# Why I've been gone ... and am still not up to speed



## Kludge (Nov 23, 2008)

Hi, folks,

I need to apologize for disappearing without notice. 

As has been noted previously, I've got some problems that lead to falling into a "sit and star into nothingness" mode for hours on end separated by the occasional few minutes of actually doing something. Scattered around me are some/most of the parts for a couple of 3 "cylinder" electric engines, one Noelle-sized and one smaller, a few sketches of other engines (air and electric), a growing stack of parts for some compressors to drive the air engines, and a growing stack of wood and metal (brass) bits to make it all happen. "All" and "happen" have yet to be defined.

While searching for a 6-40 die, I found a gunsmithing site that has taps and dies for 4-40, 5-40, 6-40, 8-40, 1/8"-40 and 1/4"-40 threads the first four in a kit with other NF taps & dies. I may well buy this kit (or one like it that has drills & taps with the dies purchased separately) with the added taps & dies to complete the set and add it to my .6-2mm watchmaker's tap & die sets. Why? Because it fits my sense of humor.

Otherwise, nothing real is happening. I'm still thinking in terms of thin wall cylinders for compressed air & steam engines (brass tubing & ammo brasses), horridly inefficient but fun to watch mechanisms, horizontal flywheels to make engines fit flat rate boxes, and other mechanical oddities.

But nothing is being accomplished. I sit and I stare and I live in a world of "aware but unresponsive," as one doctor recently called it. Too many memories I don't want or need ... too many trips back to "those times" ... so much I desperately want to forget.

BEst regards,

Kludge, the wreck


----------



## b.lindsey (Nov 23, 2008)

Welcome back Kludge. No need to apologize, take care of you first...the rest will be there when you are ready.

Bill


----------



## dsquire (Nov 23, 2008)

Hi Kludge  :bow:

Good to hear from you again. We did miss you on the forum and glad you are back. Just take care of yourself and put yourself and Noelle first, everything else will fall into place. All the best. 

cheers

Don


----------



## rake60 (Nov 23, 2008)

Good to see you back Kludge!

I was missing your point of view input here.

Rick


----------



## Brian Rupnow (Nov 23, 2008)

Kludge--I was getting worried about you!!! Glad to see you back.---Brian


----------



## wareagle (Nov 23, 2008)

Kludge, I am glad to see you about! You've certainly been missed here!!


----------



## ksouers (Nov 23, 2008)

Kludge,
As already stated, no need to apologize. But the board has been a little dull lately.

Good to see you out and about.


----------



## Kludge (Nov 23, 2008)

Thanks, folks. I'll be here and !here as my mind drifts in and out of it's separate little world. 

After I wrote the initial post, I went over to the Taig where there's a piece of 1" red oak dowel intended to make three spools for solenoid coils for a Noelle-machine ... and had absolutely no clue what I was looking at or why. It was like I was seeing both for the first time, yet I have used that lathe any number of times for both wood and metal turning. I was writing my reply in Paula's "welcome aboard" thread before I was able to put it together. That's frightening.

I'll do what I can to be more active here but I can't make any promises. 

Oh, a few things I forgot to mention. First, the Clisby is a much more capable lathe when equipped with a DC power supply instead of a battery. (I found a 12vdc, 5A power pack from an old monitor I no longer have.) Now it needs a speed control to be happy. Also, my old flourescent lamp died (the one in several of the pics I posted earlier) so I've gotten a gazillion bright white LEDs and a few soft white LEDs to replace it plus add more lighting to reduce shadows and put light where I need it. I also found a box of questionable digital cameras including some webcams I think I can mount on cross slides and headstocks to make stills and videos of work as it's being done. 

The few minutes of activity do result in progress. Kind of. I have pieces parts but none of them are assembled. I know I need to take care of my Angel and that's the only thing that brings even this level of activity.

Best regards,

Kludge


----------



## cfellows (Nov 24, 2008)

Kludge,

Good to see you back. Missed your humor!

