Stuff you have fixed today

[Robotstar5]

Not today but Monday and not exactly fixed, but... had a breakdown callout from a customer 180 miles away. Radiation warning light not working.
Drove down, was told they'd tried a new LED cluster to no avail. So I swapped the cluster from one lamp unit to another and it worked, which meant there was no supply geting to the lamp unit.
Now, a requirement of the Ionising Radiation Regs is that no x-rays may be generated if all lamps arent lit, hence they couldn't do any work, so the system was doing what it should. But how do you know if the monitoring circuit for the lamps is working? In this case we fit a pushbutton so that when you put the system into Test mode, you can manually switch all the lamps on or off to check if the monitoring drops the interlocks out.

Someone had left the button in the OFF position...
That'll be £1000 please.

We had a new machine at Rover that had a 2 metre long control panel covered in various coloured lamps to show the status of the machine, the publicity dept, wanted a photo will all the lamps on so if you looked carefully at the photo you can just see the tip of a finger at the bottom left of the panel holding the lamp test button down

 

[Wedg1e]

We had a new machine at Rover that had a 2 metre long control panel covered in various coloured lamps to show the status of the machine, the publicity dept, wanted a photo will all the lamps on so if you looked carefully at the photo you can just see the tip of a finger at the bottom left of the panel holding the lamp test button down

nowadays you'd Photoshop the hand out. Actually, thinking about it I have written user manuals that had step-by-step instructions with pictures, and I copied and pasted lit lamps over unlit ones to make the representations look right.

I always wanted to build a panel like the cockpit of that spaceship in Hitch-hiker's Guide... it had black bulbs with black lenses that lit up black on a black background.

 

[sardine]

Fixed myself a nice sandwich for my lunch break.

 

[Robotstar5]

nowadays you'd Photoshop the hand out. Actually, thinking about it I have written user manuals that had step-by-step instructions with pictures, and I copied and pasted lit lamps over unlit ones to make the representations look right.

I always wanted to build a panel like the cockpit of that spaceship in Hitch-hiker's Guide... it had black bulbs with black lenses that lit up black on a black background.

Or a legend that said "please do not press this button again"

 

[sardine]

Replaced the copper in this 1 inch hammer, I blasted some copper pipe with the oxygen propane cutting torch in a peice of steel tube as a crucible but I couldn't get it really liquid, it was full of voids and so I tried some borax flux on it and it brazed itself to the mould which I had to grind off, i got something useable but If anyone knows a better way of quick and easy way of casting copper inserts I would like to know.

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

Replaced the copper in this 1 inch hammer, I blasted some copper pipe with the oxygen propane cutting torch in a peice of steel tube as a crucible but I couldn't get it really liquid, it was full of voids and so I tried some borax flux on it and it brazed itself to the mould which I had to grind off, i got something useable but If anyone knows a better way of quick and easy way of casting copper inserts I would like to know.

View attachment 421938

I last did cooper in a crucible lined with fire clay.

Placed it in a Hard wood charcoal fire and blew air into the fire.
Got it runny hot and added borax flux.

Then pre heated the molds and poured in one smooth motion.

 

[Pete.]

Fixed myself a nice sandwich for my lunch break.

10 seconds work on my phone...

 

[Wedg1e]

Finally got around to lifting the wooden mantlepiece into place . Got P88888 off waiting for help so a couple of bits of 4x2 were pressed into service and a chain lift. no sweat.

View attachment 421256

You should have said, I was in Wiltshire on Tuesday/ Weds AM, I could have popped round to... offer advice

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

This charming Tilley Table lamp came my way this week.

I knew it needed some TLC, but I decided to take a punt on this.

I knew it needed glass, seals, mantles and may be a vaporizer.

Parts ordered and arrived.

New glass was fitted, check that the 3 springs and screws are present. If not they will be costly to replace.

New mantle, cheap ones are not worth the money. They will either not fit, burn wrong or just fall apart.

The cup washer had to be teased out.

I had to remove the pump and body. The NRV needed some attention. In a good seal kit you will get the washers and seals you need.

The seals will harden with age and use. It is not worth leaving them in place.

When you have rebuilt the lamp, fill the tank 3/4 full with good fuel.
Lamp oil.
Or Good paraffin.

Operate the pump for 30 times, crack the control valve. You should see a clean narrow straight jet from the top of the vaporizer.
If not, a new one is needed.

If the fuel jet is not straight it can be dismantled and cleaned.

Soak the pre-heater in clean Meths and light. As the meths burns operate the pump 50 times. Don't be to quick to open the valve.
Or you will get this, or worse.


The first burn showed I had issues.

A yelllow burn and no heat, means the pressure is not maintained. So I had to strip it down and pound out the NRV was not working 100%

The second burn.
A good clean white flame, gentle hissing and a lot of heat.

 

[Gragson]

After recently extolling the virtues of Henry hoovers, guess what happens..the smoke...
Think the brushes and commutator on the old motor are okish, bearing issue me thinks, morbid curiosity, may strip it..
Emailed Numatic Monday, other than "received your email" - stiff ignoring....

Anyway £30 Amazon heart transplant later, all good.

 

[dobbslc]

Henry looks pleased.

 

[Barking Mat]

After recently extolling the virtues of Henry hoovers, guess what happens..the smoke...
Think the brushes and commutator on the old motor are okish, bearing issue me thinks, morbid curiosity, may strip it..
Emailed Numatic Monday, other than "received your email" - stiff ignoring....

Anyway £30 Amazon heart transplant later, all good.

View attachment 422057

I think that makes you a Henry doctor.

 

[JOEPRO]

My Parkside glue gun - again. But this time I made a new centre link, the part that keeps snapping from 4mm mild steel.



Working perfect again. I think that should be the last of the trouble. Sure I could have returned it but very few got glue guns as good at that price range. And if I exchanged it the weak link would still be in there - its replaced/ upgraded now.

 

[MattF]

Henry looks pleased.

We don't know where the other end of his hose is.

 

[Gragson]

Henry looks pleased.

We don't know where the other end of his hose is.

You lot are incorrigible!
Henry did not meet Roger/d besides 600w to 1200w motor, Roger may get a suction surprise

 

[Moose McAlpine]

Fixed myself a nice sandwich for my lunch break.

View attachment 421861

Looks like you did half a job of making that.

 

[JOEPRO]

New rear brakes on my daily S320. The old pad slap was tempting as I plan on selling the car soon but the discs were old, possibly original so changed all.



Recently acquired aviation spanners and Milwaukee dead blow hammer worked great. The caliper bolts are very tight and also inaccessible by socket so the aviation spanner was perfect.

 

[Barking Mat]

Made a boat engine stop stalling.

Tree pruning saw cut the rope best.

Took over an hour through the prop access hatch.

 

[awemawson]

Please educate me, what is an aviation spanner.

 

[Moose McAlpine]

Please educate me, what is an aviation spanner.

A long flat ring spanner.