Member postings for Gas_mantle.

This one at Halfords looks similar, it doesn't appear to have drawer dividers but it is cheaper.

**LINK**

Silly Old Duffer has hit the nail on the head, put the measuring gear away and cut some metal.

I can't believe after all the hype that it may take a few days extra for delivery you then spend 3 days trying to measure a fault that quite possibly doesn't exist without cutting metal first.

I'm no expert but I have the same machine from a different supplier, all I did was cut scrap for a week then start measuring, a bit of an adjustment to the gibs and a squirt of oil is it needed once it had been used a bit.

My guess is the set square method looks to be sound but in reality it is using a thin flexible surface to read from, how well it is clamped down etc could all introduce error.

Have you tried the same test at either end of the table ? Are the results consistent ?

I could be wrong but it seems an unreliable way of taking a reading.

I'm not convinced your measuring method is as accurate as you think it is.

Personally I'd cut some metal and check the results, before ringing Warco.

Seeing if it drills an elongated hole isn't an accurate way of determining where the problem is (if it exists at all)

Have you tried milling metal with it and measuring the results ? Like I say take a step back and see how it performs before you start telling Warco the head is at fault or adding shims etc.

My advice would be to take a step back for a while and not jump into things while excited to have your new machine.

I wouldn't start shimming things on a new machine with a test report just yet, why not play around cutting scrap for a week and see how it cuts? After a week of 2 you may find a minor adjustment to the gibs, a bit of oil, and a clean then the problem has gone.

Have fun with it then re-asses the problem in a few weeks (it is still there) with a fresh pair of eyes.

STK2008, I'd think ahead a bit before you jump into buying an ER25 set for your mill.

The point was making that ER32 may be a better bet seems to have been misunderstood although Jason has now made the same point.

In my case I bought ER25 when I bought my mill as that was the advice given and I (wrongly) assumed that ER32 wouldn't fit. That was fine till we fast forward a year and I now want collets for my lathe but it turns out my lathe is suited to ER32.

It means I will end up having ER25 and ER32 when just ER32 would have done.

Admittedly ER25 may occasionally have advantages over ER32 in my mill but if I was aware at the time I'd have bought ER32 then only bought ER25 if there was a specific need for them.

Have look at what size the lathe will take and it may save in the long run if you buy one set for both machines.

Edited By Gas_mantle. on 09/04/2018 17:05:48

Jason you've raised an interesting point here that I wasn't aware of. My machine is similar to the one the original poster is buying and when I bought it the advice was to buy ER25 collets (which I did). I just assumed that the MT2 spindle wouldn't take ER32 but having just looked at Arceuro it seems I can use ER32.

I'm looking at buying ER32 to use on my lathe so I wish I'd known from the onset that my mill will take ER32.

If you have the measuring tools etc you are off to a good start, I have to start completely from scratch and found it to be an expensive hobby at first, It's only now a couple of years later I find that I have most of the tools I need and the cost is now dropping off

The items on your list will get you up and running but once you start actually making something you'll need some basic measuring / marking out tools.

I guess everyone will have their own list of essentials but at the very least I add

0-25mm micrometer

Simple digital or vernier caliper

Set square

Ruler

Scriber

Centre punches

Centre drills.

I was in a similar situation to yourself a couple of years ago and it can take quite a while to acquire all the tooling but you can start making things with the basic tools and add to your list as you need things.

I think you are worrying uneccesarily as mentioned earlier there could be dozens of reasons why a bit of extra delay has occurred.

I can understand it's a nuisance when you are waiting for something but if they originally said 5 - 7 days and now they say 2 weeks it's only an extra week or 10 days maybe.

Warco are a big player in this business so I wouldn't worry yet, if it was a small cash in hand back street seller then alarm bells might be justified but for now I'd try to relax

Hi, I can't speak directly about the Warco machines but I have what are essentially the same 2 machines from Chester tools and am very happy with both. Admittedly my engine builds are fairly simple compared to some but both machines are easily accurate enough for what I do.

I wouldn't worry too much about using a crane, I was able to move and lift mine with 3 adults without any problem.

To narrow the blower pipe exit on my 3" dia boiler I just soldered a brass nipple over the end, I can't remember what size the hole is but is probably not much more than 1mm dia.

My guess is a hand cranked fan to great a draught would be tiresome to use and be impractical. Like I say I'm no expert but I think you will need a steam blower and an electric blower to get things started. Almost certainly a very small boiler wont light without a blower.

I have a 3" dia and 5" dia vertical boilers and in my experience the 3" isn't really suited to coal firing, I have run it on coal a few times but it is notoriously difficult to light and then keep it burning. I've heard other people say 4" dia in the minimum for coal firing and although I'm no expert I would agree with that.

Coal firing looks easy but I find there is more to it than meets the eye, you will need a blower and ideally want the exhaust routed up the chimney, even then it's not easy keeping such a small fire box burning properly.

I've no doubt some people can get very small boilers to run on coal but personally I'd stick with gas until you are in a position to make a larger one.

A lot of exchanges have been made since I started this thread a couple of days ago and thankfully now an admin member has finally made it clear the site of the direction the site will take. I am grateful the position has now been made clear.

It's been my opinion (and many others) that the site has now become so diverse it's no longer a serious engineering site but more of a general chit chat forum to discuss all manner of subjects from beekeeping to astronomy and even the occasional model building - I stand by that view.

I had intended to try to continue posting here by creating another simple build thread in the hope others would follow suit or at least let other beginners see the making of a simpler creation. However having seen the way another member has been verbally abused over his decision to discontinue his build thread I now have had to reconsider..

Whether Garry was right in his decision to pull the plug is open to personal opinion but nevertheless it in no way justified the response he got. A line of decency was crossed once remarks of 'Pantomime dames' and 'anally clean' machinery were mentioned, had there been any chance of him having a rethink and continuing the thread has now been finally closed, and who can blame him ?

As though the abuse in itself wasn't bad enough, moderators allowed it to continue when they should have been proactive from the start - that in itself speaks volumes.

I really can't be bothered to create a simple beginners build thread here when core material of interest gets lost in discussion about beekeeping and the Andromeda galaxy so for that reason I have taken the decision to cease posting here and will endeavour to try and create an item of interest for beginners elsewhere.

I'd like to thank those who have supported my stance and to those who offered advice etc during my build work.

As the creator of this post may I please request that a moderator now locks the thread.

Thanks

Peter.

Edited By Peter Nichols on 14/11/2015 14:11:14

Great model Alex, have you tried it on steam ?

John,

Where does this idea it's only for engine builders come from ?

A few people have said it more to do with how people build things / techniques used etc that is important not what the actual finished article is.

I'd be happy to read about anyones build work whether that's a steam engine, a part for a motorbike or a part for a telescope etc.

Edited By Peter Nichols on 13/11/2015 21:05:45

Michael,

I take your point about the commercial aspect but the point I'm trying to get across (and I did say it earlier) is decide what the forum is for, who it wants to attract then plan on that basis.

At the moment it's confused in supposedly being a hobby help / share ideas type of site yet commercial interests may want higher memberships who just want a general chit chat.

All I'm saying is what is the direction of the site ? Is it attract a smaller number of more serious posts or is it a glorified business where the quality of the material is secondary.

That's precisely why I said you need to target your audience - decide who you want to attract then you'll get the appropriate memberships making the sort of posts you want.

Not rocket science is it ?