Member postings for Grindstone Cowboy

I think a steep learning curve means there is a lot TO BE learned in a short time, rather than a lot IS learned in a short time.

Rob

Don't know anything abut canoes (?), but you may find these instructions on posting photos useful.

Links to https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=103028&p=1

Rob

My go-to for instruments is lighter fluid - dissolves most old oils and grease and leaves a very slight oily residue. The cheaper it is, the more oily it tends to be.

Rob

Just a small point - Michael references Shell Energy, David recommends swapping to Octopus. Apparently Octopus are going to take over Shell Energy in the not too distant future, so I don't know if that will have any effect on their respective feed-in rates.

Rob

I guess that Tuesday is a typo for Thursday? If so, I'll come and have a look.

Rob

Probably your best bet is to get someone like Speedy Cables to re-calibrate the speedo head - I had this done for my Mini-based kit car, you just have to tell them how many turns of the cable there are for a certain number of turns of the wheel, then they sort it all out for you.

Rob

Edit - totally missed the coincidence of their company name and your username!

Edited By Grindstone Cowboy on 28/09/2023 18:12:50

I'd certainly investigate other suppliers, mine is currently 29.684p per kW/h and 48.34p per day guaranteed for the next 14 months.

Rob

Ticket now claimed.

I was planning on attending the exhibition with a friend, but he's now unable to go.

So I have a spare Senior (Over 65) ticket for Thursday 12th October going free to the first person who messages me. I'll need an email address to send it to.

Rob

FAQ on posting pictures can be found here. A bit complex, but hopefully will be sorted when the new forum software arrives.

Links to https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/postings.asp?th=103028&p=1

Rob

Not had time to go through the entire list, so don't know if there's anything about engineering plastics - a better search facility would help - but this would be a start to finding RS Guides to various things.

Links to https://uk.rs-online.com/web/content/discovery/ideas-and-advice

Rob

Good point! I can't remember, to be honest - I still have one in the shed somewhere so might have a look one day (it's earmarked for a generator project).

You are probably correct about the roller bearings

Rob

Memory may be failing a bit, but I recall the Honda G42 engine used a dipper/splash system and ran reliably from idle up to bursts of at least 2500 rpm for twelve hours a day, seven days a week for a six/seven month season on leisure go-karts I used to work with.

Just found this which quotes an even higher RPM of 4000!

Links to https://www.engine-specs.net/honda/g42.html

Rob

I think I have mentioned this before, but for everywhere in the UK that the Post Office will make a delivery, there exists a DPS (Delivery Point Suffix), which in conjunction with the postcode, uniquely identifies where the mail will go. In the case of a residential caravan park, for example, this could be the site office - delivery to individual units would then be down to the site owner to organise.

Confusion can easily arise when one half of a couple uses their house number, but their spouse just uses a house name - I spent many years working on a computer system sorting people into households, and that was one of the biggest issues we faced. A lot of manual input was required, but it kept me in a job

Rob

But some of them might let their wives to sleep late

I'll get me coat...

Rob

+1 on the bump stop - I had a pillar drill with a black rubbery (neoprene?) washer in that position. Does it go up and down with the quill and not rotate? If so, most likely a bump stop, and if it is, the one you have looks like it would still do the job OK.

Rob

Edited for missing letters - must get new batteries in wireless keyboard

Edited By Grindstone Cowboy on 04/09/2023 14:34:37

Isoflex liquid rubber, as used on flat roof repairs, is also good - coated the underside of my kit car with it. It's not cheap, but worth it.

Rob

Popping it in the freezer for a day might help stiffen it up enough to be more easy to machine. Of course, you're then fighting the fact that it's warming up as you go, so work fast

Rob

Thanks Noel

I don't think I'm getting enough to make a bell with, unfortunately. From the little I've read on the subject so far, you are quite correct, a bit of a black art.

Rob

Or, looking at Wikipedia, a tin rich relative of bronze which apparently runs at around 12% tin, plus traces of other metals. Their article on bell metal is actually quite interesting, and mentions cannons, valve bodies, piston rings, bearings, and bushings, so maybe it could come in useful

As far as I know, the bells are from around 1870, when (allegedly) they were cast by "digging a hole in a field and pouring molten metal in" - I'm sure it must have been a bit more complex than that!

Rob

Edit - thanks, Old Mart, you posted whilst I was typing - bushes and bearings seem to be favourite, then. Once I get hold of it, I'll hack off a bit and see how well it machines - I'm thinking possibly carbide tooling may be necessary.

Edited By Grindstone Cowboy on 25/08/2023 21:45:22