mattinker

I've been following this thread for some time now, really enjoying the work that you've put in. I can't help thinking that after all the effort you've put into the radiator, you must be reaching the end of the porosity! The tapping sealant solution seems very good to me, but what are you using for screws? Maybe you're already there, but I was thinking are you using Aluminium plugs? Small diameter Al, threaded a short way, screwed into the end of the thread, cut of proud and peaned gently would give an invisible mend once filed down. Hoping to meet you in Brighton, Regards, Matthew

What a satisfying moment! I'll be in the UK this weekend to take my son and grandsons to see the Brighton end of the run. Looking forward to congratulating you in person. Best wishes, Matthew

Barry, I have come across this kind of split pin in both the UK and France. It's more a question of manufacturer than anything else. I liked the small eyed ones, which were un-plated mild steel and relatively long that I used a lot in another life a a heavy vehicle mechanic. Regards, Matthew

To do what you're doing, you have to "make luck" otherwise, you'd never be able to assemble such an extraordinary puzzle! So definitely "Meant to be!", with a spare you won't need it! It's a pleasure to watch your progress, Thank you for this thread! Regards, Matthew

I was referring to adjusting the bands to the wheels before "retreading" them I was aware of the presence of the rubber now. I may be wrong, but from what I've read about wheel bands on wooden wheels was that they "grew" with use, the rolling action on uneven stony roads hammered the steel bands making them longer. Shrinking, a form of "upsetting" to make the band thicker and shorter, as opposed to the heating (not to red hot!) the band to expand it to fit it over the wood. I had understood that the wheels had been sand blasted, taking off the rust and thus reducing them diameter. Were solid tyre bands stretched by the rolling action? Sorry if I'm off on a wild goose chase! I t was a thought which is probably irrelevant now. Regards, Matthew

Black smiths used to "shrink" wheel bands, but a modern equivelent could be to cut the band with an angle grinder and use a rachet strap to strap it onto the wheel, either tack weld in situe or based on experience with a weld in situe close or open slightly before tacking and welding. Just a thought, Matthew

Hi, when I replied to the original thread, I had not seen the state of the square taper. 0.040 thou taper is really nothing to speak of. You could probably push a coarse square file through as a broach if you can find on the right size. Due to the pitted rounded square, I would be inclined to make a thick steel washer with a square hole to act like a flange. File fitted to the square and scewed with counter sunk coarse set screws up into the Al. Due to the state of the square, without building it up, I wouldn't trust it alone in the Al. I imagine the steering is going to be heavy on the Denis, the leverage of the steering wheel is going to be pretty high. Making a broach is more work than fileing. With a bastard square file with chalk on it and a card or wire brush to clean the file as you go, it won't take long to do it by hand! Regards, Matt

I realy enjoy this thread. Although I don't restore vehicules that are as old as the Denis, I do all my own mechanical work, including inventing machines for theatre and television. I have a project vehicle, a mear flegling of an '83 hilux that's going to be my retirement car! I am surprised that you don't have a shaper, square holes, tapered square holes, inside gears, inside splines and making things flat using simple HSS tooling. My suggestion is to drill a straight hole to start with, if your wheel will fit in your lathe, bore a taper hole, with the diameter the same size as the square. I would be inclined to cut to the corners radially from the middle. depending on the diameter, it may be possible to saw triangular sections to eliminate metal. Having the final slope allready cut with a hacksaw will make it easier to file out to the square conical shape. The steering column and some "blue" would help to get things right. Regards, Matthew

If i remember correctly, they were callaed ticklers,I'm not that old, but I think I came across them when I was an adolescent in the sixties, it may have been on fishing boats. Regards, Matthew