Author Topic: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle  (Read 10309 times)

Offline Symon

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Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« on: March 25, 2017, 03:05:52 PM »
Hey all :beer:

I'll try and keep this intro short.

I've just acquired a machine I've always wanted...a tank vertical milling machine. A 60-year-old Archdale.

Rightly or wrongly I love the older stuff and I'm lucky that my workshop is surrounded by old engineers.

I bought it for less than its scrap value! From the guy next door who had bought it from the guy who has an old factory behind me. They're both friends of mine and the factory is pure porn for those who love old machines.

Anyways, I've done a good clean up and rewire and now need to oil and prep it. I've resisted a proper tear down for now...I have other projects to do. But it will be done.

Money for this is tight but I'll be chipping away at all the things I need. Starting with the manuals that cost a fortune for photocopies...but I understand the pricing due to their rarity.

Think that'll do for now? :D

:worthless:

I'll add pics tomorrow if anyone's interested.


Offline howsitwork?

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2017, 03:15:18 PM »
Are old engineers cheaper to run than guard dogs???? :D :D

Welcome and keep the neighbours on board they can probably show you all the ropes with the machine, if correctly bribed with chocolate digestives and coffee at the required intervals :lol:

Pics would be good .

Ian

Offline Symon

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2017, 03:41:53 PM »
The guy who's it was originally was just chuffed I was going to be using it :) He's around 90 and his place is amazing.

Sadly a lot of stuff is so wrecked. He has a cupboard full of Moore and Wright micrometers and Boxford plunge gauges (among other amazing measuring stuff)...but it's all ruined through being in a damp factory for so long :(

But his machines are incredible. Including his gigantic radial drill.

I'm after the manuals simply to keep the machine maintained to the best I can. I don't want to be the guy  who wrecks it after 60 years :laugh:

Offline jb3cx

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2017, 05:04:13 PM »
Hi an welcome .pete from Sunderland

Offline mexican jon

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #4 on: March 25, 2017, 05:18:24 PM »
 :wave: :wave: Welcome aboard 
People say you only live once ! I say thank F@*K can't afford to do it twice.

Offline krv3000

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #5 on: March 25, 2017, 05:41:48 PM »
hi and welcome in in Durham a lil village named Bowburn  enjoy  :proj:   

Offline Biggles

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #6 on: March 27, 2017, 02:27:18 PM »
Welcome,   :borg: we are very interested in pictures.  :worthless:

Offline Symon

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #7 on: March 29, 2017, 05:03:07 PM »










Took a few before and afters. The crud and old oil/white water was rancid (3-4cm deep in parts). But I've got it spotless and ready to re-oil. Took a week just for this :lol:

This initial clean up will be a proper job later down the line. So much to sort in the meantime :)

Offline awemawson

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #8 on: March 29, 2017, 05:26:52 PM »
A very handy looking machine - now considerably cleaner  :clap:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline jb3cx

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #9 on: March 29, 2017, 05:43:18 PM »
Nice ,heavy machine , :drool:

Offline Symon

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #10 on: April 01, 2017, 06:04:38 AM »
In order to release the quill dial I've had to fully dismantle the quill gearbox assembly. Lovely set up and I didn't lose any of the ball bearings :lol:

But this thing is really trying to push me into a full dismantle despite promising myself I wouldn't. I really don't have the time to be distracted from stuff I need to be cracking on with :lol:

Must. Resist. Full. Expensive. Strip-down.

Offline Biggles

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #11 on: April 01, 2017, 01:27:07 PM »
Nice machine looks good. I can see it playing on your mind, if it’s working well then resist. :)

Offline Symon

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #12 on: April 01, 2017, 01:32:46 PM »


Me in the workshop :laugh:

Offline Biggles

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #13 on: April 01, 2017, 01:36:27 PM »
 :dremel: :scratch:  :update::Doh: :bang:

Offline howsitwork?

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #14 on: April 02, 2017, 03:21:19 PM »
now if you feed the old engineers coffee and offer biscuits to help ....  :med: :med: :med: Things will go quicker AND YOU'LL HAVE COMPANY TO HELP YOU. :wack: :wack:

There's even the old sofa in the background to sit them on during coffee break!

Offline Symon

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #15 on: April 02, 2017, 03:22:56 PM »
Ha! The seat of that sofa that you see is indeed where they sit! :D

Offline Symon

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #16 on: April 03, 2017, 09:49:18 AM »
Btw: What's the correct subforum to use for manual machines? There's a CNC section but no manual section. Would it be "Tools"?

Offline Symon

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #17 on: April 30, 2017, 06:58:10 PM »
Just thought I'd post a quick pic of my weak will full strip-down and restoration :dremel:

Why pay £50 for "basic" information, being held to hostage, when you can tear it down yourself and spend more learn more :lol:


Offline DaveS

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #18 on: April 30, 2017, 07:06:09 PM »
Very nice restoration, soon be ready for another 60 years :thumbup: :thumbup:

Dave

Offline Symon

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #19 on: April 30, 2017, 07:10:59 PM »
That's the hope, Dave :thumbup:

It wouldn't have lasted a week seeing as the main oil pipe (inside) had been squashed by the counterweight. Only realised when I saw an oil window had been broken and painted over. So I investigated and descided a tear-down was in order.

It's a design fault that was later corrected by making them with the oil line on the outside. Still, I'll MadMod it and it won't happen again. Luckily the gears and everything are mint. Oil mudded to death...but mint.

Offline awemawson

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #20 on: May 01, 2017, 03:23:54 AM »
Very nice paint job  :thumbup:
Andrew Mawson
East Sussex

Offline John Rudd

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #21 on: May 01, 2017, 06:30:16 AM »
Looking good :thumbup:
Better than the blue it was before... :coffee:

Oh and welcome from me too....( originally from Middlesbrough but now residing in Hull....could be on the move up North.... :D)
eccentric millionaire financed by 'er indoors
Location:  Backworth Newcastle

Skype: chippiejnr

Offline Symon

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #22 on: May 01, 2017, 06:36:14 AM »
Cheers guys :thumbup:

And yeh...that blue is awful :lol:

Offline mechman48

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #23 on: May 01, 2017, 08:45:36 AM »
Welcome Symon. Nice acquisition you've got there, certainly looks better with the cream coat ( off white?)  than the blue. I'm just down the road from you... well the A19... in Smoggie land, Teesside,

George.
George.


Always look on the bright side of life, & remember.. KISS..' Keep It Simple Stupid'

Offline Symon

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Re: Hey, from Durham/Newcastle
« Reply #24 on: May 01, 2017, 08:53:21 AM »
Cheers George  :thumbup:

It's a light grey (goose wing) and I've mixed up some darker shades for various parts. Every part was painted so it's nice to free the shiny steel, copper and brass from being covered up by multiple layers (light green, dark green, brown, light blue and dark blue).

Lots of replacement bodge, too :lol: