Wapsi Square Forum

Sgt. Howard wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 12:18 am Annie sighed- "He actually has a library that outweighs most pickup trucks."

I suspect that barring calamity, most of the posters to this thread could make a similar claim about their personal libraries. I know the last time I moved the discarded books and magazines pile was about 2 tons. And I keep looking for stuff I know I got since then that seems to have vanished in the breeze. But I still have a couple of tons of books and other printed materials that I bought since the last move in 1994.

Opus the Poet wrote: ↑Sun Nov 21, 2021 9:38 pm

Warrl wrote: ↑Sun Nov 21, 2021 6:53 pm Most obvious use is as an abrasive. . . .

The finer grades are used to polish really hard stuff like the tungsten carbide mirror I joked about, but also used in lapping compound. That is a vital part of rebuilding a cylinder head for an ICE so that the valves seal completely. Lapping the valves matches the surfaces to produce a gas tight seal that works even at the pressures and temperatures of a racing diesel engine. . . .

The traditional lapping compound for valves is emery powder in grease. Diamond dust was too expensive and unnecessary, because the valves and seats weren't that hard. Even modern valves don't need diamond dust, though AFAIK they don't use lapping compound any more because hard machining has gotten so much more capable.

Warrl wrote: ↑Sun Nov 21, 2021 6:53 pm. . . I suppose you could burn it. Good luck designing a fuel delivery system that can stand up to it long-term though.

As long as it's not under pressure, it wouldn't be all that difficult. There would be some abrasion, but not an unworkable amount.

You wouldn't believe how abrasive human skin is, and we build things that handle that just fine.

--FreeFlier

Opus the Poet wrote: ↑Wed Nov 24, 2021 4:00 pm

Sgt. Howard wrote: ↑Wed Nov 17, 2021 12:18 amAnnie sighed- "He actually has a library that outweighs most pickup trucks."

I suspect that barring calamity, most of the posters to this thread could make a similar claim about their personal libraries. I know the last time I moved the discarded books and magazines pile was about 2 tons. And I keep looking for stuff I know I got since then that seems to have vanished in the breeze. But I still have a couple of tons of books and other printed materials that I bought since the last move in 1994.

I have a 5x10 (1.5x3m) storage locker filled head-high with boxes of books . . . and six-foot (2m) piles of books in my living room.

--FreeFlier

FreeFlier wrote: ↑Wed Nov 24, 2021 8:30 pm The traditional lapping compound for valves is emery powder in grease. Diamond dust was too expensive and unnecessary, because the valves and seats weren't that hard. Even modern valves don't need diamond dust, though AFAIK they don't use lapping compound any more because hard machining has gotten so much more capable.

--FreeFlier

I might somewhat disagree here. While from a manufacturing standpoint I will completely concur, when rework is due lapping is still a quite viable method - and in my opinion superior to portable equipment.

Yes, cutters and such will work - I can hard-cut valves in my lathes and give you a lovely 45 (or 30) degree pitch. I can cut the seats with a portable cutter, as well. However matching them in my humble opinion works the best. Do the preliminary cuts, then grind them with emery in oil. You get a good, gas tight seal and one that's hard to beat given the inexpensive nature of the equipment involved.

Been there done this on many a petrol and Diesel engine and never had a problem, especially if the valve guides are inspected properly and renewed as necessary.

I can completely refurbish a cylinder head in an hour or two of pleasant work in my workshop, with no need for screaming machinery or external assistance.

Re: Library:

Yep, if rendered to paper a couple of tons would be about right if perhaps a bit conservative. However a flood in the late eighties destroyed my engineering and personal libraries, and I've tended to replace reference materials in a digital fashion rather than in dead tree format. Piles and piles of manuals are a lot less useful than rows and rows of searchable documents...

... particularly if you have software that can search ALL the documents, for the times when you can't remember which manual something was in.

Warrl wrote: ↑Sat Nov 27, 2021 4:52 pm ... particularly if you have software that can search ALL the documents, for the times when you can't remember which manual something was in.

I really wish I had that function for my library, for when I want to double check something I know which magazine it's in, but not the month and year just the title.

Warrl wrote: ↑Sat Nov 27, 2021 4:52 pm ... particularly if you have software that can search ALL the documents, for the times when you can't remember which manual something was in.

That would be handy, but not usually a problem. My big deal is diving into a pile of PDFs looking for something or another and coming up for air 3 hours later finding all sorts of interesting stuff...

...and completely forgetting the original item I searched for.

