What did you do today? (2013)

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

Had the steamer redesign valve seat and guide finished and pressed into refashioned head will be doing a heat test with the blowlamp to check the valve stem clearances are ok when motor at operating temperature a bit crude but it works.

Roll on August 4th to see if successful at Kingsbury or a disaster it will be interesting with Bob bringing his steamer with new burner assembly that sounds like it’s generating more heat.

As usual if nothing breaks and weather reasonable 135mph looks promising as looking at the 129.33mph video if timing started at lap 8 or 9 instead of lap 5 the average speed would have been 130mph plus.

Hope I am not boring anyone with my build up to a possible  successful record attempt by Bob or myself.

Paul

 

Edited By Windy on 17/07/2013 20:24:17

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Took down some scaffolding prior to putting it up on the other side of the house. Rather enjoy messing about as it is a form of big meccano but I wonder at what age I will no longer be able to lift a 21ft pole. It is one area some dumb pen pusher hasn't yet make illegal to DIY so just single safety rails and no toe boards (eeek HSE man having kittens).

[russellParticipant @russell]

pulled squirrel cage blower from ducted central heating to diagnose 'noise like a motor bike'. Discovered the blade assembly is spinning freely on its hub. It was held together primarily by friction, pretty much like a 'meccano' wheel on its boss. I managed to mill off the flange (i guess created under some humongous press),to separate the boss. It wasnt spinning free long, but has seriously undercut the mounting diameter. I've turned the boss down to make a new mounting area, now to reassemble it (probably drill and tap since i dont have a 20 ton press handy..) Then see if i can balance it…or chuck it all out and buy a new one. Since the company doesnt do heaters any more, and its 15 years old, i'm not hopeful.

and its turning cold again…

-russ (from Oz)

[Old SchoolParticipant @oldschool]

Paul

Keep up the good work I like the fast side of model engineering, I am going to miss you and Bob at Kingsbury again. I am competing in the Tether Car World Championships in Switzerland. I hope to exceed 200 mph again with my 10cc car. The 2.5cc car wont be as quick but it is certainly a chellenge to get the 40,000 rpm out of the engine with any consistency.

Olly

[Russell EberhardtParticipant @russelleberhardt48058]

Pump for our borehole failed a week ago, ordered a new pump. It was delivered yesterday. Fitted it, switched on and the motor didn't turn – big dent in the fan cover stopping the fan and motor turning. Contacted the supplier and they are sending a new cover.

So today I'm sitting in the garden with a glass of wine watching the grass go brown. At least it won't need mowing

Russell

[OuBallieParticipant @ouballie]

Singer 660 A1 industrial sewing machine for doing the leather upholstery for the Austin Seven & A35.

Assembled the frame base consisting of two CI uprights & one CI spreader, and I have a length of 1"ø bar, tapped either end, that appears to fit between the frame uprights just above the spreader.

No idea what it does, so have left it off for now.

Fitted the knee lifter, bobbin winder and heavy clutch motor to the base and screwed that to the frame.

Pretty easy once the grey matter started working as it should.

Took the sewing machine into the carport and gave it a good clean and will leave it there to dry out.

Just need to either find or make a couple of Arm Spool Pins & Thread Eyelets.

Geoff – Called it a day.

[RICHARD GREEN 2Participant @richardgreen2]

Today I went up to "Reliant Rubber Co" at Batley Yorkshire, (180 miles each way ) to collect the wheels of my 6" scale Burrell traction engine, to which they had fitted the vulcanised rubber tyres, also shot blasted and primed, had a tour of the factory with the boss.

 

Richard.

 

Edited By RICHARD GREEN 2 on 18/07/2013 17:48:24

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

and its turning cold again…

-russ (from Oz)

Don't tell us, it's creeping down towards the 20s isn't it?

Neil

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Richard,

The shot blast & prime sounds a good idea, I recall Martin Wallis was taken aback by the state of his rusty little samson wheels after vulcanising!

He had his tyres made oversize and ground them down, yours look more or less on size to me?

