Member postings for Trev T

I have had one of those for many years and have never trusted it to indicate voltage of any magnitude. However, it is excellent for indicating continuity or otherwise. Checking fuses before dismantling an appliance is just an example. It's other advertised uses have to be given the caution it deserves! A fiver for your life..?

trev

John..

Glad to be of help.. Boring, quick, but effective solution, leaving You more time to enjoy Your thing!

Hope your wife gets on with the arrangement too and enjoys her printing related hobby(?). I was very interested in printing (in the old times of letterpress and Adana machines) MANY years ago! That was before modern technology almost killed the industry off, seemingly overnight! The old skills are still, in my opinion, the more interesting and challenging, as in Model Engineering!! But then, I would say that wouldn't I, being a 'silver top' struggling to keep abreast of this wonderful new world of ours...!

BTW, on a similar note, I have a stack of traditional (film) photographic equipment cluttering up the place, cameras, projector, and a complete B&W darkroom in a fitted cabinet, all of which was quickly made 'old hat' by the introduction of digital technology! I bet I am not alone in being able to say something like that either! But, I digress! It's flippin' cold in the workshop, so what's left to do, other than mull over what to make next...

Have fun.... Trev T

John...

Sorry for the delay in answering your query - been having yet more trouble with my wayward laptop which resents the imposition of 'critical updates' by MS!

The additional height involved in mounting my stuff in the machine trollies is an astonishing 20mm! I had forgotten how little this was, which is due to the casters being mounted outside the frame (which is where the additional stability comes from).

Assuming your wife's machine is mounted on a wooden base (eg: cabinet/bench) with the weight bearing on the four corners, mounting will not be a problem. Any introduced baseboard to achieve this would, of course, increase the additional operating height. A few screws through the frame into the structure would complete any 'H&S'(!) issues...!

If you have any more queries, feel free to pm me.

Trev T

Whatever system is employed, there will be a requirement to control directional manipulation. The machine trollies only have two swivelling casters, those where the lifting is actuated. This makes it easier for a single operator to control movement, as they only have to manipulate the assembly from one end. I have no difficulty in moving either of my outfits, sometimes involving taking them outside the workshop altogether, me being a 10stone short***** 81yr old!

Trev T

I would go for one of these:

**LINK**

I have got two already, one carrying a cabinet housing vacuum/extractor and mounted mitre/bevel saw, the other carrying a cabinet full of accessories with mounted morticing machine (heavy cast iron bodied thing). The trollies are very adjustable for size and lock solidly to the floor when in use. The smaller version is rated at 500lb, the larger at 700lb, so either would cope with the 350lb printing machine. The casters are outboard of the frame so stability would not be an issue. Problem solved at very modest cost! I have no connection to the provider except as a satisfied customer...

Trev T

My workshop consists of a precast concrete garage, standard 16'x8'. It was refurbished a couple of years ago, when the original corrugated asbestos/cement roofing was replaced with Kingspan insulated panels. Apart from that, no other insulation has been installed, the walls just being covered with white masonry paint. The floor is unpainted concrete (painted floors generate condensation), laid on a dampfroof membrane, on hardcore, ABOVE surrounding ground levels . ALL eves gaps have been closed and draught strips fitted to the double wooden access doors that are at one end. My machinery is very lightly oiled, as a precaution, but handy files are not (naturally), nor are hammers and pliers, etc. In Winter, I do not 'heat the workshop', but run a cheap dehumidifier (24/7) that has a powerful air flow out of a vertical outlet that circulates dried air throughout the 'shop. A small (set at 600W) fan heater is positioned to blow across the front of the dehumidifier (inlet grill), it's thermostat set so as to maintain the min'm inlet temperature required by the dehumidifier, around 4 degs C locally, to avoid the possibility of icing-up the heat exchanger coils. The phylosophy behind this is to AVOID heating the air in the workshop to the point where it can support higher moisture retention. Any bare wood in the 'shop (there is a small stock) has been dried out to the ambient levels sustained, as has the bare concrete floor (I do use domestic doormats to stand on in strategic positions). I couldn't say that the building is completely airtight and that I gasp for air when in there, but the dehumidifier is powerful enough to deal with any leaks and, of course, my exhaled moisture! I do open the shop doors and window when generating fumes of any sort, but I do try and arrange such activities around drier outside atmospheric conditions. If I am planning to work in the 'shop during very cold weather I usually nip in there early and 'jack up' the thermo' on the fan heater, it has a higher output of 1.6kW, to lift the temperature modestly (I don't need to work in simulated summer-like conditions, or attire!). Lifting the temperature of dry air is not going to create undue condensation on cold metal, and the warmer air only makes the dehumidifier more effective anyway. However, care is taken when starting cold motors...!

