Member postings for Nick T

Thank you everyone for your help and advice, especially the correct measurements for the machine. My colleague suggested cutting out cardboard shapes to represent the shape of the items of equipment that are going in the workshop. I have had a very productive day shuffling the cardboard pieces around and have come up with what appears to be a perfect solution.

Once again thank you. Nick

Thank you Vic & Mike for your help.

I have looked at the Warco Website already but wanted to double check. The Chester 926 dimensions are totally different although its is the same machine.

Just to confirm and using the Warco dimensions, the overall width would be 1092mm and the carriage would extend a further 370mm to the left?

Sorry to sound pedantic but I will be buying the mill later and once the position is decided upon there is not much flexibility.

Regards, NIck

Edited By Nick T on 25/04/2015 21:02:42

Evening All,

I am doing some workshop planning and would be grateful for the following dimensions for the VMC / 626 mills:

(i) I need the overall depth and width of the mill including wheel handles.

(ii) The mill will be going as close as possible to a wall on its left side, so what is the distance from the centre line of the mill to its maximum extension to the left, once again including wheel handles.

Many thanks,

Nick

PS: Just noticed typo in title. Apologies.

Edited By Nick T on 25/04/2015 19:37:55

Evening All,

I really appreciate all your help and advice.

Nick_G I live in Redhill, Surrey and would appreciate the dimensions.

Regards, Nick

Thank you all for your helpful advice, which is much appreciated.

Few points:

(i) The Boxford attachment I have seen is described as 'Boxford Vertical Milling Slide with Vice and T Slotted Table.'

(ii) I would be very grateful Nick_G if you could let me have the dimensions of your VM30. I have done some more homework and the overall foot print of the VM30 is considerably less than a Tom Senior.

(iii) The workshop is a decent size at 14 x 8 foot but a small part of it also doubles up as a garden room with french doors where my wife and I can sit on chilly spring and autumn evenings.

(iv) One last point could someone give me some tips on inspecting a used mill?

Thank you all once again. Best wishes, Nick

Morning All.>>

I have a Boxford CUD lathe, a 14 x 8 foot workshop and plan to build a Sweet Pea 5" loco. Over the weekend I was looking at Boxford VM30 and Tom Senior Vertical Light mills but decided that there just isn't enough space in the workshop for one, even though my dear wife said 'just get it!'>>

I have seen a Boxford lathe vertical milling attachment for about £660, which seems a lot compared to the going price of used milling machines.>>

My question is - would a lathe based mill be a real pain to use or would it be an acceptable compromise for someone who is pushed for space and just starting out in small scale engineering. Many thanks. Nick. PS: I am not rich but sold my motorbike and a load of camera gear to fund this project.>>

Hi All. I am looking at building a beginners loco and I am going through the process of costing our the materials. Taking Sweet Pea for example the boiler kit is about £800 and I think that is plus VAT. Is it possible to buy one's own materials?

If I joined a club I understand that a copper, not steel, boiler could be tested and certified by the club. Is that correct?

Thank you as always for any help, which is always appreciated.

Regards, Nick

Evening All. I am exploring beginners locos and have today received Jack Bucklers book about the Sweet Pea, which seems to be very useful for the likes of me. The measurements are all in imperial but he does mention metric equivalents for items such as the frames.

Could someone please tell me if I have to equip the workshop with items such as imperial drills or does one convert to metric? Equally would I have to convert all the drawings to metric if I wanted to stay metric?

I am a plumber so I am used to the world of metric copper tube and fittings and imperial for iron pipe, but this one has me stumped.

Many thanks, Nick.

Thank you all for your helpful comments. I am a way off actually using my Boxford CUD as I am still fitting out the workshop. This tool grinding exercise is very useful in the mean time. Best wishes. NIck

I am a newcomer to lathe work and thought it would be useful learninmg exercise if I tried to make a lathe tool out of a 3/8" HSS blank. I have been following the instructions from one of the many write ups on the Web but it seems to take ages to grind the steel. Is that normal? I am using a new 6" 36 grit aluminium oxide wheel on my old Wolf light industrial grinder and have dressed the stone.

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks. NIck

Hi All,

I am in the process of buying a small pre-built, sectioned wooden workshop that will have 19mm cladding and 3" x 2" framing. I intend to use Rockwool or similar for insulation and finish with foil backed plasterboard.

After much Googling I am somewhat confused about the location of a vapour barrier, which I understand to be a non-permeable material such as polythene sheeting. I think the confusion is compounded by mention of a breathable membrane in some online postings.

The book Workshop Construction says the vapour barrier should be on the outside of the insulation, i.e. under the cladding, but maybe he's talking about a breathable membrane. Other commentators online say it should be on the warm side of the insulation, i.e. the inside. Clearly I can only put it on the inside as the cladding will be put on by the shed manufacturer.

Could anyone help with some words of wisdom?

Many thanks,

Nick

Thanks for the advice Bob & Brian - much appreciated.

Nick

Hi All,

I am restoring an old Elliott pillar drill using grey primer and machinery paint bought from Stationary Engine Parts. I am using some sheet aluminium and a die cast box to hold new controls and don't really want to buy aluminium primer if I can help it.

would I be OK with grey primer if I give the aluminium a good roughing up with a wire brush first?

Many thanks,

Nick