I'm interesed in that 3 cylinder electric you've got in the works. Is that going to be an inline, radial, or some other configuration? Also, are you using solenoids or winding your own coils? I've had a lot of interest in multi-cylinder electrics and want to build one someday.

Chuck


----------



## tel (Nov 24, 2008)

Hang in there Kludge.


----------



## Maryak (Nov 24, 2008)

Hi Kludge,

The Hesparus was a wreck 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Welcome back to the mob. I for one have missed your erudite humour and wit. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Thanks for the PM's. I see you've spread all over the forum like ketchup, (tomato sauce). 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




Fan bloody tastic.

Good to have you back buddy.

Best Regards
Bob     :


----------



## baldrocker (Nov 24, 2008)

Hey man
you been missed
BR


----------



## Kludge (Nov 24, 2008)

cfellows  said:
			
		

> Good to see you back. Missed your humor!



Me? Humor? I'm about the most serious person you'll ever know!



> Is that going to be an inline, radial, or some other configuration?



Both will be inlines ... kind of. One will be made with modified store-bought solenoids and the other with homemade ones. Three single-acting cylinders is a nice self-starting, reversable arrangement.

Okay, now, why "kind of." One of the engines will have two solenoids on one side and one on the other. This places the throws 60 degrees apart even though the solenoids will be energized in 120 degree increments as normal. This engine will only have two crankshaft bearings, one at each end with the throws in between. The solenoids only pull in about 1/8" but will be attached to levers to increase the throw to somewhere between 1/4" and 3/8" with some slop in the solenoid plungers taken up with springs. 

The second engine may well have the same 2 and 1 arrangement but the solenoids are large enough to provide an adequate throw so a more common method of attachment to the throws will be used, though I have to admit the connecting rods themselves won't be textbook examples. There will also be enough space for bearings between the throws which will help. It's designed to use 20d nails for pull-type plungers and I may sweat the brass portions on rather than using threaded methods of attachment. (I have a freezer & I have a toaster oven so I may as well put them to use, right?) 

This is one of my favorite methods of attachment after riveting and before threading and is well above soldering. It's not that I dislike soldering (or brazing) because I don't. I just like these better. On the other talon, I'm not real fond of welding unless it's micro-arc welding (and there's not much application for that here) or capacitor discharge spot welding. I can weld - mostly gas but sometimes I get lucky with electric - but ... well, it's all personal taste, right?



> I've had a lot of interest in multi-cylinder electrics and want to build one someday.



They're no more difficult than compressed gas (which includes steam for my purposes) and I think they're easier in some respects. Mechanically, many of the same problems apply though instead of valving air or steam, one's switching DC current. The timing still has to be right and that can be just as much fun with electric engines as it can anything else.

BEst regards,

Kludge


----------



## Kludge (Nov 24, 2008)

Maryak  said:
			
		

> The Hesparus was a wreck



According to Longfellow, it was. However, Hesparus was also the name of a British destroyer given to the Brazilian navy and I think she wasn't wrecked so much as sent to the breakers. 

I have a lovely photo taken somewhere titled "The Wreck of the Hesparus" which has absolutely nothing to do with either. It looks more like a Boston Whaler that had seen better days and was abandoned instead.

BEst regards,

Kludge ... covered in Catsup ... or Ketchup.


----------



## Kludge (Dec 9, 2008)

Brief update:

Check here for the two newest posts. They should say it all.

http://kludges-other-blog.blogspot.com

Best regards,

Kludge


----------



## ksouers (Dec 9, 2008)

Kludge,
I knew you lived in another world, but I didn't know you HAD another world. Way Cool!

I'll have to check in from time to time.

Kevin


----------



## Kludge (Dec 11, 2008)

ksouers  said:
			
		

> I knew you lived in another world, but I didn't know you HAD another world. Way Cool!



Well, yeah, I have one. It's _this_ one I have so much trouble with. 



> I'll have to check in from time to time.



I don't update on any regular schedule but anyone's free to leave comments. I even read them from time to time. 

Best regards,

Kludge


----------

