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Post by ilvaporista on Oct 8, 2023 4:25:33 GMT
After quite a while of being distracted by other things I finally managed to start excavations for the railway round the house. As we are having some quite intensive work done in the house there is quite a pile of rubble, which makes a fine sub-base for the ballast bed. The first thing was to find the level of the top of the foul water drain as this sets the level of the top of the track at the rear of the house. The fall from one side of the house to the other is about 40cm so the more I can dig out the better. All was going well, until number two son roped me into his house move. I was happy to help him move out of our house and for good measure he took a load of furniture and the spare kitchen, that has been taking up space on the covered patio for the last two years. I also set him up with his first work bench with a pillar drill and vice plus a load of hand tools. I also cleaned the pool and had what will probably be our last swim this year and with the pool in it's current location. As part of the railway works the pool is moving to the other side of the house. Pictures from before work started are here ilvaporistahouse.blogspot.com/2023/03/just-for-starters.html |
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Post by mugbuilder on Oct 13, 2023 23:02:20 GMT
Installed a 150mm CBN wheel on my bench grinder today, I found one that had 40 mm on the side as well as the face, it does a great job on HSS ! Still trying to work out why it cost an arm & a leg to get it across the gap between Australia & here! Cheers Kerrin Haven't you heard Kerin, Cost of living, fuel prices ,taxes climate change etc,etc,etc. Just wait and see how it will all go up now with the middle east war. Maybe it has something to do with the direction of rotation of the planet . Going west to east you are trying to overcome the direction of rotation but going east to west it works in your favour.
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Post by steamer5 on Oct 14, 2023 0:40:51 GMT
Hi Barry,
Not only is it west to east but it’s also uphill!
The package weight was 2.4 kg’s, I should be able to save power as once you turn it off it takes an age to come to a stop!
Cheers Kerrin
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uuu
Elder Statesman
your message here...
Posts: 2,864
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Post by uuu on Oct 14, 2023 15:24:46 GMT
John and I have finally finished tinkering with the lathe up at the club. It’s an old Warco: its owner had lost patience with it and got a Myford Seven instead.
It’s quite nice to use initially – chunky, and the saddle, cross-slide, top slide and tailstock all move smoothly. The graduations on the handwheels are clear, and in sensible units (unlike some that I’ve seen). So turning on it is pleasant. It had been fitted with a three-phase motor by the original owner, and he just used the speed control on the inverter – he’d given up with changing the belts.
But there were one or two bits we wanted to improve. So I re-did the switchgear, putting in a push-button start and stop, and arranging things so it would not restart unexpectedly. I also rewired to separate low and high voltage cables.
We’d not been happy with low speed torque for screwcutting, so we wanted to reinstate the low ranges of the belt drive. Dear me, it’s a horrible system. There’s an intermediate pulley between the motor and spindle – for low speeds a belt in one position runs motor to intermediate, and another with three positions from intermediate to spindle. So you just need to move the top belt to change speed. Which means slacking off the intermediate pulley – with a spanner, around the back of the lathe – so pull it away from the wall first. Ah – but that pulley won’t move up as it’s restrained by the lower belt. So a different spanner needed to loosen off the motor. Lift motor, lift intermediate pulley, change belt, pull intermediate down, adjust tension and tighten, pull motor down, adjust tension and tighten, different spanner. Job done. Repeat when finished to re-instate the previous speed range.
We did a bit of fettling while we were at it – enlarging the hole where the motor poked through, because it didn’t really swing far enough. And bunging up stray holes where swarf could enter the belt casing.
Of course, if you’re screwcutting, you need to arrange the changewheels. Dear me, it’s a horrible system. They’re held on the shaft with circlips – and not the sort with two little holes for pliers – they’re the plain type you lever off, so they go ping and you lose them. The wheels are quite thin, and the whole assembly is in the side cabinet – so not as easy to get at as with an all-around hinge-off cover. Still, my rewiring did clear a bit more space around the wheels so they’re more accessible than they were.
We did wonder why the centring of the chick was so far off. It didn’t take long to realise why. Dear me, it’s a horrible system. Instead of a threaded spindle nose, or a taper mount, there’s what is effectively a permanently mounted chuck backplate forming the end of the spindle. So the back of each chuck is naked, as if to be fitted with a backplate. But, where each backplate register on a normal system would be turned and precision fitted to each chuck, this one is loose. So you mount the chuck, with three horrid little screws, then tap it into truth as best you can.
