Here is a list of all the postings not done it yet has made in our forums. Click on a thread name to jump to the thread.
Thread: Tube Benders |
12/06/2023 15:33:02 |
Wall thickness and hole diameter can make a large difference to the job. Thin-walled tubing is obviously more difficult to bend neatly. |
Thread: Drill Press Wear |
12/06/2023 09:52:05 |
It is unlikely that the machine has ‘reached the end of the road’ if the owner is determined to repair it - but it does rather depend on how much that wear might be and the skill and determination of the repairer. It is often simply a case of economics, but sometimes a matter of dogged determination on the part of the user. A minimal amount of wear could, on the other hand, not be too important for many users. They are not often used for very precise duties. |
Thread: Tube Benders |
12/06/2023 09:44:19 |
Ask the vendors, before purchasing? Avoid those that do not reply and retain a copy fromthe vendor you choose. Check the reply for truth, on arrival of the bender. Return, if they did not tell the truth. |
Thread: Making a large washer. |
12/06/2023 09:38:47 |
Before I had a lathe, I made several large washers, over a few years, by use of a “Practool”. It has largely fallen out of favour since, but might still be useful for cutting large holes in sheet metals in the field. |
Thread: Metric Thread kit |
12/06/2023 09:34:18 |
Agree entirely with Martin. I’ve yet to come across a lathe that could not be wired for both forward and reverse rotation, but I expect there are a few tinier lathes in this category. Using a cutter holder which ‘skips’ on the return direction would help considerably if doing a lot of threading that way. I have one, but never used it. |
Thread: Radius Fixture |
12/06/2023 09:25:51 |
I ‘potentially’ need to make some parts with precision curved sliding fits. I’ve never even considered doing it before now, but maybe if I could make this fixture, I might be able to attack such jobs with a tad more confidence. I await the vid on his results and usefulness, but somehow doubt I would manage anything to the precision he seems to set for himself. In summary, probably too good for my skill level - so it’s likely never to be followed up.🙂 |
Thread: An expesive day |
11/06/2023 07:01:36 |
Ugh, I watched that video. Everyone knowing anything about engine repairs should, at least, now know not to entrust any engine repairs to that pair of amateurs. Yet another poor video of a job that should be completed properly by competent mechanics. Keep well away from M and J Automotive, is my advice. |
Thread: Wasting Time |
09/06/2023 13:07:28 |
Posted by Hopper on 09/06/2023 11:23:23:
The classifieds are there for the active forum members. Welcome to the forum. Currently, we don’t actually know if this poster intends to be an active member or not. |
Thread: How did early Automatic gear boxes on cars work? |
09/06/2023 13:04:38 |
Posted by Simon Robinson 4 on 05/06/2023 15:39:49:
In modern Automatic cars the Engine management system detects the need for a gear change through things like the MAF sensor which detects strain on the engine. But in early automatic transmission cars there were no computers or even MAF sensors etc. So how did the planetary transmission system know when the engine was under strain such as climbing a hill or moving in slow traffic etc? In a few years time, the modern gearboxes will, I expect, all be single speed reduction, so no longer a need for electronics to control the gearbx.🙂 This is an interesting thread on bygones and those that preserve them. I just off-loaded my last automatic gear-boxed vehicle. All I remember of the 1970’s Borg Warner three speeders was that there must have been an over-ride switch (as well as smooth control for normal progress) when the ‘kick-down’ was required. The minis, with the four speed box, had an easy change from top to third, rather than the less-than-precise manual selection with the three speeders (really only required for maintaining a lower ratio, rather than anything else). |
Thread: M6 LH die |
09/06/2023 12:45:20 |
Er, yes. Depends on whether hand threading or doing it on the lathe. Lathe spindle direction would need to be reversed. |
Thread: mini lathe dial accuracy |
09/06/2023 12:42:03 |
