SHED MATTERS 2

[Stanley]

I was tempted again when I went in the shed but resisted and left the saw alone! First job was to have a clean up and sharpen some tools and drills I will need this morning. Than a bit of quiet marking out and deciding on the shape of my cranks. While I was doing this I realised how dirty the tablecloth was so I had a good clear up and oiled the surface plate. Amazing how there is always a small faint rust patch somewhere on the plate!



That's a bit better, Funny how the plates always look rust coloured on the pics, they aren't, they are a good clean finish.



I do like a clean bench!



It didn't take long to get the first blank drilled with two 3/8" holes as near as possible to 1" centres [Half the stroke of a 2" cylinder]



Close of play. The blanks are ready for milling to exactly the right thickness and some of the excess taking off before we go to the rotary table to shape the ends. The crank pin will be 3/8" diameter so that's ready to have it fitted. The other end will eventually have to be enlarged to 3/4". Nicely set up for tomorrow in a clean shed with a straight edge... (I vacuumed the chips of the VM before I came out... Newton is no doubt looking down on me and laughing!.)

[Stanley]

Later on Thursday. While I was having my afternoon sleep my head must have been checking up on me and when I woke the Design Committee pointed out that there wasn't enough meat at the shaft end of the crank for a proper proportion. I had a look and they are right, I have slipped up. Cure is to cut another lump of stock big enough...
God moves in a mysterious way and while I was in the shed I noticed a card laid behind the back door. The Post Office had left my latest purchase from Amazon in my safe place. Two days ago I was watching Big John in his shed on Youtube and noticed he was using transfer punches.... I have always promised myself a set so I went online and ordered a set of 28, 1/16" up to 1/'2", that was what had landed.



The wheels started going round in my head and I realised that it would be dead simple to transfer the marks from my bum crank blank to a larger piece because I now had the proper tackle. This raised another point. Up to a couple of days ago cutting thick lumps was a major operation....



Mrs McMaster sliced it off in under five minutes as I smoked and drank tea. [Notice I had enough sense to but a similar sized block in the far end of the vice to even out the strain]



I sorted out the 3/8" punch.....



Clamped the two pieces together and marked the centres. (Bleeding obvious tip here.... If you're buying small cramps make sure they are the forged ones and not just ordinary cast iron] So, in less than 15 minutes I have a new blank that just needs two 3/8" holes popping through it. Ain't life wonderful!

[Stanley]

I left this blank ready for drilling last night and the first job was to pop two 3/8" holes through it.



Next I took a light skim off the original block to get both faces parallel. It turned out to be 35 thou over my target of 1/2" thick but that's all right. I blued the new blank up and used the original to mark it for thickness. Then I set to and started reducing this one to size. I often smile when I watch people like John or Adam Booth taking heroic cuts in one pass. My mill, though good for what it is, isn't rigid enough to do this. I have to work within my limits, take small cuts and keep my cutters dead sharp.



Half way though reducing the block the cutter wasn't quite right so I stopped and gave it a touch up on the T&C grinder. Popped it back in and tried another cut, a lot better. But it was getting close to knocking off time so I left it for tomorrow, no rush and Friday is a busy day, It was 9AM before I got in the shed. Had a good chip clean up and left the shed tidy. I hate milling chips, they tread all over the house!

[Stanley]

I started the morning by finishing milling the new blank down to the same thickness as the original.



I had decided to saw the biggest lumps of excess meat off the blanks on the HM so I used the block that was too small as a mount for the ones to be reduced so I could get too them with the saw.



The setup ready for the first cut.



I wanted the benefit of the rotary table but not the massive vice Mick gave me so a bit of weight lifting and a change. My first idea was to set the block up on parallels so there was clearance to saw right through it but I soon decided this was too dangerous and applied Plan B.



This was better so I settled down to some quiet cutting.



Once I had a deep cut I finished off with a hacksaw in the vice.



The two blocks with the meat removed.



A good clean up of both milling machines. The machine vice taken off the VM and the rotary table substituted. First job was to set it on the centre line.



Knocking off time. The rotary table set up and the first blank ready to be mounted. Nice morning, quietly away and no slip ups....

[Stanley]

I needed two aluminium spacer washers for the rotary table and when I came to part them off remembered that the last time I used the Burnerd tool I broke the blade so I had to set to and make another one. Soon done and two spacers made.



The first blank set up on the table ready for machining. The aluminium spacers give me some clearance for the cutter.



The cutting started. I do like using the rotary table, it makes the impossible possible!



The first cut on the big end of the first blank finished. I'll not bore you with the others, I just got on with it quietly....



