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What did you do "IN" your garage today?

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jmdirk

Well-known member
Joined
May 4, 2015
Messages
707
Somehow the garage door got left open all day yesterday, so a bird managed to find his way in and got stuck in the loft area above. Thankfully it didn't take too long this morning to take the screen out of one of the windows and crank it open, then walk to the other end of the loft to get the bird to head towards the window and out to freedom. I hope karma was paying attention on that one.

Then spent way too long removing the 1/4 inch hardware cloth a contractor had put up to keep birds from nesting under the eaves of the covered porch and replacing it with insect screening. See if you can relate:
  1. Get ladder, screwdriver, pliers, stapler, and screening to job site
  2. Realize last guy used a different method to secure thing you want to remove, and you don't have the correct tool on hand
  3. Get correct tool
  4. Realize correct tool has incorrect bit for removing the fasteners previously used
  5. Get correct bit
  6. Begin removing fasteners, only to realize last guy hammered a bunch of them over, so the drill only works for about 1/4 turn before the bit cams out and you need to reset
  7. Remove all fasteners holding the thing in, and then remove the thing
  8. Begin installing the new thing that, in your mind, is going to work better than the old thing
  9. Run out of fasteners for the fastener-machine (a stapler, in my case)
  10. Get more fasteners from your hoard thoughtfully-stocked supply
  11. Decide it's better to move the ladder than stretch too far, slip / loose your balance, and have to yell for help / visit the nice doctors and nurses
  12. Move the ladder, only to find that you don't quite have enough room to fully extend it, so you pray to the Tool Gods that OSHA doesn't make a surprise inspection to your home that morning (still better than an upside-down bucket though, right?)
  13. Finish securing the thing, only to see a section that you weren't aware of that you missed, so you need to move the ladder again
  14. Move the ladder back to where you started, and repeat steps 8-13 until finished
  15. Put away all tools, equipment, and supplies. Realize you didn't need 50% (Results May Vary) of the tools you thought you would, and also realize that you did need 100% of the tools you didn't bring with you back in Step 1
  16. Clock in to your real job that pays the bills

Step 11 is usually the opposite. Decide that I'm too lazy to move the ladder and almost break my neck trying to reach something. Or, decide to not move the ladder, take 20 minutes to do X because I'm in an awkward position when it would have only taken me 5 minutes if I had just moved the ladder.
 

DGersic

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2017
Messages
6,342
Location
DeKalb, IL
Brought home Mom’s Singer 328 with its box of original accessories. Not sure what I’m going to do with it. Read the owners manual to find out what all of these bits and pieces are and what they do. It’s very clearly targeted at the stereotypical 1960s housewife, making clothes for children, dresses, and etc.. The decorative stitch cams are kinda neat, though I can’t think of a reason I would need them. The “ruffler” presser foot is an amazing bit of mechanical monkey motion. I can’t see uses for the zigzag, and maybe for the two needle capability.

IMG_8604.jpeg

At some point, I guess the cord and pedal were in Dad’s way, so he cut them off. He did save them.

IMG_8603.jpeg


Fortunately, the two cords are very similar, but not identical, so I was able to trace what goes where. A couple of crimp connectors later, it’s up and running again. Probably hasn’t been oiled in ~40 years, but now that I know it works, I’ll do that.

IMG_8613.jpeg
 

LeonardY

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 16, 2011
Messages
5,065
Location
Southern California
Brought home Mom’s Singer 328 with its box of original accessories. Not sure what I’m going to do with it. Read the owners manual to find out what all of these bits and pieces are and what they do. It’s very clearly targeted at the stereotypical 1960s housewife, making clothes for children, dresses, and etc.. The decorative stitch cams are kinda neat, though I can’t think of a reason I would need them. The “ruffler” presser foot is an amazing bit of mechanical monkey motion. I can’t see uses for the zigzag, and maybe for the two needle capability.

IMG_8604.jpeg

At some point, I guess the cord and pedal were in Dad’s way, so he cut them off. He did save them.

IMG_8603.jpeg


Fortunately, the two cords are very similar, but not identical, so I was able to trace what goes where. A couple of crimp connectors later, it’s up and running again. Probably hasn’t been oiled in ~40 years, but now that I know it works, I’ll do that.

IMG_8613.jpeg
Nice. I have my grandmother's sewing machine from the farm. It was wired for 220V.

I worked in a sewing machine store when I was 14. I helped doing repair. Which really means I spent a lot of time with tweezers and nippers cutting threads out of the them.

