Member postings for PatJ

Welcome to the forum.

You can make castings for replacement parts for motorcycles.

I have seen some of that for Indians.

https://virtualindian.org/3techcasting.htm

We have the technology.

Pat J

I see it more as a utilitarian sort of thing, although I am aware that there are forum folks out there who literally live for "likes" (I won't mention any names, but I am aware of at least one fellow who is rather prolific across multiple forums, and he has stated that his builds are as much for likes and views as it is about his interest in building engines).

For me, it is a simple gauge of interest in a topic.

If I get a lot of likes, then that indicates that folks are interested, and perhaps then I will delve deeper into the topic, and post more items that may also have a shared interest by many.

A topic with no likes is not necessarily a bad topic, but indicates perhaps a lack of general interest in a topic.

And the other thing that I have done when people like my posts is to go read their posts via the "view this person's posts", and I often find many topics of a similar nature that I find interesting.

Connecting with folks and sharing information is what these forums are about for me.

I don't use youtube, facebook, twitter, or any other social media other than modeling forums.

I have a rather bland personality that turns people off on social media, and people don't like folks who speak in a forthright manner, which is what I do.

Quite a few folks like my technical posts, and so I stick to that and stay away from social media.

I was building engines before personal computers came along, and should we have some sort of event, I will still build model engines using steam power if required.

I do learn a lot from others on engine forums, and in particular on this engine forum.

The Brits are the best model engine builders in my opinion, but don't tell my yank friends I said that.

Pat J

Edited By PatJ on 05/10/2023 03:36:30

It definitely looks cleaner.

If we can get anywhere close to what typical modern forum software will do, that would be very helpful, and would make posting things like photos infinitely faster.

Being about to use things like "Like" is great, because you get to connect with the folks reading, and can get verification that they like what you post.

Feedback is very nice on a forum.

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I got the upgrade email.

It can't happen soon enough in my opinion.

Long overdue.

I migrated one forum from SimpleMachines to Xenforo, and it was a huge improvement.

There is much to be gained with today's improved forum software.

No pain, no gain, as they say.

I looked up the quote from the movie "Kelley's Heroes", as follows:

"Always with the negative waves, Moriarty, always with the negative waves. Oddball (Donald Sutherland) with his classic line "Why don't you knock it off with them negative waves. Why don't you dig how beautiful it is out here? Why don't you say something righteous and hopeful for a change?"

So I say it can be done; it should be done.

Damn the torpedoes, full steam ahead !

Pat J

Edited By PatJ on 04/10/2023 16:16:53

I was in the process of designing the replacement for this 5kv switchgear, when it all blew up.

The manager asked me "Do you think we should have replaced this equipment sooner?".

I said "Well................................yes".

You can't make this stuff up.

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My wife cooked quite a bit of bread using "glutton-free" grains.

No free lunch though, I am allergic to all sorts of grains, and allergic to all "glutton-free" grains.

Don't get fooled by the glutton-free label; you still may not be able to eat it.

I miss bread, donuts, pizza, etc.

I don't dwell on it though.

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Humans only recently started eating grains, say in the last 10,000 years or so (check me on that).

Some grains and plants have developed a protection mechanism over time, such that they are highly poisonous if eaten.

Some are just mildly poisonous.

The story is that the Romans had huge industrial scale water-powered wheat grinding facilities, and so the Romans and all that they conquered often were fed wheat.

The Vikings supposedly where never conquered by the Romans, and so they never ate wheat (this the story I heard).

So my folks are Viking folks, and I and most of my family (6 out of 8) have Celiacs.

I discovered this rather late in life (about 20 years ago) when all of the joints in my body became inflamed, and I could hardly move.

I suspected I was dying, but I researched it online, and discovered it was Celiacs.

The doctors I went to (all three) were clueless.

All of my joint pain vanished five days after getting off of glutton.

Most with Celiacs never get diagnosed correctly (70% or more ?).

And items labeled "Gluton Free" often means that they have another grain type in them other than barley, wheat, rye, etc.

I am just as allergic to "gluton free" products with alternate grains as I am to wheat, etc.

And a few years later I became allergic to all dairy foods.

So the question comes up, what do I eat?

Not much really; clean meat and fish with nothing on it, vegtables, some fruit.

I don't eat any processed food of any type.

No beer or alcohol.

And folks ask "How do I know what to eat ?".

Generally, a good guide is "If it tastes good, spit it out".

