For DRIVERS, MECHANICS & FOREMEN.
Page 29
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TEN SHILLINGS is paid to the sender of any letter which we publish on this page. and an EXTRA FIVE SHILLINGS to the sender of the one which we select as being the best each week. All notes are edited before being published. Mention. your employer's name, in confidence, as evidence of good faith. Address, D., N. and F., "The Commercial Motor," 7-15, Bosebery Avenue, London, E.C. 1.
Lamps Alight.
On Saturday, November 6th, light your lamps at 4.53 in London, 4.60 in Edinburgh, 4.47 in Newcastle, 5.0 in Liverpool, 4.59 In Birmingham, 5.3 in Bristol, and 5.43 in Dublin.
A Couple of Useful Tips. •
The sender of the following communication has beers awarded the extra payment of 5s. this ive,ek.
[21521 " J.C.G." (Sheffield) writes: " The mortality 'amongst the small tools of the average workshop is considerable, even in the best-managed establishments. In the garage, and in places where the amateur craftsman abounds, it amounts almost to a tragedy, particularly as many of these establishments do not possess a proper equipment for re-grinding twist drills. Many do not realize that a stone doorstep or window-sill makes an admirable substitute or a grindstone, and that twist drills in particular may be brought to a fair state of efficiency in a very few minutes, provided a little common sense, diluted with a moderate amount of elbow grease,. be applied. This is the case, at least, with drills up to Fre in. diameter, or even in. As a matter of fact, the .ordinary garage hand is generally more likely to make a good job of a. drill ground in this fashion than would be the case if he had access to an emery wheel. "The other tip is in connection with the mechanic's &thing. The long overall coat is coming increasingly into fashion. In the North, at least, it is all the rage for this season's wear. As a rule, the fastenings are detachable buttons, held in place by spring pins of brass. Unfortunately, the pins soon lose their elasticity and fall out, whereupon the buttons do likewise. The wearer is then left with a row of non-returnable, empties, or, at any rate, the writer has not,up to the time of writing, found any to accept delivery or them, nor can lie discover a depot for the Supply of the needful spares. Prevention in this -case appears to be not only better than cure, but the only course to adopt, since the disease is actually incurable. What I do myself is to borrow one halfinch hollow punch and one eighth-inch ditto, the -material required being one. small portion of old' rubber tube or similar material.. Out wads out of this with the half-inch punch and make holes in the centres of them with the other. Draw the pins, press the wads over the eyelets ,of the buttons, replace the pins, and the coat.will wear out before the buttons are lost." • Testing for Leaky Tyre. Valves.
[2153] " J.O.I." ( Sheffield) writes :—" A recent contributor to your D.M. and F.' pages, in letter No. 2132, states that, a tyre frequently gets into such a state that it needs re-inflating at short intervals, and he describes a gadget for the detection of one of the causes.
"I should be interested to hear the comments of a tyre manufacturer upon W.D.'s ' letter, for, according to nt3, belief, there is not a tube on the market :which is not so designed as to give a perfect seal against air escape from the valve, which is the source of trouble which W.D.'s ' advice is intended to locate. In most eases this escape is prevented by a rubber washer on the plug seat, supplemented by a small disc of rubber in the small cap. If care be taken to ensure that these are in order no leak can take place. It is still possible, however, for what will be to many drivers a mysterious eseape of air do occur in the neighbourhood of the valve, but this may nearly always be traced to the bottom of the valve body where the nut which secures the valve to the tube frequently becomes slack. If this be tightened the mysterious leakage will very often cease, and it is invariably a good plan to test this nut with a spanner when fitting a new tube or re fitting an old one. • " As regards the suggestion made in the letter to whiohj refer, I think a common tumbler filled to the brim with water will serve the same purpose."
Curing Leaky Gearboxes.
[2154] "A.T." (Wakefield) writes :—" We had a lot of trouble recently with a motor lorry gearbox which leaked oil, no matter what we did to cure it. Fitting new gaskets, new felt washers in the Fluffing boxes, and all the usual devices seemed of no avail. Eventually, in the course of cleaning and examination, I discovered that a small vent-hole in the lid had become choked, I thought that if this hole was clear the leakage might cease, but it seemed to me that even. if I did clean it, it. was so Small that so soon as the lid was replaced and gearbox in work, it would again be covered by a coating of oil and would cease to operate as it should. I, therefore, enlarged it and fitted a piece of gas pipe with a gauze over the top, as shown in the sketch. The cure was a perfect one, and the box gave no further trouble."