Golden wire

[Evans Electric]

For some reason this memory surfaced in what passes as my brain ,he episode of the golden wire.

Started apprenticship in industry , the sparks tells me to go up to the main electrician's shop and ask the storeman for a link of gold wire for the  HF induction furnace , tell him one section is off.  

I march up there knowing full well that this is going to be the proverbial , ask for a bottle of sparks,  ask for a long weight (wait)  , left handed screwdriver, glass hammer or a dripping minge from the cafe .     Sure enough I'm given a spool of "Golden Wire" and told to guard it with my life on the way back .  Yeah Yeah . :C

Sure enough on returning , we draw out a solid link heat fuse , one of many, from the side of the long furnace , which has melted halfway , and make up a new link with the "Golden Wire "    It 's the melting point of gold that is made use of  to protect each zone.   

 

[Rob.]

I've seen lead and solder links used before, directly tied to a weighted shutoff valve. Never know gold to be used. Learn something new everyday. 

 

[Tony S]

Like RoB I’ve only seen lead thermal links.

I’ve had a few close shaves with CO2 fire systems going off.

 

[Evans Electric]

Ah !! yes  the ones that drop the weighted handle when they melt  !!!    Usually have to insert a safety pin if you're working in with them .  ( And then forget to remove it )

I remember these enclosures along the side of the furnace , one for each zone I think,  all in series .    Withdraw a tube with this cable in & replace , I was only around 16 then so must have been in Tudor times . 

I can remember the HF generator that powered the furnace, for two reasons .

1.  It was direct coupled to a large 3ph motor ...I suddenly had this brainwave that if it was a driving a 3 ph x 415V generator and the generator when up to speed was connected to the motor , I had discovered prepetual motion !  Well I WAS only 16.

2. The other thing was the set ran constantly , and screamed with a high pitched wail .  I said once why does everyone put up with the noise , a sound deadening barrier could be stood in front of it , reduce noise quite a lot .     Blokes just looked at me as I was daft .   Looking back I'd guess their hearing was already damaged but to me at  16 it was too much . 

 

[Andy™]

Looking back I'd guess their hearing was already damaged but to me at  16 it was too much . 

not necessarily damaged, could just be age. younger people can hear higher frequencies

 

[Evans Electric]

I think that would be it Andy , the constant high pitched whine from the HF unit used to really get to me but they would stand round it talking  .      I'd noticed in another area there was  an air compressor, the older ones with a bloomin' great piston thumping away ....... it had placed in front a home made partition with some soft board fixed to it , must have reduced the noise by half.        

I was there about 2 1/2 yrs but needed to get out & about TBH so left for the contracting world.

Picture below is from a film that was made at the premises , apparently , long after I'd gone .   Theres a row of those cold extrusion presses  from 400  to 1000 ton I used to help maintain .    I see they have ear defenders on now including the actor  who looks familiar . 

Edit:    These have all gone to India , I'm told , the place has been flattened ready for yet another supermarket  I believe.

 

[rapparee]

That looks like our press shop.

I was talking to boys who work for Rhodes. They were saying that there is practically an industry in dismantling presses in Britain and then shipping them and reassembling them in either China, Brazil or as you say India.

 

[Tony S]

Our induction furnace is now sunning itself in Spain!

 

[Evans Electric]

That looks like our press shop.

I was talking to boys who work for Rhodes. They were saying that there is practically an industry in dismantling presses in Britain and then shipping them and reassembling them in either China, Brazil or as you say India.

These are / were   British Clearing  made by Vickers Armstrong I believe .     There was access below these  as some of the work was ejected underneath , on the second stroke I think .   Trying to remember the stuff they made ....there were alternator casings ... starter motor casings and motor cycle telescopic forks , pressed out cold in one stroke.   

 

[rapparee]

These are / were   British Clearing  made by Vickers Armstrong I believe .     There was access below these  as some of the work was ejected underneath , on the second stroke I think .   Trying to remember the stuff they made ....there were alternator casings ... starter motor casings and motor cycle telescopic forks , pressed out cold in one stroke.   

Clearing have been bought over by either TMA(British) or Schuler(German) now. There is just them Rhodes(British) and Smeral(Czech) left now I think.

Edit - sorry there is Zani from Italy as well.