Issue 222

[houstoncengParticipant @houstonceng]

Roger wrote : As Voltaire once said , " I do not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death , your right to say it."

Except in certain countries – including the UK – where you can get prosecuted for saying certain things in public.

Similarly, some of us are criticised for giving honest feedback about ME and MEW. A previous editor of MEW chose to ignore negative feedback (or at least criticised it), which I'm sure didn't help his readers to respect his judgement. See his remarks about the change to the issue number on MEW's front cover, for an example.

Best for suppliers to take note of ALL customer feedback, good and bad, and don't poo-poo any that you don't agree with.

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

Making tools whether for wood or metal working is a very satisfying activity, I made a lathe to turn wood in my Dads shed when I was about 14, it cost £0 as all parts were collected from the dump, the only power tool we had was an electric pistol drill. I made a shoulder plane for my school metalwork project. Making woodworking equipment is well within the capabilities of most of our metalworking workshops. If I could make a plane like Lie Nielsen I would be a very proud man.

Mike

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> Best for suppliers to take note of ALL customer feedback, good and bad, and don't poo-poo any that you don't agree with.

A good point. I can't reasonably expect every, or even any, reader to like everything in every issue. I'd like to think that every reader enjoys nine out of ten articles, but the problem is that even a largely unpopular article may appeal to a sizeable percentage.

A good example is trying to balance beginner's and and advanced content. raw beginners will find really advanced articles of little interest, and vice versa. But the same applies to almost any topic or approach.

I do take note of what gets brickbats or bouquets, and try to use this to guide authors who seek views on articles they are considering or writing.

I have a very simple woodworking project that is rather unusual and I think useful to many readers lined up (its also not an idea I have seen before) so I shall run with it, and see what the reaction is.

On the other hand I have expressed reservations about another wooden storage solution I was offered today, partly as it is similar to a steel option we covered recently, though no doubt some readers would find it of interest. Fortunately that author has some other, really interesting, proposals for other articles.

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by CoalBurner on 18/11/2014 18:28:12:

Thumbs up for the router table

.

Many years ago, in Model Engineer, there was an excellent article about building a miniature Spindle Moulder … for the purposes of model ship-buildng, I think. [probably late 1940s / 1950s … small-format mag. with B&W cover]

If someone could find a copy; maybe Neil could re-publish it here.

As a constructional article, it ticks all the right boxes.

MichaelG.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Well I actually made a storage box today so I'll post pics tomorrow when it's light.

Not a woodworker but quite chuffed with it, even used 'proper' woodworking tools in the construction.

Cross cut circular saw with wobbly blade, pulls a bit to the left, Cordless drill and screwdriver and 4lb lump hammer with sledge shaft fitted. As a concession to good engineering practice I use more M6 screws and nuts [ with penny washers ] than wood screws.

One exception though was not having a long enough M6 screw so used two 6" woodscrews, hence the lump hammer.

Pics later tomorrow. In fact it's good enough for the Bodgers lodge thread.

[Chris TriceParticipant @christrice43267]

My personal issue with the article is that it belongs in a woodworking magazine and one aimed at people who need to be told which end of a hammer to hold. That's not intended to sound high handed but it's a crude wooden box that is labour intensive and more expensive in materials than almost all the superior ready made alternatives. I think a good barometer of an article is if all the articles in the magazine reflected this one, would people buy that issue? If the answer is no, then it indicates it reduces rather increases the appeal of the magazine to the target audience.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Jesus H Christ on a Bridgeport.

Cut the guy some slack will you ?

One article in a short run of what 6 or 7 issues ? We have had editors in the past who have pumped out dire sheite, played the old boy network to the hilt and hardly a peep. I can remember the last few issues getting nothing but praise on the way the mag is turning out and now you want to burn him at the stake ?

Like I say cut Neil some slack, everyone is allowed a mistake, – ask your wives.

Go to the MEX show, meet Neil and you will see that far from the pleasant clean cut avatar he presents those glasses are like the bottoms of coke bottles. He probably missed the finer pleasing parts of this article.

[Chris TriceParticipant @christrice43267]

It's not a personal attack on Neil (who I also like). It's customer feedback.

