Member postings for Samsaranda

Not specifically relevant to this thread but loosely related by liquid nitrogen. Back in the early 70's I was working as a contractor in an engineering hangar at Luton airport, we were engaged in servicing a Boeing 707 which belonged to some obscure African airline. I was working on one wing and alongside me was an apprentice who had been given the job of replacing a bush holding one of the flap tracks, and he was struggling there was no way he could get the bush to even enter the hole where it was meant to be. I watched him struggle and get more and more frustrated, eventually I took pity and took him to one side and said to him was there anywhere, either in the hangar or nearby, where he could get a small quantity of liquid nitrogen, he looked at me as though I was from another planet then it dawned on him what I was proposing he should do to achieve his task. He went off in seartch of the required liquid nitrogen and very shortly returned clutching a metal receptacle, with heavily gloved hands, which contained an amount of the required liquid, merrily bubbling away. He proceeded to immerse the bush in the liquid for a few minutes then took it out and with his gloved hands offered it up to the hole in the flap track, it literally fell into place and when it warmed up it was well and truly secured. A little while later his mentor came by to see how he was getting on with his task and was gobsmacked to see the task completed. He quizzed the apprentice as to how he had succeeded so easily and the apprentice told him about using the liquid nitrogen, his mentor said to him how had he known about how to use it and he replied that a friendly contractor had explained what to do. Engineering is always a learning process, we never stop learning.

Dave

Because there is effectively only half of a 4 way toolpost, i.e. the arrangement relies on the top surface of the top slide to lock the tool in place, consequently when you tighten the bolts to lock the tool in position then the top of the 4 way is tilting away because of the slack fit on the central stud. I would think that the only safe way to use this configuration is to have a corresponding block on the opposite side and clamp down equally on both, that should stabilise the setup and keep the the top of the 4 way level. Using this type of tool clamping you will always get movement and twisting because of the free play on the central mounting bolt, the only way to eliminate it would be for the mounting stud and hole to be a very close fit.

Dave

Also good at coating those white resin/marble statues used for garden ornaments, we have one with rust marks all over her feet. Anyone know how to remove the rust marks so that I can retrieve even more credibility on the domestic front?

Dave

George thanks for the tip about the Stanley knife blade, might just be able to regain my credibility on the domestic front.

Dave

If using an angle grinder outside make sure where the Sparks are going is nowhere near any Windows, the red hot debris in the spark stream will embed itself in the surface of the glass, don't ask me how I found that out.

Dave

Modeng2000 I think that the reason you can be near diesels without it triggering your asthma is because there are different triggers with different people, unfortunately my wife's triggers are diesel fumes, cigarette smoke and certain pollens, there are other things that can trigger her attacks. Have lost count of the number of times she has travelled to hospital in an ambulance to bring her breathing back under control, hence my comment about diesel sales.

Dave

The sooner they reach zero the better, my vested interest is a wife who suffers majorly with asthma, and hers is triggered and made much worse with diesel fumes. The lies of those who said it was a clean fuel have been well and truly exposed.

Dave

Used to really enjoy "real" beers, have sampled some truly magnificent ales in various regions of the British Isles, alas no longer, I have developed a sensitivity to gluten and unfortunately beers, and whisky for that matter, contain gluten carried through the process from the basic ingredients. Only a small amount of gluten precipitates an unpleasant reaction, there are now appearing on the market gluten free beers, have not felt desperate enough to try them yet so if I feel the need to relax with alcohol I now drink red wine, it's not so bad when you get used to it.

Dave

Similar experience when I used the B&Q easy lighting charcoal, albeit only on a barbecue, it produced dense clouds of choking smoke and spread over all my neighbours gardens. They never said anything but I resolved never to use it again, it was a disaster.

Dave

After many frustrating years of fumbling with assorted packing pieces on my 4 way tool post I decided to indulge in a quick change tool post. I purchased the "Dixon" type from RDG Tools, I was very pleased with the finish of the item, it was nicely ground all over. When I came to fit it to my lathe ( a warco bv20 ) the mounting stud is twelve mm and the clearance hole through the tool post was only 11.2 MM so I was faced with opening out a hardened steel hole, not an easy task. My mill,a Chester V20, doesn't have a coolant system so I thought if I take it easy with a 12 MM Cobalt drill it should manage to open it out. Ever the optimist I embarked on the task only to find progress was extremely slow and eventually ground to a halt, too much heat was being generated to make any progress, I tried an end mill and that was a no go as well. Reflecting on the problem I realised that I would need to flood the operation with coolant so would need to construct a temporary coolant system to experiment with. Then a thought flashed through my muddled brain how about some form of diamond cutting tool, I remember seeing that Arceurotrade sell diamond core drills for cutting ceramics and glass, fortunately they sell a 12 MM one. I remember reading that someone recommends them for removing broken taps. Armed with the diamond core drill I resumed the task and found that it cut through almost like a knife through butter, success at last but it rendered the core drill scrap, not a problem as it was a small price to pay for achieving the objective. The QCTP is now installed and operational, have already purchased more tool holders to build a collection of ready to use tools. No connection with either retailers mentioned, just a happy and satisfied customer.

