Search results

Can people please stick to the topic of the thread and not go off on a tangent writing pages and pages about the English language. It is hard to pick out replies about the actual subject. Start a new topic if you want to discuss other subjects. Rant over.

Hi John, as others have mentioned you need to know what you are turning. Don’t buy material with just a description but buy specific types. I’d get some EN1A to start with. That can be turned to a lovely finish. Practice with that until you get it right. As for your Starting and Stopping...

Everyone can have an opinion but I find it hard to believe any intelligent human, finds it hard to believe that burning millions of tons of fossil fuels, wouldn’t warm up the planet. Most of the energy from the gas you put into your engines, is turned into heat. The rise in temperature since the...

Hi and welcome, there are always things that would be useful. A couple of bench or pedestal grinders, a belt and disc sander, a hydraulic press, a mop polishing machine, large granite surface table. I bought a good MIG welder and find it much more useful than I imagined but that takes up quite...

Welcome to the forum. Your English is way better than my German 😁 It’s good to see young people taking an interest in engineering and steam railways.

Carbide tends to be used on large rigid machines. They are designed to remove metal at high rates and just bulldoze there way into the material and break nice chips. Most hobby lathes aren’t really rigid or heavy enough but you can still turn metal with them. I tend to use inserts designed for...

I can understand how you would think that. The key is that the balls aren’t fixed in place. If they were then they would skid. The shaft turns the inner race which will then rotate the balls. These are then free to roll around the outer race at that speed. It’s like riding a bike. The crank...

Hi Hennie, I have a Bridgeport clone with a variable speed head from 65-4500 rpm. Whilst it is not as rigid as the solid head vertical machine you show it is worth considering a compromise. It is very very versatile. You can swing the head left or right, slide it in or out on the ram, tilt it...

Steamchick, You can easily make a sensitive drilling tool. I would get an MT2 blank with a short stub. Drill and ream to 10mm. Make a disc approx 40mm dia x 8mm and drill out 10mm. Drill and tap for a locking grub screw and then knurl the outside. Then lock that onto an ER11 parallel shank...

Steamchick, have you tried PCB drills ? They are usually very short and have 3.2mm shanks. A sensitive drill chuck will also help no end. I would also try using a very small carbide stubby drill to give you a centre. They are very ridged and should cut at the correct angle to start your small...

I don’t want to sound negative towards little lathes but if I were in your shoes I would wait until I had moved and buy the biggest lathe and mill I could house in my workshop. I think they are much easier to learn on. Definitely safer. Will produce accurate parts. If you are lucky to get a...

Remember that a belt or gearbox will transfer (approximately) the same amount of motor power to the spindle regardless of the speed selected. A VFD will loose power as you lower the speed (frequency) That’s why people often fit larger motors when using a VFD to control machine speed.

You will need a transmitter, receiver, (6 channel or more) and some ESC boards. (Electronic Speed Controller.) These just plug into the receiver and when you operate a control on the transmitter they will power a motor. The more you move the control the faster the motor will run. If you then...

Welcome Nick. It can be addictive.

Ken, could you not set the VFD to run at a higher frequency if you are running “Over voltage” The impedance would then be higher and as the V/F can be reduced in a linear fashion it will reduce the output voltage at the plated frequency ?

Lovely looking little engine. Although I think studs and hex nuts or small hex bolts would look so much better than slot head screws. That’s just a personal taste thing. Good luck building it and keep us posted. Don’t beat yourself up if you make mistakes.

Terry I would have to disagree when it comes to too much safety. You can teach people to check the test kit, make the test, recheck the test kit....... In reality test the circuit you intend to work and make sure the test kit is set properly. If you spend too much time buggering about it is...

Ok, now I really like Keith’s videos and I’m certainly not knocking him. He makes no mention of using a blow lamp in a well ventilated area. Make sure the heat can’t reach any flammable liquids or old oily rags. Check your exit is clear if something does catch fire. Have a fire extinguisher...

That was a Myfordboy video and there were dozens of safety omissions. The very first thing he did was grip a copper tube in a three jaw chuck.......Not at all recommend for a novice. The tube can easily deform and fly out of the chuck. He then reaches over an unguarded rotating chuck...... I...

The facts are that Jim carried out his procedure without any injuries. The degree of repeatability of the process before it “Goes wrong.” Is the subject of clearly varying opinions. Those who think we should make videos “Beginner friendly,” aren’t familiar with the video content on line. You...