Search found 1593 matches

by Stradageek
13 Mar 2024, 10:03pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: UK Politics
Replies: 933
Views: 72483

Re: UK Politics

And they say corruption is a third world problem.

Guess he's scared a socialist government might re-nationalise the NHS and derail the gravy train
by Stradageek
6 Mar 2024, 8:00am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Sellafield
Replies: 37
Views: 1546

Re: Sellafield

Biospace wrote: 5 Mar 2024, 6:27pm The problem is that there's a question mark over whether the EROI (energy return on investment) of stored or buffered renewable energies is sufficient to maintain lifestyles we've come to expect, including the replacement of power generation as needed.

Much as I'd prefer it not to be the case, I can see there is likely some requirement for nuclear power stations for another few decades.
There it is in a nutshell, lifestyles need to change, nuclear power will never be safe both in terms of reactor reliability and waste toxicity.

As a 'Reliability' engineer you'll never convince me that you can contain hot water in any type of system for 100yrs plus. Look at the lengths they have had to go to simply maintain the steel superstructure around Chernobyl for the time required to decommission that disaster area.
by Stradageek
29 Feb 2024, 8:31am
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Sturmey Archer 5 speed Hub - Slipping gears
Replies: 26
Views: 2332

Re: Sturmey Archer 5 speed Hub - Slipping gears

Brucey wrote: 28 Feb 2024, 3:17pm he first production 5-star hubs all broke because some twit let them be put together and then sold with dodgy sun pinions, that simply had't been made properly. in truth, the hub design (which included such things as cantilevered planet pinions) wasn't that great anyway, but by the time the first batch left Nottingham, the die was already cast. The chances are that your hub was made later and has sun pinions that are OK but there is no way to check them easily. Since the consequences of failure are pretty dire (think of the 'chestburster' scene in the first Alien movie, yes failure can take out the hubshell too) it may be prudent to change the Sun pinions anyway.

Both the S52 and the 5-star use a pull chain on the left side. This arrangement in the S5/2 relies on two springs fighting one another in gears 1 and 5 which is somewhat sub-optimal. Folk do say this can work OK, but the S5/1 never had a pull-chain on the left, it had a pushrod instead. The original S5/1 pushrod control has been nla for years, but having successfully converted numerous similarly-sprung 4s hubs (mainly FG and FW models).to 5s, and ridden a very long way (over decades) on them to boot, I can safely tell you there is a much better way. Now I didn't come up with this idea, but I wish I had.

The better way involves using a simple pushrod on the left which is not difficult to make. The pushrod itself can be made from any convenient 3/16" steel rod (I have used a 6" nail before now) which can be bent into an 'L' shape, where the short side is about 20mm and the length of the long side is determined by the length of the axle. A standard SA chain and adjuster is fitted to the short side of the L. I used a short length of old spoke as a rivet, having drilled everything to 2mm diameter and filed a suitable feature onto the pushrod. The toggle key can be replaced with a reshaped and shortened pawl pivot pin, which is far stronger. In use, the 'pull' of the gear lever is turned into a 'push' into the hub by the simple expedient of routing the control via the back of the dropout. In many cases there is already a triangular cut-out in the dropout which can be used. All that is required is to ensure that the SA chain runs on a nice radius, which can usually be achieved using a swiss file.
If the spring in the hub is particularly feeble (which you might like because it reduces parasitic.drag in gears 2 and 4) then it may not be strong enough to pull the cable properly, in which case you can fit an additional external 'helper' tension spring whose only job is to pull the cable towards the hub. If you fit a 'helper' spring it can be hooked between the frame and the adjuster and in addition, it can remain connected even when the wheel is out.
Particularly if one is fitted to each side, this can help the gear cables not to come unshipped when the wheel is out, since they are always under tension from the helper springs. I have made perfectly satisfactory helper springs using old spokes. They can be coiled around a suitable mandrel (about 6mm is best) and a typical long spoke is long enough for about 12 turns and can still have ~40mm at each end for hooks to be made. It isn't a bad idea to run the gear cable down the middle of the helper spring; this makes everything neat and tidy as well as ensuring that the pull of the helper spring is correctly aligned.
The parasitic drag in gears 2/4 in all S5 type hubs as well as converted FW and FG hubs can be greatly reduced by modifying the larger sun pinion so that a carrier can be used beneath it. It is possible to make a suitable carrier from an AW clutch carrier. In use, the spring bears against the carrier instead of the sun and the sun is completely unloaded and free to rotate. In fact, the only load the carrier should ever see is the spring load, so even a very thin-walled carrier such as the modified AW part will work fine.
It is necessary to revise the springing inside either hub when fitting a left side pushrod; In the case of some S5 hubs it is simply a case of removing the spring hidden inside the gear 2/4 sun locking cup. However, if you have an axle where the left side toggle key works on the larger sun pinon directly then you will need to fit a weak spring inside the cup, to ensure that the smaller sun comes unlocked when making the 4-5 shift or the 2-1 shift. In the case of the 5 star, I think it is possible to fit something in the slot for a short compression spring to bear against and make the pushrod work, but there is perhaps less to be gained here; sure, the hub will be more reliable and you won't ever have to find a difficult toggle chain and you won't be at the mercy of your toggle key integrity in the same way, but you are not solving a fundamental problem like you are with the S5/2.
Thanks for all the info Brucey, looks as if I could use either hub as they'd be employed on my 'shopper' and not subjected to extreme stress.

