This Week in Wheeler's Workshop

[Nick W]

I've made a number of bits for work, but they're just boring round stuff.


I have been acquiring some bits though:





That's a standalone 4 axis CNC controller, stepper motor, driver, coupling and mount plus a 12mm ballscrew with bearings. The rest of the bits are in the box behind. The plan was to get this





converted before Christmas, but I suspect the fettling of my new car will prevent that. The welding will probably start tomorrow.

[ronnyd]

Have you got a designated workshop Nick, or is it part of your garage? After a life of working on centre lathes and milling machines, i now don,t feel a need to start doing it in retirement.

[Nick W]

Garage? Dedicated workshop? Off-road parking? What are they?


My cars have always lived in the street, and my tools are in the cellar; which is home to  the fridge, freezer, storage, coats, indoor washing line and the door we use most of the time. I keep the MIG in the front porch, hydraulic press on the back court and a load of small stuff in the outside bog.


That's the real reason for converting the mini-mill to CNC, if I had the space I would buy a small turret mill for the productivity increase I'm after.

[Mr Gav]

Garage? Dedicated workshop? Off-road parking? What are they?


My cars have always lived in the street, and my tools are in the cellar; which is home to  the fridge, freezer, storage, coats, indoor washing line and the door we use most of the time. I keep the MIG in the front porch, hydraulic press on the back court and a load of small stuff in the outside bog.


That's the real reason for converting the mini-mill to CNC, if I had the space I would buy a small turret mill for the productivity increase I'm after.

I like your enthusiasm Nick, proper British back yard engineering 

[ronnyd]

Garage? Dedicated workshop? Off-road parking? What are they?


My cars have always lived in the street, and my tools are in the cellar; which is home to  the fridge, freezer, storage, coats, indoor washing line and the door we use most of the time. I keep the MIG in the front porch, hydraulic press on the back court and a load of small stuff in the outside bog.


That's the real reason for converting the mini-mill to CNC, if I had the space I would buy a small turret mill for the productivity increase I'm after.

Blimey, i admire your ingenuity 

[Nick W]

I fitted a replacement battery to the new toy so it now starts on the button. Then I refitted all of the loose bits of dash that the PO hadn't bothered doing after installing a new heater matrix. I also connected the two hoses that he had joined together for some reason. Now the heater works, which is quite important in November.

I've also ordered a pair of sills to sort the crusty originals, and a bonnet latch so I can lose the hideous bonnet pins. Nor do I see any need for the radiator fan switch to be bypassed for a manual one; I'll buy a new switch to be sure and reinstate it. Taking chances with cooling on a K-series is bloody stupid.

I'd forgotten just how much fun small cars with decent size engines are, it's impossible to get out of this thing without a big smile.

[aaronjb]

Small car with K series..hmm..

Can't be an Elise, the sills are plastic fibreglass.
Can't be a Caterfield, there's no need for a heater in a car with no roof.

MGTF?

[Nick W]

Small car with K series..hmm..

Can't be an Elise, the sills are plastic fibreglass.
Can't be a Caterfield, there's no need for a heater in a car with no roof.

MGTF?

No roof increases the need for a good heater!

Good guess on the MGTF, but wrong. I think the TF changes spoilt the earlier car. And it isn't one of those either.

[Viral_Jim]

Left field suggestion:

Rover Tomcat with a targa roof? 

[Field Marshal Dr. Opti]

Stimson Scorcher?

[Nick W]

Left field suggestion:

Rover Tomcat with a targa roof? 

I know where there is a good cheap one, but no. And I'd buy a turbo Astra coupe if in the market for that sort of thing.

[BazaJT]

Rover 75?

[Nick W]

Rover 75?

Small car? And they're hardly suitable as a toy

[Nick W]

Stimson Scorcher?

I'm slightly disappointed that I had to google that.
It's certainly left field

[Doctor Gollum]

Metro or Maestro?