Member postings for Chris Gunn

My Bantam came with a flip down guard with no micro switch, I use it when drilling or turning with the coolant on to contain the spray. Usually I am working to a stop, so do not need to see with coolant on.

Chris Gunn

We used to use the green belting to make rings about 50mm diameter to hold the jaws of nail guns closed. We had special vee jaws made to attach to some hand shear blades so the material was cut square. So cutting the ends square is important. We had a small teflon coated blade to fit on the end of a soldering iron. The ends were heated, and slid off the blade and held together to make the joints. It needed practice to do it, and we got used to it. One problem for the hobbyist is that one does not get the chance to practice.

We made thousands of them, it was the cheapest and most effective way of keeping the jaws closed until the nail was driven through. The ring would stretch and then contract to hold the jaws shut. Each ring would cycle 7 or 8K times a day. This shows the joints will perform if the joint is made correctly.

Chris Gunn

This looks a bit like a torque limiter we used to use many years ago, which had fibre friction discs between each side of the sprocket and the disc on the outside, and the hub on the inside between chainwheel and gearbox. However the ones we used also had a fine threaded locknut holding it all together. there appears to be a gap between the outer disc and the sprocket which could indicate that. The hub was located on the shaft with a parallel key, and grub screws through the hub.

Chris Gunn

Robin, now I have seen what you are trying to do, ie a disc with slots in, not a bobbin I imagined from your first pictures, then put a centre in a piece of bar to support the outside end, hold the bar in the chuck, and mill all the slots then part off and face. You will have to sacrifice a bit of bar in the process, but you should finish up with as many discs as you need all the same.

Chris Gunn

Michael, plus 1 for plasticard templates.

I would not use aluminium, as you will have a job to get the paint to stick.

Steel would be my choice of material.

Chris Gunn

I may be missing something, but why not reverse the job in the chuck, hold the large diameter in the chuck, and support the little end with the centre, and machine the slots from the centre end to the recess in the middle or vice versa.

If I were making 4 hubs I might well start with a length of bar long enough for 4 parts plus parting off, machine the profiles of the bobbins then hold the whole length between chuck and centres, then machine the slots in the small diameters along the bar, so all will be the same, and then part off the hubs and face the ends.

Chris Gunn

Michael, welcome to the forum, I am in central Northamptonshire, and also secretary of the Rushden model steam enthusiasts group. We are 95% a road steam group. We do not have a clubroom as such, but do get together at rallies and during the winter months, subject to any Covid rules of course. We also can offer boiler testing when the time comes. PM me if you want any additional information.

Chris Gunn

John, if you fancy a steam outline loco, here is a 5" G Boxhill I made many years ago. It uses all standard Boxhill parts, but the boiler shell and tanks are dummy, and under this there is a 12v motor and chain drive to one of the axles. The battery is carried in the driving trolley.

Chris Gunn

I have to say my experience with Hermes recently is spot on, I have been decluttering via Ebay, and almost all of my sales have been shipped via Hermes, without any problems. I do book and pay for my shipment on line direct with Hermes, and the stuff is always picked up on time. I suspect that when the transaction passes from company to company, then problems can arise, and may not be of Hermes making.

Chris Gunn

I watched too, and was a little disappointed, all a bit superficial, and of course no chance of seeing shots of the factory churning out their product range, I presume flights to China were not in the budget.

Chris Gunn

Rob, the same as Harry above, did you have a hydraulic lock to cause it to break?

Chris Gunn

Dan, you could consider a Bantam as well.

Chris Gunn

JA, just seen your reference to working at Corby, did you work in the DR&TD? if so which department? did you know anyone in the Control Systems section?

Chris Gunn, DR&TD, 1969-73.

pgk pgk, thanks for the inspiration, ingredients plus clotted cream on order for tomorrow, report on taste test to follow.

Chris Gunn

You could use thinner aluminium jig plate with a series of tapped holes in it for studs, much lighter and simpler to make, and for hobby use adequate for most things, and no need to machine tee slots.

Chris Gunn

Julian, one thing to take into consideration is what you will do with it when you have built it. If you intend to rally it, and take it on the road, then I would suggest a 4" scale of a large original is the minimum to consider. Such an engine will fit into a medium size van for ease of transport. I would look at the 4" Garrett, this was the first TE I built, and I found the drawings the best I have come across. I would confirm you need a steel boiler for an engine of this size. I built mine using a Colchester Bantam, and an Elliot Omnimill. I did have access to bigger machinery for the few larger parts.

I would also be looking to see if there is a ME society in the area with plenty of members interested in road steam, and I would join. Then you can draw on their experience, and if you are lucky they will have a workshop you can use with bigger machinery than you have. I would guarantee that a few of the members will also have larger lathes, and in my experience will be glad to help.

Incidentally I am currently giving my 4" Garrett a make over, and after 21 years of 10 -15 rallies a year the cylinder bore is nicely run in, the worst wear is in the valve links, which will need rebushing and the pivot pins replacing.

Chris Gunn

Clive, just built a new shed from the remains of a playhouse, and fed up with roofing felt failing quickly, I tried Cladco roofing, after seeing it on my daughters gazebo. It is not expensive, and you can buy all the accessories for it. No ply needed underneath, just joists. For a workshop you will need to insulate, but the roofing itself seems good so far. Google Cladco for more info.

Chris Gunn

Andrew, surely Tract Tools and Royal mail got you into the hole!

Chris Gunn

I had one which was rescued by my father from the scrap heap at work. We converted it to take a short piece of bandsaw blade, and it was quite handy for cutting plate. I never did use it to file anything.

Chris Gunn

Massimo, you can get special spray on sticky BELT DRESSING, plenty on offer, and they say suitable for any belts, so maybe worth a try?

Chris Gunn