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Re: Cycling - It's what makes the world go round!

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Takeaway24/02/2013 17:51:03
108 forum posts

OK Nick - you've "git" yourself a well deserved "ten". I wonder if anyone on here can do better - though they might have to consider shouldering the weighty responsibility of being awarded a BAFTA (Best award for tight ar**edness)>>

Whilst on the subject of re-cycling and seeing that it has it has an enthusiastic following on here I love the Great British car boot which provides me with such a lot of my raw materials. Stainless steel cupboard handles get me 10mm dia material (10K for a fiver) and brass toasting forks and brass fire companion sets at the optimum price of 50p - £1 all get my juices flowing.>>

I did make a bit of a booboo last year though when I bought a bundle of brass Victorian stair rods for a fiver. Hacksawing a bit of the end of one revealed a core of (highly machinable) steel with just a thin wrap of brass shim round them. They are made so well you cannot detect the joint where the wrap meets. Those old Victorians were not only clever - they were a bunch of old cheapskates to! (Bit like me I 'spose) thinking>>

Stuart>>

joegib25/02/2013 06:35:21
154 forum posts
18 photos

Posted by Stuart Chesher on 24/02/2013 17:51:03:

I did make a bit of a booboo last year though when I bought a bundle of brass Victorian stair rods for a fiver.

Stuart>>

He,he, I got caught by that one about 25 years ago. Found a bundle of about 20 rods at an East London flea market. Picked them up at 20p a pop and was hugging myself with glee all the way home. Of course when I took a hacksaw to them the brass coating came off like orange peel!

Ever since then a magnet has formed part of my 'fossicking' kit.

Joe

Takeaway25/02/2013 09:11:16
108 forum posts

Joe - I've not heard anyone use "fossicking" for many years - a lovely descriptive term - a bit like "ompalodging" used by my Cornish mate to describe someone (usually an older bloke) carrying out a boring and repetitive task often accompanied by muttering and unnecessary clatter. or simply, just being a stubborn old nuisance. (Like being normal then?)

Stuart

Stub Mandrel25/02/2013 19:16:02
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4318 forum posts
291 photos
1 articles

> I've not heard anyone use "fossicking" for many years

Ditto! Used to hearing it in a botanising context.

Neil

Geoff Sheppard25/02/2013 21:27:06
80 forum posts
1 photos

Stuart

I believe that the techniqe of wrapping steel bar with brass shim is known as 'close plating'. Used on car steering columns to give an air of 'luxury'. Never known to miss a trick in the parsimonious stakes, were they?!!!!

Geoff

Philip Rowe25/02/2013 23:31:55
248 forum posts
33 photos

And I thought that I was the only idiot that has got caught with buying "brass" stair rods. Same thing happened to me, although in my case it was a charity auction in the village where we were then living so I didn't begrudge the cost too much. Still got them somewhere, I think the only use they have been put to is for plant stakes in the garden by the other half.

Phil

Bazyle26/02/2013 00:18:28
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6956 forum posts
229 photos

"rain coming down like stair rods" won't mean anything to the next generation.

I remember them at home and replacing them with modern invisible hook plates though I think ours were plain iron. I wonder if they are still around somewhere. At school the main staircase had big triangular ones about 1 in side with patterned cast ends. Probably there since 18?? and will still be there in another 100 years.

john kennedy 102/03/2013 20:53:44
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214 forum posts
24 photos

I live near a farm and whilst walking the dog on a path accross his land I saw these !!

They are weights off a combine harvester. I spoke to the farmer and showed my interest in

buying them off him. He said I could have them for nowt as long as I didn't sell them.

They weigh about 30kg each so I had to come back with my wheelbarrow. Ive started hacking them up to get a couple of cylinders out for my loco. They are beautiful soft cast iron with no chills or blowholes (yet) . Amazing what you can get if you ask nicely .....

Edited By john kennedy 1 on 02/03/2013 20:54:15

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