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Edited By PatJ on 26/07/2023 19:42:34

Thanks Andrew; I think this printer has great promise.

The reason I use Prusa is that they seem to push the limits on new 3D printer technology, they are open-sourced completely, they have 24/7 online help with real people who have knowledge of their printers, and they have an owner who is a nerdy little guy who eats, sleeps, dreams and lives to make the best 3D printer in the world, not some corporate board that is only focused on profits and not much else.

Prusa stands behind their printers 100%, and I need that level of support.

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Edited By PatJ on 15/07/2023 12:20:12

Here is a video that highlights some of the features of the XL printer.

I have a single print head, and I will probably not go the multi-print head route, but I do have that option in the future to add print heads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9peACH52KTo&t=197s

If I were not so covered up with work projects at the moment (long term problem I have), I would deep dive into some engine pattern making and casting work.

There will come a day when I will get caught up with work projects, and then the power of the Prusa XL will be unleashed, and I will be doing some very serious engine casting work.

Pat J

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Edited By PatJ on 15/07/2023 11:57:42

Next print was JasonB's lovely flywheel pattern halves.

I printed these at 12" diameter, and I will use these as pattern halves for an upcoming engine build.

Edited By PatJ on 15/07/2023 11:52:27

My first print was a file that was furnished with the printer, and I tried it to gauge the accuracy of an irregular object that took up a lot of the printer's height.

Again, my only complaint is surface finish, which is slightly more rough on curves surfaces than I would like.

I was surprised at how well this print turned out without any supports under the disjointed canteliever pieces.

Edited By PatJ on 15/07/2023 11:48:02

I purchases a new Prusa XL 3D printer the other day, after being on a waiting list for perhaps a year.

While I don't have much time to use it yet, the reason I went ahead and ordered one immediately after getting an announcement is that Prusa has had severe supply chain issues, and continues to have issues, and so first days orders take a year to ship.

I figured if I waited, the delivery could be years away.

A quick review of the machine in some online videos seems to indicate that many/most folks seem to be very please with their XL's (the few who have been lucky enough to snag one).

I have tried a few prints on the XL, and I must say it seems to be a very stable machine, with no first layer adjustment required, and so far no bed lifting issues like I have had on other machines.

JasonB has provided a magnificent flywheel pattern in 3D to me to use as a test, and I am very impressed with his design.

Jason's flywheel pattern halves printed well with no problems.

I had hoped for slightly better surface finish, but overall I am very impressed with the XL.

Print area is 14" cubed, so best to stock up on filament for this printer.

Pat J

I wear nitrile gloves while machining, 5 mil, XXL and sometimes XL.

They are thin and weak enough to tear if they snag, but they do introduce perhaps a slight bit of snag hazzard.

My lathe does not have an E-stop, although I have purchased one, but not installed it.

My lathe belt is not particularly tight, and so if the lathe is jammed, the belt will slip, as opposed to doing a lot of damage (don't ask me how I know this).

I normally would never wear a glove of any type while machining, but the nitrile have been ok for me, and I have not felt that they created an abnormal hazard.

The reason I wear nitrile gloves in the shop is that I can pop out there, do some work when I have a few minutes, and then pop back inside with clean hands a minute later.

I don't care so much about having clean hands, but I like to avoid exposure to oils, solvents, paints, and foundry materials, all of which can be harsh on the hands.

Edited By PatJ on 15/07/2023 11:30:15

My mom and her two sisters went to high school with Elvis.

Elvis was just a country boy who made the big time.

My aunt has a signed yearbook from Elvis.

I have often asked my mom and aunts what Elvis was like in high school.

They said he was a very nice, kind, and shy person who always carried a guitar strapped on his back, and played in all the high school talent shows.

If you look in Elvis's high school yearbook, there is his photo, and also a photo of my aunt.

And Elvis lived in East Memphis right before he got really famous, a few blocks from my mother.

There are many Elvis stories in this city.

The man who lives next door had a band in the 1950's, and he was asked to open for Elvis.

He declined the job because he said "nobody knows who Elvis it; we don't open for nobodies".

Rags to riches story.

Too many riches ruined a nice fellow.

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Edited By PatJ on 20/01/2023 23:24:30

I have seen a lot of modelers install VFD's in their shop.

They seem to be popular here (US) too.

I have resisted using these devices so far, although I could use one on a hacksaw I purchased that has a 3-phase motor.