Neil

[RICHARD GREEN 2Participant @richardgreen2]

Neil,

Yes the tyres are perfectly on size, I gave Trevor at "Reliant" the required sizes and he machined them to the drawings,

They have several facing lathes that they machine traction tyres on, the largest had at least an 8 foot faceplate on it,

When we took the wheels up to " Reliant " about five weeks ago they were working on a pair of 6 foot 6 inch diameter rear wheels from a full size road loco,

Also they were "rubbering" steam roller wheels,

Richard.

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Our local library has a display case, and we are invited to put up a display, so today I took the Stuart Turner S9 That I rebuilt earlier in the year.Ian S C

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Ian S C

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

The flash steamer engine mods have been finished now it's assembly time.

Had a lad come with a couple of antique trumpets one I will make a few parts for on condition he gives me a Concert?

I thought the steamer was noisy until he gave me a taste of a trumpet voluntary on them.

It was good to see what a person with limited academic qualifications can do as trumpets that were a basket case has been turned into a thing of beauty and sound by his own hands.

Paul

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Hi Paul,

Perhaps he can use them to get through the door of a local engineering firm?

Good luck for the weekend

Neil

[russellParticipant @russell]

so, plan "a" failed, to repair the central heating room air blower. There just wasnt enough meat to allow adding screws, although i broke 2 8ba taps proving that… . however, i turned a new boss as large as i could accomodate, and used a 1/4 cap screws. Balance not quite perfect, and just a slight runout, but it runs quietly, so have averted a $3000 upgrade for now. (the unit is only 15 years old, but manufacturer has gone and spares are very limited. )

but on the upside, i managed to bore to size, included an attempt at a boring bar holder, so all in all a good learning excercise. I also discovered a tool clamping screw hole on my 100 YO drummond lathe has a stripped thread, so that will be another learning opportunity…

(and neil, its getting below 10 on occasion! (actually, down to 1 or 2 some mornings!)

-russell

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Skimmed up my drill vice & milled a rebate in the jaws (8 x 2.25mm) to take thin material…

George

[PinstripParticipant @pinstrip]

Did start on something that hopefully will be an "FireFly46C"

Edited By Johnny Gleden on 30/07/2013 01:43:36

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

Not much. 2 hot!

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

Hi Gray,

I was going to ask what composition yopur grinding wheel was, until I realised it was a slitting saw covered in blue swarf!

That is an unusual task!

Neil

[Ian S CParticipant @iansc]

Made a burner for one of my hot air engines, found that now I have an electronic welding mask i can see what I'm doing. I used 1.5 mm rods, about the same thickness as the steel I was welding. Up till today I brazed the joints. Ian S C

[Sub MandrelParticipant @submandrel]

The lathe is back in action with a VFD (but not a poly-v belt yet, so much slipping of 1/4" plastic belt). The workshop has had a stephenson-like transformation to its tidy isomer. My woolies rotary tool has been repaired (by cleaning out the filings from inside and resoldering all the joints).

With dog operations, a holiday, decorating and much else this has taken weeks, but it means that today I actually did some model engineering! I machined the sample Norden flywheel casting from Blackgates, and it's worked out very nicely. Unfortunately the deep vintage orange paint has come out nearer to dayglo I think it may well turn maroon tomorrow!

Neil

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

Drove a few miles “up the road” to Sheffield Park, Bluebell Rly. Took return trip to East Grinstead on their new extension. Its now quite a decent run with a nice long tunnel, an experience which I have found missing on various preserved railways. Very enjoyable day out – a change from work. “Nose to grindstone” again tomorrow.

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Made my self a keyway cutter for future use over a couple of days; it's only sized for 1/8" at the moment but can be alterd to accommodate larger size later.

George

[Gray62Participant @gray62]

8 hour round trip to collect a tidy 8" Boxford Shaper

[WindyParticipant @windy30762]

While making the part for the antique trumpet I was listening to the sound of a cornet being played then my neighbour came in who played a wind instrument.

What a lovely change to the radio then examined my flash steam engine condition after the slower run of 124mph with lap of 127mph last Sunday.

Found various modifications to the engine were successful but cylinder bore and piston suspect.

A great deal of food for thought.

But what a great way to be when retired it is so interesting.

Paul

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