The Night Mail

[Dave Hunt]

1 hour ago, jamie92208 said:

That's a lovely piece of work Douglas.  Keep up the good work.  I could with you over here theme reassemble my 300 Yr old grandfather clock that got shaken apart in transit.  I got a quote of €3500 to do it from a bloke over here. 

 

It would probably be cheaper to fly Douglas to France and fix it for you.

 

Dave

[polybear]

2 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

That's a lovely piece of work Douglas.  Keep up the good work.  I could with you over here theme reassemble my 300 Yr old grandfather clock that got shaken apart in transit.  I got a quote of €3500 to do it from a bloke over here.  

 

 

Is it the mechanism that's damaged, or the case as well?  If it's the former then travelling back to the UK with it for repair (or asking someone to do it for you) could be an option?

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Happy Hippo]

The design for the centre support was an engineering marvel, and as such, far to complicated for it's own good.

 

The reworking and simplification makes for a far easier solution:  And it works as well which was the main aim of the exercise.

 

After my (late) lunch, I'm going to put it all up to see if it works.

 

 

[SM42]

Today started with a lie in. 

 

It has then been filled with doing not much except for sanding down the filler where I filled a hole in the kitchen wall sometime in July. 

 

This is prep for painting later in the year.  Late October is pencilled  in when Mrs SM42 is out of the country. 

 

Next up fixing the leaking tap in the kitchen again. The seat has been re ground and after several attempts it got worse, then it all slowed to a dibble and my head started to hurt. 

 

I eventually twigged the swan neck was now blocked and i found the piece of emery paper I lost back in June had re- emerged to block the pipe. 

 

All sorted and now considering getting the bicycle out and going for a ride. 

 

Andy

[Winslow Boy]

Richard would it be possible to have some before and after photos of said engineering marvel, so that we may drool in envy and pay you  complementary remarks at your engineering brilliance. Is that enough syphantry remarks to get you do it.

[polybear]

44 minutes ago, Winslow Boy said:

Richard would it be possible to have some before and after photos of said engineering marvel, so that we may drool in envy and pay you  complementary remarks at your engineering brilliance. Is that enough syphantry remarks to get you do it.

 

Or alternatively just laugh/say "why didn't you do it like this?"/generally take the p1ss instead.....

 

 

[SM42]

Having just done 9 miles on a bicycle l can safely say that Poland is a lot flatter. 

 

Andy

With wobbly legs

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, polybear said:

 

Is it the mechanism that's damaged, or the case as well?  If it's the former then travelling back to the UK with it for repair (or asking someone to do it for you) could be an option?

 

 

 

 

 

 

The case is fine. The mechanism was wrapped up in bubble wrap for the journey south on a pallet on the back of a lorry along with our other possessions.  The mechanism which consists of the face to the back of which are attached three plates with four pillars at the corners.  The mechanism is either side of the centre plate.  It was held together with taper pins inserted in various holes in the pillars.  They all vibrated loose and when I unpacked it there was a jumble of gears in the bubble wrap.  I need to sort it out then put it back together. I also need to splice a new clock rope.  It has sat in the shed for 5 years now.  The 4 legged inhabitants of the shed made a nest in it one year.  I've tidied it up and cleaned it. It is going to be an autumn/winter indoor project.  I have bought a couple of packs of needles take replacement taper pins. The good thing is that I know that it was working well before the last rope frayed and broke.  It has been in the family since the 18th century.made by Lawson of Leigh in the County Palarine. 

 

Jamie

[AndyID]

7 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

 

You can use your lathe as a milling machine.  To do so you need to attach a vertical milling vice to the lathe's cross slide.

 

 

I have one of those but I never had a lot of joy with it. The connection to the lathe bed doesn't seem to be solid enough on either 9 inch lathe. I ended up buying a mill/drill when they were going cheap during the recession. It's a real brute but it works well.

 

If anyone wants the lathe vertical milling attachment they can stop by and pick it up.

