Member postings for Mike Poole

I agree Michael, the term carbon steel tells us nothing other than it is steel and not iron. A tap needs to be made from a high carbon steel but again high carbon steel only slightly narrows the range of possible materials, other elements can be added to improve a simple high carbon steel for the making of taps and I am sure that the actual specification was carefully chosen by manufacturers before HSS was widely used. I think carbon steel is a generalisation to identify it is not a HSS, with some of the junk standard items it may be wishful thinking that it is a properly selected and heat treated high carbon steel which over the years has made people wary of non HSS taps and dies. I remember my father telling me that turners on piecework would actually buy their own HSS toolbits as they were supplied with high carbon steel, they covered the cost by being able to use higher speeds and heavier cuts with a reduced resharpening requirement, I suppose the company finally realised they were behind the times and adopted HSS toolbits.

Mike

I believe that HQS is carbon steel and don’t really feel that is does the Tap and Die company a great service to use the mysterious term. However I have found their HQS taps and dies to be made to a high standard and fit for purpose. I feel that carbon steel has acquired a poor reputation as it has been used by the economy end of the market to produce a poor quality tool. HSS is a more expensive material and more difficult to machine. I suspect that HSS is machined by grinding in its hardened condition and so by default is a ground thread rather than a cut as often offered in carbon steel. Reading of peoples problems with threading it would seem that poor quality HSS taps and dies can be found from some sources which together with inexperienced users create real trouble for some. The great attraction of HSS was that it could hold an edge even at red heat whereas carbon steel is very easily destroyed by overheating, overheating is unlikely to be an issue with normal tapping methods but HSS does seem to be more durable and keep an edge longer than carbon steel and is first choice production work or probably more exotic material these days. It probably matters more to buy a decent quality tap rather than what it is made from but as HSS is more difficult to machine and a more expensive material it was once more likely that HSS would be the best option. Buying a brand with a good reputation or from a supplier with a sound reputation should rule out the tool being at fault and take a good look at the technique being used, if it is tried and tested then revisit the tool.

Mike

Edited By Mike Poole on 11/09/2022 20:06:39

Royal Mail will be affected by strike action on the 8th 9th of September and the 30th and 1st October so be prepared for some delay and possible backlog to clear.

Mike

When my mother was a girl her father kept a Jersey cow for milk, the cats would appear at milking time and would be obliged with a well aimed jet of milk straight from the teat, I suppose cats were not lactose intolerant in those days.

I think I would buy a new terminal block from Brocott and fit crimp lugs on the cables, an inline crimp could be used to extend the damaged cable or a lever type wago connector. Brocott supply a rectangular block with links for star or delta connection.

Mike

I think we need to acknowledge that there are simply too many people on this planet and all the resources are finite. If fusion does solve our energy problem we still need food. We may eventually produce products to sustain life that may be enjoyable to eat as well as nourish us. While we still can I will have a steak and a pint of real ale.

Mike

Edited By Mike Poole on 04/09/2022 14:55:30

The old electro mechanical meters must at the very least need a calibration check at some regular interval. Considering my completely solid state Fluke multimeter was called in for an annual calibration check I would be rather suspect of an old style domestic meter, of course if it was reading in your favour then well worth hanging on to.

Mike

Lovely work Carl, living next to Chalgrove airfield I have seen a few seats test launched from Martin Bakers Meteors over the airfield. I guess that once deployed they become scrap but probably a small price to pay for the survival of the crew.

Mike

I insert the gauge in the bore and lightly nip, straighten the gauge to close it down to size. The gauge should not be able to rock side to side, if it does it is undersize. I then tighten and check it does find a point where it touches without excess force, if you need too much force then it is probably oversize and if there is no sweet spot then you are undersize. Definitely a tool that developing a feel for will help with accuracy, some care with the mic is also required and using the ratchet should avoid compressing the gauge.

Mike

If we can just ride out the 30 years until fusion power arrives everything will be ok.

Mike

Whitworth did go down to 1/8”, I have a tap inherited from my father 1/8”BSW x40tpi. BSF stopped at 1/4” but it seems that taps do exist which are either not standard or maybe the standard included them as non preferred sizes. My father gave up toolmaking in 1952 when recalled to the RAF so the tap is rather a vintage item.

Mike

I think when BSF was standardised is was expected to use BA for sizes below 1/4”, British engineering seem to use this in practice. America use the numbered series for UNF and UNC for sizes below a 1/4” and the British car and motorcycle industry adopted these threads in the 1960s but they had hardly converted and metric was decided on.

Mike

Perhaps the tactic of saying give me your best price for a renewal and if I like I will stay, I think Alistair is a good negotiator perhaps we should all practice the art of a good haggle.

Mike

5BA is handy for 1/8” rod, the other thread series should be as sized, a 1/8BSW die should thread a 1/8” rod. There is some value in reducing the rod by a few thou as the thread profiles are either slightly truncated or in case of BSW and BSF and BA a small radius is at the root and crown of the thread.

Mike

Paul I didn’t realise the origin of refusenik but having now looked it up you are correct. It also seems that usage has now included the way in which I used it so although the original definition would make my use nonsensical the ever changing English language has also made my use acceptable.

Mike

Will the smart meter refuseniks be persuaded by the offer of cash for modifying their usage behaviour? The offer can only be available to those with a smart meter and willing to adapt their usage pattern.

Mike

It looks at though you could employ some taper wedges like the ones supplied for removing drill chucks. You will probably need to make a pair as drill chuck ones will be too small.

Mike

i see Bill beat me to the wedge idea while I was composing 😀

Edited By Mike Poole on 17/08/2022 17:34:24

As a passenger coming into land at Heathrow I was surprised to suddenly be under full power and climbing away from the airport, the pilot explained an aircraft had not cleared the runway and he had to abort the landing. I don’t doubt this is a well rehearsed situation but he sounded as though it was a worrying moment.

Mike

I fully agree with the sharing knowledge for free, I have always worked on the principle of if I know something then it will do me no harm to share with anyone. As I served an apprenticeship I benefited from the accumulated knowledge of many skilled men and not just my own trade, I have encountered a few people who are reluctant to share and some who work on the 80/20 principle of keeping a bit back. I think my willingness to share and explain was appreciated by the apprentices I worked with and the production managers who wanted to know what had gone wrong although this could sometimes need to be explained without the deep technical complexity and jargon. I would not expect to go to the pub and enjoy the banter and hospitality and not buy a few pints, the landlord does not supply the company but the cost of running the pub is not met by the conversation so buy a pint now and again.

Mike

Excel This links to the lathes machine tool archive, it is interesting how the Excel brand was created by the Elliot machine tool group who also owned some solid British brands of machine tools. It would seem that your drill may or may not be British made but is likely to be better made than many. If it is accurate and performs satisfactorily it could be a useful machine. A top branded machine that is clapped out is of less use than any machine that is well made and in good order.

Mike