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Member postings for Geoff Sheppard

Here is a list of all the postings Geoff Sheppard has made in our forums. Click on a thread name to jump to the thread.

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Thread: Comments on the Exhibition
21/12/2010 10:29:02
David
 
Aircraft don't need to be noisy these days. I recall that the 'stable' used to have a magazine called 'Silent Flight'. Electrics have come a long way. Perhaps Graham Ashby of RCM&E could advise. It would be nice to get the aeromodellers back. I had hoped that the superb engineered aircraft models by Alan Clark, seen at last year's exhibition, would start a new trend, but nothing appeared this time.
 
Regards
 
Geoff
20/12/2010 21:33:32
Had to go digging a bit, but I knew they were there, somewhere. Micromodels Set MII (Princess Coronation and West Country) Price 2s 6d including Purchase Tax and Set P.G.VII (The Great Bear, Midland Compound and Duke). Still not opened. Must get round to making them up, sometime. Then on to rubber powered aircraft. That's where model engineering used to start. We need the modern equivalent. 
 
Regards, Geoff
20/12/2010 14:16:03
Blue Basildon Bond? - there's posh!
20/12/2010 12:39:03
The science of engineering encompasses the use of all forms of material, not just metallics (remember Brunel's wonderful wooden railway structures?). If we insist that metals are the only appropriate materials for model engineering, we shall eventually run out of prototypes to model or, rather, be stuck in the Victorian age.  There is increasing use of non-metallics for the construction of major components in the aeronautical and automotive field and with the rapidly increasing price of metals, research is likely to be concentrated in this area.
 
Modern rapid prototyping using non-metallics is becoming ever more simplified and akin to model engineering in its more advanced forms. I have just been reading a fascinating paper on polymer solid deposition manufacturing which, it seems, can produce multi-part assemblies to high degrees of accuracy, with no conventional manufacturing involved. How shall we produce small scale versions of these in fifty years time? What about ceramic i.c. engine block/crancase structures?
 
Makes you think, doesn't it? Or are we stuck with making steam engines for ever?
 
Best wishes
 
Geoff
 
Thread: Mills
26/11/2010 16:09:20
I was always advised to avoid trying to cut a slot with an end mill with an odd number of teeth. As one tooth starts to cut, the cutting forces deflect the cutter away from that side. As that tooth moves away, another begins to cut on the opposite side and the deflecting forces are reversed. You would think that this would result in a slot that was narrow, but mine always seem to end up too wide.
The answer is to use a slot drill with an even number of teeth, then the cutting forces are balanced.
Is there any truth in this theory?
 
Geoff
Thread: Working with Cast Iron Billets (Grade Selection)
26/11/2010 15:55:55
If you 'Google' Meehanite you will find a lot of interesting information. I hadn't realised it was a Registered name.
Thread: Myford alternative
24/06/2010 14:23:42

Mark

The Granville Senior was virtually identical to the ML7. The back-gear arrangement was different, but that was about all. All the genuine Myford accessories seemed to fit. Mine had a hardened bed and proved to be an excellent machine. If you can find one it will be getting a bit long in the tooth now, but you never know what's been hidden away.

Hope this helps

Geoff

 

 

 

Thread: Railway related beers
29/05/2010 16:43:52
Kelvin,
 
What about the products of the Cottage Brewing Co. from Castle Cary in Somerset? These include Southern Bitter, Somerset & Dorset Ale, Broadgauge Bitter,and Golden Arrow. All most palatable!
 
Regards, Geoff
Thread: 5" Rocket
02/05/2010 10:13:45
The Silver Rocket was built by Dr. John Bradbury Winter for the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. It is allowed out for exhibition on VERY special occasions. Mike Chrisp puts his OS Rocket on display from time to time. A nice model it is, too.
 
Geoff
Thread: Speedy 5 inch valve gear revisions.
05/04/2010 17:08:32
Robert
 
K. N. Harris's mods to Speedy valve gear appeared in 'M.E.' Vol 132 No. 3294 p. 310 and N0. 3295 p. 360. These are the issues for 1st and 15th April 1966. Hope this helps.
 
