Member postings for Pete.

John stated he wanted double sided markings on the rule, and non slip back, I can't picture how that would work? I don't remember seeing anything like that but it might exist.

You could just flip that around and use the the side that doesn't have half mm increments, even the side that does has the half mm increments a shorter length so it's easy to see.

You're unlikely to find a rule with a non slip back, maybe a straight edge, because these are used more for scoring lines, not saying they don't exist, just might be easier to buy a straight edge, and a rule separately.

They come as Metric sizes, that tap I used it on was 1/2" whitworth with an M12 tool, so they have a bit of scope for sizes they can be used with, but yes very easy to make, even better if you can properly harden/temper them, for bigger sizes you could probably get away without heat treatment.

Mike, no, just took the photo like that to show how it works, as there wasn't much contact on the side I removed.

I've had these for quite some time but only had the opportunity to test them yesterday, they worked surprisingly well, incase any of you weren't aware of these tools, they were only about £7.

I think you misunderstood the point I was making, not that a few handfuls of charcoal in a toy train will destroy the environment, but be careful not to try and ban everything you might not like because there will always be someone who takes offence to what you enjoy and try and ban it.

There was a thread on here last summer and someone stated they're against a charcoal BBQ because of the environmental harm.

The original point of this thread was is it distasteful, well maybe, but remember there are some environmentalists who may think your steam model trains are distasteful, they may come for your hobby in the near future.

Deployed from drones? These are both infantry weapons, if you have any information of these being deployed from drones I'd be interested to see.

Tool and cutter grinder?

Have your 'Chinesium' spacers been hardened? sorry to insult your intelligence but sometimes the simple things are overlooked.

Since this 600kg lump of iron was delivered it has sat blocking the entrance to the workshop.

I bought a sheet of 6mm steel plate, some 50mm box section, and fabricated a base, added some machine feet with inbuilt castor wheels, then used a chain hoist to lift into the air enough to pull the pallet out and slide my base underneath, the base plate was doubled up where the castor wheels sit, so the bolts holding the press to the base can be drilled and tapped in place.

It actually moves around quite easily, the restoration will now begin, you can see around where BNL and number 5 in the casting has been wired brushed by hand, the surface rust is actually much easier to take care of than removing paint so it shouldn't be too bad.

Hi Steve,

It’s a sensitive issue, politics causes strong emotions and bitter arguments, is there a line between political issues and humanitarian crisis? yes, but it's a fine one, personally I'd steer clear of subjects doing the rounds on 24 hour news networks, but hopefully this will put you at ease slightly.

What's happening is not anything new, maybe new to isolated westerners, Russia did this in Rhodesia while my family lived there, I'm only mentioning this because it's history, not current news cycle material.

Russian insurgents shot down civil aircraft with Strela man pads, planted bombs in Rubbish on public roads, my mother right up until she stopped driving about 5 years ago would never drive over anything lying in the road, and panic if someone else driving did, those experiences causing a permanent psychosis of sorts.

Tyrants rely are scaring people into submission, from what I've seen Ukrainians are pulling together in an effort that defies rational, if they can remain so brave in the face of what's happening, I wouldn't worry too much, There's a video on YouTube of a Ukrainian man pulling over in his car to a broken down Russian APC, he rolls his window down and says "what's the problem" the Russian soldiers reply "we ran out of fuel" the Ukrainian guy replies "can I tow you back to the Russian border" the Russian laughs and tells him to ffff off.

We're quite privileged in the modern western world, since the second world war actual physical conflict has been a distant thing we view on the news, people who live through real struggle generally adapt with unique sense of humour and calmness, our leaders have rightly chosen to not physically intervene, that would escalate the situation, but support for actual Ukrainian people should continue so they have the means to decide their own future.

