Member postings for Ian B.

Thanks guys, I am in the UK and will have to contact Mortons direct now

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Can anyone please tell me the latest issue number of Model Engineer?

The last issue I have received is No. 4704.

My subscription is paid automatically once a quarter by direct debit. Whilst it is appreciated that there has been and is postal disruption do we have any idea of Morton's plans to rectify any errors?

Jason, its a paper subscription thanks. I have been a subscriber for a number of years but a reader since about 1953/54. ME did not fail through the lockdowns. Other MTM titles did. It was something to look forward to each fortnight and a paper copy to boot to savour.

I have had enough of glaring down screens in my professional life and a good old paper copy is something to be enjoyed.

Ian

Yes I agree Hopper. I was lucky enough to spot the wear beginning, changed to the rigid fully shimmed shears and was able to quickly (if that is the word) to eliminate most of the problems with diamond laps. The cheapies will do the job with some patience. One other thing to be noted with suppliers of mini lathes. Some are buying the very very cheapest options they can get. The latest machine has layshaft bearings one size down from the norm to save just pence, the keadscrew is 10mm too short actually at the headstock end and the mandrel bearings were one width down to save pence. Replaced of course with the correct taper rollers. There is much more but intrinsically I had a bad deal from a reputable supplier in the ME world and due to health issues I was not able to get to this machine until the warranty was out. I was even sent secondhand parts battered with lump hammers when I had paid for new.

However that being said given TLC and following published guidance and literature I remain a fan of the concept. And boy is it satisfying to make parts and say I rebuilt this machine.

Sadly I am also one of those who the "New Gang" have forgotten. My money is taken on the dot each quarter but now the latest edition of ME has not been supplied.

The internet vendors have pictures of the latest cover and claim stock. Clearly regular loyal subscribers are the bottom of the pile.

There was enough bother with MTM taking money hours before ceasing publication of titles during the pandemic and failing yo fulfill their obligations resulting in complaints to trading standards to get the money back. And here we are deja vu under new owners.

Combination of a number of things. Wear of bed at chuck end started sadly before replacing those push me pull me shears with properly shimmed solid steel ones. Probably not fully hardened as claimed. After a number of other cumulative minor matters like backlash building up in cross slide screw and nut, bearing changes and gear wear, the final straw came with a total failure of the 350 watt motor and breakdown of the FETs on the control board. Replacement parts added up to more than replacement machines could be sourced. The machine was by then 24 years old and had been used commercially for 15 years to bash out hundreds of small parts. I was far too busy to keep count with homemade attachments.

I bought another one which was not of Seig pattern , it was Real Bull and had a huge number of inherent problems which could fill a series in the magazines with photographic evidence to boot. In future if I have a motor failure I will replace with 3 phase motor and inverter. And save a lot of money for an improved machine having just converted my drill press. I now have a machine which is very satisfactory and the satisfaction of turning out good quality parts for my projects. Now retired all the industrial machinery has been sold off and all I have are bench tops and with TLC give good service. Yes I have accrued hours of my own time but not even got near a scrappy Myford price in money. By not going the recognised religious tenet route and yes using Chinese machinery, I have a range of processes in my retirement workshop facility that I could not have dreamt of financially otherwise. Yes I have had to up my skill levels, learn what used to be known as millwrighting skills in miniature to get to making the locomotives and other projects that I have actually designed from scratch starting with a pencil, a sharpener for it, and a lifetime of professional engineering habit, my daybook before producing the working drawings with computer aided design facilities. Does anyone need to know more?

Full marks for a good job. However in answer to usage questions I would fall on the side of a very useful. I am lucky enough to have a 5/16" Coventry Die Head left over from days of having a capstan attachment for a Colchester Bantam. I made my lever operated tailstock from a scrapped mini lathe I had worn out. 10BA, M2, M2.5 threads brilliant no problem.

Biggest problem is cost of dies but would not be without this item now.

I am a fan of the "mini lathe" concept. I have had a Clarke machine and literally wore it out. Fully up specced to Dave Fenners books. The parts to reinstate were far too expensive and I bought another machine from an alleged reputable supplier.

Beware there are pitfalls not all "mini lathes" or badge brands are equal. The Clarke machine was of Sieg pattern i.e the saddle was 'H' shaped. The current machine is of Real Bull design with parallel sided saddle. This has proved to be the proverbial Friday afternoon car in days of yore. However, after many hours of work, and making full use of availability of spare and replacement parts I have a tractable machine. I also have a WM180 which was excellent straight from box. But built by the Weiss factories in China.

