What Did You Do Today 2019

Congratulations, Harry! The rallies and exhibitions beckon...

Me? Collected the car from being serviced and MoT'd, then continued fitting the DRO to the milling-machine. E-posted Machine-DRO to ask which was better - static magnetic strip or static sensor.

Alice Coles' very helpful reply was that most users go for the former (and it is easier and more logical for the long travel) but it does not matter from the electronics' point of view.

Went into Lidl today with my wife, whilst she did the groceries I went to see what 'specials' were on offer, found automatic welding helmets on offer at £22.something, just had to get one at that price!

Is it any good? No idea yet as not tried it, but it seems well made and 'the business' - ripper!

I'm embarrassed to say about 10 years. But in my defence I'd note the following:

• I'm building two engines, so everything in the picture is doubled
• There are quite a few parts made but not yet installed, like hollow pistons, eccentrics and brake handles
• All the parts exist in 3D CAD for several reasons; some imperial materials are no longer available, I've made a number of design changes for increased authenticity, I've redesigned a lot of items as the original drawings are poor and riddled with errors
• I have an out of control garden
• I've got sailplanes and aeroplanes to fly
• Until recently I've been working full time

That's probably enough excuses to disguise my indolence.

Andrew

Cant believe sillly old duffer shoots his equipment when he gets bored. Good job it was just an air pistol. What does he do to them if he gets angry ?

Rich

quite accurate at 25m - who am I kidding it was 10m

DaveD

Edited By Meunier on 17/05/2019 17:25:21

I reckon I could shoot a peatol lathe with that at 25m.

Finished off making a few small parts, as an idea of size the threaded stud is M5 and M8, threaded holes are M3.

The studs are 316 stainless, the linkages are HE15.

Emgee

Used the milling machine for the first time since just before Christmas. I've been sorting out some feedscrew alignment problems that I hadn't fixed after scraping 20-30 thou off the table and saddle combined. Had to move all the feedscrew bracket holes... I've added some more way wipers after seeing the damage that has happened in the short time after I rebuilt the mill (it's a Mk 1 Beaver VBRP, that had some design issues leading to rapid wear) I also took the opportunity to mount the support profiles/extrusions for the magnetic strips for a DRO.

For most of the last six months there have been bits of milling machine scattered around the shed, but I had to re-assemble it all so that I can machine the brackets to support the reading heads for the DRO .

Hi, this was yesterday, not sure if I used enough clamps.

Regards Nick.

You are Bob Clampett and I Claim My Five UK Pounds

I went to the Dunstable Downs amateur radio boot sale. The only thing I was looking out for was a UHF signal generator. Typically I didn’t find a signal generator but did come away with an arbor press (BNL No.1 MP1), a Sorba HV5 5” rotary table and a 12” APE microball micrometer height gauge. The press seems better made with a round rack rather than the square common on cheaper modern ones. I’d not come across the microball height gauge before. It seems quite nice and the size suits my small surface plate. These were all items on my shopping list for the workshop so at £60 I’m pleased even though I didn’t get a sig gen (I did get some other electronics )

Robert G8RPI.

Nipped down to the cricket field in time for half time tea and found myself stripping the new generator behind the pavilion so didn't see our side batting which was just as well as we lost heavily. Couldn't find an obvious fault so suspect the regulator. It's still under warranty so hope they can get it swapped by next weekend,

Hi Neil, very interesting info about Bob Clampett. Yes I must admit my clamps look a bit looney, but It was the only way I could get those two 200 x 6mm flat bars totally flat and it was a bit of a joke getting enough tack welds on to hold them flat, it was a bit like working in a very dense forest but managed to get them welded on OK. No prize money available though.

Regards Nick.

Hi, not so many clamps today, but this afternoon I had to press out a bit of distortion after welding the fat bars to my frame. I had anticipated this would have to be done, although they remain flat, the welds across the top of the SHS distorted them by about 0.5mm out of alinement to each other, but this was soon corrected by jacking each side, but by the same amount and at the same time.

Once the adjustment was made, a very slight amount of upward pressure was then applied before and was held during welding on a pair of braces on each side. When all the welding had cooled, the pressure was released and the bars remained in alinement.

Regards Nick.

Yesterday evening actually. Finished re-assembling my milling machine after a full strip down and clean. Not as big a job as it sounds as it's only the Clarke version of the Seig X1 mini mill/drill. Replaced all the slotted gib adjuster screws with hex socket types. I find these so much easier to adjust. Everything lubed and adjusted, then checked the tramming. Column leaning foreward and to the right. Intended shimming the bottom of the column but then realised I had no suitable material for this. Nip to the local shop and buy a 4 pack of liquid refreshment, consume the contents of one and the cut up the can. If you believe the adverts I now have "Probably the best shims in the world". Fitted the shims and after considerable trial and error got it about right. It's not perfect but is considerably better than it was.

Just a thought. The material from the can seems to be a springy type of aluminium. Hope this doesn't distort over time and I have to re do the tramming.

Not sure how you would send that in morse...

Joe

Joe -

.-. --- -... . .-. - --.---.. .-. .--. ..

rgds

Bill

Bill, you are too literal. Yes, - .-. --- -... . .-. - --.---.. .-. .--. .. means 'Robert G8RPI.' , but how do you send the picigram in morse...

Joe

Thanks, Joe

Ask me another on sport ... equally rubbish at that!!

rgds

Bill