The first one with both ends finished. I'll leave the sides until I have machined the other as I don't want to lose the centre to mill the sides.



Close of play, all four ends machined and the sides done on the second. Not bad, just a touch of filing needed to hide the joins of the cuts. If you're thinking that the right hand one looks slightly smaller than the other you're right, I must have got my measurements slightly wrong during the marking out. The centres are fine.... I'll finish the other in the morning....

[Stanley]

Good news from Mick the Shed this morning. The goodies I sent back to Geordie land were all well received, the saw blades fitted Dave's new saw and Big John was pleased with his patterns and the non-ferocious chips. Best of all he has found me an Adept No. 2 shaper at a good price and I have sent the cheque off this morning. It's the one piece of kit I have always wanted and I shall fit it in somehow! This is my last territorial demand in the Shed.... Isn't OG wonderful! Thanks Mick.....

[Stanley]

I finished the shaping and filing as best as I could. Horribly difficult because I can't see, I was working blind so accepted that they weren't perfect rather than commit the cardinal error of taking too much off.



Next job was to bore the big end to fit the end of the shaft with slight interference, a shade under .750". In case you're wondering, no I couldn't get them dead centre in the three jaw but close enough and a lot easier for me to set up. Luckily my little boring bar had a sharp bit in it so I didn't have to worry about grinding it blind.... Quietly away with much measuring and checking....









I crept up on the bore and got both of the cranks exactly right. After I de-burred them I could just get them started on the shaft, exactly what I wanted. I shall press them on with some shaft;lock in the bore and they'll never shift. The equivalent of shrinking them on in full size practice.
So, a good morning with no cock ups! A bit of a miracle when you consider I can't see. Ready for crank pins and some finishing tomorrow....
Things got better because just as I finished the scrap lad came down the back street so I nailed him and we tipped my swarf bin into a bath he had on the wagon. Tidy!

[Stanley]

That's right, I've been spending money again! This won't break the bank.... My old soft jaws have done well, I'll bet I've been using them for over twenty years but they were getting near their sell by date so I invested in these.



The first job today was to reduce the thickness of the larger crank so it matches the other. Popping it in the 3 jaw was the easiest way to do it. All it needed was about 3/32"skimming off.



Soon done, exactly the same as each other. I checked the bore on them, both exactly .375" so that;s the target for the part of the pin that goes into the crank plus a thou for interference. Then, into the drawing office and sorted out dimensions of the pin. Once I had that, off to the scrap box for a bit of stock...



I found a bit of bar that was just right but when I gave it a skim to clean up the major diameter it was ropey, obviously tougher than the crank so a bit of quality sharpening.



I did a full resharpen and hone,



That did the trick, the roping vanished as I took another skim....



The first pin partially finished and just about trying to enter the bore.. That'll do for today, I'll make the blank for the next one and finish them off tomorrow. We are not on piece work!

[Stanley]

My first job this morning was to finish making the two crank pins and press them into the cranks.



Exciting stuff and all went well.



There was no0 doubt about the next job.Put the cranks on the ends of the shaft, making sure that the LP crank was 90 degrees in advance of the HP. I've never really cracked why thee o9ld engineers did it that way. In theory it doesn't matter whether it's leading or trailing....



N ext job is to maker the foundation plates for the bearing pedestals. Normally they would be fastened to the bed but I have decided I am not going to get trapped into making a full engine so all I am after is something to mount on a wooden bed



Mrs McMaster sprang to my aid.... There is nothing quite as relaxing as listening to the chunking of a power saw working in the next room while you have a smoke.....



It only took about 15 minutes to knock off these two strips. In case you're wondering what the triangular bit on the left hand one is, there is a bad patch of scale on the stock and I was just into the edge of it. I cut the second piece off the other end. No problem, I have plenty of meat to go at. I thought kind things about Mick and Dave as the saw did the work for me....

[Stanley]

Today's job is to convert the two rusty pieces of scrap into support blocks for the bearing pedestals... If you remember4, I commented yesterday on the thick scale. I examined the remainder of the block this morning and it's not scale, it's been badly rolled and this must be the end of the strip so it's laminated. It should never have got out of the mill!



The usual drill, sharpen the cutter and set about making two shiny square blocks the same as each other. I started with the one I thought was the least likely to be flawed and it was OK.



One down and one to go.



The next one was bad so I started with the bad side first. Dodgy milling as flakes broke off under the cutter but I persevered....



This is what I finished up with at knocking off time. This is the bad side of the second block but that's OK it can be the bottom side. The other face and the ends are fine and I've adjusted it so it is the same length as the other.
So there you are, the dangers of working with old scrap metal but I've been lucky, I've got away with it and funnily enough it gives my puritanical side a lot of satisfaction. I've saved that lump of metal! Waste not want not!

