Contributions from Drivers and Mechanics.
Page 21
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Ten Shillings Weekly for the Best Communication Received, and One Penny a Line of ten words for anything else published.
Drivers of commercial motors, and mechanics and foremen of garages or shops, who are engaged in any branch of the industry, are invited to contribute short, Personal experiences, opinions, or suggestions, on subjects which are likely to prove of merest to our readers. We shall be glad to hear of anything interestingthat has come under any driver's or mechanic's notice, either in the shops or on the road. Long and successful runs ; services with no "lost journeys" ; workshop tips and smart repairs : all are suitable subjects. Send us a post-card, or a letter, or a sketch—no matter how short, or how written, or how worded. We will "knock it into shape" before publication. When writing, it is as well to mention your employer's name, as a guarantee of bona fides (not for publication), and to state whether you wish your own name, Or initials only, to be published. Mark your envelope "I). and M.," and address it to The Editor, "THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR," 7-15, Rosebery Au:nue, London, E.C.
Address Wanted.
Will the writer of the letter published in this column last week under the heading " Keep an eye on your split pins," from " L.T.P." (Leicester), forward his full name and address to us, in order that we may send a postal order to him in payment for his contribution. We also have a packet of Fastnut washers which the makers wish us to send on.
We regret that, owing to pressure on our space, we are unable to include more than one reply to the letter signed " Hammersmith Bridge" on the driver's favourite make of omnibus, in this week's issue.
Cancellation of Drivers Licenses.
The following letter received from "A VANGUARD DiovEa" (Barnsbury) draws attention to what at first sight indicates a considerable hardship :—" I have recently read in one of the morning papers a gentleman's letter in which he comments upon the fact that taxicab-drivers' licenses are being taken away from them because they have exceeded the speed limit. In most Cases, the offence has been committed against the ten-mile limit in the parks. I am thankful that some sympathetic friend has brought this matter before the public ; licensed drivers, in this way, are liable to be punished twice for the same offence. First of all, a heavy fine is usually imposed, and this, perhaps, means a hungry home for a few days; afterwards, the withdrawal of permission to earn a living, and subsequent starvation, is a possibility. It is not generally known that motorbus drivers are constantly in danger of being caught in police traps, because it is very difficult for them to judge the exact ipeed at which they are driving their machines. If the renewal of his license is refused, it is very difficult for a man to find anything else to do, and in most cases it is impossible. He has, as a rule, done nothing but drive cabs or omnibuses, horse or motor, all his life, and he can turn his hand to very little else. I consider every care should be taken not to refuse renewal of a man's license without great cause."
[We must confess we have known of cases in which comparatively heavy fines have been inflicted, and the renewal of the licenses has been sulHequently refused. In several cases, the excess of speed has been only nominal, and a fina and warning should have sufficed. The loss of his license is an extremely serious thing for a man, and, whilst yielding to none in our determination to advocate the application of stern measures when driving to the public danger is, in any way, involved, we consider that a driver should he given every opportunity to satisfy himself as to his speed; that he and his employer should be warned previously to his being trapped; and that a heavy fine should alone follow upon a first proved offence.—En.1 The Favourite Daimler.
" VANGUARD " (Richmond, Surrey) writes ;—" With reference to' Hammersmith Brid,g-e's ' letter in the issue of THE COMMERCIAL MOTOR' of the 3oth April, I don't think the writer of that letter could ever have driven a 2oh.p. sidelever Milnes-Daimler. If he had, I think he would prefer it to a De Dion, especially if he is working on the journey system, like I have been for two years. My bus is not fast, but she is sure. Day after day I pass numbers of other makes disabled on my route, while I keep steadily at it. I have known a number of men who have left Daimlers to drive a De Dion—because they have thought it was an easier job; but they have soon come back again, saying they could not make anything on them under the journey system. They are very nice and fast, but I do not consider they are so reliable as the old Daimlers. I am n an old horsebus driver, of eleven years' experience, and, although not a mechanic, find no difficulty in keeping my machine on the road. Of course, T have had small mishaps like all other
men. I conclude by giving my reasons for my fondness for my old, 2oh.p., Milnes-Daimler-type bus : (1) They are very simple and easy to drive; (2) they hold a splendid mileage record; (3) they are seven-days-a-week cars; (4) they are little worry ; and (5) a chest of tools is unnecessary."
When Holes in Hardened Parts are too Small.
The sender of the following communication is awarded the 10s. prize this week.
ROBERT M. LESLIE (Aberdeen) writes :—" It may be of assistance to some of your readers to hear now they may very easily overcome a troublesome job which frequently occurs in motor repair work. It is often necessary to fit a new dog-clutch, universal joint, pinion, or other similar part on to a shaft, and when the part is received from the makers it is not unusual for it to be dead hard all over. The bore is sometimes a shade too small for the shaft, and, although the makers occasionally intend to leave the part soft in the hole, it is often as hard as the rest of the piece. _ " Files, of course, are of no use in such a case, and it is a pity to soften the article ; repeated heating does the finished part no good. A round hole can be ground out without much difficulty, but square or irregular holes cannot be dealt with in this war.
" The plan I have found useful is as follows, and, I think, one not often adopted. Scrape the scale out of the hole as well as possible and lay the piece down firmly, On a piece of rubber (B), with the hole vertical. Fill up the hole (A) to be enlarged, with strong nitric acid, and add a few drops of hydrochloric acid or soldering spirit, such as is usually found in a repair shop. In a minute or so, the action will commence, and the liquid will start boiling up. After three or four minutes, once a start is made, the heat thus generated will aid the acids to enlarge a hole ti inch in diameter by about one-hundredth of an inch. If the piece now be thoroughly washed with water, it can be tried on the shaft for sire, and, if the expansion is found not to be sufficient, the process described above should be repeated. Care should be taken to avoid spilling of the nitric acid on to one's hands or clothes."