My initial thoughts were the same as Tim and Andrew. Next was when the OP said ‘sesitive but not necessarily that accurate made me wonder if a dti was being mistaken for a micrometer. Other thoughts were whether the carriage and/or cross slides were locked down if/ when checking the compound travel. A decent thread gauge may well be good enough to prove/demonstrate if the threads are imperial or metric? Don’t ‘sneak up” is my advice. The cut will be consistent only as long as the increments are the same. Get used to taking the last couple of cuts (at least) with the same depth of cut and feed rate. Better to take a deeper cut than trying to cut the last 0.02mm on the lathe - most especially if using un-polished carbide cutters/inserts. |
Thread: Dore Westbury mk2 alternative |
08/06/2023 09:24:19 |
I’ve no idea of the capacity and capabilities of the DW. My smaller mill is a Raglan which I am very pleased to own and use. Myford Boy (‘engine builder’ on here) has made loads of youtube videos where the Raglan is seen in use. |
Thread: How did early Automatic gear boxes on cars work? |
06/06/2023 14:10:40 |
Manual gearboxes were extremely difficult to use until the introduction of synchromesh - mass produced cars were still being made with synchro on only some of the ratios right up until the 1960s. Until then silent gear changing without crunching was a skill and even then a moments inattention could make things noisy - and too much attention could lead to an accident. Nick, Only a decade out (depending on whether you included the ‘60s). Think Minis, Minors, Hillmans, Fords and maybe a few others. I expect it was the Japanese imports, that came along later in the decade, that gave the industry a sharp kick up the rear. Likely ‘68 when ford introduced synchro on all gears, but may have been released on the Mkll Cortina in ‘67? The morris Minor never did get an all-synchro box and was last made in ‘71. My Mum only passed her test in about ‘69/70. She was taught in a Hillman 1500. She never ever started off in first gear in her Escort Ghia, unless on a steep incline, because that was the way she was taught!🙂 |
06/06/2023 07:33:39 |
An old coach, used during the early 1960s as a school bus, had an automatic gear box ‘of the earlier years’. Manual selection, but the gear box changed gear with no more driver input than easing off the throttle to change up to the higher gear. Maybe dipped the clutch pedal to change down? Can’t remember, but the gear was pre-selected and no further operation of that by the driver. I would guess it was likely a late 1940s or early 1950s model? Likely a Bedford? A 29 seater petrol which was fairly crammed with passengers (some were transferred to another vehicle part way to school) as we normally almost filled a 41 seater. I expect the transfer was a means of reducing costs as it was not the only time we had to change school buses during the school journey - only in the mornings, when the original pick-up coach on a different school route to another town. Our most regular coach was a 41 seater Leyland with the door about ‘mid-ships’. A large under-floor diesel which had a gear stick about 3 feet long, vertical from the floor beside the driver. |
Thread: Workshop Lighting |
03/06/2023 09:13:49 |
Posted by duncan webster on 03/06/2023 00:16:40:
I've just replaced a very old 4ft fluorescent with a 5ft LED tube. Reduced my power consumption by a whole 10W, but you now need sunglasses compared to what it was before. A dark corner of the workshop is now well lit. OK the tube was pretty old, but the fitting was at least 50 years old, so I splashed out on anew one rather than messing about converting it. Same here. I replaced a 5’ fluorescent, with a 4’ LED, in the kitchen about 3 or 4 years ago (time flies!). Lower power (tube was 60W) and light far brighter. No problem with striking or warming up, no excuse for not turning off the light when not in the kitchen. Generally a good job done with mostly lots of brownie points from SWMBO (apart from there now being no excuse for leaving on the light all the time!). The original fluorescent, fitted in the original kitchen (now the utility room) is still good - far better than the one fitted about 30 years ago in the extension. I’ve no idea of the relevant efficiencies of the older and newer tube fittings but the original is still bright and has only had one (or perhaps two) tubes in 50 years. The newer one ate starters and tubes. But the facts remain that the LED fitting is far superior to the fluorescents in every way. |
02/06/2023 17:45:00 |
I do recall a video about wattless power, and smart meters that are able to and could/will soon measure our domestic usage including it. Bigclivedotcom I think? |
Thread: Bought a new vice |
02/06/2023 17:34:42 |
Guess you bought the smaller version - or your new parallels would need up-grading.🙂 I still prefer the type II, btw.😉 |
Thread: Colchester Bantam 1600 |
02/06/2023 11:36:07 |
Oh goody! I’m very pleased, now, that I never bought a Colchester. I hadn’t realised that it could only turn and part off (isn’t ‘parting off’ one form of turning?)!! I’ve been spared that grievous mistake, made by so many Colchester owners. Question : Do all Colchester owners have to own at least one other lathe? Do shout out if you only run the Colchester, too. It might make a good topic for a forum poll? |
Thread: Frozen Morse Taper Arbor |
31/05/2023 13:12:40 |
Nick and Hopper, Thanks for the pics. Saves a lot of my words! I tied mine together as one of the pair can easily go flying when the joint parts. The screw extraction aid for adapter sleeves is still on the Arc site. I believe the older) Clarkson collet holders used a threaded ring - possibly more for stiffening support for the whole MT arrangement, but would also aid taper removal? One only has to look back on the forum where inclined planes have been used as force multipliers. Machinery/vehicles are loaded onto trailers by use of ramps; I unloaded my Centec from a trailer using an ‘inclined plane’; I unloaded the ~100kg base of my surface grinder by gently sliding it down a ramp; I unloaded my Raglan lathe from my Citroen Saxo using the same method. My brother shifted out his old Aga and shifted in its replacement with the aid of slightly sloping rails - out was hard work as it was up-hill but the slope was shallow enough for him to easily control the one going in. Oh, and blacksmith drills, with tangs, are historically removed from heavy drills using a cross wedge driven in from the side (acts perendicularly downwards because the tang is curved). I am very confident that the wedges and perhaps an additional impulsive force from a metal mallet will break that taper free - unless it was pulled in by a gorilla and severely shrink-fitted as well. There is always the exception… |
Thread: Keyless car theft has never been so easy |
31/05/2023 08:22:52 |
Some on here think these keyless systems are unsafe, but forget that these are generally high-value vehicles that are nicked. The scroats certainly will target them if it is esy pickings. But I expect these thefts are a minority when considered as a simple percentage of stolen vehicles. The scroats will take possession of other people’s property if given the opportunity - whether vehicles or other items. Keyless systems are becoming more secure. Agreed, some systems are susceptible - some high value vehicles were easily nicked - Range Rovers were one marque that where the keyless system was very seriously flawed in the first implementations. Some people don’t remember (or conveniently forget) that some vehicles were simple to break into when air bags were first fitted! Air bag deployment automatically unlocked the doors - so it didn't take long for some to realise that a heavy thump, with something like a lump hammer, on the vehicle towing point on some cars set off the airbags and unlocked the doors to allow simple and easy entrance. Not theft of the vehicle but easy to nick the contents - and an expensive repair job for the owner. Go back further and car keys were a joke for some brands. I once borrowed a bunch of Ford car keys from my local police station (back when the station was manned in the evening (at least). I had locked myself out of my cortina and needed to gain access to drive home. I think it was about the second or third key that opened my car door. One does not hear of many Rolls Royces being stolen - valuable, but not easy to sell on or break for parts! If the scroats really want your car, they will take it. Do not think you are invulnerable, unless extensive steps are taken to avoid it. That will be whether they can drive or carry it away. Whether garaged or not - but obviously they will take the easiest pickings - they would get it one way or another. One even hears of ‘carjacking’. While expensive mercs and rangerovers receive news coverage, the thousands of cars stolen by joy-riders are only local news - if that. Most insure their vehicles under a policy which includes theft. It is unfortunate that the policy cost will rise if a claim arises the policy, but it is generally much less than the loss of the vehicle. I’m guessing Ady1 does not even own a vehicle with keyless locking? Just scaremongering? It won’t change much, however - the scroats will always be catching up on new security, but they will find ways to continue their thieving ways - be sure of that!
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