mpbarrett Posted July 16, 2021 Posted July 16, 2021 Today another new tyre for the Golf GTE...... It has stupid low profile tyres on it, and no space for a spare tyre as there is a battery in place of the tyre well. But it does have a can of 'tyre filler' and a 12V compressor! We have owned it for about 3 years in that time (its only done 25k miles) we have replaced 7 tyres. 1) A complete new set at 3.5 years old as the walls were very badly cracked and the tyres were nearly worn to the limits... 2) Two replaced due to hitting pot holes in Cambridgeshire, pot holes had been reported so local council paid for them. At least it didn't damage the rims, a lady from our village destroyed 2 rims in a particularly nasty water filled pot hole on an unlit road near the village. It had already been repeatedly reported to the council... 3) One replaced today after a couple of months with it losing pressure over a couple of weeks. Finally got it fixed, I assumed it would be the tyre seal to the rim but it had a pin hole in the side wall so not repairable, Why does it eat so many tyres, could be the performance (it can be very good fun to drive) or more likely that as its a Hybrid its carrying round a heavy battery that does push the overall weight up. Mike
Escadrille Ecosse Posted July 16, 2021 Posted July 16, 2021 Must be something about TTs. A friend has one that went through 3 in as many weeks Definite sense of humour failure there. Used to find the occasional nails and stuff like that in (failed) progressive cavity pumps. Best thing I ever found was a 1978 Daily Record stuffed in a flare relief line from a 4000t refrigerated propane tank. Usually things like gloves and safety helmets. Worst thing was a copper nail in 40kg block of rocket propellant that went into an extrusion press to make the booster motor for the Seawolf missile. Detonated in the press. The force of the explosion snapped the two 6 inch diameter studs holding on the front of the press which weighed over a ton and was thrown straight out about 100m before it first touched the ground. In other words it departed the press at almost supersonic speed. Also lifted the roof of the press building which was designed to resist German bombs, 2ft of reinfoced concrete covered in 6ft of earth. Amazingly the three guys in the building got out with nothing more than 3rd degree burns on their backs and one broken ankle. And a temporary loss of hearing. Another explosives industry tale
Nick Jones Posted July 16, 2021 Posted July 16, 2021 That was a Big Bang then….. We do have a few pumps in the explosives industry, though mainly in South Africa. Could write a fairly thick book involving strange happenings concerning /things found in progressive cavity pumps, but most people would probably find most of it fairly revolting! I like cider plants….. and breweries.
John I Posted July 16, 2021 Posted July 16, 2021 51 minutes ago, Nick Jones said: ! I like cider plants….. and breweries. Is that for the added benefits
JohnD Posted July 16, 2021 Posted July 16, 2021 Escadrille, I thought that copper fittings were used where sparks from steel might ignite vapours? Pathology museums have many specimens of things found in, er, cavities. Human cavities. And I don't mean bullets.
Escadrille Ecosse Posted July 17, 2021 Posted July 17, 2021 10 hours ago, JohnD said: Escadrille, I thought that copper fittings were used where sparks from steel might ignite vapours? Pathology museums have many specimens of things found in, er, cavities. Human cavities. And I don't mean bullets. ooh err! John. Yes the copper nails were used for non sparking applications in the explosives buildings. Tools used there had to be made of wood, leather, plastic or bronze (very expensive) and the floors were covered in gritless asphalt or lead sheet. The solid rocket propellant is a bit like a very hard plastic and takes a huge amount of force to get it to extrude through the press. This would heat the propellant up by friction and having the lump of copper in there was enough to cause localised heating in excess of the auto ignition temp. The Blackcap motor was about 3ft long and 6" in diameter with a star shaped central combustion chamber (solid rocket motors burn from the longitudinal centre outwards and not from the end) a bit like number 3 below. The press used was 24" in diameter loaded with sheets of the prepared propellant rolled up into what were known as 'carpet rolls' to about that diameter. These had to be pressed through a 6 inch die and central pin on a spider to form the combustion chamber shape. So you can get an idea of the forces required. The investigation into the incident took quite a while but eventually found traces of copper on the die and spider.