Yet I remain a fan. I have found that better results come from patient attention to adjustments. Plus making full use of HSS tooling and running a little slower. Keep the tools really sharp and on centre. The mini lathe will reward at a very advantageous price of original purchase.

Thank you Vic. I don't need an internet connection thank you. I can watch and comprehend live from No 10 on the television.

I have never made any claim to knowing everything.

But I do have memory and will check and verify from the sources. There are a number of formal Freedom of Information requests lodged for the full findings of Exercise Cygnus which would give us all a much better understanding of what is really going on. There is at least one major legal case before the courts, Dr Qureshi (I hope spelt correctly) represented by Leigh Day lawyers. DHSC are using every method to delay access to that information. What has been leaked so far is as quoted terrifying. And we are actually seeing it being played out.

I have been in business in the model and model engineering field and gladly will go back to my shed. I know of other authors, mag contributors and ex suppliers who are pretty disgusted with the whole scene of ME as it has become.

Glad to be gone from where verifiable facts are denied because they dont quite suit.

Sad that people only listen to sound bytes. Cummings actually recruited Andrew Sabinsky to be a senior No 10 advisor. An extreme believer in Eugenics as Cummings was also an advocate and affionado. Sabinsky is so extreme he had to resign Feb 2020. There is no doubt what eugenics actually is.

Ferguson could not manage without bedding his mistress breaking the lockdown laws.

Van Tam's statement in a number 10 press conference. Ruth May's answer to a journalist in a broadcast press conference. The question directly about who would be left to die.  I.E euthanasia.

Herd immunity was a vain hope with tens of thousands of deaths being vaunted by Whitty and Vallence when the wider scie tific community stated that herd immunity may never occur.

As regards Stafford. Just how short is memory? A scandal of epic proportions with major repurcussions in the Commons. The failure to act upon and implement the findings of Exercise Cygnus of October 2016 the results of which were so terrifying , I quote, that they could not be made public. And still are kept secret. We are now seeing that worst case being acted out every day with more to come.

John Bell knows nothing does he?

Front line staff in the NHS are lions led by donkeys and thats an insult to donkeys.

Edited By Ian B. on 16/01/2021 06:55:11

Gazz I can recommend the WM14 mill. Had mine 2 years now having had to downsize from industrial stuff.

Very happy with mine. My other lathe is a WM180. Long story and that worked straight out of the box as well. Clean, oil, start work. I have made a few changes but nothing significant. Purely to suit me as nice to haves.

Ian

H'mmm? I have read through the thread and there is a lot of useful and commendable information. However having owned 2 mini lathes of differing pedigrees over long years, there are two modifications which dramatically improve successful parting. One was sort of OK the other was a complete dog. Both initially impossible to part off with.

The first. Is to change the shears to solid bolt up types properly shimmed. May entail carefully lapping of the underside faces of the bed.

The second. Change the mandrel bearings back to the original Russian design and that is quality taper roller bearings and adjust them and grease them properly.

I never use a rear toolpost and have regularly parted off 32mm diameter EN3 in quantity with HSS blades for rolling stock wheels.

I have never smashed any standard plastic gear.

I know an awful lot has been written about angular contact bearings as replacements but I took the view that the original designers actually knew what they were doing and have proved it in practice even with a very difficult Friday afternoon car machine.

These are not costly in terms of finance but may require investment in time and patience and then practice.

With Real Bull machines as the CJ18 be very careful of the alignments of the motor pulleys and change wheels. There often is tweking of bracketry to be done and the leadscrew shaft end is not really long enough on the 14 inch bed machines.

Regards

Ian

Sadly simply for the reason that E bay favour and are biased towards the seller. The seller is their paymaster. Their complaints procedure is set up to deter buyers from complaining. A seller can have any bad feedback removed simply on request and it will be removed if you have made a formal complaint. Been there had it done. Fingers burned and have never used the dishonest cesspit again. Had to recover my money using card procedures here in the UK.

