Member postings for derek hall 1

Regarding the last sentence in Nigel Graham 2 wonderful post....

Only in this forum can we make the leap from "what is mathematics?" to "whispering sweet nothings in a boudoir" !

Brilliant !

I don't mind maths to be honest - it is similar as learning a foreign language.

Hate and loathe statistics though I call it "maths for politicians".

I agree with Not Done It Yet - there is no subjectivity or personal opinion in maths, it's wrong or its right. Unlike statistics where you can make it show anything you want it to !

I recall many years ago doing calcs with fluid mechanics using a technique called "dimensional analysis", where alongside your numeric workings you had a similar working just using the units as a simple example multiplying 4 mm by 8 mm........you would note ..... mm x mm = mm^2.

Useful to check that your expected answer was going to be in sensible units.

My dad used to have a saying "Calculate the follow consumption, if a bottle of ink cost 2/6d, to how many square yards will a chicken run?"

Hi,

You probably know this but the British Horological Institute run courses on watch and clock repair. I have been on a couple of clock courses, cannot vouch for the watch repair courses but found the courses excellent.

They are expensive though but at least you get to use the correct tools and techniques.

I dont work on watches they are so small and one sneeze and everything disappears !

Regards

Derek

Hi PatJ,

Yeah maths was horrible for me as well at school. In the late 1960's we had to do something called "modern maths " which was the in trendy thing at the time. Set me back years.

Every maths school teacher I had was awful.

I was fortunate to get a marine engineering apprenticeship and went to technical college where the lecturers were vastly better qualified and had the ability to explain clearly.

I went on to complete an HND in mechanical engineering and then also in electronics. I even studied maths with the open university.

I dont pretend to be good at it, just see it as a tool. I must admit in the latter stages of the ou courses in pure maths, the maths got a bit .....well.....weird!!!!

Ok so someone please clear this up for me.

Mathematics has an "s" at the end

I always shorten it to maths......which is logical, like the subject !

So why do some call it "math"......it cannot be short for mathematic..........?

One of lifes conundrums I suppose......

I hated maths at skool, I was hopeless. Managed to get an apprenticeship and suddenly with the right lecturers I began to grasp maths. Just goes to show the importance of a good lecturer or teacher...

Regards to all

I built the "Real" from Stuart Turners castings and to the design by Andrew Smith around 40 years ago. It was my first engine built with castings and I think the whole lot cost £20.

I recently checked the prices for castings for this engine and thankfully was sitting down at the time. All apart from the cylinder and flywheel can be made from the solid.

Agree that Jason's version is aesthetically much better looking

Regards

Derek

Hi Jason I sent an email to Pocket Mags as you suggested and Pocket Mags replied ......

"Archives are managed by the publishers and this is something made available on their own websites. Unfortunately, we do not have access to their systems and hence we are unable to help with your query. We recommend that you please contact the publishers directly regarding this and they would be able to assist you further. Their contact details can be found inside the magazine or on their official websites"

All I can add to this and recommend is, that as soon as anyone takes out a digital subscription then activate it in Pocket Mags, otherwise if you delay then you cannot access those older copies ...Obviously you may be able to see them on this Model Eng website....

My digital subscription started started at the end of last year, I only created a Pocket Mags account in March 2022 and cannot see Jan/Feb digital copies.

Anyway, onwards and upwards....

Regards

Derek

Fantastic work Jason - well done!

What about using an electric starter, I am sure there are some still about that are (or were) used to start reluctant model ic glowplug and diesels.....

Regards

Derek

Let's create a list of engineering terminology and have suitable "modern day speak" alternatives...

Nut (s)

Nipple (s)

Male

Female

Anymore to add and the alternative words suitable for those that are easily offended???

Many years ago at Colchester railway station there was a sign directing passengers to the platform for the boat train to Harwich.

It said "Harwich for the Continent"

Underneath was scrawled "and Frinton for the Incontinent"

I suppose some would try to ban or be offended by that now.

By the way in case some of you were wondering Frinton is a quaint old fashioned seaside town that many people like to retire to....

All the best

Derek

I dont decry or want to come all negative about 3d cad, it's used for drawings where I work.

They are very useful as others have said, to test a design, create easier to understand parts, how they fit together and their relationship with each other.

I really wanted to know how long in time does it take to become reasonably proficient? What spec PC or laptop? and then what choice of software?

Peter Greene mentions a course - all well and good if you can find one - I suspect the company supplying the cad package would run courses but no doubt expensive and maybe geared to more to the "professional".

I would love to have the time to learn 3d cad but not sure how useful it would be to me as I dont do a lot of design work but have great admiration for those that do !

Best wishes

Derek

There does seem a huge investment in time not only to learn how to use cad but also to produce drawings. Most of the examples shown on here by Jason and others, look fantastic but how long did it take to produce these drawings?

I think I would sooner use the time left to me and what £ I have in making stuff in the workshop....

But horses for courses and all that

Hopper your drawings look like mine!

Regards to all

Derek

Wow that is a bargin, for both machines. I would bought the mill!

I am also interested in which auction house this equipment was listed.....

Regards

Derek

Thank Jason, really appreciated !

Regards

Derek

Hi Jason

Thanks for your reply.

I am a bit confused though as I bought the digital sub via this website.

Isn't pocket mags a separate thing altogether? If I register with pocket mags can I still access my digital copies via this site?

I dont want to pay for another digital sub via pocket mags as I already have one via ME!

What is the connection or relationship between pocket mags and ME?

Sorry for all the questions !

Regards

Derek

Hi

I have a digital only subscription of the Model Engineer that expires at the end of this year (2022), the most recent issue available for me to access is no. 4685 dated 25 thFeb - 10th March...

Is this related to the takeover? Anyone else not getting access to latest digital copies of the ME?

Regards

Derek

Terrific job!, well done!

So much better than projects you see comprising of lumps of BMS held together with cap head screws with no finesse...yes they do work just as well...... but you cannot beat a well designed and finished tool it gets used more frequently and generally a pleasure to use.

All the best

Derek

I used to subscribe many years ago to ME, but let it lapse 20 odd years ago, I did take up an offer last year for a digital subscription but I am disappointed that it is almost completely dominated by endless loco construction series.

EIM, a magazine I also occasionally look at in the local newsagents to see if there is anything other than loco construction articles and there is generally even less of interest for me in that magazine.

MEW is becoming more dominated by CNC, electronics, CAD 3d printers and programming, none of which I am interested in to be honest.

I totally understand that you can only publish submitted articles and you cannot be something for everyone. It is difficult to please everyone.

The term "luddite", being used in this forum does seem to appear derogatory to those of us who wish to continue with manual machining - most of which are one offs...

Not sure what would be gained by joining EIM and ME, they have different publishers and wouldn't we just get a slightly larger magazine with even more locomotive construction series......?

Regards to all

Derek

I think the reason is why I am more aligned with the post that Nicholas made is that there seems to be an awful amount of CAD software to buy and hours spent learning how to use it (and more heated discussions on which is the best), what electronics are needed? how to convert manual machines to CAM etc.

And the issue with all the above is that it all goes out of date so quickly, software needs updates sometimes you have to pay for it, electronics goes faulty and are virtually impossible to repair and replacement bits are unavailable or not made any more.

So while I seem like a luddite I will continue to be a "manual" machinist but I would like a DRO on my Emco mill sometimes....

I use laptops and computers at work, I have had enough of them by the end of the day!

Horses for courses though and all that!

Regards to all

Derek