[IanTParticipant @iant]

I try to ask my wife as little as possible JS – as I find that I'm often not so keen on her replies.

Also, I can no longer claim total ignorance of her thoughts on the matter either- always a perilous position to get yourself into…

IanT

PS I very much enjoyed the last MEW Neil!

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

If it matters, my wife liked the cover of 223 – said it looked like New Scientist (which I take as high praise!)

Neil

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

As an example of making a storage box it may not have been the ideal example. Would have been so much nicer if it had shown the mill being used to cut some nice fine finger joints for the corners which it is an ideal tool for. Also rather then having the screws poke through the lid why not slice the box horizontally with a slitting saw again in the mill so the screws have something to go into. Or a simple pivot hinge could have been used just need two bits of brass rod. But I suppose filing off the ends of the screws qualified it as engineering

As for a router table again does depend on the table. If its a few bits of board and just a drop in plate with one big hole and a couple of CSK ones then probably not as you can find better examples in any one of the many woodworking magazines. On the other hand if there is fine tuning of the mounting plate, drop in aluminium reducers to close off the gap around the cutter, a nice top access fine height adjuster and micro adjustment of the fence then maybe it would fit in as there would be ore engineering than metalwork.

Personally I just skip over an article that does not take my interest and hope there is something else that will, thats what I have been doing with ME for years – skipping all those Loco builds!! No mag can be tailered to each individuals specific interests.

J

Edited By JasonB on 19/11/2014 09:48:07

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

Posted by JasonB on 19/11/2014 09:46:52:

Would have been so much nicer if it had shown the mill being used to cut some nice fine finger joints for the corner……

Like this ?

……. why not slice the box horizontally with a slitting saw again in the mill…….

Like this?

I was thinking of offering this to Neil. Perhaps not eh!

Cheers,

Rod

[IanTParticipant @iant]

I have a large collection of ME's (and I'm only missing a few early MEWs) and they are a wonderful reference library

There are often things in the latest issue of ME or MEW that I don't read that deeply but I really do enjoy getting old issues out and looking through them for things of interest.

Although my "general" interests haven't changed that much over quite a long period now – my specific interests most certainly do. A case in point would be the 'Stent' cutter grinder and other CG material, I acquired a part machined set of Stent castings not too long ago and the first thing I did was to fish out all the Stent material I could find. I then went on to look at the Clarkson G/G material – and then some of the Quorn articles.

My understanding of the options available has been significantly improved and I will undoubtedly build a different tool as a result (reversed motor mount, Quorn spindle, mods to standard tool holder and maybe a few custom ones too)

I've also discovered that even material that apparently has nothing of interest to me – often actually does have extremely useful little nuggets – ideas that can be applied to things I am very interested in.

So I would suggest to ME/MEW readers that they take a longer view of the content made available to them.

As for Router Tables Neil…..

Well I have quite a few good DIY designs (from sources like Fine Woodworking etc) but in fact own a cheap (Lidl) Router Table that can do most of my (cruder) wood work. But attachments and other fittings to turn a 'basic' Router table into a much more precise tool would be welcome.

Specialist tools for the "smaller" modeller (in wood) would also interest me. This area is largely ignored by the mainstream 'Wood Working' mags. and frankly most of the commercial attachments for Dremel-like tools (plunge bases, router tables etc) are almost unusable for the precision cutting of small wooden parts – as I'm sure any Modeller or 'Miniaturist' (of Ships, Furniture, Farm Wagons, Trams, Railway Carriages etc) will probably tell you …

So in summary – ME/MEW is a wonderful reference library that has provided me with much reading & browsing enjoyment over many years.

In terms of what goes into them – whether the tools or techniques relate to metal or wood – I don't really mind but I do particularly like to see details of things that I either a) cannot find in other magazines – or b) tools that I cannot buy commercially at all or are so expensive that I can't afford (or justify) them.

Seems pretty simple to me – but fortunately I'm not the Editor!

(And of course – you & Diane can only publisah what you receive – which does seem to get overlooked by some….)

Regards,

 

IanT

Edited By IanT on 19/11/2014 11:04:27

[IanTParticipant @iant]

Nice box Roderick – how big is it?