Nick Jones Posted July 17, 2021 Posted July 17, 2021 11 hours ago, John I said: Is that for the added benefits Nah….. gave up the booze some years ago. Anyway, alcohol producers of all stripes are notoriously ungenerous with handouts…. Did once do quite well with Ringwood Brewery, but I had gone out at the drop of a hat and driven through storm and floods to save his days production….. Mainly it’s that they smell much nicer than waste water treatment plants or anaerobic digesters, or paint factories or paper mills for that matter. Did get given a dozen double-yolker eggs at a recent technical advice trip to an egg packing plant. That smelt fairly powerfully of chicken, but the eggs were excellent
Escadrille Ecosse Posted July 17, 2021 Posted July 17, 2021 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Nick Jones said: Mainly it’s that they smell much nicer than waste water treatment plants or anaerobic digesters, or paint factories or paper mills for that matter. Did get given a dozen double-yolker eggs at a recent technical advice trip to an egg packing plant. That smelt fairly powerfully of chicken, but the eggs were excellent @John Dif you are interested I found this website which gives a kind of description of the factory along with some clandestine photos taken after it was closed but before the developers got in to start knocking it down for housing. http://catchingphotons.co.uk/blog/explosives/royal-ordnance-factory-bishopton/ There is a photo of a 10" horizontal press about half way down. to give an idea of scale the vertical part of the wall was about 7ft high from memory. I can remember pretty much every one of the buildings shown. I was manager of the CCC and white phosphorous plants for a while and did engineering project on pretty much every other part of the site. Edited July 17, 2021 by Escadrille Ecosse
Nick Jones Posted July 17, 2021 Posted July 17, 2021 Thanks for the insight into solid rocket motors and their production. The shape vs. thrust graphs are fascinating. One assumes that the extrusion takes place at a carefully controlled rated calculated not to blow the place up!
mpbarrett Posted July 17, 2021 Posted July 17, 2021 When I worked for Schlumberger I used to visit one of the manufacturing sites south of Houston. They made Lithium batteries and shaped charges. the shaped charges are used to perforate production tubing down a well. The shaped charge has explosives and a copper shell, when the explosive is fired the copper melts and forms a stream that will perforate the production casing and travel into the reservoir for up to 30 or 40 feet. Same technology as armour piecing shells but developed for a specific application. The tool to do the perforation usually has 20 or 30 charges loaded into it before being run down the well. usually all works only danger is if one of the charges hasn't fired and has to be brought back to the surface.. The site was interesting it was built miles away from any town, very open site with heavily protected bunkers in the centre. I always assumed they stored the charges there but no it was for storing Lithium batteries. They were much more concerned about battery explosions and fire than the shaped charges.... mike
Nick Jones Posted July 17, 2021 Posted July 17, 2021 Great link Colin… and they flattened the lot and built “homes” on it. Another fascinating glimpse into a different world Mike. Interesting what you say about the batteries. My youngest brother has been doing a lot of work on EV/hybrid battery safety recently and this appears to have largely cured him of any urge to own or even travel in vehicles with lithium batteries!
