Member postings for Ian McVickers

Nick your right. I've been happy with Norton for a very long time but simply couldn't believe it when I found out the keys are geo-locked. The other annoying thing was their tech support only really being interested in selling me something else rather than fixing the issue.

Evening all.

I`m currently enjoying our family holiday in Orlando, apart from the thunderstorm the other night. It sounded like a bomb going off on the roof. I've never heard thunder so loud. Anyway back on topic. I got an email the other day saying that my Norton subscription was about to expire in 30 days, no issue I thought I`ll fix it when I get home. Anyway using my table last night got a message from Norton saying my trial version has expired and I need to renew it. Strange since I don't have a trial version. Anyway tried to log in and use my existing subscription for the rest of the month but it wouldn't let me, even though I should have been covered for another 30 days. So tried again today with the same results so I contacted Norton on line chat. After about 30 minutes of to and fro chat they eventually gave me a temp key to cover me until I get back home after trying several times to sell me upgrades and new deals for the next year. So basically it comes down to this, If you use Norton and have bought your product from a retailer then the activation keys for it are geo-locked and if you log out of Norton while you are away from home using your device then the protection stops working. In my case it logged me out on its own, Norton runs at start-up and should stay running. The only warning I got was when it said my trial version had expired. I've taken my tablet or laptop with me on holiday loads of times and never had this issue before but it never been near subscription renewal time, coincidence or am I just being sceptical?

So this unhappy long term Norton customer is moving elsewhere.

Helicoil kit would be my choice.

Floor swept and crap hoovered out of the machines at end of each day. Not a total clean each timebut get rid of most of the swarf then spray with wd40 and cover with cloth. Every now and again I go for a proper clean of the machines and floor.

I use the scribed line on my tailstock.

Thanks Brian.

Julian, a DRO is planned for the machine but I will need to get my Warco GH Universal sold first but that will be after holidays.

The laser will heat the metal around the cut to above its transformation point and this will create a Heat-affected Zone. The HAZ for laser cutting is quite small and localised near the cutting point. For CO2 lasers Oxygen is mainly used for cutting mild steel but Nitrogen can also be used for high pressure cutting. Nitrogen mainly used for high pressure cutting Aluminium and Stainless Steel. At least that's how we do it.

Nice work Jim. How did you make the connecting rods?

New table drive motor fitted. Had to alter the length of the existing opinion, make an extension shaft and fit an extra bearing inside the mounting plate to get it to fit correctly. It took a bit of time but works well now.

I picked up a 24v dc led lamp from eBay to give it a try as a machine light and it works well. Fitted a couple of pipe holders to the side of the mill column. An insert was glued into the bit of stainless steel pipe to drill and tap for the lamp bracket and the tube was slotted so that the cable could be run through it.

I may get another lamp for the other side but will see how it goes when I get started making some bits on the machine. Just got the coolant to sort out now and it should be all done.

Welcome to the forums. I'm not far away near Falkirk.

Great video. Loved the bit with the lamp going on above the box to show what part went where.

Did a bit more cutting tonight with one of the horizontal cutters picked up from eBay. Definitely happy with the cut quality so far.

Now I need to get on with sorting out the table drive.

Thanks for the compliments guys. It has been a nice project to do. Decided last night that I couldnt wait any longer and stuck a bit of sqaure steel bar in the vice and had a go with the horizontal cutter. So far I`m well impressed. Nice cut with a used cutter I picked up from ebay. Started making some T nuts for the table.

FHBrundle.co.uk have steel and stainless steel u profile if you cant find any alloy stuff. Its under Edging sections in their shop.

Thanks guys. I have a couple of ballscrews somewhere so that might be a job for the future. I will look into the larger handle idea.

Had a busy weekend and now have the mill running on both vertical head and horizontal. Bearings sound good under power apart from a bit of a rumble from the intermediate pulley on the vertical head but that's an easy fix.

The motor has arrived for the table drive and I need to make a new adapter plate for it and an extension shaft so it fits in the gearbox properly. First job though is to make some t-nuts for the table.

I've just burnt out my cordless Bosch drill as well, must be the week for it. But I'm going to quite happily buy another as the batteries and charger are good and also it has lasted me for quite a few years of hard work.

It's for holding straight shank drill in a taper socket. Does it not lock onto the drill when gently tapped into the MT socket?

Total stupidity. They've destroyed a lifetime of work and will get a slap on the wrist.

The mill has mostly been reassembled now, just a couple of covers to finish off.

Now its time to get started on the electrics and sort out the new motor for the table drive.