Today I shall be Mainly...

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed at 06:00 as usual for my morning hour of useful work on the engine. I suspect that this morning it will be the piston rod gland. I want to get that off the agenda, I am still angry with myself!
All I can say with any certainty about the rest of the day is it is doubtful whether I shall be going out in storm Debi! I have no reason to do so and can't see any attraction in wet windy weather!

[Stanley]

I'm thinking about you on your way home and the storm in the channel. I hope you are OK.



I started by examining the alternative design of gland and it wouldn't work because the hole in the gland is the wrong size so I went back to making the usual design of gland and mounting it vertically. The images show the stages, and end up with me marking for the stud holes and drilling. I shall tap the holes tomorrow....

[Stanley]

Back up after my second sleep and doing a load of washing. Standards are being maintained! ...

[Stanley]

Later..... Washing dealt with, sweet potato chips fried and tea made. I could relate to 'The Offing' for a quiet hour now.....

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed as usual for an hour from 06:00 onwards and after that enjoying a good breakfast.
The only thing I have to do during the day is post a letter but if it's raining as we are promised I might leave that until tomorrow when I know I am going out come what may to get a Covid Booster at Rainhall car park.

[Stanley]

This morning I finished tapping the holes for the 5BA studs in the front lid and then fitted the studs and refined the fit of the gland. Once that was done I checked the piston rod and found a piece of scrap bronze to make the piston out of. Remember that if by chance a CI cylinder is left wet a bronze piston with a soft packing will not seize like a CI piston and CI rings..... I am ready to make the piston and rod tomorrow.....

[Sue]

Morning

We had a fairly pleasant crossing, not too rough. The weather forecast had shown that there was a storm going across France and another across the Uk with the channel fairly clear. It was a bit bumpy before lunch before we reached the Channel Islands then the sun came out and apart from the odd gust that was it. The ferry arrived 20 minutes late, we don’t know why, but we were off the boat quickly. We had been put on the bottom deck with the lorries, and we were off even before many of them. In fact we were first through border control and on to the Motorway by 7.00 , normally it takes till 8.00 pm. We were at the hotel by 7.20 pm. We noticed the Spanish ferry was not in the port.

Today we will drive home at a leisurely pace but should be home by 4.00 latest making a detour to Coventry to drop off some bits and pieces.

Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue.... I can go to bed for second sleep now without worrying about you and Bob. We had a lousy day here yesterday and I was apprehensive about what your crossing was like. All is well.... I shall see you later.

[Stanley]

Back up after second sleep and chancing a walk to the post box..
Five minutes later, pouring with rain, let's leave it for a few minutes.

[Stanley]

I left it for ten minutes and had another go. Back in the hutch after a successful trip and no rain either. (But it doesn't look as though it will stay that way for long....)

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed for an hour and then after second sleep I'll try for a Covid Booster at the bus in Rainhall road car park..... (Thanks for the heads up Kev....)

[Stanley]

Only one image needed this morning. I took the piece of scrap bronze and made it into a piston that fits the cylinder bore. I have drilled and tapped it ready for the rod and chamfered both ends. I shall cut the groove for the soft packing when the rod is made and fitted tomorrow because then it will be easier to hold it concentric in the chuck. Slowly away with plenty of checks. I have made no mistakes. That makes it a good morning!

[Sue]

Morning

We slept solid last night, it was good to be back in our own bed. The journey home was uneventful and we were back by 3.00 pm . We went to Tesco to buy something for tea then straight to the post office to pick up a parcel that had to be collected by 5.00 or it was being collected by DPD and returned to sender.

The parcel was originally sent two weeks ago and there was nothing we could do. At the postoffice the said parcel could not be found and it looks like it had been collected early. Back home Bob immediately chased it up on the phone whilst I unpacked the car. That phone call was amazing, they expected Bob to track it down, whilst he explained he had a text to say to collect it by the end of the day and it was not the end of the day. He only got action when he insisted on speaking to the manager in charge etc etc. They are now trying to track down the missing parcel. That was a good home coming ….NOT.

All is ok here, despite the storm , not even a watering can out of place though one bin was on its side and another had its lid open with a lot of water inside.

Today will be unpacking, washing, I have a hair appointment this afternoon and zoom pilates at teatime.

Have a good day all

[Stanley]

How annoying! (The DPD parcel....) I don't know what to say about a cock-up like that. I hope you eventually find a solution.
I am off to bed now and then I'll go for my jab.... Small beer compared to your problems.... See you later.,.,.

[Stanley]

I shall be having a quiet day because like my last Covid jab, I have had a reaction to it. Nothing serious, just a shotgun scattering of small aches and pains including the site of the injection. No worries, just keep warm and comfortable....

