Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Locating already drilled holes

Hi Terry,

Wot's a bike? I still have to use Shank's pony and hike up 't hill ter 't
pit sparkin' me booits on't causey edge, wi' me sarnies in mi' snap tin.
(translation for non English [Yorshire] speakers - I still have to walk up
the hill to the coal mine, as a distraction I kick the soles of my clogs
against the edge of the sidewalk causing the iron attachments to the soles
to make showers of sparks which glow brightly in the early morning gloom. I
carry my sandwich lunch in my metal lunch box.)
I envy you rich Southern softies...;o)

Seriously, old methods do still have their place and the razor blade trick
is one of the best methods I know for lining things up - there's nothing to
go out of calibration and no errors are possible from confusing the units
used! Its even self checking as, when you have the two points adjusted so
that the blade is gripped and standing exactly at right angles to the axes
indicating perfect alignment, you can rotate the spindle holding one of the
points which will instantly tell you if the points are truly concentric or
not.

Most of the 'work' I do is restoration of antique watches where I use the
original construction methods (and tools) as much as possible. Most of my
small turning is done between centres using hand powered lathes or
bow-driven 'turns' and doing so is MUCH quicker than trying to set up the
jobs in a conventional powered lathe using chucks and collets. It is also
more accurate and I am less likely to get breakages as, using a hand turning
tool, I can feel the cut and so adjust the pressure and speed to keep it at
its optimum - the brain is a far better computer than and cnc machine has!
Nowadays we marvel at how the old-time craftsmen produced their beautiful
creations without the benefits of 'modern technology' and yet, if you go
back to the methods and tools of the period, you find that re-creating such
wonders is really not that difficult after all. I often wonder whether we
are not getting too clever for our own good. Are we making machines to turn
out thousands of identical new parts simply because we have lost the skills
to repair old ones or because we can't make 'em last any more? How long
will it be before these machines have converted all the worlds accessible
resources into worthless landfill?

*pensive mode off* ;o]

Ian
--
Ian W. Wright
Sheffield UK

----- Original Message -----
From: "Terry Ackland" <hexagon@...>
To: <CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@egroups.com>
Sent: 10 October 2000 23:32
Subject: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] Re: Locating already drilled holes


> --- Ian,
> bits of razor blades and old WD optics? Tell me you still ride your
> bike to mill with your egg sandwiches in a gasmask bag. I can rember
> the days when us Brits did not have the proverbial pot but things
> have
> changed - at least down south.