REPORTS ON A 1914 HUMBERETTE RESTORATION

[Mike Macartney]

PUTTING IN THE GUIDE PIN FOR THE LATHE 5c COLLET ADAPTER

 

After marking the position of where the tapped hole needed to be, with an orange marker pen, I used a milling cutter to just scrape the surface where the orange mark had been. I then replaced the milling cutter holder for a small drill chuck, without moving the milling machine table . . . .

 

 

. . . fitted a small centre drill and started a hole.

 

 

Changed to a 2.5mm drill, my 2.6 drill seems to have gone missing, very strange, I'm sure I would have replaced it, had I broken it! I very carefully drilled the hole. At this last stage of making the spindle adapter for the lathe, I did not want to break a drill inside the hole. I had set the milling machine to its highest speed as I have broken small drills in the past with not having them rotate fast enough.

 

 

Again without moving the mill table I fitted a M3 tap into the drill chuck and started the tap in the hole, by turning the drill chuck by hand. I then undid the chuck leaving the tap sticking out of the adapter.

 

 

Fitted a tap wrench to the M3 tap and very, very, carefully turned it as far clockwise as it would go without too much pressure as this was the only M3 tap I had and I have been known to break small diameter taps in the past. I then backed it off and rotated it clockwise again. I found this operation very stressful and am happy to say that I did not break the tap!

 

 

I was very relieved when the tap started to turn in the thread easily. I then unscrewed the tap . . . .

 

 

. . . . screwed in the M3 grub screw until it touched the bottom of the groove in the collet and then backed it off a turn so the collet would slide in and out easily. Boy - was I pleased to have finished that 5c adapter. Before I finish making the other Morse taper adapter's, I'll have a break and make the knurled nuts to replace the odd castle nut and hose clip holding a couple of the gears on the lathe. I'm sure this machining will get easier the more I do. At present, I still find the machining quite nerve wracking, with so much concentration and a lot to think about.

[Spinneyhill]

4 hours ago, Mike Macartney said:

I still find the machining quite nerve wracking, with so much concentration and a lot to think about.

I find it easier to write down my sequence of actions along with the measurements required. 'Else I will forget and get myself in a pickle, quickly.

[JV Puleo]

You do get better the more you do it but I'm not sure the anxiety goes away. It certainly doesn't for me but perhaps that is because once we start doing stuff like this you're always pushing the envelope and trying something a bit harder. I doubt either of us will live long enough to be completely comfortable with every job. Its 4:30 here and I'm a nervous wreck from the milling job I just finished. I'm happy with the way it turned out but all the time I'm doing it I'm wondering what will go wrong. I know men who have done this all their lives and are VERY good at it and they still get tense when it's down to the last few cuts and any error will ruin the part.

[Roger Zimmermann]

6 hours ago, Mike Macartney said:

PUTTING IN THE GUIDE PIN FOR THE LATHE 5c COLLET ADAPTER

 

Changed to a 2.5mm drill, my 2.6 drill seems to have gone missing, very strange, I'm sure I would have replaced it, had I broken it!

The drilling hole: the nominal diameter x .8. For M3: 3 x 0.8 = 2.4 mm. With a 2.5mm drill, you were not that bad. In fact, you succeed! Remember, I'm using sometimes M 0.5 but into brass which is a material not as hard as steel. Anyway, when the tap get out without problem, I'm happy!

[John S.]

Mike, great work on the Humberette. Very interesting restoration. John

[Mike Macartney]

13 hours ago, Spinneyhill said:

I find it easier to write down my sequence of actions along with the measurements required.

 

Thanks, that's a very useful tip. I will try it and not try and cut corners.

[Mike Macartney]

12 hours ago, JV Puleo said:

You do get better the more you do it but I'm not sure the anxiety goes away. It certainly doesn't for me but perhaps that is because once we start doing stuff like this you're always pushing the envelope and trying something a bit harder.

 

At least I know it's not just me! Thanks for your post.

[Mike Macartney]

12 hours ago, Roger Zimmermann said:

I'm using sometimes M 0.5 but into brass which is a material not as hard as steel.

 

I just can't imagine using taps that small. I had enough problem just trying to find a M3 tap in my metric tap and die box and reading on the tap if it was the correct size. I at first picked up a M3.5 tap thinking it was an M3 tap!

[Mike Macartney]

11 hours ago, John S. said:

Mike, great work on the Humberette. Very interesting restoration. John

 

Thanks John. I just wish I was able to get more done in a day before I need a rest.

[chistech]

2 hours ago, Mike Macartney said:

 

At least I know it's not just me! Thanks for your post.

