Author Topic: Keats Plate (Read 9530 times)

John Hill · « **on:** March 09, 2013, 11:37:22 PM »

At last, after reading Bog's topic http://www.modelenginemaker.com/index.php/topic,632.0.html I think I have found one for sale!

but I would have to buy the lathe that goes with it..

..what do you think of that neat countershaft doohickey? Its a Grayson, most of it appears to be there including a few extras such as this..

... indexing attachment.

If this little lathe should by chance find its way to my shop I would probably put it where my 1908 Drummond is right now after the necessary 'restoration' work. One drawback may be that is has no top slide but it does have a cross slide. A simple tool post would allow facing and cylinder but no tapered cuts.**

The lathe is for sale 'pickup only' and its about 6 hours drive from here but it is time we visited that part of the country anyway.

Lets see how the bidding goes!

**Hmmmmm... I suppose I could do tapered cuts if I 'CNCed' it!

dsquire · « **Reply #1 on:** March 10, 2013, 12:22:14 AM »

John

You better check the oil in the truck and get it fueled up. I can tell by the tone in your voice that your going on a road trip.

Drive safe and pack that baby well till you get it home to play with it.

Cheers

steamer · « **Reply #2 on:** March 10, 2013, 12:48:00 AM »

Oh come on John....you KNOW you want it.....get it get it get it!

Dave

John Hill · « **Reply #3 on:** March 10, 2013, 12:54:11 AM »

Ha ha, I have put my bid in and if it is not enough then so be it!

tel · « **Reply #4 on:** March 10, 2013, 01:17:49 AM »

Best kitted out Keat's plate I've ever seen!

Go for it!

sigt · « **Reply #5 on:** March 10, 2013, 10:03:47 PM »

Is that the top slide hiding at the top left of the picture with the dividing attachment?

PJW · « **Reply #6 on:** March 10, 2013, 10:25:22 PM »

good luck with the auction, I hope you put some pics of it spruced up, if you win it

John Hill · « **Reply #7 on:** March 10, 2013, 11:18:04 PM »

Quote from: sigt on March 10, 2013, 10:03:47 PM

Is that the top slide hiding at the top left of the picture with the dividing attachment?

Well spotted! I hope you are right...

steamer · « **Reply #8 on:** March 11, 2013, 11:06:49 AM »

Things are awefully quiet..........WELLLLLLLLLL?

John Hill · « **Reply #9 on:** March 11, 2013, 11:19:24 PM »

Auction closes Thursday.

John Hill · « **Reply #10 on:** March 13, 2013, 09:25:21 AM »

That's a blow!

Although the auction closes Thursday (tomorrow) the vendor has posted that he will not be available to contact until Sunday!

dsquire · « **Reply #11 on:** March 13, 2013, 05:25:36 PM »

Hi John

Well, that's a bummer. Making you and all of your fan club sit on pins and needles not knowing but hoping. Obviously he doesn't realize how many people he is putting on hold. Hopefully he will have a change of heart and at least slip you an email to let you know the outcome. We'll be watching and waiting with you John.

Cheers

Don

John Hill · « **Reply #12 on:** March 15, 2013, 02:52:46 AM »

Its mine, but pickup not for another week and it will take me a couple of days to get back from there.

BTW, it is in Invercargill which is not the southernmost city in the world, for that you would have to go to Ushuaia on Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego.

Bogstandard · « **Reply #13 on:** March 15, 2013, 03:10:46 AM »

Good score John.

It looks to have a lot of features of the old Myford ML 2-4.

Be very wary of tweaking up the spindle bearings, it is all too easy to have the castings break. I think there should be peelable shims in the gap, but they have become unobtainium over the years and it is those that stop the gap closing too much. I would suggest you make up another set of spindle bearings as they are bound to have worn over the years.

With a good set of plain bearings in there, you will find you can get unbelievably good surface finishes, much better than you can get with a raced head.

