What Did You Do Today (2016)

I was once asked by a chap that I knew to 'photoshop and adjust' his r/c scale aircraft documentation photos so that they matched the colours that his model had actually turned out. Lol - sent him packing in a hurry and quietly passed the word around the local scale judges.

I didn't like him or his attitude that $$$ can overcome all problems

Win at all costs! does not sit well with this little possum. I also know who really built his model.

This would be the equivalent to having an entry professionally built for the M.E. Exhibition and claiming that it was all your own work.

Not quite cricket old chap!

* Danny M *

Phew! Thanks for the news, gentlemen - Flying Scotsman IS going back to apple green! I remember, as a very small child, being driven to Tallington (our nearest spot on the East Coast Main Line) in the hope of seeing either Scotsman or Mallard.

This from NPL, on nanopositioning, may be of 'academic interest'.

MichaelG.

Saw the Flying Scotsman on the TV news this evening, well glimpses through great clouds of steam.

Ian S C

Yes, Ian - the camera crew seemed to get obsessed by the clouds of steam, while most of us wanted to see more of the loco. I'd love to see it (in apple green, of course!), but England is just too far away for me now, and I think the chances of it coming up to Aberdeen or Inverness are a bit slim. Last time I saw it was on the east coast main line some time in the middle 1980s.

It seems it will not try to emulate the last speed record as it will be limited to 75 mph due to being a heritage model.

I would expect it will go back to days out trips for loco fiends and families.

A couple of times I went on a train pulled by the Flying Scotsman, also when it picked up water from the trough in the center of the track at high speed. We were in the first few compartments of the 1st. carriage and the spray was all over us.

Clive.

Passed by a 'junk shop' and saw some fire tongs for 2 quid. With gas heating nobody wants them now. 2 lengths of 3/8 brass, the round top handle could make a globe valve.

Went to village tea room newly opened yesterday by friend. Met local whom I had not met before and turned out her father had made a 5in loco. Wonder if that is a 'small world' moment or not. How small a group of people does it take for two to have a significant connection to model engineering? ( like that two people with same birthday statistical question)

I finished a little job for a friend this afternoon. He had bought an electric start kit for a 500cc single Matchless motorcycle from California for a lot of money and had had problems with the alternator rotor rubbing against the stator. Looking at the inner and outer chaincases, new parts, there was no location preventing the stator being pulled against the rotor by the magnetic field. On the original casings two dowel pins, one solid and the other hollow, were used to prevent this happening.

Although the answer is simple, replicate the original, the job took longer than expected since a dummy alternator had to be made to provide a temporary location (the other being the Bendix type drive on the starter motor). The dowel pins were made according to fits and limits practice and were driven into the inner casing instead of being Loctited.

JA

Some of the routes that the Flying Scotsman will follow in the summer have been published. One of them is on the train line I can see from my house. However it is about a mile away and even with binoculars is not a great view due to trees. The local garden centre car park is right up against the railway line and on a level with though and the four lines of wire that make the fence are not going to hinder the view at all. It might be a case of get there early for a good spot.

Martin

I just tried to make my famous Stilton soup (low heat version).

I think Wednesday was the last time I felt like eating a proper meal, now the <unprintable> Labrador has nearly half a pound of my best over-ripe cheese in its belly.

Onion, Potato and Pepper soup anyone?

Neil

Very nicely done, JA

MichaelG.

Never mind Neil - you will likely get it back later - probably in the middle of your bed!!

Norman

Today I did absolutely nothing so I thought I might check out the 'puter to see what the rest of you are up to.

It's 100.5°F here at the moment, 107.6°F predicted for tomorrow - too hot for the workshop and the lathe and mill would be stressed out. I might have to get around to fitting a supplementary (ex-pc) cooling fan to them if this keeps up. **LINK**

There is a bit of smoke about, so a fire somewhere and water bombers are flying about the place. Too hot to even venture outside for photos. I just caught a glimpse of the water bomber through the window as it flew over very low - it's the same one that I photographed a few months ago so shall try to obtain a new photo for the aviation thread.

Neil, Stilton is my favourite cheese btw. I once was given a whole wheel of Stilton, scooped out (and ate) a hole, filled it with local (Brown Bro's- Rutherglen) vintage Port and left it to ripen in the fridge for two months, topping up the port occasionally. It was a big hit with the neighbours that Christmas.

* Danny M *

Edited By Danny M2Z on 12/01/2016 05:11:01

Went to town today, took in two band saw blades for rejoining, and bought two new ones at $NZ40 . 68 ea, and ten carbide tips $NZ 187 . 02.

Ian S C

We've just watched the BBC News item about the 'dig' at Must Farm

... Have a look at the Bronze sickle head, here !!

MichaelG.

Michael G - mind boggling quality!

What REALLY grips me is that some 3000 years after these artifacts were produced, I could NOT produce anything half as nicely made The 'ribs' on the sickle are both decorative and strengthening ... lots of thinking/designing going on there!!

rgds

Bill

Today's exercise for me was to fit a new QCTP to my little Chinese lathe (9 x 20). First task was to dismantle the top slide and fit it in in the 4 jaw so that I could remove a portion of the step. I have a 200 series QCTP that mounts directly on the cross slide so was able to this with ease. I then drilled and tapped the shaft to M10 and turned down a M10 x 25mm cap screw to hold it in position. All was going well until I went to mount my Eccentric Eng Diamond tool holder in the block to find that the slots were 14.6mm and the holder 15mm. Milled the slot wider and then set up tools in the 3 blocks I purchased.

Back to my engine build tomorrow. I love being on holiday.

Regards

Bruce

Time to check your thermals? New York this morning, apparently:

My father was on escort duty with the Atlanic convoys during the World War II. One his favourite tales was what ever the weather was it would follow the convoy across from New York taking approx ten days to get across the Atlanic about the same time it took for the convoy to reach the UK. So when we saw the cold spells on the news from North America he would tell us that we'll be getting that soon - Mark my words! - more offten than not he was right! Bless his socks.....

I'll just go to find my thermal's!

John