The good bits coming out of the Covid epidemic

All the NHS workers I know are embarrassed by the clapping. Who had that Moronic idea? Leave them some dignity perhaps?

As for cheap Chinese tools. They're great. I'll be buying many more. I wanted a Myford but the forums were full of tales of woe. People trying to get life out of something as worn as an ocean pebble. Don't think they sell new ones unless you count a parts bin bitza as new?

Benefits of the virus? Quieter roads. Long may it last.

There are two classes of cheap Chinese tools as far as I am concerned - those that don't do the job and those that will wear out or need re-sharpening quickly - but which do the job for a bit.

I have seen, both at the club and on here examples of tools where the owner has said - I got that while I was an apprentice 50 years ago and it is still good.

I am an amateur in my sixties. If I buy a tool for a particular job it may not get used again before I am no longer able to use it. So why pay for tools with a 50 year life? The second class of cheap import does what I want.

There have always been cheap imports - a hundred years ago they were labelled as 'continental' now it is 'chinese'

There was a market for such tools then, and there is a market today - provided you know what you are buying.

If you buy a second-hand Myford or Chinese made Starrett or Moore and Wright tool do you know what you are buying?

I had a Myford, and it wasn't a tale of woe, more of endless irritation that as a Speed 10 it wasn't quite big enough, but its larger brother was too expensive and vastly overrated by folk who won't realise what happened to the Empire, and British industry with it, or why.

Yes, my Chinese machine tool is great, like you say, and hums as smooth as butter nearly every day. Whether there's any link between the economics that allowed it to be supplied to me at the price it was, and the risk of releasing viruses like the current one, is no doubt a matter for future analysis.

great for wildlife and stargazing

Or Musk Starlink Satellites tonight at 20.58.

Greatly reduced levels of CO2 and NOx emissions.

Russell

I do hope that when this virus nightmare is over the goverment will award some kind of medal to those on the front line of the NHS. After all, we are fighting a world war and it is usual to award a medal in such circumstances of war service.

This acton will mean more than Thursday night clapping.

If you've ever been to an emergency room on a Friday night you realise our medical staff deserve a medal every week.

In view of the pay freeze that they all had perhaps a bonus of £1000 each might be more appreciated.

Regards

Brian

It isn't for the NHS workers. It is for the mental health of the people doing it, particularly children. It has been interesting hearing it come up from the village half a mile away as the direction is not where I imagine the houses to be through the trees. One doesn't always appreciate the way the roads twist.

heard an interesting side effect of the reduced petrol consumption. Shortage of tarmac as tar is a byproduct of refining. The utilities are still digging holes in the road that need covering so look out for potholes.

I do sometimes knock Asian import stuff, but have a garage full of it. Today came my 50mm face cutter ,complete with 10 inserts & the arbor. About £25.

Or I could have gone for a Sandvik, if I got a 2nd mortgage.

Basically agree with Michael above.

Steve.

If you've received no nuisance calls recently it's 'cos they were ringing me - pretending to be my bank's anti-fraud department!

I don't think the air is noticeably clearer than usual where I am, because I live on the SW English coast; but I am becoming accustomed to the much quieter surroundings. Far less traffic about, though the helicopter base a couple of miles way is still operating (training pilots).

I have not had to use the pedestrian lights between the Co-op and me for a few weeks now: I just wait for the three approaching cars to go by... then typically the four that have arrived in the other direction.

I do count my blessings though. Although missing my caving, model-engineering society and geology-group activities, and occasional Sunday Lunch in my local (proper beer too), I am retired so my daily life has not changed much. I have a modest garden, a friendly neighbour, and of course my workshop and enough projects for that humorous Walker-Midgley poster about immortality.

It must be awful for those cooped up in flats, and who have no real hobbies or interests in life - and two friends with incurable, stealthy, long illnesses are always in my thoughts.

Don't forget all the new enterprises that will start up from the unemployed people who have sadly lost there jobs.

The government have already said they will support new start ups. I hope they will, as there will be a lot of people wanting to start there own companies.

Of course many will start & fail, hopefully many will start up & become fruitful.

After all this is over I think that many companies will have staff working from home where possible. Saving valuable office space.

