Stuff you have fixed today

[Wildefalcon]

I think I've fixed my pillar drill motor.

It's the start capacitor. Weird though. The original that's died was a Chinese 150mfd, but to test I was about to get it going using a capacitor from a florescent batten.

What uF should I run a 1/2 hp pillar drill motor on? Single phase.

 

[Pete.]

Batten light caps are usually very low mfd. Since it's a drill you might get away with it, all you need is a shift to get the motor spinning. I'd shove one in and see if it turns.

 

[Seadog]

Around 25μF

 

[Wildefalcon]

Oh, it's running, the test worked. Wrap it up and call it done?

 

[Moose McAlpine]

Around 25μF

I think that's run capacitors? I think the start ones on my lathe and mill are 150.

 

[Seadog]

You're right. More like 150μF

 

[Wildefalcon]

Well, the plot thickens..... The capacitor wire came out. As in came loose when I was writing it all up.

So, was the cap dead? Anyway, the connector is crap, rusted screw.

Some photos of the pristine rotator, and the offending board...

 

[Seadog]

That rotor has had a hard life

 

[Moose McAlpine]

Well, the plot thickens..... The capacitor wire came out. As in came loose when I was writing it all up.

So, was the cap dead? Anyway, the connector is crap, rusted screw.

Some photos of the pristine rotator, and the offending board...

View attachment 419338 View attachment 419339 View attachment 419340

Is it fixable?

This just cost me £215 for the lathe.

 

[Moose McAlpine]

Lathe started playing up, it kept tripping the breaker on start up.

Pulled the motor out, awkward job.





Found the start capacitor's guts had made a break for freedom.



I replaced it, and it was fine for a day, then it did the same thing again. New capacitor tested fine, but the motor was pulling 55A inrush current and sounded like death in the brief moment it ran before popping the fuse.

£215 later, this arrived.



While it was largely a direct fit, it is a bit longer and as such the chip tray no longer fit, so it needed a bit of modification.

Yes, it looks horrendous but it'll do for now. Later on i'll remake the entire thing with a new bottom tray ready for running coolant.

 

[MattF]

Yes, it looks horrendous but it'll do for now. Later on i'll remake the entire thing with a new bottom tray ready for running coolant.

Functionality trumps appearance.

 

[RaceDiagnostics]

Rears today, first a check I had the correct tool to get the hub off. Bought years ago for an A3, it fits.

Taking the rear caliper off is a pita on the golf with electric parking brake, diagnostics tools required so I decided to try to take the brakes and disk off together without releasing the parking brake.

Held on with two bolts.

The whole lot came off together and got tied up. On to the very tight hub bolt..

Looks like the heat shield is held on with the stub axle bolts.

Old shield off.

New one back on.

Bolted back up and on to the other side. Both sides done in ~ 90 minutes.

 

[Wildefalcon]

I got a 3kw new motor for my lathe for £45 last Christmas. A Turkish thing, still working.

Is it fixable?

This just cost me £215 for the lathe.

View attachment 419345

It's all back together. And working. The motor was given to me, and was used to pump water on a farm, so, no doubt, was secondhand then!

 

[Robotstar5]

The shelving unit in my garage is allegedly capable of 265kg per shelf but sagged that bad under 30kg engines I had to slip odd bits of wood and steel under them to stop them falling through.

Before

The original 9mm chipboard shelves, see how bad they've bowed

I was having some wood delivered for another project so added a sheet of 18mm ply to the order, a bit of circular saw action produced these...

No sagging now, even with at least 100kg on each shelf, sorted

 

[Wildefalcon]

Satisfying!

 

[MattF]

The shelving unit in my garage is allegedly capable of 265kg per shelf but sagged that bad under 30kg engines I had to slip odd bits of wood and steel under them to stop them falling through.

Had exactly the same issue with the shelving units in my previous workshop. That's why I left them there.

 

[Moose McAlpine]

The shelving unit in my garage is allegedly capable of 265kg per shelf.

No sagging now, even with at least 100kg on each shelf, sorted

What i'm understanding from this is that you need to find another 495kg of engines now.

 

[Barking Mat]

The shelving unit in my garage is allegedly capable of 265kg per shelf but sagged that bad under 30kg engines I had to slip odd bits of wood and steel under them to stop them falling through.

Before

View attachment 419443

The original 9mm chipboard shelves, see how bad they've bowed

View attachment 419445

I was having some wood delivered for another project so added a sheet of 18mm ply to the order, a bit of circular saw action produced these...

View attachment 419444

No sagging now, even with at least 100kg on each shelf, sorted

View attachment 419442

Some interesting toys there.

 

[Robotstar5]

Some interesting toys there.

Those are the ones that will fit on a shelf

I was going to contact you next year to pick your brains on marine installations for my current project, a Stuart marine lighting set.

I know it's a marine set as it has the optional "deck wash" pump fitted.

 

[Barking Mat]

Those are the ones that will fit on a shelf

I was going to contact you next year to pick your brains on marine installations for my current project, a Stuart marine lighting set.

View attachment 419450

I know it's a marine set as it has the optional "deck wash" pump fitted.

View attachment 419451

I know nothing about that, but might bé able to heip.