Member postings for Steve Withnell

I have checked the link and it is working.

Steve

Here is the Uprated gear chart that Ian produced on the back of his modification he described in this thread:

**LINK**

Steve

Grinding HSS tools on a bench grinder is not difficult, bit of patience bit of practice. In fact it can be quite relaxing

Apart from grinding HSS blanks, I've made few boring tools from silver steel rod bent to requisite shape, ground to the right profile (ish), hardened and titivated and they can be as good as anything at a fraction of the cost of a tip tool. Actually, I do enjoy making these tools, even though they might turn out a bit ugly!

Steve

I'm in the UK, so ArcEurotrade are my favoured supplier. I saw in a related thread that Ketan Swali at Arc had supported Steve in setting up his business. If Steve is following in Ketan's footsteps then you have a great supplier.

I would appreciate the revised gear chart. If you are interested in the "Two Speed" mod, I'll send you some notes & pictures.

Steve

So the mod allows the banjo that holds the gears to swing closer to the spindle, so that smaller gears can be used at the top end?

I have converted my C6B variable speed to two speed ranges 45-450 and 250 - 2500 rpm which really does make a big difference to the capability of the machine.

Adding the extra threading capability would really finish it out.

Steve

Edited By Steve Withnell on 04/12/2013 21:36:10

Still NO chips or swarf to be seen. Clearly new to this model engineering game

Really good to see the engine coming to life picture by picture.

This is the tool I made to cut the groove. It's an old letter stamp, warmed up and bent through 90, then ground to shape.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/aihoogln882mgy0/P1030393.JPG

Before you turn the eccentrics really think through how you are going to sequence the turning jobs so that that the groove is in good alignment to the male part of the eccentric - I'm scratching my head but can't quite remember, one of the other guys will be able to call it out.

Steve

A picture of the bevel gear on my Stuart Victoria -

Hadn't realised how dusty that engine was! Anyway - point is that the teeth are parallel in depth and not parallel across the tooth. The teeth do look better in the flesh, honest!

Other photo's in my "Victoria" album.

I agree, it would also help with the dusting (!).

Steve

When I make a model I'm cursed with seeing only the errors - and end up carrying around a mental "to do" list for ever. None the less, the first time that engine fires up is an absolutely golden, unrepeatable moment which is very personal to me. So off I go to build the next one...

Steve

I can't look at the Tap&Die site, it makes my eyes smart.

Only managed to find one - but it is big, around 25mm. it's pretty much open circuit in the dark (>50Mohm) and 500K in bright artificial light. Sounds like the wrong characteristic to me.

Steve

Geoff - I have some big LDR's somewhere I acquired from street lamps as a kid, let me dig out what I have in the scrap box and I'll post the resistance readings, see if one of those will do the trick.

Steve

The minimum is what makes you happy. If a file, a drill and screwdriver delights then that is fine. People used to make steam engines with not much more. The answer relies on context. If you have a mortgage to pay based on making bits to a tolerance, then wholly different answer.

I continue to lust after one of those CNC machines from Arceurotrade, so the MINIMUM is a KX1...and it is the minimum if you want to make bits using CNC. Depends on what your hobby is. I find filing quite soothing so I don't do absolutely everything on the mill. If getting a component bob on square, it will go on the mill. So for me a mill is part of my minimum.

"All the best machinists I have known have been those who are so aware of their own limitations and have such high standards that they cannot see the quality of work they do produce. Shame really."

This is true - who does not see only the errors in the completed model? Even when others regard it with envy? I think this applies not just to the best machinist's but anyone setting out to produce a model to a high standard.

The first real "powerup" in my workshop was a Clarke bench grinder, I simply cannot imagine how people get by without one. Then came the lathe, then the mill...

Regards

Steve

In future, my stuff will go on Home Workshop (and similar forums) and if the selling price is 20% less for hassle free sale then that sounds like a bargain. I'm not looking to make money, just recycle stuff easily as my interests change so I can buy different stuff

But eBay want to treat me like a business, so the answer is find the sites for private sellers to trade their stuff.

Steve

Edited By Steve Withnell on 23/11/2013 18:47:11

I've just sold an item on eBay for £45.

Fees: listing + FVF = £5.80 (1 free photo, no buy it now, no reserve...)

Paypal = 1.87

Total = £7.87

eBay now charge 10% FVF on the P&P! have these guys no morals?

End result - private selling costs 17% of sale price.

Seriously though, I would have used a 4 jaw chuck or a collet chuck to grip the body and turn both ends. I would also have used a piece of HSS ground for the job as Jason recommends. For very light cuts, carbide tips need grinding to reduce the edge radius anyway - or a least that's what I do.

Steve

Allan. Can I make a request? Please post some photo's of the build with the machine covered in chips

Jason's just put me at ease...

Steve

Just got one from ARC. Perfectly serviceable for the home workshop.

There are two problems with de-humidifiers - quite expensive to run and the typical ones don't work at low temperatures. They work well at 20C and pretty much not at all below 5C. I found it easier to stop heating the workshop and to keep machines covered up and things like chucks etc in zip lock bags. Keeping chucks in bags aslo keeps any avoidable dirt out.

One thing that will cause condensation is the sun streaming in on a cold winter's day. Everything warms up, sun goes down, condensation forms.

Better off posting links to photo's held elsewhere in my opinion. Specialist sites like Youtube, Flickr, PIcasa, Dropbox are designed and run specifically for storing and sharing files.

Steve