Leaderboard

The C-121 (Black Horse) has been standing idle for a while, awaiting a damage hub having a new key way cut. That done and hub back on, everything seemed to work as it should. Except when starting the engine. Or I should say, trying to start the engine. All that happened was the solenoid made strange noises. Flat battery? Check and fully charged. Solenoid only just over a year old but gave it a tap anyway. Nothing happened. Bypassed it. Nothing. Touching a wire from battery live to starter motor, spun the motor and turned the engine. All earths and battery terminals cleaned up with emery cloth and tightened. Still nothing. By now I was running out of ideas so what could I try? Now the battery leads do not have clamps on the ends. Eyelets held to the terminals with hex head self tapping screws. I know, not the best of ideas, but been ok for well over a year. Anyway, I'll put new screws in thinks I, even though the existing ones hold things tight. New screws and washers later, normal service was resumed. Pity I didn't change the screws in the first place, but who'd have thought it?. Terminal clamps WILL now be procured at the earliest opportunity.

A little more progress, Ewan helped me most of the weekend.

Wasn't sure where to locate this, so as it will be 95% Metal, here's as good 'a' place as any. Wanted to use the spare Villiers Mk2 Midget Engine I am rebuilding to power something stationary?, but will also need to have additional cooling. I've been thinking about what I already have laying around in parts n materials I may need and started digging them out from various storage places. Blowing the Cobwebs from my memory, I recalled back in the early 90s salvaging some parts from a 1948 Ransomes Simms & Jeffries Lawnmower, namely 2 hefty brass bearings in Plates that carry a heavy lump of (rusty) cast iron that acted as a PTO Clutch, rpm increase Gear Box and stored a lot of inertia. The Mower itself was way past fixing up. Shame, as it had a large Starter Hand Crank, the likes of which I have never seen anywhere since. Anyway, I managed to recall where they were. There's 2 remote Screw Capped Oilers, an old Line Shaft Bearing block (5/8" bore) with Brass Screw Down Greasers. Length of Box section Steel and 15/16" AF high Carbon Steel. Also dug out some stubs of 1" and 5/8" AF Brass from my Garage Door Counter weights which turned out to carry several other useful bits. Previous owner/resident of my property (60s/70s) must have been a Turner judging by the very dusty tarnished evidence- The inside of this PTO Clutch is similar to a Diff which spins freely when drive is not engaged. A large Brake Band clamps the outer surface and the planet gears inside transfer the drive to the opposite shaft at a 5:1 increase in RPM. I plan for it to act as a speed reduction unit and PTO Clutch. Condition inside is fairly good, considering there was water amongst the old grease. I need to make new heavy bushings, fit new bolts and machine the outer friction face which is pitted, but still has the 'Witness' and number marks Stamped in by the guy who first assembled/finished it- . My main intention on this project is to refresh my limited familiarity with Lathe and metalwork practices on a fair amount of old Brass, Copper, Bronze and Steel parts. I'll be using BSF, Whitworth and BSP thread forms , and I won't be in any particular hurry to finish it, so please bear with me, as even I don't know what it is to look like yet! .

Had the exhaust valve seat recut today, ground the valves in, honed the worst of the damage from the bore, then stripped, cleaned and primed the block. Found some original paint in a inaccessible part of the sump, so took this down to the local paint supplier and had some of this green mixed up. The closest match is a colour called "Linden Green"

Well if Andrew got room in his crate I could be interested.....................

Very nice Items Alan and a good teaser Thread. Just guessing with the Square, but wonder if it's for checking/setting bent tubing of a fixed diameter to 90 degrees?. The Dial Indicator is superb. I love these little precision Tools/Instruments. Reckon It is used for centring round bar or tube stock in a 4 jaw Chuck, either on the circumference, or setting the rounded Ball end in a previously centre drilled end or bore. As for the last item, I think Norm is on the ball with a Plunger type Tool. and hope he solves it for us. I can't be sure from the pics, but wonder if it has included angles of both 55deg and 60 degrees ?. If so, maybe it is for checking threads in some way?. If not, maybe for checking the 'Lead' angle of Worm Drive Gears or something?. What I can't see, is how a measurement can be taken with the instrument/tool just held in the hand, unless there is a 'Stop' or register on it that provides consistency of measurement. Edit- 4pm local. It is as Koen said (missed his link) and Norm vaguely recalls. It's a rev counter....had me stumped!.

Discretion is the better part of valour, Rhys. I've seen it, James. Go for it.

very unusual camper made by trojan the firm that made the toraktor

Your eye's were working Norm, you did see a milling machine in Nigels workshop... We did think of a slitting saw on the mill, but Nigel does not have one, so I opted for the "cheaper than buying a slitting saw" way and started turning the width off.. It's taking a while as I don't have coolent rigged up on the Mono turn lathe so I have to wait for things to cool back down every once in a while..