Member postings for Dave Yates 1

Hi Neil

I have a Colchester Master 2500 that gets used in my bicycle frame building business. It came out of a College in Glasgow and is in immaculate nick, the four jaw had never been on the machine!!. I have collected a good range of tooling for it and it gets used on every frame I make from just simply facing head tubes to length to scewcutting steering columns and making the odd fitting that is not available from my usual supplier.

Cheers

Dave Yates

Thanks for the input chaps, I think Bob is closest. Probably a machine for a one action special purpose. I shall attempt to do further research when I get a minute. I suppose they may be of interest to someone as the basis of a project !!!

Cheers

Dave Yates

I recently acquired a job lot of "good stuff" or "junk" as SWMBO refers to it. Amongst the various bits were these two odd small lathes. I can find no reference to the make, Blackman of Maidenhead on Tony Griffiths site. Can anyone identify them. The carriage is fixed to the bed with only the cross slide moveable. I assume they are some sort of second op machine.

Cheers

Dave Yates

I was there on Sat. and I too left with a lighter wallet having found most of what I wanted. "Found" being the operative word as, like Mike, I spent a good deal of time looking for stands, signage could be a lot better. Like others we only found the upstairs bit by chance. I might be a grumpy old git but I do prefer the layout at Harrogate with most of the trade stands together in the first hall and all the club stands together in the second. Having said that the huge catering area was markedly superior both in quality and price  Does anybody know if the show will be back at Harrogate next year or is this a permanent move.

Some super models on show and I left marvelling at the skill and patience of the builders

Dave Yates

Edited By Dave Yates 1 on 23/05/2016 08:20:33

Further update

DRO is fixed !!! I got a call from Darren at Goodwin technology today. They managed to fix it and it is on its way back as I write. Cost a lot less than the replacement I was braced for. Super chap to deal with, thoroughly recommend the company.

That is a mistake I will not be making again.

Cheers

Dave Yates

Thanks for the warm welcome chaps.

Bob

Theors geordies aall ower th place.

Michael

I am enjoying every minute of it !!!

Bricky

I have actually been to the last two Spalding ME exhibitions, I am going to miss this years as I will be away in Kent that weekend on a Knife forging course

Ben

We sold a lot of Diabolos, the finish you mention was known as the b---w job because the pattern was acrylic ink dropped on the wet paint then blown about with a straw.

JasonB

I have actually worked on a few TJQ frames, very nice they were. If anybody is interested there are some pics on our website at **LINK**

Neil

I have worked on countless Dawes frames over the years, they built decent stuff at a decent price, I like the new style you have brought to the Mag, keep up the good work.

Howard

As mentioned above I will not be there this year but hopefully next.

Cheers

Dave Yates

This is by way of a formal introduction, I have already posted in the Help Required area and received some excellent advice, thanks to all who replied.

I have lurked on the site of and on for some time and have subscribed to MEW for a number of years.My main interest is in building bicycle frames which I have been involved with since 1976 (when Noah was a lad, and before Pontius went solo) Before that I was a teacher of craft subjects ie metalwork, woodwork and tech drawing. That was back in the days when kids in school actually made things on nasty dangerous machines before the safety elf reigned supreme. I packed in teaching in 1980 and set up a business building custom bike frames, M.Steel Cycles .We had a retail shop in Gosforth and a framebuilding workshop in Wallsend It went well for many years until in 2005 we were forced to close the framebuiding side due to falling demand because of cheap aluminium imports from the far east.

I moved to a smallholding in Lincolnshire with my then partner, now wife Debbie and we set up Dave Yates Cycles and Engineering the same year. We extended a building to make a decent workshop and have been here ever since. I knew there would be enough work to keep just me busy and having reduced my overheads at a stroke this proved to be the case. I am now semi retired being very selective about which jobs I take on. I build new frames, repair, alter, and respray older steel frames and run courses for enthusiasts to come and build their own frames

I have always been into machine tools since I discovered the delights of making swarf when I was at Wallsend Technical School in the 60's. and have always had access to machines since then. However the workshop I have now is the one I have always wanted . Currently I have a Colchester Master 2500, a Bridgeport, a Union cutter grinder, an Eagle surface grinder, a Kerry Super 8 and Progress3a pillar drill, a Q&S power hacksaw and have recently acquired a Super 7 from Russ B of this parish. Most of it has a legitimate use in the business (well, I can argue the case quite well) There is also Oxy Acetylene kit, a Lincoln 255 Square wave TIG set, a paint shop for stove enameling and a shot blast cabinet which are definitely part of the business but very handy for all sorts of "stuff"

