Member postings for Bikepete

As usual in such regulations these definitions are in the "Interpretation" part of the Statutory Instrument. I already provided the exact link on page 1 of this thread but here it is again:

**LINK**

“responsible person” means, in relation to machinery or partly completed machinery—

(a) the manufacturer of that machinery or partly completed machinery; or
(b) the manufacturer’s authorised representative;

“safe” means, in relation to machinery, that when it is properly installed and maintained, and used for the purposes for which it is intended, or under conditions which can reasonably be foreseen, it does not—
(a) endanger the health of, or result in death or injury to, any person; or
(b) where appropriate—
(i) endanger the health of, or result in death or injury to, domestic animals; or
(ii) endanger property;

FWIW I have found a reference in an official (but not legally binding) EU document that would seem to exempt hobby builders.

In the EU Blue Guide (a good official overview of how EU product safety works, and where Directives and standards etc fit in) on page 21 it remarks while discussing "placing on the market":

"Placing on the market is considered not to take place where a product is: — manufactured for one's own use. Some Union harmonisation legislation however covers products manufactured for own use in its scope (52) (53),..."

Footnote 52 notes that the Machinery Directive is among those which has 'own use' in its scope. But then Footnote 53 goes on to say:

"When Union harmonisation legislation covers own use, this does not refer to the occasional manufacturing for own use by a private person in a non-commercial context."

This seems like it could effectively exempt hobby builders from the scope of "harmonisation legislation", which as I understand it includes all and any Directives...

...but in e.g. the full text of the Machinery Directive, I can't see any mention of this, nor does the UK legal implementation which I linked to earlier state any such exemption in the text as far as I can tell.

Be interested Robert if you can shed any further light on this.

I would suggest that as far as the Machinery Directive goes, the definitive source of info should be its implementation into UK law:

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/1597/contents/made

The key bit is probably

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/1597/regulation/7/made

and definitions of e.g. "responsible person" are at

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/1597/regulation/2/made

It's in legal language but it's perfectly understandable IMO (I am not a lawyer!). Reading this I would tend to agree with the original poster that there's no obvious exemption from the requirements for hobby or personal use.

Of course what it makes sense for us to do in real life is another question entirely...

Edited By Bikepete on 04/04/2019 21:04:38

A picture of its current condition would be interesting!

I'd probably be more inclined to make the effort if it also had a vertical head with it, to make the finished machine more versatile.

I'd probably just buy e.g. one of these. Probably cost less than you'd spend on broken cutters

FWIW a few years ago I had a sticky quill on a Meddings drill press - in the end it turned out to be nothing to do with the quill itself. Instead it was a plastic bushing binding on the shaft that goes between the operating lever and the pinion that drives the quill rack. Worth checking this rotates freely...

Edited By Bikepete on 25/03/2019 08:48:58

Glad it hit the spot . But all kudos should go to the original poster in that thread - very clever chap.

IIRC I had no need to pin the 37-47, as on mine one of the original Hardinge banjo studs included a sleeve with long key onto which I could mount both gears rigidly together. Of course what you have on yours may differ.

Pretty sure I bought my 47 T gear - might be worth a hunt around for sellers unless you really fancy making it.

On the second question about the 37/47 - I think that's the case but am away from my workshop just now so can't get a visual reminder. Pretty sure I had the same question and scribbled something about it on the threading chart which I printed out to make it completely clear (e.g. which way round the 37/47 goes) - far too easy to forget these details if time elapses between set-ups... but it's easy enough to experiment and get it clear once you have the gears.

You'll also have spotted the photo of the set-up for 2 mm pitch on the second page of that thread...

Yup here you go, complete with charts to print out etc.

**LINK**

Read the whole thread, as it goes through a few different variations. I bring up using Myford gears at the bottom of the first page. All works perfectly and have cut many a thread with this set-up (on a narrow bed HLV-BK, but pretty sure HLV-H is the same). Uses the original (imperial) banjo so all you need is the Myford changewheels.

Also note that when I got mine, the 'two stage' action was not working. This was because the spindle assembly had been incorrectly assembled. It was a few years ago now but as I recall:

There should be a Allen-head grub screw somewhere on the circumference of the big knurled knob. Loosen this and unscrew the inner threaded spindle. Clean and lube. You'll see there is a sort of sprung face cam with a step which controls the 'two stage' action. On mine this had been assembled 'locked solid'.

As I recall all it needed was for the knurled ring to be backed off a few turns to provide space for the cam to move, and re-tighten the grub screw.

You'll probably have no problem figuring it out once the spindle is removed (and the first image I posted should also be helpful)

If you have lost all the markings on the two or three-position clamping force adjuster, try wiggling it with the Allen key as you tighten - you should be able to feel the 2 or 3 'flats' where the cam seats in each of the 2/3 positions.