Escadrille Ecosse Posted July 17, 2021 Posted July 17, 2021 3 minutes ago, Nick Jones said: Thanks for the insight into solid rocket motors and their production. The shape vs. thrust graphs are fascinating. One assumes that the extrusion takes place at a carefully controlled rated calculated not to blow the place up! Yes Nick! Just now, mpbarrett said: When I worked for Schlumberger I used to visit one of the manufacturing sites south of Houston. They made Lithium batteries and shaped charges. the shaped charges are used to perforate production tubing down a well. The shaped charge has explosives and a copper shell, when the explosive is fired the copper melts and forms a stream that will perforate the production casing and travel into the reservoir for up to 30 or 40 feet. Same technology as armour piecing shells but developed for a specific application. The tool to do the perforation usually has 20 or 30 charges loaded into it before being run down the well. usually all works only danger is if one of the charges hasn't fired and has to be brought back to the surface.. The site was interesting it was built miles away from any town, very open site with heavily protected bunkers in the centre. I always assumed they stored the charges there but no it was for storing Lithium batteries. They were much more concerned about battery explosions and fire than the shaped charges.... mike Shaped charges are pretty interesting stuff. Royal Ordnance invented 'linear cutting tape' basically a self adhesive foam strip with an embedded shaped charge used by the Sappers and Special forces for cutting through poles, bridge supports, armoured doors, etc. Biggest shaped charge I ever saw was the directed energy warhead for the Tigerfish torpedo. 21" in diameter. 130kg of high explosive, Designed to kill the Soviet Typhoon submarines as the standard 300kg blast warhead was not powerful enough to do the job at the maximum diving depth of the Typhoons. The shaped charge warhead was always stored and handled pointing down, just in case
JohnD Posted July 17, 2021 Posted July 17, 2021 Thank you to EE and others above! As I've said before, the Common Room of Sideways University provides fascinating knowledge from an enormously wide experience. I'm NEVER going to need to know about shaped charges or solid rocket motors, let alone which way up to store a warhead, but I just LOVE knowing that! Please keep on teaching! John
mpbarrett Posted July 17, 2021 Posted July 17, 2021 nice description of Oilwell shaped charges here. The Defining Series: Perforating Fundamentals (slb.com) Cant find any vidoe's. SLB had very high speed film of charges going off but I dont have access to those anymore.. Mike
Escadrille Ecosse Posted July 17, 2021 Posted July 17, 2021 Lithium batteries are scary things. Caused the crash of a 747 cargo aeroplane a few years ago https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UPS_Airlines_Flight_6 2 hours ago, JohnD said: Thank you to EE and others above! As I've said before, the Common Room of Sideways University provides fascinating knowledge from an enormously wide experience. I'm NEVER going to need to know about shaped charges or solid rocket motors, let alone which way up to store a warhead, but I just LOVE knowing that! Please keep on teaching! John There are other forums but like you John I think this is one of the best for the breadth and depth of knowledge and experience, Triumph and otherwise. 2 hours ago, mpbarrett said: nice description of Oilwell shaped charges here. The Defining Series: Perforating Fundamentals (slb.com) Cant find any vidoe's. SLB had very high speed film of charges going off but I dont have access to those anymore.. Mike Oilwell drilling is so much more than simply drilling into the ground. Amazing
JohnD Posted July 17, 2021 Posted July 17, 2021 (edited) The Slo Mo Guys are here to help you see a shaped charge in action. Very schoolboy in attitude, tempered with military savoir-faire, see: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DdHfQYGGUS4U&ved=2ahUKEwihxt7Vn-rxAhVUPcAKHd5OCjQQz40FegQIBhAJ&usg=AOvVaw0g9tnf6fYadbf7jAiiVQDZ What surprises me is the lack of a Newtonian reaction when the shaped charge goes off! It doesn't even wobble the flimsy stand it's supported on. Edited July 17, 2021 by JohnD
Escadrille Ecosse Posted July 19, 2021 Posted July 19, 2021 On 7/17/2021 at 2:50 PM, JohnD said: The Slo Mo Guys are here to help you see a shaped charge in action. Very schoolboy in attitude, tempered with military savoir-faire, see: https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3DdHfQYGGUS4U&ved=2ahUKEwihxt7Vn-rxAhVUPcAKHd5OCjQQz40FegQIBhAJ&usg=AOvVaw0g9tnf6fYadbf7jAiiVQDZ What surprises me is the lack of a Newtonian reaction when the shaped charge goes off! It doesn't even wobble the flimsy stand it's supported on. Allways good fun
Escadrille Ecosse Posted July 19, 2021 Posted July 19, 2021 Technically this was yesterday although as I didn't get back to the house until 3 am this morning I'm counting it. Back to plumbing. The Mira 'Go' is not living up to it's moniker... My mother's side of the family are from Nethy Bridge in Speyside, a few miles north of Aviemore and the croft house has been in the family since at least the '45 rebellion (that's 1745, Bonnie prince Charlie and all that). It is now co-owned by myself and my cousins and that is where the mis-named Mira Go abides. Son and his girlfriend are on holiday up there and reported problem. Phone diagnosis didn't resolve the issue. Not helped by the necessity to go to a specific spot about 20 yards from the house to get line of sight to the phone mast. So last night I headed up the A9. Here north of Dalwhinnie And Speyside, a couple of miles outside the village Outside the village shop. Taken from the eponymous bridge over the river Nethy. The largest of the the three Thomas Telford bridges in the village. Nice night. Almost 11pm and still light. Unfortunately shower is goosed. I'm pretty sure it's the solenoid valve that's seized. Drive home was quiet. Four lorries and one car southbound on the 110 miles between Aviemore and Dunblane. And average speed cameras the entire way.
