Member postings for Stuart Smith 5

If you do a search on this forum you will find discussions about this topic before, though I think the last one was about their plasma cutter which had the same message.

The next comment on the Lidl website explains it:

• Both conducted and radiated interference can make it difficult to ensure electromagnetic compatibility in these areas

I bought one last year and it is fine, though it is a different model.

If you do look at the previous discussions, you will find a variety of opinions from the ‘don’t worry it will be ok’ to the ‘ it is illegal and you shouldnt have one because it doesn’t comply with some regulations on emissions’.

As a retired electrical distribution engineer, my view is that you don’t need to worry. 

Stuart

Edited By Stuart Smith 5 on 23/06/2023 19:49:00

Matt

I don't think you will get an optical type scale that will fit in the space available.

I have a WM16 and fitted this type from Arceurotrade (I had already fitted them to the X & Y axiis):

**LINK**

I used the 150mm one and cut it to fit.. The display that comes with them is no better than the one already fitted to the mill, but you can mount it in a better place.

I actually replaced the displays with an Android tablet using the TouchDRO app (https://www.touchdro.com/) and a homemade interface circuit.

Photos are in my album 'Mill DRO'.

If you want an optical scale to match an existing DRO system, I have taken a couple of photos of the smallest one that Warco do (100mm travel). You could make up some brackets to mount it in front of the existing readout.

Stuart

Edited By Stuart Smith 5 on 22/05/2023 00:10:22

Gerry

You don’t say if you have insulation under the concrete, but it may be worth using a layer of 25mm PIR insulation (Celotex or similar) covered with a layer of water resistant chipboard flooring. You could cast pads using self levelling compound just for where your machines are located. My garage/workshop floor is not level, so I cast a pad using self levelling compound for my Warco WM290 lathe. It varies in depth from about 25 to 40 mm thick. I used this Mapei self levelling compound: **LINK**

I think you could do the whole floor with it but it would be expensive.

Stuart

Tristan

I noticed on the Warco website that they offer a service to education including installation etc.

This is a link to the page on their website:

**LINK**

There is also a link to their blog where they show details of some of the installations they have done.

Might be worth talking to them.

Stuart

Paul

As others have said, you can fit the backplate to the lathe and machine it to fit your chuck.

This YouTube video shows the process:

**LINK**

Stuart

Kevin

I have a Warco WM16 mill which looks to be a similar design.

I bought it secondhand and it was in a first floor workshop with access via a narrow staircase.

I split it into 3 parts to move it.

I removed the head in one complete part with just 3 nuts/bolts to remove. I watched this video on you tube to see how to do it. He went over the top making a block to hold it. I just lowered mine onto a block of wood on the table. **LINK**

Then I removed the table just leaving the base and column together. I removed the complete x/ y table by winding it forwards. I had to remove the lead screw nut from under the table . It was held in place by 2 screws, accessed from the back. This is the heaviest part but one person can lift it though best with 2. (My son in law moved it from my car to my workshop on his own before I had chance to help!)

Myself and previous owner carried the parts down the stairs between us without any problems.

So you should have no trouble doing the same.

You can download a manual from the US site of Grizzly tools which looks like a similar design. **LINK**

Stuart

John MC

I have 3 of these fitted to my mill and found the display a bit small, so I made an interface box to use the scales with the TouchDRO app on a cheap android tablet. It uses an Arduino nano and a Bluetooth module.

The interface is powered by a 5v plug in psu via the micro usb socket on the Arduino nano.

This then provides power to the scales using the 3v output from the Arduino. Even though the connectors on the scales are micro usb types they are not 5v.

This is picture of the TouchDRO app. This one is on my mini lathe.

Stuart

Edited By Stuart Smith 5 on 14/04/2023 16:58:49

Edited By Stuart Smith 5 on 14/04/2023 17:02:06

Robin

Your main earth is still provided by the earth terminal at the main fuse. 

 With a PME (protective multiple earth) system the neutral is connected to earth at the substation and the mains cable and individual service cables to each house have a combined neural/earth conductor rather than separate neutral and earth. At the meter position, the main fuse unit (cutout) has a fused live and the combined neutral/earth is connected to two terminals - neutral and earth to give the separate neutral and earth for the internal wiring. The neutral is also earthed at the end of the mains cable.

With a traditional system, the neutral is only connected to earth at the substation ( although it may also be connected to earth at other points if the cable has more recent alterations using combined neutral/earth cables or if PME type services have been connected to the main).

The earth bonding cables to the water and gas services are to ensure that the electrical earth and any other metalwork in the house are kept at the same potential. The downside of a PME system is that if there is a break in the neutral conductor , the voltage on the earth terminal in the properties past this point will be floating relative to true earth. The additional earth at the end of the main is to provide an alternative path and restrict this voltage. 

