Another hobby development

[pargyle]

AEI was acquired by GEC in 1967 so that probably dates the lathe as earlier than that ... nothing wrong with these old machines - My first woodturning lathe is a Myford ML8 from 1964... still going strong although not used much these days as my goto lathe is a more recent Hegner ...many a good tune played on an old fiddle. Unlike modern machinery they were over-engineered, built to last and with only modest lubrication would outlive the owner. I also have a Harrison Union Graduate bowl turning lathe of 1960's vintage and a Startrite Inca planer thicknesser (Swiss made) of similar age. The lack of safety features on the latter is very scary but I still have all my fingers and I treat it with the respect it deserves !

 

[Gilberdyke John]

AEI was acquired by GEC in 1967 so that probably dates the lathe as earlier than that ... nothing wrong with these old machines - My first woodturning lathe is a Myford ML8 from 1964... still going strong although not used much these days as my goto lathe is a more recent Hegner ...many a good tune played on an old fiddle. Unlike modern machinery they were over-engineered, built to last and with only modest lubrication would outlive the owner. I also have a Harrison Union Graduate bowl turning lathe of 1960's vintage and a Startrite Inca planer thicknesser (Swiss made) of similar age. The lack of safety features on the latter is very scary but I still have all my fingers and I treat it with the respect it deserves !

Respect of machinery was drilled into me during my very first lesson in the metalwork shop. My teacher was Stan Foster who had an excellent way of convincing us failure to keep our body parts out of the dangerous/moving bits of machinery was inadvisable. A carrot in a machine hacksaw slide was a useful prop. No one wanted a finger in two pieces. There were remote stop buttons strategically placed around the workshop and pressing any one of them cut the power to all the machines in the workshop. His words were "if you hear screaming don't ask who just hit the nearest button". In my entire school attendance I can't recall a single metalwork shop injury. Games was a different matter with pupils going to casualty in the nearby hospital with broken bones, sprains and torn ears at odd times. No doubt there'd be litigation nowadays.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

AEI was acquired by GEC in 1967 so that probably dates the lathe as earlier than that ... nothing wrong with these old machines - My first woodturning lathe is a Myford ML8 from 1964... still going strong although not used much these days as my goto lathe is a more recent Hegner ...many a good tune played on an old fiddle. Unlike modern machinery they were over-engineered, built to last and with only modest lubrication would outlive the owner. I also have a Harrison Union Graduate bowl turning lathe of 1960's vintage and a Startrite Inca planer thicknesser (Swiss made) of similar age. The lack of safety features on the latter is very scary but I still have all my fingers and I treat it with the respect it deserves !

If memory serves correctly AEI took over BTH (British Thompson Houston) prior to that. There was a factory in Thorne but I don't know much about that place. My first job was at GEC Telecommunications and I do recall Albert Weinstock organizing the takeover of AEI although down in the lower levels it didn't create much difference to the job.

 

[Penninetrader]

Well that triggered a few memories, was pondering yesterday due to your project, I was out clearing road gullies in conjunction with some work being done by council lads so my mind sets to drifting. I wonder to myself if a current day 11/12 year old confronted with an engineering workshop of full size lathes, milling machines, those powered hacksaws, a forge and an array of tools and workbenches, would survive unscathed. First job, learn how to file accurately, make dovetail marker, make tapered and knurled center pop, make poker for fire. Then onto more serious projects.

 

[Penninetrader]

Your Mention of Thorne, I refit a kitchen and some associated work to a detached house in Thorne, from memory it was on the outskirts at the time as crop fields were next door neighbours to it. The owner being someone indirectly related, they were moving there as husband was new manager of a Littlewoods store in that region. Very nice place.

 

[pargyle]

Well that triggered a few memories, was pondering yesterday due to your project, I was out clearing road gullies in conjunction with some work being done by council lads so my mind sets to drifting. I wonder to myself if a current day 11/12 year old confronted with an engineering workshop of full size lathes, milling machines, those powered hacksaws, a forge and an array of tools and workbenches, would survive unscathed. First job, learn how to file accurately, make dovetail marker, make tapered and knurled center pop, make poker for fire. Then onto more serious projects.

That was exactly my experience as an 11/12 year old at my grammar school in Mexborough ... we did either metalwork or woodwork and I opted for metalwork in the first year - I learned to file making a spanner out of a piece of steel bar as the first project, then, in the open hearth forge I made a wrought iron fire set stand, turned a steel poker with a knurled handle threaded to go on it, a planished copper ashtray with turned brass feet amongst other things. The metalwork teacher, Mr Myers (Jerry as he was known to us sprogs) was ancient and as far as I recall almost dangerous in what we were permitted to use ... but, apart from a deep scar still on my right hand where the hacksaw slipped off the metal and the metal I was cutting sheared a sizeable lump off the base of my thumb (patched up with stitches at the local hospital) I don't think there were many accidents. Lathes, mills, power hacksaws, pillar drills ... we were taught to use them as pre-teenagers. Lunchtime sessions supervised by sixth formers were permitted and encouraged without a teacher present. All seems so unlikely in this day and age ...but I learnt so much that has stood me in good stead since.