PeteStupps Posted July 19, 2021 Posted July 19, 2021 1 hour ago, Escadrille Ecosse said: So last night I headed up the A9. Here north of Dalwhinnie And Speyside, a couple of miles outside the village Outside the village shop. Taken from the eponymous bridge over the river Nethy. The largest of the the three Thomas Telford bridges in the village. Nice night. Almost 11pm and still light. Unfortunately shower is goosed. I'm pretty sure it's the solenoid valve that's seized. Drive home was quiet. Four lorries and one car southbound on the 110 miles between Aviemore and Dunblane. And average speed cameras the entire way. Looks like a lovely evening for a drive, despite the speed cameras. Seeing your Scimitar makes me think I should get one. More fun than the 1300fwd but still with space for the kids...!?
Nick Jones Posted July 19, 2021 Posted July 19, 2021 2 hours ago, Escadrille Ecosse said: And average speed cameras the entire way Bastards….. rotating number plates required…… Yesterday I learned that it’s a bad idea to spray Dinitrol wax underbody protection while wearing only shorts an t-shirt. Especially while rolling around under a car…. Lets just say that if it sticks to the car half as well as it’s sticking to me….. it should be pretty effective Ps. I knew it was a bad idea but it was so hot I couldn’t face overalls….
Escadrille Ecosse Posted July 19, 2021 Posted July 19, 2021 1 minute ago, Nick Jones said: Bastards….. rotating number plates required…… Thinking just that! Out on the bike on Thursday evening someone was out in a DB6 probably put the idea into my head (even if the Goldfinger car was a DB5). 10 minutes ago, PeteStupps said: Looks like a lovely evening for a drive, despite the speed cameras. Seeing your Scimitar makes me think I should get one. More fun than the 1300fwd but still with space for the kids...!? It's a nice car, the 4L V8 helps the enjoyment 7 minutes ago, Nick Jones said: Yesterday I learned that it’s a bad idea to spray Dinitrol wax underbody protection while wearing only shorts an t-shirt. Especially while rolling around under a car…. Lets just say that if it sticks to the car half as well as it’s sticking to me….. it should be pretty effective Oh dear!
Escadrille Ecosse Posted July 19, 2021 Posted July 19, 2021 23 minutes ago, JohnD said: When Father papered the parlour.... That's wonderful
Nick Jones Posted July 19, 2021 Posted July 19, 2021 Warm here today…… 5.35pm today in the works car park. It’s been stood since 8.30 am. Mostly in the sun it’s true. Yes, I had already tapped it, dropped a little. Oil temp hit 99C on the way home too. Only 18 miles and only the last 5 over 60mph. Like driving in hair dryer….. Reckon the duvet is all mine tonight!
Escadrille Ecosse Posted July 20, 2021 Posted July 20, 2021 10 hours ago, Nick Jones said: Reckon the duvet is all mine tonight! Though the Dinitrol would have assured that anyway
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now