Peckforton sawmill

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ge_rik
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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by ge_rik » Fri Jan 05, 2018 6:08 pm

Lonsdaler wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 9:53 am More lovely work Rik.
Just make sure that once the building is commissioned, that all the staff have a fire safety briefing. :shock: When I was a young fireman, all the buildings on our patch with a belfast roof (there were only three, actually) were listed as risks. It's not because the construction is in itself a particular fire risk, but because in a well developed fire, the roofs were prone to rapid failure, as the open lattice structure would rapidly become involved in the fire, in much the same way as a 'crib' of kindling does when you light a fire. Definitely buildings where you kept one eye on the exit.
Scary stuff. The building will have a fairly open structure and so staff will have plenty of escape routes. I don't think I'll be trying any fire tests.....

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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by Big Jim » Fri Jan 05, 2018 6:48 pm

Nice job Rik, ip engineering do a white metal kit of an engine that may be suitable as a power plant.
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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by ge_rik » Fri Jan 05, 2018 8:43 pm

Big Jim wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 6:48 pm Nice job Rik, ip engineering do a white metal kit of an engine that may be suitable as a power plant.
Thanks Jim. Looks like a nice piece of kit and it can be motorised, which is a bonus. I've got a plastic kit of a stationary engine which I might investigate first.

Rik
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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by CVLR » Fri Jan 05, 2018 8:54 pm

Looking good. I assume we can look forward to YouTube video when it's in situ?
What's this button do then? ooops.....

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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by LNR » Fri Jan 05, 2018 11:38 pm

Jumping ahead a bit, circular saw sounds would be a nice effect (hint hint ;) ) something which would be right up your alley I imagine Rik.
Grant.

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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by ge_rik » Sat Jan 06, 2018 3:30 pm

CVLR wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 8:54 pm Looking good. I assume we can look forward to YouTube video when it's in situ?
Might take a while. I'd need to get the mechanisms up and runnung before I could do the video and I suspect they might take longer than constructing the building itself. However, a video is on the cards at some point.

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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by ge_rik » Sat Jan 06, 2018 3:32 pm

LNR wrote: Fri Jan 05, 2018 11:38 pm Jumping ahead a bit, circular saw sounds would be a nice effect (hint hint ;) ) something which would be right up your alley I imagine Rik.
Grant.
Great idea, Grant. Thanks. Hadn't thought about it, until now........ :)

Rik
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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by Peter Butler » Sat Jan 06, 2018 4:28 pm

This is a cracking project Rik, one I am following closely. Great work so far but with all that timber, plus the electrics/electronics and mechanics involved it will not be left outside on the railway I'm sure. If is is self contained there should be no problem in siting it for running sessions.
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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by ge_rik » Sat Jan 06, 2018 4:58 pm

Peter Butler wrote: Sat Jan 06, 2018 4:28 pm This is a cracking project Rik, one I am following closely. Great work so far but with all that timber, plus the electrics/electronics and mechanics involved it will not be left outside on the railway I'm sure. If is is self contained there should be no problem in siting it for running sessions.
Hi Peter
Yes, it will be taken out for running sessions and brought back indoors when not being used. The roof will be clad in aluminium 'corrugated iron' and so will be weatherproof, but I don't fancy leaving it out all year round. It might stay out for the summer months though (dependent on the weather).

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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by FWLR » Sun Jan 07, 2018 10:07 am

Wouldn’t some sort of shelter help Rik, something like a resin stone affect shed if you see what I mean to go over the sluice gate and most part of the running water to protect it from the frost. Just an idea Rik.

:thumbright:

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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by ge_rik » Sun Jan 07, 2018 1:32 pm

FWLR wrote: Sun Jan 07, 2018 10:07 am Wouldn’t some sort of shelter help Rik, something like a resin stone affect shed if you see what I mean to go over the sluice gate and most part of the running water to protect it from the frost. Just an idea Rik.

:thumbright:
Hi Rod
Different project - but thanks for the suggestion
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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by FWLR » Mon Jan 08, 2018 7:01 am

Losing all track of things lol....... :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by Big Jim » Mon Jan 08, 2018 12:12 pm

Just out of interest Rik, what is your technique for turning drinks cans into corrugated sheets?
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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by ge_rik » Mon Jan 08, 2018 4:34 pm

Big Jim wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2018 12:12 pm Just out of interest Rik, what is your technique for turning drinks cans into corrugated sheets?
Hi Jim
With a paper corrugator (eg https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282610609044 )

Actually, up to now, I've been using the thick foil from disposable baking trays but decided to give drinks cans a go as the alu is a bit thicker. I've now discovered the alu from drinks cans is too thick and the corrugations aren't as pronounced and so I've gone back to baking tray alu. More susceptible to being accidentally dented, but looks more realistic - and a lot cheaper than corrugated plastic sheeting.

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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by Big Jim » Mon Jan 08, 2018 5:17 pm

Thanks Rik, shame about the drink can metal. I was hoping to having the chore of emptying a few just to get the metal. I suppose I will have to eat more meat pies instead.
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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by LNR » Mon Jan 08, 2018 11:16 pm

Guess it depends on your requirement for corrugated iron. If you search around, the paper crimper that Rik linked to is
also available with aluminium rollers. I took mine out of its plastic frame and made up a very hasty one of aluminium
angle that clamps in the vice and results in a more even crimp.
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I also found aluminium foil in 300mm wide rolls 36g at a craft store which will go straight through the crimper.
P1010005.JPG
P1010005.JPG (31.92 KiB) Viewed 5066 times
With ally drink cans I found you need to anneal them first to get a decent crimp pattern.
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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by ge_rik » Tue Jan 09, 2018 9:12 am

LNR wrote: Mon Jan 08, 2018 11:16 pm With ally drink cans I found you need to anneal them first to get a decent crimp pattern.
Grant.
Useful to know, Grant. Thanks.
Yes, the plastic frame for the crimper is a bit flimsy. Trying to put slightly thicker beer can alu through the crimper forcibly 'dismantled' it. Might try annealing to see how much difference that makes and presumably has the added advantage of removing any coatings.

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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by Big Jim » Tue Jan 09, 2018 10:48 am

A little trick for annealing aluminium.

Take a bar of soap, wet it slightly. Rub over area to be annealed, no need to totally cover it but you want a good spread. Heat with blow torch until the soap turns black.

This should allow you to stop before you start burning holes in the metal.
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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by GTB » Tue Jan 09, 2018 11:04 am

ge_rik wrote: Tue Jan 09, 2018 9:12 am Might try annealing to see how much difference that makes and presumably has the added advantage of removing any coatings.
You need to be careful annealing aluminium, as the annealing temperature is fairly close to the melting point. Unlike other metals you can't just bring it up to red heat and let it cool down, as the melting point is below a visible red heat.

Also, it won't get hot enough to burn off the epoxy coating used on the inside of a drink can before the metal melts. All the coating does is turn brown.

This link below has some instructions for annealing aluminium in the home workshop, using soap as a temperature indicator, which is the common model engineering trick.

http://steamshed.com/annealing%20process.html

Here in Oz, because most new roofs are prepainted steel and lead flashing can't be used, aluminium flashing is available in rolls. It is annealed and the metal is about twice the gauge of pie pans.

Regards,
Graeme

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Re: Peckforton sawmill

Post by ge_rik » Tue Jan 09, 2018 11:29 am

Thanks Jim & Graeme.
You get some really useful and serious advice on this forum - which is why I prefer it to the other forums to which I subscribe (but mostly lurk).

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