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MG MGA - Shetack Measuring Guide

Anyone seen one of these before? I found it in my late Father-in-Law's toolbox while hunting for a ruler to measure my starter switch.

It is a "Shetack" calculator for tapping and clearance drill sizes for different threads, made by DTC. It is a second edition September 1938 model. It is made of celluloid.

Steve


Steve Gyles

My Dad has left me a couple of similar gauges in his toolbox Steve, I cant tell you how they work though. He was a model engineer and has hand-made a number of fully functional scale model steam engines including a traction engine, 2 railway locomotives and a beam-engine. He used to cut all the screwthreads himself on a lathe.

I think I was a bit of a disappointment to him as I have always been more a mechanic than an engineer and I have always have to buy in all the nuts and bolts rather than make them up from scratchlike he did.

Colyn
Colyn Firth

Colyn

I envy engineers who make models like that. I just don't have the skill and knowledge to tackle that type of project. Do you still have the models? If so, have you any pictures?

Steve
Steve Gyles

Same here Steve, I would have been happy with half the skills that he had.
He was a steam power man through and through, his job was a winder, operating the gigantic steam winding engines in a South Yorkshire coal mine

Yes I have the two of the models at home and I will try post some pics of them for you when I get home from work. ( We are having a quiet day and my staff all think I am busy on the computer doing something critcal! )

One of the models is of a Burrell Showmans traction engine and the other is 4 gauge locomotive called Tich which is about 15 inches long but will easily pull 10 or more people

Colyn
Colyn Firth

just taken a couple of quick pics of my Dads model steam engines Steve, apologies for the poor quality but I got in a bit late and had to rush them a little.

The small locomotive "Tich" is only 12" long

The Traction Engine is approx 28" long and is a model of a Burrell Showmans engine.

Colyn


Colyn Firth

Traction Engine


Colyn Firth

Colyn,
Those are beautiful. Your father-in-law was quite a craftsman.
Mike Parker

Wow, beautiful. Do you ever run them?

Steve
Steve Gyles

Brilliant models Colyn _ had to make do with 2 manufactured models by Mamod - a traction engine and a steam car.
Cam Cunningham

Steve

That's a nice simple little gauge giving the size in decimal inches of Number and Fractional (inch) drills and the SWG (Standard Wire Gauge) sizes.

It also gives the clearance and tapping drill sizes for BA (British Association), BSW (Whitworth), BSF (British Standard Fine) and Metric (assume ISO Coarse).

That's a very nice compact source of info that the model maker (small size range) would need in the workshop and very useful instead of tables in a book when you are covered in machine coolant, etc.

Don't throw it away Steve as all the old model steam engine drawings tend to use BSW/BSF threads.

Colyn - you have a very nice looking engine there and Tich - fabulous. Look after them...

Pete

Pete Tipping

I think we may have a full size version of Tich running around our steel works taken everyone for tours of the place. I must try to find a photo of it or compare the actual at work. It is certainly a small tank engine like Tich.
Robert (Bob) Midget Turbo

This thread was discussed between 17/09/2010 and 18/09/2010

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