Member postings for John Millis

I have come to the decision that I am too old to consider making a steam locomotive and that a battery powered unit will be a better option. I am looking for advice on a beginners locomotive and where I can get plans

Has the Chester machine tools forum been taken down?

I have tried to access it without success, there was a conversion for a 16V mill that I read sometime ago which I would like to follow up

John

Hi John, I had considered that possibility and ran an extension lead from the house to the workshop with a plug-in RCD and it tripped that. I had the problem some 12 months ago I checked the brushes and com had a look in the control panel and the problem seemed to go away so saying the mill has not had a lot of use since and then only for short periods and not a lot of stop start cycles it’s only since the nights have started drawing in that I’ve got back in to the workshop and started using it again that the fault came back with a vengeance..

Thanks John one of the first things I checked were the brushes which were in good condition and not worn I cleaned the com with a bit petrol damp rag on a lolly stick and rotated the shaft it was slightly discoloured when removed so I don’t think the brushes and com are the problem.

John

JohnHi Martin. Just come in from the workshop I thought I had found a problem a cable joint going into the plug that connects the speed sensor to the main pcb looked like it was coming out so I reinserted into the plug put everything back together switched on the mill started, the pot controlled the the speed the Rev counter showed reasonable steady speeds, I thought I had cracked it switched off had a bit of a tidy up switch back and it tripped I’m at a loss the cables where I can see them look good. Why would it run for several minutes and then trip when switched back on?

Thanks John I accept my limitations which I why I am using the forum to pick the knowledge of people more qualified than myself I will try reconnecting the potentiometer to the main board and see what happens when I have some daylight in the workshop as it takes out the lights as well. Is it possible to test the potentiometer before reconnecting. With the potentiometer out of the circuit does it takes the motor and speed sensor out as well? John

Hi Martin thanks for your posts. The marks on the white transformer were shadows not soot or scorch. I disconnected the supply from the main board to the speed control potentiometer and with the motor still connected switched on and did not trip the speed indicator showed 0000 and did not flicker I left the power on for sometime and nothing happened. Is it possible that the potentiometer could be the fault if so how can it be tested. As you can probably guess I am not particularly electrically savy I can wire a 13a plug and that’s about it. Once again many thanks to you all for your time and trouble to help me out John

Many thanks for your suggestions and advise it’s great to think that there’s all this support around. I will try these over the next couple of days and report back

Hi John steep learning curve photos attached

Hi John the plot thickens. I disconnected the motor and connected a 60w lamp switched on the lamp lit the speed indicator hunted with random numbers, I adjusted the speed control and varied the lamp brightness. I reconnected the motor switched on it tripped I then reconnected the lamp it tripped, I will post some pictures as soon as I have worked out how to do it many thanks John

Thanks John the board is a Best BC 2000. I will try the test with the lamp. If it is the pcb can you check for faults that could have caused it to fail.

The mill is 6 years old so out of warranty. I have had a look in the control box and there is nothing obvious. I mailed Chester about service options but it is on a return to base basis they suggested a new board at £94 + vat. I don’t want to buy one without being reasonably certain that it is faulty

I have had a fault develop on my mill it now trips the workshop RCD when switched on. It sometimes runs for 10 - 15 seconds before tripping and the speed indicator hunts all over the place without the spindle rotating, I have checked the motor brushes and for carbon buildup which I understand are possible causes. Any suggestions would be appreciated

Just an update to my original post. Progress is slow but 2 months in Australia don't help. I'm currently machining the boiler end casting and having to invent ways to hold the casting on my mini lathe and mill. Picking up on a comment in the posts I believe Brunnel are considering a X2 version of the kit.

John

I have drawn a blank looking for suppliers of small square nuts and bolts 7 to 10 BA or metric equivalent so will have to make my own.Any guidance and advice on best way forward would be appreciated

John Millis

I have purchased the kit from Brunell and at long last received most of it and about to start manufacture.

As the kit uses castings in lieu of fabrication which is the basis of the original ME article which come as build instructions.

I am looking for any advice that anybody who has built the engine can give me also where can one obtain the square nuts and bolts as the supplier in the article does not do them any more

All suggestions and advice would be appreciated as this is my first attempt into building a working model since my apprenticeship 50 years ago