Just one further question, given your proclivity for engineering modifications, could I use a Shimano 3-speed bell crank instead of your manufactured push rod (suitably modified of course) as I have some of them in my spares box :)

Cheers

Stradageek
by Stradageek
27 Feb 2024, 3:52pm
Forum: Bikes & Bits – Technical section
Topic: Sturmey Archer 5 speed Hub - Slipping gears
Replies: 26
Views: 2332

Re: Sturmey Archer 5 speed Hub - Slipping gears

Ok Brucey, I have an aluminium shell 5s2 and a steel shell 5-Star. These are both dual cable hubs, I believe, and I have a range of shifters including a dual lever affair that looks like a 10-speed derailleur downtube shifter.

I'm yet to build either into a wheel but I'm naively assuming that using a dual lever shifter will mean that I just have an AW3 with two sun gears selected using the other lever - what could go wrong?

I suspect the answer could be complicated :?
by Stradageek
23 Feb 2024, 8:10am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: What colour is your bike?
Replies: 26
Views: 988

Re: What colour is your bike?

Hilariously my Bacchetta Strada is apparently painted 'Ferrari Red' oh the irony :roll:
by Stradageek
22 Feb 2024, 12:31pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Why does Trump lie so much?
Replies: 235
Views: 13421

Re: Why does Trump lie so much?

Bonefishblues wrote: 20 Feb 2024, 7:55am Trump's ex Comms Director (of 11 days) speaking frankly. Worth a listen

https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/a ... 0645605839
Even better on Youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juvfEZsZqUY, you may not like Anthony Scaramucchi (and to honest there's not much to like) but his analysis of Donald Trump is impressive. Well worth a watch.
by Stradageek
22 Feb 2024, 12:24pm
Forum: For Sale - bits of bikes, etc.
Topic: Clear out
Replies: 7
Views: 1138

Re: Clear out

pm sent re dishing tool :)
by Stradageek
18 Feb 2024, 1:11pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: UK Politics
Replies: 933
Views: 72483

Re: UK Politics

On the interleaved topic of Israel in this thread, I've just read this on BBC News

However, on Sunday, Mr Netanyahu announced that his government had unanimously voted to formally oppose what it called the "unilateral recognition" of Palestinian statehood.

He said any such agreement must be reached through direct negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.

"Israel rejects outright international dictates regarding a permanent accord with the Palestinians. An accord, should it be reached, will only come through direct negotiations between the sides, without preconditions," a government statement said.


Am I alone in seeing the irony in this statement when you consider how Israel came into being :cry:
by Stradageek
18 Feb 2024, 12:56pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: UK Politics
Replies: 933
Views: 72483

Re: UK Politics

Jdsk wrote: 18 Feb 2024, 8:45am
Stradageek wrote: 18 Feb 2024, 8:37am ...
I worry that politicians and the corporations that control them are determined to keep us looking at the world from a 'capitalist status quo' viewpoint. The world is as it is because the rich and powerful want it to stay that way. We need to start thinking bigger, not looking at how we can tinker round the edges of a corrupt system.
...
I recommend CORE Econ. It's a big collaboration trying to improve the teaching of economics taking into account the way the world is and how it works. And using open source materials.
https://www.core-econ.org/about/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CORE_Econ
Jonathan
Thanks for the links Jonathan, always good to feel you are not alone :D
by Stradageek
18 Feb 2024, 8:43am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Why does Trump lie so much?
Replies: 235
Views: 13421

Re: Why does Trump lie so much?

