Member postings for Nathan Sharpe

Hey Springbok, never mind the silver solder or tippex, tell us more about the sec,s photocopied derriere!! I can still find the required coordinates without needing a photocopy or marking that area!!

Hi John,

Thanks for the reply. As I,m sure you do I believe that no system fits all jobs and it was never my intention to stop using inserted tip tooling,only to try and reduce costs. My thoughts were that as diameter of work increases then depth of parting blade should also increase. I can use a 5/8" blade for 2" work so how far can I go with a 3/4" blade ? The Mircona system is what I,ve been looking at, as you say it is costly but could save money in the long term. BTW how's the four legged white sausage?

Nathan (Naffsharpe)

Hello again,

Do any of you know wether the parting tool blades sold by RDG/Chronos/Arceurotrade etc are bevel ground or parallel ground?

I,ve only ever used genuine Eclipse blades but may have to consider imports as far as my finances (SWMBO) are concerned>

Nathan.

I may be wrong but I use DA 180 collets which are cross referenced I think as DK 18. Try a search for DA 200. Mine are , as Neil suggested, Erickson collets.

Nathan.

Good evening ,

Your collective opinions and advice are requested on choice and range of parting tools and parting systems. I have various inserted tip tools and parting blade tools already in use. Up to about 2" I favour the Eclipse type of tool (machined bevel not hollow ground) and above that Iscar and Sandvic using a centre grooved insert. Given the current state of the UK,s finances and my own, I'm wondering if I should cut back on the inserted tip tooling and stick to Eclipse. Tips are expensive even from Ebay, Eclipse are at least nominally British. What diameter would you part off with using an Eclipse tool and where would you decide an inserted tip tool is required? My lathe is a Harrison L5 in good condition and has been used so far with a maximum LxD of 4.5" x 12" in PB and cast iron, but only turned to finished diameter and then cut to length before re machining. If you favour Eclipse type tooling what blade size would you suggest for 2" to 4" work? The workshop is mainly used for hobby work with the very occasional "earner".

Thanks , Nathan

Hi Bob, Just as a follow up to what you were told was not in the handbook, on page 13a are the instructions to adjust the clutch, the HEADSTOCK bearings and saddle,cross slide and top slide. There are several pages of recommended lathe practice for turning between centres,faceplate and chuck work,taper turning screw cutting and tool geometry. In my view it,s worth every penny it cost. I doubt that you can learn it all from the book but it,s somewhere to start the process. Those who say there is no info in them must only have looked at pictures!!

Nathan.

Hi Bob, Yes that photo is the one but I also wonder if your speed is too low. It,s also possible that you have a bit nasty metal in the chuck ! As Neil said you won,t get fine tuning info from the handbook but you will get speeds/ feeds/tool geometry and exploded drawings showing how things go together .

What are you cutting with and are you sure its sharp enough? The finish looks as though material is being torn out not cut . Resharpen and try again, we,ve all had to do that and it helps to gain experience .

Nathan.

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Hi Bob, If you need a handbook/partslist go to www.lathes.co.uk. Tony has quite a bit of info onsite

and sells a handbook for the L5. My own L5 is about 1960 vintage and works well, they are pretty bombproof if looked after . All the above advice is good but keep asking questions until you/we solve the problems. It sounds to me like you are cutting below centre and light cuts. Set the tool height by removing the chuck, fitting a good sharp centre in the headstock spindle and setting the tool to the point of the centre. Once you,ve done that and before removing the centre make a height gauge to sit on the bedways for future tool setting. It need not be anything fancy but must be accurate.

Nathan.

Hi Clive, Have you tried a brake pipe bender? Cheap off ebay.

Nathan.

Hi Clive and Will,

Please keep this thread going in public, I can't be alone in finding it both informative and fascinating. It seems to cover my main interest, an interest from years ago which I'm trying to afford and an interest in bee keeping with the aim of supplementing my winter income!! I'm also learning a heck of a lot !! Like you Clive I prefer the L1A1 and it's 7.62mm round, 223 just feels too light. Like you Will I need the help of people like Clive and others who always offer advice and encouragement.

I hope the knee allows you better mobility Will but spend your cash on materials not ice screws, I and my son have spent a fortune over the years on ice/rock/hill gear but my favourite bit of kit is a 1970s Stubai ice screw now used as a corkscrew!!

