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Member postings for Nick Wheeler

Here is a list of all the postings Nick Wheeler has made in our forums. Click on a thread name to jump to the thread.

Thread: Making an adjustable vice stop
16/06/2021 09:06:21
Posted by Martin King 2 on 16/06/2021 08:08:42:

Stevie, May I please ask where you got the Bristol Clamping Levers?

Cheers, Martin

Axminster tools, Arc Euro Trade, Ebay, they're common parts available all over the place.

Thread: GigaFactory
16/06/2021 08:52:21
Posted by Circlip on 16/06/2021 08:26:29:

And no mention of the cost to replace a single "rogue" cell in the floor section of the vehicle.

Regards Ian.

Replacing cells in batteries is already a thing for cordless tools which use four cells and cost £60. Anybody who thinks that won't happen when there are 800 in a pack that costs several thousand £ is an idiot.

As mentioned above, charging at home(or work!) won't be possible for a lot of users, so banks of chargers at convenient locations will be a necessity. That sounds very like a petrol station to me!

The people who already run petrol stations would love to get rid of the expensive and short lived fuelling equipment; replacing the tanks, pumps etc with chargers is just the thing they're looking for.

Thread: Air tools
14/06/2021 21:02:45

Stephen, Dremels are tools that really ought to be sold from market stalls by a salesman whose pitch is carefully developed to show how perfect they are for tattooing mouse ears. And he'll throw in not one, not two, but nine extra motor brushes!

An electric die grinder is going to cost over £100 and will come with 6mm collets for tools. It will also be about 5 times more powerful than a Dremel.

I have to agree with the above posters who suggest that air tools(except for sprayguns) are only useful if you have a massive, permanently installed compressor. I would also add that it helps if you're already deaf and immune to the bloody things icing up

Thread: What lathe pointers
14/06/2021 16:13:46

I'm limited for space, so the 10x22 WM250 is as big as I can fit. Fortunately it's also just about big enough for most of my jobs. I bought my first lathe for all the adapters, bushes and tools for my hobbies of restoring/modifying cars.

 

Things I look for mostly in order: enough power to do jobs in sensible time, variable speed, large spindle bore, rigidity, ease of use(eg, locks actuated by captive levers/knobs rather than tools), power feeds which ties back to #1, sensible chuck changes(the three bolt fitting is easy and fast, but would be improved with a few mm more access), screwcutting gearbox with lots of range, QCTP with lots of easily made holders.

The gearbox is the thing I miss most, as setting up change gear combinations sucks a lot of time. A good electronic leadscrew would be even better; any thread pitch or power feed rate you want just by entering a number on a keypad. Quieter than a gear train too.

Edited By Nicholas Wheeler 1 on 14/06/2021 16:14:12

Thread: Some rather crass “Model Engineering” from Mercedes
13/06/2021 10:53:58
Posted by Nigel Graham 2 on 13/06/2021 10:19:41:

I'd love to know the thinking behind it. Using 'thinking' loosely, of course.

Why would a major builder of luxury cars celebrate one of its most prized models by depicting it so neglected it is nearly only fit for scrap? It just doesn't make sense.

I suppose if we asked Mecedes-Benz, we'd be either ignored or fobbed off with some pretentious, haughty "arty" twaddle best repeated in Private Eye magazine's Pseuds' Corner column.

because as found, 'original', unmolested, looking like a heap of scrap is patina and considered desirable. At it's worst, they won't even wash off the dirt accumulated from sitting in a draughty shed for 40 years.....

Thread: How long does it take to make things?
13/06/2021 10:05:15

Howard's post above shows why it's useful to have more than one way to do a job! If you break a clamp in the first setup, then move onto another that you rejected for whatever reason, lubricated with plenty of Anglo-Saxon.

Take these jack adaptors

jackadapters[1].jpg

which are about 40mm diameter, 1/4"pins and the radius/taper(which aren't particularly critical) worked out from the distances in CAD. They're one piece just like the original I was given, but that's wasteful in time and material. I should have made the pins separate and loctited them in, which would have been quicker, easier, cheaper and made a stronger part.

Thread: Best choice of material
11/06/2021 20:14:48

I replaced the weedy clamp that holds the topslide to the cross slide on my WM250. It's made of 15mm thick steel plate and is attached with four bolts. It's a lot more stable - the flex in the original was really visible - and capable of taking much bigger cuts.

