Member postings for peter morgan 3

I thought I would post a follow up on this one.

It worked a treat. in the end I had a small offcut so tried to thread it with a fairly new die. it worked fine so I just went with that. It gave me a chance to use my new Myford tailstock die holder.... Not really convinced. its a nice tool but I think I paid for the badge.

I am glad I had the right size collet. The force needed to thread would have been too much for the 3 jaw. it would have made a complete mess of my £60 rod.

Next step, suspension spring...

Many thanks for your help guys.

Question from a thickie.... Out of curiosity, can the smaller laser cut parts be normalised to get rid of that hard skin?

Peter

Yes, its the curved slot in the expansion link although I also need to cut a couple of slots in some gauge plate for a clock I am making. Something just isn't right. the cutter seems to want to jump. maybe I am trying to take off too much at a time but I don't think so. It just doesn't seem to work for me.

I am ok with the steam ports. I actually had an old Trojan cylinder knocking about and I used that to practice on the other day. I was actually pleasantly surprised at how well they turned out!

Julian, I have checked the usual suppliers, can you suggest somewhere I may be able to get a pin drill?

Peter

Ok, I am in the process of dusting off my titch that's been sitting in a box for over 20 years.

I have been working my way through the book....

What does "pin drilled" mean? Is it the same as counterbored? and do I use a counterbore drill for that or do it some other way?

The book is not really clear on this.

Also, my mill (SX2P) is a very good precision drill, and its also a pretty good fly cutter but I seem to have a lot of bother cutting slots. if you were doing this, would you just buy laser cut ones?

Peter

I had thought of that.

But the same has happened at ally pally.

The robots are gone, as have the model rockets...

nothing wrong with that.

But where have they gone? We don't really have a makerfaire in the UK that I am aware of. (Apparently someone tried it at Elephant and castle a few years ago but it didn't work out)

I would also argue that the number of model engineering shows has reduced. And those that are still about are downsizing a little.

Peter

they were allot older than that 2 weeks ago. very few below 60. even fewer if you don't count me and the kid I took with me!

Firstly, WOW! someone actually read it!

That paragraph started off small and then I went into full rant mode and it exploded into a 3000 word document before being pared back down to a paragraph!

Where was the makerfair? I long for a fair in the UK along the lines of those in the US. one day.

I am currently 35 and so I really do have a vested interest in this subject. I will hopefully be alive until long after 95% of the people at the show a couple of weeks ago will be enjoying the great workshops in the sky.

Matt, I really enjoyed your post. That maker fair sounds amazing! I bet in the evening there was live entertainment with lights and steam and smoke and something high voltage!

The point I was trying to make really wasn't about cost. However I do wish people would realise that the cost of a completely knackered Myford that will never turn an accurate part is about the same as a brand new SC3 but perhaps that's a discussion for a different thread!

My point was that we are all engineers, the steam locomotive builders, the clock makers, the cosplayers, the book binders, The sewers etc... But I don't believe "model engineering" in its current form is sustainable simply because the vast majority of the people who do it are going to be dead in 15 years!

I don't feel comfortable at Model Engineering shows.

I don't feel like I am part of that demographic at all. I attend the shows because I love to look at the fantastic models on show and to get some advice on my own projects (and of course buy tools and materials). But frankly they are full of old people. The shows have to finish early because the punters need to get home for their coco!

I don't know what the answer is and this is evolving into that 3000 word document again so I think I better leave it at that!

Peter

Wow. what a day!

I actually borrowed a friends child for the day and took him round. He actually seemed to enjoy it which I was mildly surprised at.

I have read a good portion of the comments in this thread.

Yes signposts could be better! I was actually going from one room to the exit and walked into 2 rooms that I hadn't seen yet!

I find the whole "aging demographic" argument very interesting. I respectfully disagree. Younger model engineers call themselves makers. the maker movement is growing nicely and is actually exactly the same thing that many of you have been doing for many years! but Makers and model engineers are separated by the great divide! Its like watching a bad family drama where the 2 factions realise they are related but don't acknowledge each other!

Yes the exhibition could have been better (and I am sure next year it will be) but I had a thoroughly good day. I could have done with seeing RDG or someone similar.

