Member postings for Nicholas Farr

.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 18/03/2012 08:03:42

Hi, such things are normally done on rolls with a groove in them to accommodate the upright section of the angle, however John S idea should work OK as long as you don't get too impatient. Start with a piece longer than needed as you will most likely find you will get a straight bit at each end, and make sure you weld it on square to the tube, and then heat it progressively from the end that has been welded to the tube and bend as you go, but then hold the other end down while it cools.

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 18/03/2012 08:05:44

Hi, maybe it is something to do with Newton's Third Law.

Regards Nick.

Hi, I was fortunate to being taught how to use tools by my farther from as early as I can remember. Although I wasn't allowed to use them at the preschool age I do remember watching my dad using them, and was also allowed to watch him use his little lathe (which I still have) I had the advantage of doing metal work throughout my secondary school years, but my dad always said that I had a natural ability for using tools of various types, and I think he was correct, however I still had to have practical experience to make things to a suitable standard, that is, when I look at one or two things that I made at school I can now see the slight errors in them which I couldn't see at the time.

I think that not every one who embarks on any type of metal work will succeed with their quest, and will give it up (I was like that when I thought I could learn to play the bass guitar, I was absolutely U/S at it, so I gave it up and sold it) others will pick it up and didn't realise they had such an ability, but I think that most of us will feel our own work in different areas is not quite as good as someone else's. I say if you have a feeling for making something a bit more adventurous, then give it ago, you won't know till you try, but you must bear in mind you may make a costly mistake, but then if you haven't made a mistake then you haven't made much at all.

Ian P, subscribers get their copies about a week before they are in the shops or on the digital issues, MEW 188 is supposed to be on sale on the 16th March.

Regards Nick.

Hi Oli, it looks like the type of chuck whereby the part with the holes in around it rotates by inserting a rod into one of them and twisting whilst holding the chuck body still.

Regards Nick.

Hi, buy a load of these http://www.screwfix.com/c/screws-nails-fixings/a2-security-shear-nuts/cat840486

all your nut lining up problems will be solved

Regards Nick.

Hi David, I'm not trying to run your opinion down, but you don't say if this welder is an industrial one, or one that is aimed at the DIY market. If it is a DIY type, you may find it's duty cycle is non continuous, which is common with DIY type welders, especially at the top end of the power settings. This is not a design fault or shortcut, but a means to make such things afordable to the DIY market.

The duty cycle is something anyone should consider before buying a welder of any short, in that it needs to be within the range you expect to use it.

Apologies if this is not the case.

Regards Nick.

Hi Kinlet Hall 4936, I don't have any certificates for electrical work myself, but I did used to work along side of many electricians in a previous employment in a maintenance department and understanding basic electrics was beneficial to the job. I have done electrical wiring in houses that I've lived in including rewiring my brothers house some 40 years ago which are all still standing. The last dwelling that I lived in I done some modifications on before the current legal restrictions came into force, and around two years ago it was fully tested by a competent registered electrical engineer for fire risk assessment reasons, and the only faults (which were minor, and were not regarded in need of any attention) were those that were put in place by the so called qualified electricians before I ever lived there. Yes I've seen some pretty dodgy wiring by so called qualified electricians in my time and even in the not so distant past.

I have qualifications in welding to technician level, now I could say that all the DIY welders out their are risking burning down their sheds and garages or even giving themselves very serious burns and injury to their person, or others, or even having something seriously fail and kill someone, because they have not welded it correctly, because they are not so called qualified welders, but I trust the majority of people will take utmost care in what they are doing and not go beyond their limits.

While I believe I am capable to do basic electrical work, and I did build all my own Disco equipment right down to component level many years ago, which never failed or caused any problems in all the venues that I worked in, I would not consider myself capable of going into a factory and modifying an electrical control panel. I do believe I know what I should not attempt in this area. Just because one has not got the so called qualifications doesn't make one ignorant to the tasks that one is embarking on.

Rgards Nick.

Hi, far better for someone to be allowed to asks questions about electrical situations, or any other for that matter, than for them to be band on this forum. People will do things that they are not qualified to do regardless of whether they are allowed to ask questions, so it is much better if they can ask and get an answer that will advise them not to do something that may well be fatal to them selves or others.

Yes the phrase "If in doubt consult a qualified electrician" should be put forward, but I think most people who are likely to want to do any electrical work will have a good level of understanding of the nature of electricity. The majority of people that I've been acquainted with who don't have much understanding, will not even replace a plug on a lead.

Simple electrical work isn't "rocket science" and if the basic rules like switching off and removing plugs from the supply before working on equipment, replacing covers before switching back on, and using the correct fuses as recommended by the manufacturers, and not attempting to do something that you are not sure of, ect., the dangers and risks are kept to a minimum.

Regards Nick.

Hi Capnahab, depending on your skills and confidence, you could always build the end of the broken thread up with weld to the length required without distroying to much of the thread you have left, and then turn the new bit to size, then with a screw cutting tool line it up with the thread that is left and recut.

Regards Nick.

Hi Jason, this company lists them http://www.oilite.com but I don't know if they deal direct, but these people http://www.bowman.co.uk seem to sell oilite products and in thier catalogue they say if you can't find the size you require then contact them.

Hope it is of some help.

Regards Nick.

Hi, although Starret is an American company, you will find they have factories in many parts of the world, one of which is in Jedburgh Scotland, which is where most Starret tools you find in this country were made, you can find them at www.starrett.co.uk and if you go to the downloads tab and scroll down to precision tools catalogue, you will find a MUL-T-ANVIL mic series 220 which will do tube wall thickness. The 436 series was and still is a standard micrometer, as shown in the scan I put in my previous post.

Regards Nick.

Hi Alan, I have to agree with all that has been said about silver soldering or welding your milling table. Even if you could get enough preheat into it to start with, it's unlikely you will be able to control the distortion of the welding process. The filling idea's are a much safer way.

Regards Nick.

Hi Ian J, your micrometer may be a user modified one, as the 436 series have a flat anvil and spindle. Please see scan below.

Screw thread comparator micrometers are 210 series, and have a conical anvil and spindle. Please see scan below.

Regards Nick.

Hi Nobby, yes I agree, write it up, should make an interesting artical to read, and make.

Regards Nick.

Hi Oli, I think you'll find it is a Portass or one of the many Portass variants. Try looking at the Bonds Maximus or RandA on Tony's web site, click on the links below to get strarted.

http://www.lathes.co.uk/bondsmaximus

http://www.lathes.co.uk/randa/index.html

Regards Nick.

Edited By Nicholas Farr on 22/02/2012 20:22:58

Hi Mark, thanks. I was looking for something on the right click, didn't think to just click it.

Regards Nick.

Hi, so far I think the spell checker is rubbish, and agree which Clive about the US English, and not being able to use the browser spell checker.

I can't seem to find how to turn the compatability view off, I'm using IE9 on Vista.

Regards Nick.

Hi, welding of any free cutting steels should be avoided. Lead in steel will promote cold cracking in the HAZ, (heat affected zone) such welds to be totally successful requires heat treatment, which is most likely to be beyond the home workshop and it is not really cost effective anyway.

Regards Nick.

Hi Mike, bekow is a scan from a 1964 Buck and Hickman catalogue, showing it as a speed indicator.

Regards Nick.