I was always fascinated by all the different mechanisms.
 

Beerhippie

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 13, 2023
Messages
9,865
Location
Far NE Oregon
I reconfigured the way the two compressors we have in the shop work.

The way we originally had them set up, the "back-up" ancient and loud as hell 7.5 hp DeVilbliss was a back-up in the sense that it could be used if the primary, a whisper-quiet 5 hp IR screw comp, broke down completely, it could take up the slack while we fixed the IR.

Now it's a real back-up. The IR turns on at 105 psi and off at 125 psi. The DVB now turns on at ~100 psi and off at ~130 psi--the tightest I could set the differential on the old pressure switch.

We're now doing a canning run and the DVB hasn't come on yet. When it does, of course, it'll startle the hell out of me (as always).
 

Demon69

Well-known member
Joined
May 29, 2024
Messages
141
Location
Surrey UK
Spent the evening bodging my LR3. Had a problem with the Steering angle sensor sending the whole car into spaz mode, turns out to be the drive plate (I use that term loosely) had spun on the steering column. The design is complete shite and far as I can tell only comes as a complete unit, the standard 'fix' is araldite.

This is cut from an equally **** sh unit going cheap, at least I could see what was what. It wobbles around on the shaft held in place by hopes and dreams.
1.jpg


After keying with a needle file and hosing down with brake clean, I squished it in there as best I could with a pic, think repointing brickwork, then squidged it around till I was happy then held it off with some shims to set.
3.jpg

If it fails I'll likely make and tack on a small effort made out of sheet and junk that plastic nonsense, Ive the spare to test on. Why do I own this car again!? :rolleyes:
 

Beerhippie

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 13, 2023
Messages
9,865
Location
Far NE Oregon
I reconfigured the way the two compressors we have in the shop work.

The way we originally had them set up, the "back-up" ancient and loud as hell 7.5 hp DeVilbliss was a back-up in the sense that it could be used if the primary, a whisper-quiet 5 hp IR screw comp, broke down completely, it could take up the slack while we fixed the IR.

Now it's a real back-up. The IR turns on at 105 psi and off at 125 psi. The DVB now turns on at ~100 psi and off at ~130 psi--the tightest I could set the differential on the old pressure switch.

We're now doing a canning run and the DVB hasn't come on yet. When it does, of course, it'll startle the hell out of me (as always).
Aaand... experiment gave negative results. I need to get the IR comp to start at a higher pressure to make this work. Back to either the IR for non-canning days and the DVB bomb for canning days.

One big problem I'm having with all this is air pressure gauges. I have three in the compressed air system before regulators and all three read differently--a couple are 20+ psi off from each other. What do I believe? I don't have a certified gauge for the 100-150 psi range. I guess I need to get one....

The post-regulator gauge on the bottling line--where the low pressure causes problems--reads 80 psi, which is what the machine calls for. It seems keeping the compressor output above 100 psi shouldn't be THAT hard, doesn't it?
 

Beerhippie

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 13, 2023
Messages
9,865
Location
Far NE Oregon
Maintaining a plant is so much fun at times....

A coworker showed me this and asked if I could straighten it out:

55091766657_78f7d693e6_o.jpg

That stainless forging is about 3/4" across the web and 2" deep at the main part of the bend. I smell a forklift... of course, no one knows anything about how it happened--it just bent. Maybe Uri Geller was in the neighborhood.

Fortunately, I have a spare. I have no idea why I have a spare, but I do. I'll have to take the bent one to the local truck shop and see if they can use the big press to get it straight.

never a dull day....

But at least I have some great left-overs for dinner:

55092778484_925c2f3bf9_o.jpg

That'll make a sandwich!
 

PWC Repair

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 27, 2012
Messages
3,182
Location
Arkansas
I finally (after 8 years) filled the voids around my office door with some spray foam. I had to hold my hand up cause the stupid camera kept darkening the whole pic. Now after I trim it I can glue up some sheeting to finish that off.
 

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dwasifar

Well-known member
Joined
May 28, 2017
Messages
2,096
Fabricated a speaker stand mount for my mixer board, to use when I play at bars and such:

271.jpg

269.jpg

270.jpg

Parts: a piece of a used cutting board, a galvanized pipe hanger, a carriage bolt, two powerful magnets salvaged from dead hard drives, and various small hardware.