I transferred to woodwork in year three and stuck with that for my remaining school days - again using tools and equipment that were capable of inflicting serious injury encouraged with a few instructions - like, 'always cut with your hands and your body behind the cutting edge not in front of it' ... seems obvious but it's a lesson for life !

I think the absence of these fully equipped metalwork and woodwork shops in schools these days has led to a generation that are, in many cases, incapable of using any sort of tools, let alone machine tools. Engineers for the large part work on computers whilst CNC machines do the work .. car mechanics who ask the car's computer what is wrong and then replace the whole component.

The ability, these days, to disassemble an electric motor, recut the communtator, replace bearings and bushes ? Lost art left to a few of us dinosaurs of a past age that were taught and encouraged to REPAIR things ...not chuck them away and replace them. No wonder the world is becoming flooded with rubbish.

 

[pargyle]

Your Mention of Thorne, I refit a kitchen and some associated work to a detached house in Thorne, from memory it was on the outskirts at the time as crop fields were next door neighbours to it. The owner being someone indirectly related, they were moving there as husband was new manager of a Littlewoods store in that region. Very nice place.

I used to go to Thorne to fish in the Stainforth and Keadby canal, back in the day, about 18 miles each way on my bike with my rods strapped to the crossbar and my wickerwork tackle box/seat on my back.

 

[Penninetrader]

That was exactly my experience as an 11/12 year old at my grammar school in Mexborough ... we did either metalwork or woodwork and I opted for metalwork in the first year - I learned to file making a spanner out of a piece of steel bar as the first project, then, in the open hearth forge I made a wrought iron fire set stand, turned a steel poker with a knurled handle threaded to go on it, a planished copper ashtray with turned brass feet amongst other things. The metalwork teacher, Mr Myers (Jerry as he was known to us sprogs) was ancient and as far as I recall almost dangerous in what we were permitted to use ... but, apart from a deep scar still on my right hand where the hacksaw slipped off the metal and the metal I was cutting sheared a sizeable lump off the base of my thumb (patched up with stitches at the local hospital) I don't think there were many accidents. Lathes, mills, power hacksaws, pillar drills ... we were taught to use them as pre-teenagers. Lunchtime sessions supervised by sixth formers were permitted and encouraged without a teacher present. All seems so unlikely in this day and age ...but I learnt so much that has stood me in good stead since.

I transferred to woodwork in year three and stuck with that for my remaining school days - again using tools and equipment that were capable of inflicting serious injury encouraged with a few instructions - like, 'always cut with your hands and your body behind the cutting edge not in front of it' ... seems obvious but it's a lesson for life !

I think the absence of these fully equipped metalwork and woodwork shops in schools these days has led to a generation that are, in many cases, incapable of using any sort of tools, let alone machine tools. Engineers for the large part work on computers whilst CNC machines do the work .. car mechanics who ask the car's computer what is wrong and then replace the whole component.

The ability, these days, to disassemble an electric motor, recut the communtator, replace bearings and bushes ? Lost art left to a few of us dinosaurs of a past age that were taught and encouraged to REPAIR things ...not chuck them away and replace them. No wonder the world is becoming flooded with rubbish.

Mexborough, you will know Goldthorpe, I have spent quite a lot of time there these last few years redeveloping some property. Good news if you are not aware, things are improving considerably there.

 

[pargyle]

Mexborough, you will know Goldthorpe, I have spent quite a lot of time there these last few years redeveloping some property. Good news if you are not aware, things are improving considerably there.

I knew Goldthorpe well ..one of my school friends lived there - mining community that has taken a long time to recover from the pit closures - now becoming a des res suburb of Doncaster/Barnsley I understand.

Last time I was there I was devastated. Streets of houses like this ...

 

[Gilberdyke John]

That was exactly my experience as an 11/12 year old at my grammar school in Mexborough ... we did either metalwork or woodwork and I opted for metalwork in the first year - I learned to file making a spanner out of a piece of steel bar as the first project, then, in the open hearth forge I made a wrought iron fire set stand, turned a steel poker with a knurled handle threaded to go on it, a planished copper ashtray with turned brass feet amongst other things. The metalwork teacher, Mr Myers (Jerry as he was known to us sprogs) was ancient and as far as I recall almost dangerous in what we were permitted to use ... but, apart from a deep scar still on my right hand where the hacksaw slipped off the metal and the metal I was cutting sheared a sizeable lump off the base of my thumb (patched up with stitches at the local hospital) I don't think there were many accidents. Lathes, mills, power hacksaws, pillar drills ... we were taught to use them as pre-teenagers. Lunchtime sessions supervised by sixth formers were permitted and encouraged without a teacher present. All seems so unlikely in this day and age ...but I learnt so much that has stood me in good stead since.

