Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

Hard luck both of you.... I was lucky and never felt a thing.
And the Isle of Rhum in the background Wendy.
I shall be in the shed continuing with fitting the crosshead slide guides and adjusting the crosshead to fit. Not sure about later as they forecast rain, bookie watch and walk might be crossed off again.

[Stanley]

I've done a good hour and a half in the shed and here's the result.



Almost the entire shed stint this morning was spent in finishing installing the guide bars and then adjusting the crosshead and the aperture between the bars and the engine bed until the piston and crosshead move smoothly when the crankshaft is turned. Sounds simple but in practice it's surprisingly difficult but I got there. Where to go next? You might remember that I had a lot of trouble with the crankshaft bearings. They are nowhere near satisfactory so I had an inspection and what I'm going to do is make two bushes for the crankshaft and bore the bearings to fit. That will probably be 7/16". We shall see.

[Sue]

Morning

The only effect I had for any of my vaccinations were FIRST A slight ache in my arm , SECOND, a slightly raised lump , BOOSTER a red hot area. These are typical of any other injections I have had. They obviously worked because I did not catch covid from Bob .

Yesterday was a busy day packing, this included sorting out menus for the week as we will be totally self catering as nearly all the facilities at our Time share are closed due to lack of staff. The pool is open but we have chosen not to go in there. However if we are honest we never use the facilities that much anyway but spend the time enjoying the scenery and visiting friends who live In the Lakes. Later in the afternoon our friends Wendy and Keith popped round having returned from their daughter and family in France, near Geneva. They stayed a couple of hours and we just had time to eat before u3a wine appreciation . This week was a talk by my sister on Californian wines and we all compared notes about the different wines we had chosen

So today we are off to the Lakes. We shall get a delivery from Tesco about 10.00 am which has a lot of our food for the week, pack the car and tootle off about 11.00 am. One or two of the usual places we visit are open including the antiques place where i bought my old singer machine.

Have a good day all

[Stanley]

I was sure you'd be posting and had remembered that you were off to the Lakes. I hope Tesco deliver on time and have all the stuff you ordered. Not using the pool sounds like a good call to me. Not a lot of rain in the forecast and nothing extreme so I think you might have reasonable week. I hope so....

[Sue]

The delivery came at 9.00 am before we had even had our Sunday morning fry up. So we are now ready an hour earlier than anticipated so having a coffee before we load the car . Yes Stanley, after tomorrow the forecast is reasonable only about 35% chance of rain which is good for the lakes at this time of year. Our lodge is actually an old converted stone cottage, with quite an extensive garden. Its by the back gate to the grounds so we can access the walks very easily without having to go through the main area. It feels like a good size bungalow. In previous years Wendy, Keith, Barbara and Bill join us but this year we thought it wise to stay by our selves. Not that it makes much difference to Bob now !

[Big Kev]

Today I have been sorting through some not so old photos and came across this one of Col and myself enjoying the view of the islands from Ardnamurchan Point in 2009 and I'm posting it because it's OK to post again!

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My mum has boxes of old photos, all mainly taken by my dad. I need to go through them all and see what there is.

[Big Kev]

After reading about Sue's sewing machine restorations this popped up on one of the local Facebook selling pages, my mum had one of these

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https://www.facebook.com/groups/1446654 ... 9590596634

[PanBiker]

We have exactly the same model in the lobby at the bottom of the stairs.

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed. I have been ignoring the question of the cocked-up pedestal bearings but have decided I am going to bore them out true and sleeve the crankshaft to the correct fit. Not sure how i shall do it but am a lot happier now I have decided to do it. So, two hours in the shed being inventive and careful.
If the forecast holds there will be a walk and bookie watch around noon.