I may decide to put a slight upward bend in the bolt, but I'll play this way for a while before I decide.
 

jblnut

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Jan 17, 2015
Messages
7,063
Location
In the Middle of MN
Watched Raiders of the Lost Ark with the littles in the shop. We had a bit of a lazy afternoon as they were off school today for some reason and as a team we accomplished everything I wanted to get done before lunch.
IMG_5721.jpeg

One of those things was not in the shop but outside. We weighed every critter with hooves on the property today. I have two loads of cattle scheduled to go at the end of the month and I wanted to see where everyone was at. Charles the beef calf is currently in the scale chute. He’s too small yet but what a chunky dude. He was alternating between trying to eat the scale wires and licking every surface in there lol.
IMG_5720.jpeg
 

bmwrd0

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 7, 2010
Messages
5,486
Location
Beaver Fever Oregon
Started playing advanced Tetris in the shop today, which, as always, was interrupted by the need to reinforce some cabinet, build a riser, try and find the correct clamp in the current disaster, which is necessitated by the need to move and pile everything so I can play the game of advance Tetris, which, as always, was interrupted by...
 

niget2002

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 2, 2012
Messages
11,151
Location
Josephine, TX
Ok... All 3d printer stuff today.

1) Finally got the z_brake board working with the z stepper motors. My printer has a belted z axis, so if the motors are turned off while the bed is 'up' then it drops to the bottom. The z-brake locks up the stepper motors so it slowly decends. I was having issues getting the board to work.

z-brake setup is in the top right. This is before I hooked up all the stepper motors. A separate output on the controller enables the relay and disables the brakes prior to stepper motor movement. I still need to do more cable management back here. I should have installed cable runs and done things correctly from the get go.

PXL_20260210_190200724.jpg

2) Cleaned up the wiring on top of the extruder to reduce mass.

PXL_20260213_012731835.jpg

3) ran input shaper calibration and was able to pick up a bit more speed after removing the extra wiring on the extruder

4) ran a print to test the changes.

PXL_20260212_224124777.jpg
 

2001ZR2

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 4, 2018
Messages
412
Location
Kansas City
20260212_193841.jpg
Before
20260212_195453.jpg

About 10 minutes later after acetone, a scraper, and steel wool applied.

Acetone works the best vs Goo Gone or WD-40.

I think the previous owner may have used 3M weatherstrip adhesive. If the adhesive is partial removed its mustard yellow.

But it becoming more and more apparent that a total restore is needed.

Sunset Red for the drawers but which is better for gray?

Hammered Antique Pewter or Hammered Gray?

I understand Hammered Siver is too blue.
 

jblnut

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Jan 17, 2015
Messages
7,063
Location
In the Middle of MN
Started playing advanced Tetris in the shop today, which, as always, was interrupted by the need to reinforce some cabinet, build a riser, try and find the correct clamp in the current disaster, which is necessitated by the need to move and pile everything so I can play the game of advance Tetris, which, as always, was interrupted by...
I hear ya in a big way. I often feel like I’m in a Family Circus cartoon around here.
 

Beerhippie

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 13, 2023
Messages
9,865
Location
Far NE Oregon
Gave a class in how to train your laser burner.
Wasn't that an animated movie a while back?
two powerful magnets salvaged from dead hard drives,
I can't understand why anyone would toss an HDD without salvaging those! They're great for holding stuff really tightly to ferromagnetic surfaces--like refrigerator magnets you can pull the refrigerator over on yourself with--and for collecting any stray metal dust in the shop!

Honestly, I use 'em for clamps, mounts and lots of other things.
 
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TheRealZeus

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 4, 2021
Messages
5,012
Location
CONTINENTAL USA
Fabricated a speaker stand mount for my mixer board, to use when I play at bars and such:

271.jpg

269.jpg

270.jpg

Parts: a piece of a used cutting board, a galvanized pipe hanger, a carriage bolt, two powerful magnets salvaged from dead hard drives, and various small hardware.

I may decide to put a slight upward bend in the bolt, but I'll play this way for a while before I decide.
Not getting any EMI from the magnets? 🧲
 

micromind

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 24, 2023
Messages
3,066
Location
Fernley, Nevada, about 30 miles east of Reno.
Aaand... experiment gave negative results. I need to get the IR comp to start at a higher pressure to make this work. Back to either the IR for non-canning days and the DVB bomb for canning days.

If the IR has an external pressure switch, it should be easy to turn it up a bit.

If you're looking for a tighter diff pressure for the DVB, Grainger has one that'll go to 20 PSI. It's 2FH22. On at 100 PSI (easily adjustable from 40 to 200 PSI) factory diff oil 25 PSI but is easily adjustable from 20 to 40).

