Member postings for David Senior

The listing only includes billet in the title - probably just to try and cram in as many slightly relevant keywords as possible.

For what it is worth, I consider when used in the context such as 'billet aluminium part' it means, as several people have mentioned, machined from a solid block.

Dave

The Myford VMF is the same as a Warco A2F, which weighs 550 kg according to the 1986 catalogue. There is no Warco KF in that catalogue

Dave

The gear you show in the link has 15, 16, 17 and 18 tooth varieties. There are also 4 versions of the mating gear, 5, 6, and 7 teeth (not sure about the other). They give an angled drive.

In the early days it was to do with the final drive ratio. Then wheel sizes changed (not that the rolling radius changed much) and finally the gearing in the speedo head changed. A veritable minefield!

I sold mini parts for 25 years and I haven't a clue as to which combination you would need!

Now, if you want any lovely billet aluminium parts for the mini...........

Dave

I use the Easychange system (from Coventry Engineering - but it looks identical to the Cutwel version) on my Myford VMF mill, specifically because I converted it to cnc and wanted the ability to change tools easily without having to reset the lengths every time. I have 3 or 4 of both ER16 and ER32 holders.

It works very well, except maybe for bigger cutters such as 16mm long series endmills, and is certainly convenient.

As you say, it is expensive, but only you can decide whether that matters!

Dave

Bend a piece of heavy aluminium (or titanium!) wire into a 'J' shape such that the bend jams into the tube, and attach your cable to that.

Dave

Don't forget that for many applications there is no need to have a groove the same width as the circlip - considerably wider will be fine as long as the groove edge that is taking the thrust is in the correct position.

The Service Manual has these diagrams but I can't spot any shear pins.

Nor can I get the pictures the right way up - sorry about that!

Probably a bit late, but I have just measured my VM-F and can confirm the height at around 182cm (that is the figure given in my manual) and you would need another 12cm above that if you wanted to remove the drawbar vertically. Personally I never have a need to remove the drawbar, and if anyone had one of these machines in a low workshop one could always tilt the head sideways to give more clearance.

Dave

The earliest M&W catalogue I have is from 1931, and the 414 is listed, but just with the square-ended blade.

In the 1934 catalogue there is an optional additional narrow graduated blade.

In the 1936 catalogue there is another option - with the blade with angled ends.

If you have either of the optional blades this may give you an earliest date.

I have no clue as to whether the additional number is a date.

Used this style of thing for many years but only recently discovered you can buy blades for left-handed people (like me)

Dave

Mike Sayers' Bentley engine and chassis is right up there in my view

Dave

I have every issue of MEW, I subscribe (and I've even written an article many years ago).

Those articles are likely the ones I will read FIRST (OK, maybe not the car restoration one). I prefer items that are 'different' - maybe because I have been a subscriber for so long.

I accept that I am not going to be so interested in all the articles but there is always enough to keep me interested generally.

Keep up the good work Neil

Dave

Turn a groove on the section that fits down the tube, and fit an O-ring. Use a fairly chunky O-ring and play with the groove diameter to get a good grip. We make wheel centre caps using this retention method. The section that fits inside the hex can be cylindrical - no need to make a hex. The O-ring will grip on the flats in the hole

Dave

I've used Thunderbird for years with no apparent problem, until I became aware that I was not receiving quite a few important emails. It took me a while to realise that I had no Spam folder, whereas on my wife's computer my account did have a Spam folder and that was where the missing emails were ending up. Turns out that I was using POP on my computer, and IMAP on hers. I had to change to IMAP and now I get all the emails. Quite why they end up in the Spam I have no idea.

Dave

Can't offer any advice on the main part of your question, but Cutwel do 8.8mm in their aluminium specific range, though I am not sure why you wouldn't use a standard jobber for this, and I wouldn't expect any issues with the life of the drill

Dave

Are you sure the female thread needs to be tapered? If you were to try an M4 nut would it start, and would it tighten up the collet as it moved up the thread?

Dave

John

There is no reason that I can think of for having the shaft longer, apart from not wanting it to be shorter than the bearing so that it can't wear a groove in the bearing. So I guess equal or just slightly longer would be best.

I haven't got to making the eccentrics yet, but I am thinking of doing the bore and keyway first, then mounting on a mandrel with both centres in the ends so that I can set between centres to machine. I intend to machine them to the same width as the straps, so there will be a section between them that looks like a woodworking biscuit joint piece, if that makes sense. That way it is not so critical about getting the 'joint' in the middle.

Not sure when I will get round to it. Technically I retired at the end of Jan, which is why I have started on this project. However retirement for me will be going to work everyday as normal (all my equipment is there) and hopefully not having to do any 'proper' work so that I can concentrate on the models. Right now I am still choosing to run cnc machines until a new employee starts in a fortnight, so I am not able to concentrate fully on this.

Dave

I buy ground flat stock from Cromwell (cromwell.co.uk). They offer 1/4" x 3/4" x 18" long Order code IND-413-0704E. As for shipping to Italy - who knows!

Dave

John

I think you have missed the fact that the strap is not symmetrical about the locating groove. By my calculation (and as shown visually on the reverse gear drawing - not that that should be taken as gospel!) the straps align with the outer faces of the eccentrics, leaving a gap between the straps.

This doesn't change your conclusion, except that the skimming of the bearing face will only be to give working clearance, rather than to correct a foul. The eccentric pair will definitely need counterboring to clear the crankshaft bearing diameter.

I have yet to attempt to master the joys of tapered gib keys. Clearly here it is going to be important that the key doesn't protrude beyond the eccentrics.

I think we are there now!

Dave

John

Thanks for taking the trouble to check your drawings

My belief is that the bearings need to be fitted with the thin flange inwards, and the thick one outwards (crank width across webs = 1 7/8", Gap in bed plate = 2 1/4" leaving space for bearing flanges of 3/8" i.e. 2 at 3/16"

So my calculation for bed plate centreline to bearing outer face is 1 1/8" + 3/4" + 5/16" = 2 3/16"

I agree with the 2 9/16" to the centreline of the valve rod

The eccentrics are a total of 3/4" wide, so half of that (3/8" inboard of the valve rod gives 2 9/16" - 3/8" = 2 3/16" so nominally touching the bearing face.

The crank bearing diameter extends to 15/16" + 1 5/16" from the centreline (2 1/4" (i.e. protruding from the bearing by 1/16"

If I am correct I will need to either shorten the bearing diameter on that side of the crank or (more likely) counterbore the eccentric pair to clear the step on the shaft. Skimming a small amount off the main bearing on that side to give a small clearance should be straightforward.

I haven't checked with Stuart Models as to whether the drawings have been changed, so I don't know whether this is a recognised problem (or whether I am somewhere mistaken)

I am impressed with the look and finish of your No1 - I can only hope that my 5A will be somewhere near and that my grandfather would have been proud of it.

Dave