bottles

Thanks all, Makes sense running the higher hp only. Also thought HP was a standard value, not different between petrol/gasoline and electric? Andrew

Hi all, I have been looking at hi-lo (two stage) pumps and have become confused of what size motor they require. Do you calculate motor by adding both sides of the pump together or only one side doing the most work? Looking at Batson he is giving lower HP compared to supply houses? Yours in confusion. To give you some idea of my dilema, a 8 gpm two stage pump stated as requiring a 5 hp motor to run. By Batson calculations the high pressure side runs at 1.6 gpm @ 3000psi needs 3hp the low pressure runs 4.6 gpm @ 900 psi needs 2.5hp. Batson has examples of 8gpm needing 3hp while the supply houses state that the larger (16gpm) need 13+ hp to run. I am restricted to using electric and 4KW (5hp)phase conveter. Thanks Andrew

Easiest way would be to look for mastermyr. A viking (10th C)trunk of blcksmiths/carpenters equipment found in scandinavia about 1950. There are good pictures/drawings and a group of blacksmiths making a complete replica of the find. Good luck Andrew

The main issue I can see is that you want to forge after 9pm or at weekends. A power hammer will do the forging but not help with the neighbours. Hydraulic press or large fly press seems like the way forward. No idea what fly press costs where you are but would only be affordable 2nd hand = time+ right price/distance. Hydraulics leave you with two options. Air over hydraulics vs full hydralic. air over hydraulic seems a cheap home solution to solve this problem. Dowan side is the cost of compressors and the speed/force. Video's I've seen dont look as though they would be economicla for your size of work. Full hydraulics look as though they will have all the power you want to engineer into the system. Have a look around here or on Youtube for ideas of what hydraulic press's can do. They weem to have low noise and huge capacity. The press's I've seen have been old proffessional 150TON+ very quiet compared to power hammers. Have you seen Batesons book or versions of C or H frame press's? These versions seem affordable if you can do the welding yourself. But may be outside your present price bracket. Try and see if you can see and try a few power hammers and different types of press's. This will teach you a lot of whats possible and the noise produced and any issues re foundations and pros and cons. Another route is to look at rolling mills. The Mcdonald rolling mill is designed to be home made and draw out stock. If you are working damscus this might be worth looking at. Andrew

Hi, Here are a couple of online links for making calipers for golden ratio's. http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/22610/golden-mean-caliper or a slightly more compicated version http://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/golden-mean-calipers-115382/ Andrew

I have ridden a lot in armour and made this set of armour for use in re-enacted acted demonstrations. The helmet gave several issues trying to get it to stay on heads without causing big neck issues. Andrew

Hi, I really like seeing the various copies of Neds armour. Here are some images of a set I made several years ago. All from 6mm mild. The most amazing thing I find about these armours is one has been analized to be mild steel, only 15 years or so after bessemer converters were made and they are using them for ploughs in the back blocks of OZ. Andrew OC I dont think these were made for use on horse back. As they weighed between 87-125 lbs depending on the armour IIRC. I believe that they were carried to Glenrowan then used when they became surrounded. I would also hate to ride with any of the helms at all due to having NO fixings/chin straps and only using teacosy liners as padding. I would also say they wouldn't have used these for riding as Ned and one other armour had a fauld/lower plate below the breastplate. Andrew

I used to use a hand cranked forge. But got sick of constantly winding the handle for ages to get to hit a bit of red hot metal. I had an old bathroom fan which I taped onto the air inlet on the hand crank blower. This gave a constant low level air blast that keptthe fire lit. Then when you put the work back in all of the effort of hand cranking went into heating the work not building the fire up again. Andrew

Great score there monkey. I am no expert on milling machines but it looks more like a drill press with an adjustable base. It may be able to mill small/light pieces like ali or brass(?) but may not survive long for proper milling. As for books check out your local library for engineering books. You may get some good ideas there. Or visit your local technical college to check out there library and or talk to the engineering teachers or technicians for ideas. Andrew

Hi Ian, Yes I am one and the same. Though I no longer work at the Armouries at Leeds. I was made redundent last May. Problem of not climbing the corporate ladder high enough. Middle managers are always vunerable. Glad to hear I inspired some people along the way. I dont get down to london all that much but where abouts in London? Andrew

Hi All Well I think I have found the problem. Now all I need is to find a large spanner. Nudge I think its the same problem as you had. The screw used to be very loose where it joins the ram. Its now almost locked tight. Well I think the press was getting tired as well as my shoulder. Andrew

Hi All, My denbeigh no3 press has been working great untill this morning. After drawing out billets 1" x 1/4" billets for 3 hours its starting to seize up! Oiled up the ram/triangular bit and no real difference. Took out the side leveling plate to see if anything is creating friction. Nothing there and the resistence is still there so I am assuming its in the screw? The screw goes up and down and I can't see anything that could be causing the resistance. Or how anything got in as there is a collar above the screw. Do I have to take the whole screw apart to clean out the screw box section? What else could be going on. I need to do a load more work in the next few weeks with it. If I need to regrease are ther any particular greases to use or avoid? Thanks andrew

don't forget to cut some fringe on the bottom left side! Why left? whats wrong with a full fringe? Andrew

Hi All, I have an old leg vice that works but the jaws dont align. Not a real problem but it doesn't hold work very well. Flying steel is starting to get to me. So I want to get the face's level but I am not too sure of the best way to get these level. I dont have any big machinery but not too keen on filing by hand. Also is there any particular angle the vertical face of the vice should be. Thanks in advance. Andrew