I did machine off the boss for the toolpost when I fitted the QCTP

Thread: German Tec
10/06/2021 17:16:07
Posted by Howard Lewis on 10/06/2021 16:15:11:

I was constantly told that "The Excellence Comes As Standard" But, in my experience, not all the time.

Like the little girl. when good, very good, but when bad TERRIBLE!

Just like BMW's slogan a few years ago: The value of perfect engineering. Which I first spotted plastered all over the dealer's wall when I was delivering another 2.0l diesel with a failed timing chain and less than 5k miles....

Thread: Cyclemaster engine rubber bushings
10/06/2021 09:04:53

Another piece of advice for castable PU: they're aren't kidding about the six month shelf life, so don't buy a bigger amount than you need because it looks more economical!

Thread: What is your favourite "unusual tool that you find useful" ?
06/06/2021 12:14:14
Posted by ega on 06/06/2021 11:03:58:

Nicholas Wheeler 1:

I wonder how you lost your filler-cap?

Years ago someone stole the temperature gauge cum radiator cap from my Austin Seven and I replaced it temporarily with a rolled up newspaper. They say that the ability to improvise is the mark of an engineer; to day cable ties and Blu-Tack, whilst not unusual, are the favourites of many.

It wasn't mine! The customer phoned from Medway Services, reporting a burning smell. They had checked the oil level whilst waiting to board the ferry at Calais. I wiped off the worst of the oil, whittled a new cap from a fence post I found in the grass, stuck it down with duct tape, put a big tick in the temporary repair box and sent them on their way. We weren't going to recover them over 200 miles at midnight for that problem.

06/06/2021 10:06:40
Posted by Robert Atkinson 2 on 05/06/2021 20:33:53:
Posted by Nicholas Wheeler 1 on 04/06/2021 20:37:34:
Posted by Steve Skelton 1 on 04/06/2021 10:57:03:

Leatherman Crunch - the ones with "Mole" type locking on the plier jaws. Has got me out of trouble on numerous occasions.

I think the Wave is the best value and most useful tool I've ever bought. It was so essential when I worked as a recovery driver that I couldn't be without it, even after breaking a couple of blades. When I stopped doing that job, I sent it back, and got a new one by return of post. Considering that all three blades were broken due to abuse - like prying off a damaged Krooklok - I thought that was exceptional service.

I have had a leatherman of one sort or another on me pretty much every day since 1996. Normally two, one being a Micra. Pretty much the only time I don't have one since 2001 is when flying on commercial aircraft. Since 2018 I've been carrying a Style PS when flying as it is generally considered OK. Current daily carry is a Charge TI. I didn't list this as I don't consider it unusual, more essential.

There is one potential issue though. As it has locking blades, even though they are under 3", it is illegal to carry one in a public place without good reason. Ultimately the courts decide if your reason is good.
To avoid any doubt I cut the locking tabs off the two knife blades on the one I carry.

Potentially having to do mechanical work is enough reason! A multi-tool has enough features that it's clearly a tool with a blade rather than a weapon.

I won't have a blade that doesn't lock because it is dangerous to me, and I have the scars to prove it. I wouldn't have whittled a temporary oil filler-cap from a fence post with a non-locking blade.

Thread: Ideas on how to make a nylon Stiffnut 'less stiff'
06/06/2021 09:57:35

Run the nut up and down the thread with a power tool. That ought to loosen it a bit.

Thread: Scalped on my doorstep - it left an unpleasant taste in my mouth.
06/06/2021 09:55:39
Posted by john fletcher 1 on 06/06/2021 09:20:45:

Same as Garry Wooding. We used to have REMAP group in my area and I did the electrical work until one had to be a "competent person", part 'P', and a PAT tester, I gave in. I have C&G FTC in Elect Installation Work and same Elect Tec 5. I can not find out from all the authorities how one becomes a competent person after more than 70 years in the trade. Strange old World. John

Competent person is clearly defined on the HSE's website - LINK - it's actually one of the better phrases, because experience is often enough.

Thread: What is your favourite "unusual tool that you find useful" ?
04/06/2021 20:37:34
Posted by Steve Skelton 1 on 04/06/2021 10:57:03:

Leatherman Crunch - the ones with "Mole" type locking on the plier jaws. Has got me out of trouble on numerous occasions.

