What did you do today (2015)

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Fixed my hydraulic clutch.

Instead of dropping the engine and gearbox and replacing the slave cylinder I clicked the retaining clip back into position, plugged the flexible pipe from the master cylinder back in and bled the system.

I have no idea how such a protected union could get 'unclipped', especially as I have been no-where near it for months :-/

Still, glad to avoid a massive job or a massive bill (or both).

Neil

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Neil Wyatt on 05/01/2015 21:20:06:

I have no idea how such a protected union could get 'unclipped', especially as I have been no-where near it for months :-/

.

Check the Brake pipes as well, Neil

… You may have enemies

MichaelG.

[John Stevenson 1Participant @johnstevenson1]

Dragged the little 3D printer screaming and kicking into a new year.

Some while ago I bought 10 fuse blocks from RS but when they were delivered they were missing the fuse blade part.

Got onto them and they said they would send 10 out but obviously not a serviceable part so they just renewed the order with ones with the blade in.

So for a couple of years this has irked me in that they are new holders, just missing the blade. So a friend drew a blade up as he can use 3D CAD better than I can and I printed off a few last night.

So for once a perfectly valid part done on a 3D printer that's useable.

[HasBeanParticipant @hasbean]

I was lucky enough to get the Christmas period off this time (first in 8 years or so) and finally managed to fit my new chuck I got for my birthday back in May so I'm a happy bunny now

That's the second time in two years I've been able to finish something, this beginning to be a habit

Paul

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

Spent time with Senior Management, went shopping with her, recovered a footstool for her and with her help, may have earned another shed exit visa!

Also had to order a new MagSafe power supply for the MacBook as the old one went pop – literally, loudly – last night. Hope the problem is with the MagSafe and not the MacBook. Also had to order a new external drive to back up the MacBook as the old one was too small and insufficient memory remained. Is money no object anymore?

Chris

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 30/12/2014 08:56:33:

Started the day fairly well:

Strong coffee, and discovered an interesting patent.

Vinton's Lathe Chuck is worth a look.

Strange that there was so much response about the coffee; yet no-one has expressed the slightest interest in the chuck design.

MichaelG.

I see that the "other"(?) Tubal Cain posted a video last month about something very similar. Yes, I've just been doing some serious armchair engineering. The old chestnuts like MrPete222 and weldingtricksandtips.com You know how it is – one thing leads to another and before you know it you are in a completely different zone to where you started. No law against it so far!

Murray

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Muzzer on 06/01/2015 23:25:24:

Posted by Michael Gilligan on 30/12/2014 08:56:33:

… discovered an interesting patent.

Vinton's Lathe Chuck is worth a look.

 

I see that the "other"(?) Tubal Cain posted a video last month about something very similar.

.

Thanks for the video link, Murray

Yes; the Horton chuck is broadly similar, and the video is helpful; although I do worry about some of his interpretation. [e.g. he seems to think that the bevel gears were press fitted onto the screws]

The big difference, however, is Vinton's inclusion of face ratchets [if that's the correct term] on each of the screw assemblies, to allow micro-adjustment … This is the feature that I [wrongly] thought might capture the collective imagination of the forum.

MichaelG.

.

Edit: … or did I misunderstand Vinton's drawing 

P.S.  This is the page that started me investigating Vinton.

 

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 07/01/2015 08:35:08

Edited By Michael Gilligan on 07/01/2015 08:40:19

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Not exactly 'What did you do today' but in the same vein, 'What I have finished lately' 13 amp oscillating engine, from plans provided by…

**LINK**

Only small but requires approx 45 psi to operate it… qualified by designer.

The link also provides access to plans for those looking for something different.

George.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by mechman48 on 07/01/2015 12:33:45:

… 13 amp oscillating engine, from plans provided by…

**LINK**

.

What a great little design

… and nicely executed.

MichaelG.

[pgk pgkParticipant @pgkpgk17461]

I'm feeling a bit chuffed. Just had a go at my first thread-cutting having finally modded stuff so i could get the right changewheels in. I chose an M16 cos it's the largest commercial nut I have lying around and my practice steel bar is 1.24 inches and I've been turning a section down for practice anyway. The nut fits as well as it does on the commercial bolt!!

[mechman48Participant @mechman48]

Well done that man pgk … always pleasing when you achieve something.

George

[julian atkinsParticipant @julianatkins58923]

i spent yesterday evening restoring a now rare example of one of the late Ted Linden's injector , making a new steam cone to replace the damaged original. rather nice to think that one of Ted's injectors will continue in use 60/70 years since first made on a miniature steam loco. they were excellent injectors. (more pics in recent album).

cheers,

julian

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

Posted by John Stevenson on 01/01/2015 01:41:17:

Thought I'd start a new post for the new year as Neil and Jason have over indulged on the home made raspberry wine will will post later.

G'day John

Lovely thread but judging by last years contributions have you considered 'What Did You Do This Month'?

Now as for home made wine, as a Christmas 'treat' I was offered some 'grappa' from a mate of European ancestry.

All I remember was waking up the next day and observing that the potion might be useful as a universal paint stripper/degreaser.

In the workshop I manufactured a concentricity gauge and a bubble level to remove a few more excuses as to why I can't hit the bull with an Anschutz . Then made some wind flags, they worked! (photo's available if anybody is interested) but probably not model engineering although the concentricity gauge may be useful for checking crankshafts.