Maybe I'm biased, I was speaking to my father a few weeks back, a story came on the news about a Spitfire Aircraft being restored, he told me about an acquaintance of his, a gentleman by the name of 'Jack Malloch' Jack was the owner of Trans Air Africa, and was engaged in an international arms smuggling operation dubbed 'sanction busting' the Prime Minister of the time was Ian Smith who was a second world war pilot, who had been shot down in Italy I believe, lived with some resistance fighters for a while before making his escape, Smith gifted Jack the New Sarum airbase mascot which was a Spitfire on a plinth, for using his company to ferry in needed arms, my father said it disappeared one day, then months later after being made airworthy again, Jack landed and trundled down the runway in his new 'gift'.

So despite our often idiotic leaders, they have approached this in the correct way, no serious escalation but give the people in Ukraine the means to fight if they want to, this supply is massively important to them and justified.

So I wouldn't worry too much, maybe turn off the 24 hours news stream, constant negativity and fear isn't good for the mind.

Edited By Pete. on 27/02/2022 04:09:45

I bought one of these high tension Eclipse saws, best hand saw I've ever used, reasonably priced too, with these high tension saws you release the tension when not in use, as they pull the blade extremely tight if you want.

I tried posting a link but it's not working, you can buy it directly from Amazon £17 something delivered. 

Edited By Pete. on 26/02/2022 06:59:27

Why was your order sent from Australia? when I ordered mine I think it's his sister who takes orders in the UK, she posted it from here in the UK.

There's a video on YT where a German guy takes the cover off this model and discusses the components inside, his general concensus seemed to be for a budget machine it was pretty good, so I decided to get one.

I went to Wigston LIDL first, they didn't know anything about it and no sign it had ever been put out for sale, gave their helpline a call and their policy is that they do not give out any information as to which stores have certain items listed on their website.

In an age where we're charged for plastic bags to save the environment, telling customers to aimlessly drive around and just hope where they go has some in stock seems ridiculous.

I nipped over to Hinckley and they had loads in stock, haven't tried it yet but the build quality seems pretty decent.

I noticed in some supermarket bacon it has a coloured tinge if you hold it up to the daylight, is that what it is?

I buy all my meat from a local butcher now which doesn't have this added extra.

The problem with this is you're relying on your customer to be an honest person, if you send something without tracking /proof of delivery, even if your customer has said "yeah whatever" they can still put a claim in through ebay and will get their money back from you if something goes wrong or they make a false claim.

I had Hermes leave a parcel on the doorstep of a factory on an industrial estate at the weekend, the buyer claimed it wasn't there, either way as it wasn't insured up to the actual value I lost out, luckily the insurance minimum was £25 and the parcel was only worth about £35 so not the end of the world, never again, everything gets sent fully insured and signed for as it's the seller who WILL ultimately pay for it if something goes wrong or someone is dishonest.

Edited By Pete. on 15/02/2022 00:30:09

Hi, Martin who has commented on this thread recommended a company to me, Longford Bearings, I ordered all of mine from this supplier, two were Japanese Koyo, two were Austrian NSK iirc, with tax they came to about £90 for all four.

Hope this helps, Pete

Edited By Pete. on 12/02/2022 22:56:08

Just out of curiosity I'm interested to know what someone considers "eye watering"

A few weeks ago while selling a small machine tool, someone asked me if I could arrange delivery, I got a quote with a pallet delivery company, it was about £60, they would have had to drive a round trip of something like 250 miles to collect it, in my eyes as I was offering to arrange this profit free I thought considering fuel costs this was pretty reasonable, they told me it was too expensive.

A few weeks earlier I bought a large arbor press weighing 600kg in the south London area, I asked the seller if it would be possible to attach to a pallet so I could have it collected, they very kindly agreed, I paid for it and arranged the courier, and offered them £50 just for attaching it to the pallet, in my eyes their effort doing this saved me a long drive, decent bit of fuel money and a lot of hassle and it was the polite thing to do knowing how much hassle stuff like this is.

When I offer to do this free of charge as a favour for something I'd rather was collected and still be told it's too expensive? It gives me a lot of sympathy for people who have to deal with customers day in day out, not fully appreciating what certain things involve.