Member postings for Ches Green UK

Top class content. And the interviewer was asking relevant questions, and styled to make the subject more accessible to those without any knowledge of the subject.

Thanks for the link.

Ches.

Yes, Kurtis knew it probably only had a 50:50 chance of success, if that.... but when it went wrong, it sure went wrong. Quite impressive in a way.

Seems the overwhelmed local expert puts the casting in a large oven and extremely carefully controls the temperature of the casting whilst carrying out the procedure.

Some of the Commenters also noted it was possibly a poor quality casting, and that the impurities might have migrated to the top surface.

Ches

'Challenging CRACKED Cast Iron Housing Repair! | Flame Spray Welding' -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoL2kqel46U

Another interesting video from Kurtis and the team. The Dye Penetrant certainly highlighted the cracks.

Ches

Yes, I also ordered some Stub Drills from Arc yesterday afternoon (Friday)....they arrived at 10.30am this morning (Saturday) in Scotland. Very speedy response by Arc.

If this is becoming their normal turn-around time (ie within 24 hrs) then goodbye Amazon-Prime for engineering items needed the next day.

Ches.

Edit: Arc deliveries are now tending to arrive in a rigid carboard box that fits through the letterbox - good thinking.

Edited By Ches Green UK on 16/09/2023 15:02:21

His wife should work for the CIA, and not just for her magnificent put-downs.

I got the feeling the 'expert' wasn't prepared to give too much away.

Does the computer vary the pen pressure and introduce slight but random mistakes?

Interesting experiment though.

Ches

Graham,

That video by Dan Gelbart is very informative, thanks.

Hmm...I guess I need to add 'Sand Blaster' to my Amazon Wishlist

Ches

but resizing is possible as the inserted image has the common border and corners

That's probably the most useful Edit feature to have. Thanks.

Ches

I think Copying and Pasting an image directly into a Post will be much easier than creating Albums, if I understand the process correctly.

It could also lead to Posts having a few more images in them to help explain what the gist of the Post is, which can't be a bad thing.

Will there be any Editing of the image upon insertion eg double clicking the image brings up options to reduce the size of the image, or even brighten/darken the image? Apologies if this has been explained earlier.

Ches

Only about 17% of MPs (in 2021) had a STEM degree .... https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/politicsandpolicy/stem-mps-pmbs/

Of the 541 MPs with higher education degrees in the 2015-2017 Parliament, only 93 (17%) held degrees in STEM subjects; for comparison, 46% of UK students in 2019 graduated in STEM subjects. This lack of scientific experience among MPs is at odds with the increasing pertinence of scientific issues and techniques to political decision-making. While an array of science-related issues, including climate change, security and privacy issues (related to the further growth of the internet), and sustainability of the healthcare system in the face of demographic change, are increasingly crucial to public policy, some commentators argue they risk being side-lined due to a lack of scientific expertise and interest among parliamentarians.

That % is probably also reflected in the staff they employ.

Although 46% of students are in the STEM field, I suspect the % of the electorate with a STEM background is much lower than that.

Ches

Good stuff. And all done and posted quickly, certainly by my timescales

homemade reverse spot facing tool

Ah, that's neat. Kinda like the collapsible de-burring tool. I always wondered how folks managed to spot-face seemingly inaccessible faces.

Ches

Interesting technology and, apparently, very successful.

A follow-up mission, called Aeolus-2, will be launched within a decade after the mission end. - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ADM-Aeolus

I wonder why they are waiting 10 years to replace it? Budget, or maybe they now have all the data they need?

Ches

Jason,

Thank you for another detailed post plus excellent pics. So much going on there, it takes me a while to absorb it all.

I hot glued a couple of pieces of scrap aluminium to each end and marked out the centre of the bosses.

I had never thought of using hot glue for this kind of application. I do have a hot glue gun that, when I first got it, I glued a couple of test samples together (,,,cleaned bits of plastic) and left them out in the weather for weeks. Then tried tearing them apart...almost impossible. So it's good stuff, hot glue.

Ches

Margaret,

Thanks for putting me on to 'Mr Ade Swash' .... he has a very good YT channel.

As for QCTPs, I use ArcEuroTrade ones - they are adequate enough for my skill level.... https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Machines-Accessories/Lathes/SIEG-C3-SC2-SC3-Mini-Lathes/C3-SC2-SC3-Accessories/C3-Quick-Change-Tool-Post-Set .... I have an Arc supplied Sieg SC2 lathe.

Arc do a wide range of QCTPs... https://www.arceurotrade.co.uk/Catalogue/Machines-Accessories/Lathe-Accessories/Tool-Posts

Ches

Jason,

Thanks for the insight in to Alyn Foundry & Sons (http://www.alynfoundry.co.uk/).

It's quite interesting how the economics of running a small/medium sized Model business stacks up. And it does look like they have some new products coming through.

I suspect that one the higher profit margin areas for such companies would be the add-ons eg Stuart Models do a wide range of extras to supplement a build.

Ches

I'll follow also.

Looks interesting and good to hear a company can see an acceptable profit in keeping this casting set in production.

Ches

Margaret,

As Nick said...

I now use a vacuum cleaner with a separator bucket that catches most things. As for stopping the the fine splinters in your hands etc, I use a clear safety guard that had a mag base, and place it so it keeps stuff away. I often use the vacuum cleaner nozzle close to the drill, and catch the swarf as it's being made.

I have a mini-lathe and mini-mill. I use a Dyson fitted with the short nozzle it comes with - it sucks up about 80% of the swarf created. Then I use a 1" paint brush to guide the rest in to a position my Pan and Brush can reach. For bigger swarf, use a long'ish srewdriver or similar to move it in to position for clearing up - try to do that when the machine is off. Never use your hands/fingers.

Again the 1" brush can be used to clear swarf away from the actual workpiece as the machine is running. For very small swarf I also use a little camera-lens blower.

Ultra-fine tweezers and a magnifying glass is the only solution I've found once a little brass splinter gets in to a finger

Ches

I bought these a few months ago....

PARALLEL SET 10 PAIRS EXTRA THIN 0.8MM THICKNESS
https://www.rdgtools.co.uk/acatalog/Dasqua-10-Pair-Extra-Thin-Parallel-Set-0.8mm-Thickness-8201-0005-9120.html

I've used them and they seem fine.

Ches

Gerard,

That New Yorker article gives the fullest history on the Titan + CEO Rush story I've read so far.

It shows how far powerful people will go to cover up 'bad news'.

And I got the impression Rush was running out of gullible souls to pilot the vehicle so, to keep the money coming in, he was left with only himself to pilot it.

Soon afterward, Rush asked OceanGate’s director of finance and administration whether she’d like to take over as chief submersible pilot. “It freaked me out that he would want me to be head pilot, since my background is in accounting,” she told me. She added that several of the engineers were in their late teens and early twenties, and were at one point being paid fifteen dollars an hour. Without Lochridge around, “I could not work for Stockton,” she said. “I did not trust him.” As soon as she was able to line up a new job, she quit.

Ches

This thread has reminded me I also have a solar powered atomic clock in the workshop - it has been there at least two years and I don't recall ever having changed the battery......

It was available here - HITO Atomic Radio Controlled Travel Alarm Clock - https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00XPB49JO/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Ches

I find that a Duracell AA lasts longest in my workshop.

Costco's Kirkland batteries don't seem to last quite as long, but they are cheaper.

I think I read somewhere that the Kirkland batteries are made in the same factory as the Duracells, but one or two Duracells see out 12 months, whereas Kirklands seem to be used up at the rate of two or three per 12 months.

I'm just going by vague memory on this.

Ches