Category Archives: Uncategorized

Air-Conditioning

Posted on May 6, 2012 by Michael Slater

Messing around with the old Mafac cantilever brakes in the Geminiani today. Was hot as hell until nature turned on the best air-conditioning available: Sumatran downpour.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

eBay Weekend

Posted on May 2, 2012 by Michael Slater

Two auctions this weekend. Two possible projects. Only won one. I bought an old Shimano ‘Crane’ rear dérailleur. The Jockey wheels are replaced with red ‘bullseye’ wheels. These are famous from the eighties for having the first cartridge bearings. The … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Thread Success

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Michael Slater

Did all the steps 15% better: sharper tool, better aligned and centered too. Importantly ( I think ) pulled the thread tool off the work piece with the cross feed during reverses. Made massive cumulative difference.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

New Tool: flat plate

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Michael Slater

My alignment tool arrived a few weeks ago.  What is it?   A giant (3×5′) cast aluminum plate that is heat-treated and blanchard ground until it’s quite flat.  A professional machinist says this would be called a “flat plate” not … Continue reading →

Posted in Metal Fabrication, Surface Plate, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Raphael Geminiani Rebuild

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Michael Slater

    Bought this Raphael Geminiani 650b randonneur from eBay.fr recently.   Why? because it’s got great components — a nivex rear derailleur (4 speed) and a simplex lever-controlled front derailleur.   In the photo above I’ve removed the fenders … Continue reading →

Posted in Bike Projects, Raphael Geminiani Randonneur, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Tiny nibbles

Posted on April 18, 2011 by Michael Slater

Maintube jig mounted to my vertical mill Been taking tiny nibbles at the big project of setting up and using my Sputnik mitering hardware. Over the weekend I mounted the rotary table to the bedway of the mill,  setup a … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Ass-puckering

Posted on March 6, 2011 by Michael Slater

No idea how to do those giant jumps.   This is apparently an Urban downhill race in Chile called the Valparaiso Cerro Abajo. (Could never happen in 100 years in Singapore or the USA) Looks like any pause along the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Crossed Eyes

Posted on March 2, 2011 by Michael Slater

  I bought a jewelers’ visor today with a set of different magnifiers.  I tried to use them to remove a metal splinter in my pinkie.  I tried the highest magnification, but it was excruciating because I had to nearly … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | 1 Comment