Member postings for colin hawes

I have used horizontal mills for many toolmaking years and have never needed keyways even on quite heavy powerful machines but on hard working heavy production work they are used to maintain accuracy with gangs of cutters and to make it possible to unscrew the arbor nut after heavy use I have seen a case hardened arbor nut "explode" under heavy industrial use due to lack of a key tightening a cutter gang. That takes a LOT more power than us model makers are ever likely to see. If the at least one spacer needs to have a keyway to make it possible to use a key with thin cutters Colin

A decent mechanical micrometer will only develop very small errors due to wear or operational "feel" whereas a digital electronic one could introduce unknown errors so for maximum accuracy I prefer the mechanical micrometer. Colin

Seems to me that natural pollution from volcanos and forest fires has a bit to do with excessive CO2 and the loss of trees has a lot to do with failing to reduce carbon absorption .Why didn't we hear so much of global warming in the decades of smoky domestic chimneys? Colin

I use a Warco 6x4.5" bandsaw for mild steel and soft metals, an angle grinder to cut tool and high tensile steels (to save the bandsaw blade) and a horizontal mill to cut steel plate that won't fit in the bandsaw. Colin

Quite often I get a good laugh at subtitles; are the "howlers" created by poor elocution?; also there seems to be vastly more bad language than there used to be; Why?

Quite often I get a good laugh at subtitles; are the "howlers" created by poor elocution?; also there seems to be vastly more bad language than there used to be; Why?

I think that the only reliable natural energy source in UK is tidal rise and fall as it varies all around the coastline so overlapping generation could provide a continuous supply.. More development needed. Colin

I don't consider EN8 to be strong enough for this application. I would NOT risk my neck on this material. Colin

I fixed about 20 data sheets on A4 pages in book form to cardboard backing sheets and hinged it on a cupboard door in my workshop so I can easily flip to the page I want; the page is held in place with a spring clip. This way I only use the area of two A4 pages. Colin

Very interesting setup. colin

It is easy to think a 1/2 " thread is Whitworth 12 tpi when it could be UNC which is 13 tpi whereas most of the UNC threads are the same pitch as Whitworth. Could the machine have UNC threads? Colin

I have cyanide case hardened threads to about .005 deep on tooling that requires a wear resistant tapped hole. It gives long life and greater strength. The taps used were known as "B" taps. Colin

They are used on steel that has to be case hardened to allow for hole shrinkage/distortion. Colin

I would definitely bend that spring at red heat to avoid it cracking .Colin

Michael G, many thanks for your references there seem to be an awful lot of precautions to remember when fitted with a pacemaker. I have been recommended for one and it seems likely to make a huge impact on my restoration and workshop activities. Thank you for inviting me to P.M. you, I may well do that at some time.

Thanks also to everyone contributing to this discussion. Colin

Stubby taps always make me think.... Pipe thread. Colin

Having recently been threatened with the prospect of having a pacemaker I am interested in the implications for arc welding; Has anyone had experience of this as I use mine very frequently without a second thought? Will I have to give it up or wear special protection? Colin

I was taught the following: "there is a number of items" is correct , "There are a number of items" is not correct because there is only one number.

But I see the second incorrect statement all the time. Was my teacher wrong or has the language changed? Colin

I don't think a drill with compound table would be suitable for milling as it is designed for vertical stress only and usually has no drawbar to retain a suitable chuck. Colin

You need to use the highest speed and a light cut so the motor doesn't slow down too much. I have used various makes to cut nuts and exhaust U bolts under cars where there is no room for an angle grinder. Colin