The lever that engages feed for self-act or screwcutting was stuck. Dear me, it’s not a horrible system. The lever moves a sliding gear on a layshaft in the headstock. It was gummed up with grease, that’s all. Perhaps original transit grease? Not that it’s feasible to disassemble it, without first removing the spindle. So we freed it off well enough, and it works quite smoothly now. On one side the gears engage fully, on the other not really, but enough to get by. There seems to be too much end-float, but we can’t see a way of adjusting it, without a full strip down.
We did get help as we were working from a club member who has a similar machine at home – and is happy with his. But I’m glad it’s not my lathe.
Wilf
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chrisb
Part of the e-furniture
Posts: 355
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Post by chrisb on Oct 17, 2023 9:25:23 GMT
Today I got round to fully assembling a Heywood-like flat waggon and added stake pockets to the buffer beams to take detachable bulkhead ends. Tomorrow it goes to the club to be loaded with sleepers to assist with our track maintenance work.
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Post by dhamblin on Oct 20, 2023 16:18:50 GMT
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chrisb
Part of the e-furniture
Posts: 355
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Post by chrisb on Oct 20, 2023 21:05:56 GMT
Having got the flat waggon out of the workshop and down to the club, it’s time to start the bottom end work on my Wren. I have started stripping the motion and it would appear that most of the brasses are good but there is some crankpin wear so it looks like it’s going to be crankpins as well as steel tyres.
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Post by dhamblin on Oct 21, 2023 20:48:23 GMT
Following on from my last post - we had a great day at the BWWMRC's 2023 Rail Show today, with lots of interest in our display, which is the first one I've put together. We received lots of favourable comments and hopefully will get a chance to share our hobby with a wider audience next year too.  CSME Display by Daniel Hamblin, on Flickr Regards, Dan |
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baldric
E-xcellent poster
Posts: 211
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Post by baldric on Oct 22, 2023 17:04:26 GMT
I was given a box of bits many years ago, I had a brief look at the time and realised it was parts for a machinists jack, yesterday I decided the time had come to clean them up, only to find there were some important parts missing.  Lushington machinist Jack parts by Mark Baldry, on Flickr The name, Lushington, is stamped on the side, a quick Google lead me to this www.thetoolsquirrel.co.uk/ourshop/prod_7622465-2-x-Lushington-1178-1176-Engineers-Jacks-With-Extension-Blocks.htmlI assumed they were American, but on the off-chance, I measured the threads, they are 7/16" BSF, luckily I have a reasonable selection of BSF taps, including 7/16", plus some material exactly the right diameter, a few hours later I had these.  Machinist jacks by Mark Baldry, on Flickr Not sure when I will need them, especially with the part to sit on a round bar, but at least they are ready for use. Baldric |
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Post by davewoo on Oct 23, 2023 6:25:20 GMT
I'm pretty sure Lushington were based in Hailsham, East Sussex, or at least part of there business was, I remember them advertising for staff years ago in our local paper when I was at school. And then coming across their boring heads when I started work, had the factory address in the lid of the box, long gone now I'm afraid.
That is a very useful set of jacks, once again why didn't I think of the stacking idea when I made mine, not the sort of thing needed very often but so much better than trying to use a stack of scrap metal to support things!
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dscott
Elder Statesman
Posts: 2,440
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Post by dscott on Oct 28, 2023 2:57:41 GMT
Our third day of sorting out boxes, buckets and old basins full of stuff from another Friend and Club members workshop.
One of the Family worked at Huntly and Palmers so also many biscuit tins. Yes just priced one made in 1967 at £25. A QE2.
And a Dr Dolittle which is very rare I have found.
Our second visit is partly in the car and a work out where to put is currently underway.
He was active to 90 and a half so many years of stuff not suitable for a skip.
We knew him for the last 11 years most Wednesdays and Thursday evenings till 9.00 O Clock.
David and Lily.
He has chosen a funeral train and additional contribution to the balast.
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Post by vulcanbomber on Oct 29, 2023 22:35:33 GMT
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Post by ettingtonliam on Oct 30, 2023 0:31:55 GMT
I'd be interested to see the tool, but unfortunately I don't 'do' Instagram.