[Sue]

After reading about Sue's sewing machine restorations this popped up on one of the local Facebook selling pages, my mum had one of these

Screenshot_20220109-100755_Facebook.jpg

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1446654 ... 9590596634

Morning

These are very desirable. I would love one but have nowhere to put it. Living in a bungalow we have no ‘ bottom of the stairs’. Many rooms interconnect and the hallway is narrow and purely functional with many doors off it and no room for any item of furniture. Having said that ours is a big bungalow but we have no available space.

We woke late this morning, its dark and very quiet. I have not looked outside but the forecast was showers all day. I think we are going to drive over to Hawkshead this morning where there is an excellent outdoor shop. We usually buy any walking gear we need in the Christmas sale. I am on the look out for a knee length waterproof coat as the zip on my old one went and although we have tried with various kits form Amazon we cannot mend it. I looked at changing the zip but the structure on the making of the coat is complex with a synthetic fur lining, so have decided to buy a new one. After lunch, if the rain is not too heavy we shall do a walk .

Yesterday was a pleasant drive up without much rain till we left Cartmell where we had had a stroll and afternoon tea. At lunchtime we called at Watershed Mill at Settle. That is usually good for a new jumper in the Christmas sale. In fact it was there I bought my last waterproof coat, a Regatta. Well what a disappointment, we had coffee and a toilet stop there really was nothing to buy, the clothes looked like they had been recycled from 40 years ago, and anything newer was very frumpy indeed. We followed this stop with a visit to Lords antiques at Ingleton. Its worth a look round. There was an old Singer machine, about 1911 I should think, but it had no lid and the hinge where the machine lifts from the base was broken, so I walked on. It was nice to walk round though, we haven’t browsed an antique and collectors warehouse for nearly 3 years. There were lots of Toby jugs and I was horrified at how cheap they are. Ebay has destroyed the value of my extensive collection.

So a wet day here, stay dry and have a good day.

[Stanley]

"I was horrified at how cheap they are. Ebay has destroyed the value of my extensive collection. "
Oh dear! Don't let it spoil your stay in the Lakes Sue!



I went in the shed much easier in my mind because I am going to address a matter I have been Ignoring, the fact that I totally cocked up when I re-bored the pedestal bearings after cocking up the first time. This morning as you can see I went to some considerable trouble to get set up to bore for the third time. I have stripped the engine down and in the course of doing that I have made sure that all the studs, nuts and bolts are in good order and fit properly. Then I took a long time setting the bed up under the pillar drill and boring the bearings until I had a clean parallel bore. I then measured to make sure I had got it right. Then a careful measure and a decision on the bore and si9ze of the two sleeves I shall make for the crankshaft so that it is a good fit in the bearings. Last I found a piece of 1/2" steel to make the sleeves and that will be the job tomorrow, some accurate turning and I always enjoy that!

[Big Kev]

Having said that ours is a big bungalow but we have no available space.

Not a 'treadle' but someone is giving this one away
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it ... tory_share

[Sue]

Having said that ours is a big bungalow but we have no available space.

Not a 'treadle' but someone is giving this one away
https://www.facebook.com/marketplace/it ... tory_share

Beautiful machine. Its bern sold it says

[Tripps]

There were lots of Toby jugs and I was horrified at how cheap they are.

Fashions in antiques and collectibles change - don't they?
I saw a group presented to an 'expert' last week on TV and she groaned out loud ! They were made in huge numbers - like Royal Doulton figurines. Houses change, people change,and taste changes.

I bought a 'Georgian Copper Kettle' in 1996 for £85. Quite like this one Kettle I threw the receipt into it, so the information is accurate. Looking on eBay - I'd be very lucky indeed to get half that back. Am I bovvered? Not at all. I still like it, I've enjoyed it, and it looks well in my window sill of curiosities.

[Stanley]

I think I've seen your shelfie before David.... It has two subscribers now! I note the shuttle has fur installed. My whole house is a shelfie!
Today I'll be doing something I am pretty good at, turning two small but very precise bushes to get my crankshaft to the same size as the bearings. From the look of the forecast we shall have a sunny morning for a walk to the chemists and bookie watch. Looking forward to the day.

