Member postings for Ian S C

If you go to the scrap yard, take a file, and a magnet. File to make sure that what ever you pick up is machinable. The magnet will help sort out bits of stainless. I'v just made arrangments to get metal scraps from one of our local engineering firms, I know what they use in the way of steel.

Ian S C

Don't touch it, send back. It's possible that the lead screw was damaged in transit by someone hoisting the lathe with a strop around the bed and lead screw, this could have been done anywhere between the factory in China and your place.

Ian S C

Some designs put the hitch on the seat post, just below the seat, I did that for the lad across the road for his paper round. I don't like the common design that has a long sweeping tow bar that connects to the(usually) Lh end of the rear axle. My design is quite happy following behind on the local forest bike track, any where the bike will go the trailer will go.

For heavy weights, two wheels is the only way, mine has 16" wheels. I bought home in a number of loads all the 75 x 50, and 100 x 50 timber to build the partition between the car(Mum's) and my workshop, by fitting a turn table on the trailer, and strapping an extra pair of wheels on the end of the timber. It helps that I live in a small rural town, and also it is fairly flat.

Ian S C

If you come from model engineering to clocks, maybe if you can build Stirling Engines that run freely straight after assembly you are well on your way, I think some call it a rattling fit.

Ian S C

I use such a trailer most days, other times I use a two wheel trailer for heavier loads. Only got this photo at the moment, on this my old bike the draw bar on the bike is fixed, and the trailer pivots up and down, left and right at the hitch point about 100 mm behind the rear wheel. This system limits the load that can be carried before the front wheel starts to lift. The draw bar on the new (E) bike, The draw bar is pivoted as close as possible to the rear axle, and at the pivot point L & R is behind the rear of the wheel. The trailer in the photo took less than an hour to make, the 16" wheel from a kids size bike, bought for $NZ 5 at a garage sale, front forks pushed inside a piece of tube from the frame of a scrapped 10 speed bike, basket from a junked freezer. Get going with one of these, and you'll wonder why you didn't do ti sooner, and why are they not selling like hot cakes for next to nothing, made in China they could sell here for $NZ 20.

Ian S C

A full size example, running on a wood fire.

Ian S C

If the model is going to be display only, hair spray works ok, bit smelly.

Ian S C

From P7D Duncan catalogue from 1930 (NZ) this one is 12" to the ft. The standard size was 20ft x 8ft inside, with two bunks and a stove. Probably unlike any UK living van.

Ian S C

Circlip, DH used Casein and Urea Formeldehyde glue on the Mosquito. The New zealand built Mosquitos are being constructed with Epoxy glue as advised by the boat builders at Team New Zealand, the builders of the NZ Americas Cup Yachts. I think if the Mosquito build had been left to the boat builders it would have been made of Carbon Fiber instead of wood(well maybe not). In tropical climates of SE Asia the old Casein glue tended to become unstuck, a few machines being lost that way while in flight.

Ian S C

Not sure on the "engineering", but to cut the noise, could the small gear be replaced by a steel one, and the larger driving gear be plastic.

What is the primary drive on these lathes, is there a belt from the motor to a jack shaft? Or is the gear fitted to the motor shaft. The belt would solve a lot of problems.

Ian S C

I made a pair of wheels with a 15 mm ply disc, the bush is welded to one square washer at one end, and on the other side is another square washer. All held in place by a screw in each corner of the washers, clearance on one side, tapped on the other, countersunk head, all nice and neat. The wheels have a rubber tires.

Ian S C

Somewhere between Dover and Lands End.

Ian S C

XD 351, the Jeeps in the video were taking part in the acceptance trials(can't remember the name of the place), there was a whole lot more than driving over what looks like giant roofing iron, and no seat belts there, but maybe the drivers and crews came from the cavalry. Designed by the Bantam Car Co, the company who made the Austen 7 in USA.

Ian S C

Light engineering, I have a lathe and vertical milling machine, 6x4 band saw, and a stick welder, light engineering because my little hot air motors are my design, not models of full size motors. I also make parts for (mainly) vintage machinery.

Other interests are aviation, and photography. My means of transport is a push bike, 6 months or so I ?upgraded to an E-bike, that has extended the range of my travels. Here is the bike and the trailer that I use. At the time of the photo the hitch has not been fitted to the bike.

Ian S C

Edited By Ian S C on 04/12/2018 12:02:12

Drill chucks are available for most brands of angle grinder. One of the main uses I'v managed to find is drilling holes in logs to inoculate the log with mushrooms, as used in that form of mushroom farming.

Ian S C

You could try Fishpond.co.nz, they import from UK, but it costs $NZ109 for 250 gms. You could also try Thode Knife and Saw Co, banches in Auckland Rotorua, and Christchurch(good place for all cutting gear, wood or metal).

I just use borax, about a $NZ1 per kg.

Ian S C

A mate was having trouble with intruders in his yard, and installed motion sensor lighting, that got triggered, but they were gone by the time he got outside, so I removed the lights, and plugged in an extension cord to a radio inside the house. When the radio came on in the wee small hours the intruder was not disturbed until my mate went out and caught him trying to drain some petrol from the car. The Police were informed in the morning, but he has never had any problems since then, 10 15 years ago.

Ian S C

We don't always need to go the easy way. It wouldn't be too hard to make in one piece.

Ian S C

When I signed up, I put in a profile, partly because I thought that was what one did on sign up to the site. To find me, all you need is a Christchurch phone book, go to the section I live in, and there I am. Am I worried, no.

Ian S C

Next the windscreen washer guys will be out with their buckets of water, rags and squeegee.

Ian S C