Tapering Out...

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My test bar came by courier this morning, and very nicely made it is too - in India, as are a lot of this sort of thing - it seems that the subcontinent has kept producing the kind of engineering expertise we are letting slip by the day in this country. There was a time when items of this kind were produced by precision engineers all over Britain: now, finding such outfits is very difficult. We're fortunate at least to have still a light engineering firm in Bangor, although for how much longer will always be moot. The one in Bethesda closed some years ago and I don't know offhand, of any more in the immediate area.

Still, the firm I bought the bar from is at least a small online business, which I'll continue to support henceforth. The bar itself however, has revealed that, whilst the tailstock (or is the t'other end?) is not totally spot-knacker for height centre to centre, I can get the bar to run true to a fraction of a thou at either end, so not at all far off. But, what it has also revealed is that the main slide is not completely square to the ways and is indeed ever so slightly slack. It's only a tads off, but enough to taper by five or six thou along the test bar's usable length. So it's off with slide for another good clean and a fettle. I'll get round to turning something meaningful, one day! Must get a more accurate test indicator too...

Comments

  1. Joe Stoner2 September 2021 at 16:03

    I LOVE yer dad's guage!! I wouldn't replace it if you paid me; it does all that you need within the parameters of what your working with.
    Regarding machines & machining:
    It was the mill owners, who wouldn't pay properly when the Brits started to get organized, who imported cheap labour from anywhere to replace them, Penrhyn strike anyone!!
    When the imported labour got too expensive they exported the machines to make a quick buck!!
    We won't have any small workshops IF we do not use them. BBH Engineers just quoted £10-£15 for a 1in x 12in bar machined to a thou.
    ATB
    Joe

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