Nathan.

No problems here. Upload and download speeds within what BT expect for this line using their speedchecker, same results using BB Genie. I,m approx 4K from the exchange,using a BT hub and running Vista Premium. It takes on average 1.3 seconds per page change. Weather here has been wet for weeks(North Wales at 300mtr elevation), no protection from prevailing wind/rain for our pole mounted connection and the connection cabinets from here down are all road fitted chambers with rainwater rivers flowing over and around them!! Last time we had a problem it was sorted within 18 hrs and was caused by the one Grey Squirrel left in the area chewing the cables to the post mounted box!!

BT have served us well over the last 33 years of our use of them.

One of the very basic skills of engineering is the ability to read and interpret a drawing. This means using eyes and brain to pick out problems before you hit them. Yes we are generally amateurs and work to drawings done by other amateurs but we took up the hobby to produce something we could be at least happy with and learn something as we did it.

Given that most problems with the drawings have been encountered by other amateurs the best advice is the oldest advice" join a local club/group" and use their accumulated expertise.

As already posted even the most up to date industrial/commercial drawings WILL contain errors/omissions and mistakes.Try reading the drawings for a hospital's M+E and you would need six months to find the potential problems, do you complain about OS Mapping/Road Atlases/Satnav Mapping because they are not accurate (even the day after survey)? No, you do not, because these are things that you accept are only going to to be upgraded and amended from time to time. The same applies to Model Engineering drawings, but the CAREFUL and SKILLFUL engineer will do their research before buying drawings. They will have joined the club/usenet group/looked at other Mod Eng sites before spending money??

Model Engineering is for expanding your skill and enjoyment not to guarantee a 100% build without any problems. If you want a 100% guarantee of build first time either stick to Airfix or do nothing would be my advise.

Drawings are and always have been a guide only, they are fit for that purpose, YOU have to provide the skill. If you can't is it you who's not "fit for purpose"?.

While the homepage editorial on Little Lec is useful and informative I have to take issue with calling Dewen Fawr "Big Oak"(to those who do not speak Welsh), it should be "Large Oak". Further, to drive around Swansea asking for"Big Oak" may get you directions to somewhere else delivered in a fashion you may not like!! A translation of a place name should never be used in place of the actual name (even if S4C and the BBC insist on doing so in Welsh language progammes), Derwen is pronounced as it is written, Fawr is pronounced with a "v" sound to replace the F---, Derwen Vawr. Simples!!

Please do not continue to corrupt the language by translating to and using the English translation. Nothing gets up my nose more than things like this and continues the reputation we English for being arrogant and heavy handed in Wales. I have no axe to grind, I say exactly the same thing about corruption of my home language (English,Born on St Georges day!!)

Perhaps instead of "for those who do not speak Welsh" you should have put "for those who limit themselves to English" !!!

Please do not take this too seriously, we can laugh here!!

Nathan, (in Gwynedd)

Hi Milligan,

Yes a very good site with lots of ideas for future builds. As David tells us copyright is an issue to be considered on some sets of drawings, but at least you can see what it is you wish to build on site. This is something which is very useful as most mags do not give photos of finished models except very grainy ones in their online shop and also means you do not need to buy umpteen backnumbers before you decide. With reference to the firearms, read it properly and you will see that they are INERT or AIRSOFT and it is clearly stated that they are not capable of even chambering a live round. Firearm modelling is as relevant as any other kind of modelling and keeps skills alive that this country depended on in 1939/1945 (Sten/Enfield) just as we needed engineers to build defensive systems. Nathan.

Neil , try Frost Auto Repair for heat stop but you could use Arctic Spray as used by plumbers which should be available at your local B+Q/ builders merchant. Use soft solder and a pencil flame and a self cleaning flux. Make sure you give it a good scrub in soapy water afterwards. Try to work from the inside of the ring and wipe the joint on the outside while the solder is still soft. Do not use wire wool/files to clean the area, let the flux do it's work. I build and repair guitars as a one of my interests and have recently resoldered a National Resophonic which had various open joints and avalue in the £1000s !! Just be methodical/slow and DO NOT DO ANYTHING THAT CANNOT BE UNDONE !! Sorry for shouting but that's main reason that instruments values are reduced. Hope this helps.

Nathan.