Member postings for peak4

The only reason I rejuvenated this thread was to point out that there's some out of date stock, currently available on eBay, at less than ½ price if anyone needs any.

Bill

OK I'm struggling to measure the screws on mine, as they are a bit worn and gnarly.
From what I can gather, they used to use many of their own one-off threads, but may later have standardised, as per the table above.
My screws all measure about .01515" diameter and 0.57" long
I'm struggling a bit to measure the pitch/tpi, but keep on coming up with 0.024" or 0.61mm, neither of which match with a sensible tpi; 0.024" equates to 41.666 tpi

Just eyeballing the thread, it does seem to fall between 4 and 5 BA at 0.0260" & 0.0232" respectively, as far at pitch goes, but just undersize diameter for 3BA; that said, I'm on the waiting list for a cataract operation.

To try and measure the pitch, I rolled the screw on a piece of paper, counted 10 spaces between the oily lines and tried to measure it with both a caliper and a graticle magnifying glass

Rotagrip list them, but I can't tell whether they are the alleged 3BA ones, or those in a head similar to mine.
http://www.rotagriponline.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_images.tpl&product_id=8823&category_id=889&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=29 

Alternatively, try Wiseman
https://threadtools.com/diehead-parts-and-reconditioning/

Bill

Edited By peak4 on 17/06/2023 17:56:47

I can't remember where I found then, so can't provide a URL, but I've just uploaded a couple of scan/photos to my albums

At the moment, and for the foreseeable future, as I bought 20 litres, I'm using Pennine Lubricants Metacut-CF
https://www.penninelubricants.co.uk/product/metacut-cf/

I'm not sure of the current price, but it was reasonable at the time; there may well be a local distributor near you.
It's a neat oil, which I apply by a little squeezy battery top-up bottle on the Myford, or a built in suds pump from a tank on the larger Warco GH1330

Bill

To rejuvenate an older thread, I've just been looking around to stock up on some more ACF-50.
At the moment Opie Oils seem to be having a clear-out of some out of date stocks of the US quart bottles.

Have a search on Ebay, where you will find it for £9 per bottle, reducing to £7.65 for quantities of four or more.

I'm guessing that it does have a longer shelf life than the one printed on the containers, but needs an expiry date as it's marketed for the aviation industry.

Bill

To resurrect an old thread, does anyone have any experience of these micrometers?
I've downloaded the patent, and having a read.

I recently picked up one second hand, which seems to need a bit of "adjustment", so I though I'd enquire here first, before I risk damaging anything.

Bill

As I mentioned elsewhere, but I'll add here for others, Bedroom Workshop is a useful resource, but the owner doesn't seem to respond to e-mails
http://bedroom-workshop.com/

When I got my machine, out of a skip, it was similarly equipped.
I was lacking time so did a quick end mill lashup which worked for several years; If I was to reproduce it now, I'f use a single leading shoe brake cylinder with a through hole.

It's not fancy, but worked fine, and I had everything in stock.
Each end mill shank diameter has its own collet made out of hex bar.

Bill

There seems to be a number of Chinese suppliers via eBay, but also one German one if you search for EU, rather than UK
Those are made by Baer, which led me to look at their own website HERE
https://baer.tools/en/taps-dies/thread-standards/mf-metric-fine-thread/round-dies/for-left-hand-thread/3514/baer-cutting-die-mf-6-x-0-75-left-hss?c=860

Bill

I'm not really sure what you mean, but if you're referring to the protector for the main Z axis screw, then this is my solution, using a car shock absorber gaiter, though a motorcycle fork gaited would do just as well.
It needs a wider diameter at the bottom, so I used an old tin leftover from some Christmas snacks; cashew nuts I think.
Three appropriate jubilee clips were also used to hold the whole assembly together and in place.

Alternatively, try suppliers such as these
https://www.machinecovers.co.uk/concertina-covers/bellows/ 

Bill

Edited By peak4 on 31/05/2023 23:40:37

Another possibility is to scan a file before downloading it.
There's various options, but This Article is worth a read
https://www.howtogeek.com/30508/make-sure-downloads-are-safe-before-downloading-them/

I actually use Opera as my default browser, but since it's based on a Chrome engine, one can still install VirusTotal by following simple instructions.
Essentially, copy the download link, and paste it into the VirusTotal web page, or, if you have it installed as a browser extension, right click on the link and scan the file from there; seems to work OK for me.
https://www.virustotal.com/gui/home/upload

Bill

Interesting, I've just downloaded the two latest files, and also got the warning on the pdf.
Judging by the script font etc, and that it appears just after the auto virus scan, from Google Drive, I assume it's a Google drive warning.

I then went to my own Google drive, where I have a number of documents stored.
One pdf downloaded with no warning following the auto virus scan, and the second one, auto virus scanned and popped up the same warning.

I wonder if there is a difference in the content of the two pdfs, which the virus scanner picked up on.??

