What did you do Today 2018

In my experience, the recipient of the magazines in plastic bags in which they are delivered, can be made hard to identify by taking the address panel and s t r e t c h i n g it as far as possible.

The material lives up to it's description, and is remarkably plastic and stretchable. This distorts and fades the text, pretty badly.

The whole lot then goes for landfill.

"Window" envelopes go for recycling after the window has been pulled off, or cut off. (The strength of the adhesive seems to vary from envelope supplier to supplier)

Howard

I try to cut the wrappers neatly along one end so they stay as bags. They are quite strong as plastic bas go and make up for the reduction in the supply from the supermarket. Just had a check and I can't see a marking on them to show what they are made of. Not good. But they seem to be LDPE so you should store them up, lots and lots, and use them to make machinable wax rather than contaminate biodegradable paper.

They make good dog--poop bags, being stouter than ordinary supermarket bags and not having any breathing holes so you don't have to 'double bag'.

Neil

Muzzer, I don’t think “identifiable and approved officials” are checked that often, as a Councilor in past years I was frequently called upon by individuals to counter sign Passport Applications. I was never aware of any checks being carried out to ascertain my validity as a qualified person entitled to sign said documents. In the light of how serious a document is then a Passport comes a fair way up the list of importance I would have thought. I think it is surprisingly easy nowadays to forge someone’s identity if you are determined.

Dave W

Had a quick look at today’s Screwfix offer and saw that the ‘Screwfix Trade Apprentice of the Year’ comp now on. Great idea? While perhaps understanding the reason no practical skills are to be examined, with it is being based on professionalism, business interest, knowledge of their chosen industry, goals and ambitions, enthusiasm, determination and innovation can it serve any real purpose. Or is it yet another example that as long as you know the theory it does not matter if you can’t put it into practice.

**LINK**

Idly klicked through on the Multimetals ad at the top of the page. Never done so before but there's always a first time.

And a last time too - the only aluminium they show is sheet, the only mild steel they show is round stock but when you look closer they say they have NONE of the sizes listed, the only stainless is 430 sheet, they have NO plastic, they claim copper square and flat but you guessed it - no stock of ANY of the sizes listed. Couldn't be bothered to look at the brass. Tried clearing the cache etc but the content seems to be current.

Seems a novel enough way to run a business and I suppose there's no law against it but there was me thinking they were offering metals for sale..

Murray

I see what you mean, Murray !

Hopefully the site is 'a work in progress'

MichaelG.

.

https://www.themultimetalsshop.co.uk/product/cheap-stainless-steel-wire-rope-cable-cheaest-around-1-5mm-to-8mm/

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 09/02/2018 10:18:09

Ordered a box of earplugs (anti snoring) from Amazon and noticed they are supplied by Langley Steelworks Ltd. !

That what I call industrial diversification.

regards Martin

Muzzer,

I tried their website a couple of months ago and found the same total lack of stock, I think it hard to believe that it is still a work in progress! Am at a loss to understand what the purpose of the website is, it’s definitely not there to sell anything.

Dave W

I had made a mistake with my choice of aluminium for a cylinder with an aluminium piston. As advised by others on the forum I have taken their advice and bought a stainless steel tube to form a liner.Today I bored for a press fit and after trueing up the outside of the tube I loctited the cylinder after heating it then cooling the liner in the fridge,I used my large joiners vice and it went in no trouble .I have now got to set up again in the four jaw and bore to size.I am well pleased all thanks to this helpful forum.

Frank

I started the upgrades to a little x1 millI have , that were featured a couple of months ago in MEW . In stainless steel no less! I turned the stop bushes , found a drill that matched the diameter of the bar ,and bored them..but couldn't remember for the life of me how to cross drill accurately for the locking screws , so I came home and did a search on this very forum....

I'll probably forget how to again by Monday .

Hopefully Neil / MTM are actually getting paid for the ads. If so, we shouldn't complain if they are subsidising this forum. I wonder if they are actually paying their bills....

Was turning some copper discs for boiler end plates earlier and was suffering the usual problem of tearing of finish associated with "gummy" type metals. Just as an experiment I tried some Rocol turning lubricant and what a difference, no graunching noises or tearing just a very acceptable finish. I have obviously been badly advised in the past where I was taught that brass, copper, bronze must always be machined dry. Just for interest the plates were 50mm diameter (for a 16mm tram engine) and I was using a hss tool, turning at around 450 - 500 rpm.

Phil

Phil

Nice to hear that it all worked out for you. You were very poorly advised for turning copper. My old Atlas manual recommends either lard or paraffin for turning copper. The manual also advises on the best speed and depth of cut for copper.as well as using the stepped method for parting off. I never have tried lard for fear that if the metal heated up the lard would begin to smell like a pork chop frying.... mmmmm.

Cheers

Bill

Lard> yes it can be good. I used to work a "Keller" copy mill the cutting oil used on it was a mix of lard oil and paraffin. I can still smell it now 50 years on.

Sunday I unpacked the lathe and a few tools to do one last 'just job' before we move.
A mate bought a camera for his scope, the guys in the states got the adapter wrong so it wouldn't fit.
Bored out the adapter to 3.5"
Now packing tools away again.

But the magazine only comes once a month - the dog can't wait that long

This might be of interest to some:-

Apparently it is World Radio Day today (13th Feb) and BT has a history page on their website.

Something of an ‘I remember that, or was it really that long ago?’

Linky thing to same:-

**LINK**

Edited By V8Eng on 13/02/2018 16:26:17