Member postings for Bill Starling

When there is doubt as to whether an engine is a large model or a small working engine I always look at the big end. If it's meant for continuous running I'd expect to seem some means of lubricating the bearing, other than merely an oil hole. I'd be very pleased to hear other opinions as I do have just such an engine.

Bill.

Thank you to all those who have given details of themselves here or in their profiles. Not only is it very interesting in itself, it also gives the less experienced - i.e. me - valuable clues when evaluating the advice given!

Still waiting for someone to ask a question I can offer a helpful answer to. Meanwhile you're all adding to my store of knowledge - thanks.

Bill.

Given all the recent comments about the cost of trade stands, I feel we should say thank you to those who were at AP. I do appreciate their problems, but it is nice to see the 'goods'. I've just had an excellent day there and come home lighter in wallet and spirit. Also down from Norfolk, but not Martin P's friend.

Bill.

Andrew,

Very glad you're OK. Thanks for telling us about it. There's a tendency to feel detached from things you hear about in the news - it's somehow abstract. When it involves someone you've met it strikes home, yes - it could happen to me.

Bill.

There's an excellent line-up of exhibits for Model Engineers' Day at the Forncett Steam Museum on 5th October. (See 'Events' page.)

As well as old friends we've a number of new exhibitors, including contributors to this site.

In addition to the displays inside the museum, we'll have demonstrations outside, road steam in all scales up to 12 ins to the foot and R/C boats on the pond.

You are welcome to join us for what promises to be another good, social day out for model engineers. (www.forncettsteammuseum.co.uk)

Bill

Still time and room for a few more exhibits and exhibitors at Model Engineers' Day at Forncett on 5th October.

Bill.

Our 22nd Model Engineers' Day will be on 5th October. (See 'Events' page.) Every one within reach of south Norfolk is invited. If you'd like to exhibit something - finished project or work in progress - I'd be pleased to e-mail you full details and an entry form. It would be great to put faces to some more of you whose words of wisdom I read here too.

Bill.

I greatly enjoy - and learn from - reading build threads. However if you want to say 'Thanks and well done' to the author, isn't it better to send them a PM? Doing it in the thread seems to be unnecessarily saying 'look at me', as well as cluttering the thread up.

Bill

One snag with varifocals that hasn't been mentioned yet can come when working close up in a confined space, such as under machinery. It can be difficult to line your eye up with what you want to look at and the right part of the lens. Having said that, I've worn varifocals for some years and the thought of have multiple pairs of glasses appalls. It certainly helps to go for larger lenses with a good sized close up bit.

Posted by Bogstandard2 on 21/06/2014 11:29:25:

How do you think engineers got around the problems 100 years ago? ...

Maybe we should raise a post asking about how to do things using old fashioned techniques ...

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Yes please - in addition to the wonderful book recommended by MichaelG.

Thank you in anticipation.

Bill.

I can't see any more photos of the Woolf compound on Preston's website. However there's an 1891 Easton & Anderson A-frame Woolf compound at the Forncett Steam Museum in south Norfolk. If you are anywhere near this part of the world, it's regularly in steam on the first Sunday of the month through till October. There are some still photos of it on Youtube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYvbor87Ijo - from 2mins 12 secs.

Looking ahead, I'd love to see a build log when you make the model.

Good luck with it. Bill.

Reminder: the talk and demonstration of making small brass castings - see 'Smoke rings' in the current edition of ME and under 'Events' - is on Sunday week, 15th. Still room for a few more to join us.

Bill.

I agree that, if you count your time and trouble, it's hardly worth trying to sell old MEs. Anybody want 11 complete volumes between 1949 and 1980 plus about 250 odd copies - collected from south Norfolk? (A donation to the Forncett Steam Museum in exchange would be nice.)

Bill.

Members in the Norfolk/Suffolk area may be interested in a talk and demonstration of small scale foundry work by Noel Shelley at the Forncett Steam Museum (NR16 1JJ) on Sunday 15th June.

If you saw the TV series 'Made in Britain', featuring Fred Dibnah, you may remember the brass plate bearing the series title which appeared in the opening sequence. This was made by Noel using the home made furnace which he will be demonstrating, after he has described the how and why of his methods.
The talk will start at 2.00 pm to be followed, after a break for refreshments, with the demonstration. Finally there will be the option of a guided tour of the museum (not in steam).

