Member postings for Gordon W

An easy way to get treatment free is to move to Scotland. I'm type 2 diabetic so have some experience, but diet does most good. I grow kale but it gives me gout, the joy of aging.

When I was at school a lad had a box of matches in his trouser pocket, got hit by cricket ball and the box exploded. He was badly injured and needed a lot of treatment. Not really an " accident" tho'.

When smoking was all the go the oil rig firms had many safety checks, plastic gas lighters were dodgy. One test a welder struck an arc and jammed the rod into the lighter, it just popped and the gas got lost, no flames. BTW I was present at both events.

Years ago I had a manager who did not speak to us commoners. One morning a note was pinned to the workshop door -- " break light on forklift " So I sent one back " which light ?" He was not amused at all. I still enjoy the memory, sad is it not?

You have my sympathy. I've tried to teach my grandson. He was about 20 yrs old at the start, so I thought he must have some idea, but no. Safety basics need hammering in at first, but eventually (when he understood the reasons for silly rules) things progressed. He acquired an old bronze gong with no hammer and asked if he could make one. So started out with bits of scrap and ended up with a beater. Now wants to learn more, because he can see why things are done the way they are, but also there are other ways to work. And the basic safety seems to have stuck.

Lead solder in various grades are easily bought of the net. I just bought some "lead plumbers solder" comes in sticks about 4-5 mm thick, seems it will do for body filling ok. Use bakers fluid and a blowlamp. Sorry but can't find a ref.

But they sold the trackside land.

Always good to have an anvil. I made one years ago from scrap 1"x4" bar. Put a horn on one end at least, mine was bits of scrap steel tube with the centre point from 1" pointed bar (old tractor fork). Best mounted on a big log rather than the bench.

Easy to split a die if needed- 1mm cutter in angle grinder.

Since it is a safe that is fixed maybe the screws are anti-tamper/ anti-theft ? I would use a small chisel and just keep going, but likely screws are hardened. Welding a bit on the end easiest if possible.

I've got one, from ARC I think. It works fine, not often used. For your job I would just use a hand diestock.

The brazed carbide tools do need grinding, usually. Keep one or two for castings and heavy corrosion etc., they can be sharpened with a diamond wheel in angle grinder. Not the best but works and is cheap. The rest make quite good packing pieces and spacers etc. My advice is buy a couple of ready ground HSS tools to get an idea of how they look, then grinding your own becomes simpler. Insert tools are expensive and not needed for hobby use, a simple bench grinder can be bought for the price of an insert holder and a couple of tips.

Would it not be easier and quicker to just write "deg. cent." or "dia." than go thru' all those codes ?

Used to use grease in Velocette chain case to stop leakage, with some oil to make it a bit runny. Not very technical but recall this was an official Velo advice.

I've always reversed dynamo polarity by "flashing" the field coil, with the dynamo removed from the vehicle. Always worked, at the time I did not really know what I was doing, but always worked. If in a car reverse the ammeter connections and coil. That's it, if uprating to 12v from 6v change the bulbs and coil, the starter will work even better on 12v. Also works on 3 brush and moving brush types.

Duncan- it's 10 squared divided by 5. Equals 20.

Hello Colin- I did make a steady, 20mm ply mounted to heavy steel angle with clamp and side bars. Works well for squaring light tube etc. Not tried on heavy work but will be ok with a metal frame and better clamping. Mine uses 25mm bearings ( I had some) on swinging arms, about 50 centers pivot to ballrace. Held in place with 6mm screws pushing on top of bearing axle.

Thanks Dave, I could have looked. I am a cook ,only because I like to eat. We do have something like that ,but wife might not like me modifying it. Def. a brushed motor.

I find anything on electric motors useful. But can somebody enlighten me ? What is a stick blender and why do you want to blend sticks ?

Fit nut or screw in the end of soft plastic tube, hot water sometimes helps.

Having checked things out, trying different mounting for the work etc. and saw diams. I've decided it's a no-go. Will have to get the old hacksaw out. I just fancied a slitting saw but have an excuse to buy a new file. Thanks to all.