Nearholmer wrote: 17 Feb 2024, 9:11pmHe’s a bad man. It’s a simple point to grasp.
+1, I have often tried to define him, with words like amoral narcissist etc. but have come to agree with you, though I prefer just to call him an 'appalling human being'
by Stradageek
18 Feb 2024, 8:37am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: UK Politics
Replies: 933
Views: 72483

Re: UK Politics

Bonzo Banana wrote: 17 Feb 2024, 11:26pm The Tax Justice Network seemed more realistic but still has to be incorporated into realistic economic policies. There is no point raising more tax on the rich and less on the poor just for the country to continue running a huge trade deficit and sending huge sums of money abroad. We have to get the economic structure of the country right which isn't directly related to fair taxation.
I worry that politicians and the corporations that control them are determined to keep us looking at the world from a 'capitalist status quo' viewpoint. The world is as it is because the rich and powerful want it to stay that way. We need to start thinking bigger, not looking at how we can tinker round the edges of a corrupt system.

Quoting from memory only I believe there is around $13 Trillion sitting doing nothing in offshore bank accounts and it is estimated that we could pay off our national debt in 5 years if we simply charged corporation tax on the UK chunk of this. So stage one is a 'wealth tax' which would have the additional benefit of vastly reducing financial inequality.

Stage two is to re-imagine our economy on a sustainable basis. We can easily feed ourselves and could become self sufficient in energy if we just used less by insulating houses, living and working locally, ditching motor cars and if we stopped buying all the 'stuff' that we don't need and which consumes 60% of the world's energy to produce.

Why fix a broken financial system when you can fix the world?

Stradageek in an optimistic mood :D
by Stradageek
17 Feb 2024, 6:09pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: UK Politics
Replies: 933
Views: 72483

Re: UK Politics

Bonzo Banana wrote: 17 Feb 2024, 2:58pm We are heading towards an IMF bailout at some point, you can't just keep adding to the debt pile forever and we are getting close to un-manageable levels of debt. There is about £150k of debt on every single head in this country from a newly born child to a person on their deathbed. About 1/3rd of a million per household. I don't agree with their overall views of low taxation especially in the state we are in but the taxpayer's alliance worked out all the liabilities although it is out of date now.

https://www.taxpayersalliance.com/pictu ... per_person
Sounds like you've twigged but do beware the Tax payers alliance, it is an opaquely funded, right wing pressure group with about as much credibility as Liz Truss's IEA.

For real information on taxation I prefer The Tax Justice Network or the Fabian Society :)
by Stradageek
17 Feb 2024, 8:36am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: UK Politics
Replies: 933
Views: 72483

Re: UK Politics

Mike Sales wrote: 16 Feb 2024, 5:37pm Israel, from its foundation, has had a fine tradition of left idealists who tried to live in harmony with the Palestinians.
They could be called the Kibbutznik tendency. It is one of the horrors of the Hamas atrocity that many of those murdered belonged to that tradition.
Unfortunately power there is in the hands of extremists and the utterly cynical Netanyahu.
Sadly, I think it is in Julian Sayarer's travelogue '50 mile wide' but might be Dervla Murphy's 'Between River and Sea' they stop at a kibbutz and are impressed by the whole ethos but then horrified when leaving to be told 'Avoid that area, you can't trust the Arabs'. So while there is an honourable and hard working Israeli peace movement they are up against years of racial prejudice and government propaganda.
by Stradageek
16 Feb 2024, 9:10am
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: UK Politics
Replies: 933
Views: 72483

Re: UK Politics

From what I've read (in reputable books by reputable authors, not online) the Israeli government did help engineer the rise of Hamas in Gaza to try and divide the Palestinians between Hamas and Fatah and weaken their opposition. This could now be seen as a trick that misfired.

It is also an accepted settler-colonial tactic to oppress the occupiers to the point where they rebel, in order to justify a violent response and drive the indigenous population to either despair and submission or simply to persuade them to leave. I'll need to research further but I'm sure a search of British colonial history, white South Africa or the USA vs the indigenous Indian population will yield many examples. There is evidence, from comments made by various Israeli politicians, that this is indeed an Israeli government policy.

General Haim Bar-Lev "we can have peace but I think if we hold out we can have more"

Moshe Dayan said "Israel should tell the Palestinians in the territories that we have no solution, you shall continue to live like dogs and whoever wishes may leave and we'll see where this process leads". The one subsequent Israeli politician, Rabin, who sued for peace was assassinated by a fellow Israeli.

Therefore, whilst it is a considerable stretch to say that the Israeli government allowed the Oct 7th attack to further these aims, incompetence and complacency being an alternative explanation, it is not impossible.
by Stradageek
13 Feb 2024, 2:31pm
Forum: The Tea Shop
Topic: Yup, they're definitely listening
Replies: 21
Views: 1096

Re: Yup, they're definitely listening

mjr wrote: 13 Feb 2024, 12:05pm I think you mean voracious, aka hungry.

Definitely not veracious, aka telling the truth.
Dyslexia lures KO :lol: