Member postings for The Merry Miller

There's logic to your theory Les that I had not considered.

I will endeavour to find it and place a picture on the forum tomorrow with a fuller description.

Len.P.

That reminds me, I have tucked away somewhere in my workshop a 4" long, beautifully made plumb-bob. It belonged to my grandfather.

I don't know if he made it himself or purchased it, I have never discovered a manufacturers name on it.

Anyway, one day I decided to take it apart and it was a good job I was holding it upright because when I unscrewed the inner metal plug I could see it was full of mercury.

I ask the question, why on earth would anybody make a plumb-bob with mercury in it?

I suppose it could have been used as a damping medium to minimise the swing.

I would be interested to see other peoples comments on this rare device.

Len. P.

Evening all,

I need to stock up with a selection of circlips, (int and ext.) and also with a range of E-rings (clips).

I feel a little bit reluctant to purchase these from the Far East, made with questionable materials, and I thought perhaps some of you lads might know of a better source.

Prior to me retiring I used to purchase them from Anderton but I'm sure they wouldn't supply kits to little old me!!

Look forward to your responses.

Len. P.

Morning all,

Just noticed a Kuroda Boring and Facing Head went for £411 on fleabay, Oh! I wish I had waited.

Len. P.

I've PM'd you Gray.

Len. P.

Evening Gray,

Don's article states two feed rates are available, 0.05mm and 0.1mm, I haven't studied it in too much detail yet because I'm getting tired and the clocks go forward tomorrow.

Perhaps you have to select one or the other at the time of assembly!!

He also states that direction of travel can be towards or away from the centre depending on how the tool is positioned, I haven't got my head around that bit yet.

I'm going back now to what's left of Mothers day chocolates in the other room.

Len.

This is the link to Don Unwin's Boring Head.

It's probably only available to those who have access to the archives by subscription.

http://www.model-engineer.co.uk/members/digitaleditions/popup.asp?t=9&i=480

Len. P.

Evening all,

I have just started delving into the digital archive now I'm a fully paid up member.

Whilst browsing "Issue 6" from August/September 1991 I came across an article on another "automatic boring and facing head" by Don Unwin.

This also looks very impressive and is certainly well worth more than a cursory glance which you can easily achieve by printing off pdfs' on the article and studying at your leisure.

I'll try to find a way of putting a link to it in this post later.

I'm very impressed with the archive setup Mr. D. Clark. albeit it will take me years to get through every issue. If I run out of time will my wife be able to get a rebate?

Len. P.

Well I finally took the plunge after finding out my wife's pockets aren't as deep as I thought they were, unless she's holding back on me in anticipation of this year's Christmas present that normally materialises about September time.

After considerable deliberation and much advice from this forum and colleagues etc, and of course the reduced pot of gold, I plumped for the 2" Matchling Head with a 2MT Vertex adaptor.

It arrived this morning and with shaking fingers ripped the box open (I should have put on my safety boots first though!!)

Very impressed with the apparent overall quality in particular with the beautiful Matchling logo which will no doubt assist in producing future works of engineering excellence.

I will be running it up over the next week or so and will report back on my impressions unless you forum folk  have your totally unbiased impressions already.

Once the Kennedy style power hacksaw project is completed, using of course the Matchling Head (with logo of course) then I can start to cut up the material for the magnificent boring and facing head of Gray's as shown and explained about so eloquently in this posting.

Len. P.

Edited By The Merry Miller on 21/03/2012 14:14:29

Our spammers are up nice and early this morning!!!

Len.

So was mine, mind you as it was my first postal copy they probably took extra special care in the delivery.

Len. P.

I have PM'd you Gray.

Len.P.

Interesting responses so far.

I would like to buy the best I can afford, that's always been my philosophy but in this instance it would be the best my wife can afford.

I know she loves me but does she love me enough to pay out for the top brand as has been recommended, I doubt it!!! Sometimes I have to secretly subsidise a birthday present from her and tell white lies about the cost, I really hate doing that but I'm sure I'm not the only one.

I would like to find details of the George Thomas design and the design of Gray's with the facing feature built in, that could be very interesting.

If Gray has made his design open source I would like to see a set of drawings for it if at all possible.

Len. P.

P.S. Is there a way of deleting incriminating posts?

Gray,

I have no qualms about making a head but my projects on the go at the moment dictate that making a Kennedy style powered hacksaw comes first for which I will need a boring head readily available.

I will no doubt make a miniature version later on, (with dovetail slides) after the tool cutter grinder of my own design is finished!!

I have also got to fit in somewhere along the line time to finish off a double hoop windsor chair in ash and elm for my grandson before I run out of time.

Len. P.

Morning folk,

I I'm sussing out the market for 2MT boring heads for my Tom Senior universal mill.

It's going to be an early birthday present but she doesn't know that yet.

My preference is for a Vertex model but should I go for 3" rather than 2" also the capability of changing adaptors from 2MT to 3MT would be an advantage as I then have the possibility of using the head in the mill horizontal configuration without having to use a 3MT to 2MT sleeve.

I assume the difference between the 2" and the 3" is only in the maximum bore that can be accomplished but I haven't tracked down those details yet, I'm still looking.

I also assume that the boring bars have to be purchased separately.

Comments would be most welcome.

Len. P.

I think the responses so far have more than answered my initial question.

It would be interesting to know though what components warranted using a no. 29 d-bit 4" long!

I failed to spot the connection with number drills, thanks Russell.

Thanks for your help lads.

Len. P.

A couple of innaccuracies have crept in there in my info.

The 4" long drill x 0.136" dia. has the following code just discernible on the shank in this vertical format.

29

HS

US

The 3 1/4" long drill x 0.1695" dia. has this code on the shank:

18

HS

US

I had to put them under a high power magnifier to read the info on the shanks.

Len.

What are "roves" Clive?

Len.

Evening all,

The two D-bits I have attached to this post have been in my junk box for a long time.

One is 0.136" dia. the other 0.179" dia. I guess they are HSS.

Both about 3-4" long.

Can anybody suggest to me what branch of engineering they were used in.

They are not home made and I can't read the coding on the larger one apart from the number "18", the smaller one had no writing on it at all.

Len. P.

What I can't get to grips with is "Recycled" toilet paper.

Len. P.