Recent content by Peter Neill

The actual piece of equipment you are looking for is called a Pneumatic Pulse Generator. We used these things a lot back in the horrible days of 'Pneumatic Logic' when cheap PLCs weren't an option, or where control was needed but there was explosion risk from using electrical control signals...

Not quite true skip(dumpster) diving, but almost. Took a couple of old mattresses to the local council dump today, and whilst I was hauling them into the skip, the Mrs was having a look at the side tables where the staff 'rescue' stuff thats dumped, and then sell it on for a bit of Beer money...

No they're not! A slot drill is always a 2-flute cutter. Peter

My version uses a height adjustable spinner on a threaded shaft to adjust the offset, so you don't need any other parts, and the only the one 'unit' Details of it here: http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=3911.msg40481#msg40481 And a more detailed build story over the...

Your no.3 is an exact copy of an early apprentice piece we all had to make years ago. I remember the technique quite well: Cut off a piece of 3/4" square bar approx 3" long, cut it in half and clean ends up with file. Clean up 2 mating faces with a bit of emery, then soft solder the two faces...

Even I can appreciate the artistry, craftsmanship, and labour in that, despite my tawdry commercial bias ;D Congratulations on a superb job and a well deserved win. Peter

I'll second what Blogs said. I don't have a leg problem (yet!), but I can turn around and reach 2 feet behind me and get the tool I want. Reamers and milling cutters are a different proposition however, and always get popped back in their plastic case after a clean, to protect the cutting...

Thanks Andy. Believe it or not I don't have pukka 3-phase installed. all the machines run off a 4HP/3kW static phase convertor, the box on the wall is a distribution/junction box I made up. You can see this a bit better in the picture below. The phase convertor sits up high on a shelf behind...

I might get shot down for this, but I've always felt (and found) that the description of 'Cherry Red' as a description of the correct temperature colour for hardening to be mis-leading. The first time I tried hardening something probably about 35 years ago I discovered that the colour required...

I've got a short-bed Bantam 1600. Bought it with 2 x 3-jaw chucks, 2 x4-jaw chucks, faceplate, got a full set of change gears (incl. 127T metric transposing gear), Dickson QCTP with 8 holders, coolant, fixed and revolving centres, tailstock drill chuck, & 2-speed motor. I recently added a 5C...

Whilst not strictly a 'shop smell', I ride motorbikes and have both a BMW and an old 1975 Yamaha RD350 2-stroke. Half a capful of Castrol R in the petrol tank of the RD (or rather R40 now as the original R is no longer available) produces a wonderfully evocative whiff for all those who remember...

My 2penniesworth – I wouldn’t buy another Lathe from Chester unless they were the last lathe manufacturer on the planet, and even then with some trepidation. Everyone has their own opinion and experience, so you have to make your own mind up from the good and bad, but I was very disappointed 5...

Made this up about 5 years ago using some rough/scrap plywood from an old packing case. It's a couple of feet behind me when I'm using the Bridgy, and pretty much perfect for me. Peter

At the risk of sounding too contrary, my experience disagrees with Steamer and I can state that Starrett are absolutely the worst Bandsaw and Hacksaw blades I have ever used in my life. About as sharp as a brick and last as long as an ice-cream in the Gobi Desert before the teeth go. I don't...

They always look too big for the space you have until you get them in, and then you think “that wasn’t so bad after all” ;D I've got a Bridgy (42" table), a Colchester Lathe, and a J&S surface grinder all in a space of around 8' x 8.5', in the front half of a single-car garage. The only thing I...