Today I acquired...........

25.4_mechanic · Nov 13, 2022

Brad93 said:
They're probably shop floor made rather than commercially bought.

On sifting through the Thursday-Treasure, I discovered pretty sure signs that the clamps and other things have to do with training and examinations in a metal profession - what the "bequeather" once had to do with it, I don't know, of course ...

... Let's see if I can find out something more from the granddaughter ...

I think that those pieces of the clamps that are not clearly marked were practice pieces for the apprentices, whereas the specimens marked with four-digit numbers are probably examination pieces - in a company or an authority with a large number of apprentices over many years.

Apparently, at some point in their training, the kids were given a commercially made-looking box like this with their number on it to keep whatever - the contents of how it got to me was certainly different in the past.

Carsten

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Maker · Nov 13, 2022

That thin vee block type thing looks pretty handy, I agree the notch part is probably just an apprentice test piece. Are they hardened and ground?

25.4_mechanic · Nov 13, 2022

Maker said:
That thin vee block type thing looks pretty handy, I agree the notch part is probably just an apprentice test piece. Are they hardened and ground?

will have a look :rules:

25.4_mechanic · Nov 13, 2022

Maker said:
Are they hardened and ground?

the clamps perhaps brushed, not ground - hardened: none of it

Grandpa worked at the German Federal Railways, but had nothing to do with the training of metalworkers, says the granddaughter - which doesn't mean that he didn't get the stuff from there ... :whistle:

EDIT: What you might have thought were traces of grinding on the bare parts was me removing the citrate with 1200 grit sandpaper after derusting ....

Carsten

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sparkysy · Nov 13, 2022

@25.4_mechanic
Yes I made the same type of clamp during my apprenticeship and the V blocks too of varying sizes back in the mid 90's, we also made our own tool boxes and trays, and various other things that I can't remember as it was 20 odd years ago!
But I know I still have most of the things I made in one of the tool boxes I also made somewhere in my workshop!
It was a great apprenticeship as it took you through from technical drawing to making the items and involved units to be completed in the various manufacturing processes to finish the course. It meant you got to learn and do bench fitting, milling, turning, surface grinding, Welding, sheet metal work, electrical design and installation. A very comprehensive apprenticeship!
Sy

Onoff · Nov 13, 2022

6 sheets of 0.7mm copper from @nickk via a family relay! Cheers

The continued ar$e with SWMBO's old pug 206

Shox Dr · Nov 14, 2022

My Altberg Hog All weathers arrived this moring. A quick mooch around the house in them, and then out with the Dog.

Super comfy.

slim_boy_fat · Nov 14, 2022

Dog doesn't look impressed. :laughing:

Shox Dr · Nov 14, 2022

slim_boy_fat said:
Dog doesn't look impressed.

There was a Squirrel about 20foot away, winding her up

T689 · Nov 14, 2022

Pigeon_Droppings2 said:
Will need a new belt...on Volvo engines I think the aux belt runs next to the cam belt....if the aux belt snaps it can pull the cam belt off too.

Lucky escape there perhaps!

- Yes, that happens on the D5 engines.

A lot of the time it can also be caused by the aux belt tensioning pulley failing, which then breaks the aux belt, and the broken aux belt can sometimes pull the timing belt off.

I would highly recommend that you also replace the tensioning pulley (whilst you are in there anyway/for future peace of mind)

Melvyn Best · Nov 14, 2022

Shox Dr said:
My Altberg Hog All weathers arrived this moring. A quick mooch around the house in them, and then out with the Dog.

Super comfy.

Looks like your booting the dog out

The_Yellow_Ardvark · Nov 14, 2022

A Glass Chimley. Should be 2 in the box. but as the last order of two arrived damaged. This is the last one in stock.
Not the couriers fault, the glass had stress factures, that let go in transit.

25.4_mechanic · Nov 14, 2022

Finally, a long-awaited package arrived from a small group of islands far out in the North Atlantic. :whistle:

The friends over in the bench vice thread had pointed it out and were also very helpful in the aftermath:

:thumbup:

Thanks, guys - special thanks to @CwazyWabbit and @Arc Tourist !!!

The seller only had collection in mind, and I commend him for being willing to ship abroad!

As the seller had never dealt with shipping before, I arranged everything from here for the first time and sent him all the documents, stickers and instructions - all he had to do was pack it very sturdily, put stickers on it and drop it off at the collection point.

Thanks for your effort Brad, it was a bit of a gamble but worth it in the end!

It's quite striking how inventive the vise manufacturers have been with you, always coming up with new designs for clamping irregularly shaped workpieces to stimulate demand (or so the theory goes).

It looks like one of only two of these on the forum now lives with me - unfortunately mine came without the original crank - this can be seen HERE in a picture by @CwazyWabbit who owns the other one.

I was just about to get out the caliper to measure the square, when I think to myself "hmmm, you know this format ..." and right: 1/2".

What a nice coincidence that the Thursday treasure also had such an old ratchet with a push-through square with it.

For the moment it works quite well, but of course it can only be a makeshift, I'm looking for an original crank, or at least one that is appropriate for the era - anyone?

Along with the machine vice came a nice handy watchmaker's spanner:

A really nice package has reached me with this. :artist:

Have a good start into the week all

Carsten

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slim_boy_fat · Nov 14, 2022

25.4_mechanic said:
Along with the machine vice came a nice handy watchmaker's spanner:

25.4_mechanic · Nov 14, 2022

slim_boy_fat said:

Craig-SM · Nov 14, 2022

Picked up a Blastclean GB25 pot blaster. No idea how to use it but will give it a strip down and rebuild before trying it out. Hope to be cleaning down some vices and brake callipers in the future hopefully before Christmas if I can get the time.