This is why I still have charts for drilling and tapping and bolt torques and the like - precludes the "oh, I forgot about that!' rathole dives when trying to get things done.

And now, for something completely different...

For anyone who cares, and who happens to read other webcomics from time to time (especially during this dry season at Wapsi Square), DaveB, from the Grrl Power webcomic, has posted its 1000th page.

Since we are discussing libraries and also my ship, if I wanted to take my library with me on the ship I would have to take it as cargo, not in the crew quarters. I have about the cargo capacity of a 53' trailer from a semi, but the crew quarters is about twice the size of a deluxe sleeper cab. There would not be enough room in the crew cabin for anything beyond the AV library of DVDs and CDs, the books and magazines I still have would fill about half of the cargo bay.

Anything left for carnivores on the lunch cart?

Opus the Poet wrote: ↑Wed Dec 01, 2021 1:59 amAnything left for carnivores on the lunch cart?

In light of the recent Thanksgiving holiday in the States, I would recommend the turkey drumsticks... aside from the nutritional value and all around great taste, the entertainment value of gnawing on a 10" or so long drumstick with a diameter of somewhere around 4" is definitely not negligible. Especially if you happen to bring it to work (you know, all those "thanksgiving leftovers"), and get a rise out of your co-workers from it. Be sure to make a show of it, by eating it as voraciously as you can...

"Excuse me sir -- Have you ever heard of a carnivore going into a vegan restaurant and loudly lecturing customers on the horrors of eating fruit and vegetables?"

"Er, ummm -- well, no?"

"Then shut up and get out."

Atomic wrote: ↑Thu Dec 02, 2021 1:40 pm "Excuse me sir -- Have you ever heard of a carnivore going into a vegan restaurant and loudly lecturing customers on the horrors of eating fruit and vegetables?"

"Er, ummm -- well, no?"

"Then shut up and get out."

Carnivore: "We do not lecture food - we merely eat it."

Opus the Poet wrote: ↑Wed Dec 01, 2021 1:59 am Since we are discussing libraries and also my ship, if I wanted to take my library with me on the ship I would have to take it as cargo, not in the crew quarters. I have about the cargo capacity of a 53' trailer from a semi, but the crew quarters is about twice the size of a deluxe sleeper cab. There would not be enough room in the crew cabin for anything beyond the AV library of DVDs and CDs, the books and magazines I still have would fill about half of the cargo bay.

I should add that basically the difference between a sleeper cab in a semi and crew quarters in my ship is a zero G toilet and shower and a full kitchen.

Just Old Al wrote: ↑Thu Dec 02, 2021 3:13 pm

Atomic wrote: ↑Thu Dec 02, 2021 1:40 pm "Excuse me sir -- Have you ever heard of a carnivore going into a vegan restaurant and loudly lecturing customers on the horrors of eating fruit and vegetables?"

"Er, ummm -- well, no?"

"Then shut up and get out."

Carnivore: "We do not lecture food - we merely eat it."

In a Zootopia fanfic I have in progress, I am contemplating having a squirrel explain why the predator/prey divide is nonsense. Fortunately, she has a wolf brother who's in medical school and thus can pass on to her medical info that isn't common knowledge.

(There may be some species of bird or mammal that is absolutely not a predator, but it certainly isn't squirrels - they actively hunt. Insects, lizards, eggs, and baby birds are on the menu. It isn't rabbits or deer either: neither are known to hunt other animals, but both are opportunistic carrion-eaters. And if you think you find a qualifying species, consider just how carefully they clean all the bugs off and out of the plants they eat.)

Don't tell Grace over on EGS about that. It would break her heart, and given that we don't know what she can do in her battle form discretion is the better part of valor.

Mrs. Nibbly over in Twokinds probably wouldn't mind though.

(But then, the only thing we're sure she ISN'T is an ordinary wild squirrel. Ordinary pet squirrel is still on the table, but improbable. Shapeshifted dragon is also possible.)

So, I'm assuming most of you have seen the latest bikini picture over on Patreon?

I had heard a saying on what one does, when one assumes, but I cannot bear to repeat it...

Unfortunately, no, not everyone can afford to support the webcomics they like and follow...

lake_wrangler wrote: ↑Mon Dec 06, 2021 4:06 pm I had heard a saying on what one does, when one assumes, but I cannot bear to repeat it...

Unfortunately, no, not everyone can afford to support the webcomics they like and follow...

When one assumes, one makes an ass of U and me. I used to teach that to my students - it's a good way to remember it, given as you can make the statement with two lines drawn into the word assume.