Member postings for Haforn

@Malcolm - thanks! The boss saw your post, now she wants me to dig the garden.

@Neil - I suppose it is cheaper - I do like bringing things back to life, though. And problem solving, trying to figure out what people were thinking when they made something. Nothing to do with model engineering, but in the same vein, like restoring old furniture.

Thanks Jason, and thanks for the pics. Ordered some U-pol stuff this am on Amazon, I'll give it a whirl

Thanks guys, great to be aboard.

Guys, sorry if this sounds like a daft question, or if it's in the wrong thread

I've just bought a set of castings for a Stuart S50. Back in the day (40 years ago) I bought castings for a Stuart Beam. The old castings were beautiful, crisp, smooth, and needed barely any cleaning up. The new ones are ropey, to say the least. No inclusions or blow holes, but the surface quality is dire. Even the word "Stuart" around the crank on the base casting is barely legible.

I gather that the casting technique has changed over the years; Stuart say the casting I've got is 'standard'. I've managed to file away most of the roughness but the sides of the base casting are proving difficult to get smooth.

My plan was to use acid etch primer on the cast iron base casting prior to painting. I'm now thinking of smoothing the sides with something like JB weld beforehand.

My questions are - does anybody have any recommendations for a smoothing filler? Is JB Weld a bad idea?

Also, if I do use JB Weld, will the acid etch primer destroy it?

Thanks

Steve

Hi Guys - thanks for letting me join. I did an apprenticeship as a toolmaker waaay back in 1975. Moved off to do other things, got my mojo back when I retired, moved to North Cumbria, and started equipping a workshop. Currently bringing e-bay purchased Stuart engines back to life (and my goodness there are some bad builds out there - or are oval cylinders a new design??)

I built a Stuart Beam back in the day, just got the castings for an S50. Trying to get my head around a DRO. (Back in my day you measured distances on a milling machine with a clock gauge and a handful of slips, and there were a hundred and fifty of us, living in shoe box in middle of t'road)

Hope everyone is staying safe.