Recent content by IDP

Was the collet tight enough in the quill ~~~~ I've had that happen to me! Regards, IDP

Greetings all, I am considering converting one of my mill to CNC, I have the computer / controller / stepper motor side of things sourced. I draw in Autocad but what is the best software to convert Autocad drawings to g code. I've had a look on the net and am bewildered. I ought to say I'm...

Greetings all, I am going to rebuild an Alpine Minor bench mill I've owned for about twenty years in to a CNC machine. I ought to buy ball screws for the x and y axis screws but before I go to all that expense thought I'd remake the existing ones. Does anyone know what the screw dimensions...

Have seen brake fluid completely wreck a car paint job overnight !

Folks I recently had the need to remove some paint from a part of a loco and as luck would have it no paint stripper to hand. Now then needs must when the devil drives and casting about the workshop laid my eyes on some brake fluid ~~~well known for its ability to remove paint. I was amazed at...

I prefer the imperial system but am slowly thinking of going metric for fastners as they are now easier to source. If you do a wikepedia search 'Inch definitions' the ensuing answer makes very interesting reading suggesting that the unit of 25.4 mm to the inch is not correct as it makes a yard...

Or, If the pins are the same diameter zero the caliper on one of the pins and then measure across the diameter of both pins, the indicated measurement will be the distance between the hole centres. Regards, IDP

Gents, I use 'French' chalk which is harder. Also a file can be cleaned and sharpened by suspending it in acid ~~ sulphuric I believe ~~~ well that's the way a firm local to me used to reclaim files for industry. Also I have files used specifically just for non ferrous materials as I find a...

Folks, The reason I posed this question :~ I have acetylene which is great for brazing copper boilers etc but I may not be able to easily get my bottle refilled when it's empty. There is no problem with my bottle but the local supplier requires a rental contract the cost of which is prohibitive...

gents, Modging ~ A local terrm covering just about any activity occuring in the workshop ~ a sort of cover all really for when 'er in doors' asks what I've been up to, reply 'Oh just modging' Regards, IDP

Greetings, Some advice please! I have an oxy / acetylene torch which I use for boiler bashing, I am thinking of replacing the acetylene with propane which is cheaper and easier to obtain in my neck of the woods. I did take some advice from local dealers, one of which suggested I needed a new...

Hello all, Greetings from the Black Country ~ England. Been modging and model engineering for just about as long as I can remember. Main interest is live steam locomotives in 5" although am thinking about moving up to 7 1/4". I also enjoy making the odd tooling. For anyone interested I do...