John

dsquire · « **Reply #14 on:** March 15, 2013, 03:58:06 AM »

John

Congratulations on getting the Lathe. Maybe he was reading the posts and had a change of heart on making you wait till Sunday. Look forward to hearing and seeing more about it after you get it home and start checking it out. Have a safe trip collecting it.

Cheers

Don

John Hill · « **Reply #15 on:** March 15, 2013, 04:02:26 AM »

Thanks John, I am not harbouring too many high expectations for this one especially as I think the gearing on the present electric motor is way too high for bushed bearings, 2500rpm or so top at my estimates. But we shall see.

Tony's site says the spindle nose is the same as (some?) Myford except for the spigot at the back of the thread and the change gears too are compatible although in the pictures the change gears look 'chunky' like those on my 1908 Drummond. Of course everyone knows that Drummonds are the mothers of Myfords.

It will be interesting to play with the Keats plate as I can see it would be very useful, not so much the indexing attachment.

There is not really room for this in my shop so it might end up out at the airport museum workshop making bits and pieces. I made a tail wheel axle for a Provost a week or two ago and more recently axle stubs to receive a tow bar on our A4 Skyhawk, small jobs but impossible without a lathe. I can control things out there so I would be the only user, maybe one other who I know has a Myford at home and can be trusted to do less careless damage than I might do myself.

John Hill · « **Reply #16 on:** March 15, 2013, 04:04:10 AM »

Quote from: dsquire on March 15, 2013, 03:58:06 AM

John

Congratulations on getting the Lathe. Maybe he was reading the posts and had a change of heart on making you wait till Sunday. Look forward to hearing and seeing more about it after you get it home and start checking it out. Have a safe trip collecting it.

Cheers

Don

Oh, I still have to wait until Sunday Don, except it is now 'next Sunday', i.e. 24th!

Bogstandard · « **Reply #17 on:** March 15, 2013, 04:12:06 AM »

John,

The Keats you are getting really does look the business, even better than the 'expensive' one sold by RDG.

http://www.rdgtools.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000001.pl?WD=keats&PN=Keats_Angleplates.html#a2377

It looks like yours can hold on two datum faces.

I use my 'cheap' one on the mill and surface grinder as well, for holding bar upright and square to the table.

John

ths · « **Reply #18 on:** March 15, 2013, 06:52:41 AM »

Congratulations on that win, John. It should serve well at the museum.

The RNZAF Skyhawks seemed to be permanently based over the mountain from me at HMAS Albatross, near Nowra. They would occasionally nip over the hill for a bit of joyriding around the Valley, which would have been spectacular, and one of those joyous activities that must have been wonderful for the pilots. I was always sure that there was no military or training necessity for these flights, just (illicit?) joie de vivre. I'm glad that at least one is still going. They seemed the next best thing to a open topped sports car.

Hugh.

steamer · « **Reply #19 on:** March 15, 2013, 10:06:44 AM »

Congrats John! .....Pictures please when you get her in her new home!

Dave

John Hill · « **Reply #20 on:** March 15, 2013, 07:17:32 PM »

Hugh, our Skyhawk is unlikely to fly ever again, we do not have an engine for it and neither do we have sealed runways at our airport (but we do have a lot of grass). There are a few jets in the collection including a Harrier, Aermacchi, Vampires and a Meteor.

As an all volunteer operation we do not have the resources to do any more than keep them warm and dry, which is more than some museums which store old aircraft outdoors.

John Hill · « **Reply #21 on:** March 15, 2013, 07:21:42 PM »

Pictures? What ever will people be expecting next?

I will have to make a stand for it (no more bench space in my shop or at the museum). I am considering a fully enclosed box/base/cabinet made of 18mm MDF with an underdrive arrangement. Does MDF sound OK for that little lathe?

News:

Author Topic: Keats Plate (Read 9530 times)

Bogstandard

Bogstandard