In addition to bicycle frames I also make custom knives and sticks. I just love making things and it is what makes me tick. I hope I can make some worthwhile contributions to the forum in whatever form

Cheers

Dave Yates

Now then chaps,

Update on the latest situation,

Transformer arrived yesterday (is'nt t'interweb wonderful !!) Installed it after checking resistances etc, held my breath and switched on. Eureaka!!, it works. The motor even ran the right way . DRO console despatched to Goodwin Technology for inspection so just have to wait for the verdict.

Les,

I decided to go with Goodwins as Darren knows exactly what he is talking about and can give a rapid turn round no matter what the result of the inspection, it will be expensive or very expensive !!! Like I said I will not make that mistake again in a hurry. I intend to connect the DRO via a separate 3pin plug to eliminate any possibility of a recurrence.

Cheers

Dave Yates

Les

I tried replying last night from my tablet thingy but it appears to have fled into cyberspace without trace.

The picture is of the inside of the DRO console box showing the fried component. The transformer in question is in the main control box behind the lathe headstock. It is a 50va 415/110v unit that supplies the contactors for the motor, pump and electric brake. The 415v obviously comes from two phases (L1 and L2 I think) with the input disconnected and measuring across the input terminals on every resistance scale on my meter I get 0 ohms, no fractions, no small numbers just a plain 0. I have located a replacement which thanks to the wonders of the internet is on its way to me so I should be up and running again by Tuesday.

The DRO however is another (expensive) kettle of fish. I spoke to Darren at Goodwin Technology via the link kindly supplied by Nick. He reckons that the chances of of retrieval are slim but is willing to have a look. They work on a no fix no fee basis so I have nothing to lose by trying. If fixable they charge #110+vat if not then #245 for a replacement guaranteed for 6 months.

This is a mistake I will not be making again anytime soon.

Once again thanks for all the help it is much appreciated.

Cheers

Dave Yates

Now then Gentlemen,

Thanks very much for the rapid replies.

Chris

The fuse is toast !!! it exploded and left very small pieces in the holder

Nick

That link looks good, I will contact them this afternoon

Andrew

That is exactly what I have done I will remove the bits from the fuse holder and attempt to clean it out before I do anything. Your link also looks promising (I am in Lincolnshire)

Les

The transformer is the 415 to 110 in the lathe control box that feeds the contactors. I was getting a cross phase dead short and I traced it back to this transformer. When I put the meter across the two 415v input terminals I got a 0 ohms reading I assume from this that the insulation is less than perfect

Thanks again for the help, I will let you know how I get on.

Cheers

Dave Yates

I worked out how to post pics!!

Edited By JasonB on 01/04/2016 12:24:38

Edited By JasonB on 01/04/2016 12:25:00

Now then Gentlemen (and Ladies)

Being new on the forum I had intended to introduce myself via the appropriate part of the forum. However I find myself in a bit of a pickle and need some advice from those with more knowledge than me.

I own a nice Colchester Master 2500 which has run very happily for the last 8 years or so. I had it wired through a plug and socket which allowed me to swap the power with my grinders. I acquired a changeover switch to make life a little easier and set about installing said switch. The cable from the lathe to the switch contains 4 black wires ie 3 phase and neutral (I'm sure you can all see where this is going) I had all the cable ends labeled but I must have got a phase and neutral crossed. Started the motor, it sounded like a bag of hammers, stopped it very quickly thinking, its running backwards, change two phases. Did that, still the same, then I made the mistake of switching the DRO on to see if that was working. Loud bang and everything in the workshop went off as the RCD tripped.

Net result, blown transformer on the control side and blown fuse and I think it is a capacitor next to the fuse in the DRO box 9blue, about 12mmdia with two wires. The transformer is not a prob as I have located one and sent groats across the airwaves for a new one. My question is does anybody know a) is it a capacitor and b) what value. I have taken a pic but I'm not sure how to post it.

I realise I may have totaled the whole unit but worth an attempt if I can find the right component. Failing that has anybody got a surplus Anilam DRO box off a Colchester

Cheers

Dave Yates