* Danny M *

 

Edited By Danny M2Z on 08/01/2015 04:29:52

[HopperParticipant @hopper]

Spent the day mounting locks on and painting a solid wood external door for the garage, to replace the shonky thin veneer internal door that some little baskets kicked in while we were away for Christmas. Luckily they could not get into the back shed where all the tools etc are. Only a couple of old Harleys and handful of other bikes in the house garage that they were not interested in. They woulndt have got the bikes out anyway, had the roller doors dyna-bolted to the concrete slab etc. Even had the outside access hinged wooden door barred with a 2 x4 on the inside — but they just kicked a hole through the sub-standard door and crawled in.

Also jimmied the bedroom patio door and security screen and turned the house upside down, making off with some bits of heirloom jewellery but not much else (don't have much else of value outside the shed and garage!)

So have also been busy installing motion detector lights, alarm system and beefing up door locks all round. Turns out those sliding aluminium framed glass doors and matching diamond mesh "security" doors are easier to pop open than a paint tin. They all rely on locks held to the soft ally frame with tiny PK screws. Not any more. All anchored into the concrete block walls with dyna-bolts now. And all sliding doors and windows now have a 5/16" stainless pin that can be inserted into a hole drilled through the track frame and the door/window so they are actually immovable (which i had foolishly believed was the function of a lock. Silly me).

It certainly has been a good wake up call.

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

When we moved in here we had an old sliding patio door replaced with French Windows. When the window fitters removed the old door I was horrified how easily and quickly it came out, literally just seconds with just a jemmy. Frightening.

Low life scum also nicked a pair of 47kg propane bottles from outside our house a year ago, the security cable was just chopped with bolt croppers. Same happened to a lady up the road at the same time, so obviously someone was short on heating and needed a load of replacements without paying for it. First thing plod asked was did we have CCTV. We have now, covers front and back, but if scum comes all hooded up not sure how good it will be but we can keep tabs on the house now while we are away via the Internet.

Chris

[Gordon WParticipant @gordonw]

For all you people who worry about security- I was at a funeral, the coffin had to come out thru' the window. Double glazed, plastic frame. I was amazed how quick the glass came out, and replaced without a mark. May be more modern ones are a bit safer.

[Brett HurtParticipant @bretthurt41827]

Iam cleaning the shop up and getting all the chips up off the floor then I have to rewire the mill switch ps it is a little clod to day sc usa a low of 9 f and a hi of 32f but I have a heater

[TrevorhParticipant @trevorh]

Patching up the back door on my van – thanks to some night time friends who decided to help themselves to my tools.

Wouldn't haver minded but I was in a hotel carpark under a floodlight outside the reception with a camera looking right at my van

not sure what else I can do

[Old SchoolParticipant @oldschool]

Danny

Lets see the bubble and wind flag pictures

Olly

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

Posted by Old School on 08/01/2015 14:31:13:

Danny

Lets see the bubble and wind flag pictures

Olly.

Ok. The bubble is still work in progress, this is where I'm up to, the glass was pinched from an ancient turntable levelling device btw.

The wind flags were made after I realised how even a slight breeze can affect a projectile. Notice how some ****hole took a poke at one of them. The culprit was identified and is on warning for a 6 month suspension if it happens again.

The concentricity gauge was a labour of love, it took me a whole year of 'should I or shouldn't I finish the project' – but it was worth it, only to prove that modern .22 ammo from reputable manufacturers is very good and .

As for the commercial offerings, you be the judge.

At the end of the day I got this deja-vue thought.

' If only I knew at 20 what I know now *

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

[I.M. OUTAHEREParticipant @i-m-outahere]

Nice work Danny !

I use a Neco Gauge for my cases and had pondered its uses for model IC engines to check crankshafts and camshafts.

Are you going to make an internal anvil so you can check case wall concentricity ?

They should have punted the twit that shot at your flag – it is really bad form to do this to someone on purpose .

I suppose the fly boys could use a flag similar to this as you can change the height of the pole to get wind readings at different heights.

I have a few books that i found helpful for shooting, applied ballistics by Brian Litz and competition reloading by Glen Zediker that were excellent reading.

To get back on topic i continued to work on my lathe bench mods and it is now 150mm lower and has screw down levelling feet ( mostly used to take any wobble out as the floor of my shed is far from flat ) so now painted and ready for ply carcass but now undecided if i want to paint the ply the same as the frame (deep ocean blue but looks more grey to me) or put a clear finish on the ply.

I enclosed my steel bench and fitted a new form ply top and the bare ply sides doIan brighten things up a little but if i do this to the lathe i will have to do the same for my X2 mill and C2 lathe !

Oh the heartache of decision !

I would never make it as an interior designer – i paint every thing the same colour ,usually what ever i have the most of so when i purchased 4lt of navy blue killrust for my trailer guess what colour most of my workshop ended up being!

Ian.

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> The culprit was identified and is on warning for a 6 month suspension if it happens again.

It's amazing what they can do with forensic ballistics…

Seriously, a couple of nice projects. The concentricity gauge could make an interesting article.

Neil

[Old SchoolParticipant @oldschool]

Very nice work Danny will be copying the wind flags youre concentricty gauge is in a different league to my RCBS one.

Olly

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

Posted by XD 351 on 09/01/2015 04:57:12:

I use a Neco Gauge for my cases and had pondered its uses for model IC engines to check crankshafts and camshafts.

Are you going to make an internal anvil so you can check case wall concentricity ?

Ian.

To check internal run out I just put the DTI probe inside the neck. The carriers have a magnet in the base btw.

I never thought of using the device to measure cam-lift but that's a great idea. Would need a degree wheel though.

At the end of the day, something worked as I got this from the club.

* Danny M *

 

Edited By Danny M2Z on 09/01/2015 18:57:07

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