Anyone got any idea what sort of business will be the most successful to start.

Steve.

So in this time of social distancing, isolation, etc perhaps you might find time to use it (both the face cutter and the full garage of stuff) and report back your technical findings?

That £25 tool, when actually in use, may well be poor value in comparison with more reliable supplies from the likes of Arceuro - at not so much more outlay (and a lot less than genuine Sandvik cutter, which would likely be a blatant waste of money - when used by a greenhorn on any hobby mill).

But there again, as they say, ignorance is bliss. If you have nothing decent with which to compare it you may well feel sufficiently satisfied with your purchase....

If only it were that easy! First, people who have been made unemployed may not have the skills needed to make a fresh start, and - even worse - they may live in the wrong place. Second, politicians are excellent at saying they want to do good things, but generally poor at delivering them. (Sadly at election many voters listen to new promises rather than check the old ones were fulfilled.)

Unfortunately the most obvious opportunities likely to arise from the Pandemic are negative. Businesses enabling genuine and opportunistic:

• Suing the NHS and Care Homes because they failed to care adequately for a deceased relative, whatever the cause of death or injury
• Suing the NHS because a condition wasn't diagnosed by a GP during the lock-down
• Suing Social Services because an incident wasn't managed correctly during the lock-down
• Suing employers over disciplinary actions taken during the crisis.
• Suing companies who were unable to deliver during the crisis
• Claims for recovery of Insurance and any other Service that wasn't delivered during the crisis.
• Claims relating to misfired Furlough Payments and other Government schemes were the claim was incorrectly rejected, or incorrectly assessed. (This might be the next PPI!)
• Pursuing businesses like airlines, who back-peddle on refunds.
• Increased accountancy and business planning requirements, necessary to recover from a badly depleted finances and loss of trade
• Bankruptcy and receivership services.

Time will tell, but I suspect government top-priority in face of a likely world trade depression will be protecting the core economy rather than relying on lots of small risky startups. Lots of successful startups would be a very good thing, if it could be done, but they don't have a good track record. Talk is easy, turning policy into many profitable businesses is hard.

The other aspect of the problem is the amount of government and commercial debt built up during the crisis. Government debt was declared initially to be at least £40Bn, more likely £60Bn today and more before the end. £60Bn is about 10% of annual UK tax revenue, and almost all of it has been spent on the community rather than in ways that foster economic growth. The sum is roughly equivalent to all the savings painfully made by Mr Cameron's government, and the debt will effect what happens next. I've no idea what will happen - in the UK conservatives believing in financial prudence and market forces will be at odds with the conservatives who favour government support of businesses. That's complicated enough, but our trading partners abroad will doing the same thing, and there's no reason why their perceived best interests will align with ours. In the same way, Boards and Owners will be worrying about their business liabilities, also likely to be painful and causing missed opportunities.

My mum fears her savings will lose value due to inflation. Actually, I think deflation is more likely due to goods and services losing value because in difficult times no-one wants to take a risk or has any spare money to spend. Deflation is good for savers, but bad for everyone else. For example pensions depend on people spending money tomorrow, not on a bank vault full of gold saved when we were young.

Slight inflation is good for the economy because it encourages spending. Otherwise inflation and deflation are both bad for pensions, and pretty much everything else. Choppy times ahead. It's not at all clear to me what the best way ahead is for either government and commerce. Ending the lock-down and making a fast recovery are different problems, both tricky.

There's a lot to be said for hiding in a hobby workshop and waiting for the dust to settle.

Dave

Good God S-O-D you are a negative person.

Whilst this pandemic is causing huge stress and uncertainty for most people, it is from events like this that people with drive and initiative will have their hands forced for them to do something different and start-up on their own. Whilst you are right some will not be successful there will be a huge number who will and cottage industries will start up all over the country - some may even become SME's.

That is how a number of my friends (and I) have done it and then wished we only had done it sooner.

Steve

I could do with stocking up with car batteries considering the number of cars that have stood going nowhere during the crisis The AA and RAC will be making a fortune ( Other breakdown services are available )

Here's a good bit - I haven't seen SWMBO's siblings for a month.

What are the chances of large infrastructure projects like HS2, Northern Powerhouse etc etc being put on the back burner as a result?