Hello Paul
Nice to know that the project came together in the end. Interestingly, I made a purchase on eBay a few weeks ago and the vendor turned out to be a guy I knew many years back, who acquired all the old Chater Lea parts when they went out of business back in the 1980's. Of course most of this has been sold over the decades (including to me nearly twenty years ago as it happens!). Anyhow I mentioned these early two arm Chater crank bolts and he sent me some! Not plated unfortunately, so the stainless steel ones you have had made should be a 'lot more better' (to paraphrase Cptn Jack Sparrow!).
You mentioning the brake centre bolt remanufacture reminded me that I have two sets of stainless steel centre bolts and fixings made for replacing GB Coureur brakes bolts, which I bought nearly 20 years ago from somone who has long disappeared into the mists of time! In those dats the s/s bolts cost me more than the brakes would have. Not any more though, judging by the prices these things sell for these days!
Let me know if I can help you out on anything else.
Regards Derek Athey Honiton, Devon UK
On Wed, Jun 23, 2010 at 1:33 AM, Dr. Paul B. Williams <castell5@sympatico.ca
> wrote:
>
> I inadvertently deleted an email from a fellow lister last night enquiring
> about the reproduction bolts for a Chater Lea chainset which I have just had
> made by my neighbour Derek. I know that some may think this OFF-TOPIC, but
> there are times when certain parts in proprietorial dimensions are becoming
> very hard to find - therefore, when needs must ...
>
> So here's the update - last week I gave Derek three bolts kindly supplied
> by Derek Athey as templates. He took them to work - he is a tool-maker at
> the National Research Council here in Ottawa and does exquisite stuff.
> Anyway, a day later he presented me with two sets of bolts in stainless
> steel which are absolutely fabulous. He did have to retap the chainset
> slightly as the threads had been damaged at some point - maybe during
> rechroming. He managed to reproduce the 17/32" X 25 pitch thread as close as
> possible. It took him a while to set up and he reckons that although the
> materials are relatively inexpensive it would not be a very cost effective
> venture. On the other hand, once set up it was easy to mill more than one
> set at a time. Needless to say, I am thrilled - they won't rust!!!
>
> This evening I took over a rear centre brake bolt which came from a Bowden
> Touriste, but is set up for a French bike of the 30s-40s (with the clip
> which goes over the brake bridge and a vertical fastening hole). He is going
> to make me a replacement bolt with a standard spindle for a British set-up.
> He thinks that it will actually be easier than the chainring bolts -
> surprised me! He then showed me the lathe he has in his basement and said
> that he could actually do it there, but will probably take it into work. It
> is great to have a mate who takes such delight in having a go at new things!
> I am going to owe him lots of landscaping help and advice in months to come.
>
> Paul Williams,
> Ottawa, ON, Canada
>
> Dr. Paul B. Williams, BAH, MPhil, PhD
> Instructor,
> Dept. of Geography and Environmental Studies,
> Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada