Member postings for Sakura

I liken Sam Fox to one of those Ferrari look a like kit cars with a VW engine - all show and no go. Well not for the likes of most of us!

Don't touch it! Quote the Sale of Goods and Consumer Protection Act to them. It states that goods should be of merchantable quality and it is generally accepted that that means a lifespan of 6 years. Threaten them with taking them to the Small Claims Court and or reporting them to your local Trading Standards. 18 months is totally unacceptable.

Plus 1 here.

The Chinese have to production drill, they need to undo rusted tight nuts etc etc. They have to do everything we do multiplied by thousands. It stands to reason that with their advanced industry they need top quality gear. Why don't we get it? Probably they can sell all they make at home.

When I worked in an engineering factory they used molten cyanide in the Hardening House. 2 of us maintenance fitters were sent to change the pot. Started to chip away at the grout around the top edge. A piece flew off right onto my tongue. I spent quite a time spitting! The new cyanide tablets lay all over the floor and the blacksmith proudly told us one tablet in the local water tower would be enough to kill the population of the local town! Elf and Safety! Actually, some things have improved for the better. (Ps, I didn't die!)

Exactly my experience.

Wrong on so many levels and yet the skill and outcome is undeniable.

I am by no means an expert in this field but I have read that a high tensile nut is usually unnecessary in a tension situation. The core of a bolt being much smaller than the depth of core to exterior of the nut. I stand to be corrected by those that actually know better.

I'm surprised nobody has suggested the common plumbers trick of blocking the head tank outlet and the system vent (kits are available) and draining down locally, a pint or so,, and then cutting the pipe and installing a valve. I've done it several times.

I used concrete blocks as an inner skin in my workshop as advised by my very good builder. His reasoning was that they take a better fixing in a workshop than thermalite blocks. On reflection I don't believe that I have fixed anything  that couldn't be adequately fixed in thermalite blocks. In view of the cost of energy I think it would be better to gain every advantage you can. It may also be that a change in use in the future would also benefit from good insulation.

Edited By Sakura on 03/02/2023 22:23:23

I use the ones from Lidl with a clamp or a flat base that I put magnets in. About a tenner and are brilliant.

Nicely summed up for me. The joys of getting old! Just remind me again of what they are..........

I always understood that that sort of bike fitting was made of malleable iron. Back when I could see, I just welded as if they were steel. Never had a breakage.

The outer cover is to the usual British gearbox design as far as the outer cover is concerned enclosing the positive stop mechanism and the unique to Albion neutral finder. Not a very good positive stop! As far as I am aware, the box is lubricated with 40w oil, not the semi runny grease that some boxes used. There is a hardened mainshaft sleeve that runs on the mainshaft with no bushes so I wouldn't have thought that grease would penetrate the small clearance. The Albion is about on par with a Vincent box, both serviceable but not amenable to quick changes.

Hi Hopper,

The screw is just to close the oil hole for the gear change and kickstart shafts, as I suspected. It was just idle curiousity on my part that Nick has answered. There is no oil in the outer cover and the level plug is on the rear of the gearbox.

Thanks Nick, position 4 is the very one. I found several parts drawings on line but not that one. Minor mystery solved!

I think it's one of those things you either know or not. It's just a cheese head screw, at a slight inward angle above the gear change shaft. It just appears to close a hole. It's not important, I'm just curious.

What is the 3/16" Whit cheese head screw above the gear change shaft on the outer cover for? I can find no reference to it anywhere. Surely must be to oil lubricate the gear change shaft and kickstart shaft, but if so, why not a grease nipple?

There are at few chrome platers left in the UK but it's. expensive . Typically a front mudguard is around £150. I have spoken to a couple of industrial platers who do zinc and other plating and they say it's nigh impossible to get permission to chrome plate. Existing platers possibly have a bit more leeway? You're absolutely right that it's often more cost effective to buy a new part already chromed than to chrome an original part. Is it still original if it has been rechromed? That's another discussion altogether of course. Home chrome plating does not appear to be an option. On some less valuable bikes I have seen a "chrome" like powder coating used. It's not bad and is a huge cost saving. Who knows how really good it may be in time?