[J. S. Bach]

A little to far away or I would take you up on the offer. Of course I would then have to buy a lathe. 🙂

And then build/buy a shed to put my new workshop in! 🙄

Edited August 27, 2023 by J. S. Bach

[AndyID]

2 hours ago, jamie92208 said:

The case is fine. The mechanism was wrapped up in bubble wrap for the journey south on a pallet on the back of a lorry along with our other possessions.  The mechanism which consists of the face to the back of which are attached three plates with four pillars at the corners.  The mechanism is either side of the centre plate.  It was held together with taper pins inserted in various holes in the pillars.  They all vibrated loose and when I unpacked it there was a jumble of gears in the bubble wrap.  I need to sort it out then put it back together. I also need to splice a new clock rope.  It has sat in the shed for 5 years now.  The 4 legged inhabitants of the shed made a nest in it one year.  I've tidied it up and cleaned it. It is going to be an autumn/winter indoor project.  I have bought a couple of packs of needles take replacement taper pins. The good thing is that I know that it was working well before the last rope frayed and broke.  It has been in the family since the 18th century.made by Lawson of Leigh in the County Palarine. 

 

Jamie

 

This may not work but I've sometimes wondered if a copy of one plate could be made in thin paper. The gears would be installed in the brass bottom plate then the paper top plate would be sort of rolled into position to locate the gear shafts in the correct positions. Then the brass top plate should drop into position.

After that the paper copy would be removed by cutting and gently tearing.

[Dave Hunt]

3 hours ago, SM42 said:

Having just done 9 miles on a bicycle l can safely say that Poland is a lot flatter. 

 

If Poland is a lot flatter because you have been cycling over it, you must have a bl00dy heavy bike.

 

Dave

[PupCam]

11 hours ago, polybear said:

Indeed you can - I know of at least one young** Pup @PupCam that does so to very good effect (though the naughty little pup does so without using a Collet Chuck - which does risk the cutter coming loose....).

 

The hardest part is often figuring out a cunning and devious means of holding the work to the vertical slide if it's an odd shape!    If only I had collet holder and a full set of collets .... 🤣

 

 

 

Edited August 27, 2023 by PupCam
Missed a word out!

[Happy Hippo]

This afternoon started well, but soon degenerated into a sack of rat droppings.

 

All was well until I erected the layout with the new centre leg.

 

The leg worked perfectly, so I fired up the electrics for a quick check.

 

First one of the sidings was dead.  A check with the volt meter indicated no power, but a closer look showed a wire had come adrift:  Probably a dry joint.

 

Anyway it was duly re-soldered.

 

Then I noticed that the bracket signal was not working.

 

After a frustrating half an hour or so messing around with it, I decided to strip it down.

 

Mindful of my wife's sage advice in times like this, rather than balance all the screws on top of the workmate, I put all six little screws into a box.

 

I then solved the issue with the signal and it was functioning perfectly.

 

It was then I stood up to congratulate myself, and proceeded to knock the box of screws all over the driveway.

 

I recovered three screws, and will have another look tomorrow.

 

If there is no luck, then I do have another signal that I can strip for for the screws.

 

I need a whisky now, purely for medicinal purposes.

[Dave Hunt]

For pit's sake HH, don't go near the table saw!!

 

Dave

[Tony_S]

14 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

and proceeded to knock the box of screws all over the driveway.

I have bought packs of assorted tiny screws, bolts, etc from Amazon to replace those that fly away from model railway mechanisms. The trick however is not to knock the box of 2000 tiny items onto the floor. 

[Dave Hunt]

The second phase of the terrorist grandchild invasion got under way today with the arrival of the horde two from Chesterfield. Control central has decided that another visit to Jodrell Bank is a good idea in a few days' time and there will be some time devoted to games and trips to the park. There may also be a forced expedition to McDonalds so I'm putting my stomach on an advisory warning.

 

Dave  

[newbryford]

23 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

 

 

It was then I stood up to congratulate myself, and proceeded to knock the box of screws all over the driveway.

 

I recovered three screws, and will have another look tomorrow.

 

If there is no luck, then I do have another signal that I can strip for for the screws.

 

 

One can only hope that the carpet driveway monster hasn't consumed them..............

