Recent content by Neil Lickfold

Where did you get the conversion kit, and did the headstock casting need to be replaced too?

I recently worked on a lathe that the Headstock was not true to the bed. To get the bed level, it was effectively twisted to get the headstock end of the carriage level or reading the same error of the level , and then have the same error in the level at the tailstock end , and finally checked...

What I have found that adding another holder onto the tool block, even if empty, can alter the resonance. It only works if resonance becomes a problem.

This is because the centre of mass is not in the centre of the crankshaft as it goes up and down. The second as the arrows show is turning to the right as TDC has a higher inertia than BDC. So on the next 1/2 rev the RH side will be TDC and encouraging a counter clockwise moment. It is when you...

I use a propane torch and Harris Al Braze 1070 https://www.harrisproductsgroup.com/en/Products/Alloys/Brazing/Aluminum/AL-Braze-1070.aspx The brazing rod I use is 4032 in 1mm wire, or you can buy Al brazing rod,and is very similar to 4032. The albraze flux is great. Clean the parts really clean...

Just water is the safest coolant, but can rust things though. Some vege cooking oils also work well. Like Rice bran oil for example. The secret is to use very little of the coolant, and relies on the surface contact and evaporation to do the work and make it disappear in the surrounding air...

Some bearing blues are not very good when looking for very small amounts, these I have found are the ones that are too wet. It is like the blue capillary attracts to areas not wanted. But the same blue, that has had a wick put to it, to draw out some oil, then becomes good to use. This is the...

The bearing blue is either a oil like baby oil, or some brands use linseed oil. Over time they can dry out , especially the stuff sold in a tin, or when the cap cracks.

Here are the fixtures I use for shims.

I make shims often. I made a simple fixture. It has a block that goes into the lathe, with a counter bored hole of 12mm that is about 3mm deep. Then there is a M6 tapped hole that goes as deep as the tap can go, about 25mm. There is 4 tapped M6 holes spaced at +-13mm or 26mm square pattern...

Because I have a fusion at C3C4 in the neck, I have limited movement in my neck. I was using mirrors often to see things. Now a cell phone is quite useful to look at the compound slide radial graduations or looking in a bore or looking at the dial indicator on a mill when used in mirror mode...

What a great set up. I like the set cam to get it to come into the cut. What did you do for the air bearing and how you ran the grooves for it? Thanks for sharing, Neil

It maybe that on prime, you can see what goes into the venturi for the prime amount and you can't if it is a direct feed into the case. There was no power gain for direct into the case over adding at the venturi.

If you are using a bladder, the fuel can be added directly into the back of the crankcase, and not go through the venturi at all. It is still the same performance. Well done on a nice looking spraybar as well.

So you just need a spray bar with no needle on the front. If you make the cross hole 1mm , ( the one letting the fuel into the venturi) and the hole down the centre of the spray bar 1.5 mm it will work fine. For the remote needle valve , almost any needle valve will work for the remote aspect...