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I could use one of those for when I'm filing square holes which are difficult to position and correctly dimension if one does not have a suitable broach not to mention the loss of life time by doing it manually!

I so agree with Ramon - normally a hole in a piece of metal expands i.e. a 0.25 diameter hole becomes bigger as the heat builds up. However in bronze it seems to contract because if you don't lubricate and suppress heat generation IT WILL GRAB and break your drill. I haven't found end mill...

Sacrifice a pair of toe nail cutters, they don't have bevels on the cutting edges. It will ruin them for their proper use but will allow you to grip the roll pin and with the help of a screw driver blade between the cutter and the flywheel boss enable you to lever it out. Next time, make a...

Thanks for that info. I suspected that the motor would not give its full potential on a 220 line voltage and I understand that the mining industry uses a different (higher) line voltage to the domestic one presumably to obtain more power from the same frame size. I believe that Canada uses a...

It makes a great tapping lubricant especially on difficult stainless steel which work hardens by just looking at it!

I saw an advert for a 3 phase electric motor on Aussie Ebay the other day and it quoted 440/720 volts on the motor plate. I'm wondering if this a special motor for running on a different line voltage than the normal domestic line voltage of 220/230 volts. Can anyone explain to me what this...

Yes, you need a gap! I 680'ed my steam loco wheels and they worked fine for 8 years and then one of the wheels slipped! I think that the firebox heat affected that wheel (it was the rear axle of a Mogul) and also it may have been penetrated by the all pervasive oil that always adorns the...

Just to add my experience - This was my first time of using my Quorn spindle on the lathe and it went well although I somewhat resented all the time it took both to do the grinding and the very long clean up time required to remove all the damaging dust. If I was charging my time then...

Ummm... I don't know whether to thank you Ken for that or not! I got the gist but the detail was a bit esoteric. Like I said the Sievert works for the time being for what I use the boiler for and my time is limited as is everyone's!

Thanks Steamchick. No I haven't delved into the mysteries of gas burners other than to stick my Sievert torch into the firehole although my friend with a 7.25 gauge single Fairlie loco has made a gas burner and had some good success. I was thinking of using some perforated ceramic from Poly...

Yes Ken you are right, that's why I lurk in the background to pick up ideas and information I often didn't know that I needed! It's a really good way to spend your time, there are pearls in nearly every thread!

Three very nicely made engines!

I designed and built a 6 inch vertical copper boiler a couple of years ago - I needed a source of steam to test locomotive accessories and fittings. It was my first boiler attempt: I was familiar with silver soldering having made and run a 7 and a quarter inch mogul steam locomotive for some...

I'm also resident in NZ and I took delivery of a spin indexer bought from ArcEuroTrade a couple of moths ago and the shipping cost was 106 UK pounds for 26 lbs (12kg) by Fedex. Hope this helps.

I notice from your photos that you are not ensuring that the top of the tool clamp is level i.e. parallel to the ways. This is necessary for the nut to bear down onto the tool clamp with even pressure around the nut's circumference. If this is not adhered to then the nut will press down on...

I would suggest that you install a key in the base of the vise - this is achieved by machining up a length of mild steel to the width of the table slot that will normally be under the centre of the vice i.e.the bolt down flanges. Note - on my machine the centre slot is a different width to the...

I have a 1980s geared head Chinese metric tool room lathe (from the number 17 Chinese lathe factory) of 300 mm swing and 800 mm bed length and a new Myford Super 7 with lots of accessories purchased from a guy who bid for it and then changed his mind after he won it and wanted to recoup his...

I've recently started (as a response to our Level 4 lock down in March) a project to "CNC" my Warco mill and the question of counterbalancing the knee/table to reduce the load required on the Z axis screw was considered. I decided to fit 2 gas struts from Ali-express 500N each with a stroke of...

Thanks Mark, I wondered if you held the ring in the vice and brought the chisel down onto it which would seem to me risky. The dimple would localise the stress and be a much more safe way of doing it.

Can I ask that you describe the breaking with more detail e.g. how was the ring presented to the sharp edge of the chisel?