We’re currently working on the pedal pad mold for the Olds and we’re down to crunch time. I have to ship it overnight to my buddy so he can prepare the most, mix up the urethane, do the pour, give it enough time to cure, pull the mold apart, them if the sample is good, overnight it to me so I can install it in my car for Hershey. Joe leaves a week from today on Sunday from CO and I leave on the Wednesday of Hershey week so the mold has to be done and shipped this Tuesday morning. So, myself, my buddy who owns the machine shop, and his guy who’s programming the CNC along with doing the machining are all on edge because of the time we have, working with a piece that if screwed up, can never be duplicated in time, plus we’re working in reverse because it’s a mold. Even when you go over the drawings, check and recheck, you can’t help but worry you’ve possibly got things backwards. I really enjoy machining things out and watching things appear from raw pieces, even at the stages we’re at now with this mold and it’s out of my amateur hands, but I still can’t help being nervous. I believe it’s because of  personal commitment to do good work, and that subconscious drive to have it perfect, is what makes us worry. Of course, it’s the same reason why things come out so good. I think those who don’t worry much probably don’t do as good of level of work unless they’re so good, they could do it in their sleep!

[Mike "Hubbie" Stearns]

Mike, was just wondering if you have gotten the body back from the coach builder yet?

[Mike Macartney]

Had a bit of a shock on Sunday night, well actually 2am on Monday morning, I woke up having very extreme difficulty in breathing. I must admit I thought I was going to fall ‘off the perch’ and be a deceased parrot! I have been very short of breath in the past but nothing like this before. It felt like what I assume drowning feels like. Jane phoned for an ambulance. The nearest available ambulance was at Kings Lynn so they took nearly an hour to get here. I suppose that is one of the joys of living in a rural area!

 

The ambulance guys spent over an hour checking me out and giving me an ECG and two types of nebulisers. The guys were brilliant. We got to the Norfolk and Norwich hospital at about 5am and I was taken into the new triage portable building and checked out. They had built this unit after the bed blocking problems of last winter. At about 8am I was transferred to A&E, where I was to stay on a trolley until they eventually found me a bed on a ward at 8pm! It must be very frustrating for the doctors and nurses because after they have stabilised the ‘customers’ all they seem to do is look at the computer screens waiting for spare bed places to appear on the screen. Between about 6pm and 8am the ‘drunk and drugged up’ started arriving in A&E, presumably being brought in by the Police, mayhem erupted with them being very abusive to the staff (the ‘drunk & drugged – not the Police!)

 

On the ward during the night I had a couple of episodes of not being able to breath, the night staff sorted me out and gave me some tips on increasing my oxygen levels without having to resort to having oxygen.

 

At least one good thing has come out of this episode – I have packed up smoking, it frightened me that much! Each time I want a roll up, I try and think back to how I felt on Sunday night.

 

Now feeling a lot better and hope to start back in the workshop over the weekend.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Wishing you good luck with the recovery. In your case, smoking is certainly not helping a lot!

[STEVE POLLARD]

Get well Mike !

 

 

Steve

[John S.]

Mike, I hope you are feeling better. John

[Mike Macartney]

Thanks for your posts and good wishes. I am a lot better now than I have been for a long time. I did not realise how bad I had got. The problem is that the 'loss of lungs working' creeps up on you very slowly, getting a tiny bit worse each day, you just think it is old age creeping up on you. I am pleased to say I have managed to stay off the 'roll ups'. It will be a week of NO SMOKING in 2-hours time - not that I'm counting!

 

Spent a lot of yesterday in the workshop and again this morning. No progress on the Humberette yet, apart from what the coach trimmer has done. I hadn't chased him up because I did not need the body back yet. I hoped to have the fenders (wings) completed and a lot of the other bits finished before the coach trimming was finished - then the engine repairs got in the way!

 

Here are the photos, taken by Paul Moore, of the progress on the interior leather seats:-

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The work on the lathe went well, replacing the 'bodges' that were holding the gears in place.

 

 

Made the tool that replicated the thread on the lathe gears.

 

 

Checked the thread was correct with the only original knurled retaining nut.

 

 

The new nuts and spacers fitted. There should have been more photos, but I forgot to take the camera up to the workshop!

 

This week the metal should arrive for making the drawbar for the 5C collets.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Welcome back! The trim is good looking.

[JV Puleo]

Those look really good! I think you are progressing a lot faster than I did.

[Mike Macartney]

I've got a good teacher - his name is Joe!

[Laughing Coyote]

23 hours ago, Mike Macartney said:

It will be a week of NO SMOKING

Good on you Mike.  Your lungs will thank you for it.  Nice work on the car.

[Mike Macartney]

On ‎10‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 4:50 PM, Laughing Coyote said:

 Your lungs will thank you for it.

