Things are moving on with my full size flash steam motorcycle project despite delays caused by serious health issues.

A friend from the record scene gave me a Honda Blackbird minus engine to fit my engine in have put new taper roller bearings in the headstock and at the moment checking the hydraulic disc brake system.

Its meant for straight line speed attempts so do not need the Honda bulky fuel tank so can get low down on the frame.

Have lowered the rear suspension by 3 inches.

The generator is awkward to place but will try a certain area for a test.

Have been donated a hydraulic lift by UK fastest motorcycle woman's husband to ease lifting.

I will do a test run to start with but have a volunteer (idiot) for competition runs have told him he will need asbestos underpants.

We have a lot of banter going on in the motorcycle and car straight line speed attempts that what makes it so enjoyable and a helping hand is there if needed.

My friend has just done demonstration run last weekend at Hockenheimring he is going from strength to strength.

When he fits his very fast opening Steam outlet ball valves 200mph at the end of an eighth mile is a possibility at times there is a sonic boom when the steam is released to the nozzles.

LIVE | 2023 NitrOlympX FULL Nightshow - V8 Flames Burnouts Firework Drag Racing Hockenheimring

I will do that there are modifications to what might be called fire tubes in the pressure vessel to increase heat transfer that I have never seen mentioned on this forum.

The latest pressure vessel it's twice the original ones size was welded using a specialist process that looks like a cross between a Mig and Tig welder and no purging gas required.

There are so many other very interesting things on this bike.

I have known Graham along time when 12 year old used to watch me and fellow speed attempt enthusiasts at various venues.

A very helpful person to the speed community I have been to his workshop many times the banter and conversation is memorable.

There are many technological things incorporated in his machine some American steam rocket specialists have been very helpful.

I have listened to talks by Graham they are so interesting.

After many years of creating his machine it now is leaving its mark on the speed scene.

Am just waiting for his results from next weekends blast over the standing start quarter mile in Scotland.

At Melbourne Raceway over the standing start eighth mile drag strip on Saturday he broke the course record and Sunday did it again with a top speed of 169 mph.

Next weekend at an airfield in Scotland where Guy Martin did some high speed runs Graham will run hopefully a standing start quarter mile at high speed with his steam rocket motorcycle..

He has not tried a full pressure vessel of water to date so should be a lot more to come.

This year he will be running the bike in Germany at a premier Drag Racing venue.

The engineering on his machine is mind blowing much of it done in his workshop at home.

A note for steam jet fans next weekend Graham Sykes Force of Nature steam jet motorcycle will be attempting to increase his 2023 speed at Melbourne Raceway near York.

He did a few weeks ago at Elvington 163mph at the end of a standing start eighth mile.

At his Elvington run it was nearly aborted due to sticking water outlet valves he is in contact with American steam rocket specialists who have been very helpful.

Last Wednesday he collected me from York for his latest talk at P.E.E.M.S. club and showed another type of valve he will be using later on.

The photo is an early run at Melbourne Raceway.

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I bought a few years ago a used Warco mill and lathe from a local private seller.

The round column mill had a few issues that I sorted a cracked motor mounting that I welded.

It was not in the best condition but it could take big milling cuts compared to the new Warco VMC that replaced the round column.

For most model making the VMC is fine but as I'm now into full size engines it has limitations an example was my project crankcases machined from a billet.

I had to take light cuts compared to the old round column mill.

Edited By Windy on 30/04/2023 08:17:04

Edited By Windy on 30/04/2023 08:25:50

The brass drive pulley has been made to replace the cracked plastic original. Will have to modify or make another as not right. I found the lubrication holes covered by brass shields. No names on any part apart from 44 on the main assemblies.

Who made this Watchmakers Lathe

It looks well made.

At Melbourne York Drag Racing on 15th April this year I was gifted by some very good friends this Watchmakers Lathe.

I was given it to keep my mind active cleaning it etc. after my knee Revision at Clifton Park Hospital the following Monday and was home by Wednesday.

So stripped it down in the house as workshop out of bounds.

There was a small amount of corrosion that's now sorted.

It has no names on it.

The headstock has no obvious lubrication holes.

I will strip that down eventually.

There is a spare plastic? pully that's maybe the original headstock one.

It's a full size version of my 129.33 mph record model flash steamer a lot steam pressure on top of inlet valve

Here is a more sophisticated one from USA there are many simpler designs.

Am thinking of converting my more powerful starter to reduction gear drive that would solve the rotation direction if the less powerful starter does not give enough torque to start my engine

https://www.facebook.com/cycledragracing/videos/a-new-way-to-start-your-motorcycle/493913058433405/

I require to reverse rotation on a Land Rover starter motor reversing battery leads wont work I know the one way clutch will need to be reversed.

I have one motor goes the direction I require but another one has twice the power of that one but goes the wrong way this is the one would like to change rotation.

It's for a remote starter for my full size speed attempt flash steam engine.

A note for steam jet fans next weekend Graham Sykes Force of Nature steam jet motorcycle will be attempting to increase his 2022 speed at Melbourne Raceway near York

So many sports and hobbies have problems with insurance it was so simple in my speed record days in 1960 to 1980.

More regulations if you want a competition licence and costs just keep rising

Most motorcycle road races in Northern Ireland cancelled - BBC News

I thought helix angle would be a problem have a look at Cromwell tools  metric internal chasers and looks as if no helix angle..

Edited By Windy on 18/12/2022 13:01:15

It was just a chance there might have been a way to modify one.

As far as cost of a die head chaser some years ago at a car boot I payed about £10 for a die-head and 11 complete sets with some single chasers thrown in.

Using a tap was a thought more so now as I purchased a tap on Ebay for £14 but the seller had made a mistake as was not the 30mm size he said it was.

I was refunded and told to keep the 32mm x 1.5P it still had plenty of life left.

As I have few smaller 1.5p taps might be able to use one of them in a suitable holder like Hopper suggests.

My work is now on full size stuff as model hydro's is in the past due to health issues due to going into a lake to launch am still in communication with some of the model hydro members distance is also another reason.

As a show the full size speed members might be interested in February 2023 a show mostly under cover with many speed attempt machines on show including the restored Bluebird.

For more details have a look at my club Straightliners website this link was last years show they also as a surprise did my 80th birthday party their for me..

https://www.facebook.com/StraightlinersNewsChannel/videos/1395737190880587

Can a chaser from a die head be modified to cut internal threads?

Have seen them used in a holder for external threading.

Its for large internal threading I suspect might have cut off some of the die chaser and might have to regrind some part.

Anyone made an internal thread cutter out of a die chaser or are there angles wrong.

A lathe that maybe you might be interested in buying for restoration that I have seen on Facebook marketplace.

Marketplace – Woodhouse Michell 10inch Laith | Facebook

Many years ago, I bought an early Myford S7 sadly the seller had Alzheimer's and noticed an EW lathe in the workshop, but he would not part with it

With the Myford spares there were a top slide etc. plus a boring table from the EW and I still have them.

Might be a bit misleading it was the model tube 0.25" tube that was bent to 1.5" diameter.

The 10mmØ x 1mm thick will be bent to a 3" or 4" internal diameter.

Am thinking the scrap material box will have to be looked at and make a suitable former etc. for a bench tube bender.

I need to bend 10mm x 1mm thick stainless tube multiple times like a spring for my big generator about 50mm diameter coils.

The model 0.25" x 0.028" I had no problem over a wood former by hand to about 1.5" diameter coils with no kinking.

Without buying a tube bender or spending a great deal of time making a bender any simple ways of doing it.

The tube is 6 metres long to start with.

Most of the lower priced 10mm tube benders are for copper.