I like the saying 'The man who never made a mistake never made anything' also 'I was wrong once, I thought I had made a mistake'.

Mike

I thought this was a pretty clever idea

Mike

Properly heat treated carbon steel will take a keener edge than HSS but for a machine cutter will lose that edge the moment things get a bit too hot. HSS can keep its edge at much elevated temperatures and makes a very robust turning tool or milling cutter. A tap or die for hand threading does not need to perform at high temperature so I wonder why it has become so popular for hand threading. Maybe HSS being a more expensive material it is bypassed by the bottom end of the market so poorly made taps and dies have become associated with carbon steel. HSS ground thread taps and dies are a premium priced product but I wonder whether a well made carbon steel item will cut just as good a thread or better. Tool life is another factor and I think is probably the main reason HSS displaced carbon steel as the toolbit of choice before carbide took things to another level. For most of the work we do a well made carbon die will give a very useful sevice life, if we need extended life the extra investment in HSS may be worth while.

Mike

If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, of what, then, is an empty desk a sign of? (A. Einstein)

Mike

I rewound a motor and managed to connect a coil up the wrong way, it sounded rough as the proverbial, we used to test them before sealing the windings as once sealed to dig out the connections would be a wretched business that would most likely wreck the new windings, a quick check soon found my error and the motor ran sweetly. I would be surprised if a motor could be finally shipped with a fault of this nature but maybe it could be.

Mike

A bench seat usually meant a column change, a bit vague at best.

Mike

I remember my Dad winding me up by saying look at these two small screws holding on the brake drum, luckily I spotted the four wheel studs also held the brake drum on but it did make me think for a few seconds and I was probably about 11 years old.

Mike

I would have thought the timesaving would be massive using a jig and router to cut the hinge recess, looking at large scale projects like hotels and the villas at Center Parcs they obviously use a router as they use the rounded corner hinges. I think even I could beat a professional wood spoiler if I have a router and he has a chisel.

Mike

Check there is no lost motion where the feedscrew attaches to the front bracket, to eliminate this you will need three hands, one to hold the feedscrew from turning and two to lock the ball handle and micrometer dial together to set the minimum running clearence for the screw bracket end float, this should be possible to get close to zero float and still turn smoothly. Any backlash should now only be what is in the screw nut fit and this will never be zero. As you usually only put cut on in one direction the backlash is not a problem, if you do back away from the job make sure you go back far enough so that the screw is driving the crosslide again when you approach your setting.

Mike

Edited By Michael Poole on 07/03/2015 15:35:34

The router on its own is a useful machine but will require some investment in cutters. With accessories like a router table and jigs to perform a wide variety of tasks it will become a very useful tool, but like a milling machine you will find you can spend more than the cost of the machine on tooling.

Mike

I am pleased with mine, I chose the R8 version and I feel this was a good choice but I was not bothered about using any common tooling with other machines. Some people find the head to table height a bit small and fit a riser block to give typically an extra 100mm. R8 collets can win some height aswell. There are some more compact machines with a larger working area. So far I have not had a problem with the capacity of the machine. As yet I do not have a power feed and this is getting to the top of my wish list. I am fitting a DRO at this moment and think this will be a useful enhancment.

Mike

I have a Dickson toolpost and 10mm tools are fine, you will probably accumulate toolholders over time but three or four is a usful start, it is not the end of the world to have swap and set a rarely used tool and still easier than using packing strips, I have only got up to 14 holders so far. If you use the home page search box to find quick change toolposts for myford a wealth of opinion and information will turn up in other threads on this site.

Mike

Mike, if you log out the original questions are displayed.

Mike

I thought walking the dog was a euphamism for a visit to the pub.

Mike

My 1974 Triumph Trident was all UNF/UNC so all fastners use AF spanners except for fuel fittings which are BSP and use whitworth sizes. My sons VW polo needed a new clutch, a quick look and I thought I had all required tools, while laying underneath to release the drive shafts I request pass the Torx key, too loose next size please, too big what are you playing at say I. It turns out VW use spline drive fasteners! Yet another set of bits required. They also use the even sizes like 16mm and 18mm, I think it was probably the first outing ever for these spanners. I think manufacturers use as many odd fasteners as they can just to put you off working on things, how about the 5 lobe screws to take the back off your Iphone? The Montego was a metric car as far as I remember and the factory was metricated from at least 1972 when I started work there.

Mike

Edited By Michael Poole on 14/02/2015 19:22:27

I worry about the French, the last campsite I stayed at insisted you wear speedos to use the swimming pool, bald overweight men in speedos it not the best image, luckily I can't see myself so it's not my problem.

Mike

I think the most important point is to use the cable termination that is suited to the terminal on the device you are connecting to, bootlace ferrules do indeed make a neat and reliable connection but can prevent full insertion into some terminals, they can also crowd some relay terminals where two wires are required but intended for bare wire connection. For speed of installation many control devices use spring terminals designed for bare wire, the time taken to strip fit and crimp ferrules costs money. Insulation displacement connectors are now very popular on much equipment especially communication type wiring for telephone and ethernet cables. Ribbon cable would be a nightmare to have to strip and solder compared to the speed and reliability of IDC systems. Even some power wiring systems use IDC termination now. The trouble with many termination systems is the are very specific for the cable and connector, use the wrong ones and the mismatch will give a poor electrical and mechanical termination.

Mike

David Urwicks Metalmaster must be a candidate if cost is ruled out as a factor.

Mike

The shears are the machined guideways of the bed that the saddle and tailstock run along.

Mike

This is the ML7R which is a pre power cross feed Super 7 with the ML7 cross and top slide and no clutch, the clutch can be fitted as an upgrade. I think this is the one just made to confuse.

Mike