Member postings for John MC

I think Mr Swingler has deserves an Honourable mention in the Darwin awards!

The way I have ensured absolute concentricity with a morse taper spindle on a milling machine (is this what the spindle is for?) is to finish in situ. I made a new spindle, reamed the taper while still in the lathe, assembled on the machine. Then tipped the head over to bring the surface of the taper vertical, clamped a boring bar vertically on the table and fed the bar up in to the spindle. It took a couple of adjustments to the angle of the head to get the tapers to match perfectly. On assembled, (after reaming), the taper was "out" by about 1.5 thou, no run out at the wide end of the taper, the error being farther up the socket. After machining as described no error.

I've done this twice now, requires a great deal of care in setting up but well worth the pain!

Hope this helps, if not, apologies for rambling on.

John

Reading this thread reminds me of my first lathe some 40+ years ago, an "Eclipse",( http://www.lathes.co.uk/portass/page12.htm)l. Very similar to the Adept I remember my mentor telling me. I learnt all the basics of turning on that lathe. I even managed to bend the spindle (mandrel), a replacement was made in the local cigarette factory!

I would love to find one now and do exactly as Tractor Man is doing. Not so sure I could leave it on display though, the urge to use it might become overwhelming!

Now, where do I start looking......

John

Something that was not mentioned (I think) in the program was that The tank museum at Bovington has a running Mk IV tank. The Museum has decided not to run it anymore, the reason being that it is now to fragile. A great shame I think. This view of old machinery seems to be at odds with the steam locomotive movement. Old steamers get used, when something breaks or wears out it gets fixed. And they get used hard!

John

An interesting thread, I wonder if the OP has been put off far eastern machinery yet? My advice would be to go for "ex-industrial" machinery, there is some good stuff out there in good condition and at the right price, needs some patience waiting for it to become available though. This approach has worked well for me, what I'm equiped with will see me out!

I have bought far eastern manufactured machinery, a 13mm capacity drilling machine, motor burnt out, my fault. I replaced the 1/3rd hp motor with a UK made 1/4hp motor, gave good service for a few years then sold.

An 8" bench grinder, an "Alpine" from Grahams in 1986, still going strong. (What happened to Grahams?).

For a laboratory I worked in a lathe, 5" centre height, a green one from a well known supplier. It took an apprentice a morning to clean the preservative off it, then only to find the saddle would not move along the detachable gap piece! Quite a step there, clearly the wrong gap piece. I phoned the supplier who was very abrupt with me (I think I was being reasonable). The phone call ended badly with me ready to call the businesses legal department. 10 minutes later a phone call from the supplier, very apologetic. Within a few days the machine was replaced. I suspect with one that had been properly inspected,. With a QC toolpost by way of an apology for their initial rudeness, cant complain at that.

I bought a mill/drill from "LS machine tools" (long gone I think) in Leicester. Once I had sorted out the lower bearing on the spindle. The clamping ring would come undone, the machine then gave me 15 years of good service. I sold it to someone who got another 6 years service before he retired to the great workshop in the sky!

I dont think I have met anyone who has had trouble free service from far eastern manufactured machinery. Sometimes sorted with a quick adjustment through to "it went back to the supplier" problem. Hence my advice to buy ex-industrial.

John

Interesting program, a great pity it could not be used at the Lincoln event. Some impressive work done by JCB, less impressed by the people who did the internal workings. I wonder why the RR B60(?) was used rather than the running engine from the JCB 3C that provided the transmission? Power? I believe the "War Horse" replica used the power pack from a JCB tracked vehicle, consequently it steers well, something the Guy Martin replica didn't.

John

I think a much better program of this type was done about the Crossrail project, If memory serves, three one hour programes Technically good on content for the more enquiring of mind but pitched so as not to put off the general viewer. And done without the need for an interrupting arm waving presenter, just a competent sounding narrator and the guys actually doing the job!

That documentary skillfully avoided the subject of cost and timescales.

John

Totally agree, So they are going to take the "roof" off and do some maintenance to the clock mechanism, what about the rest of the building. What about the lean of the tower? leave it or try to arrest it? I'm still wondering how they managed to stretch the content to 1.5 hours.

To paraphrase an ex-student of mine, "they crammed a damn good half hour program in to an hour and a half!" (He wasn't talking about one of my lectures, I hope!)

John

I wouldn't be without mine now. I've always got sharp cutters to hand, no making do. I also "tweak" the various angles on the cutters, a bit more angle on a cutter for Aluminium works wonders, a bit less for brass. Another tweak is grinding slightly tapered cutters for pattern making. I'm sure the OP will find plenty of uses if he gets one.

I found that learning to use a T&C grinder is a bit of a fiddle, stick with it and the benefits will soon come

I was looking at a T&C cutter recently, the one that looks like an Apollo.moon lander (sort of), it seems it will only sharpen the teeth at the end of the cutter, not the sides, a lot of money for something that will only do half the job.

John

This is my candlestick. Couldn't be bothered to make one so I stuck a candle in a short tube spanner. Its been like that for years, occasionally useful in the workshop when a gentle heat is needed. Please note the christmassy background!

It has been reported that CO2 levels are the highest they have been for a while, at the same time we are being discouraged from driving diesels.....

John

The OP will need to get his "truing" technique sorted, Bridgeports are notorious for shifting there heads!

John

I find those who tease me about my hobbies have hobbies of there own and the teasing is mutual (and fun!).

I also find that there is a more "sinister" form of teasing from those who do not have hobbies other than, say, visiting the pub most evenings. They are, as well, those who are not looking forward to retirement because they have "nothing to do". A generalisation I know, but often fits. Rather than be upset at their comments I feel sorry for them!

John

I may be wrong, I think Mazda have developed a throttlelable stratified charge engine, truly the holy grail of IC engine design. Constant speed SC engines have been around for a while but getting them to work through a speed (rev) range for automotive applications has not happened yet. Sounds like Mazda have gone some way to achieving this.

I do wonder if this is a worthwhile use of resources when electric vehicles seem to be developing at such a rapid pace.

John

My mill for which I made the spindle now has a 4 mt, was the right choice at the time but with the benefit of hindsight and some further experience I would have chosen an International taper, no need to give it a p****r to release it and accurate, like a morse, wear in R8 type collets on the parallel location can cause inaccuracies.

If you are buying ex-industrial equipment (my favoured way) you will get this choice, not sure if "home workshop" kit uses the International taper.

John

Some plausible suggestions, although I think I'm no nearer finding out the devices purpose. I think it time it was consigned to "useful bits of metal" box.

John

Just made a handle for my M&W 2-12 internal mic. 5BA.

John

Many thanks for the replies. I think the daguerreotype connection unlikely, the process was more or less forgotten about by the mid 19th century.

The "hammerite" paint finish would probably date it to the early 1960's.

John

Sorry, should of given some indication of size. The two diameters are 100mm and 75mm, height is 30mm.

The small rubber sucker gives very little holding force. When "sucked" down on to my glass surface plate the device moves around quite easily but stays in contact with the plate.

Removing the rubber sucker reveals nothing more than a cavity to accommodate it.

John

Hopefully 3 images should appear with this post. Its something that I can remember seeing in my fathers toolbox 35+ years ago, its now in my workshop. It's a top hat shaped bit of metal with a rubber sucker in the middle.

I've googled "Dagplate" and "Buck and Hickman" and when I've been able looked at their catalogues and found nothing. I've even asked B&H reps if they know what it is.

So, its over to you to satisfy my curiosity.

John