[Stanley]

Today's job is to drill and tap the mounting blocks for the pedestals and arrange for the holding down bolts to the wooden dummy bad. The first job w2as to make sure there were clear fitting marks on all the components of this side. Get the transfer punches out to mark the bolt holes and mark for the 1/4" holding down bolts. So some careful measuring and marking....



The first one finished. I never fail to wonder at the amount of tackle you need out on the bench....



The first one complete and hung on the shaft.



Close of play, I have the second block drilled and tapped and ready to re-unite with the pedestal. That's for tomorrow.... The next job is to walk Jack, have my dinner and scrub up for this afternoon's eye operation. Question is will I be able to se3e any better tomorrow.....

[Bodger]

Stanley, are your eye problems cataracts ?, that is what ive been diagnosed with, reading todays news they say that an operation is not necessary and that new eye drops will disolve the cataracts ?

[Stanley]

No Bodge, see Medical matters for a description posted by Plaques and my report on the operation yesterday.... All is well....

[Tizer]

Bodger, the new method of dissolving cataracts has been demonstrated in isolated human eye lens and in rabbits and dogs but tests have yet to be done on humans. It looks very promising. One big advantage is that the substance they use to dissolve the cataract is lanosterol which is is a harmless constituent of wool wax, lanolin. The scientists discovered the idea because they found that the eyes of people without cataracts produce lanosterol but those with cataracts have lost this ability. Another great bit of science to help the world! And see also my mention of the bionic eye here: LINK

[Stanley]

It didn't take long to finish mounting the pedestals this morning. Wonderful to be able to see! Vernier scales are no problem now. However, there is a downside, I can see every flaw in what I have done but have decided to ignore that!



The cut off saw doesn't often get an outing but this morning I had to address the beds. It just so happened I had some well seasoned English oak about my person so I got the saw out and cut it into bite sized chunks....



By 10AM I had measured up, designed what I wanted and cut the wood. I didn't feel like starting woodworking and anyway I had other fish to fry. I had some sewing to do, three tabs to put into waistcoats for hanging them up and a stitch in time on my shopping bag as the handle was giving way. So the next half hour was taken up by make do and mend. All accomplished (dead easy threading needles now!).Not a bad morning's work and so nice to be able to see.....

[Bodger]

Tizer, thanks

[Stanley]

Mick is supposed to be impressed by this... Today's job is to get a finish on the beds so the first thing was to get the smoothing plane out and I decided it was about time the blade was touched up. You'll be glad to know that this fine India stone is perfectly flat and is not used for anything other than plane irons....



This is even more likely to impress him. Honing the blade on a leather covered block after sharpening. The proper dressing for a strop is jewellers rouge mixed with mutton fat that hasn't seen any salt but I didn't have any so I used some superfine lapping paste thinned down with oil.... The blade is as sharp as a razor.....



Then I rooted out the orbital sander, fitted a new abrasive and sanded the blocks. Cleared up the dust and shavings (woodworking is so bloody messy!), wiped the blocks with some cotton wool soaked in Oil of Terebinth (I didn't have any white spirit but this is even better, the original Turpentine) and got the yacht varnish and a clean brush out.



Half an hour later and clocking off time. The blocks varnished and drying off. The main reason for varnishing them is that if I don't seal the surface I'll get oily stains on the wood when I am fitting the beds. Next job is to work out how to fasten the beds together with the small spacers. At the moment I'm tending towards dowels and glue.... But that's for tomorrow.... Now for the Hungarian GP!

[Stanley]

My varnished bed blocks have been in the warmth of the kitchen drying all night but are still not perfectly dry. I shall take a view later this morning about whether to give them another day.....

[Stanley]

It took me a while to get in the shed because when I went into a cupboard to find the 3/8" dowels with ribs in for the glue that I knew I had I saw all the muck in the cupboard! Having 20/20 vision has its drawbacks. So after half and hours deep cleaning I was ready and here we are. I had to do some careful measuring to get the positions for drilling for the dowels exactly matching each other.



I taped the drill to give me the depth and cracked on....



Not long afterwards I had the blocks assembled and dowelled together with wood glue on the tightly fitting dowels, they had to be hammered together. I decided there was no need for cramps. I got the dowel positions reasonably right, the assembly sits nicely on the bench. Notice the template punch in the hole in the mounting block.



Close of play... The blocks are marked ready for the holding down bolts. Tomorrow I'll drill them and and get the bed bolted down. (I have a clean cupboard as well!)

