Member postings for Ian Welford

Word of caution- the files , if carbon steel may have micro cracks in the surface layers which can propagate if stressed. The advice in turning circles is to soften and then retemper after grinding. Makes the shaping easier too ! Unlikely you would stress a scraper too much to fracture it but I have been told of it happening if not suoppoorted close enough to the (wood ) work.

I have also made great awls etc out of old pozi drivers but they're hardened not carbon steel.

Some one told me that Pozi drivers are designed to "cam out" of the screw heads before you reach the point where the screw head will shear off- don't know if that's true or not - any ideas anyone ?

Well done training wife to use correct size- after 20 years I'm still trying !!!!

Regards Ian

The Phillips type are designed to stay sharp by rubbing on the underside of the foils ( and self sharoening according to the Phillips rep) so always take them off one at a time, clean and replace in the original foil. They last a damn sight longer that way !

Just about to start growing a moustache for "Movember" charity drive for Macmillan

a 6" vernier callper with a clockface for the readings( metric and imperial)- got cheap from Proops many years ago as the clock face had a slight crack in it. Lives by the work bench. Use it more than any other one I;ve got,for both wood turning and metal work.

If I want it more accurate I use a Mitutoyo which lives by the Boxford. Also a 150mm flexible rule .

Plus of course the collected wisdom of Peter Wright and G Thomas!

Regards Ian

Hi Brian

Sadly they may have standardised NOW but the ones in this one are 1" long, 26 tpi and almost a square form thread (?) with a large degree of taker under the head for the first 1/4". The diameter ( to top of thread) is 302 thou.

BSF perhaps?

I should add they were certainly put in never to be removed without considerable effort ! Mine have now been extracted, copper slipped and reinserted.

Until I extracted them and compared to the ones shown as a spare available now, I was going to bite the bullet and order a set of jaws etc ( £50 !!!) but they're totally different.

I have e mailed record to see what their view is and will update this when I know.

Made me feel a bit better when I saw the same vice on ebay for £170! Mind you you have to go and collect it. Just about gave me a hernia when I picked mine up !

Thanks one and all

Ian

OOps- typo- Record 36 vice!!!

Anyone know the thread of the screws which secure the jaw plates on a record 30 quick release vice? They heave quite a fine thread ( I['m guessing imperial?) and a taper to the screw head. Slots on mine are a bit knackered (not me got it 2 years ago) and I want to replace the jaws with aluminium so might as well fit new screws at the same time.

Cheers Ian

Clive

you can buy self adhesive felt at chemists in 200mm by 60mm chunks ( About £4) in 6 or 8mm thick.

For cleaning why not use copper strips and put cuts at an angle so you dislodge the chips and draw them out ( kind of like a screw thread?) by rotating the cleaner.

Baby bottle brushes ( ex used by SWMBO to clean when children younger), work a treat !

Regards Ian

Set off with the intention of working on the ball turning tool from MEW. Having yesterday compeleted a hand turning rest ( modelled on GHT's version) for my Boxford. . The SWMBO decided , as it was above zero, that the caravan should be cleaned! Four hours later it looked a lot cleaner and most of the muck was on me instead.

Decided instead to sand and oil a 12" Burr oak bowl which I was working on yesterday. Then got carried away and sorted a burr elm bowl (only 5" dia) as well. Still to sand and oil that but retired to computer as needed some inspiration !

Tomorrow may take dogs / kids or combination of the same to Brimham Rocks climbing or might go to York club for Easter steaming- SWMBO permitting!

Regards Ian

Totally agree about face shields etc. I found that DB keithley at Leeds had a range of refurbished stuff and were competitively priced. Ask around and look at local auctions as firms re equip. Brands to look for- Graduate, Denford, Wadkin, Bursgreen, Myford and Coronet / record power( bought em out.

If you can find them then Arundel were also good but be aware that older lathes may be difficult to source chucks etc for. Having said that Axminster have a "specials" department I believe ( not tried em but a frined is currently in discussion with them for an adaptor for his lathe) and they're helpful.

Hegner are excellent but not cheap! Oh for a VB36!

Jason is , as always, correct to recommend a white wheel for sharpening. Get along to any of the featured wood shows and you usually find Isles there- excellent stuff and you make your own handles to suit the size of your hands.

By the way- "Abranet" is simply excellent mesh tyope sanding stuff for wood and metal- you can rinse it out and it cuts like a dream!

The other tip is look on AWGB- association of GB wood turners site and find local group to join- lots of stuff "comes up" as people upgrade / retire from the hobby.

Regards ian

Thanks for that Jim

Slight embarrassment, when using today I notied that I have sharpened one edge of V cutter at 6* and the other at -6*.

