What Did you do Today 2022

Quickly bashed out the remaining curtain hanging, it needs a tiny bit of finishing off to seal the edges, but it's worked pretty well.

Now I just need to complete the total reorganization of the workshop so I can get back on with projects!

Finally re-assembled my drawing-board's parallelogram links (the board-support, not the drawing mechanism) into something vaguely right; but nowhere near right enough. With a collection of odd bits left over.

I think I have essentially destroyed it, and am best simply adapting the stand to a tilting but single-height arrangement.

Since I have basically wrecked the entire appliance, and do not need A0 sheet size anyway, I may cut the board to a little over A1 length. The rule-track, an aluminium extrusion, can be shortened, but shortening the vertical arm is not feasible. I would also remove all the now-useless metalwork.

This would reduce the considerable weight and take less room space.

Oh well, we all make mistakes!

Temporarily secured the roof sheets on my shelter, using G-cramps, lest the rain and wind arrived.

Which they did. To think was working on it in shorts yesterday, in the sunshine!

Off to Dorchester for my Covid booster; but following the lead given me by Swarf, Mostly also to ask in Herrings (arts and craft shop) about resilient drawing-board surfacing. The name I'd found is Papyroboard but I realised others might be available.

Unfortunately no larger available than A4; though they do stock things like propelling-pencil leads.

Back home, inspected the shelter to find it good and effective allowing for its unfinished condition.

Then assembled the draughting-head on the board to establish cutting the board to A1 size - shortening it by 300 mm. I need keep a parking area off-paper for the head, plus an over-run margin at the other end.

Measuring showed if I keep the full depth I could use A0 paper on end... if really necessary!

This would reduce the board's weight by a fifth - shortening it from 1.5 to 1.3 metres

It would also obviate shortening the vertical arm of the mechanism, but closer examination showed that would be quite simple. The only problem might be tensioning a thin cable operating one of the locks; but its terminal is just an electrical-style eyelet crimped onto the wire.

It all makes sense - the manufacturers evidently made the moving parts to work on more or less any size, because the top, fixed rail and the vertical one are simply aluminium extrusions.

Moved the 32A socket for the welders as part of the workshop reorganization.

This finally allowed me to hook up my extraction system with an "Auto-Off-Manual" three way switch, which allows me to interlock the extraction to come on with the welding machines, or to run it manually.

I've also added an RCD socket under my welding bench to power my grinders from, to give a bit of additional protection against shock in the event of accidental cable damage.

Bought and installed Rhino7 (Also transferred my MecSoft VisualCAM licence over to MecSoft RhinoCam).

After a few years of using Alibre Design, mainly to re-draw and correct the errors that i have found in the Peter Rich Castle Class drawings, as I slowly progress through the build (Shot of the almost complete Chassis CAD below), I expect another even steeper and frustrating learning curve ahead!

I haven't really researched it or done the sums yet, but I can fit 6-8 panels on the shed* roof and will have an inverter and battery system. The compressor will not be a large one, and will only be used on a very occasional basis: A few moments of impact wrenching, air hammering, vacuum brake bleeding or blow-nozzle use etc. Not a huge amount.

Or, I put those 6-8 panels on the main house with the others that I plan to fit there. The shed roof though is in a perfect location, sun-wise - better than the house roof - so it seems a shame to waste that resource. I don't think that adding the remote cells to the main cells electrically would be viable, owing to loses, but I am mostly thinking aloud at the moment.

*actually a well-built brick and tile single garage. 

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Edited By John Doe 2 on 01/10/2022 12:08:10

Edited By Frances IoM on 01/10/2022 19:54:23

Spent the day at the G1MRA 75 Anniversary Exhibition at Bicester. Helped to man the Gaugeone3DCircle stand where we were showing what amazing results can be achieved in this scale by 3D printing,
I have been part of the Groups.io group for over a year attending the weekly zoom calls so it was great to meet some of the regulars on that in person though after so many online meetings it seemed like they were old friends I had known for years.

Two members of St Albans DMES turned up there and even one other from Exeter DMES though not the furthest traveller as apparently two had come from St Austell.

