Member postings for ega

Peter F:

Thanks for introducing me to the "pottance file". This seems to be a type of Swiss or toolmaker's file with the cut designated by a number and, as you suggest, harder than standard.

In trying to chase this down I came across a reference to Peter Stubs' files being measured in French inches or "pouces" (longer than the English inch).

Try fixaball.co.uk.

I recently had 20 1" x 1/4" BSF cap screws from them for £2.79 all inclusive.

Slightly OT but his reminds me of buying a replacement triple start feednut for the S7 tailstock which the existing feed screw simply would not enter. As a temporary measure I fitted a lever feed; that was years ago and I have never missed the standard arrangement - one of life's rare blessings in disguise!

Mark Gould 1:

Is that illustration from Bradley's Myford manual?

Another excellent book is George Thomas' ME Workshop Manual which I think would answer most of your queries.

There is always something to learn: I bought a replacement "diaphragm washer" from Nottingham Myford and was stymied by its failure to work as expected; they patiently explained that you need to bend it by tapping with a soft hammer!

Something like this, perhaps?

Thanks for the full reply. My query was prompted by your point about storage.

Could all this be sent on an SD card?

Mike Crossfield:

A fascinating blend of old and new!

I bet he had a lot of fun making it.

Paragraph 4 on your linked page also makes the case for a draw bar - not, of course, possible with a normal MT shank drill. Interesting point, too, about the size of pilot holes.

I once saw a suggestion on an American site for the incorporation of an off centre cross pin in the lathe barrel positioned so as to engage with the tang.

As to the shape of the tang, this has to be such as to allow the taper drift inserted from the side through the slot in the quill to engage with it.

Thanks for this helpful suggestion.

The taper gib is attractive because of its ease of adjustment; apart from this the parallel (preferably block-type) gib seems preferable.

Edited By ega on 09/02/2019 22:00:49

OP's drawing shows the gib retained at each end by the adjusting screws.

My vintage Warco Economy has taper gibs with a single cheese head screw operating in a slot in the gib meaning that the gib is free to move lengthwise by the amount of play in the slot. The system seems adequate for this small and basic machine but I have occasionally wondered whether I ought to try to restrain any such movement.

Any helpful comments, please?

Hopper:

Fascinating stuff about a genuine Australian eccentric.

More on topic, anyone who followed the Dinner Ladies sitcom will remember the central role played by the catering toaster in the canteen kitchen where, I fear, low fat spread was preferred to dripping. The temperamental device was ministered to by another eccentric called Stan who would have felt quite at home here.

I loved the book which I think was just "The Fastest Indian"; apparently, he started life as Bert and later adopted the US spelling.

Amazing what can be done with a "crappy Myford"!

Piotr Gertz:

There was a thread about taper gibs over on the Practical Machinist forum which might be of interest.

I would be interested to know the identity of this as I didn't know there were any left in the locality.

Thanks for the comments. I am fairly sure this tool is not "multi-related" but I found the YouTube material interesting including the Raleigh connection.

Wickman did, of course, make manual lathe tools including the Wimet brand.

Good to know they are still in business.

Thanks for the suggestion.

In fact, the screw is tightly driven into the cross slide casting and bottoms in the tapped hole. A lock nut might help but it would be necessary to remove the red felt wiper and cover. I think that any movement is in the block itself and I might add a couple of vertical pusher screws at opposite end to the gib which clamps the block.

PS Just noticed a redundant "are stops" in my last but one paragraph.

Edited By ega on 06/02/2019 19:33:36

Has anyone knowledge or experience of this type of tool, please?

It is stamped "Wickman C WD 33169" (no broad arrow) and came with the tipped form tool/blade seen installed in the photo plus four others of various forms.

So far as I can gather from the markings on the form tools they are intended for particular TPI/thread form combinations but the markings are not easy to read. The one in the picture seems to say "10 TPI UNC" and I have successfully cut a thread with it.

Some of the other blades have what look like code numbers and it would be helpful to be able to relate these to the thread form.

Unlike some similar tools there is no provision for adjusting the helix angle.

There was a recent post deploring the industry's failure to provide cross slide stops on our lathes and I was prompted by this to continue with a long-dormant project for the S7. I had considered an ingenious micro-adjustable device by Tubal Cain and other devices which looked likely to get in the way and opted for a rod projecting from the rear of the slide with a simple clamp which buts against a plate screwed to the back face of the slide:

The Boxford style device mentioned above seemed suitable for the Willson slant bed (the two rectangular holes in the cast iron block are a legacy from its former role as the base to a fixed steady and are not part of the design):

There is a potential problem with both kinds of stop in that the cross slide can "bump" the stop by a thou or so and thus inadvertently alter the infeed; the plastic washer on the cap head screw is an attempt to mitigate this. Both stops are stops are still "under development" but seem likely to simplify screw cutting with set over top slide.

The swing-up tool needs no stop, of course, but does require the ability to stop the lathe and reverse without mishap.