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This could be the last post from me for the year and it is an item long overdue from me to add to the several posts I've done on the Smiths chronometric speedometer and tachometer.
The bezel of the 80mm diameter (3") chronometric has a rim with an 80mm x 0.9mm thread. The thread is relatively fine for the diameter and removal of the bezel from the case by unscrewing is not always easy.
You need a good strap wrench...the best I came across was a type and you'll see it illustrated, that was made in the USA and has s mall rubber type suction pads.
I dont think they make them like this now as years back I tried to get more and they had gone over to plastic which as you read down the blog, you'll see is not suitable.
Putting too much pressure onto the rim will distort it and that in turn causes the bezel to grip harder.
So what is one of the major reasons a bezel is stuck?
The 'O' ring seal used by Smiths was made of natural rubber and these perish over time and appear to 'melt' effectively glueing the rim to the glass and oozing onto the glass carrier or slipring/mask.
The rim wont move under normal pressure if it is like this.
The trick is to use careful heat, played around the rim edge until the remains of the 'O' ring really do melt and then quickly fit the strap wrench and in 99.9% of cases the rim quickly and easily unscrews and when cleaned up of the resulting rubber mess can be re-used.
As well there is no damage to the dial and internal components.
I suggest you make up, from some convenient angle piece a bracket to mount the instrument to and hold this in a vice.
Left click on the images to enlarge them for better viewing....
The smoke from the rubber melting indicates the bezel is close to ready for unscrewing...
Well firstly to all my blog fans....
Thanks for stopping by for a look.....
I hope you got as much enjoyment from the diverse, yet often Velocette oriented items I post, that I get in posting them for you...
Seasons Greetings to you all......
Left click on images to enlarge them...
A youthful Kel Carruthers...CR93 Honda, with family, likely Winton road race circuit, near Benalla, Victoria.Probably in mid 1960's.
Kell went to Europe and won a 250 world championship on a Benelli/4. He settled in the USA and ran the Yamaha race team for many years.
Aub Lawson probably at Sydney Showground Speedway.
I found this photo recently...it is one of some 25 pics adorning the walls of a pedestrian tunnel under, for me, nearby Ashfield Railway station.
The text says "motorcycles in a doctors yard,circa 1915". But I doubt the date, as the NSW licence plates are too great a number for that period and the word "NSW" did not appears on licence plates until around 1922...
Down the other end of the tunnel...couldn't resist this, well you wouldn't knowing my interest in traditional jazz.
1950 Australian Jazz convention, held in Ashfield Town Hall...pic is of the street parade. My wife Judy, daughter Felicity and granddaughter Elizabeth May look on....
My good friend John Simms recent restoration of his BMW R69S with Heinrich petrol tank....
The Filtrate Oil trophy...a Manx Norton crankshaft assembly......
J.H. "crasher" White, 350 Norton, 2nd in the 1936 Junior IOM TT, at Quarter Bridge...
From my small snapshot collection..."crasher" White in the paddock at the 1937 IOM TT. #20 490cc Senior Norton.
Jimmy Guthrie on his Senior Norton in the paddock during 1937 IOM TT...
Jock Weddall, 1939 IOM TT, 490 Norton, retired on the first lap...
Dutch TT, 26.06.1948. Artie Bell's Norton with Joe Craig, Mk.8 KTT behind,Franta Juhan.
Photo credit Drents Archief, The Netherlands.
http://www.drentsarchief.nl/index.php
Dutch TT, Assen, 24.06.1933, Stanley Woods, works Norton.
Photo credit Drents Archief, The Netherlands.
http://www.drentsarchief.nl/index.php
Dutch TT,07.06.1951, #68 Phil Heath, Norton and #83 Werner Gerber, 7R AJS.
Photo credit Drents Archief, The Netherlands.
http://www.drentsarchief.nl/index.php
1928 at Dutch TT, 23.06.1928, D.J. de Jong, 490 Norton.
Photo credit Drents Archief, The Netherlands.
http://www.drentsarchief.nl/index.php
1934, 350 Nortons at the Dutch TT, 23.06.1934,#37 Jimmy Simpson and #54 J.Vidal.
Photo credit Drents Archief, The Netherlands.
http://www.drentsarchief.nl/index.php
1935 Dutch TT, Jimmy Guthrie, Norton,06.07.1935.
Photo credit Drents Archief, The Netherlands.
http://www.drentsarchief.nl/index.php
Norton pit at the 1927 Dutch TT,25.06.1927, Stanley woods, in the foreground.
Photo credit Drents Archief, The Netherlands.
http://www.drentsarchief.nl/index.php
Jimmy Simpson,1934 IOM TT.
J.M.Muir, 490 Norton, 3rd 1933 Senior IOM TT...
Finally a little Velocette stuff to finish off this post...
Earlier this year in March was the 50th Anniversary of the successful attempt by Velocette to average 100mph for 24 hours on a basically standard 500cc Venom Clubman motorcycle.
The Australian Velocette Owners Club approached Australia Post and had a special 60cents postage stamp made up....
Club-member Stuart Brown was responsible for the production and the original poster was too cluttered to use, so a modified photo used by myself as my business logo, KTT Services and "MotorCycling" for the cover of their Sports Road Tests seemed imminently suitable...
What do you think....
And if you are in the USA...the latest Black and Decker Garage brochure has an interesting cover photo....
And finally as over the next few weeks with Christmas, a new one year old grand daughter living with us, and Judy and I spending between Christmas and the New Year up in Bundaberg, Northern Queensland with my playing banjo at the 66th Australian Jazz Convention, my post timings could be a little erratic...so from the Velobanjogent...
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year....
Photo credit...my good friend ( Santa) Gert Boll......
I've done quite a few posts on Keith Bryen, Aussie privateer in Europe from 1953, culminating in a works Moto Guzzi ride later in 1957......
Use the search facility on the RHS of my blog, typing in "Keith Bryen"...... drift back into what many consider was a golden era of motorcycle racing.
Keith and Gwen kindly loaned me many of their photographs of their time in Europe following the "Continental Circus".....
I've scratched through my folder and come up with a few more, but suggest these may be the last without re-using photos.
This happens occasionally and for it I apologise....
Left click on the images to enlarge them....
Len and Neil Tinker, Belgium GP, 1953.
Gilera works team, Belgium GP, 1953.
Moto Guzzi works team, Belgium GP, 1953.
Pit area, Noris Ring, Nurnberg, 1953
Main straight, Noris Ring, Nurnberg, 1953.
Pit area, Noris Ring, Nurnberg, 1953.
Riders and wives, Noris Ring, Nurnberg, 1953.
Leo Simpson,Geoff Walker, Laurie Boulter,George Scott and Ken Kavenagh...unsure where...and likely during 1953.
The 500cc race starts at Solitude, 22.07.1956...
Solitude, 22.07.1956, the 500cc race has just started...
Alan Trow, Peter Murphy (NZ) and Keith Bryen...Bourge en Bresse, 1957.
Gwen Bryen looks on from their van, unknown, centre, Alan Trow, to right Peter Murphy at Bourge en Bresse, 1956....
Peter Murphy, (unknown), Alan Trow and Keith tuck into lunch at Borge en Bresse, 1956.
Geoff Duke, Gilera; Keith Campbell, Moto Guzzi, Keith Bryen, Norton. Swedish GP, Hedemora, 14.07.1957.
Works Moto Guzzi ride, 1956 Ulster GP, on the grid for the 350cc race.10.08.1957
350cc race of 1956 UGP. Finished 2nd place, works Moto Guzzi, 10.08.1957.
