The Craftmans Shop > New from Old
Boxford back from the dead
AdeV:
Thanks for the offer Jeff. At this point, I'm still thinking of making a new one from blank. Although I don't have a 20DP cutter (I've got a 12DP and a 40DP, don't think I'll get away with splitting the difference :lol:), but I've still got the Edgwick, and Pete's kindly offered to cut the pinion.
As for everything else - bit of a quiet weekend. I've managed to damage my anterior cruciate ligament in my right knee, so walking around is a bit of a faff right now. I assume it's named "cruciate" because when you damage it, it's "ex-cruciate-ing"? :palm:
Also, I found I was clean out of TIG tungstens suitable for Aluminium welding (I've only got some ancient Thoriated ones left - mmm, radioactivity, tingly on the tongue), and Amazon were a bit tardy with their Sunday delivery, so I only just got the new gas lenses and tungstens that I ordered. Also, controlling the speed of the burr in the die grinder is a right royal pain, trying to spin it at a slow enough rate on the trigger to cut a reasonable amount of metal proving to be impossible whilst also keeping it on target. I used to have a regulator valve, but it's buried somewhere in the stuff I still haven't gone through since moving into the new place.... easier to buy a new one :) Apparently, it's a voltage regulator too :scratch: I think the Chinese translator's had a glass or five of wine*...
Lastly... somewhat serendipitously, I was watching a video ("Trev's Blog") on the InterToobs the other day, about de-rusting. Wondering what his "magic solution" was.... turns out, weak citric acid! Unlike me, though, he warmed his in a bucket using an aquarium heater, and added a dash of fairy liquid (liquid dish detergent/soap for those not of a British persuasion). Next day, I get a call out of the blue from Dad, his missus has just liberated three large tea urns from her workplace. Two were spoken for, would I like the third? Damn right I would! :wave: A perfect heated de-rusting vessel :thumbup: Obviously, in its current stance, it's not a "switch on and forget" device, as it'll boil the acid, and I'm not sure that's wise - so a bit of :proj: to come - an Arduino attached to a temperature sensor and a relay should allow me to vary the temperature between ambient and very nearly boiling with consumate ease. Also, once I've finished de-rusting, I can throw a few teabags in there and have lemon tea :lol:
Next jobs, then: The welding will now have to wait until the weekend, most likely. I need to get some suitable diameter steel - everything I have is either too big or too hard (said the bishop to the actress) or too short (retorted the actress). There's still some parts cleaning to be finished off, I'm waiting on the rear bearing to arrive; I'll pop the cup out in the next day or so. I also need a supply of paint stripper, some paint, and I want to reproduce the old Boxford plate, the speeds/feeds plate, and the the threading chart, but with a twist (I'll keep the originals for posterity). Oh... and I've decided sod it - I'm going with the black & gold paint job. If the next owner after me wants it to look exactly like it left the Boxford factory, in late Spring/early Summer 1948... they can jolly well repaint it themselves :coffee:
Thanks, by the way, to everyone who's contributed so far with suggestions, helpful information, offers of parts etc. I'm very grateful and humbled.
Oh.... I also got a shiny set of collets + drawbar from fleaBay the other day, so I look forward to fitting that! It's in close to pristine condition, looks like it just needs a dot of lube or two to help the collets slip in and out, but is otherwise pin on! I'll take some photos of that when the lathe is back together.
Meanwhile, here's some piccies of today's Amazon haul, and my new deruster.
--
* Chinese wine... is about 40-60% alcohol, and drunk in much the same manner as Tequila. It's very scary stuff, I might try using some as paint stripper...
tom osselton:
“ I've managed to damage my anterior cruciate ligament in my right knee “
I did that back in 92 mind you I snapped mine while launching myself off a 6 foot fence! It seems like I forgot how to tuck and roll! It was fixed by way of reconstructive surgery.
AdeV:
Tonight's instalment isn't really specific to the lathe.... but about derusting in general.
First - here's a link to the video I mentioned about derusting parts. The link will take you straight to the part where he's making his solution: https://youtu.be/fdTqrgq_5ag?t=214
If you're not fussed to watch - it's basically 10 grams of citric acid granules (from a well known auction site) per litre of warm water in a bucket, with a dash of washing up liquid to act as a wetting agent. He uses an aquarium heater to maintain temperature - I use a stainless steel tea urn. What the acid will do to that long term, I'm not sure... I'm sure it can't be good.
Anyway... Pictures 1-4 show a rusty chuck which came with the lathe, and picture 5 is a re-cap of what the pulleys looked like inside the headstock (although they seemed less rusty once out in daylight... not sure if that's just an artifact of the camera flash or what.
I used about 6 litres of water (about a gallon and a half in US measures), and therefore 60 grams (2oz) of citric, and just to be contrary, an Imperial Squirt (about half a metric dollop) of washing up liquid. I warmed it to around 40 degrees C (that's about degrees 40 in French measures), and added the pulleys and the chuck. After about an hour I went back to it, re-warmed it to 40 (it was only 5 degrees down from where I started it, which is quite remarkable given the complete lack of insulation on the urn), and left it overnight. In the morning, before going to work, I gave it another dose of warmth and a quick stir... then returned to it when I got home about 12 hours later. So all in, it had about 24 hours +/- in the acid, of which maybe 6 hours were above ambient.
The results are remarkable... pic 5 is what I saw when I opened the lid :bugeye: , pics 6-8 show the state of the chuck & pulleys after a quick wipe down with a rag. A remarkable transformation for such cheap ingredients! I'll definitely be looking at automating the urn so it maintains around 30-40C. It's also a lot cheaper and quicker than mixing up a massive barrel of freezing cold acid (with water straight from the glacier). Mind you, I still can't fit that leadscrew in it...
The chuck has gone back in for another night, as there's still a few spots of rust on it. Hmm, just need to find/fabricate a chuck key so I can see if it actually works! There's plenty more ancillaries to de-rust, but the cast iron bed I'll use that MC51 on a rag, it also won't fit in the urn!
That's it for now... got to rest this damn knee.
awemawson:
Ade when I use citric acid for long shafts I use a suitable length of either 110 or 150 mm underground drainage pipe stood upright and a blanking plug on the lower end.
I have a couple of such lengths and I also use them for nickel plating (after a good wash!)
Will_D:
Ade, stainless steel loves an acid.
It helps build up the Chromium Oxide layer which protects the steel.
Often after fabrication, stainless parts/installations are "passivated" by use of acid washes/soaks.
Stainless does not like stong alkaline solutions. We use this to clean home brew equipment and you dont want to leave in for more than 24 hours.
HTH
Will
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