For DRIVERS, MECHANICS & FOREMEN.
Page 23
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A PIZ= OF TEN. SHILLINGS is awarded each week to the sender of the best letter which we publish on this page ; all others are paid for at the rate ol a penny a line, with an allowance for photographs. AU notes are edited before being published. Mention your e7nployer's name. in confidence, as evidence of good faith, Address, D., Al. and F., " The Commercial Motor," 7-1a, Rosebery-Avenue, London, B.C. .1.
Lamps Alight— Light your lamps at 4.29 in London, 4.46 in Edinburgh, 4.16 in Newcastle, 4.31 in Liverpool, 4.32 in Birmingham, 4.40 in Bristol, and 5.15 in Dublin.
A Tool for Cutting Washers.
The sender of the following communication has been awarded the 10s. prize this week.
1814] "M.W." (Fulham) writes :—"One of the little things which are frequently required iii odd sizes, and of which there never seems to be in stock a pattern of the right diameter, is a washer. Generally the fitter finds it necessary to set to and make his own. Invariably this somewhat tedious job is called for when the time which must be devoted to it can least he spared. As a rule, the method adopted is that of cutting the part out by a cold chisel. The tool of which I enclose a sketch [Which we have had redrawn.—ED.] can be made so that it will cut any desired size of washer which is likely to he required.
"The centre is made from I in. mild steel bar, turned down to I in. diameter at one end, so that it can be used in a drilling Machine, or in an ordinary hand brace. The other end is pointed,and hardened, as it has to serve as a centre. The cutting tools are made from tool steel, although mild steel will serve if the more expensive brand is not obtainable. In any case, of course, the points must joe carefully hardened. They are secured in the body of the .tool by set-screws, and are adjustable to any outside diameter within the limits of length of the cutters. Any diameter of hole can also be cut.
"The sketch is fully. dimensioned, and no further description is, I think, necessary.
"Another useful fitting for the garage is a jig in which valves may be held when cutting the cotter holes. As a rule cotter holes are made by first of all drilling a number of small,h6les through the stem, the remainder being cleaned out with a chisel. "I use a jig, first drilling three holes only, and afterwards punching out the remainder of the metal by ohe process. The jig is made from 1-in. sq. steel. Near one side is drilled a hole to accommodate the valve spindle. The valve itself may be suitalily located by the 'underside of the head, and it will generally be found necessary, on account of the fillet pining stem to head, to countersink the hole in the Jig which accommodates the stem, so that the fillet will clear it. (If there is no fillet try a new make of valve ; those at present in use are of bad design.) At the correct distance from one end of the jig, to suit the location of the cotter hole, drill three holes, of same diameter as the width of the cotter hole, one at each end, of the saki cotter hole, the third between these two, roughly in the centre. At the right distance from the other end of the jig, cut a slot the same size as the .required cotter hole. When these holes are accurately made, the jig must be carefully hardened. The next thing to do is to make the punch. This must be made of tool steel, and of the correct size for the hole to be cut.
"I enclose a sketch of the complete jig, with a vaIvet.in position. [We have had it redrawn —En.] The valve is held lightly in place by means of a setscrew."
Emergency Repair to Petrol Pipe. T-■-•
[1815] "11.P." (Battersea) writes : —" A short time ago whilst driving a Leyland motor pump late at night to a large fire, the petrol pipe fractured between the strainer and carburetter, and the engine, after a few spasmodic 'kicks,' came to a halt.. On investigating the cause,_ I found that the under-screen, which had been taken down a few days previously, had been badly replaced, and waspressing on the pipe in such a manner aso4toput great tension on,it. This factor, combined with the jolting caused by travelling over a bad road, had. been responsible for the Sudden frac.. tyre. As I had no spare rubber connection, and it was 'essential that I should: get the pump to the fire, I was at a loss to know what to do.
"My eye, however, suddenly fell on an old pair of gloves in the tool box, and an idea came into my head. I cut off one of the fingers and placed it on the pipe, first scoring the ends of the pipe with a, filey to prevent it slipping, and then bonnd the ends with fine copper wire. The temporary repair was quite effecfive, and after a delay of only a few minutes I was able to continue the journey tit. the scene of the fire, the pump afterwards getting to work."