Member postings for Andy Holdaway

Engine Builder - You're right that pin 4 is next to pin 3 on the Arduino board, but once the LCD/Keypad shield is added the pins run 3, 4, 11 etc. The LCD uses the missing pins so they are not available on the shield.

Andy

Have you tried the Crossley Register?

John, I agree with Paul that cheap isn't always the best way to go, and I'm guessing that despite the assurances of the seller that aftersales will be scant at best. That said, it's a risk I'm prepared to take, and only time will tell.

If I was using this in a semi-production environment, I would be no doubt looking at mid to top range gear, but I'm not. This is a very part-time hobby, and I view the DRO as a nice convenience to have. If it fails, it won't stop me doing anything, it will just be inconvenient. You pays your money etc......

Andy

I fitted a second-hand (but little used) Sino DRO to my lathe last year, and once you find a decent manual that's not totally Chinglish it's excellent.

I've also just bought one of these **LINK** to fit to my mill. Cheap as chips with three glass scales, and bound to be more accurate than me! It hasn't arrived yet (tracking tells me it'll be here in 5 days) so we'll see how it looks when it arrives. I'm sure it will be fine for my purposes, and at the price it was too good to refuse!

Andy

Michael,

Glad to hear the pump's now running well - might pay to keep away from strong magnetic fields for a while until you know how stable it is!

Take it easy,

Andy

Carl,

First question - before my stuff gets delivered, I had a search through the drawers and found a UNO, Mega2560 and a DFRobot LCD Keypad shield.

Next step - check out the stepper software. Everything works expect the 'Right' button. I have mapped the button values and I get Right - 0, Up - 100, Down - 257, Left - 409 and Select - 639. I have checked that all buttons read, and with different sketches the buttons work, but for some reason 'Right' does't work with the stepper sketch.

Any ideas? It's not a problm as yet as I won't be using these parts, but it just seems odd that it doesn't work as expected.

Andy

EDIT - It's amazing once you write something down how the fog clears and you solve the problem straight away! I'd messed up the keypress allocation - all working now.

Edited By Andrew Holdaway on 06/12/2016 22:17:40

Dod, not at all, just a quick google! And if something proves to be useful, blow 'elfin safety', just don't use them in public!

Found a couple on the internet. **Etching Pen** and this one **Engraving Pen**

Andy

Edited By Andrew Holdaway on 06/12/2016 07:54:46

I had the plans for one of these that I found on the internet some time ago. It was a scan from a magazine, I think from the '50s. It used a home wound solenoid coil to pulse the tip, which helped to maintain the arc.

I'll have a rummage around my hard drive and see if I've still got it.

Andy

Dave, is this the one you're after? **Opitec Hot Air Engine**

Andy

Edited By Andrew Holdaway on 05/12/2016 21:52:36

You shouldn't have an open circuit as stated above, you will measure the resistance of each of the three coils, which will be half of the resistance that is between A, B and C when connected in Star.

Andy

Thanks keeping this alive Carl.

Parts are ordered (including the 6560!), let chaos commence!

I've actually used Arduino's for a number of projects over the last few years (and PIC's, but that's another story) but never used stepper motors, so I'm keen to play with this and see what it will do.

Andy

Edited By Neil Wyatt on 06/12/2016 14:04:01

Thanks for the info Carl, I'll let you know how I get on.

Andy

Carl, really enjoyed your article on the rotary table, and am considering doing the same. The number of stepper motors, however, appears to be a minefield. I have been unable to find a motor that exactly meets the specs of the one stated in the article.

Could you advise where you obtained yours, with a full description of the motor if possible?

Many thanks,

Andy

I had a VW 412LE car in the 70's that was fitted with a petrol version of the Eberspacher heater. Fantastic when it worked, quite dangerous to fault-find when it didn't!

It also had a timer button on the dash that gave up to 30 minutes preheat. I finally isolated it from both fuel and power when it developed one leak too many. People were often intrigued why my car had two exhausts - one across the back from the engine, and a tiny one behind the rear wheel for the heater!

Windy, that's a wonderful gesture, and I'm sure the recipient(s) will make good use of whatever you pass their way. A great step on the ladder for a young or beginning model engineer.

This is the spirit that I see quite often in our hobby. Well done!

Andy

I've always understood AF to mean 'Across Flats', but I stand to be corrected by those with a greater knowledge than mine!

Andy

Nathan, is this any better? **LINK**

Or if that's not the correct one, there's these https://www.heatraesadia.com/information/literature-library.htm

Edited By Andrew Holdaway on 14/11/2016 00:23:51

But he only appears to be machining balsa wood...........

Also remember that the On-site guide is just that,- a guide. If it doesn't refer to a particular regulation it is a recommendation only.