I think the Wave is the best value and most useful tool I've ever bought. It was so essential when I worked as a recovery driver that I couldn't be without it, even after breaking a couple of blades. When I stopped doing that job, I sent it back, and got a new one by return of post. Considering that all three blades were broken due to abuse - like prying off a damaged Krooklok - I thought that was exceptional service.

04/06/2021 18:32:11
Posted by Robert Atkinson 2 on 04/06/2021 17:04:57:

Ice Hockey pucks. They are useful as:

Bench blocks -Easily cut or drilled to hold small parts while fling or drilling - non marking
Hand "mallet" for tapping items into position
Jacking pad under trolley jack - stops marking and is anti-slip.
backing when center-popping / drilling / shaping thin material
Vibration damper eg when milling etc

Cheap enough to be disposable.

Robert G8RPI.

And a pair of them screwed to a chunk of motorcycle tyre make a good bell silencer:

Silencer.jpg

you can just see the cross cut in the bottom that fits over the ball of the clapper. The whole thing is then rotated to silence the bell when needed. Works well on small bells!

Thread: Refurbishing my Machines and adding Swarf guards
02/06/2021 09:35:20
Posted by Kiwi Bloke on 02/06/2021 06:39:05:

As usual, the quantity and quality of your work makes me feel inadequate... Just out of interest, why alloy, not steel?

Easier to bend, lighter, and doesn't need finishing would be my reasons

Thread: A Welding Problem - Steel Type?
25/05/2021 12:53:07
Posted by Nigel Graham 2 on 25/05/2021 12:31:19:

Those CO2 cartridges don't last long and are expensive. I wonder if basic MIG sets like that Clarke one, and its present incarnations, would run off a Hobbygas mixed CO2/Argon cylinder.

Or would I be better (and better-off!) using flux-cored wire? I know someone who has tried it but I don't know how successfully. He does say he keeps the wire in a dry part of the house when not in use.

Stepping up to a proper refillable cylinder makes a huge improvement even to the small MIGs. You use a standard regulator, and might need a readily available adaptor to connect it to your smaller inlet pipe. Considering the cost of disposable cylinders, you'll quickly save money as well as weld better.

If you're struggling with solid wire you'll hate flux core!

The basic MIGs are capable of doing most DIY workshop jobs; car restoration/modifications, and basic fabrication like fences, benches etc. BUT they are horrible things to learn with. This is one of the skills that having just a few minutes of instruction from someone competent will save hours of frustrating 'learning' and lots of expensive materials.

Thread: Who uses airbrushes?
23/05/2021 18:29:02
Posted by Pete. on 23/05/2021 15:45:45:

Fwiw HVLP guns are the least suitable for small compressors, they were designed for wasting less paint in an environment where it's in constant use all day, the clue is in the name, High Volume, it uses a high volume of air at lower pressure to reduce overspray, they use far more air than standard guns with zero benefit for occasional use.

You think using less paint for better coverage together with much less overspray is zero benefit??

Using them with high solid 2k means just 2 coats of paint, which dramatically reduces your chances of screwing something up.

Thread: New use for a slide rule
23/05/2021 15:44:15
Posted by old mart on 23/05/2021 15:08:46:

I have one somewhere, they were quick to use, but you had to be able to know the approximate answer before using one as there was no decimal point.

Knowing the approximate answer is necessary whenever the calculation is important.

Lots of people just copy the number off the calculator even when it's clearly wrong; 30 years ago my colleagues would hand in their banking claiming that five tills each with less than £1500 added up to £9k! More recently, my boss came out with a revised torque wrench setting for the adapter I'd made, and took a lot of convincing that it was wrong - her number had increased, when it needed to be smaller. There are lots of bolts where it probably wouldn't have mattered, but wing attachments are not the place to take chances....

Thread: Metric or Imperial, Fractions or Decimals
23/05/2021 14:27:35
Posted by Martin Kyte on 23/05/2021 12:18:29:

Specifying a drawing in fractions and thou also gives some indication of required tolerance.

doesn't a trailing zero do the same? 0.1550 would suggest more precision that 0.155.

Which removes the need to reconcile weird fractions and seemingly random decimal numbers used on the same part.

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