Member postings for John Stevenson

Edited By John Stevenson on 26/04/2017 15:16:39

Sorry just accept the world is changing.

10 - 15 years ago when shows were at their peak we didn't have online internet sales.

Now we have and companies have to move with the times or die.

When a company is at a show they sell a small amount to the through the door punters, majority are tyre kickers just looking.

However whilst they are at the show they are loosing sales to the rest of the country and also overseas sales which far, far outweighs anything they sell at the show. In fact deducting the cost of getting to the show and standing it they are very lucky to even break even so the whole show on paper is a dead loss.

This is why we are seeing the larger traders not doing the shows, it's the modern way of internet trading.

People come up with all weird and wonderful ideas of why not take just so and so to the show but it all boils down to cost and time. They are not idiots, they know their trade and figures.

Well said Neil.

I have read the later part of this post which is in no relate to the start and to be honest there is only one poster who i would take electrical advise from, the rest are amateurs in my book.

As regards Trading Standards that is a complete joke. In my area, South Derbyshire there are two officers, actually really only one and a clerk to cover the whole area. Now if you roll up to the offices with a shoe where the sole has come off you stand a chance but a lathe ??

No way they don't have a clue what a lathe is and chances of a home visit to look at one are zero. So unless you can tuck it under your arm, make an appointment and take it in, only for them to stare at it totally clueless forget it.

Edited By John Stevenson on 26/04/2017 09:33:27

Why don't we stick with answering the OP and not throw in something he's not even asked for, probably don't know as he's a complete beginner ??

OK so it is possible to use the threading dial. has been since Victorian times. I was taught it as an apprentice before Double boost was even born. Would I try to teach a beginner that method ? No, he needs to learn to walk before he can run.

As an aside has anyone on here ACTUALLY tried this method or are they just regurgitating what's been posted on You tube ?

For myself the threading dial on by TOS lathe has been hanging down, out of mesh for over 15 years and I reverse under power.

This lathe, in that time has probably done more threading that all the posters lathes in this thread.

Why isn't it obvious that engineer's like heavy metal ? ?

Given that you haven't got the lathe yet, have never used a lathe might it not be prudent to learn to use it, if you win it first before making major and expensive decisions even for a skilled lathe user ?

OK just sorted the links out to V.042 which to all intents and purposes is the same as .041

Julian,

I was putting it into the context of the time which would be about 1970 working out from when I bought one and the fact my two children were born around this time.

In 1970 all that was available were worn out 5" and 6" vices from industry. You had to kill or wait for someone to die to get a decent 4" vise.

Same applied for rotary tables, MES did 3 kits for these and I also bought one as I had no success in getting a small table from anywhere and I did have lots of contacts.

Would I buy a Dore machine vice or rotary table today ? No it's far cheaper to buy an import. There was a recent thread on here about a RT not being central and the owner was crying in his porridge and saying why for his measly £70 didn't they make them better before they shipped them halfway round the world.

However anyone care to work out what a modern equivalent of the MES RT kit would cost today ? Far , far more than the complete one shipped from China so treat it as a kit and you have saved a hat full of money

Edited By John Stevenson on 12/04/2017 23:40:30

What about the small Bambi type compressors with a supplementary tank ?

I have one in my shop that I use all the while for the odd times I need air to blow off etc. The Bambi is quiet and for what Muzzer wants should be able to keep up. Not sure what the duty cycle in on these things but mine is switched on all day but isn't used continually.

I have two large Hydrovanes which hardly ever run given the size of the tanks on them.

**LINK**

These were done as a kit of parts in an era before we had cheap imports and MES were one of the first to cater to the hobby.

A fair bit of thought was put into these vices by Ivan Law given they were made for the Dore Westbury which other than the Tom Senior and the first influx of the very badly made Rong Fu's were the only machines a Model Engineer had access to other than the vertical slide on a lathe. Even the Amolco add ones were very expensive for the day.

They were made low profile to fit the DW mill as most model engineers are only working with small lumps but the nice design was the tongue on the moveable jaw that slid under the fixed jaw to stop lifting.

Even today, size for size not many small vices can match the MES vice for capacity given it's size.

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10mm slices being cut off 100 sprockets prior to boring for bearings.

A very good video showing the true concept.

As Clive has mentioned it's not a new concept at all, many lathes having some or all of the features.

Where machines like the Hardinge, Monarch and CVA score is that all the dog clutch is mounted in the headstock and is all hardened and running in an oil bath.

Most also have machined tapered dogs to ease engagement and also to provide a better form of drive than a pressed in pin which is and does come loose under prolonged use.

Jason, this is the photo in question.

Because the fins are tapered and the cylinder is offset from the main shape, it would be very hard to turn the profile of the fins and keep the taper equal.

This is why I suggested a build up either for a pattern or as a finished barrel with separate fins.