[Stanley]

Only one image needed. I cut the 1/4" SS piston rod to length and threaded one end 2BA for 3'8" and then screwed the piston tightly on to the rod using Loctite as I have had problems before with the piston loosening while being fitted. Then I cut the rod to finished length and fitted the large original 3 jaw SC chuck as I needed enough room in the bore for the piston when the rod was mounted reversed to turn it down and thread it for fitting in the crosshead. It all takes time! That's it for a nice error free hour.

[Sue]

Morning

Rest and drink plenty Stanley. Inflammation at the site of any vaccination is normal due to tissue damage at the site of entry. This in turn can cause the aches etc. So glad you had it though.

We had a quiet day. I did the hand sewing of my jacket, then pressed it. Whilst the iron was hot I did the small amount of ironing generated from the washing. Bob chased up his parcel via the sender who have now sent another parcel and will put a claim in to DPD. He also chased up a rather strange letter concerning my brothers estate. On one hand they had cashed the cheque for final payment and on the other hand sent a standard bereavement letter asking for confirmation that he was the account holder which is rather daft as the account holder is dead. Anyway all sorted and the account now closed. The end is in sight.

Today is art at Haslingden then I have a master pattern to make for my next sewing project.

Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Nice to hear that Bob got some progress. And yes, so often you come across matters that can only be attributed to someone 'not thinking' Problem is that they don't think like us and we are quite often right.
Yes. Good advice and I am off back to bed now....... Thanks for thinking about me.....

[Stanley]

It wasn't raining when I got up again so I decided to go to the Co-op for milk and bits while it's dry. Good choice, I'm back indoors and all put away and no need to shop tomorrow. And by the way, a couple of items had a good discount off so I filled my boots that saved me £6!

[Tripps]

I find that politics from both main parties has become unwatchable. They are both disfunctional and spouting nonsense - how they expect anyone to vote for them is beyond me. Dead men walking the pair of them.

I got wrapped up in the internet today, and I find two very disturbing videos from Simon Webb. He knows of which he speaks.

Saturday sit down plot and this brief offering which is perhaps even more disturbing Bethnal Green Childrens' protest march.

On a brighter note I find that "Ego Lego" is Latin for "I read". It has a ring - and I might make it my motto for the Coat of Arms.

Two books have arrived (very quickly) - "Survivors" by Maggie Oliver - true auto biographical tales from an ex Police officer - now campaigner - from Rochdale - and -"The Chocolate Cream Society" a novel by the wonderful Leonard Barras. (Up the Tyne in a Flummox)

Ego Lego indeed.

All the bisuits seem to have disappeared. . . .

[Stanley]

"All the biscuits seem to have disappeared. . "
Undoubtedly mice.......
I seem to have slid back into reading to finish off my day in the kitchen, helped by the wonderful quality of Mr Myears' writing....
I started the day this morning by dealing with the ham shank I slow cooked last night David. Triggered by you and your leg of lamb. I shall be in the shed as usual at 06:00 making slow but steady progress on my engine....
Nothing spoils the view of the day. If it stays fair I might even have a walk at midday. We shall see.....

[Stanley]

The first job this morning was to thread the end of the Piston Rod 2BA to screw into the crosshead. Then cut the slot for the soft packing in the piston and check the fit in the bore of the cylinder. That was OK so the next job was to cut the slot in the end of the piston that's needed for screwing the rod into the crosshead when we get to that point. Then start threading the stud holes in the front end of the cylinder starting with the two 5BA countersunk screws down at the bottom. Tomorrow I shall thread for the 4 4BA studs that attach the cylinder to the bed. Every move checked and no mistakes so it has been a good morning!

[Sue]

Morning

Bobs replacement parcel arrived yesterday afternoon, so the rest of the problem is theirs and DPD. I was tired after concentrating in art in the morning and pretty exhausted after finishing my pattern for my sewing session next week. This two days travelling really takes it out of us these days. We had a fire in the multifuel stove in the lounge in the evening, the first this winter, but we must buy some more fuel this morning. We shall go to Bacup market today as Bob has an an appointment tomorrow. This afternoon I shall shorten a couple of pairs of jeans I bought in the M&S outlet in Portsmouth. It promises to be a dry day…perhaps a walk later

Have a good day

[Stanley]

Morning Sue. Very much the same plan here.... I'm glad the matter of the parcel is resolved, these things can be so annoying.... I'm off to bed now for my second sleep. I can think of worse places to be! See you later.....

[Stanley]

Later still, I have had a light lunch and had a walk and a sit on traffic duty. Not warm but OK if you are wrapped up well..... Now for a read.... It's all go!