Member postings for Doubletop

I have managed to get Fusion360 to crash. When I flagged it with the support team they replied

Thanks for sending the crash reports. This is already reported, it started a year ago, and gets about 2 crashes a day

When I then asked why it was taking so long to fix

You may not realize it, but we cannot fix every issue reported in the software. If a crash gets 2 customers a month, it will get less attention than a crash that gets 2 customers a day. If we work on a crash that gets 2 customers a month, it means we can't work on a crash that gets 2 customers a day. I'm sorry this is the case, I'd love to fix every bug and crash, but there are limits to how many developers are working on defects and how much time there is in a typical work day. Thanks for your patience.

So crashing CAD software seems to be the norm. As they are getting 2 crashes a day I can't see why it isn't on the fix list.

Pete

Noel

It has been a while things have moved on and I can't recall what stage I was at 5 years ago so here is a summary of the current state

• Various micro controller upgrades to new bigger, faster, cheaper variants of the PIC
• Third version of commercially produced PCB
• Data logging to SD cards, now micro SD
• Real time clock to support the datalogging time, date
• Strain gauge replaced by commercial item. Replacing the baggage scale variant proposed by Duncan in his ME article that sterted all this off.
• LCD screen replacing mobile phone (phone was hopeless in bright light)
• 4 magnets on wheel for sensor to improve speed accuracy at low speeds
• GPS position and speed logging (needs Kalman filter code including to deal with random jumps)
• Gyro and accelerometer logs in 3 axis
• Speed limit detection and auto application of drive trolley brakes (Autobrake of my Auto Coach)
• Firebox temp and boiler steam temps logging
• Boiler pressure measurement and logging
• Moble phone alerts for temp and pressure (ideal for the times you and up chating and the loco needs attention)

As with any of these non commercal home projects there is a list of things that need attention or could be done better. I have been tinkering with Wifi modules for remote monitoring of the logs, Give me a few days and I'll see what I can pull together by way of more info and a parts list.

Pete

P.S It does occur to me that a rolling road has a different set of requirements. Draw bar pull can't be measured all work needing to be measured at the wheels. How you do that could result in interesting solutions and challenges.

Edited By Doubletop on 25/12/2021 20:16:16

Dean

Looking forward to seeing it progressing again.

Pete

Edited By Doubletop on 19/02/2021 21:59:30

Frances

Thanks, that may explain the lack of a response. Now I'm in a quandary my subscription runs out in two weeks and I’m not keen to re-subscribe if the missing 5 issues aren’t going to arrive.

I’ll give subscriptions a call

Pete

Neil

Thanks for the confirmation that there has been no interruptions to overseas subscriptions this time. Some degree of delay is the norm that's is why I haven't raised the issue earlier but two and half months isn't normal. The last time the notice was in an issue that we weren't to receive so we didn't know.

I have resent my email to Beth

Pete

Duncan

Thanks for the offer but it is only the most recent 5 issues (4649-53), which I'm sure you'll be keen to keep hold of for now. Thanks to Neil I managed to get my copies of the issues that were put on hold during the original lock down.

I'm just waiting for Beth and/or Martin to get back to me. The clock is ticking on my subscription renewal and if I don't get these 5 copies there will be little point in me continuing my subscrption.

regards

Pete

Edited By Doubletop on 15/12/2020 09:21:51

Is this problem back again? The last issue of ME I've received was 4648 Sept/Oct, that's 5 issues ago.

Pete

At least here we can have a sensible conversation with those responsible. Anywhere else there would be a piece of AI software doing the policing and making any number of seemingly random decisions

Pete

Isn’t it the case that a lot of the tooling supplied to the model engineering market by the UK suppliers is sourced from China? They add value by landing it in the UK and taking the responsibility for quality. Customers can then make the choice of purchasing the equipment locally, or accept the risk of buying direct. This is a problem for vendors worldwide, and short of governments introducing protectionist legislation, it isn’t going to change.

It strikes me that what has really happened is the suppliers have had a down turn in their business resulting from Covid 19. A cut back on orders and their own supply chain from China has affected their sales. As a result, they are just seeking to blame somebody else.

Although Mytime may be missing advertising revenue the stated reasons and response needs reviewing. If the UK suppliers don’t take the opportunity to advertise, they are just inviting customers to seek alternative sources of supply, which may well mean going direct.

As Paul says, if the valve is leaking when shut off it is likely that, when using the injector, it will pull air into the water feed line causing the injector to fail.

Pete

This is the Sievert regulator. The write up says " Certain Pro 86/88 burners, such as cyclone burners and most Promatic burners, require a steady pressure of 2 bar to ensure best performance. Other burners can also operate under high pressure, but it is an advantage to be able to stabilise and obtain the same pressure on both warm and cold days. The pressure in an LP-gas cylinder varies with temperature. If the gas output is high, the gas cylinder will be cooled down and the pressure will drop. "

I found the post on HMEM where I suggested to Stewart that he try it without a flywheel

HMEM Dake thread

A few posts later he says " Just spent an hour in the shed tweeking things easing tight spots etc, got it running far nicer now, it runs great without the flywheel forward and reverse, its not a fast running engine, but it throttles down to about 2 psi which supprised me."

Pete

Edited By Doubletop on 16/06/2020 11:20:42

Try Stewart Harts Dake engine. No flywheel required at all. He has included one but during the build he confirmed it would run without one

Stewart Hart Dake engine

Pete

I was checking the status of items being shipped from China and came across a link to USPS "International Service Alerts" which made me wonder if there is anything similar from the UK Post Office. There is, International Incident Bulletin

This indicates only delays at the destination for all the main destinations .e.g. USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand etc. So is it time to get our copies of ME and MEW moving again?

Pete

Things are picking up here and I'm receiving mail from the UK, albeit sent in April. A neighbour of mine has just told me that they have just had an order from the UK delivered in 5 days of ordering. But that no doubt that is dependent on the shipping method. Organisations like, say DHL, have an end to end service and aren’t reliant on others for the first and last mile.

I've had almost immediate refunds from Ebay when I’ve lodged a ‘dispute’ for items from China haven’t arrived within the specified timeframe. The tracking appears to show the items never left China even though they had allegedly arrived at the point of exit.

It seems to be dependent on the capabilities of the shipping service provider to deal with the situation.

Pete

Edited By Doubletop on 05/06/2020 02:43:32

Exactly, I really can't see what the issue is with not shipping them as expected. Quoting "issues with customs" it certainly isn't

I've gone through the instuctions to find we don't have pocketmags access only the archive. Temporary access to the archive is not much help I'm afraid. Nothing can be printed which makes it just about useless if you want paper copies for the workshop.

As we've paid for magazines that it seems we are not going to get we really should be given access to the pocketmags so we can obtain copies of the issues in a form that is usefull to us.

Pete

Temporary access to the archive is not much help I'm afraid. Nothing can be printed which makes it just about useless if you want paper copies for the workshop.

As we've paid for magazines that it seems we are not going to get we really should be given access to the pocketmags so we can obtain copies of the issues in a form that is usefull to us.

Pete

Edited By Doubletop on 26/05/2020 11:08:47

Edited By Doubletop on 26/05/2020 11:12:24

Jason

Thanks. Emails checked, including Spam, and I don't have anything from Mytime. My last email from them was in February.

Pete