Member postings for Nick Wheeler

The mounting flanges are a bit thin for that sort of use.

One thing that would be useful in any article, is a simple critique of the design process/part/technique.

For instance: these jacking adapters should have been made in two parts. Instead of turning them from a single piece of 38mm steel, the 20x4mm diameter pin should have been loctited in place. Not only would it have saved time and material, it would have been easier to do.

Teaching myself to do this sort work from books, magazines and videos meant starting at the bottom of a steep learning curve. I wish I had been more interested in this while my grandfather was still alive; some instruction from a skilled professional would have really helped.

Working backwards:

a monthly column on making/repairing a 'part' is an excellent idea - the reverse engineering of the locking wheelnut key was the most interesting part of the current MEW.

I recently made a pair aircraft jacking adapters for a friend, to replace ones that were apparently "really expensive". Modelling them in CAD to work out the taper angle was educational, as was making them in one piece from 38mm stock. I would now make them two pieces, with the 20x4mm diameter pin inserted into the larger part. The £25 covered a round of drinks after ringing practice, so it all seems like a good use of 90minutes to me.

I'm 'alternative', but it's usually parts and tools for old cars and hotrods, plus repairs.

Home Shop Machinist is a horrible phrase, but it is much more descriptive for those of us who will never make a model. Although a simple clock is something I would like to try.

Edited By Nicholas Wheeler 1 on 04/09/2016 19:04:49

There is an obvious trend from those votes.

I use small machine tools(and welders, hand tools, etc) at home to make and repair parts for things to support my hobbies. Bizzarely 'Model Engineer' has become the English term to describe this; the American 'Home Shop Machinist' seems so much more sensible to me. Being able to produce the part is what matters to me, I'll cut and file a small piece, but I've also drawn them in CAD and had them laser cut when it's been a better solution.

I started with a mini-lathe, then bought a mini-mill. A couple of years ago I upgraded to a WM250v lathe and the ability to easily take 3mm cuts in steel has dramatically improved my productivity. Doing the same with the mill would probably be even more effective, but I simply don't have room for anything bigger. Converting it to CNC so it cranks to and fro shaving off little bits of metal while I do something else could be almost as good.

I couldn't care less how it was made, I just want the part in an efficient, timely manner. It's not as as if cranking handles on manual machines is a romantic mystical process tinged with magic. It's just work.

I've watched a number of Keith Fenner's videos because he has some interesting jobs, and shoots them clearly. But he is so boring, and the sheer length of each video exacerbates that.

I follow my grandfather's advice on that: converting gives you another chance to f^#k up, learn to work in both. So although my machines are metric(as you would expect when they were bought new in the 21st century), on the rare occasions imperial jobs come up, I push the button on the digital caliper, and get an inch micrometer out of the drawer.

There are worse: don't ever work for a company that feels the need for each department to have a mission statement. Astonishingly my Out on time for the stores was approved, even though it had nothing to do with the stock.

Being empowered by a manager means he's getting you to the job he's too lazy/incompetent/inept/ignorant/playing golf to do himself.

The redundant insertion of "solutions" is one that always annoys me. Two I've recently seen on vans: Maintenance and repair solutions to all makes of tailifts and Logistics solutions. Deleting solutions from both of those makes no difference to the meaning.

Some years ago a customer pointed out a number of particularly puerile slogans on passing lorries, and now I can't help noticing them.Occasionally there are some that are worth reading, Poultry in motion on a Sussex Turkey Farm truck was good

You should try driving a vehicle with a 90kmh limiter. Anyone who doesn't drive on it whenever possible is going to struggle to get their work done. Many of them are on such tight schedules they won't have enough hours to get home at the end of the day. Slowing them down any further on dual carriageways etc is going to create an even bigger speed differential between them and 'Us' and that's already the biggest cause of crashes. Spreading them out would make already overcrowded roads even worse - this would be the biggest improvement of driverless vehicles, they ought to be able to run virtually touching at all times. But at that point you might as well just couple them all together, and make all the passenger compartments public. We would need to come up with a name for such vehicles, as 'train' is already taken.

And ensure you don't use any dangerous chemicals to start the fire.

Is the occasional use of a side knurling tool really any worse for the machine than a common operation like parting off? Considering the small sizes of most of our parts, I would be more concerned about distorting the workpiece with a side knurler. Mine was knocked up in a few minutes to allow the use of a straight knurl wheel I found in a box, apart from proving it works I haven't used it yet.

The small scissor knurler I bought struggled on 25mm stainless bar in my old minilathe, but was OK in other materials. It's better in the bigger machine I now have.

Especially annoying when the pretty rendered pictures have a whole sheet to themselves.

Doesn't a Powerfile already have a speed controller?

I'm sure my some-made-up-brand copy does. It's not something I use very much, mainly for weld prep and finishing in tight spaces like door-shuts.

Ron, I liked the idea, but as part of a tidy up wanted something NOW:

and a close up:

It's a 700mm length of 25x3 steel left over from another job, and 10 pieces of 25x1 cut 75mm long, with a guessed at 30degree bend 25mm from the end. They are welded 25mm apart, and the whole lot is screwed to the cupboard door next to the lathe.

I don't believe in making things complicated, so the only measurement was the first 75mm hanger; everything else was marked out using it, or its width which explains the 25mm spacing.

There's probably 30minutes work in it, all done with handtools and it owes me about £5. A little grinding and a coat of paint would pretty it up, but I'm calling it finished.

Edited By Nicholas Wheeler 1 on 10/08/2016 17:16:42

I think you have those definitions back to front.

RAs are a common part of everyday life; it can be as simple as looking both ways before stepping off a curb, checking the temperature of the bath water before you get in, or ensuring that the cat isn't asleep on the top stair when you go for a piss at 03:00. Or at work: ensuring that the object you're about to pick up and carry across to the bench is manageable, secure and that the route is clear; checking that the scaffold you're expected to work on 5 storeys up is secure and properly built; or that you have the necessary PPE to use the chemicals that the job requires. A good RA ought to be a deliberate application of common sense and experience.

It's so retailers can prove they are taking the age restrictions seriously, and not making alcohol readily available to 15year olds

Believe they're slow blow, but I sold my mini-lathe two years ago. I did buy a packet of the fuses over from Maplins for about £2

There's no such thing as a cheap hobby! At least our equipment is useful for other things; try fixing a broken saucepan handle with a set of golf bats