Member postings for Simon Barr

Thanks everyone for your replies. It has given me a few avenues to go down. Knowing I've used the right oil is good to know.

I had kind of budgeted for a new ram (as a possible cost) before buying the crane so I know they are fairly cheap and I have ordered one today anyway. Given the oil I got out was black I am thinking maybe the insides might not be in the best order so maybe a replacement is best. However I am going to investigate the one I have further to learn what the insides are like and maybe fix it too if I'm lucky, then it can become a spare. The parts drawing in a manual I found online is a bit vague and doesn't even include the safety release valve. Clarke doesn't supply seals for this model any longer either.

I need the crane at the end of the week so hopefully one way or another it will be up and running again.

Thanks again, Simon.

I'm hoping someone here might have some hydraulics knowledge and be able to help me out. I have a Clarke 1 tonne hydraulic engine crane that I recently purchased second hand. It's obviously been left outside at some point in it's life but seems structurally sound and works OK.

In tests with a 56lb weight it dropped an inch or two over a couple of days, I thought this was acceptable as I won't be leaving anything suspended. As a precaution I changed the oil today and what came out was black so it wasn't a day too soon.

I used a brand new ISO32 oil which I thought would be suitable but it now drops a few inches in ten minutes with the same 56lb weight. Could this be an indicator of using the wrong grade of oil, perhaps it needs something thicker, or am I looking at some other problem? I have raised it to full height and lowered it a few times in case it needed bleeding but it still does it.

Any pointers appreciated.

Simon

CEE are is definitely my favourite engineering channel on YouTube. I've been watching his stuff for a while now and look forward to new videos each week. The type of work he gets and the machinery he has are things I can only dream of. Despite the huge scale of what he does in relation to things I do I'm sure I've picked up useful knowledge. His use of steadies has shown me how it should be done, not that I've needed to use one yet. I'm self taught and very much still learning to walk the walk. Hugely entertaining stuff.

I can't wait until he starts working on the Huron.

Simon

Thank you Craig, this is exactly what I was hoping to hear from someone. I suspected the 9" might fit and now I know for sure that it does I shall get myself the 9" one.

I was hoping the larger one would fit as it offers much more flexibility due to the extra area and slots.

Thank you to everyone for your replies.

Simon

Could anyone familiar with the older 4.5" Boxford lathe help me with choosing which size of faceplate I should purchase. They appear to come in 7.5" or 9" from what I have seen.

With mine being an early AUD 9" would be the max capacity of the lathe and I am unsure if a 9" faceplate would fit or if it would be too large. To save possibly buying something that would be useless to me I'm hoping somebody knows the answer.

Thanks,

Simon.

I definitely like that idea and it's not something that has occurred to me. Preserving the look while still having access would be perfect. Initially I was thinking the hole could be in the 45 degree angled bit of the headstock between the grease cups but there is a Boxford badge there. Your solution would mean the hole can still go there and hide under the badge.

Thanks Rob

Simon

Thanks for all the replies.

I definitely see it as an improvement and I'm confident I can make the hole without getting swarf in the headstock workings. The lathe is off it's cabinet right now and I have easy access to the back but when it's all assembled again it will be up against a wall hence needing easy access to the oilers to ensure it gets done regularly. I'm not sure of the exact location for the hole as I haven't decided yet but I would really like to avoid the nameplates and keep the look it has now.

Glad to see there are like minded souls who like to improve and alter things if necessary. Thanks again.

Simon

I recently acquired a 1962 Mk1 boxford AUD lathe with which I intend to replace my Warco WM180. While familiarising myself with it and oiling anywhere that needs oil I realised that access to the two back gear button oilers for inside the headstock would not be easy from the front of the machine.

I notice the Mk2 has much easier access and even has a hole in the top front of the headstock to facilitate this I'm contemplating making such a hole in my headstock to make the job (oiling) easier and therefore much more likely to happen regularly.

Am i mad to consider this and is it even necessary? Obviously Boxford added such a hole to the Mk2 so someone thought it necessary.

Has anyone on here ever attempted this and could offer some advice. Maybe It's a stupid idea and there would be trouble ahead if I did it.

Many thanks, Simon

A couple of weeks back I got treated myself to a new digital calper. I'd been tempted to get a secondhand Mitutoyo but talk of fakes and also the uncertainty of condition put me off. The auto power off on the M&W that people have mentioned put me of those too. So I went for a Dasqua from Chronos, specifically the 8" waterproof one. I've only used it as little but I'm impressed with it so far. It feels nice in the hand and zeros every time unlike the cheap thing I've been relying on up until now.