Dave

Yellow chromate etch primer was always used on aluminium components and aircraft when I was in the Air Force and the finish topcoat that was applied over it always stayed on. Aircraft finishes take a lot of stick both on the ground and in the air. I would use a yellow chromate etch.

Dave

Parcel force are definitely improving, had a delivery the other day, from Arceurotrade as it happens, and the delivery person engaged in amicable conversation, definite improvement as you only used to get grunts if you were lucky. Company must have had a morale transplant.

Dave

Hi Tony, my wife is profoundly deaf but has a cochlear implant, despite this handicap her other senses appear to be heightened to compensate, needless to say she seems to know everything I do even before I do it and it doesn't always meet her approval. We share the same email address so I have to be wary of what and when I order online, I find that if I can intercept incoming email invoices for items that I rather she didn't know I ordered, tools etc. And I transfer them to the Archive file because she never looks in there. A few years ago I managed to purchase a micro mill and take delivery of it without being detected, she saw it in the workshop eventually and I had to fess up. In respect of hear hearing loss she can hear quite well with her implant, so much so that I continually have complaints that I have the telly up too loud but I do suffer myself from a substantial hearing loss from unprotected exposure to gas turbine engine noise and my hearing aids definitely need updating. Back to your workshop, go as big as you can afford and insulate you will not regret it.

Dave

Is that JD Metals Ltd the scrap dealers in Telford?

Dave

Tried the ultrasonic devices in the past-useless. Only thing that worked albeit it was outside was poison in the black boxes strategically placed on any " runs ".

Dave

Went to our local Brewers Fayre for lunch one day and as I parked the car saw something quite large ( first impression was a cat) walking across the car park towards the kitchen area of the building, second take and it was a very large rat totally oblivious of everything going on around him. Problem is that rats are everywhere nowadays, worst source of problems is if anyone keeps chickens, they are a rat magnet.

Dave

Tony, when I built my workshop it is in the corner of the garden with two fences adjacent, one along the back wall which is 17 feet long and the other along the side about 7 feet long, the walls against the fences are built from concrete block, the two walls not adjacent to fences are concrete block for the 7 feet one and the front which has the door and window and is 17 feet long, is constructed of wooden ship lap on the outside with 100 mm of celotex and the inner layer is OSB, (oriented strand board). The front wall which is wood framed with the ship lap cladding stands on one row of concrete blocks, this is to keep it above any water and damp which prevents or at least dramatically slows any rotting of the base timbers. The interior floor is concrete which has been painted with polyurethane floor paint. The roof is a flat construction of OSB laid on suitable joists and finished with two layers of " torch on" felt. Inside the roof is insulated with 50 mm of celotex fitted between the joists. During the winter I run a built in dehumidifier which runs at night on off peak electric, there is also a small oil filled radiator running on low setting throughout the winter months and ensures that the temperature remains at a constant 10 degrees C. The insulation in the roof and front wall means that temperatures with the heating remain fairly constant and therefore the variations which can cause condensation are avoided and the equipment remains rust free ( well has been to date). The window fitted in the front wall is a large double glazed unit which was diverted on it's way to the dump so cost nothing, well worth searching out double glazed Windows to fit as they will enhance any insulation measures taken. You can't insulate enough, it will all contribute to eradicating any rust problems from condensation. Three of my walls are concrete block which some people advise will promote condensation, I have no problems with them but then the area the building is located in is relatively sheltered from extreme weather and in another location may behave completely differently. Build as big and as substantially as you can afford you will not regret it.

Dave

Charadam I think I still have a packet in my workshop from 50 years ago, how time flies.

Dave

Charadam you are right purple used to denote hiduminium, but I am going back 50 years when I first joined the airforce and was repairing aircraft, it is more than likely that identification standards have changed with the passing of time.

Dave

I was lucky enough to inherit my fathers four inch Record vice when he passed away, it doesn't have quick release but was in as new condition because during his latter years he fitted it on his workbench but never used it. My advice is go for a Record if you can afford it, new or good secondhand, you won't regret it.

Dave