Member postings for Dave Wootton

I built the Hemingway steady for my 254+ , didn't have any issues apart from as Baz says above the terrible zinc plated M6 studding that was rusty and corroded when I opened the kit. Couldn't believe they would send something like that out, replaced with some M6 stainless studding from Ebay. That aside the steady does work well and the large capacity is a definite plus, used it for the rollers for GHT's bending rolls and it did the job perfectly, also faced off a smokebox tube for a friend that was just within its max capacity, so versatile too.

Edited By Dave Wootton on 13/03/2023 07:42:37

Many many mistakes both at work and in the home workshop, but one of the most amusing to the rest of the workforce was when I was asked to measure up and order some stickers to go on some electrical switchgear control boxes saying " Danger equipment fed from two separate sources" or some such. Never having ordered anything like this before I measured very carefully and as the boxes were quite small decided that 100mm x 150mm would be most appropriate,ordered 1000, filled out the supplied form and forwarded to the department that printed our signs. A week or so later came the message " theres a truck in the loading bay with stuff for you, where would you like it put, as soon as the forklift is free we'll shift it for you". Puzzled, went to the loading bay to find several very large heavy boxes waiting for me, on opening found 1000 huge signs 1m x1.5 , turns out the form carefully filled out was clearly in cm not mm! Boss took it remarkably well, the boxes were carefully hidden and were still there as a constant reminder when the firm closed down a few years later, every so often a huge sign would appear stuck across my locker or draped across one of the machines, Still get reminded of it forty years on!

Edited By Dave Wootton on 09/03/2023 13:54:16

Edited By Dave Wootton on 09/03/2023 13:55:28

Thanks Rod

Strangely was bemoaning the fact that you couldn't buy Abrafiles any more to a visitor to the workshop on Monday, got boilers to build so the link was most timely. Have ordered a few sets, don't know if they come with clips or not, might have to make a pair if my old ones are not in the drawer of everything, not seen these for sale for years, perfect timing Rod.

Dave

Seems my memory has failed me again and they don't come with clips, the drawer of everything just let me down too, so looked on Ebay and there is someone selling clips,

Edited By Dave Wootton on 08/03/2023 11:28:11

Lovely work Rod, been watching this with interest for some time, thought I should show my appreciation, good luck with the test run, I'm sure it will all be fine judging by the workmanship displayed.

Much more interesting than the current debate about industrial spoons and metrication!

Dave

Very nice, charming little loco, nicely finished. There have been a couple of Rob Roy's I've seen on the net converted to gas firing, might be worh a search for gas fired Rob Roy or similar, I seem to remember a gas fired William at a rally, might also be a lead. Happy Steaming!

Just tried a search and there is a link on Model Engineer Proboards site to an article on Home Shop Machinist on gas firing Rob Roy, might give some insight on firing small fireboxed locomotives.

Edited By Dave Wootton on 06/03/2023 12:44:02

Does it really matter what class that a Myford is put in? I'm very grateful for the fact I had an ML7 and it was capable of doing all the machining work on a Rob Roy and Simplex, as many many model engineers have proved over the years. Machines in industry are generally bought for a specific class of work, you wouldn't turn a rough steel blank on a Pultra, or make a 14 BA bolt on a Swift with a 8 foot chuck so the whole argument seems a little pointless to me. Perhaps the best lathe is one you can afford to own and is in your workshop, anyhow I'm off to the workshop to make something on my possibly non industrial machines.

I can only agree that smartphones are amazing things, I use mine as a music tuner , photographic lightmeter, recording device, sat nav, and much more, but I have no idea how it all works, it's beyond me and my understanding, so I'm quite happy to accept it's clever and does what it does. But I do speak from the position of someone who still uses photographic film,a wind up watch and freely admits to being a dinosaur!.

But I did find Michaels device interesting, it's a simple to use, fairly robust,portable device that fits in the pocket and can survive life in a coal mine, not the best working environment for a complicated bit of electronic kit.

Never seen one of those before, what a simple but clever idea, far more interesting than some app on a phone!

I've just machined 1.5mm off the bottom of a couple of hard Sandvik lathe toolholders using a replaceable carbide tip face mill, one of the Arc ones, no problem at all. Very hot blue chips though so wear your safety glasses!. Surprisingly good finish as well, I've also done similar with a Glanze face mill from Chronos, did the job ok but the finish was not as good, the Glanze inserts never seem to be up to much, I now buy alternatives from Ebay that cut much better.

Dave

Agree with Clive car heater hose, available in a range of sizes, I had to do a temporary repair at work where some short rollers for guiding newspaper inserts along a conveyor wore out and replacements were on back order from Germany. I used a blue silicon hose from a supplier of kit car parts Car Builder Solutions ( probably also available on Ebay), available in straight lengths, the wall thickness is more constant than the cheaper black stuff, and in this situation doesn't leave black marks on the newspaper inserts. Small grooves in the steel roller under the hose, bit like circular knurling, and sliding the hose over the roller after heating in boiling water to soften , all of the sleeves stayed on ok. Got some brownie points at last for that!. the blue silicon may be a little soft for running on an abrasive belt, the standard black hose should be ok for your application, pretty tough stuff.