 

They are thanking me already! I have not felt this well for over a year! I seem to be spending most of my time now in the workshop and not having enough time left to post the photos and reports! I'll try and catch up with the reports tomorrow.

 

Here is one photo of starting to make the knob that will screw onto the drawbar for the 5c collets in the lathe.

 

 

Boring out to receive the BMW 3-series clutch release bearing.

[alsfarms]

Mike,  I am glad that you have cleared out the breathing issue and are feeling better.  It must be rewarding to spend good time in the shop!

Al

[Mike Macartney]

Thanks Al. Yes, funnily enough I seem to get more done now that I am in the workshop for longer. I suppose that is no surprize really! Today, has been the hardest day for not smoking. It will be two weeks next Sunday evening.

 

SWARF BRUSH

 

Here is a tip I picked up on the internet that has worked well for me.

 

 

The brush on the right in the photo is the one I had been using. The brush on the left I have cut the bristles down and it works much better and does not get clogged up with swarf.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Many years ago, my father was a strong smoker. While driving into the car from my sister, they had an accident. As a consequence, my father had difficulties to breathe. He stop smoking from one day to another.

[Mike Macartney]

Continuing on with the machining of the drawbar for the 5c collets for my big lathe.

 

 

I bored the end out to accept the thrust race that is going to push on the end of the gearbox end of the lathe headstock spindle.

 

 

Once bored out to size the release bearing pushed into place.

 

 

I think I need to make it look a bit 'prettier' and still need to thread the other end to screw onto the drawbar.

 

 

The steel I have used is of unknown scrap material and seemed very hard on the outside. I was hoping to knurl the outside, but that maybe rather difficult.

 

 

Perhaps if I mill some slots on the outside I could use this C-spanner to tighten it up onto the drawbar.

 

Following Joes advice I decided to make the ends of the drawbar out of EN1A steel and braze the ends into the seamless steel tube when the tube eventually arrives. When I checked the tracking number it has been at the local Hermes depot for a couple of days and not been collected by the delivery driver. Being the customer, rather than the sender, I can't seem to contact Hermes to find out what's happening. I have asked the sender to chase it up for me.

 

 

I turned the bar down to the OD of the seamless tubing (1.5"). . . .

 

 

. . . . and started cutting the 1.5" x 20 TPI thread.

[Mike Macartney]

 

After cutting the thread I bored the centre out and reduced the diameter of the end to fit into the seamless hollow tube - if it ever arrives!

 

 

Still boring!

 

 

That should do. I won't part the threaded part off until the tube is here.

 

 

I knew there was another reason for not parting it off - I needed the threaded portion to have a 'handle so I could use it to check the thread when I cut it into the block that holds the thrust race. I forgot to take photos of cutting this internal thread. It all went better than I expected. . . . .

 

 

Apart from the knurling which was a failure.

 

 

I milled out four slots for the C-spanner. I had to do this by eye, as I did not have any means of holding the round material, other than in the machine vice. At first, I had tried clamping it onto a V-block on the milling table but it came loose and broke the milling cutter!

 

The next job to do was making an end to braze into the hollow tube that will screw onto the thread on the 5C collets.

 

 

 

I measured how long the thread had to be, added a bit and then cut a relief inside the tube about the depth of the thread.

 

 

 

[Mike Macartney]

Again the internal threading went well.

 

 

. . . . and the 5C collet threaded into the end.

[Gary W]

So impressive!

[JV Puleo]

Wow... you are getting very good very fast! It is really pretty astonishing how fast problems vanish when you get accustomed to just making what you need.

 

jp

Edited October 10, 2019 by JV Puleo (see edit history)

[alsfarms]

Mike, I am certainly glad to sense that you are feeling more on top of the game and back to working on your project.

Al

[Mike Macartney]

I could not resist posting this photo that a friend sent me.

 

 

It is a while since I have posted anything. I have been waiting for some metal to arrive, to finish the collet drawbar for the big lathe. The parcel got lost by the courier and had to be eventually resent.

 

The coach trimmer has sent these photos of the work on the seats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[chistech]

Very nice work!

[Mike Macartney]

I have just been down to see the Humberette at Moore's Trim. The work is a lot better than the photos show. I am extremely pleased with the work he has carried out, especially, considering he had nothing to go on apart from a few photos of other Humberette's. I shall now have to concentrate on keeping up the standards of my repairs to the rest of the car to match Paul Moores high standard of workmanship to the leather seating and hood (called a top in USA).

