Member postings for Tony Jeffree

Thanks guys - some food for thought there!

Regards,

Tony

Hadn't thought of using them as parallels - that's a good idea. I had thought of division plates, but these days with my various CNC gizmos I don't seem to have much use for them!

Regards,

Tony

Hi David -

Yes - the Tesla Turbine sounds like an interesting one to investigate. I will give it some thought!

Regards,

Tony

I suppose you could make them into earrings for East Enders actors too

Regards,

Tony

Over the years, whenever I scrap an old PC, I have been in the habit of dismantling the hard drive, stripping out the (usually) aluminium platters, and passing a powerfiul magnet over each one to erase any data that might be left on them. Having done that, I have added them to the now considerable stack of platters in a corner of my workbench, because it seems such a shame to get rid of the - ther are very flat, very accurately machined, and there *must* be a use for them at some point. However, apart from one that I tyrned into an encoder disc for the tacho on my Taig mill, I don't think I have made any practical use of them so far. There are also nicely machined Ally rings in most of them that act as separators, and again, no obvious uses spring to mind so far.

Has anyone out there come across the perfect application for these perfectly machined bits of metal? Or should I just toss them and regain a bit of much-needed bench?

Regards,

Tony

Jason -

When I go to the http:.//www.model-engineer.co.uk/app link (and the WWW is needed, otherwise you get the "page not found" bug mentioned by some), all I end up finding is a logon page that takes me to the regular web-based digital viewer (as you have observed), and there is no step involving downloading/installing an app as such. This is the same behaviour on my HTC Desire S phone and on a separate cheapo-but-usable Android tablet.

Regards,

Tony

I like my Android phone & use it all the time - rarely use it as a phone though. I can't stand the iPhone though...horses for courses I guess.

Regards,

Tony

Nothing wrong with involute teeth in a clock, despite what "they" will tell you, and the cutters are a good deal cheaper than the cycloidal ones from Thorntons. And of course, if you can hob them, you only need one cutter.

It is an unending source of amusement to me that today's clockmakers are, for the most part, such a conservative bunch - if it issn't how it was done in 1785 then it can't be right. On the other hand, the old clockmakers, such as Harrison, were among the innovative scientists and engineers of the day - they would probably have given their eye teeth to have had access to the kinds of tools, techniques an materials that we have available to us and wouldn't have given a second's thought to using them if it would have resulted in a better instrument.

Regards,

Tony

Oh dear, it seems to be armchair legal advice time again...

Personally I seriously doubt that trading standards, even if you can contact them, are about to be getting into a pi$$ing contest with a ME show stallholder over what constitutes merchantable quality/fitness for purpose in a "measuring instrument" that cost 2s6d and which makes no claims to any particular degree of accuracy. My guess is that they would probably file the complaint in the usual place and tell you that they are looking into it.

Far better just to contact the supplier & ask for a refund or replacement, or use it as a missile to launch at the neighbour's cat when it fertilises your hardy annuals.

Regards,

Tony

Presumably the big lumps then go in the bin?

Regards,

Tony

Edited By Tony Jeffree on 01/05/2012 23:18:37

Brian -

You couldn't make a very large bin out of one...

Regards,

Tony

That is of course true, but irrelevant. If you go by centre of population (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_of_population), i.e., the place which is fairest on the whole poulation as regards distance to travel, then for the UK it would be Appleby Parva in Leicestershire.

Regards,

Tony

Central to the UK in what sense? It is approximately 850 miles from Land's End to John O'Groats, and actually, that puts Harrogate about as central to the UK as you can get from a geographical point of view.

Regards,

Tony

Edited By Tony Jeffree on 06/03/2012 09:38:54

Abso-lutely. I mean, where is Sandown Park anyway? Its way too far darn sarf to be a realistic proposition as a national ME show venue. Move it North I say. Unfortunately, the most logical place for it would probably be Birmingham though...

Regards,

Tony

I think I saw the blades in question on the same stall - yes, it was one of the "market trader" type stalls. I was tempted to buy some myself, but decided not to because I still have a decent stock of them - glad I didn't bother.

Actually, with a small number of notable exceptions, the majority of the trade stalls seemed to be of the "market trader" variety, which was a bit of a disappointment. However, the fact that there was plenty of space in the hall meant that the clubs could put on some slightly different displays - seeing a large scale model Vulcan taxiing under its own jet power was an interesting sight, and added a pleasant whiff of burning paraffin to the proceedings, and no doubt caused catastrophic failure modes to occur in the hearing-aids of several members of the audience. There was also an area netted off where the RC aircraft guys were putting on a flying display, which was fun to watch, and a short run of narrow gauge (7"?) railway track with a steam loco and rolling stock giving rides for the benefit of the children, none of whom seemed to be younger than about 68. I only ran into one person that I knew - Giles Parkes, with whom I had a very pleasant and useful natter about hobbing. I was in and out within about an hour and a half, in contrast to the other shows that I go to (Harrogate and Warwick) where I would expect to spend most of the day (and probably rather more ££ too).

I guess it was as good a showing as one could reasonably expect for a first show in a new venue, and as it is a local show for me, I will probably go again next year if the dates work for me. However, I hope that the number and variety of trade stalls will be better next time.

Regards,

Tony

Well...Monday's here...what did everyone think?

Regards,

Tony

The only Connect CNC lathes I have come across wrere based on the Myford ML10 - see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FGiiUPj5DdE

Regards,

Tony

That's right. In fact, I have just looked at the home page for the first time in ... a long time - I have the "latest posts" page bookmarked and don't bother with the rest usually.

Regards,

Tony

Edited By Tony Jeffree on 02/03/2012 14:50:13

Ah....I hadn't spotted that...I was wondering why it had vapourised!

Regards,

Tony

Hi Gray -

I knew of the connection between Perris and Cowells (the current Cowells is basically a development of the Perris) but I hadn't realised that the Perris was sold as a kit. Its a shame that you didn't hang on to it when you bought the S7 - you should see the (silly) money these things fetch on the 'bay these days!

Regards,

Tony