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JonL
Elder Statesman
WWSME (Wiltshire)
Posts: 2,991
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Post by JonL on Oct 30, 2023 18:13:30 GMT
Took the crank case cover off of the Gipsy Queen today. It all appears to be intact and rust free inside. Looks like lots of students have had fun hitting random parts with hammers at some point in its history though.
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Post by chris vine on Oct 30, 2023 18:23:49 GMT
I wonder if that engine came from the apprentice training school at Rolls Royce Leavesden?
They had quite a line of Gypsy engines of different types, which the apprentices would strip down and rebuild. Over and over again. I can't remember a Queen though: Isn't that the six cylinder version?
They also had several De Havilland Goblin jet engines. Again for stripping and building. The question always was - how many parts are left over at the end of the build. One apprentice who had a small box of nuts, bolts and washers etc, decided to just tip them into the air intake and lose them from the eagle eye of the instuctor. Ray was his name. All was fine until Ray gave the engine a spin and it made the tell-tale noise. Like a musical box on drugs. Of course, this wasn't the first time this had happened!!...
Happy days,
Chris.
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JonL
Elder Statesman
WWSME (Wiltshire)
Posts: 2,991
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Post by JonL on Oct 30, 2023 22:22:21 GMT
I don't know where this one came from; all history has been lost sadly. I think its of use as an interesting artefact only; albeit one that takes up a quarter of my workshop!
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Post by simplyloco on Oct 30, 2023 23:16:50 GMT
I wonder if that engine came from the apprentice training school at Rolls Royce Leavesden? They had quite a line of Gypsy engines of different types, which the apprentices would strip down and rebuild. Over and over again. I can't remember a Queen though: Isn't that the six cylinder version? They also had several De Havilland Goblin jet engines. Again for stripping and building. The question always was - how many parts are left over at the end of the build. One apprentice who had a small box of nuts, bolts and washers etc, decided to just tip them into the air intake and lose them from the eagle eye of the instuctor. Ray was his name. All was fine until Ray gave the engine a spin and it made the tell-tale noise. Like a musical box on drugs. Of course, this wasn't the first time this had happened!!... Happy days, Chris. Hi Chris. I'm reminded of the time during my Army apprenticeship when a certain Johnny Moorcroft, a ManxMan, an engine fitter in the next bay, surreptitiously threw left over nuts into our fitter machinist bay, as he watched his RR engine run. The one he had just rebuilt... |
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Post by dhamblin on Oct 31, 2023 7:33:21 GMT
For us it was stripping and rebuilding a Jaguar diesel engine as part of our first year lab modules at UCL.
They also had a sectioned Rolls-Royce Avon jet engine by the lift lobby in the basement, which we used to admire on our way too and from the wave tank / wind tunnel / test cells. Sadly I think it was disposed of when the engineering department started the significant shift to bio engineering. Never could find out if a museum got hold of it.
Regards,
Dan
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Post by vulcanbomber on Oct 31, 2023 21:01:03 GMT
I'd be interested to see the tool, but unfortunately I don't 'do' Instagram. search Luddite Engineering Ltd on Farcebook, the same post is in there |
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Post by runner42 on Nov 1, 2023 4:57:38 GMT
Having done all I am able to undertake testing of my 5" gauge Black 5 in the shed, which the last test was generating steam by applying a propane burner, it requires to be moved to outside to undertake coal firing of the boiler. My first attempt to transition from the shed to the outside had to be aborted because the handling frame that it currently sits on is too high and narrow so that as it journeyed over the step at the entrance to the shed onto relatively soft grass it looked as if I was unable to confidently control it. I have decided to modify the handling frame, by amongst other things lowering the height. To do this the locomotive must be removed from the handling frame. It is quite heavy maybe a two man lift would suffice but since I don't have access to another pair of hands I had to think of other means. It took me many months to arrive at using a block and tackle to undertake the lift, and then checking on eBay I was surprised to see that a substantial version was available at a relatively low costs. The photo shows the block and tackle in position, all I require is a couple of strops to go under the fore and aft of the locomotive.  Block and tackle by Brian Leach, on Flickr. The step at the entrance to the shed needs some attention, maybe using some wood boards to reduce the incline and prevent the handling frame wheels from digging in the grass. Brian  step by Brian Leach, on Flickr |
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