Still another day to run if you want to go there, The 5in ground level chaps were there, somo LGB and 16mm stuff too.

Like Frances IoM, also went to Lidl specifically to buy their advertised digital angle gauge at £9.99. Stated as 0.1 resolution, OK for most general jobs if not for the occasional high precision one.

Unfortunatley, the wife was with me (bless her), so by the time we had got my item, plus 2 new pillows and a matress protector, my 9.99 'bargain' only came in at about £45, phew what a saving! (! wonder how many other forum members have had similar happen?)

Still, I suppose I shall be sleeping on them ( not the angle gauge) .......

regards, Mike

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Having found myself a lidl confused by the quoted numbers, I checked the advert:

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No, I don’t want to re-start the discussion about Resolution/Accuracy/Precision

… or even the one about Monsieur Vernier’s device

But will point out that the advert covers both the Caliper and the Angle Finder:

https://www.lidl.co.uk/p/diy-deals/parkside-digital-angle-finder-digital-caliper/p54707

MichaelG.

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 02/10/2022 10:22:31

I was supposed to be doing some welding in the shed today but... Got the covid booster in one arm and flu jab in the other yesterday. Got the shivers last night and slept most of today. First time I've had a reaction to any vaccination.

I've spent the last few days relearning CAD in F360. Very pleased with the software so far. I've begun modelling my 2A engine kit as a nice little starter project. It's nice because not everything is dimensioned on the drawings, so getting practice taking measurements and freehand modelling the castings.

Also been able to get back to rebuilding my lathe, after an injury put me out of action. Finished getting the gearbox back together and greased up. All being well, I'll be making chips by the end of the week.

Almost ready for the mill to arrive. One more tip run, then it's just the sparks to install and I'm all set. Exciting month ahead!

Today I finished my Gibraltar Tool Post to the design of the late, great "Tubal Cain".

Regards to all

Derek

I had exactly the same reaction to the Covid booster that I had on Wednesday as Mark. I was also planning to do some work the next day, but ended up wrapped in a blanket to keep warm for most of the day, my wife also had a similar reaction. I usually have no reaction to my vaccinations. I can only assume that the current preparation is a bit more aggressive than the last ones. It was a Moderna vaccine by the way.

It's a bit frustrating when you have planned to do something. Thankfully it didn't last too long.

My wife and I both had the Moderna and flue vacines a fortnight ago with no after affects other than feeling where the injections were. Previous Moderna made us a bit shaky for a day.

Ian

Painted back fence penance for speeding to much time in the workshop

H

Edited By Frances IoM on 02/10/2022 19:45:23

A bit chirpier today than yesterday but still didn't do any more than I ought!

As with Mark, Neil and Ian, yesterday was woozy day! Covid booster on Friday, 'Flu jab yesterday.

I'd woken yesterday with slight nausea and feeling like a wooden man made of smoke, but this passed. I spent a fairly easy day in the hot sunshine at the club track, replacing sleepers, but by the end of the afternoon I was about shot away. Some of the old wooden sleepers looked fine on top but were heavily decayed underneath.

Went to bed at 7:30! Woke at 10:30, made a mug of hot milk and footled around on the "confuser" for half an hour, back into hibernation till about 8:30n this morning. I'm sure my dreams are getting ever more surreal - just as well I don't believe in "analysing" them.

Lovely sunny weather eventually, after I'd spent much of the morning tidying the middle room - a chaos of tool-boxes, caving-kit and bits of enormous drawing board.

Then used my heavy-duty bar-benders to make some clips for the roofing sheets on my garden shelter, the material being some scrap steel fencing parts with very convenient slots already in, to fit M8 coach-bolts.

Had both on Monday a week ago, one in each arm and on Tuesday they were trying to meet up in the middle somewhere!

Last Tuesday spent wrapped in a blanket watching, or rather not watching rubbish daytime TV.

Even today one upper arm is a bit tender to the touch, but I couldn't tell you which jab that was.

Had both my jabs a week ago. No side effects at all, not even the usual slight bruising from the needle. Perhaps they'd sharpened it up for me. Anyone remember when doctors used to autoclave syringes and sharpen the needles for re-use