And whilst this is "Wood working" – it is something I'd be unlikely to find in the more traditional wood working magazines, not least because they would normally have (and use) more conventional woodworking tools to do this – unlike us more 'ferrously' inclined individuals.

IanT

Edited By IanT on 19/11/2014 11:11:57

[Roderick JenkinsParticipant @roderickjenkins93242]

It's the battery/coil box for my Wyvern -so not very big, just enough for 2 C cells and a coil

cheers,

Rod

Edited By Roderick Jenkins on 19/11/2014 11:37:46

[Mike PooleParticipant @mikepoole82104]

I have often wondered whether the classic toolmakers chest was made by toolmakers as the comb joints which are often used lend themselves to production on a milling machine, also the housings for the drawer slides would be easy on a mill. There do not seem to be any British manufacturers of toolmakers chests these days, an American Gerstner is something to dream of and they seem to have diversified to survive.

Mike

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> (And of course – you & Diane can only publish what you receive – which does seem to get overlooked by some….)

What I really like is when authors get in touch early. Sometimes I just reply with 'no, I've got something very similar in the pipeline' and save them wasted effort, or 'yes, I'd like to see that'. At other times, I can offer suggestions for how long or detailed an article should be, or give guidance on what might be of greatest interest to readers.

Occasionally I see something in a post or even on the web and follow it up.

Suggestions from potential authors are always welcome.

In particular, I do need more 1-3 page articles as I get through these at a rate of knots, and I feel these are where I can explore less visited subjects (but perhaps not wooden boxes for a while, sorry Rod!)

Neil

P.S. I buy lovely little slide-top storage boxes from the pound shop, but I have to throw away the dominoes that always seem to be inside.

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 19/11/2014 11:53:32:

P.S. I buy lovely little slide-top storage boxes from the pound shop, but I have to throw away the dominoes that always seem to be inside.

If they're the wooden ones you could bake some storage boxes from them.

Russell.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Hi Russell,

I find they char badly if I try to bake them

Neil

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

I have found that if you get the strips of wood for a box, lob it on the laser you can burn / engrave the most exquisite dovetail joints know to man or beast.

Then just whack it all together with 3 pints of gorilla snot and some decent 3" panel pins but they look nice.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

But that's not real model engineering, John. You should mill it out from a solid lump of tree trunk, manually!

Neil

[Enough!Participant @enough]

Posted by IanT on 19/11/2014 11:00:06:

I've also discovered that even material that apparently has nothing of interest to me – often actually does have extremely useful little nuggets

Certainly that's the conventional wisdom that's usually dragged out in discussions like this. And it may well work for those with more reading time than reading material.

In my case, the stack (shop-related and unrelated) by my recliner grows ever taller with stuff that I actually do want to read and I'd rather put the time into that than into articles that are basically not of interest in the hopes of gleaning a morsel or two – maybe.

[Ian WelfordParticipant @ianwelford58739]

well I enjoyed the mag ( when I eventually got it!). I work wood and metal and find they both have their uses and value. Often the compliment each other, as do some respondents sometimes

I think Neil is doing an excellent job, and even helping out when the mag fails to come( another post ) which is hardly his role.

Vive la difference and keep the variety and articles coming.

I've got every issue and duplicates which I can't bare to part with ( or sometimes find in my "storage system" – floor pile) and still re read when looking for info.

Looking forward to 223!

Ian

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Issue 222 has not reached Oz yet, but I was so impressed with the single issue of 221 that I mail ordered from the UK specially to read the Drummond article that I have taken out a 12-month subscription.

Keep up the good work Neil.

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Posted by John Stevenson on 18/11/2014 09:53:16:

Snip/

Geoff [ Ouiballie ] on this forum has taken storage to an art form. It's even been rumoured that some of his work will be in the Tate next year.

/Snip

Sir John,

Thank you for your kind words, but I really, really must protect my image and state publicly, on this esteemed forum, that NONE of my 'excellent work' (my description) will ever be shown amongst the tat that is on occasion exhibited at that place

My reputation for 'most excellent work' shall not be besmirched by being so associate. It's far gone already, so doesn't matter

Geoff – Tate here I come!

Edited By OuBallie on 20/11/2014 15:03:31

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