Larry, it is indeed. I finished it Sunday and it works very well. It is from a Hemmingway kit, it's their basic knurling tool model HK1110. You have to buy knurls separately from the kit but Hemmingway can supply those too. I have the fine diamond pattern pair of wheels. The kit includes drawings and all the materials needed. I was lucky and got the kit for Christmas from my wife.

Hemmingway Kits Web Site

Here it is fitted to my Warco WM180. It's 1/4 plate but I can't remember any of the other dimensions I'm afraid but could look at the drawings if you need more info.

An example of knurling on steel

Simon

I needed a 1/4" reamer recently and discovered how much these things can cost when shopping about for one. Instead of buying I just made a D-bit from some silver steel. I turned it to the correct diameter then milled it to half thickness for maybe a 1/4". After hardening and tempering it performed admirably and was a fraction of the cost of buying a reamer as I had the silver steel and all the tools needed to make it.

It's certainly worth having a go at making one and I'll just make more as and when I need them. I've made a 5mm and a 1/4" so far with success. You can just see it in the picture, to the left of the left most arm but it's not a particularly great picture.

Geoff, as long as it works it makes no difference does it. My memory does that to me sometimes too, more frequently these days

Simon

Hi Nick. I'm not sure your knurling tool is assembled as per the drawings, or maybe you need it that way to fit your lathe. I have just completed one of the hemmingway kits today that I got for Christmas.

Mine looks like this and I'm very pleased with how it performs. I can now move on to the rotary table kit I got at the same time

Regards,

Simon

Thanks everyone, it's all becoming clearer for me now. My initial confusion was because it looks very different (Body shape) from the Hemmingway kits causing me to doubt if it was a GHT design or not. Also to clarify the body does appear to be milled from solid and the centre height is approx 3" or 77mm measured in a quick, not very precise way.

As it seems to be universally agreed that it is GHT design in part I feel positive that I can get it to completion in the future. With that in mind I found a copy of the book Roderick mentioned on eBay for £6 so I have ordered it. When that arrives I'll have a set of drawings that I can compare to what I have already and draw up a list of what's needed.

As for dividing plates I will maybe use my mill once I have installed the DRO currently sitting in boxes as it has a PCD function. But I may change my mind once I see GHTs text in the book.

Thanks again everyone for your input, most helpful.

All I have is in the photos. I was hoping that once I have identified which design it is I may be able to fabricate/buy any other parts I need. I made a gamble buying it but hopefully I can put it to use somehow. It appears to be well made, I've just got back in from the garage and dismantled it as far as I could the inspect it.

If you think it's based on the GHT design then I at least have something to go on in my research. Thank you.

That is one of the places I've already looked. The kit on that site appears to be different to what I have unfortunately hence me asking here to see if it rings a bell with someone.

Is anyone able to identify this incomplete dividing for me. I picked it up locally cheap with the intention of trying to complete it or attempt to turn it into something useful. It was sold to me as made from a kit and GH Thomas plans in the book workshop techniques, however from pictures I can find on the Internet it looks a bit different to the GHT one.

Dividing is a new thing to me but I gather knowing the ratio of the turns is important. It appears to be 60:1 and the plate on it has 24 holes. Apparently the thread is to suit a Boxford chuck.

I'd love to get it functional if I can by making or buying what is needed but first I need to know who's plans it was made to.

Thanks, Simon

So what I'm doing is OK then I guess. Thanks for the replies. Using a tooth brush didn't occur to me but it definitely should have as that's exactly how I oil the chain on my motorbikes. A jar of EP90 and a tooth brush. I have a small stash of old brushes so I think I'll stop using my finger and use one of them instead .

Simon

I have the smallest Warco mill the WM12. It's my first mill and I'm enjoying getting to grips with milling.

I have a question regarding oiling of the ways that I'm hoping someone will be able to help with. Z and Y axis ways are dead easy to oil being vertical and horizontal upward facing respectively but the X axis is upside down so oiling is tricky. There are no button oilers fitted so I have been resorting to running an oily fingertip along the X axis ways in an attempt to get oil on them. This is a very messy and probably wasteful way but is working for now, I think.

Is this likely to be sufficient to prevent wear? I have some oilers somewhere and have contemplated fitting some but I'm not sure if it's necessary or not and am unsure exactly where would be best to put them.

Any suggestions are welcomed.

Simon

Thank you. I don't think it will get in the way to any significant degree. Here's a photo with the tailstock too. The carriage still has space to move further towards the chuck and is butted up against the tailstock in the picture.

Simon