We went to the talk on youngsters in the workshop. I took away a couple of good tid bits. Particularly what was said about younger peoples lack of dexterity. that actually hadn't occurred to me I just assumed it was too many E numbers! If anyone is planning a similar talk, can I respectfully ask for more of that and slightly less of the showing off of the models please! I might even start a thread on this subject.

I didn't know Cherry Hill was there. but that's probably a good thing as I would have just stood there gawping!

I came home about £150 lighter from carbide tips and material but amazingly no tools (again, could have done with RDG....).

I purchased my first ever piece of EN8 and promptly turned it into swarf upon returning home! (good init!!)

Many thanks for a great day out from both of us!

Peter and David

This article couldn't have come at a better time for me.

I borrow a friends son now and then (its like having my own kid but I get to give him back at the end of the day!) and I had been looking around for a cheap but slightly more challenging project.

This looks just about perfect!

The only part I am a little afraid of is the silver soldering of the boiler. Even I haven't done silver soldering before let alone instructing a kid!

Its the Peter Heimann 8 day regulator. I understand it was illustrated in ME a few years ago.

Its really been a bit of a challenge at times. The toughest part so far was turning the pendulum bob. a simple machining operation but really pushed the lathe to its limits. if it had been only slightly bigger it wouldn't have fitted in the lathe. its a bit scary swinging such a massive piece of metal if you have never done it before!

I only have a mini lathe (which is surprisingly good with the posh motor) and a mini mill which I am really not getting on well with but don't know why.

I have cut most of my wheels and made all but 1 of the lantern pinions and on my depthing tool, they seem to work ok. Recently I have been turning the barrels but messed up the first one. I was just pushing my machine too hard and the workpiece slipped. I have ordered an expanding mandrell and hopefully it will be better next time.

I have got 2 other problems looming on the horizon. firstly I don't entirely understand how the main barrel goes together. even with the drawings I could really do with a couple more pictures. and I have absoloutly no idea how I am going to make the pallets because my mill isn't up to the job of cutting siots as per the instructions.

All good fun. its really been a steep learning curve for me.

Peter

Edited By peter morgan 3 on 07/09/2016 15:35:30

thanks Martin

Noggins end has some and is bringing it to the show for me. he doesn't carry it around routinely because there are only about 6 of us looking for it!

I think I remember reading somewhere in the book about the weight try but haven't got to that bit yet.

I thought about using carbon fibre but it just somehow doesn't seem right.

Peter

Thanks Martin. I don't think I quite understand the Loctite idea... are you talking about adding a sleeve with a thread on it? it actually loctiting the pendulum bob at the correct height? I cant do the latter as it would prevent the rating nut from turning (and I am rather proud of the way my rating nut turned out... the first time my knurls turned out just about perfect!).

Love the idea about using some MDF. problem solved! I was going to try and rig up some wire loops on an old keyboard stand.

many thanks Raymond.

I will let you all know how I get on. I still need to get the invar but that's just a case of waiting for the Brooklands show in a couple of weeks.

many thanks for the replies guys.

Michael, I had seen that page but couldn't find anything useful for my situation. some useful advice on tapping but not external threading.

Martin. Many thanks for your reply. I don't currently have a tailstock die holder and my attempts at producing a decent thread with dies have been a mixed bag! there seems to be no rhyme or reason as to which ones turn out fine and which ones are a horrible mess! normally I don't care, but this piece of metal is nearly £60! and I really don't want to mess it up! so I thought I may have more luck single pointing it on the lathe. although having a meter of rod sticking out the back of the headstock will be interesting..... need to find a way of supporting that!...

The bob actually isn't the problem. its temperature compensated in exactly the manner you suggest. its been sitting here on a piece of stainless rod for some time now while I work up the courage (and the money) to do the invar rod!

Raymond... sorry question from a complete thickie (the biggest problem with my model engineering exploits is that I have no clue what I am doing most of the time...) but will it turn more like silver steel or free machining stainless? (these are the 2 steels that I have turned) Will a normal carbide insert in the external threading tool be ok or do I need something fancy?

Again a huge thank you for your replies. its really appreciated.

Peter

Hello folks

I am currently making a clock and I have come to the pendulum rod which is made from invar rod.

Has anyone got any experience threading this material?

I don't particularly want to do it with a die. would much rather single point it on the lathe.

Is this even possible of the steel too gummy for that?