Member postings for Neil Wyatt

Hi Ian,

4096 steps would be good enough to point a telescope in the 'right direction', but 1/4096 of a day is about 20 seconds. Even through my camera I can see things moving across the sky and the moon moves about 1/6 of its disk in 20 seconds so it would not be good enough for tracking.

Michael,

I've been playing with the idea of buying an 8" parabolic reflector and making my own mount (put the cash into the optics) but I hadn't thought of making something quite as hefty as that!

Neil

Looking at the photos the broken 'spigots' are more or less parallel. I think John is right and they are fatigue fractures.

Slightly less speed and a sharper tool may help, together with less aggressive feed towards the end, but I would be surprised to eliminate the wee spigot unless an angled tool (which I don't like as it bends) is used.

Clipping off with side cutters and filling the stump with a riffler file won't leave any worse than the parting tool has left on the rest of the disc.

The discs could also be temporarily superglued onto a short end and faced to a good finish if necessary.

Neil

45 degree as a a timing advance angle is a pretty compelling suggestion.

Neil

May I just add that the E-series preferred values, as used for electronic components, would be a great boon for designing in metric if used for material and fixing sizes. Even better than imperial, with its useful ratios.

Sadly only the BA system comes close to this ideal.

Neil

> What is going on?

It was all a dream, Chris.

Actually I can see Harold's post, I don't know why you can't? It hasn't been blocked or edited.

Neil

If you had two, you could combine them with friction clutches and stepper motors to make a 'go to' telescope mount that can also allow for any manual shifts you make, although the resolution is a bit low for actual equatorial tracking.

Neil

> so if you find a hibernating queen kill it and therefore no nest, simples.

Yes, stomp on the bee-killers, but please don't kill native hornets. I've been within inches of a nest and surrounded by them feeding on fallen plums and not been stung. Nearly every spring I have to let a queen out of my workshop.

Neil

Brandon has assured us that it would be legal to make the part in the UK, and as he has made it clear he can put the person making it in touch with the firearms team at the Met. I would suggest that anyone considering assisting takes up that offer.

Nonetheless, I think the advice to contact a gunsmith is probably the best route for Brandon to take.

Neil

Subscription copies of Issue 215 should be out early next week.

You can get a sneak preview here.

Neil

Perhaps its something to do with dividing?

Neil

If Ken who sent some pictures of motorcycle frames from the '50s to MEW a couple of years ago is reading this thread, could he contact me and identify himself as I'd like to return the pictures and discuss his article. (I have written to his former address).

Neil

[email protected]

The short explanation is that if you run a cutter too fast the biggest danger is not feeding it fast enough and making the teeth rub and quickly blunting them. Many authors will suggest slower speeds that work perfectly well and make hand-feeding a rather less traumatic affair.

Another explanation is that faster cutter speeds & feed rates = faster metal removal rates and therefore higher loads on the machine. Small hobby machines may not be able to give their best under such loads and results will be disappointing. My experience is that nothing will tell you more about the 'happiness' of the cutter than feedback through the handles. It is this that sets manual machining apart from CNC where he 'tables' are of far greater importance.

Neil

Be aware that some post-fit mill power feed units are 110V, so the transformer is an unexpected extra cost.

If you have an X3 making you own power feed should be within your capabilities.

An alternative would be to fit stepper motors to the X3, I would have thought Arc could supply those.

Neil

Loctite it between two 10mm wide bars and hold in 4-jaw chuck. Turn a 5mm spigot on one end, then thread it. Now use heat to get the Loctite to let go.

Neil

Lovely surface plate..

Neil

I looked at Dennis Monk's standards for 3 1/2" and 5" gauge and they are rather different to the ones in Tubal Cain's handbook and the Eurpoean ones.

The problem is that almost anything will run on a plain track, Dennis Monk was addressing the challenges created by teh extensive dual gauge pointwork at Derby (which my 3 1/2" gauger to the TC standards survived!)

Neil

Very nice, Rod,

I love engines where you can see all the bits moving.

Is it going to perform on red nose Day?

Neil

Apparently they are made in a much wider range of eleven sizes HERE but come in a lot pricier than ER11 collets (at least from that source). They must also be used with the key Porter closing nuts, but you seem to have been offered those.

Key difference is that ER11 will cover a range of sizes.

Neil

Edit: I note that they will do 'specials' for any size - if your pockets are deep, I guess!

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 31/03/2014 18:55:55

Hello Abdur,

It seems you tried to link a picture to your post, but we can't see it. Could you try again, please?

Thanks

Neil

Hi Harry,

Only links not in your history are blue. As, I guess, you visited the link before posting it, it shows as black on your computer.

Neil