Now here’s a head-f**k.

Now THAT’S funny. 😆

I might have been able to believe that, but YN pretty much confirmed my suspicions with his admittance “It’s because you don’t listen and always think you know better” (or words to that effect). I think it’s fair to say that puts it other than as “gentle ribbery”. Clearly he feels he’s had his nose put out of joint by what he percieves as my “know it all” attitude, imagined or otherwise.

Hence my comments in the original post. Simply intended to put off the usual put-downs (“gentle ribbery”), not cause general offence. As I’ve said before, I don’t mind barracking in fun, but spite is something else altogether and eventually I’ll kick back.

I apologise to anyone uninvolved who felt offended by my comments. They were aimed at a few specific individuals, not the membership as a whole. I figured the guilty few would know who they were.

😆 Baz, if I’d known I’d have laid down the extra £500 for the one with a 36mm bore. 😥

Ok, be prepared to be entertained by some true fvck-wittery.

After partially disassembling the mill I managed to get it’s head further up enough that I could get the vice under the cutter. Hoorah!

I then proceeded to mill the sear indent and drill & tap the cocking-bolt hole. Put the rifle together, it wouldn’t cock. Had a look, the indent was on the wrong end. 😳 Disassembled, cut the indent in the right end, reassembled the rifle, now the cocking-bolt was at the wrong end and I couldn’t get my thumb behind it. 😳 😳 Disassembled, drilled & tapped hole at the other end, all done and working sweet. 😀

I have excuses. Two hours sleep, too much stuff on my mind and I’m a noob anyway. 😆

It’s rough as hell, but it’s a first attempt and it does at least function 100%. The next one will be a looker too. I hope.

Any rhino would have got that impression, from everything you, and some others, have said. I’ve read a great deal of angst. Like a flock of pigeons into the midst of which has been introduced a cat. 😆

Anything I say is in whatever context requires it. But as that’s often a subjective thing I guess you’re free to call it whatever you like. But using “long words” to try and belittle people? Oh puh-leese.

I said a regulator was easy? I said MY design would be easy, on account of it being an extremely crude solution. Eyeball stuff? Yes, in the context of machine, test-fit, machine, test-fit, until a fit is achieved. But I guess you thought I meant I could eyeball dimensions. Maybe your hostility is due to an inability to clearly comprehend my written words? Or you choose to focus on what irks you and ignore anything else. Like my words where I expressed Mike’s design to be far beyond any ability I’d probably ever be able to muster. Or where I said I wouldn’t go near machining a barrel. Damned as a fool for saying I think I CAN do something, damned as a fool for saying I think I CAN’T do something. You want it both ways, eh? Whatever suits your argument.

I think it’s more about any newbie’s confidence being taken as an affront. Hmm? Not observing the pecking-order. You know, all that old human-nature junk. I suppose I could have played up to it. Or down to it as the case would more accurately have been. But then I guess I thought people like Walt would have been more of the norm around here rather than the exception. A man sure enough of himself to rise above the apparent foibles of others. To paraphrase Kipling:

“If you can talk with idiots and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings and not lose the common touch…”

Delicate egos are easily threatened, eh? I get that a lot. I suppose by now I should have gotten used to accounting for it and adjusted accordingly. But I guess that’s not in my nature. And why should it be? Pretend to be somebody I’m not, to please and mollify a bunch of people I’ll never meet? Damned if I’d want them to do likewise. I’d rather a person was honest in themselves and prepared to be taken as they’re found. Given enough time the chaff is usually shaken from the wheat and you get to see the real mark of them. But not here, huh? An early show of confidence…”Oooh, check out this cocky know-it-all fool!” Prejudice followed by hostility.

A good deal of the above applies to me too of course. It takes two to tango. But I’ll be damned if I’ll think I haven’t made an effort to keep it “all in good fun”, despite knowing very well where most of it has been coming from.

Walt, thankyou for your continued illumination. Funnily enough I was just this morning reading about collets (Workshop Technology Part-2, W.A.J. Chapman, current dumper-reading 😆 ). I looked-up ‘Mandrel’ last night, thinking it might be an adapter that allows a bigger piece of work to be held in a chuck of smaller bore. Nothing of the sort of course, I was misinformed by a vague memory. But I’ll investigate these collets, it sounds like they may work well with a roller-bearing steady. Your comments on the regular chuck are well received, it’s a relief to know how and why I’ve been finding what I’ve found. It’s information uncommonly found in books.
I’ll continue to post my progress, unless somebody decides to ban me, in the hope you’ll continue to guide me. Your temperance and dignity are an inspiration and I think anyone would be honoured to consider you their Sensei. 😀