I transferred to woodwork in year three and stuck with that for my remaining school days - again using tools and equipment that were capable of inflicting serious injury encouraged with a few instructions - like, 'always cut with your hands and your body behind the cutting edge not in front of it' ... seems obvious but it's a lesson for life !

I think the absence of these fully equipped metalwork and woodwork shops in schools these days has led to a generation that are, in many cases, incapable of using any sort of tools, let alone machine tools. Engineers for the large part work on computers whilst CNC machines do the work .. car mechanics who ask the car's computer what is wrong and then replace the whole component.

The ability, these days, to disassemble an electric motor, recut the communtator, replace bearings and bushes ? Lost art left to a few of us dinosaurs of a past age that were taught and encouraged to REPAIR things ...not chuck them away and replace them. No wonder the world is becoming flooded with rubbish.

Further progress today. My grandson turned up this morning to do some jobs in his workshop and using his plasma cutting machinery made me a couple of extended arms for a drunken octopus puller to detach the end caps and rotor bearings from the electric motor. Having got them apart I then cleaned out various cobwebs and detritus from the stator. The centrifugal switch operates cleanly but the bearings do need replacing. Sadly I can't make out a size code and being imperial it's going to need a trip to George Lodges in Hessle on Monday.

 

[Penninetrader]

Further progress today. My grandson turned up this morning to do some jobs in his workshop and using his plasma cutting machinery made me a couple of extended arms for a drunken octopus puller to detach the end caps and rotor bearings from the electric motor. Having got them apart I then cleaned out various cobwebs and detritus from the stator. The centrifugal switch operates cleanly but the bearings do need replacing. Sadly I can't make out a size code and being imperial it's going to need a trip to George Lodges in Hessle on Monday.

The bearing people should have no problem identifying those. When sorted it should outlast us all

 

[pargyle]

Further progress today. My grandson turned up this morning to do some jobs in his workshop and using his plasma cutting machinery made me a couple of extended arms for a drunken octopus puller to detach the end caps and rotor bearings from the electric motor. Having got them apart I then cleaned out various cobwebs and detritus from the stator. The centrifugal switch operates cleanly but the bearings do need replacing. Sadly I can't make out a size code and being imperial it's going to need a trip to George Lodges in Hessle on Monday.

Ir's still going to cost a fraction of the price of a new replacment ... as long as you don't count your labour in !

 

[Gilberdyke John]

]

The bearing people should have no problem identifying those. When sorted it should outlast us all

Hopefully so. Price might be in the bank loan region for inch size bearings. When i was with the Glucose Refinery we were part of Tate & Lyle group and could get 65% group discount on metric standard bearings. There must have been some hellish profits to be made in the business in the 1970s

 

[Penninetrader]

]
Hopefully so. Price might be in the bank loan region for inch size bearings. When i was with the Glucose Refinery we were part of Tate & Lyle group and could get 65% group discount on metric standard bearings. There must have been some hellish profits to be made in the business in the 1970s

Yep, bearings are something I have used plenty of, big discounts are the norm.mic them up and check online pricing. As you will be aware there is a bignrange of quality out there, old stock is the best

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

This convo just reminds me of my late great (in all terms of the word) uncle Delfryn Lloyd my paternal grandmother's brother in law who (with my aunty Ei) stepped in to fill the gap when my grandparents died and me just a nipper. He worked in the maintenance workshop of the local engineering factory Cyc Ark (later Crompton Parkinson's) and when he died, as executor of the estate was left with a puzzling ammunition chest full of weird and wonderful tools - mostly home made, some stainless steel (plenty going spare in CycArc) the majority I can only describe as sometimes three foot long Allen keys with a 't' handle and other weird tools all imperial measurments of course. My grandfather (mother's father who was a stores manager in the same Grenfell factory and uncle Del's close friend) told me they were tools they had manufactured to enable them to fix the lathes etc. without having to dismantle the whole thing to get to the problem. My grandfather volunteered to put the lot in his shed, but nobody wanted them and when he died they ended up in the scrap bin.
Sadly there's only so many sheds, and so many excuses to justify hoarding that a man can own before stuff has to go.
Funnily enough, it was only a few days ago, whilst having an audit of my Port collection (which is stashed in the cupboard under the stairs) I found a tobacco tin full of Uncle Del's allen keys that I thought may come in handy one day.
It also reminded me I need to drink more port as one is at least over forty years old and needs decanting.