Stuart

Edited By Stuart Smith 5 on 09/04/2023 23:55:53

Edited By Stuart Smith 5 on 10/04/2023 00:00:03

It might be worth trying model engineering or model railway clubs near Nelson. Looking on the internet I found 2 which are local to Nelson:

Pendle Forest Model Railway society:

**LINK**

Burnley and Pendle Miniature Railway Society:

**LINK**

One of the members might know the owners or have some information.

Stuart

Edited By Stuart Smith 5 on 03/04/2023 15:09:50

Edited By Stuart Smith 5 on 03/04/2023 15:11:58

Just found this video of a gas fired loco in the USA.

**LINK**

Nigel

If you have WiFi you should be able to print to a printer wirelessly. I have had a Samsung laser printer for a while and can print to it from my laptop, IPad and phone.

Stuart

Try contacting machine dro. This one on their website might be suitable:

**LINK**

Stuart

Hopper

This is an old weaving mill. I have not been for a few years but it is a stationary mill engine.

I think it was run by mostly volunteers and the engine was only in operation on certain days.

Stuart

Another vote for using a pipe freezing kit to fit a valve.

I fitted an extra radiator recently and didn’t fancy draining the system in winter.

It worked well.

Just make sure you get a kit made for the bigger pipe and if possible fit it near a bend so that you can move the pipe to get room to install the valve. You only need to do one cut of the pipe then.

You would probably want to do this anyway when you install the extra controls.

Stuart

Peter

The router I bought is this one:

With a bit of time, you can adjust it but it is still not that robust. I made a couple of aluminium blocks to hold the gantry in position, loosened the screws and used feelers to hold in position while I tightened everything up.

I used the probe feature to test the spindle height above the table at various points. It is still not perfect, but using the Heightmap feature I managed to get it to mill the pcb ok using a v cutter.

This is a screenshot of the Heightmap in the Candle software:

Stuart

Huub

I recently bought a cheap 3018 CNC router. After looking at various suggestions on this site and others I have used Eagle, Flatcam and Candle to make my first small pcb using this method. It took a bit of experimenting but came out ok. I used the Heightmap feature in Candle which seemed to work ok.

Stuart

Edited By Stuart Smith 5 on 18/01/2023 00:09:08

If it is open to the roof, install a plasterboard ceiling with insulation.

For the floor, I have bought some interlocking rubber mats from Halfords - they are about 10mm thick. They provide some insulation and are more comfortable than standing on bare concrete.

If you can, install a radiator fed from the house CH system. I have just done this and fitted a motorised radiator thermostat to it. I can control the temperature using an app on my phone so it only needs to be on when I want it and can be set to heat up in advance of going to the workshop. I have them on all the radiators ( it is the ‘Wiser home’ system from Schneider). For this particular system you need to replace your traditional CH timer with the Wiser one, but you can buy other brands that are free standing.

Stuart

John

I have used Eagle on and off for a few years. Like you, I usually use veroboard but if I want something to look better it really needs a pcb. I too have recently bought a small 3018 cnc router mainly to drill the pcb holes but also to do isolation routing. I have tried Kicad but as you say struggled with the lack of components, so I have been trying to get to grips with Eagle again (the free hobby use one).

Eagle seems quite easy to use except for the component library part which seems unnecessarily convoluted to use. I have persisted though and managed to design and make a small pcb. You can download additional component libraries from manufacturers websites, RS, Farnell etc. You can also create your own components from scratch and modify existing ones. You can create your own custom library and this is what I have started to do, so I will add to it every time I use a new component.

You can generate gcode by installing an add in to Eagle but I found it didn’t work that well. Instead I export the Gerber and drill files and use Flatcam to generate the gcode for the isolation, drilling and also to generate an outline to cut out the pcb. The gcode may need editing a bit to suit your router, but nothing major.
 

Eagle is free, so it is worth a try.

Stuart

Edited By Stuart Smith 5 on 16/01/2023 11:50:42

Edited By Stuart Smith 5 on 16/01/2023 11:51:06

Edited By Stuart Smith 5 on 16/01/2023 11:51:46

Since it seems I started the house name/number issue with a comment I made, I thought I had better add another comment.

To all those who say all houses have numbers - I don’t know where you live but in my experience it is common for houses just to have names, particularly in rural or semi rural areas.

I had a delivery just before Christmas and the delivery driver rang me to check exactly where we were ( my postcode covers 24 houses over about a quarter of a mile - there are no houses on the opposite side of the road). Talking to him about this issue, he said that he normally delivers to north Wales and he said that some rural addresses there don’t even have a road name.

Noel may be correct in saying that local authorities give numbers to new properties, but they don’t do it retrospectively.

Stuart

Edited By Stuart Smith 5 on 08/01/2023 13:17:32

Andy

I think as Jason says they are different. If you look on the Warco website there are drawings with dimensions for the various size chucks. **LINK**

Stuart