Square D model is 9013GHG2J53.
 

M.Brane

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Feb 11, 2024
Messages
1,761
Location
1 hr N/W of LA LA Land
Installed a Metalcloak HD drag link on a '20 Wrangler Tuesday night to cure some violent death wobble. The stock drag link was toast with just 45k miles on the clock.:rant: If I had to describe the replacement unit in one word, it would be "beefy". I expect it to last longer than 45k miles.

1770903935665.png


Trailered a Taurus with a bajillion DTC's and a flashing low oil pressure warning to the shop yesterday morning. The root causes were immediately obvious upon popping the hood. It seems a visitor had eaten a fair bit of the engine harness. Of course the jerk had to eat the wires down to the connectors in each case. :tantrum2: After hosing the engine bay down with peppermint oil and shop-vac'ing the nest(s) out, then de-pinning, uncrimping, re-crimping, soldering, heatshrinking, and looming seven circuits, the car was back in business with zero DTC's and restored oil pressure readings.


1770904220290.png
1770904260233.png
Around these parts you can tell who has issues with rodents because all the hoods are open.
 

dwasifar

Well-known member
Joined
May 28, 2017
Messages
2,096
Wasn't that an animated movie a while back?

I can't understand why anyone would toss an HDD without salvaging those! They're great for holding stuff really tightly to ferromagnetic surfaces--like refrigerator magnets you can pull the refrigerator over on yourself with--and for collecting any stray metal dust in the shop!

Honestly, I use 'em for clamps, mounts and lots of other things.
These came from datacenter drives, so they're extra strong. The mixer weighs 4lb and it stays in place like it's glued there. Takes a bit of effort to pull it off.

Here's the rig:

273.jpg
 
Last edited:

LeonardY

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 16, 2011
Messages
5,065
Location
Southern California
20260212_193841.jpg
Before
20260212_195453.jpg

About 10 minutes later after acetone, a scraper, and steel wool applied.

Acetone works the best vs Goo Gone or WD-40.

I think the previous owner may have used 3M weatherstrip adhesive. If the adhesive is partial removed its mustard yellow.

But it becoming more and more apparent that a total restore is needed.

Sunset Red for the drawers but which is better for gray?

Hammered Antique Pewter or Hammered Gray?

I understand Hammered Siver is too blue.
Looks good.

I forgot to mention this.
It's works well.

I would go with the Hammered gray.
 

gearhead1960

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Mar 21, 2019
Messages
1,858
Location
Manassas, VA, a small blot in history
Took apart Stanley spotlight I got from an estate sale ($5). It would not take a charge. Opened it to see the size of lead acid battery it took. It's an odd size and the cost to replace it almost equals a new one with Li-Ion batteries. It's not a needed item immediately, so this one will get recycled once I salvage any usable parts like the switch and halogen bulb.....
 

Beerhippie

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 13, 2023
Messages
9,865
Location
Far NE Oregon
Took apart Stanley spotlight I got from an estate sale ($5). It would not take a charge. Opened it to see the size of lead acid battery it took. It's an odd size and the cost to replace it almost equals a new one with Li-Ion batteries. It's not a needed item immediately, so this one will get recycled once I salvage any usable parts like the switch and halogen bulb.....
Wire it up to a long zip cord and cigarette lighter plug for the rig?
 

Beerhippie

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 13, 2023
Messages
9,865
Location
Far NE Oregon
Not getting any EMI from the magnets?
EMI comes from moving magnetic fields, or wires moving through a magnetic field.

I'm working on installing a new CCTV system to allow one person running the canning line to monitor the can depalletizer in a separate room. We have one now, but it isn't working well--it's a parasite on the security camera system for the plant. Boss want it to be a stand-alone system.

Get out the instructions from the new camera kit. Find my high-power readers and magnifying visor to read the microfiche instructions. Finally find the one paragraph in English among five pages. The instructions can best be summarized as You're on your own.

Gotta love MIC electronics....
 

nadogail

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 23, 2009
Messages
31,982
Location
Coronado, CA
Did some chucking and pitching. I have decided to leave the elevated raised bed planting box business, my familial responsibilities and declining strength in my legs have prompted this decision.
I enjoyed putting the boxes together and depositing the checks I received.
I am now looking for someone who would like an opportunity to get into the planting box business.
I can make someone a screaming deal on the business.
 
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