From Drivers and Mechanics.
Page 21
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TEN SHILLINGS WEEKLY is paid for the best communication received, and one penny a line of ten words for anything else published, with an allowance for photographs.
Night Storage Accommodation.'
We shall be pleased to hear from our driver correspondents, of suitable night accommodation for motor lorries and steam tractors in any part of the country. If readers of this page would make a point of communicating any information they may possess on this matter to us, it would make for the advantage of the whole commercial-motor industry.
Manipulating a Twist Drill.
[996] " W.S." (Cheshire) writes :—" Having recently had occasion to machine a large number of small lubricators, turned out of solid metal, and with a boss down the centre, I found great difficulty in getting boring tools stiff enough to stand up to the work. The central boss occupied a fairish space, and prevented the swarf leaving the work freely, at the same time necessitating a very thin tool. Accordingly I resolved to utilize a twist drill, and proceeded in the following manner. First I softened the end of the drill for about 1 in. and then drilled a, hole, the size of the boss to the required depth. After grinding the end quite flat, I backed off the cutting edges, and hardened the drill again, and I find it is a most satisfactory tool for the job. The same method can be used when the lubrica,tors are made up out. of castings. I have turned over 50 to date, and the drill looks good for another 100, without regrinding."
[Although we admire our correspondent's ingenuity, we are inclined to think that the cost of twist drills will prevent this device being adopted in Teeny cases. A three-faced cutter could be made at little cost, which would do quite as well as a twist-drill.—En.l Consistent Running with a Steam Wagon.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the ins. prize this week.
[9973 " F.H." (Cleckheaton) writes :—" I have been greatly interested in the accounts of long runs which occasionally appear in your D. and M.' pages. I take ray wagon all over the country in all weathers ; perhaps particulars of some of my journeys may be of interest My record run was from Cleckheaton to Bournemouth, and back again to Harrogate, with two fully-loaded vans. From the latter place I travelled back home without a load. The total distance was over 650 miles. I did not calculate the total fuel used, but on some days I only covered 35 miles and used 5 cwt. of coal. On other days I did more than 60 miles, on only 4 cwt. of coal. The trip occupied 15 days, and the vans were loaded and unloaded four times during this period.
" I expect to do some long cross-country trips very soon, when I will inform you as to my fuel consumptions. [We shall be pleased to hear from our correspondent as to the results of his runs.--En.] 'Possibly an account of a recent week's work may be of interest. I left Cleckheaton at 9 a.m. on Battur..
day, the 30th December, for Hull, with two van-loads of furniture, and arrived at Pocklington at 10.30 p.m. On Sunday a start was made at 9.15 a.m., and Hull was reached at 3.45 p.m. Unloading occupied Monday morning, but at 3 p.m. the wagon was well under way, and Poeklington on the return journey was reached at 9 p.m. The round of the clock the next day saw the wagon safely housed in its shed at home. A two-day trip to Newton-le-Willows, distaace 109 miles, then occupied us, and 9 cwt. of coal was burned. The remaining day of the week was taken up with one or two short trips, and a general overhaul and clean down. I should like to know if any of your letters can show a better week's work."
(we are always pleased to give prominence to any letter which gives particulars of long and succeasf al runs.—Eu.3 Handy Clips for Holding Pistons.
[9981 " H.H.S." (Luton) writes :—" I send you particulars of a simple clip which I recently made use of whilst renovating and overhauling a set of pistons. The usual method is to grip the piston between two grooved pieces of wood. Although this way of holding the work gives a firm hold, it has the disadvantage of only leaving a, small portion of the piston accessible without repeatedly slackening the vice and twisting the work round. The use of this clip allows a fitter to approach the job from ail points without difficulty. It will be found to be a distinct time and trouble saver which I am sure will be welcomed in many workshops. This method renders it almost impossible to damage the piston by crushing."