Geoff
Thread: Thread notation
06/03/2010 13:46:47
'Model Engineer' standard threads are not used in unique diameter/t.p.i. combinations, so it is possible to find different threads on the same diameter. For instance, I have taps and dies for 3/16in. x 40 tpi, 7/32in. x 40 tpi, 1/4in. x 40 tpi, 9/32in. x 40 tpi and 3/8in. x 40 tpi. The same applies to many other sizes in the 26, 32, 40 and 60 tpi series, so it is necessary to specify diameter and thread pitch for a given application.
 
Regards, Geoff
Thread: Scale Models of workshop machinery? Lathes, millers, grinders etc...
04/03/2010 16:45:23
I don't think that Barry bothered with drawings either, just scaled off the full-size machines!
04/03/2010 09:34:48
Many of the miniature machine tools shown in MEW were built by Barry Jordan of Derby. No castings, just hacked out of the solid. Absolutely brilliant.
Thread: Castings vs Steel ?
30/01/2010 12:42:13
I recall being told (many years ago!) that cast iron was the preferred material for machine tool structures (lathe beds etc) because the structure of the material possesses damping qualities which absorb vibration better than steel. Try suspending a bit of steel and hitting it with another piece of metal, then do the same with a bit of cast iron.
 
Thread: Sandown Model Engineer Exhibition 2009
07/01/2010 11:02:36
Just to keep the record straight, the Bristol Exhibition is not commercially sponsored, its just a club event. The dates for the next one are August 20th, 21st and 22nd. Looking forward to seeing our usual supportive traders and clubs and to receiving entries for good quality models from individual model engineers.
Thread: Cleaning up corroded dials
19/11/2009 15:14:31
The 'Gospels according to St. George' are a valuable asset to any newcomer to the hobby. His methods are sometimes a bit over-complicated and long-winded for those who know what they are doing, but following his instructions always seems to come up with the right result. Most of the content of his books was originally published in Model Engineer and there are thousands of back numbers available at next to nothing if you go looking. Our club hut is stuffed full of them, all looking for a good home. Going on to Colin Usher's index will soon tell you the ones you are looking for. The only draw backs are (1) that you have to have somewhere to store them and (2) that you will soon get side-tracked by lots of interesting articles and potential new projects so that you will forget what you were looking for in the first place!
 
Jenolite gel is still available. A colleague has just sourced some off the internet from one of the car restoration suppliers. More readily available now seems to be a gel from Hammerite which I have just obtained but not yet tried. 
 
Geoff
Thread: Beginners start here in Model Engineer
17/11/2009 11:54:52
Apologies, I forgot that Tom Walshaw (aka Tubal Cain) had superseded Westbury's book with Workshop Practice Series No. 5 on Milling Operations in the Lathe. Some good information within, even if you own a milling machine. He also suggests some ways of dealing with the castings of a slighly larger horizontal engine, the Stuart No. 9.
Well worth getting.
 
Geoff
17/11/2009 11:05:08
David
 
If I recall correctly all the milling operations on the 10V described in the original 'M.E.' articles were done in the lathe. These articles were subsequently collated into a book.
 
What about reviving Westbury's book 'Milling in the lathe' which I think was also a resurrection of some articles? The recent availability of relatively cheap and cheerful milling machines has, I feel, diverted our attention from some of the basic home workshop techniques. Time for back to square one on some subjects?
 
Regards, Geoff 
Thread: Template Paper/card
16/11/2009 11:36:34
The last time I looked, the local Hobbycraft store had a large range of suitable materials
 
Geoff S
Thread: Rear mounting parting-off tools
04/11/2009 11:45:19
I carried out quite a few experiments with a variety of parting tool systems for an article I prepared for MEW quite a few years ago now. I ended up acquiring/making some eight different forms of holder and several dozen blades. One of the more effective (and least expensive) was the holder described by the late Len Mason in his book "Using the Small Lathe". This consists of two plates, between which is sandwiched a short length of hacksaw blade ground to the correct form. Some of the nicest to use were the small Churchill blades which produce a thin groove.
Quite definitely, using the Myford Super 7, an improvement was made by going to a rear toolpost and the ultimate system was a Q Cut from Greenwood mounted directly into a rear QCTP. For use with steel, though, I have found it necessary to provide a continuous drip of coolant (I use neat cutting oil) right on to the tip of the insert. This seems to keep the swarf moving away and prevents overheating. Power cross-feed ensures a continuous cut and prevents rubbing which, on some materials is fatal because of the work-hardening tendencies.
Hope this helps
 
Geoff
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