NOTES ON MODEL ENGINEERING

Southland Times, Issue 23227, 16 June 1937, Page 16

NOTES ON MODEL ENGINEERING

(By NORLAND) Questions about equipping and fitting a workshop to meet the requirements of the model engineer are rather difficult to answer satisfactorily without knowing three things:—(l), The amount of money to be spent; (2), the particular size, style and class, of work contemplated; (3), the capacity and situation of workshop. There is also one other very important factor, and that is the man who will be using the various machines and tools. Some men could be safely entrusted to do even heavy work with tools which might be considered far too light for the job on hand, and others would almost spoil an accurate tool by looking at it. The first thing is to fix on the workshop. Last week I mentioned suitable rooms. The room must, however, be dry, heated in winter and well lighted. Should work mostly be carried on in the evenings, artificial lighting, of course, must be provided. A flexible lead to reach any part of the shop, with a lamp guard and support to attach the dishpan cover, to, should be provided and then the light can be instantly placed in any desired position without danger. The importance of a thoroughly firm bench is often overlooked, all sorts of makeshifts are seen doing duty as benches, but a workbench, to be any good, must be of solid construction and unyielding. Next in importance to a firm bench is a good vyce. The size of this must be governed by the nature of the contemplated work, one with three inch jaws and of the parallel pattern being preferable. Do not be tempted to buy a cheap vyce, for sooner or later you will regret it. The vyce should be provided with a set of lead, copper or wood claws. It is necessary that the vyce be securely bolted to the bench, and the top of the jaws should be about an inch above the operator’s elbow when he is standing erect. A vertical support may with advantage be placed directly under the vyce between the floor and underside of the bench. Tool racks for files, chisels, hammers and other similar tools should be provided close to the vyce, and. one of the cheapest methods to adopt is to bore a hole through the handle of each tool and hang it on a projecting nail with the head cut off. This system can be used throughout the workshop and will be found entirely satisfactory. Of course many other methods may be used, but the one mentioned has the advantage of cheapness. NECESSARY TOOLS

A few words on the tools usually found on the bench may be of interest. Necessary tools would include a hacksaw, heavy and light hammers, files, cutting pliers, centre punch, chisels, scraper, hand vyce (which can be held in the bench vyce for small work), shears, square, divider, calipers (inside and outside) and a surface plate, or what is almost .as good, a piece of thick plate glass, scribbling . block, hand drill, oilstone and a small anvil. This can be an old tailor’s goose or a piece of railway iron. Some sort of grinder is necessary. Good work cannot be done with blunt tools, and in these days of power and small horsepower motors a two grade carborundum wheel is preferable. The most important machine tool in an amateur engineer’s workshop is undoubtedly a lathe, and the more universal its movements and completeness of fittings the better. In selecting a lathe the personal element is again important.' It is not possible to purchase a high-class lathe capable of doing .an immense amount of varied work, including screw-cutting and small milling. Of course, a lathe of liberal dimensions is to be preferred, and perhaps the one most generally useful is of three and a-half inch or four inch centres. Such a lathe should be fitted with a complete set of change wheels for screw-cutting. A slide rest capable of being used as a boring carriage, set over tail stock and a hollow mandril. Lathes can often be bought secondhand, but too much care cannot be exercised in testing and examining before deciding on a tool the previous

history and usage of which is unknown. A very small defect. in a lathe is a nuisance and a constant annoyance. A lathe, as purchased from the makers, is not by any means complete, and a considerable sum of money may be spent in fitting chucks and other appliances. This will be dealt with next week.