That is good advice Michael. I am (and have been for years) fascinated with mechanical clocks. I have never really felt good enough to make them. I have just had success in repairing a Mayer three train clock. The anchor escapement had slipped a little on its shaft. When I asked I was surprised to learn that they are made from "standard" parts and to measure items and then look at suppliers like Cousins for new parts. I thought originally before stripping it that the suspension was damaged as I could not achieve an even beat and the clock would stop after a couple of hours. Mayer were pretty good and sent the information. Some gentle adjustments has it going again and it runs 7 days until the strike slows enough to be annoying.

However I digress. I will get parents clock going again and fit it onto a new display stand.

Regards

Ian.

Edited By Ian B. on 09/01/2021 16:32:17

Edited By Ian B. on 09/01/2021 16:33:16

What a fantastic amount of knowledge and information. A very genuine thank you to all of you.

The original clock was not quite a Napolean's hat but very similar. Rounded top with "silvered" dial. The abutments did not sweep out but were hard shouldered in shape very much like those chimney breasts outside houses right behind the fireplace.

As regards the movement, the plates are smooth for the front plate, the rear looks to laquered badly and there is a pattern of what looks like tiny centre pop marks. The wheels and other motion work appear to have been blanked out on a press with only the teeth and pivot holes machine cut. If the apertures in the wheels are examined you can see the rough shear lines and marks. The pinions are lantern pinions which I sought of understood were a sign of the cheaper clocks. I could be wrong.

I escaped a number of guard duties in military training because I had polished the internals of my belt buckles. Ho ho. Hence I started with one wheel. It really was frustrating. I could see no way of making the plates reasonable and the job was put aside. Till being inspired to look again by The Repair Shop and the wealth of help here.

Thanks again.

Ian.

Thank you all for your input. I too would be a little worried about ammonia based solutions. I keep citric acid anyway for hard soldering. That seems to produce the pink effect on areas where the flux has been pickled away.

I have a small ultrasonic cleaner and perhaps a good clean in that to remove the dirt and then a citric acid clean.

I am a little nervous as to the intrinsic quality. It was an engagement present to my mother and father in 1930. The case was very poor and all my life I cannot remember it running properly. The pendulum is a rough cast piece of lead painted black which grows something akin to white to pale green mould. I salvaged the movement way back in the late 70s and thought it might be nice to make a good job of it.

Thanks again

Regards

Ian

Hello. I would like to ask perhaps those with clock making/repairing experience about cleaning brass brightwork or what should be brightwork. I have a 3 train clock dismantled and put aside for too many years. I have spent time all that while ago physically trying to clean and polish the parts, needle files cleaning out wheel spokes and the like. Terribly disappointed with the results. Hence just shoving the parts in a box.

A couple of days ago, taking a shed break eating lunch I watched "The Repair Shop". Steve, I think his name is, was dismantling and repairing a beautiful skeleton clock. With amazing results as to brightwork. All the wheels, plates etc. I noticed at one stage he was wearing heavy rubber gloves.

I have some of Donald de Carle's books but can find nothing to suggest replicating this finish.

Can anyone guide me in the right direction please? Is it some form of electropolishing, physical rubbing with polish, chemical dipping or just elbow grease over a longish period off camera?

Regards

Ian.

Edited By Ian B. on 08/01/2021 07:13:49

Yep me as well. But usually about every 2 weeks telling me something is amiss with my internet connection. If I do not press one and boot up my computer so they can sort it out, my internet and phone connection will be terminated immediately.

Usually bait the b**g*rs for a bit then tell them to urinate.

Life can be fun.

Ian.

Do e-bay really take any notice? No they don't. Problem 8 years ago. Complained. They appointed a bent lawyer in some obscure Los Angeles law firm that the Bar Council of LA said did not exist. My transaction took place here in the UK on UK soil with UK card in sterling. They did everything to wriggle. Then this 5 star fine upstanding e bay seller was arrested and convicted with a long sentence for having a house full of pirated child pornography and stolen video machines. Sceptic tank lawyer sooned zipped her gob and I had to reclaim my money via the card company.

Lesson learned. Never use this disgusting outfit. Good luck to those who do. I assume all are scammers and crooks.

Ian

Edited By Ian B. on 06/01/2021 07:42:24

Might be worth a talk to Tracey Tools. They are often able to help with off standard threads. I needed a tap for Ronson gas filler valves. They supplied. Then I had access to buy really cheap pencil gas soldering torches when the Ronson supply of valves dried up for a bit. Yep the gas filler valves were an even odder thread. Tracey were able to supply the taps I needed.

Ian