Member postings for Chris Evans 6

I've been using the 90 and 120 degree spotting drills for 25 or 30 years with good results. Somewhere in my workshop I have a few that I altered to suit UNC/UNF with the different (85 degree ?angle) never needed them since. I have to agree the appearance of a more controlled diameter is so much better.

Metal stock is my weakness, I tend to buy full bar lengths of the most popular sizes I need. I hate having to wait to start a job or machine down to size from a bigger section.

It may end up a bit like the old stagecoaches changing horses every 10 miles or so....

First thing I would look at is the 5.5 drill. Is it ground unequally making it cut oversize ? Try another hole using a 5.10 or 5.20 drill as these are nearer to size required.

Welcome along Gordon, lots of us on here tinker with bikes. Motorcycle and the peddle variety.

With stainless it is all about the grade. 303 is nice to machine and thread. 316 a bit tough but good for anti corrosion. 304 is a bitch to be avoided at all costs unless you need to weld it. What grade is your 4mm rod ?

They look worth a punt, never happy with what I get from the optiction and get better results with the cheap ready reader supermarket offerings.

Most counterbores available do not suit a lot of what I do, they all seem to have far to much clearance. OK in a general assembly of wide tolerances but cosmetically poor to my eyes. I have a set of suitable slot drills/endmills to give the results I desire. Having a cutter grinder gives me the luxury of making what is needed but counterboring is not something I do a lot of now.

Welcome along Jason.

Welcome to the forum, put an approximate location on the board There maybe someone local who can advise you.

I have bought toolholders from a few places, some very expensive ones amongst them. None fitted and all where returned.

I then tried one from RDG and the fit was good so I bought a few more. May have hit on a lucky batch ? The finish on the RDG stuff is adequate for practical purposes and they fit my genuine Dickson toolpost.

My Go To vice is an old Jones and Shipman with 6" wide jaws that open around 4 3/4". I use it in preference to a bigger vice for two reasons.

1) It does 80% of my work.

2) I can pick it up without a struggle, the bigger vice is heavy to lift and impossible with it's swivel base. 20 years ago I could still cope !

Different type of work requirement to me. I use my bed stop on nearly every job I do, but then I do seem to make more bolts for motorcycles than is healthy for a chap.....

I bought mine about 18 years ago. Best investment I ever made, I've used it and lent it to people who are simply amazed at what it can do. 100mm hole through 9" of brickwork for a vent was achieved in a few minutes. Used with roto-stop and a chisel it makes short work of removing wall and floor tiles. Only downside of mine being an early design is it is a bit bulky and heavy compared to todays offerings.

David you are correct with this method, my Bridgeport has a 4" raising block which makes it a bit more top heavy but doable. Is the lifting eye point not UNC ? May be different on OP machine as it looks like a clone.

Like Clive I am a fan of the Huffam edge finder. I used one all through my working life even when operating a SIP jig borer. The accuracy is more than good enough.

Know nothing of power steering pumps but did run a series three Land Rover diesel with an electric vacuum pump for the brake servo. It got rid of the stupid butterfly flap set up in the inlet manifold and the engine ran well. Cost around £70 and an hour or two to fit triggered from the brake light switch. Hella U28 pump if anyone needs to know.

Lots of leadscrew available from the likes of Automotion Components etc. Change the screw and nut together then all you need to know is pitch/diameter and length/left or right hand. I have found it easy to modify a standard nut to suit the machine, only downside is you will likely need the mill to modify a standard nut. Most leadscrews are available in 1 metre plus lengths. Very cost effective way to go.

Jeff, I am sure it was Husky that I went to see. Keyboard keycaps, we made around 30 16 impression mould tools for IBM keyboards. That's 30 for the main button and 30 for the printable cap. CNC spark macines came in for the multi cavity stuff. Long retired and out of the game now.

Hi Jeff, it's been about 25 years so I can't remember any company names. One was a "Hot Runner" specialist and they where running multi cavity thin walled margarine containers cycling at about 5 seconds. I managed a toolmaking company for over 20 years, mainly intricate stuff (2 shot/3Shot) stuff no one else wanted to do. We also did mobile phone moulds but as you say the cheap Chinese stuff killed the trade.

Chris