 

 

Edited October 22, 2019 by Mike Macartney
Added a photo (see edit history)

[alsfarms]

Hello Mike,  You are having a very good influence on some of us, especially me!  Keep up the good work.  I am interested to see the next step in the evolution of your engine rebuild.  I must re-read your early posts on your wood bending effort/success as I have located three nice thin wall steel tubes, (thanks to a bit of dumpster diving).  I should be able to braze the fittings I perceive that need to be installed for the steam supply and devise a couple of end caps that have provision for the condensate and exhaust to escape.  I am also going to build some "spacers" that will hold the wood to be bend off the bottom of the steam tube chamber.  Your posts have been and are a great source of knowledge, reality, success and (also a sprinkling of humor).  Keep it up.

Al

[John S.]

Mike, the interior looks great. Very nice work. It's true about the Titanic  John

[hursst]

Great work on the interior, looks fantastic and very comfortable, too.

[Mike Macartney]

I seem to have got rather behind with my posts on this forum. I have been working in the workshop, just in case you think I've been skiving and lazing around! Most of the work I have been doing is on the lathe and the milling machine, attempting to learn a bit more about machining and trying to be more accurate in my work. I will try and explain through the photos below - if I can remember? Hopefully the photos might help me remember!

 

 

Well, this isn't a lathe or a milling machine! I had forgotten all about this job. Ages ago, I decided to make a mounting on the end of the milling table for mounting either the bench grinder or the wire wheel and polishing mop. It all worked out fine, apart from having to change the 'grinders' over, every time I wanted to use the grinder, wire wheel or polishing mop. Now that I am using the lathe a lot more, I think I will need to use the grinder more often to sharpen cutting tools for the lathe and I thought it would help if I could have both the 'grinders' mounted where I could use them. The bench that I have is too small to mount both 'grinders', so I started to look for a purpose built pedestal that would mount two grinders. When I saw the prices that they are new, I had a look around the workshop to see if there was any equipment I had, that the two grinders would fit on. On spying the floor mounted pedestal drill that I had put to one side, when I bought the surface grinder, which I had put in the place where the pedestal drill used to live. I realised that, as I was only expecting to get a few quid for the drill on eBay, I might as well use this pedestal drill as a stand for the grinders, as I now tend to use the mill or the bench drill/mill that I have in the other shed when I want to drill holes.

 

I made a mounting frame out of 2" x 1" box section to mount the grinders on. Fitted M8 rivnuts into the box section for mounting the grinders to the box section. I very carefully measured the distances between the centres of the two T-slots in the drilling table and wrote the measurement in my note book, then painted marking out blue onto the frame and marked the positions of the 4-holes for the T-bolts with a scriber and centre punch. 

 

 

Drilled three of the holes, but something just didn't seem quite right? Somehow I had made a mistake and the third hole was in the wrong place! Rather than drill two more holes I decided that 3 T-bolts would do and use a spare clamp that I had lying around, to finish bolting the frame for the grinders to the drill table. The grinders can be removed easily if I ever need to use the pedestal drill again for drilling. Will I never learn the lesson - MEASURE TWICE - DRILL OR CUT ONCE! Perhaps, I should use the tip that somebody has mentioned before. Measure once in Imperial, measure again in Metric and convert one of them to the other to see if they are the same.

 

Back to the work on the drawbar for fitting the 5C collets in the lathe.

 

 

After threading the 1-1/2" bar for the thread on the end of the 5C collets I turned down the end to fit inside the part I had machined in the seamless hollow tube.

 

 

Time to clean it up and braze it in place.

 

 

I forgot to take the camera down to the other workshop where the oxy/acetylene welding bottles are. After brazing I machined off the excess braze. Next job is to finish the part at the bottom of the photo, ready to braze into the other end of the hollow tube.

 

 

I cut the end off the bar in the donkey saw.

 

 

This is the machining the other end of the hollow tube before brazing that end into it. I have more photos and details to add, when I get a chance. Now that I am feeling so much better, I am managing to stay in the workshop 'playing' for much longer periods than I have done for a year or two.

[Roger Zimmermann]

Are you not concerned that the dust creating by grinding may land on the polishing wheel? Some protection on it when not in use could be appropriate.

[JV Puleo]

Re the pedestal drill... I find that using my drill press allows me to "feel" the drill better. The milling machine is probably more accurate but you have no sense of when you are pushing too hard. I've also found that having the added clearance under the spindle is a help so...I wouldn't get rid of it. You may find it's just the thing for some job you can't anticipate.

[Mike Macartney]

44 minutes ago, Roger Zimmermann said:

Are you not concerned that the dust creating by grinding may land on the polishing wheel? Some protection on it when not in use could be appropriate.

 

Thank you Roger. I must admit I had not thought about it, as I have not done any polishing for a while. I left it on there to remind me there was a 'pointy bit' sticking out. Perhaps, with your suggestion, I could remove the mop and the 'pointy bit' (another one of my technical terms!) and put them in the draw with the other polishing stuff.