Member postings for Martin Johnson 1

I would grind the excess of the sides, the advantage being that by working the whole edge you avoid overheating. A cutting disc might be quicker , but all the heating is in one place.

Other tricks include wrapping damp rag round the file, using damp sand to hold the file. Above all, take your time by alternating with another job - grind a bit, do somehting else while it cools, grind a bit, repeat.

Martin

Welcome to UK 2023. Just a natural development of UK 1983.

Martin

There is another type of gauge which would be closer to the OP's original idea. A description of the diapragm gauge can be found here:

https://instrumentationtools.com/diaphragms/

**LINK**

However, if the OP could give more detail of their project and thei country, we might be able to recommend an off the shelf solution.

Martin

As another engineer who had a career long association with the water industry, Martin of Wick is spot on.

Martin (of Boat of Garten)

Seems to me the OP is barking up the wrong tree. Surely the qualifying point is that it must be "of your own manufacture". Jason B among others on here does great things with CAD, CNC etc. That is a world away from buying it on the internet and claiming credit.

Martin

For rhat size try cutting 30 x 30 hollow section down. It will stay reasonably straight if you anneal it first. It will go banana shaped if you don't.

Martin

My experince with an RDG offering as in photo 1 of the OP was that the holder was fine, but the blade was not great in terms of grinding - the first 5mm or so was tapered the wrong way. After grinding that off, mounting it upside down at the back it has done some decent work, but the blade soon loses its edge.

The ceramic insert style (phot 2 in OP) have a habit of running under the pip and then shattering, each occurence costing about 7 GBP. That was with coventional toolpost. I gave up when the wallet couldn't stand the strain.

That is my experience.

Martin

I BRIEFLY read the announcement which seems to introduce the option to CE mark. That is not the same as "demise of UKCA marking.

Please enlighten me.

Martin

The standards applicable have been a fast moving target for some years now. I think BS2790 srill holds for FIRETUBE LOCOMOTIVE boilers. The BSEN offering is more for industrial multi pass and similar.

The other problem is material availability. You can specify all manner of EN steels, but purchasing them in the size and quantity you want with certification for high temperature boiler use..........well just try it and see.

The above comments are made on the basis of designing a BS 2790 boiler in recent years and getting it approved by a notified body.

How all that applies to an export to Oz is anybody's guess.

BTW is anybody else underwhelmed by the welding on that boiler shown in Jason's post?

Martin

Best guess is cylinder block for a 3" scale Burrell. Don't quote me though.

Martin

I always seem to be the odd one out, but all my boring head bars now have flats filed in. I got fed up trying to set rake and clearance by eye and finding out it wouldn't cut due to rubbing on the heel. I also had the occasional fight with burrs on the tool shanks. No such problems now.

Martin

As far as I know, most motor oil is based on vegetable stock. More importantly it contains a whole bunch of synthetic additives that account for most of the cost.

If Tim can guarantee that none of those constituents will suffer from degradation from moisture or combustion derived acid over a 10 year period, then I suggest you leave the oil for another 10 years.

Personally, I think it is past it's use before date.

Martin

I had the same problems when getting quotes in for my 7" scale Fowler lorry. AJB boilers were about to retire, and I suspect have subsequently done so. The players that I know of are:

Berwyn Steam Fabrications - 01691860570 - currently advertising in Narrow Gauge World for 4" TE boilers up to fullsize.

Station Road Steam - bit selective on what they take on, but worth a call

TRS Boiler Makers, Derbyshire 01332 865616 - Excellent quality, but a long waiting list.

H A Mc Ewen - Can do them but only gold plated judging by the price.

Bennett Boilers 01278 792255 - I used these and was very impressed with quality of build. More used to full size, so they may not want to take on 4" scale work.

Statfold Engineering - have heard rumours they do TE boilers, but no personal experience.

North Bay Engineering - have heard rumours they do TE boilers, but no personal experience.

Andrew Kirk at Holt Boilers 01964 529392 - I have seen their work and would avoid them. Very good price, though.

I did not find that going to an industrial pressure vessel fabricators would get a good price. As Jelly describes, I had detailed drawings, everything signed off by BES. I tried one of our North Sea suppliers up hear in NE Scotland. They wanted 4 times what I paid for the boiler. Of course, you might strike lucky, but if you are building from something like the Plastow drawings, an industrial fabricator is likely to run a mile. Those that specialise in the game, have their own version of each model boiler that they have agreed and signed off with their inspection house.

I hope somebody else chips in with a few other names,

Martin

I believe hand chasing, particulerly on brass/bronze was once common. I have done it and produced useable parts. Bit like welding in that you need to be doing it regularly to "keep your hand in". I can believe it would be a very quick technique in it's day due to zero set up time.

Martin

Yes.

Try cookoing your chips in oil thats 10 years past its use by date.

Martin

If I am making a part like that (BK20), I would start by marking out the two centres (pulley and boss) on the stock. Put in small centre drill pips on both centres, then it is very easy to centre on each axis using the 4 jaw chuck.

If you wanted to go there, you shouldn't have started from here.

Martin

Polyurethane filler (available from screwstation and their ilk) used as a filler and applied with a broadknife?

Or does it really matter?

Martin

Well yes, but posting a video "predicting" problems is not very useful after the vessel is lost. Posting the same video a year ago would have been impressive.

Martin