Woodwork and metalwork

[plantfit 7,593]

Thats the one CT, thanks for posting, I'll have to have a good clearout of my old tools,spanners and such as I don't use them anymore,some Whitworth stuff,A/F and metric, I think there might be a few B/A as well, a lot of the metric stuff is in the larger sizes upto about 36mm,and some of the smaller sized taps and dies mainly metric

 

Rog

[philmayfield 6,129]

Very useful when I’m working on my Grey Fergie tractor. Oh how I love old technology!

[Compo 10,328]

I still have some of my old "Mighty Whitworth" spanners, Rog.  When I see them it brings back many memories of heavy engineering days at the NCB.

[Brew 5,414]

When I cleared my dads there was over 3cwt of imperial tools that went to the scrapyard. Made me sad that a mans working life went for scrap especially as he was so proud of his collection gathered over half a century.

[loppylugs 8,429]

I'm keeping all mine.  It will give the kids summat to do.  They can keep it or dump it.  It won't be bothering me. 

[Compo 10,328]

SMBO's has her dad's sea chest.  He was a ship's carpenter and his home-made tool chest still contains his tools from the 1930s.

[plantfit 7,593]

You'll not have one of these in your collection (I think) a space spanner as seen today at the National Space Center

 

 

probably come in useful for changing spark plugs on the space shuttle

 

Rog

 

 

[loppylugs 8,429]

I need one a them..  Don't know what for but it might come in useful for summat. 

[plantfit 7,593]

Me anall Loppy

 

Rog

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

Not many know but Mr Joseph Whitworth of thread fame also made a black powder rifle back in the mid 1800s. The rifle was .451 calibre using polygonal rifling, during army trials in 1857 it was proved the rifle could hit a target at 2000 yards an immense distance at the time. It was extremely accurate over 1000/1200 yards and became the rifle of choice for the snipers of the American civil war.

 

The British army turned it down because the barrel fouled after only a few shots, originals and replicas used in target shooting today are usually cleaned after every shot to maintain the accuracy.

[MargieH 7,600]

3 hours ago, Brew said:

When I cleared my dads there was over 3cwt of imperial tools that went to the scrapyard. Made me sad that a mans working life went for scrap especially as he was so proud of his collection gathered over half a century.

 

That is sad, Brew...  

[PeverilPeril 3,281]

Finished the solid oak wheel for the scratter today. The grain patterns are too nice for the wheel to be painted so it will be oiled and waxed.

I was given an antique electric motor on Monday and had a close look at it today. Fascinating thing, maybe 100 years old. It a British Batwin 1/2 hp single phase 220v ac and it weighs a hefty 40 kg! Each end sports an oiler with flip up lid. I am as yet baffled by the mechanism on the supply end of the motor. Some sort of spring loaded adjustment which I assume is for the brushes. The pulley end has a 4 jaw chuck screwed to the heavy V pulley. The wiring has had oil on it and burnt, so the end casting will be removed and new wiring with heavy insulation will be fitted.

If anyone has imperial taps and dies going cheap please let me know - also metric over 12 m/m. The above motor has 5/16" Whit screws holding the chuck on and some of the older stuff I come across is bsf or whit.

[siddha 825]

17 minutes ago, PeverilPeril said:

If anyone has imperial taps and dies going cheap please let me know - also metric over 12 m/m. The above motor has 5/16" Whit screws holding the chuck on and some of the older stuff I come across is bsf or whit.

I have a fair few imperial taps and dies that I use when circumstances require. I wouldn't sell any but am happy to lend you some if you cannot get what you need.

[Willow wilson 894]

These are what we used in school metalwork. They were used for the very satisfying sheet aluminium work. Once a bowl had been made it was finished with plannishing hammers. The hard bit was raising a flat base underneath the bowl using a dolly and without splitting the edges of the base.

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

^^^^^Very similar to the lead mallets we use to dress lead. My first apprenticeship piece was a lead mug from a flat sheet of 4lb lead, my last a spirit can for the meths lamp, but that had to include some lead burning.

 

That reminds me I still have the lamp somewhere will have to dig it out.

[plantfit 7,593]

If you see anything you want just come and fetch it FOC

 

 

Rog

[MargieH 7,600]

Rog, are you sure some of these spanners aren't the same?  

And aren't there special spanners you can buy that adjust to whatever sized nut needs unscrewing or tweaking?

[plantfit 7,593]

Margie,I have got adjustable spanners and they have their limited uses but as every engineer/fitter knows you don't put your full weight behind them else you'll end up with no knuckles or worse,when I was working 60 feet up in the air on static plant I needed a spanner I could rely on not sommat that was going to throw me off the top, yes you are right some of the spanners are the same size and some are very similar but when you are undoing or tightening bolts you need one spanner on the bolt and one on the nut hence the same size

 

Rog

[DJ360 6,728]

20 hours ago, NewBasfordlad said:

Not many know but Mr Joseph Whitworth of thread fame also made a black powder rifle back in the mid 1800s. The rifle was .451 calibre using polygonal rifling, during army trials in 1857 it was proved the rifle could hit a target at 2000 yards an immense distance at the time. It was extremely accurate over 1000/1200 yards and became the rifle of choice for the snipers of the American civil war.

 

The British army turned it down because the barrel fouled after only a few shots, originals and replicas used in target shooting today are usually cleaned after every shot to maintain the accuracy.

 

Whitworth Street in Manchester is named after old Joseph.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whitworth_Street

 

Also interesting to look at the history of Armstrong-Whitworth in the engineering context.  Armstrong, Whitworth, Vickers, Siddely, Elswick etc, were massive engineering concerns a hundred years ago and iinvolved in amaments, shipuilding, aircraft, locomotives and no doubt lots more.  I recall the pushbike brand Elswick Hopper still being about in the 1960s. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armstrong_Whitworth

[DJ360 6,728]

Regarding tools, I'm not planning on doing any more serious work on cars, washing machines or anything else.  So, I'll be having a bit of a clearout of older and cruder tools like big old 'box' ( tubular) spanners etc.  I may still have a very small number of pre metric taps and dies lurking and anyone who wants them will be welcome.

Col

 

[plantfit 7,593]

It's beginning to look like it's time to have a good clear out,no point hanging on to them if they aren't going to get used again

 

Rog

[loppylugs 8,429]

If I ever reach ninety I'll probably still be saying, better keep that, I might need it one of these days.  

[plantfit 7,593]

The time has come Loppy to get rid of a lot of my stuff especially after reading some of the posts on here,if anything happened to me I wouldn't want my kids to have the worry of getting rid of my stuff "because it was dads" I would sooner throw it away or let someone else get some use out of it

 

Rog

[loppylugs 8,429]

I don't disagree with you Rog.  It is just so hard to do.   Not just tools but old slide and movie projectors, Lps and even CDs. They will probably not want them, but to us they still have some sentimental value.  We remember taking those films of holidays, camping trips etc.. I just don't know.  Who knows they might even regain some value as time goes by even if only as collectors items.  Just dumping them seems almost criminal.

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

 

Talk about hanging on to things this is a true 'blow lamp' issued to me on my 18th birthday, I borrowed it when I left EMGAS.

 

I couldn't part with it as when you need one nothing else will do the job, fill with meth's attach mouth tube, other end of tube in your gob and blow. With enough puff it will solder 22mm copper fittings but the real beauty is that in trained hands the heat is so controllable you can solder lead gas joints upside down, OK when you first start it's painful with blisters all over your hands and arms but as my man said "That just helps you learn faster", full of compassion those guys.