[Sue]

Fashions in antiques and collectibles change - don't they?
Looking on eBay - I'd be very lucky indeed to get half that back

Morning

The above two comments ring so true. I started collecting Toby jugs just after we were married. We were given a matching pair as an engagement present by a friend ( Later Julias godfather and now long since died), the start of our collection. We used to buy them as momentos whenever we went on a family holiday and later we used to go round antique and collectors fairs, usually to keep us occupied when Julia was in a swimming gala somewhere. I have hundreds of all sizes although many were cheap and now sit in a box in the loft. The ones I particularly like form collections of the same makes/ style/ series and are on display. Assuming only £10: each it made the collection worth over £3000 . However most cost considerably more, £80 and over, so you can see what the collection was worth once. It was even mentioned as a collection on the house insurance at one time . Some of the modern ones I bought were special editions with certificates made by good potters. It was ones like these I saw for as little as £5 and some of my antique ones were barely £1-£2 By modern standards my collection is now worth peanuts !

Yesterday was a damp start to the day. We went to Hawkshead, had a walk round, bought a £200 coat in the sales for£79 and had morning coffee in a small cafe. Its always quiet this week in the year but yesterday was deserted. Some shops had closed permanently, others were just shut, taking an extended winter break. In the afternoon we went out for a 4 mile circular walk. The fine drizzle became heavy and we looked bedraggled when we got back. Thankfully we were still dry. There is a drying cupboard in the lodge so we piked everything into it so it will all be dry today . Today is due to be dry and sunny and we have still to p,an what we will do. The waterfalls at Skelwith were stunning

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Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue, Nice to see the falls. Skelwith was one of the water power sites I researched for the old DOE. Rain is good for the falls! Don't worry about the jugs, by the time someone is selling your collection they'll be in fashion again and worth a fortune!
Two hours in the shed making two tiny bushes! I'm not apologising because at knocking off time I have the two bushes in place on the crankshaft, locked in place with Loctite shaft lock and both checked for fit in their bearings. From cock-up to the point where I can say the shaft is a perfect fit in its bearings!

[Stanley]

I shall be checking the fit of my bearings but then will have to paint the castings as I have to do that before I go any further. Bookie watch and walk look OK as it is a quiet dry day I think.

[Stanley]

Small jobs this morning, checking the fit of the crankshaft, installing the holding down bolts in the Plinth and painting the castings. I'll be glad to get back to proper engine building tomorrow....

[Sue]

Morning

Just woken up...i haven’t slept so late in years. We had a good day yesterday, a circular walk in the morning and a stroll round Grasmere in the afternoon. Today we are planning a longer walk to some waterfalls so are taking a flask of coffee and some sandwiches.

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[Big Kev]

Looks lovely

[Sue]

Looks lovely

It was quite stunning yesterday. Today cloudy but dry

[Stanley]

That's a good sign Sue, sleeping longer. You must be relaxed so it's doing you good!
I shall have an hour in the shed but then early doors shopping at the Co-op. From the look of the forecast bookie watch will be on today....

[Sue]

Morning

We had a lovely long walk up to the waterfalls and Easedale tarn yesterday, having lunch by the side of the tarn. Its a long stoney path up but was much easier coming down than expected. We had a chuckle drinking our coffee at the top out of two Easter mugs ie had Easter eggs in when Julia and Claire were young children. They just fit in our walking bag rather nicely.

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Today we have visitors. Our friends Janet and Mike are joining us for a walk and then lunch here. Mike was my u3a and Thursday are club teacher but moved to Levens about 4 years ago. In the afternoon Wendy and Keith are joining us. They will stay overnight and may spend the day with us tomorrow. Wendy and Keith can’t walk so probably we will drive over to Coniston and have a stroll round tge Lakeside .

Its due to be another day of cloudy with sun , enjoy yors

[Sue]

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