Hi All,

Had a very nice chat with Brian Wood today and the spindle is certainly a twin start job as proved by the "Simon Method" with a Sharpie.

This is not really viable on my Myford and cannot use a single start as the "nut" in ths case is the very large chunk of cast iron 'arch' to the press. No way I can rework that.

Also to use the 48 tooth change gear involves altering the banjo assembly as per Brian's book (now ordered!).

I am going to try an easier route and get some Acme thread allscrew and suitable nut, then attempt to set the arch on the mill and bore out to fit the nut. After that fette the ends to fit the handle and retained bottom piece.

Bit of a shame that I had already cut up my nice long bronze rod and half made the spindle but all good practise!

My grateful thanks to all who have replied here, much appreciated and I will be back wit the next installment when I have my ducks in a row!

Cheers, Martin

I should add that this will be only the second thread I have ever cut!

M

Thanks Jason, do I use the standard 30 deg on the compound which is all I have ever done before? How do I get 5tpi on the myford gear box please?

Martin

Hi all,

Just got this old but knackered bookbinders nipping press in need of a new spindle.

We get a lot of these and they are usually trouble free to restore but this one was seized solid as the spindle was bent and rusted up VERY badly.

Used lots of heat, WD40 etc and short scaffold pole levers to at least get it turning. Cut off the screws to the bottom retainer and finally cut the spindle to remove it. The usual hassle of the very large securing nuts for the 'arch' being seized was for some reason not a problem, they came off easily.

Removing the longer stub of the spindle from the handle proved beyond me as it has a driven in pin locling the thread. Fortunately a pal used his large flypress and it came of like putting a finger in butter!

I have salvaged the end piece of the short stub for reuse, turned the stub down to 1/2" and will bore the end of the new spindle to take it, then loctite and a pin.

I will do all the other work apart from the main thread first.

I have a nice piece of bronze bar for the new spindle that is just the right diameter but have never cut a square profile thread and am very wary of how to go about this.

My Super 7 has a gearbox but there is no 5 tpi setting, Am I out of luck or is there a work around please? Do I have to make a cutter or can I buy one?

Any help will be most welcome.

Cheers. Martin

Actually called a Saw Wrest I believe.

Some have the split screwdriver end for saw handle nuts.

For some reason named examples are quite sought after, we have sold over 40 of them in the last 5 years.

We had a rosewood handled Edward Preston one make over £25 last year.

Cheers, Martin

Mark, you have a PM, Martin

Just ordered mine at £7.78! Cheap as chips!

Martin

Thanks guys, how would I rework a piece of clock spring please? I can probably find one of them without too much trouble.

Jeff: Austemper? Details please if possible.

Does one have to 'over bend' the spring to allow for movement or spring back?

Cheers, Martin

Hi All, At least I actually know what this fine old tool is for!

It is a rare French leatherworking lasting clamp of some value.

Sadly as can be seen one of the strip type springs is missing and the other is in incomplete shape, it should have little more length and a curl at the top end to bear on the clamp jaw.

I an going to have to take this apart anyway for cleaning and to make new pivot pins as the old ones are too worn, I wll also sharpen up the jaw ghrips a bit.

Can anywone please tell me how to go about making the springs, what material shall I require, heat treatment etc. Never had anything to do with spring construction before. I do at least have a pattern.

Cheers, Martin

Well, Clebb resizer made it onto Google! I guess my problem now is finding a suitable EBay category for the listing!

I had no idea what a monster I was letting out of the bag!

Cheers, Martin

Ian P, they do look like they are meant to fit together and slide over each other. I get what people are saying about tyres, there is a part on a tyre machine that guides the rim or tyre bead but only a single part not 2?

Brian S, possibly you are correct , but there is a lot of fun to be had all the same!

Martin

I wondered if there might have been a very large spring between the two halves so that they could be squashed together somehow and exert a spreading force on leather perhaps?

martin

Only goes together one way round

martin

Hi All, just back from a buying trip in France, we hit about 3 large vide greniers in one day so pretty knackered but found some great items.

This one has got me stumped:

Very well made as two sliding wedge shaped pieces with locking bolt which is possibly a replacement.

My only thought is that it might be a leatherworking expander tool for shoe or boot work but not at all sure?

Any thoughts welcome!

Cheers, Martin

Jones and Shipman 540 Dripping

and there was me getting the toast and salt and pepper ready! my favourite as a kid!

Anyone else got some non PC foods from the past?

Martin

Hi All,

Just made these two large bolts for an antique book press that was fiitted with riser blocks so the bolts were too long.

This was my first attempt at a serious thread 7/8" by 9tpi, 36mm AF and it did not go without incident!

I decided to cut both threads using either end of a single bar; the first one went absolutely fine and I was very pleased at how easy it was!

Turned the bar around and did the scratch pass into the dykem and checked the pitch just to be sure. Started taking 5 thou cuts in back gear.

Halfway through the next cut or so I got distracted and turning round I must have caught the cross slide and accidentally wound on 15 more thou! Result was a big bang and my Tufnol tumbler gear disintegrated! Wrecked the HSS cutting tool also.

Got a new one a couple of days later and installed it. Everything else had been left exactly as it was so I carefully did a blank no cut run to see that the alignment was all OK.

At this point my brain deserted me as I reset the next cut at 2 thou to check alignment again TOTALLY FORGETTING that the disaster happened halfway along the work and I should have started the check cut at the high point to the left of the previous cut!

YUP, another bang and wrecked tool and tumbler gear!

Walked away in disgust for a day or two when someone on here very generously lent me a gear so I could finish the job while waitng for a new one. ( Thanks Brian! its on its way back to you!)

Some serious lessons learned and finally got it done.

I am now the owner of what must be the two most expensive bolts ever!

Cheers, Martin

Oxy, well done! it looks great and has inspired me to make some time to get on with mine, also my first go at an engine. If it turns out as well as yours I'll be a very happy bunny!

Cheers, Martin

+1 for the Lars Christiansen videos on FUSION 360, excellent!

Martin

Hi Phil, I am also in Dorset, 3 miles from Dorchester in Broadmayne. You are welcome to pop by for a cuppa if nearby!

Cheers, Martin

Hi CB,

I also am learning 3D design and am finding it a rewarding experience if at times quite frustrating.

I recommend FUSION 3D which is free to private users and there is a wealth of online learning videos and instructional material. Initial concepts are easy to grasp.

The few (admittedly very simple) items that I have done in it have all turned out well when sent to a CNC or 3D print company.

Just my inexpert opinon!

Cheers, Martin