[Stanley]

I left the bed on the surface plate overnight. This was what I found this morning. It's not from direct contact with the Evostick wood glue, it's just the vapour that caused these rust marks. First job was to polish them off and oil the plate again. I don't know what's in it but it can't half generate rust! Then I stuck a sheet of sandpaper on to the plate and rubbed the base of the comp[lete bed down until it was perfectly flat and clean.



I was originally going to drill right through the bed and put a 1/4" bolt right the way through but I had some 1/4" whit set screws about so I drilled and tapped the blocks. They are dry oak and it will be fine.



That'll do, a nice solid job.



I wanted to glue baize on the bottom of the beds so that they won't scratch anything they're put on. This was where I got into all sorts of trouble! I had an aerosol spray of layout impact glue, just the thing for the baize... I shook the can and it was still liquid even though I have had it for years. I cleaned the jet out but no joy so I decided to punch a hole in the top. No problem and a gentle escape of reduced pressure from the hole. Being a clever resourceful bugger I decided to tip the can and use this gentle escape to spray the adhesive out. When I tipped the can the pressure suddenly rose and the glue sprayed out all right! All over the place!



It even reached the doormat into the house! So I started cleaning up and trimming the baize off the beds. It took a while but I got there in the end. I scrubbed the glue on the doormat into the pile with my boots. No way it could have been removed!



I needed a clean tablecloth as well. By the way, if you're thinking these images aren't as crisp as usual you're right. I must have got some muck on the lens this morning but I've had a good clean and it's OK now.



Close of play. I've left the finished bed and flywheel cocked up like this in the kitchen to allow the impact glue to dry properly before putting it on a clean surface. That'll do for today, off to get a dongle!

[Stanley]

The glue has dried but I know from experience adhesives can linger in the felt so this morning I gave it a coat of furniture polish. I reckon the wax will soak in and prevent any problems....



I did this pic to see whether cleaning the lens and the focussing element had made any difference to the quality. I think it worked!

[Stanley]

Today was slightly different. I'm calling the flywheel finished, it's mounted on its beds and it is what it is. No way am I going to get locked into years of work.... When I was clearing the space for the power saw and re-arranging storage I put a big weatherproof box under the bench outside that has a lot of good stuff in it but they are big lumps and will live quite happily out there. In order to make room for it I had to ditch the old drawer with the cloth in the bottom which was the bad weather refuge of Top Cat who lives in the street and spends most of her time outside when her companion animal Ian is at work. Many a time she stays out all night as well. This has been on my mind and was reinforced yesterday when I saw her sat in the rain and looking thoroughly miserable and I decided to do something about it. Much of the box is rotten but there was enough good wood left to cut it down to a size that would fit in the space. Message for Mick, this is not cabinet making it's shed building!



After a bit of measuring, sawing and nail banging I had a reasonably strong box with a good padding of cloth in the bottom.



Here it is in place under the bench. Now I shall just have to wait to see if she approves....



One bonus from the exercise was that when I examined the drawer pull I took off the old box I found it was a very nice brass casting. It was very dirty and spattered with paint but when I wire brushed it I found it was a lovely little casting. This could be the time to repeat my tip about sharpening wire brushes, something I fondly believe I invented. Take the wire brush and draw it across the face a the grinding wheel while it's running. This sharpens the tips of the wire bristles and you'll find it makes an amazing difference, it actually cuts and soon shifts the muck and corrosion. One word of caution, be careful not to breathe the dust in, it is toxic and can have a very bad effect on you.....
I had a good clean up in the shed, looked round and decided there were other things to do rather than just potter about which is what I would have ended up doing.

[Pluggy]

Heart warming tale about providing for a neighbours moggy Stanley.

[Stanley]

Glad you think so Pluggy, I'm an old softy at heart.... Mind you, when I see the way she bullies Jack I wonder why I bother. She is one of those Top Cats which fear nothing and are totally independent. No sign of her trying the new day bed out yet but she'll find it eventually.
As for shed work, none, I wrote two articles and did a bunch of cooking. There was one vaguely related task, wire brushing the wire grill from my grill pan, does that count as a shed matter?

[Stanley]

I was a bit busy this morning and by the time I'd dealt with the essentials It was 09:45 when I got in the shed. However... the good news is that I have identified the next project.



You'll all recognise this I think, the Picador drill sharpening jig which is excellent and only has one fault, I can't use it for my bigger drills. I have to sharpen them freehand.



Many years ago I won this very old but extremely well made sharpening jig for large drills. It has sat in the treasure chest all that time, dirty but oiled up so all the parts are free.



The first job was to strip it down, that got me to knocking off time so tomorrow I am ready for a good clean up and re-assemble. Then I have to work out how I make a mount for it permanently in place on the grinder.....