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The Night Mail


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Last night I broke the fixing on my watch strap where it connects to the watch casing. This afternoon I went down to the workshop with the intention of doing a 'quick' fix of the offending item before getting down to some modelling. Just under three hours later I was the proud possessor of a repaired watch strap but had achieved bu**er all else. The 'quick' fix had involved a lot of preliminary head scratching, taking the broken spring loaded axle that secures the end of the strap then straightening the broken pieces and sleeving it with a piece of machined brass, trimming the small spring inside the axle as it had stretched somewhat when it broke, boring out the lugs at the end of the strap to accept the increased diameter of the sleeving, and finally reassembling. Next time I'll go out and buy a new watch!

 

At least there was something to look forward to as we had some rather nice steak and chips for dinner accompanied by a tasty Shiraz followed by a celebratory dram when the news bulletin revealed that the dangerous looney has been given notice to quit the White House.

 

Maybe some modelling will be achieved tomorrow, although there are rumours that one of the drains at Dad's house may be getting blocked....

 

Time for bed said Zebedee.

 

Dave

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We have a bank of 6 switches just outside the kitchen. I've found out what 3 of them do.

 

Today's major projects were disposing of some outside plants that had succumed (sp?) to frost. And replacing the kitty litter complete with scrub of the box.

 

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3 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

The 'quick' fix had involved a lot of preliminary head scratching, taking the broken spring loaded axle that secures the end of the strap then straightening the broken pieces and sleeving it with a piece of machined brass, trimming the small spring inside the axle as it had stretched somewhat when it broke, boring out the lugs at the end of the strap to accept the increased diameter of the sleeving, and finally reassembling. Next time I'll go out and buy a new watch!


Maybe I shouldn’t tell you this, but those ‘spring-loaded axles’ are readily available to buy here. I think I have a couple in a drawer. Time to effect repair - less than 5 minutes. Most of that time would be taken up looking for the replacement.

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4 hours ago, pH said:


Maybe I shouldn’t tell you this, but those ‘spring-loaded axles’ are readily available to buy here. I think I have a couple in a drawer. Time to effect repair - less than 5 minutes. Most of that time would be taken up looking for the replacement.

I broke a similar axle once when holidaying in France. The local jeweller replaced it free of charge. Sorry to mention this Dave.

 

Jamie

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15 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Douglas,

 

I'm sure that PB will confirm that this could be best described as a small bit of cake:

 

cake.jpg.ffe740944271adde42a9f7561be801c0.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a wonderful snackaroonee - elevenses-sized, I'd say.  The only think missing is a Matchbox Car on top :smile_mini2:, as all my birthday cakes used to have when made by my Mum.... :cry:

 

8 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

Last night I broke the fixing on my watch strap where it connects to the watch casing. This afternoon I went down to the workshop with the intention of doing a 'quick' fix of the offending item before getting down to some modelling. Just under three hours later I was the proud possessor of a repaired watch strap but had achieved bu**er all else. The 'quick' fix had involved a lot of preliminary head scratching, taking the broken spring loaded axle that secures the end of the strap then straightening the broken pieces and sleeving it with a piece of machined brass, trimming the small spring inside the axle as it had stretched somewhat when it broke, boring out the lugs at the end of the strap to accept the increased diameter of the sleeving, and finally reassembling. Next time I'll go out and buy a new watch!

 

 

 

Those little spring loaded "axles" are all over ebay too.....

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8 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

Last night I broke the fixing on my watch strap where it connects to the watch casing. This afternoon I went down to the workshop with the intention of doing a 'quick' fix of the offending item before getting down to some modelling. Just under three hours later I was the proud possessor of a repaired watch strap but had achieved bu**er all else. The 'quick' fix had involved a lot of preliminary head scratching, taking the broken spring loaded axle that secures the end of the strap then straightening the broken pieces and sleeving it with a piece of machined brass, trimming the small spring inside the axle as it had stretched somewhat when it broke, boring out the lugs at the end of the strap to accept the increased diameter of the sleeving, and finally reassembling. Next time I'll go out and buy a new watch!

It would have been quicker to have driven down to the Hippodrome and availed yourself of the box of  sprung connectors used to connect watch mechanisms to their strap(s). I think I have about 200 in various sizes.

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Thanks to all of you who informed me that the little sprung axles for watch straps are easily available. All I can say is BU**ER!!!

In my defence, though, the only shop I can think of that may stock such items hereabouts is shut due to the latest lockdown and at least I don't have to wait for a mail delivery, which would realistically be the only other option unless I ventured down to the Muddy Hollow. Next time, though, I'll apply to the Muddy Hollow for a package to be left by the gate and go to collect it, leaving an offering of cake in payment.

 

Just watched JB's speech after winning the election; if he achieves a quarter of what he says he wants he and America will be doing well. I just hope that the Orange Idiot doesn't try to screw things up before being kicked out - his son's rant was something to behold.

 

I live in hope that today I will be able to get done some of the modelling that yesterday's saga of the watch strap precluded.

 

Have a good day everyone.

 

Dave

Edited by Dave Hunt
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1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

Thanks to all of you who informed me that the little sprung axles for watch straps are easily available. All I can say is BU**ER!!!

In my defence, though, the only shop I can think of that may stock such items hereabouts is shut due to the latest lockdown and at least I don't have to wait for a mail delivery, which would realistically be the only other option unless I ventured down to the Muddy Hollow. Next time, though, I'll apply to the Muddy Hollow for a package to be left by the gate and go to collect it, leaving an offering of cake in payment.

 

Dave

You old softy!

 

I thought we could meet and greet whilst both wearing full NBC kit and S10 respirators.

 

Certainly put the wind up all my neighbours, one of whom is on my new sh!t list for starting his car up halfway through the 2 minutes silence this morning.

