Member postings for Colin Heseltine

I was around 3miles from the exchange and was on something around 1Mb, eventually Infinity came to the village and the Fibre Cabinet is around 150 yards away. Now on download of 72Mb and upload of around 9Mb. Significant improvement.

Colin

Paul,

I'm sorry but I did not mention using an Arduino anywhere in my posting. I am using the TI Launchpad. These can easily be purchased direct from Texas Instruments web site in the States. I paid $9.99 for the Launchpad and $14 for shipping, so total of $23.99.

I used a case and resistors from Maplins, 9 pin 'D' connectors, Veroboard and wire from IT spares box, Power supply from old mobile phone, Bluetooth modules are anything from around £4.50 to £6.50. You should be able to build the whole thing for less than £30.

Regards,

Colin

If the customer feels he is getting value and good service for his money he will come back to you. Most customers realise that you need to make a profit to stay in business (but do not appreciate being robbed).

Colin

I have machine-dro hardware on both by Colchester Student, ML7 lathes and Chester Mill complete with their digital readouts. No connection other than being a satisfied customer.

When I wished to fit DRO to a Cowells Mill and a Cowells Lathe I again used their Magnetic scales as they can be fitted very neatly and do not take up much space. I could not justify the cost of the readout to go with them.. I saw a posting re the Touch-DRO Android app from **LINK** This site has all the information required to build your own controller to use with whatever scales you desire. The Touch-DRO app is then downloaded from his site and loaded onto an Android tablet. I had a suitable Android tablet doing nothing and the components to build the controller cost me less than £20 (possibly around £15). The controller could be shared between several devices if required. I in fact built two one for mill and one for the lathe. Android tablets can be had quite cheaply if you do not have a suitable device available.

Colin

Just finished building the Lego Caterham 7 620R (present from other half). Now have a total of three model 7's to keep real one company.

On the subject of caring cats, all our three cats varying in age from 2 1/2 up to 18 know when someone is not well. They will find the bed with the ill person and keep them company till they feel better.

Colin

2800mm

Colin

It may be cheaper in some ways. When you are pulling cables along a purling 15 to 18 metres in the air using 10 to 15 metres of cable rods, its a bit of a b....r when the insulating tape separates at a join in the purling and its just taken 20 minutes to get the cherry picker into position to pull the rods and cable over a high bay aisle in a warehouse. This is why I now only use the cable socks.

Colin

I have a number of these in different sizes for pulling cables, predominantly Cat5 cable. I've always known them as cable socks. The ones I use are from Super-Rod. They call theirs Super-Grip. There are a range of three sizes depending on size of cable you wish to pull.

Colin

I must admit to doing quite well at proof reading. I sometimes get asked to read medical articles and can pick up spelling mistakes in medical words I've never seen or heard before. Was regularly asked to proof read my daughters University reports. Modern computer spelling checkers have a lot to answer for. They check a word is spelt correctly, but it can be completely the wrong word, e.g. bought and brought.

Colin

Yesterday had a phone call from a lady of foreign extraction (sounded indian/Malaysian) very hard to understand. Said she was from British Telecom and as I was a longstanding customer I would be getting change in my contract to give me free mobile calls and various other bonus features. Could I verify my name was Colin Heseltine and my address was xxx, postcode was xxx. All perfectly valid information and I had no problem verifying this. I then turned the table on her and asked for my BT account number and details. A funny thing then happened, She went quiet for a couple of seconds and then the phone was put down.

Today I get another call from a similar sounding lady. She comes out with the same spiel only this time I asked her for my account number before she asked me to verify name etc. Immediately the phone went down.

Has anyone else had these calls recently.

I even had the famed Indian Microsoft Window Technical Support Team ring me yesterday. They got even shorter thrift. I educated them with some nice English language words and asked them kindly to go away.

Colin

Steve, Jason,

Thanks for quick response. I guessed it must be server related. Hope it get sorted soon.

Colin

Is anyone else having problems accessing the Model Engine Maker website.

Everytime I try to connect I get the following message:

ERROR - Too many processes

with the rest of the screen being blank. Happens on IOS devices and Windows 7.

Colin

I have just replaced my 11 off 8ft fluorescent lights with LED lighting. The lights were anything from 5 to 20 years old. Trouble is you cannot get 8ft LED tubes so went the whole hog and fitted full blown LED lamps. Went for daylight versions and it is fantastic. I'll never ever get a payback, but now silent, bright, ip rated and instant. They are 1500mm (3ft shorter than the old lights).

Whereas they used to be in banks of 2 or 3 per light switch, they are now in four separate banks with individual switches on some of them to cut down how many on at once. I can now work over bench with one single LED light.

Colin

Where's the best place to get suitable quantity of caustic soda.

I will try the ultrasonic cleaner, its sat next to the bench but never gave it a thought.

Colin

Over last two or three hours I've carded around 50 files, still got 20 odd to go. Boring job, worn out 1 card completely, now on the second one. Most of the bits are aluminium filings. Have had to resort to a scriber to remove some of the bits.

Is there an easy way to remove the stuff that will not remove with the scriber or card. Can I soak them in some solvent or another.

Thanks,

Colin

Neil,

What telescope are you using and what magnification eyepiece.

Colin

Windy,

That brings back memories. I used to look after one of a pair of Class 3 Hydroplanes which had a Lotus Twincam engine in it. Looked after it at the speed week when it used to be held on Windemere. Great week up there.

Colin

Hi there,

Just after a bit of advice re wiring. I am fitting a IMO Jaguar VXR VFD to my newly acquired Super7. I have had it all wired up and working on the bench and am now fitting it to the lathe.

The motor is new three phase and has the requisite three phase wires and an earth, these are shielded with braid. The control pendant has seven wires also in a shielded cable. This shielded cable has the braid covered with green/yellow earth sleeving and is obviously meant to be connected to the earth connections on the Jaguar VXR along with the earth from single phase supply and the earth from the motor.

The question is - should the braided sleeve from the motor cable also be connected to earth. Note it is not connected at the motor end, so only one end would be connected. (IIRC this is the normal way shielding would be connected on data cables.

Thanks,

Colin

I have just obtained a Super 7. The stand is not a Myford one but it has lugs on to bolt it down. For present I have fitted it with upturned M14 Coach Bolts. The dome makes it a bit easier to slide on the concrete floor but the bolt also gives me the ability to alter the height quite easily. Longer term I may fit some angle iron brackets with heavy duty lockable castors to enable me to be able to move it around.

Colin

Ron,

I would like to pop along tomorrow if possible. What time is the club open. I am only 5 minutes away.

Thanks,

Colin