One edge cut beautifully, the other bounced and is to be reground tonight !

Re Cleaning of a daimond stone - the Staedtler plastic type rubbers work well on diamond stones ( which I use for wood working) when they get clogged. Trend diamond fluid is also excellent at floating off particles.

I was more concerned at getting the edge to run absolutely true and also dressing it to a finer edge ie thinner edge.

Oh well back to the grinder!

Ian

I've had great service from them over the years. As well as great advice and help with queries.

Just nice people ( no connections apart from satified customer )

Ian

Finally plucked up the courage and found the time to sharpen it today. Hasn't yet been used in anger ( tomorrow or thursday perhaps )but seems a lot sharper under magnifier and edge chipping has gone!

John - I have just stoned the front face with a diamond file as had done multiple set ups and measure ups all day to get the results right(ish), .

Also had to lubricate the Boxford thoroughly as hasn't been used "full range" for a while so slide ends etc sticky and tiring on the handwheel. Then the grease gun leaked, then couldn't find the grinding finger I wanted so 3 more made etc, etc. By this time I was knackered

Now a further question- how do you "true up" a diamond wheel bought from Arc Euro (happy customer, no connection to firm etc)?

Obviously ( or maybe it isn't) I can't use a diamond or can I ???

Ian

Thanks John

Maybe that explains why the front tooth faces show evidence of the front face being gound back in 2 stages. I assumed the previous set up had just not been properly checked but maybe it was deliberate!

Any suggestions of how wide I should get the lands? On a second cutter I have they're about 50" wide but this one's more like 75" so due a sharpen ( plus the tips are visibly blunt !)

Plucking up courage to have a go !

Any suggestions please for guidance on how to set up a Boxford T&C grinder to sharpen a 4" dia V cutter ( 90*) . I've got the manual but am struggling to work out whether to grind the front face of each tooth first. Afterwards I will need to grind the side of each tooth as the lands are quite large. Is there a link to any demo of this process that anyone knows about ?

The cutter is HSS and will be used on steel so I am assuming a 5 to 7* clearance would be correct (???)

Cheers Ian

Dave

try a piece of steel ducting. Air con ducting off cuts are quite cheap / free and galvanised often.

Regards Ian

Martin

the water from a dehumidifier is "pure", it's effectively distilled water. So it is soft water and can be used in boilers safely with no risk of furring up due to limescale being dissolved in it.

It's pure enough to be used in car batteries.

Regards ian

A couple more observations

Superglue - adhesive developed for space programme to ensure astonauts do not come loose from the spacecraft one stuck. Excellent for attaching self to project which you have just degreased and dried so it can adhere perfects but it just choses to attach you ( ignoring grease on hands, clothes etc) in preferance to the parts you wanted attached.

Note- NEVER try to remove tube stuck to fingers with your lips . No don't ask but it was a good 20 minutes before we took my brother to casualty ( couldn't drive whilst crying with sympathy- honest ! )

Cellulose thinners excellent cleaning agent for degreasing, alos good for removing "unbreakable handles" from screwdrivers. Again don't ask!

Router method of making vast amounts of wood dusk which settles ( eventually) on the freshly painted model in the next room, Said dust is capable of travelling through the time space continuum via closed doors and just to attach to the model.

Machine Worklight - device for warming hand in cooler weather and generating smoke when "coolant spray" hits the bulb. Designed to direct light to just reflect off your safety glasses whilst obscuring view of the work with it's shade.

Quick release air fitting - method of taking compressed air from the compressor to the airtool and refusing to part with it until begged!

Transwave are pretty good too. Had a drive from them at Harrogate last year and help via e mail setting it up to run exactly how I wanted. Paul (rep) was excellent and a great help!

Ian

Remember reading in Goodwoodworking mag years ago a tale - " Success, today I needed some fine aluminium bar to compelet a plant holder for my wife. The bars salvaged from the old pushchair worked perfectly. I proudly showed it to my wife and reminded the family how she had scoffed when I spent ages knocked the rivets out. But I have been proved right ! Triumph at last !"

It then added underneath" PS my wife says I should tell you my son is now 47 !"

But as you say- horders syndrome. Then only advice I can recall being given by my sainted uncle was " whenever you do a job using a special tool you bought or made to do it- Make damn sure your wife sees the tool and you stress how it would have been impossible without it!

I have adopted this guidance wholeheartedly and can vouch for its effectiveness!

But I'm with Neil- use it and then if it breaks at least you've had enjoyement from it, If it goes rusty whilst ebing admired and "saved", what's the point !

Ian

David

what a good idea! Have a few modified for certain saws- I;ll modify one to fit a Boxford fongith !

Thanks Ian