Member postings for Simon Collier

You can buy vertical slides suitable for Hafco lathes at Hare &Forbes. I think you mount them to the top slide position.

I cut the tang off my 3MT tailstock chuck as I had to wind the barrel out excessively to get the taper home.

Mine is 80s. I replaced the MDF "jaws" with solid wood at some stage. As my work benches are covered in stuff, I often set it up outside to do a job. The plastic springs for folding the legs are broken which makes things pretty awkward as they flop about. Recently I looked online for replacements buy they were more expensive than a new Workmate. The most recent use was practising hand cutting dovetails. It is about the most useful, and used, thing I have.

Page 34 in the Notes: 18 gauge or 1.2 mm.

The book mentions 75 psi because that is what the WeeBee safeties we buy from the US are set for. They are excellent. If you build the Ellie boiler with solid 3 mm end plates and the single central stay, you can't go wrong. The 2" tube I used in my G1 boilers is quite thin walled, maybe even 20 G. Interestingly, once my Ellie gets pressure up, as soon as it starts to run on the track, the gauge shows close to zero. It seems to use the steam as it is made. As has been stated above, a freely running oscillator needs very little pressure to run.

I would roll the conical firebox section from sheet. I would roll the rings from copper bar. Brass is unacceptable. Yes all rivets must be sealed with silver solder. You could use copper elbows for the tight bends. I have used 1/4 elbows with 1/4 pipe. As for the order of assembly, I would have to stare at a bigger diagram for a while to decide.

Using the lowest temperature available throughout would be easiest. If the joints do not have too big gaps, it is not a disaster if they melt again in subsequent heats so long as they are fluxed first. If the gaps are too big, the solder might flow out of the joint and this is a drama. Close sliding fits only, no more. If you are not experienced, do lots of test joints.

Just my personal opinion but I hate to see models built to run on air only. It defeats the whole purpose of a steam engine, with the smoke, coal and smell being the main appeal, but your model, your choice.

I use the 1 mm a lot for small brass bar. I have the 2 mm too and will get around to getting the 1.6 eventually. I use them normal way up. I have several of the usual V shaped parting blades but never use them anymore. Carbide insert blade for larger diameter steel.

We are slow, but we currently have no cases in the community, so it is not so urgent. I wish we were getting the Pfizer vaccine though.

No, it depends on the locomotive's firebox, the fuel, the type of grate etc.. You just have to arrive at a method for your loco and available fuel. I mostly fill my Simplex until coal is falling back out the fire door, especially when we had the perfect fuel, Auschar, sadly no longer available.

The prolific builders at my club all use ball valve regulators. They are excellent.

It is not quite so black and white. Osteoarthritis can have swollen inflamed joints with Herberden's Nodes. Rheumatoid is an autoimmune process. The blood test for Rheumatoid factor is diagnostic, but not all sufferers are positive, so it can be tricky to diagnose.

I silver solder LG2 all the time including boiler bushes.

Amazing work. How many hours a week do you reckon you spend in the workshop and computer, ie, all ME activities Jason? I have a tremendously productive mate, who can build a standard gauge detailed tender engine in under two years, including boiler naturally, and it is simply because he puts in huge hours. No mystery.

I wish I had fitted one to my Hercus when a new belt was needed. It would have saved two weeks of difficult, aggravating, stressful work, and a new pair of tapered roller bearings as I damaged the originals because of my inexperience.

Christmas Day I was in bed with severe shingles. Visitors for Christmas were cancelled, but we managed roast pork dinner for just wife and me. Still in bed.

2019 Christmas, my beloved dog was in vet hospital with acute autoimmune thrombocytopenia. Despite blood transfusion and surgery things went from bad to worst and I called it on Christmas Day and put her down, brought her home and buried her. $12,500 for dead dog. The most I have ever spent on a car was $8000. Setting up the workshop cost $6500 initially for lathe, mill and grinder.

I am not looking forward to next Christmas!

I should be able to join this one, and thanks for making it a suitable time. I have not done any of these zoom type things before so will need instructions please.

I hate that! I had to print instructions for my new Iwata airbrush. Badger had a booklet with it.

The central question is is the super high end one better and more robustly built wrt electronics. Better quality boards etc.. I want it to last me out. I am sick of circuit boards failing, like my SX 3 mill drill, and my LG air conditioner, the main board of which failed and was replaced twice in its about 15 year life. Both main board and control board of SX 3 have failed. The digital readout on my lathe failed. Boards unavailable; had to buy new whole unit for $600. I know nothing of electronics so can't fix anything myself.

My Panasonic Blueray player- recorder and hard drive recorder refuses to play discs. A new reader is about $A330. The remote also is playing up, probably worn out as unit is used as receiver for last 9 years. It was close to top of range when bought. I can buy a new one similar for $900, or a flagship high end unit for $1500. I don't need all the new tricks as my DVD library is not even Bluray, just old discs of favourites like Dads Army, All Creatures, Brideshead, etc.. I want longevity as in 10 years, you probably won't be able to buy them. Might the top model have higher quality electronic components than the consumer models? Or will it just have more wiz-bang stuff you never use?

Cello, your workmanship reminds me of the laudable Graham Meek.

We have some articles in preparation which I suppose will now be sent to ME. I was not going to resubscribe to ME because of the missing issues episode, but I will now, as otherwise I will have nothing popping into the letterbox.