Member postings for Gordon W

I've long since forgotten the spec for brake disk cast iron, but I do know it is/was a standard spec. and not graphite reduced.

First find out where the little ball has gone- might be in a vunerable place.

Here in N Scotland internet via BT is hopeless. Now got a dish, great improvement and cheaper. We are 6 miles as the crow flies from the exchange, but about 13 miles of wire to connect all the new houses.

My understanding of all this is from reading Measuring the meridian- J Verne and watching the Big bang theory.

I've had the following - cardboard, plywood, aluminium, steel flat, steel pressed, cast alloy, plastic of varying types.

Only thing I could recommend is keep warm and keep moving, take the standard pills if needed. I often get funny looks when sat wiggling my fingers, but it does help. I use a big tube bandage on my knees, makes a big difference, but can't work out how to adapt for fingers. If your tools are warm can help, I tend to seize up when handling a cold spanner.

I went to buy some rat-poison blocks today, can only buy in 1.5 k packs now for safety reasons, but can buy as many packs as you want. Of course the price reflects the extra packaging. Our cats won't go near a full-grown rat. I admire the way the cats manage to eat everything and just leave a neatly removed gall bladder. BTW a 6" rat is very small, I've seen a rat stuck in a 4" drain pipe.

Dunno, never drank a cubic foot. 6 1/4 galls in round numbers, unless you are not in the UK.

The grinder might have lasted a bit longer if you had changed the brushes earlier. I would be using a 9" for a job like that. Any power tool- always run light at full speed before stopping, this cools the motor and can double the life.

Simple rhyme we learnt as kids - A pint of water weighs a pound and a quarter. No probs.

2CV van -lucky you, I've got a field full of dissolving ones. A cheap and cheerful way is to put a self tapper in the end of a plastic pipe , you will need to do a bit of testing to set up .

Way back in 1970 we rebuilt an old house, got grants etc. so had to comply with the regs. .Consumer unit had an RCD.

I have a tape measure that gives the weight of a pig by measuring round the belly, another in 4", hands. Anyone who wants to ban beer ( the real stuff ) should be banished from the land.

The only advice I can give is do not leave yellow coloured power tools lying about. They can walk.

Re the bearing grinding - As I understand it what happened is the chap was rebuilding an old car , went to the bearing supply place and asked if possible to obtain the bearings, two off. The sales man looked around, said come back in half an hour. He had just ground od and id to suit, took about 10 mins. Most cars used slightly non standard sizes so you had to buy the expensive specials.

I was told , by a man who had used the service, that the big bearing supply firms will grind a few thou' off a standard bearing to make specials. I have not tried this yet.

I've been using angle grinders for many years, maybe since they first came out. They can be dangerous, same as anything else. I've burnt a few jumpers and trouser crotches. When I was cutting up lots of steel for gates etc. I built a stand to fit the 9" grinder and used it for years with no problems.I use 4" & 41/2" ones now, mostly. The 41/2" with thin cutting blades are great. 9" for cutting bigger stuff, including sheet steel up to about 1/2". Price- I worked out that cheap ones that last about 6 months, everyday use, work out cheaper than a top-of-the-range one, but my 4" is a top price and I like it. The expensive ones are lighter and easier to use. Safety- always use eye protection, keep out of line with the blade, never use when tired. Don't use if you don't feel happy with it. Same as any tool, eg. chain saw, grass cutter, step ladder. BTW stone cutting discs can be used and may be better for softer metals, a lot of the scrap boys use them.

If it is a proper old cooker the hobs are cast iron, usually flat and can be used as a small surface plate. The strange build -up of crud makes any work difficult and unpleasant, the smell can linger for months.

Raymond- I agree with you, and Mr Marks. It was just that many years ago I wanted to build a traction engine, but gave up when I realised the impossibility of being able to use it in public. Distance is relative, 2 hrs driving is fairly normal.

Another in Scotland ! At this rate we could start a club and get a boiler certified without having to travel hundreds of miles !. I'm north of Aberdeen.