Hitchcocks Forum

Probably a bit off topic but I had such a productive and pleasing weekend of fettling I felt compelled to share. The Veglia instruments of the Ducati were total inaccurate (Vague Liars a friend called them) any way tired of only doing either 90 or 110 kmph and have the revs drop from 7000 to 3000 regardless of motor note I decided to pull em apart. They don't naturally disassemble and are clearly designed to be hurled in the bin once no longer working but by machining a cup into which the faces could be pushed supporting the front and sides of the bezel it was possible to un-crimp the bezel without distorting or cracking it. Once apart I washed the movement in isohexane and lubricated it with Garrard Spindle grease (turntable grease). Then with the use of the lathe and my mate with the mathematical brain we worked out what speeds it should be reading at specific speeds on the lathe. (we checked the accuracy of the lathe speeds with a lovely old Smiths machine clock). With the careful adjustment of needles pre load on the hair spring it was possible to arrive at a compromise spot where the sweet spot was somewhere useful. In this case best accuracy at 100kmph for the speedo and 5000 rpm for the rev counter. with the cleaned and lubricated movement the dials are lovely and progressive and very steady. To re-assemble they bezel was put back into the retaining cup and a block was made to accommodate the back for the instrument so it could be pressed together tightly between the chuck and the tail stock of the lathe whilst a roller bearing was introduced on the cross slide to re-crimp the bezel. You'll see from the picture here:https://www.flickr.com/photos/77012441@N08/12870583963/ that the instruments came out looking just fine. The good news for RE and other English machine owners is that this system works brilliantly for old Smiths magnetic gauges too. Happy days S:)

hope this works to show how handsome they look back in place with a new homemade trip meter reset nob.

Hi matey----------I'm VERY IMPRESSED !! Especially as my Triumph Bonneville --- (a MERIDEN machine ) is also fitted with Vague-lias equipment...That's not the American machine you have then ??( The famous Doo-kar-tee make)--------sorry but had a quick look along your other photos and spotted a well-known French front tyre scrubber (Velo-Solex) and an Oxy-Acetylene mini-set...Useful workshop ---

That isohexane and Garrard Spindle grease sounds good stuff. I'll get the wife to put it on her shopping list when she goes to Tesco tomorrow.

Hi Alan, Thanks for the positive feedback, my shed is a constant source of solace in this cruel uncaring world The tyre scrubbers are actually Berini's Dutch machines from the 1950's and great fun. The Ducati may well have been an import from the US although from a fairly long time back. I only say this because when I got it there was only one curb side mirror.
The isohexane and spindle grease may not be as hard to get as you think. I've I can get them down here in the Antipodes you should be able to find them in Blighty (particularly the Garrads grease. Although I'd say you could swap either of them for alternatives say isopropyl and sewing machine lubricant perhaps?