Just finished feeding the pigs & sheep this morning, so about 7:30 and my builder says he needs the street lamp post ready for concreting in today, not next week as we'd planned due to the weather conditions. Only problem the original Victorian lamp post had been modified by some council in the past, from the standard 3" top collar to a welded on 6" flange set on heavy 2" square box section tube. Needs the flange cutting off and a 3" 'chunk' welded on to take a standard copper lamp head. Job obviously needs doing on the ground horizontal, not when concreted in. No hurry, but we're mixing the concrete now as also putting in footings for front gate pillar. OK I'll delay breakfast and get on with it !
Only bar stock of that sort of size was a length of 3" EN24 - not the best to weld to mild steel, but needs must .... mount in the lathe - skim a 2" length to clean it up, axially drill a 1.25" hole for a flexy conduit, start to part off. Going nicely using my favorite Sandvik insert style parting tool. I know I'm pushing my luck as it's only a 2mm wide tool but time is pressing - we get almost there - only 1/4" to go, and you KNOW what I'm going to say.....
Yes - I need to add £45 to the cost of erecting the lamp post - I need a new Sandvik 151.2-21-20 holder.
Finished the cut with a 1mm disk cutter in an angle grinder - and the job is up and working, but annoying - never did get breakfast