[SM42]

27 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

This afternoon started well, but soon degenerated into a sack of rat droppings.

 

All was well until I erected the layout with the new centre leg.

 

The leg worked perfectly, so I fired up the electrics for a quick check.

 

First one of the sidings was dead.  A check with the volt meter indicated no power, but a closer look showed a wire had come adrift:  Probably a dry joint.

 

Anyway it was duly re-soldered.

 

Then I noticed that the bracket signal was not working.

 

After a frustrating half an hour or so messing around with it, I decided to strip it down.

 

Mindful of my wife's sage advice in times like this, rather than balance all the screws on top of the workmate, I put all six little screws into a box.

 

I then solved the issue with the signal and it was functioning perfectly.

 

It was then I stood up to congratulate myself, and proceeded to knock the box of screws all over the driveway.

 

I recovered three screws, and will have another look tomorrow.

 

If there is no luck, then I do have another signal that I can strip for for the screws.

 

I need a whisky now, purely for medicinal purposes.

 

At times like these you realise you need a strong magnet on a stick. 

 

Or you could just let the car tyres find them. 

 

Andy

[AndyID]

1 hour ago, PupCam said:

 

    If only I had collet holder and a full set of collets .... 🤣

 

 

I do and I still had problems. Mind you I was milling steel. I does work quite well with brass and aluminium.

[jamie92208]

2 hours ago, AndyID said:

 

This may not work but I've sometimes wondered if a copy of one plate could be made in thin paper. The gears would be installed in the brass bottom plate then the paper top plate would be sort of rolled into position to locate the gear shafts in the correct positions. Then the brass top plate should drop into position.

After that the paper copy would be removed by cutting and gently tearing.

Funnily enough that's sort of what I aim to do.  I made a paper template on thick paper 5 years ago and did sort of work out where all the gears went. The problem is that I can';t remember what my hieroglyphics mean.  My plan was to get it all together with the paper in place, then gradually tear the paper away with tweezers at the same time adding the final taper pins. 

 

Jamie

[AndyID]

1 minute ago, jamie92208 said:

Funnily enough that's sort of what I aim to do.  I made a paper template on thick paper 5 years ago and did sort of work out where all the gears went. The problem is that I can';t remember what my hieroglyphics mean.  My plan was to get it all together with the paper in place, then gradually tear the paper away with tweezers at the same time adding the final taper pins. 

 

Jamie

 

You could also wet the paper to help with removal. Use alcohol if you are concerned about rust.

 

If you get stuck with the gear positions post a lot of pics and dimensions then drink the alcohol.

[Dave Hunt]

25 minutes ago, AndyID said:

I do and I still had problems. Mind you I was milling steel. I does work quite well with brass and aluminium.

 

I've got a milling attachment for my little Unimat 3; one thing I use it for is fluting and relieving mild steel coupling and connecting rods for my S7 locomotives using Woodruff cutters. It's a long winded job as I can only take a 0.1 mm cut at a time at the most.

 

Dave

[SM42]

Mrs SM42 is currently in Llandudno with "the girls"

 

Now I'm not sure exactly how much they have drunk but I  have just taken a call from  Mrs SM42 only to be greeted by all three shouting "hello Charlie "

 

Quite what Llandudno has made of the invasion I'm not sure. It'll probably take a while to get over it.

 

I just need to tidy before bed as she comes home tomorrow and I'll be at work when that happens., so I can't leave anything lying about as I'll only forget in the morning.  

 

Andy

Checking round the house 

[AndyID]

1 minute ago, SM42 said:

Mrs SM42 is currently in Llandudno with "the girls"

 

Now I'm not sure exactly how much they have drunk but I  have just taken a call from  Mrs SM42 only to be greeted by all three shouting "hello Charlie "

 

Quite what Llandudno has made of the invasion I'm not sure. It'll probably take a while to get over it.

 

I just need to tidy before bed as she comes home tomorrow and I'll be at work when that happens., so I can't leave anything lying about as I'll only forget in the morning.  

 

Andy

Checking round the house 

 

There's a great nursing joke about Llandudno which is entirely unsuitable for this forum.