Just in case it's not clear from the German instructions to use the vice there are three stages:

(1) Turn either the knurled knob by hand or use the handle (on the hex spindle). Jaws move 6mm per rev until contact is make with the workpiece.

(2) Turn the handle (on the hex spindle) a little more until it clicks - there is now 3-4 kN pre-tension on the jaws, and the knurled knob stops moving.

(3) now finish turning the handle until it reaches its hard stop (set by the 2 or 3 position cam) so that the full clamp force is applied (takes surprisingly little force). STOP at that point as trying to move the handle further will damage the vice.   

Hope that gets you going

Edited By Bikepete on 10/03/2019 11:10:21

The clamping force is set via the Allen key on top, which controls a cam which stops the 'second stage' compression at different force levels. The 100mm version only has two stops, but the 125mm and larger have three. On mine the sticker was missing too but for the 100mm (the one I have) see:

Edited By Bikepete on 10/03/2019 11:14:02

I also included some extra pics of semi-dicassembled vices and some of the accessories e.g. below:

Turns out the info I have is not all that extensive. I've placed what I have in this album:

https://www.model-engineer.co.uk/albums/member_album.asp?a=50264

The instructions I have I just saved after they were posted as images on some German Ebay auction... see the album for the other pages.

Edited By Bikepete on 10/03/2019 10:46:13

Edited By Bikepete on 10/03/2019 10:48:09

Hi David, as nobody has replied yet I'll have a go. Welcome to the forum!

First I suggest you start a new thread with a descriptive title like "Removing stuck chuck" so that more people see it (usually gets better response than tacking it onto the end of an old thread).

And I strongly recommend you put up clear pictures of both the whole machine (so we all know exactly which type we are talking about) and some close-ups of the bit which is stuck (maybe indicate the stuck bit with an arrow or something to make it completely clear). See here for info on posting images: **LINK**

There are a lot of different versions of these machines and various different sorts of chuck that could be stuck so for anyone to be able to give a good answer we need to know exactly what we are dealing with, and pictures are the best way to get that info over.

It would also be helpful to know what your Dad has already tried doing to get the chuck loose, to save people suggesting it again!

Cheers

Pete

Hi Chris, yes it's a Gressel MHS vice. I have one too, and some instructions etc which I will be happy to send you next week when I am back from holiday. Cheers Peter

+1 for Inverter Drive Supermarket.

FWIW I dislike VFDs which ONLY have configuration via computer. Much prefer having a basic keypad and display on the unit itself, even if operation is more cryptic and it costs a tenner or two more. Main reason is that when you come back to it several years later for whatever reason you don't have to worry about whether you have lost the cable, whether your computer operating system is still supported or indeed whether your new computer even has the necessary ports for the cable to connect to, whether the software licence is still valid and free of charge, etc. Instead all you need is the instructions (almost always downloadable if lost).

Have had good experience with Yaskawa models over the years, but many others too. A few years ago I tried one of the WEG ones which often come up as lowest price on Inverter Supermarket - it works OK but in comparison it is a bit basic in functions and instructions quality.

I would strongly recommend budgeting for a proper enclosure for it too - very few VFDs are designed to be exposed to workshop conditions unprotected.

Edited By Bikepete on 12/01/2019 19:02:28

For no particular reason I was wondering if anyone knows (or remembers!) whether model engineers' and/or other UK hobbyist-type workshops were ever systematically put into service to help the war efforts during WW1 or WW2?

Were machines requisitioned for the war effort? Or did competent modellers get e.g. given contracts for instruments or small parts, if e.g. retired and not conscripted?

Just struck me that in a 'total war' context, all of the lathes etc. in sheds up and down the country would be a useful resource which would presumably have been exploited. But then again maybe most home workshops would have been pretty modest back then...and perhaps anyone available and skilled could be put to good use in a proper factory or the like.

Googling isn't turning up anything useful - just lots of links for wartime models - so would be grateful for any links or info! Just curious really.

The 'main' lathe is definitely a Hardinge or clone, but what's the lathe to the right of the shot (at 0:30 in the video, when the Hardinge is featured) and which has been spray-painted white?

Weary, I'm on Firefox and it works fine for me.

Mick, could you maybe explain your schizophrenia comment? I honestly have no idea what you're referring to, but if it's a comment on the perhaps rather basic web page design I feel it's unkind, especially considering that all involved are presumably volunteers.

Puzzled me too. Perhaps obvious to those in model engineering club circles 'down south' but took a bit of finding for me - anyway I'm guessing it was the "Southern Federation of Model Engineering Societies" who sent the email...

https://www.sfmes.co.uk/public/

(and clicking on the 'need any help' item in the menu brings up details for Dr Baker)

Edited By Bikepete on 15/12/2018 16:13:54