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Autumn projects.

I'm in the throws (how DO you spell that in this context??)of restoring/building a ST P3 to drive a turn of the century open frame dynamo. It'll be my first "posh" job as the component parts were poorly finished when I got them. The base frame will be planked with mahogany to match the original board, dynamo and engine in gloss black with a FEW gold details.

I'm stuck in need of a machining job on the open frame dynamo at the moment, so have got sidetracked into an easy restoration of a WW2 Air Ministry ALCO Featherweight driving a 300 Watt 12 volt dynamo. There is a lot missing (frame, exhaust system, cut out/regulator, board et al) so I'm allowing myself to be a little creative. Both dynamo and engine run OK and it's shaping up quite nicely.

My Scott PAB is lurking around close by and is likely to end up driving a number of interesting devices, mostly of aeronautical origin.

Trouble is that they all need trolleys of some kind and that will mean they will then take up space I can ill afford. I am seriously considering constructing a modular trolley which will accept a number of different exhibits

I've extracted the ABC auxiliary engine this evening and that too could do with mounting on a trolley of some kind and having an exhaust system created for it.

If I get bored, I can try to get the Amanco (1917, throttle governed) running for the first time in thirty years!

- and there's the Sodbury sort out coming up ...............

Regards,

Kim Siddorn

PS. I bought a 4" ten foot long leather drive belt in excellent condition for under a fiver on Sunday. I've no immediate use for it, but would welcome advice on how to keep it pliable in storage.

Reply to
J K Siddorn
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Well i'm off to uni, so will only be able to do anything at weekends if I come home.

But, there's the Amanco i'm going to see on Saturday, if I buy that, that will be my project for the winter. If not i'm going to get a Lister A type to restore, if I don't get either of those then I have my pump to do, and the LD1 could do with some attention.

Regards Chris

Reply to
Chris Crocker - White

Many thanks for that Peter - I'll have a dig through SE when I get home tonight.

best Matt

Reply to
Matt W

Hopefully Martin Percy should have finished mag for Marconi-Stanley soon, so getting that up and running will be one project (bought a 24volt dynamo at Prestwood which might suit). Then there's a new base for the Ky-Ko hot air engine (needs a bit of welding so I will have to re-learn how to drive my mig) after which I can see if it has enough grunt to drive a 'Geryk' vacuum pump. Exhaust for Kubota needs sorting (at the moment I have a silencer 'on loan' from Nick Meikle but it is 3/4" bore whereas the port is about 1" so I feel it may be a little restrictive). Delco-Light needs new head gasket (one of the copper jobs from the chap who advertises in SE should do) and final deciphering of the wiring. Oh and I still havn't looked at the Mar-Vil since it disgraced itself by pegging out at a club crank up! So I shouildn't get too bored.

Of course none of the above are big and impressive engines so it's probably a good thing that I don't rally anyway!

Reply to
Nick Highfield

"Prepair Ltd" wrote (snip):-

Interesting concept but I can't see it catching on :-)

Reply to
Nick Highfield

I know, I know :-((

Kind regards,

Peter

Peter Forbes Prepair Ltd Luton, UK email: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk home: snipped-for-privacy@easynet.co.uk

Reply to
Prepair Ltd

Gentlemen, Ive decided this winter to find a shallow river so that I can stir up the mud on the bottom and see what comes up :-)) Apart from that I have a Wrigleys small holding truck to restore plus a villiers WXII in bits, my camping stoves, the interior of my camper to replace AND ive got to go to work.

Martin P

Reply to
Campingstoveman

You can make the washers if you have the leather or have a friendly cobbler. Make some wooden discs and then soak the leather in water until very soft. Bind round the formers with copper wire and leave to dry. When dry trim to size and soak in Neatsfoot until soft. I doubt discs will work ttfn

Reply to
Roland and Celia Craven

I know I am about to ask a daft question but what is as "neat" :-))

Martin P .

Reply to
Campingstoveman

Well apart from you obviously :-) its a calf. The oil is from boiled calves feet... regards Roland

Reply to
Roland and Celia Craven

Back or front foot or does it matter :-)) A dark room is calling and I am off to play with the steam engines on the North Norfolk Railway tommorrow so a chance to switch off what little brain I have.

Martin P

Reply to
Campingstoveman

Autumn projects, now let me see......

Firstly, hopefully that sodding carpenter will finish the doors to the cartshed, so that it can become the engine house. I need to lay a concrete floor and render the rough walls and whitewash them. Then I can move my 'absentee' engines home from my kind neighbour's shed.

Finish painting that Lister B, and then probably sell it to make some space. Finish the machining of the Bamford 2hp replica trolley castings at night class and make up trolley. Then paint Bamford 2hp, and throw away current dreadful "trolley". Then there's the hideously painted Bamford 3hp, though I can't believe I'll manage much more painting in the Winter. Then there's a trolley to be made for the wotsit, and the so and so, and feed the sheep every day, and go to work and if I do 10% of it all it'll be a miracle...

(especially because I hate painting)

Regards, Arthur G

Reply to
Arthur Griffin

Thanks for that Roland, Looks like this is the way to go - the advertiser in SE (which Peter Forbes kindly pointed out) can't help with the Argosy. Off to the local saddle maker to scrounge some offcuts this weekend :) best Matt

Reply to
Matt W

I've recently decided to become unwaged, & live off my hoard of bits until I pop my clogs. Now have some time for my toys.

Spent 30 years collecting it all, & little time doing anything with it. Overseas most of the time, wife complaining for the rest. Lost heart when some toe-rag broke down the door of a lock-up to steal a very large 1880's brass pump that the Blackstone was going to drive, & took about a dozen engines & many motorcycles with it. Uninsureable, but the money wasn't the issue. These were my pride & joy, & I'd sweated blood to get them. Some were literally irreplaceable, so I gave up for years. Weighed in for scrap -- got £800 for what had cost me an unspeakable amount ....... in case the wife finds out.

Must now try to reassemble the Blackstone. It's a 12hp SFC portable, with the separate air compressor cylinder built in, & the air bottle underneath. Split it into zillions of bits many years ago so that the wife couldn't recognise it. Now need to see what parts were stolen by the toe-rag, & whether I can remanufacture the missing pieces. Sounds as though a few autumns may pass, but cannot afford that many ...

Must assemble a pile of parts, & find a spares manual. Will then tick-off what's present, & take it from there. Will advertise a drunken work party in deepest West Wales when I've got to the point where I need friendly encouragment!

Colin

Reply to
Colin Osborne

I had some kid literally tunnel through a panel of my old garage doors. Thank God he only nicked some spanners and other bits - had no idea what he was surrounded by, obviously.

I've always been paranoid about security and now the place is like Fort Knox (so Hazel says) but I still worry.

Colin, I too would have lost heart if I'd lost much, I'm sure and I sympathise with you in a way that only other men of our stamp can. Treasured possessions is exactly right.

Dig out the Blackstone, find the bits - but make sure your doors are made of steel first!

Regards,

Kim Siddorn

Reply to
J K Siddorn

You need to get a sticker (transfer?) like some do just south of here:

"Protected by Smith and Wesson"

Not my cup of tea but it seems to work for those that use it.

see link:

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Dan

Reply to
Dan Gates

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