Member postings for Philip Rowe

I realise that you want to clean a dirty stone but many years ago as an apprentice I recall the old hands used to keep their oilstones in a tabacco tin with the lid on, with some paraffin in the bottom of the tin, this used to prevent the build up of crud in the stone. Since then I have always done the same but used WD40 instead of the paraffin, reduced fire risk.

Phil

First time I've ever heard that. I've always understood nylon is hygroscopic, end of story. But no doubt someone will be along soon to prove/disprove.

Phil

And what were the vibration and noise levels like? I've done similar in the past albeit with a relatively cheap and nasty jig saw and was very glad when the cut was finished.

Phil

Do you suffer with any problems with respect to the heat of the soldering affecting the hardness/temper of the blade material? Just asking because I can see this as a great way to save on blade costs by making your own from coils rather than paying for manufactured to length.

Phil

Mark, sorry I can't post any photos as I sold the lathe probably 25 years ago and I never did take any close up shots, so everything I'm saying is purely from memory. Fortunately long term is good but don't ask me what I did yesterday! Your photo is exactly as I remember mine with the exception of the two brass round screws, that looks like a later addition/modification. What are they securing?

Phil

Mark, the serial number on the ML2 was stamped on a raised boss on the front of the bed approximately half way down below the headstock. Incidentally the Oilers were picked out in red paint, these weren't the type that we see nowadays just counter sunk holes in the castings.

Phil

Mark, I had a ML2 which my father bought new around 1936/7 and it's serial number was L277, the colour was a dark ish bluey green, best way I can describe it. The ML2 differed from the ML1 in a few ways but the most significant was the seperate bolted on headstock.

Also, my Super 7 which is a 1973 model has its serial number stamped under the front way just to the right of the gap, I know that later models have the serial number stamped at the rear but I don't know when this changed. Hope this is of some help.

Phil

Many years ago I made my own countershaft assembly to drive my ML2, the belt tension between motor and countershaft and lathe spindle was was arranged by the motor being mounted on a hinged plate and the weight of the motor provided the belt tension. This whole arrangement including the lathe was mounted on blockboard which I think was around 35mm thick and the blockboard was in turn mounted on brick pillars. This worked well apart from the blockboard used to 'drum' to such an extent that it was very annoying. To offset this I inserted rubber mounts between the motor feet and the hinged plate, I tried different types of rubbery materials both soft and hard and I was quite suprised to find the most effective was a hard rubber that I made by cutting slices from a rubber door stop.

Phil

I can't help much with respect to current commercial offerings but many years ago I made one to a design from the ME. This uses a nut to apply pressure to the knurling wheels and whenever I use it I am suprised at how much pressure is required to achieve the depth of cut that I want. So my thoughts are how effective are the styles shown in these links, is it easy to apply sufficient pressure with a knurled knob as opposed to a spanner on a nut?

Phil

Allowing for my tired old eyes and the vagaries of of colour reproduction on computer screens it doesn't look anything like the correct colour to me. Have you looked at lathespares.co.uk they do Myford grey at not quite half the cost of buying from Myford? No connection just a satisfied customer, I found the paint an excellent match and easily applied.

Phil

I had an ML2 that my father passed on to me when he bought his Super 7 in 1973 and that had a 3 1/8" centre height. Your photos shows one or two other differences from mine, the Oilers are not original they would have been a flip top type about 10mm high as fitted also my ML2 did not have a cover for the change wheels and the headstock was bolted to the bed with bolts that were visible, I can't see them in your photos. Dad bought his in around 1935/6 and I do remember the serial number was L277. Another difference is the top slide on mine was only attached to the cross slide with one bolt (a very poor arrangement) and originally had pulleys for flat belt drive. The colour of mine was a very dark blue bordering on green but I have always wondered if that was just the paint darkening over the years with ingrained oil and dirt.

Hope this helps a bit.

Phil

I've had all manner of items where this has happened, the latest being the remote for the Sky box, in this case after about 2 weeks of stickiness the rubber has now started to disintegrate. Fortunately I'm not too worried as I've decided to ditch Sky after their latest price rise and switch to Freesat. I too have tried all manner of potions and powders, some work for a short time but I haven't found anything permanent, its just another one of the modern world's annoying tricks sent go upset old folks like me.

Phil

Blimey a strimmer, I'm still using shears, you don't get any one sided cutters with those just aching arms.

Phil

Dave (SOD), In my younger days I used to suffer with "rusty fingers" where anything ferrous I touched would have a rust mark within a few hours. As a consequence any of my steel rules would over time become black in colour, even the so called stainless variety. To make them readable I used to fill the engraving with a white Chinagraph pencil and this certainly lasted quite well, maybe a black Chinagraph pencil if such a thing is available. Fortunately for me this skin problem disappeared after many years.

Phil

So we will knock that device off the list of recommendations

I've always found masking tape on the tile stops any masonry drill from slipping and of course it's easy to mark out the required holes on the tape.

Phil

I'd be very interested to hear how you made the cutter, the photo is a bit unclear but I assume you have reground an endmill to suit?

Phil

Mine gets quite warm after a prolonged period of operation but never having measured this temperature I would not like to say other than I can bear my hand on it. But I wouldn't like to hold my hand on it for very long periods. Just make sure you keep an eye on it and keep it lubricated and as Brian says make sure that the oil is actually getting through to do it's job.

Phil

I recently fitted one to my lathe and although it is recommended that the magnet face the sensor on its flat face I have found that it does work with the magnet on edge. It just means it needs to pass closer to the sensor, in my case around 4mm to guarantee reliable operation.

Phil

Thanks to Michael G's information I have managed to source some Plastazote although I still had to buy far more than I needed and to make matters worse after I it had arrived, a "kind" friend told me that he had loads of scrap pieces that I could have!

Anyway the photo shows the micrometer set after the new nesting material has been cut and fitted.

Now to make a new nesting pack for my Mitutoyo dial caliper, interestingly the foam in that is made up of two 5mm thick laminations using different foams as only the bottom layer has turned to dust, the top layer is still as good as when I bought it 40 odd years ago.

Phil

It's what I would describe as a pocket microscope, in a former life I used to use one for inspecting the polishing on fibre optic cable ends. Mine I think came from RS, but at the time were still known as Radiospares.

Phil