There will be a charge of £10.00 for the event – payable on the day – to raise funds for the museum.

It would be a help – but not essential - if you could let me know if you are coming

Please PM me if you'd like any more details.

Thanks,

Bill.

Allen - re you don't get many comments, I'm sure there are a large number people like me who are following your posts with great interest and no little admiration for what you are doing, as well as benefiting from the advice you are being given. If one is relatively inexperienced and does not have much advice to offer, it is very easy to just sit here quietly enjoying the discussion and not contributing. So thank you very much for letting us share your experiences. Please keep it up. Thank you to all the advice givers too.

Bill.

It might help if I mention that Model Engineers' Day at Forncett is on Sunday 6th October!

Bill.

Only four weeks till this year's – the 21^st - annual Model Engineers' Day at the Forncett Steam Museum. I know there are quite a few members of this forum within traveling distance of south Norfolk, so do come and join us. It would be great to see you and put faces to names. We've already got several interesting new exhibits, as well as old favourites. If you'd like to exhibit something, PM me an e-mail address and I'll send you an invitation and entry form. See also the website Events page and Ramon Wilson's write-up of last year's Day in ME no. 4447 for 11^th Jan.

Best wishes,

Bill.

This topic has raised so much comment that I can't resist adding my tuppence worth. Although I am a regular reader of the forum and beneficiary of the wisdom of others, I usually feel I lack the experience to contribute. However please don't go down the populist route of 'social media', particularly now that it is becoming so discredited. Most of the discussion on here is seeking or offering practical advice, not idle chatter. By all means try to involve more people in model engineering, but not by lowering your own standards and alienating your core followers. The reources would be better spent correcting the frequently mentioned snags with this website, which might of itself bring in more people.

Bill

PS Thanks to all those who continue to educate me.

Further to my earlier post, my new Chester D13R bench drill arrived yesterday, as promised. It was snowing at the time! However the driver was very helpful and managed to get the large, palleted, box across about 30 yards of gravel drive and then helped me lift it into my shed. It seemed well packed, but one small screw for adjusting the belt tension had its plastic 'thumb screw' broken. I've been promised a replacement.

I was disappointed to find the chuck was keyless. However I've checked the website and there's no mention of key or keyless. So don't make assumptions - my fault entirely.

The worm gear for raising and lowering the table needed a few minutes work with a file to make it work freely. Otherwise the only possible comments on the condition were that a small amount of paint had to be removed from the lower fixing for the table rack and the plastic cover over the on/off switches was wrongly fitted - trivial and easily corrected. The motor runs smoothly and quietly. One thing that I particularly looked for was play at the drill point with the quill fully extended. I estimate this to be a couple of thou only - pretty good. The instruction book is generic and doesn't claim to cover my model, but everything is very straightforward.

So, excellent service from Chester, before and after purchase, with the machine delivered in good order. However the procedure for changing speed seems to be a real pain. Firstly the belt cover is held closed by a fiddly little cross head screw. I've added a rubber buffer for the cover to rest on and will rely on gravity to keep it shut. Secondly the belt tension is adjusted by moving the motor in or out on two horizontal pegs locating in lugs on the drill head and locked by two thumb screws - see above. There is no built-in means of moving the motor and I found I had to put a lever between it and the head and heave. Quite a struggle to shift it. According to the instruction book, larger models have lever adjustment.

Moral: make sure you ask the right questions before buying and/or have a look at the product first - not so easy from remote Norfolk. Never the less I'm very pleased with my first ever piece of brand new equipment and hope speed changing gets easier with practice.

Bill.

Dear Brian,

Just had to replace my inherited 1982 Warco 3/8 bench drill. After much agonising I decided I needed no more than a 13mm chuck and no more than 5 speeds. (Friends with more speed choices said they seldom botheredv with them.) Following two very helpful conversations with Chester's staff, I ordered one of their D13R drills last Thursday afternoon, i.e. just before the Easter shutdown - it should arrive tomorrow! I realise this is smaller than you want, but I'll give an initial reaction in case it helps.

Best wishes,

Bill.