I can't see any obvious logical pattern between those files which generate the warning, and those which don't; I've tried at least 10 files from my own drive.
I can double click on a file, and view it in my browser OK, but when I try to download it from either the browser, or the drive, I get the warning.
If it's a file I've generated as a pdf, say saving a web page article as "print to pdf" I don't get a warning, nor do my own pdf scans.

The warning box which pops up when I open a Google drive pdf in my browser, and subsequently try and download it, is exactly the same as the one if I'd tried to download directly from the Google drive.
Seems it's a specific Google Drive thing, and not related to my, or my ISP's, security software.

Bill

Edited By peak4 on 29/05/2023 17:10:42

Deleted, posted on wrong thread in error

Bill

Edited By peak4 on 29/05/2023 17:06:47

Just offering this as a general thought; I'm guessing that Moticam don't make the photosensor themselves, and maybe not even the camera module.

I had an issue when I finally tried to use an old Bresser USB microscope I'd had in stock for ages.
The supplied software wouldn't work on later editions of Windows (I appreciate you're on a MAC)

Some internet searching suggested looking at it from the USB protocol angle, and looking at the chip identifier number, to see what other camera modules might use the same optical chip, so I could try their software.

In the end I followed this article; I know it's not directly applicable to your problem, but might give further food for thought.
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/microscope-video-cameras-lidl-bresser-etc-drivers-software.33107/

There is a TWAIN forum/group, but I'm not sure how active it is; It does have a section for certified driver searches, if you can find a different device which uses the same chip.
https://twain.org/

Bill

I don't use Norton, but I'm guessing it's flagged up because cnczone's forum is a site from which you can download executable files.

As a warning, it could be infected by one of the "Drive By" malware programs
https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/definitions/drive-by-download 

Google Safe Browsing Check is probably a reasonable place to start
https://transparencyreport.google.com/safe-browsing/search?url=https:%2F%2Fwww.cnczone.com%2Fforums%2Fdownloads.php

Bill

Edited By peak4 on 18/05/2023 12:19:38

Sorry for misleading you initially, My Centec has a captive drawbar, and this makes the arbor self ejecting when you turn it anticlockwise; it's convenient sometimes, and a pain others when I need to change the drawbar as well as the tooling.
When you do make one, try and pay lots of attention to ensuring the thread is square to the material; if not, it will be hard to screw into the top of the arbor.

Start it off in the lathe with the die/holder against the tailstock or a thrust pad, or ideally a tailstock die holder.
If you've never done any lathe screwcutting, maybe this would be a good time to practice.
You only need to do the first few passes in the lathe, after which you can finish to final size with a die.
If you know all the above then my apologies, but it might help someone re-visiting this thread in the future.
I'm fortunate in having a Coventry/Herbert die head so I used that for making mine.

Bill

Sorry not quick enough to edit post, so see added photo here

Bill

Yes, I must drink more coffee before I post in the mornings.

I started to type, intending to say what you have, but distracted myself and partly wrote about the drawbar(s) I made for the Centec; Sorry for misleading you Dougie.

On My DW Mk1, I've used a length of 8mm bar, with the top few inches threaded as M8, and the very end turned down a bit to save damaging the thread.
The bottom end has been turned down to ¼" and threaded BSW.

Like Phil, I have a set of short stubs to suit my MT2 taper arbors, internally ¼"BSW, with some externally threaded to M10, and others to 3/8" BSW, as I've got both old and new tooling; mine however aren't Loctited in as I also use the arbors on the Centec,

One important point, is when tapping the end of the drawbar, be sure to release the fine downfeed worm first, to save damaging it.
I forgot once, and now have a very light tight spot where I've distorted something slightly; it's now wearing in again so gradually curing itself.
Also, rather than risking shock loading the main spindle bearings, I lower the spindle a bit and insert a length of wood between the end of it and the table, to absorb the impact.



Bill

Edited By peak4 on 16/05/2023 19:09:29

Probably easier to make one yourself; just make sure the threads at each end are truly square to the bar.
Measure the through bore of the spindle, and wither thread both ends of a bit of round bar, or use some threaded rod.
You might need two anyway, depending on what accessories you use; 10mm & 3/8" are the normal, though I also have one with M6 at the bottom end.

For the top end I use a commercial plastic knob with a brass threaded insert cast in during manufacture; it doesn't need to me too tight, as a Morse 2 taper is self locking anyway.

I don't actually use MT2 tooling that often on the DW mill, prefering an ER25 chuck on a Myford nose thread



Bill

Edited By peak4 on 16/05/2023 12:58:05

I wonder if the best point of contact might be a concrete supplier, and ask their advice.
Concrete is certainly used in overlays, but I'm not sure exactly what type.
It may be that they suggest something like polyester fibre reinforced screed, such as used for imprinted/patterned concrete; this is different to polyester or polymer concrete.
https://rtmycockandsons.com/floor-screed/ This link is my local supplier, but obviously there will be someone closer to you.

Also, using the above solution might be an ideal opportunity to put in piping for underfloor heating, even if you don't connect it up until the price of heat pumps falls a bit; I didn't but wish I had.

Bill

Edited By peak4 on 13/05/2023 13:35:33

Most odd, fine for me now too.

Bill