 

He wasn't going out, just wanting to use his  mini compressor to pump up a tyre.

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Morning,

 

A very nice dinner was had last night, after I had declared the election was not to be discussed. However I will say I’m quite pleased with the supposedly “illegal” result.

 

Gifts were opened this morning, which contained a official RN woolen submariner sweater (navy blue), a new set of small pliers, a small vise, and a welcomed smattering of gift cards. The vise needs to some modification to fit on my desk. The pliers don’t though:laugh_mini:.

 

Douglas

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14 minutes ago, coastalview said:

My OH is so chuffed with te result (as am I TBH) it would be a braver soul than I who stopped her talking about it :D

I'm just grateful we do not have a President in the UK.

 

Think of the choice of basil smell (anag) we'd have to put up with.

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I must admit, in the time I remember of my dad's RAF service, and following 20 years attachment to the army,   the 12 years of my RAF service,  the following 6 years visiting RAF bases.  I never saw a garage for an airmans / soldiers or come to that officers personal use.

Most bases were built with no allowance for personal vehicles at all,  just later adaptations plus the use of the parade square as a car park, which meant when a parade was called for, you had to go park on the football field.. (or else) 

 

Our garage is 50ft + way from the house,  so many of the building Regs don't apply,  it just counts as a detached shed.. Luckily it did have electricity supplies,  even if fitted by cowboys R us.. 

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44 minutes ago, TheQ said:

I must admit, in the time I remember of my dad's RAF service, and following 20 years attachment to the army,   the 12 years of my RAF service,  the following 6 years visiting RAF bases.  I never saw a garage for an airmans / soldiers or come to that officers personal use.

Most bases were built with no allowance for personal vehicles at all,  just later adaptations plus the use of the parade square as a car park, which meant when a parade was called for, you had to go park on the football field.. (or else) 

 

Our garage is 50ft + way from the house,  so many of the building Regs don't apply,  it just counts as a detached shed.. Luckily it did have electricity supplies,  even if fitted by cowboys R us.. 

I attach a Bing map picture of the married quarters at Kirton in Lindsey where I was based in the late 80's.

 

https://www.bing.com/maps?wlexpsignin=1

 

Kirton had been a WWi and WWII airfield and transferred over to the Army as an Air Defence Artillery base, imaginatively named Rapier Barracks.  We lived in the house closest to the Officers mess, No 1 York Road and although it was a post WWII build it did have a garage.  You will note the houses further along in York Rd, which were built in the 'Expansion period' of the late 1930s all have garages.  The ORs quarters, in the Closes and Cresents had parking areas which did have a few garages.

 

Kirton in Lindsey played a very small part in the film 'The Dambusters' as the airfield, being grass, was used for the take off shots of the dams raid. A lot of the other shots being taken at RAF Hemswell between Kirton and Scampton.  At the time of the filming, Scampton was closed as the runway was being extended for the V force aircraft, so Hemswell stood in for Scampton for a lot of the other scenes.  A friend at the local MRC had been a member of 617 Sqn at the tail end of the war and was still serving and he maintained that the eagle eyed can see Lincoln bombers standing in for the Lancasters in some of the 'crowd scenes'.

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Not sophisticated engineering like Douglas’ steam engines or Dave’s wristwatch springs but I am very pleased with my blob of plastic. Slot cars on eBay have much lower prices if unboxed and really low prices if something is missing. Well I was looking for a 1950s Corvette model and one appeared unboxed, with a rear light lens missing. It appeared to be otherwise unused. I know it is possible to buy tiny red lenses for rear lights but thought with bits of brass rod and plastic tube I could make a blob. 
Blob!

204AB25A-D8CD-42D6-90BD-34FFD1208C72.jpeg.d4a96f309f2c74224389c00f098b9248.jpeg

Tony

Edited by Tony_S
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8 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

I attach a Bing map picture of the married quarters at Kirton in Lindsey where I was based in the late 80's.

 

https://www.bing.com/maps?wlexpsignin=1

 

Kirton had been a WWi and WWII airfield and transferred over to the Army as an Air Defence Artillery base, imaginatively named Rapier Barracks.  We lived in the house closest to the Officers mess, No 1 York Road and although it was a post WWII build it did have a garage.  You will note the houses further along in York Rd, which were built in the 'Expansion period' of the late 1930s all have garages.  The ORs quarters, in the Closes and Cresents had parking areas which did have a few garages.

 

Kirton in Lindsey played a very small part in the film 'The Dambusters' as the airfield, being grass, was used for the take off shots of the dams raid. A lot of the other shots being taken at RAF Hemswell between Kirton and Scampton.  At the time of the filming, Scampton was closed as the runway was being extended for the V force aircraft, so Hemswell stood in for Scampton for a lot of the other scenes.  A friend at the local MRC had been a member of 617 Sqn at the tail end of the war and was still serving and he maintained that the eagle eyed can see Lincoln bombers standing in for the Lancasters in some of the 'crowd scenes'.

Bit map just comes up at my home address,  the youngest MQs we lived in was on Benbecula built in the 1970s  terraced houses no garages.. 

https://www.instantstreetview.com/@57.471789,-7.392292,141.47h,-13.8p,1z

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Sorry about the Bing link.

 

If you are really desperate you can look at Kirton as an aerial/satellite view by navigating from your home location, then by wandering up and down the A15 and end up spying lots of airfields, some of which are still extant.

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1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

Good enough for racing!


Model is 1/32 scale. 

Tony

Corvettes of that era were made in Flint, Michigan. In which city did Sherry live after marrying the first time in nearby Holly. Her now-ex was a Vauxhall guy on a year's GM course in Detroit and environs. These days he drives a Jag w a cherished number, having re-married an Iranian social climber...... 

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