Summarising, then, I don't have rusting in my 'shop! The dehumidifier collects about 4 litres of water every 3 to 4 days, which is both startling but gratifying and which dispels any thoughts that dessicant alternatives might be cheaper!! I consider that the cost of running this system is well justified, given the value of the contents of and the 'shop as a whole!

Trev T

Hi Mike...

I lifted my WM16 onto it's stand with an engine crane and used a lifting strap which was passed under the base. To stabilise the lift I used a smaller strap around the head of the mill, trapping the lifting strap underneath it, making the lift very secure.

Trev T

Ah! I have a Warco WM240 which came with the same problem! I simply took 'potential' aim for the the oiling point, using my oilcan spout, and drilled a hole in the casing. The size of hole was based upon some blind grommets that I already had (available from outlets such as Maplin) and, obviously, big enough to allow the passage of the oilcan spout. I merely have to pick the grommet out, with my thumb nail, and replace it after maintenance, leaving a neat and tidy finish when done. I do agree with your feelings, however, that this is an example of a lack of good design!

Trev T

Alan:

I have a Warco WM240 lathe, which was bought in 2012, which suffers the same problem.

It was so bad at first that I wished that I had not bought it! I consulted Warco, who are normally very helpful, but received no advice on how to fix the problem of vibration. I was invited to try 'my theory' and report back if I still had problems, however...

I had the impression that the purpose-made lathe stand, bought with the machine, had rather flimsy top plates. This led me to try a stiffening exercise, involving the fitting of 'beams' under the top plates of the stand. These consist of 2"x 1" x 1/8" box-section steel, drilled to suit longer bolts of the same dia. as the supplied fixings, and extending from front to back on the underside of the top plates, inside the two cupboards. This immediately reduced the vibration, but did not cure it. I avoid the range involved, which is around 580 - 600 rpm in the low speed range (it's a variable speed model).

Personally, I believe the problem is related to 'belt whip'. When I have the inclination (and not busy using this otherwise satisfactory piece of kit) I shall run the machine up thro' it's speed range, minus it's end cover (having jury-rigged the cut-out switch, using appropriate care) to observe the drive belt in action. If this proves the theory is right, and adjustment of the drive belt tension does nothing to alleviate the problem, then the only solution may be to fit idler pulleys to settle the belt down! I have no idea, at this time, whether the latter solution would be possible. Either way, fitting idlers may be an unjustifiable 'faff' of a job, given the minor irritation involving the short speed range involved! What do you think?

Meanwhile, I'm happily creating swarf, making a model ....

Regards, Trev.

Sorry about that! My reference to a previous posting seems to have gone wayward, to say the least!!

I'll try and make a better job next time (novice at this game!!)

Trev T

It's amazing that the workshop black holes will gobble up numerous ancient (and irreplaceable) small tools and just-completed, special-threaded bolts, etc., and yet the swarf and chips are ignored and stay around for yonks! Must be something to do with low-mass/gravity physics being selective in ME workshops!

In 'cleaning up', what do we do with the swarf? Does everybody have swarf bins? Do we separate ferrous and non-ferrous swarf, using separate bins? Is it practical to recycle swarf? Or do we just dump it into landfill...? Does anybody have local (council) operated collection services?

Are we acting responsibly ....??? Does this put an end to this thread ...!

Trev T

Hi Michael

I have a copy of Molesworth's fascinating little book - Twenty Fourth Edition, dated 1901!

In it is a copy of the preface to the first edition, dated November 1862!!

There are numerous old adverts at the front and back covering all sorts of ancient machinery, even one claiming the 'efficiency and economy' of the 'World-Renowned EDISWAN Incandescent Electric Lamp'...!!! Needless to say, it's leather cover is getting a little dog-eared now!

My copy of Machinery's Handbook is the edition of 1942. It holds a section on the use of a slide rule - when did you last use one of those? Can't think of life without a pocket calculator now ....

My! What progress we have seen over our lifetime! Remarkable ..!

Trevor T

I started 'modelling' using my father's Meccano set around 1942, at the age of 7. Grand piece of kit, heavy nickel-plated strips, brass-plated fastenings, brass gears, etc. As a young guy, I really felt as though I was 'engineering' like my father. I later aquired a Juneero tool set, which I still have in my workshop cupboard, and from then on I considered Meccano to be for the 'easy-route' modeller. However, models, as such, were dropped in favour of more 'engineered' objects for practical purposes. I think this illustrates how young minds can be influenced by what are basically toys, the sort that provide the 'spark' in an engineer's life, whether it be heavy engineering, clock-making, or model engineering.