Member postings for derek hall 1

I would sooner subscribe via this official site and support ME and MEW as well as gain access to the archives.

Ian and Georgineer, I am going through the same process of rationalisation of all my volumes of ME's, was going to do this in the Summer but looks like the ideal time.

Going for print and digital for 6 months then decide.

Thanks for all the replies and comments to my post

Regards

Derek

Thanks guys for your replies,

I think I will go for print and digital to see how it goes, and then maybe go digital only next time...I am assuming I can upgrade/downgrade my subscription package?

Thanks again!

Regards

Derek

Hi everyone

So I am thinking of subscribing to MEW but not sure if just digital or print plus digital is the way to go.

I would like access to the archives but have loads of old ME magazines that are now just taking up space don't really want to add to them however when making something for me it's more practical to have a hard copy in the workshop....is it easy to print out hard copies from digital only? I have read on here problems with on line readers and pocket mags etc, dont want extra "computer" hassle!

So just wondering what the preferred subscription option is that all of you on here use....pros and cons......to help me choose

Thanks and keep safe

Derek

I guess that the construction and manufacture of the metal outer part, rubber, threaded rod, nuts etc plus all other costs etc. Everything is more expensive than it should be !

I expect shock proof and and levelling are the features of the component

Derek

I have never understood this mantra of having to grow at "x" % every year...it is not possible. It certainly doesn't happen in nature, trees grow to a certain height then die. Trees don't continue to grow higher and bigger, otherwise the planet will have just one big tree.

Sustainable growth should be the key...

We are all saying that this virus thing will change things.....but when its over and in a years time I suspect we will revert back to pre-virus days....

Regards to all

Derek

Hi guys

I have been also looking at those big yellow machine mounts for my Myford.

I have a concrete base but made the mistake of interposing a piece of kitchen worktop (compressed chipboard) between the concrete base and the Myford stand. Unfortunately the chip board has been doused with coolant and absorbed some moisture over the years and is now sagging and crumbling and not able to support the weight of the lathe.......yes I know it was a mistake!

If anyone has feedback on their experience of these mounts then please let me know. Looks like they cost about £40 to £50 for the 4. Spotted a site on ebay selling 4 for £48 free postage...they look all the same though. Looks like M10 size are the ones to go for.

Keep safe everyone, good excuse to self isolate in the workshop and catch up on all those jobs

Derek

Some great ideas, thanks.

I particularly like the idea suggested by Baz!

I also agree with Martin where it does feel like throwing your life away - very sentimental attachment to some issues and volumes - odd feeling isn't it?

So I am going to decide how I am going to create the new system. Probably something like:- Workshop tools that I want to make, Workshop techniques, Stationary engine constructional articles, and articles by Duplex, Tubal Cain and George Thomas plus another couple of categories and that is it I guess. probably condense the lot into a couple of A4 loose leaf folders

But think of the space I will create for yet more "stuff"....

Regards

Derek

Hi, sorry to resurrect an old thread but...

Following 2 years (!) of prevarication about what to do about all these old volumes of ME that I have cluttering up my workshop.I have finally made a decision.

I realised that I am not interested in club reports dated in the 1980's and I am not going to be building a large traction engine or a locomotive of any gauge (well maybe a gauge 1).

As heartbreaking as I expect it to be, I have most of the 1960's, all 70's, 80's and 90's volumes but I intend to be ruthless and cut out all those articles that I want to keep (mostly George Thomas and Tubal Cain). I like hard copies but I may scan these in the future.

I shall create a filing process and store those articles that I am interested in such as tools, stationary engines etc.

I have done this last year with the EIM and Horological journal and to be honest it has created some space and I have not missed any articles that I have not, and never had been interested in.

Here goes....

I wonder what you all do with old volumes of ME's?

All the best

Derek Hall

I built and use the GHT pillar tool. Fantastic bit of kit and superb design.does anything from 12ba taps

Re my early spelling mistake "latheing"..........if you think that is bad you should see my writing.....and we all know that doctors and engineers have the poorest handwriting! I am sure we can all agree on that

Regards to all....

Where I work we employed a fresh graduate out of uni with a degree in electronics. He told us almost all of the electronics work that he did was simulated circuits designed on a PC. At no stage did he ever build any of these circuits. In addition he also said that most electronics is software programming pic chips.

