Member postings for David Colwill

I would love to know how many of us have tried the milling cutter in the drill chuck method.

In my youth I did and with the predictable result.

David.

Don't forget that with a suitable carbide slot drill you can drill a tap out. I have done this and was left with the 3 toothed sections of the tap.

David.

Last year my workshop went down to 3 degrees C and I certainly didn't want to hang about in that. I often have to move between office and workshop so if I don't have much to do, I can nip in and out without putting heating on.

As far as being comfortable goes I think I am still at the 10 degrees C myself but 12 or 13 is much nicer.

Thermals don't seem to work for me .

I have invested in rubber mats and they really help but once the cold has soaked in productivity slows!

David.

Years ago I made up a guided die stock. This is basically a die stock that can take different bushes to suit different threads. In your case the bush could be sized to the larger diameter of the stock. I always find this has a much better feel than when aligned by other methods.

Harold Hall's version

Regards.

David.

Edited By David Colwill on 29/11/2020 13:16:39

Plus 1

To set the record straight here.

My observation of the spelling of eBay was not aimed at Tony.

My posting was 28 seconds after his, whilst this is ample time for the more agile touch typists among us, alas not for me.

Fact is I was unaware of his posting when I wrote it.

I had wondered why I had elicited such a response!

Regards.

David.

Strange that!

I was told about the eBay spelling at an online seminar and hadn't noticed it before. They were trying to explain how to do titles for listings and saying that putting random capitals in titles (some people do this apparently) was bad and that the only exception to this was eBay, which has (or should have) a capital B. It seems odd that they themselves should omit it in their logo!

If you look elsewhere on the site, you will see it spelled with the "B"

To be honest I can't always be bothered with it, unless of course I wish to be pedantic

Regards

dAvid

This being a forum of pedants....

Technically it is eBay. The capital being the "B" not the "e".

Regards.

David.

Oh no!

I have little enough time as it is.

I now have even less.

On the bright side I now know of the Shakespeare Mangle.

Thanks.

David.

Since the word engineer is also a verb that means to skilfully or cleverly arrange for something to happen (in our case for the OP to build a model), I can see no reason why anyone can't use the term if they have actually completed all or part of said model.

Obviously My Time Media are missing out here.

As the owners of the oldest and most respected publication in this field, who better to oversee the start of a Chartered Model Engineers Institution.

A small fee, a quick test and a few photos of last weeks potterings and it's David Colwill CME to you!

Regards.

David.

Nothing wrong with that but if the OP wants to do heavier turning 12mm will be more rigid and would produce better results under heavier load. Given that the cost difference between 8mm and 12mm tooling is negligible, why not?

Regards.

David.

Hi Clive,

Mostly the Chinese tool holders are okay. I have had a holder for external threading inserts that was duff but many of my go to toolholders are imports. True the branded ones are very nice but the cost difference is too much for my taste. Plus I can keep tools with inserts for different grades in separate quick change holders and I don't weep uncontrollably if I damage one (this can easily happen if an insert fails under a heavy cut).

The inserts on the other hand are a different story. There are some good offerings from China but it is a bit of a lottery.

I use APT for inserts and have found these DCMT070204MPNPC35 pretty good but they are £3.81 each plus vat and carriage and you have to buy a box of 10. The same grade is available in CCMT.

Ebay can be a good source of branded inserts.

Regards.

David.

I should point out that these are the inserts.

The tools have there own codes but most suppliers will be able topoint you in the right direction.

Hi,

DCMT070204 are pretty common and available in various grades from a number of suppliers.

CCMT060204 are also very common.

Both are available in 12mm tooling and boring bars are around for both types.

The last two numbers (04) specifies the nose radius and 02 (.02mm) and 08 (.8mm) can be had.

Regards.

David.

They periodically send an email to me (probably because I responded to a plea when on Wikipedia) and like others here I regularly give a couple of quid.

It is my first stop for basic information about any subject. If I need more specific details then Wikipedia is not the place (nor is it trying to be).

As for inaccuracies I haven't come across any that spring to mind.

All told I don't pay much and wouldn't be without it.

David.

You are right regarding the lathes top speed but torque at low speed shouldn't be a problem as the Drummond has back gear (I think) and this can be used for turning larger diameters and screw cutting etc.

If you can find a scrap yard willing to let you poke around, you may be able to rumage up a three phase motor for not too much.

There are any number of cheap inverters from China for £50-£60. I don't have any experience of these (I have one in a box waiting for the time to come available) but others here will have used them.

David.

Spares for the machines - none.

I do however have several spare lathes and a spare mill

David.

Hmmm!

I don't have any need or desire to cut microscope slides at the moment but one never knows...

I now see people mentioning cutting glass with scissors. No! No! not possible.

Regards.

David.

Edited By David Colwill on 15/11/2020 13:08:56

I too have had both Chinese and British lathes. The Chinese lathes I had were okay, certainly not great but up to the job. There was an odd lack of attention to detail and some obvious cost cutting but all off these were fairly easily put right.

By chance I seem to have ended up with a who's who of lathes.

Dean Smith and Grace 1330

Smart and Brown 1024

Hardinge HLV

All of these have some element of wear but are nicer to use and have a better feel than any of the import machines I have used..

However I have seen a couple of Hardinge HLVH that were worn to the point of being unusable.

On the other hand there are quite a few on this forum turning out great work on new Chinese lathes

Recently I have seen a friends lathe that was new Chinese and was pretty shocking in how awful it was. Quality control was zero and whoever put it together had clearly no idea what a lathe was or how one worked.

The moral of the story is that many of us who post on here have experience and this can effectively quadruple your spending power.

I really feel for the people starting out. It can be a lottery until you gain the some experience.

David.