The reason I don't use these is as follows:

1. I am concerned about the long-term reliability of the electronics.

2. I am concerned about the spikes that VFD's can put on the input and output, which in turn spikes the motor windings and motor cable, which can cause both to fail over time.

3. I am old-school, and I prefer to use as few electronics as possible in the shop.

Some folks have said that given the small horsepower involved, and the limited usage of hobby shop equipment, the reliability and spike issue is not a problem.

I have specified industrial VFDs for many years, and I use an input inductor to prevent line spiking, and an output filter to prevent motor winding and cable spiking.

Industrial VFDs will indeed ruin your system if you don't watch out for the input/output spikes.

Some new motors are "VFD-rated", but most motors I see are not rated for VFD service.

I don't see VFDs in the hobby going away.

As many have mentioned, they are just too convenient (when they work).

It is similar to how my dad used mechanical dials/readouts on all of his shop equipment, and would not use a digital readout on anything to save his life.

I use digital (electronic with LCD screen) vernier calipers for all sorts of things in the shop, and I would not do shop work without them. I use digital vernier calipers as poor-man's DRO's on the lathe and mill, with great succes and very low cost.

My dad straddled the line with some of his micrometers, which had mechanical digital readout, like the old rotating drum clocks, where the drum rotates to different digits.

My dad swore off all things electronic and computer.

I am not able to avoid computers and such, but so far I don't have any VFDs.

I did buy a nice little kiln controller with SCRs.

Some times you just need and want electronic controls.

I do envy those who have nice DRO on the lathe.

I have to spread my hobby money across foundry and shop machinery, and so I have to be selective about which luxuries I buy.

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Edited By PatJ on 20/01/2023 23:16:54

Welcome.

I am on the same side of the pond as you, a bit to the south and east.

Nice launch !

Pat J

Interacting with folks on the internet is definitely an art.

Its a mixed bag for sure.

One has to become adept at filtering out the unnecessary items from the useful items, and doing so in a diplomatic fashion.

It has been a learning experience for me, and I have become much better at it than when I got on forums in 2011.

There are definitely the armchair folks on the internet who just throw out ideas somewhat without merit, and I am a bit guilty of that myself.

Looking back on 11 years of interacting on multiple model engine forums, there was the good, the bad and the ugly.

But overall, I learned a tremendous amount about model building, and backyard foundry work.

I highly value the knowlege base that is on this forum, and the information I have gotten from folks on this forum has been worth its weight in gold, in modeling terms.

So basically one has to learn to filter.

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Edited By PatJ on 09/01/2023 22:40:08

I have to agree with Ches, that while I love to build things, concentrating on the task at hand has the added benefit of closing out the swirl of other things that goes on in the world, and gives some much needed peace of mind.

And also I can relate to what Martin said, where I had a similar experience with reaching perhaps the lowest point ever in my life. Learning to build models gave me a positive outlet to recover.

I found a couple of books from the 1920's about model builders, and they made their own patterns, and then had the parts cast in iron. I became obsessed with casting my own iron parts, and even though I was told across the board that I would never achieve that in a hobby setting, I did achieve it, and can pour up to 90 lbs of gray iron, and make some flawless gray iron castings of anything I want to make.

I love the feel/mass of iron, and the way it machines and taps. And the old saying is "it wears like iron".

So what I learned is that one can do a lot more in this hobby than many/most/all would let on.

And the fear of damaging a rare or expensive casting is gone.  If I damage or break a casting, I just make another one, and I can make an exact copy of any casting, or recreate almost any old engine.

The "iron club" is a phenomenal thing, and I hope to see many more hobby folks get into it.

When you couple 3D modeling and 3D printing/pattern making, then the sky becomes the limit on what someone can build.

These are exciting times for the hobby for sure.

Pat J

Edit:

I was also told that any iron castings I made would be full of defects, such as blow holes, hard spots, inclusions, etc.  This also was false.  Perfect iron castings that are easily machinable can be made on a hobby level.  There is no excuse for poor quality iron castings from any source.

Edited By PatJ on 08/01/2023 13:11:25

Edited By PatJ on 08/01/2023 13:18:03

As usual the cold blast did not last in the Mid-South.

I am back to running my A/C window unit today, since it is 60F outside now, and the indoor temperature tends to creep up with the computers and stuff running.

If you don't like the cold weather in the Mid-south, just wait a few days.

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