Member postings for GaryM

It looks absolutely superb Jason. Very inspiring to the rest of us (especially beginners like me) to try harder. Keep up the good work.

Gary

Hi Chris,

Congratulations on finishing your first engine. It's quite satisfying when the first one runs. I finished a very similar one last year. Here it is running on a car foot pump.

Another shameless plug

Sounds like an idea worth trying. Alternatively you can fill them with grease. I use this on allen bolts on my bikes.

Gary

In the end thanks to Ian's suggestion I used this setup:-

The front clamps were left out of the picture for clarity. It might not be ideal but it seemed to work. Then I used the same arrangement for the mounting face which is facing forward in this picture.

Gary

Michael,

I don't think an MEW review would be much use to us as they are unlikely to be critical of any supplier for obvious reasons.

I have noticed that Chronos and EKP allow online reviews by customers which might help. It certainly does for Axminster and Screwfix which some of us probably use occasionally. Trouble is most of us are unlikely to post reviews.

Gary

What we need is Which? to do a report on model engineering tools.

It worked for consumer electronics. I don't think there is a television, camera, Hi-Fi, or phone etc. that I've bought in the last twenty years that I've been disappointed with. What makes the difference, in my opinion, is that there is a source of independent information on how good a product is. Even ratings for books on Amazon are an improvement on what info we have for tools.

Gary

Edited By Gary Marland on 13/05/2013 09:41:25

Hi Michael,

Thanks for your input. I can feel the purchase of another angle plate at Harrogate coming on only have one at the moment.

I'm loosely following the Tubal Cain write-up serialised in ME from August 1992 and trying to figure out which bits are better done on the milling machine. I assume he did the bore first because it was easier to measure an exact amount from the edge of the bore to the portface (which he did with a height gauge) rather than trying to bore to an exact diameter with the edge of the bore ending up a specified distance from the portface. More difficult to describe than to do.

Gary

Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Bruce - good point about the vice jaws. I've not checked them so if I end up using this method I'll put a DTI on them first. I knew about putting it in the centre to minimise twisting forces but had just clamped it quickly for a photo so might have forgotten to move it into the centre before cutting. What is the benefit of putting paper next to the jaw? I would have done all the cuts in the same direction.

Chris & Ian - I'll have to think about this. I presume you mean with the end flange against the plate/s and a bolt running through the bore or perhaps on either side. In that case how would I ensure the bore is parallel to the table?

Doh! Thinking this through as I type and I've just realised that of course the bore is perpendicular to the end face so that ensures it is parallel to the table. I started off using the tool blank through the bore so I had a reference to set the amount of metal to remove. But maybe there is another way. I didn't like the idea of scribing around the casting as Tubal Cain suggests. He was doing it on a lathe only.

I'm not really as thick as this sounds, it's just that experience is incredibly useful when workholding.

Gary

Hi,

I'm making a Stuart S50 and I've faced the ends of the cylinder and bored it out on the lathe. Now I need to machine the portface parallel with the bore. Is there anything wrong with this setup?

The rod is an HSS tool blank and I've set the unmachined mounting face vertical with a square. I was going to cut towards the vice jaws to minimise the risk of the cylinder moving in the vice. I can't think of any other way of holding it. Or should I do it on the lathe like Tubal Cain did?

Any comments welcome.

Gary

I've never listened to much music on the radio. Even with the programmes that play music I like (which are few), the inane drivel that the DJs come out with soon puts me off.

Gary

Another thumbs up for Radio 4 here. Although I only like some of the programs (factual and comedy). The plays and The Archers drive me round the bend so I either turn off or play my iPod through the radio (all kinds of rock and folk).

Gary

Jeff, he means he listens to BBC Radio 4. It is a game on a popular radio show.

Gary

Hi James,

Welcome to the forum.

My mini-lathe came with a spring on the chuck key. After it had jumped out of the chuck for the third time I took the spring off. I just got into the habit of making sure the key is on the bench before I start the lathe and also not standing in line with the chuck is an idea. I also removed the guard which was another major inconvenience and prefer to just be careful.

Gary

What I did yesterday was finished four of these T-nuts as suggested in Harold Hall's book "Milling: A Complete Course". This was the first milling I've done. Wanted to try something simple before making a mess of the S50 castings. Might try some clamps next.

Gary

Thanks for the tips Fizzy and Jo. I've been using a permanent marker for marking out so will leave the painting until last and just get on with the machining.

As far as rust is concerned, my workshop is an unheated garage so I do have to guard against rust. I usually put everything away and cover the machines up at night to try to limit condensation.

Gary

Thanks for the ideas Brian and Neil.

Brian, the casting for the base is hollow and the bottom edge is the reference face. It has a high spot in the middle of both sides (~0.75mm) which I'm going to file down or might try the Dremel as suggested on various threads on here. The base is about 9" long so it won't swing on my lathe. I could mill it though. Just starting to learn how to use my new mill at the moment.

Gary

Thanks for the suggestion Martin, but as Tan Y Groes is about four hours driving away it'll have to wait for our next Wales holiday. (Anson Museum only half an hour away). Others might be interested though, it certainly looks like a comprehensive collection.

Gary

Hi,

I'm just starting on my Stuart S50 (finally) and Tubal Cain suggests giving them a coat of spray primer to make marking out easier and probably to stop rust. Do others do this or is it a waste of time? I was thinking of an etch primer as Chris Vine suggests in his book. Is this over the top? Also there are a few hollows around the base, should these be filled before priming and machining or later?

Thanks for any help.

Gary

Hi Andy,

Definitely worth a trip if you're in the North West. You're unlikely to spot it when passing because it is hidden away off the beaten track. They do open Friday so maybe persuade your old mates to go for a drink on Friday instead.

Gary

I visited the Anson Engine Museum in Cheshire, North West England. **LINK**

It has a great collection of internal combustion engines of various types. It also has a few steam engines, including the 250HP Stott mill engine which steams a few times a year and occasional craft workshops.

Gary