If anyone is considering machining cast iron, which is my favourite material to machine,and just having done a large amount of machining it. here's a tip which recently possibly saved our marriage . Our shower tray had a build up of rusty spots where cast iron dust had remained in what's left of my hair and sort of embedded itself in the resin tray. This caused some considerable domestic disharmony as can be imagined, my young car mad neighbour showed me a product, made by Meguiars for getting cast iron brake dust from wheels and car paintwork, turns purple as it works. Miraculous product shower tray good as new and harmony restored!

Dave

P.S I've never worn a mask in 50 years of C.I machining, currently I must be worth something as scrap!

Agree with Hopper and Chris above, old engines had much larger clearances than modern valves/ guides, I took a 1964 Triumph Bonneville head to a so called expert on classic bike cylinder heads who insisted that bronze inserts in the existing guides and machining the seats on his massively expensive Serdi machine was the only way to go. After 20 miles the an exhaust valve siezed in the guide and pulled it out of the head. Damaging the bore for the guide on the way out.. Turned out he used the same clearances as for a modern engine as an "improvement", Made a new set of guides ( one with an oversize O/D) with much more clearance and it ran fine with no smoke or siezures, this was with Nitrided valves rather than stainless, but I imagine the principle is the same. Looking at some forums found that others had had the same experience with the expert , now retired I believe.

Hi Vic

I don't really know the owner of the book well, I have met him, but my involvement is only as a friend of his daughter, we both play in the same swing band. I was the only person they know with any knowledge at all of models and railways. The house has to be vacated by the end of this week so unfortunately a huge amount of railway and model magazines went to the tip along with the remains of his model layout. The rolling stock was all bought by a local group for a very good price, it was all EM gauge which is a mystery to me. Unfortunately the chap is unable to read anymore so the book would be no use to him. I'll do my best to sell the book, which I only held back from all the hundreds that have gone to charity shops as my own copy cost quite a bit a few years ago, but we have now agreed if no takers that too will go to a good cause. Thank you for taking the trouble to post the above information, I've been in this situation with my Mum, which is why I was keen to help out.

Thanks again for all the replies, now back to the workshop!

Dave

Thanks for the further replies and information., have listed it on here and will see how it goes, had a word with the family and decided to try it at a reasonable amount on here rather than try to get more on ebay and pay their fee's. in the end whatever it sells for will be a bonus. The rest of his book collection has been split between three local charity shops, there were too many for one to handle! Sadly box after box of old model railway ( back to the 50's) and steam railway magazines had to go to the recycling centre, couldn't give them away, one of the downsides of owning an estate car is how handy one is for transportation!

Tug, you may be right about Ebay, I've had quite a few good experiences with it as a purchaser, mainly film photography items. But a few years ago an experience as a seller has made me wary, your advice is very good and had I taken those precautions you outline at the time would have saved a lot of problems. I shall bear them in mind for the future, thanks.

Thanks Again

Dave

Edited By Dave Wootton on 14/02/2023 20:35:05

Thanks Peter and Noel, I'll try it on here first and if no interest will get a friend to put in on the dreaded bay!

Thanks Again

Dave

I've been asked to help with the disposal of the effects of a lifetime railway and model railway enthusiast who has sadly had to go into care. The model railway equipment was very easy to dispose of via our very helpful local model railway group. One of the items is a copy of the book " La Locomotive a Vapeur" by Chapelon, the english translation sold by Camden. This appears to be a collectible book and is quite pricey in dealers, as we are trying to raise as much cash as possible we would like to sell this book on. This is a bit out of my field of experience and as there must be a few rail enthusiasts on the forum would anyone have an idea of the best place to advertise it please? I don't really do Ebay but could probably get someone to list it for us, but admit I view ebay with suspicion. This is the last item to go so I'm keen to get it disposed of so I can get back in the workshop wit a clean conscience! Any advice gratefully received.

Thank You

Dave

Nice work James a very good job and the flywheel looks fine to me, the grey colour suits it well. good luck with the next project i'm sure it will turn out as well as this one has.

Dave

Edited By Dave Wootton on 12/02/2023 13:23:41

Oops I've answered the other post as well!

Hi Peter

It's for a control shaft, there is an on off / forward reverse and brake lever usually on the right hand side of the apron, It's linked to a switch located at the rear of the headstock behind the splashguard, and also mechanically linked to the brake pad arrangement on the changegear side of the headstock. Maybe not all bantams were fitted with this arrangement, worth a good look at the Lathes.co.uk website.

Dave

Edited By JasonB on 10/02/2023 20:01:54

Very nice, looks pristine with a griptrue chuck as well, My late friend had an ML10 and built several locomotives in 31/2" gauge and countless Stuart Turner stationary engines as well, all built on the lathe with a vertical slide as the only machine tool apart from a little Champion drill press, which i have now got and treasure.

Enjoy!

Dave

He didn't know about not using the reversing switch for starting the machine, but in well over twenty five years of regular use nothing untoward happened.