My nephew is doing a degree in aerospace engineering now in his second year of 3 year degree. Not even been in a workshop to make or test anything yet, because he doesnt need to I guess, it's all CAD.

I recognise that engineering is a broad umbrella, it's the word "engineer" that is used by anyone now.

I have no degree, left school with nothing but apprentice trained and HND + HND and after a lot of hard work I am recognised by the engineering council as an IEng. But I recognise that there are much more brainy engineers than me that can design stuff and innovate.

Can I just throw something into the discussion? Regarding the "wobbly bridge" in London some years ago now, apparently designed by an architect not an engineer. An engineer had to modify it stop wobbling...

I agree with lots on here, this subject raises its head many times and not just on this forum but also in the engineering institutes as well.

We need to just get on with the fantastic new word I learnt on the forum......"latheing"! and stop worrying about the word engineer....

A graduate engineer can work out the square root of a jar of pickles, but unfortunately can't get the lid off......

Hi I have fitted the Hemmingway kit some years ago and it was a fairly straightforward conversion and it is an improvement on the original design.

Regards

Derek

One of my main gripes is studs that have a foot long of thread poking out the nut.

You see a lot of this in modern construction, an example of this is when stuck in traffic on a motorway with nothing to do and looking at the way the overhead gantries are secured to the concrete mounting blocks.

I haven't got a photo, other drivers stuck in the traffic alongside me might wonder what the hell I am I taking a photo of !

Regards

Derek

Hi guys

Due to a lack of foresight when I installed my Myford I made a mistake that I now want to correct.

My workshop floor is concrete and I then found a piece of thick kitchen worktop that I then placed on the concrete and then bolted the lathe cabinet through this worktop into the concrete.

I then levelled the lathe as normal.

However over the years cutting oil (suds) has ended up on this worktop which mainly consists of crushed Weetabix with a hard pretend wood finish (you know what I mean!). This has obviously penetrated into the chipboard/weetabix and its now got got wet and has started to crumble and degrade.

So what is the solution?, I propose to lift the lathe and cabinet, remove the old "wooden" pad and either bolt the lathe cabinet direct to the concrete floor (losing about 2 inches of height - which I would rather not as I am 6ft tall and prefer the increased height) or possibly looking at another method such as interposing proper anti-vibration machine mounts or is this overkill?

Any other advice would be welcome as this must be a very common situation when installing a machine tool...

Regards to all

Derek

Did my apprenticeship 194 to 1978, it was drummed into me in the early years about leaving a chuck key in the lathe chuck. In addition also when using a face plate make sure that all clamps are tight and revolve the chuck or face plate first before applying power.

One apprentice forgot to tighten some clamps on the face plate and the clamp was thrown up and took a great chunk out of the workshop ceiling...

I have never left a chuck key in a chuck, work safely and don't take short cuts, most of us are working alone in our workshops and help maybe along time coming.

Regards

Del

I also live in Suffolk.... just over the Cambs/Suffolk border between Newmarket and Bury St Edmunds

Regards

Derek

On Saleroom auction site today over 200 bound volumes of ME dating from 1902 sold for the ridiculously low price of £45...!

Mind you, you will need an extra room to house them all in.

BTW how far back do the digital archives go back?

Regards

Derek

Hi

Yes BWB would be British Waterways Board. It may have been attached to a wooden balance beam of a lock gate as BWB used to make and repair them in their workshops.

Regards

Derek

Hi,

I have a Myford S7 with gearbox, imperial and no powered cross slide circa 1962/3 (I don't really miss not having power cross feed to be honest). I bought it second hand ages ago. Its a dated design granted, but if it was good enough for T D Walshaw (aka Tubal Cain) and George Thomas (and others), it was good enough for me.

Plus there were loads of articles in the ME on building gadgets for it - head stock dividing attachments etc etc. I did without a vertical mill for years (young family+priorities = no money).

I am sure old Boxfords and Harrison lathes are cheaper and maybe better, but for a small lathe the Myford works well for me, but of course it depends on what you want to build.......but make sure that you give ANY future used machine tool a thorough inspection and observe it under power. There are others on here who can advise you much more on this issue.

Regards

Derek