £18ea (ouch) - at least I can practise my 10 BA screwcutting

* Danny MZ *

G'day fellow metalworkers.

I want to make some small working turnbuckles for a model aircraft. For this I require some tiny left hand taps & dies about 1mm or 10 B.A. Do such items exist, and if so, where may I obtain such?

Thanks in advance * Danny MZ*