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philb

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Everything posted by philb

  1. I guess you've seen this http://aec.middx.net/units/engines1.htm?
  2. Thanks for that, there's one on its way to me. Phil
  3. Do any of you learned folk know the correct length of the front brake hoses? I'm about to replace mine and I noticed the offside one had been rubbed by the tyre - only on full lock as far as I can tell. It's 490mm between the ends of the ferrules (easier than measuring the cone to cone length) and I can't work out whether to made the new one shorter, longer or the same length. The nearside one is 465mm between the ends of the ferrules. By the way, the existing hoses (and the only replacement types I've found - to SAE J 1402) are 27mm OD ( = don't like bending too tight) and have a specified minimum bend radius of 140mm. That just doesn't work out on the Matador. Any advice? Thanks, in anticipation, Phil
  4. philb

    Engine Trials.

    CW I guess from post #38 you do know what you are doing, you just need to do it. If the shafts are stainless steel and the props are bronze, the prop will fizz if its shaft is not connected to an anode, as you say. Assuming then that shafts(hence props), anodes and your electrical system common are bonded and connected to the marina supply earth, without an isolator, everything could fizz, by different amounts - it's a matter of luck (not strictly luck, of course, but practically so). You should get a galvanic isolator and I suggest you get one with ac and dc leakage monitoring - to see if there is still current flowing. The reason for the monitor is that currents can be induced by effects, intentional or accidental, other than galvanic cells. Accidentally, most likely, by faults in other boats' electrics. Intentionally, as some vessels and marine installations are protected by active corrosion prevention systems (Not likely to be the case in a marina - unless you are near a naval dockyard? but everyone would have complained by now). Either can result in potential differences higher than some galvanic isolators will resist, and current still flowing through your suppy earth and so through your precious metal bits. Cavitation is most likely to occur around the trailing edges and fast moving parts of the forward face of the propellor blades, where the water pressure is prone to fall sharply to create vapour bubbles. So, looking at the distribution of corrosion/erosion should give a good idea as to what the dominant mechanism was. Good luck with the rest of the engine re-build and I hope you solve the puzzle of the failure.
  5. Duncan, I'd say it is really a matter of where the wood is to be used. If it's for framing the cab or load carrying sections at the back I would go for Ash. As Jack said, it's one of the best woods for absorbing shock loads and is very strong. It's also great to work with and takes screws very well ( I was about to say 'as long as you drill pilot holes' but then remembered that if you don't, you won't get the screws to go in anyway - it's that tough). I'd say it's money well spent too. You'll spend many weeks of spare time using £100 worth of wood! If you used a weaker material you would have to consider re-sizing sections and redesigning joints to get what you want/need. Regarding supply, imported American Ash will be cheaper than locally grown timber and far more likely to be available in long clean lengths. If you don't have woodworking machines of your own (bandsaw and planer/thichnesser at least) you'll have to either get the timber merchant to prepare it for you or find someone local who will do it. You'll have to design carefully to know what to buy and how to cut it down to what you need. The preparation will probably add about 20% to the cost. Talk to the nearest timber importer/merchant you can find - from my experience they will be very helpful to an amateur woodworker, they see hundreds of them. If your vehicle is going to be outside for much of its life make sure to apply preservative to the framing before you paint. Ash, like most woods, is a good host to rot and it is top of the menu for wood-worm - they just love it, so much so that (before preservatives were in wide use) Ash was used as a decoy to protect other timber from attack. On the other hand, if the wood is for flooring or siding (and it's not going to get much abuse), preserved softwoods should be fine. Phil
  6. Tony, Book me in please with my Matador 776HTB. David, Food too please! Phil
  7. BE VERY CAREFUL !!!! This quote is from the locostbuilders forum, I can't vouch for its accuracy but many of them have given similar warnings: " However... DO NOT put anything with Chromium in it, or Stainless (Chrome content in Stainless). That will give off Hexavalent Chromium, and that is VERY NASTY, and poisonous. Just steer away from stainless and Chrome. ie stick to mild steel and castings (No Blingy bits!) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexavalent_chromium Have a read!! " Phil
  8. Having been worried by a post on the AEC Society forum from Paul "8539769" warning of potential hub failure, I checked thefront hub nuts on mine and, guess what, one of them was loose by about half a turn. Paul's post cites four known occurrences of the nuts working loose, two with dramatic consequences. I've heard several reports of hub problems from other people, who have maintained fleets of Matadors ( a long time ago ), and it really is something you don't want to happen - at any speed. Apart from the obvious loss of control, a lot of expensive parts get damaged. So.... for the few minutes it takes, pop the bollards off and check your nuts! Phil
  9. Mike, you've let me down! I was just about to award you the "perfect pedant" prize when you seem to have confused mass with size. We all know that about 4500.85423359 billion, billion, billion electrons would have a mass of 4.1kg, whatever their size. Anticipating incoming, Phil
  10. Grandfather fought at Salonika in WW1 - not much fun by all accounts. I remember as a kid in the '50s going up to London with him for the Salonika reunions. Like many others, he never talked about what went on. Dad joined the RN in 1936 and having proudly announced to them that he was a skilled butcher was sent straight to the engine room! The Navy seemed to need more stokers than butchers. His first ship was a coal burner, so stoking was literally the task in hand. He survived three sinkings by torpedo in the Med, was subject to Kamikaze attacks in the Pacific (on the only British ship attached to an American fleet) and was in one of the first landing parties to set foot in Japan after the A bombs (apparently no-one though much about radioactive fallout in those days) So, you could say he was lucky - and still is at nearly 91. He then spent his career manufacturing Diesel generators of all sizes - that's what got me interested in machinery and eventually MVs. Not to leave her out, Mum was a pay officer in the Wrens on Whale Island. Fending off hundreds of Matelos - a different kind of danger?
  11. Adam, yes, I forgot to mention Henstridge - I'll be there.
  12. Hi folks, I'm Phil Bennett from Gillingham in Dorset and having been interested (understatement) in machinery/vehicles all my life I have now taken charge of something of substance. It's the 1945 Matador that was previously owned and restored by Richard Erwin. If I've pressed all the right buttons there should be a photo attached. Not quite the "shopping run" (Mrs philb isn't 100% committed yet) but a taxi pick-up of a pal from his office (No reward, other than seeing his colleagues' faces). I'll going to the GDSF, of course, so hope to meet some of you there. Phil
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