Member postings for Ian Johnson 1

Sounds like a good replacement for the FC150BJ control board. Hopefully it will perform as normal.

Thanks for the wiring details Alan.

I think a call to Arc euro is due soon, get mine sorted out.

IanJ

I would be interested in the outcome for your repair Alan, I have the warco version of this micro mill, bought it years ago, and my circuit board recently developed a fault. It would not go down to zero revs and would start on about 500 revs, so no speed control between 0-500ish, above that it controls the revs as normal. Thinking it was the potentiometer I replaced it, but at the time I couldn't get a 4.7ohm pot so I stuck in a 5ohm pot, no improvement, although the abnormal light came on, which it didn't before.

I would be grateful if you would post up your remedy.

Regards

IanJ

That's neat and compact John will it work with Mach 3? Might be just what I need for my KX1

IanJ

Well I finally had to give the trophy back! Pleasure to meet you at the Midlands show Neil, now i know it is in safe hands to give to the next winner.

Big thankyou to everyone who voted for my little quick change tool holder for my KX1 CNC mill in the last John Stevenson trophy competition, the tool holder is still in regular use.

Good luck to everyone who entered this year, they are an excellent example of the skill of the model engineer, all very varied, well made and very useful workshop equipment. I'll be voting later on.

Regards

IanJ

Bought lots of milling cutters from Rennie tools, always great customer service.

Been using their single flute carbide end mills recently on my KX1 cnc on aluminium, surprised me how nicely it rips through it. Tempted to try their DLC carbide single flute.

IanJ

Carbon dioxide is indeed heavier than air, but with the natural movement of air and ventilation it is readily dispersed.

It can become a major problem in confined spaces, look up Carsington Dam in the UK, four deaths in a inspection chamber, due to acidic water reacting with limestone producing co2.

I used to teach confined spaces and there are lots of horror stories involving co2.

Nothing to worry about in normal atmospheric conditions

IanJ

Very impressive results Jason, never be able to tell the difference between a casting when painted

IanJ

Pantograph does indeed sell to individuals not just trade customers, I have used them to supply me with engraving plastic sheet, 'gravoply'. Half sheet or quarter sheet. But you will need to set up an account with them, dead easy to do, and a great company to deal with. Ask them for samples.

IanJ

Good to see another KX1 user Steve, and your parts turned out great.

I started out using Cut2D which I found to be very intuitive and easy to use, then progressed onto Vcarve which has a few more useful gadgets like contouring and thread milling, 4th axis etc, it does everything I need and is just as easy to use as cut2d.

IanJ

That's a neat set up, I think I've got a little peristaltic pump from an ink jet printer somewhere, might be able to use that? No doubt it will all grind to halt when I delve into the electrical bits!!!

Excellent work as usual Jason, I do like the curved spokes. The adaptive cutting seems to work very well.

Do you have any more info on the fog buster set up? I haven't done anything with my KX1 for months, been doing a lot of house stuff. So its about time I dusted it down, and the fog buster would be perfect for future projects.

IanJ

Real sized engines have sand castings which are usually painted to give a very smooth finish, so on a scale model the castings should be very finely finished and painted.

It is difficult if not impossible to scale casting sand, so there is no reason why scale models need to show any gritty sandy surface.

If sand was scaled up, each grain would be half an inch diameter or so.

Ramble over!

IanJ

I think we should make pgk the environmental and energy tsar! Not sure if I can wait that long for dead people to turn into fuel though!

So I'll continue scrounging material, repairing things and enjoying my hobby, getting on with life, and largely ignoring the green zealots!

IanJ

No problem at all with gently dragging the file on the back stroke, as you would when using a wood saw. I'm still using files issued to me as an apprentice, they're not as sharp as they were when new, but are useable. I never lift off when draw filing either.

Got me thinking about using a Japanese pull saw, they never get lifted off on the non cutting stroke either.

IanJ

The cylinder is impressive Jason, it's a big ask of a small diameter cutter to get a good finish that deep, especially on steel.

I might try out my KX1 and see what it can do, it's a sturdy little machine but not quite up to the KX3.

IanJ

Thanks everyone for all the nice replies

IanJ

Thanks Steve I did mark them up well spotted! think they call it a makers mark, my initials, the year date and a Norton roundel punch I made for my Norton engine plate. I hope they don't mind!!!

IanJ

Thank you, a lot of the original oil pots went missing while the boat was laid up for many years rotting, before the restoration got under way. So hopefully my oil pots will still be there for many years to come.

I carefully designed the lid to be a rattling fit to avoid any vacuum haha.

IanJ

I've been making these large capacity oil pots over the last few weeks (months really!), and finally finished a batch of them, with the design slightly evolving as time went on.

Ten of them will fit the double expansion steam engines on the 1903 Steam Tug Daniel Adamson, some more are needed but I'll make those at a later date.

All brass construction, silver soldered together with worsted wool wicks for the oil feed.

I did a test on the final voyage to its winter mooring in Liverpool and they worked quite well, maybe needing a tweek on the wicks to adjust the oil flow. And maybe the smaller one is about the right capacity, won't be able to check until next year though!

Here is a video assembling the oil pots.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5AfhsKKwoZ4

IanJ

It looks well made and strong enough to open a bottle of Guinness... or two.

It's one of those little workshop oddities I'm going to look out for!

IanJ