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What did you do "IN" your garage today?

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coldh2o

Well-known member
Joined
May 21, 2013
Messages
1,433
Location
Ontario, Canada
Blew up a flat wheelbarrow tire...literally. Apparently on a muddy tire sidewall 30 psi looks a lot like 80 psi, when not wearing my glasses. I mean sure, 80 psi is ridiculous for that size tire, if I was actually thinking... just plugged in my nifty new auto-inflator and let 'er rip. Made a heck of a bang, the dog quickly vacated the area.
 

Beerhippie

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 13, 2023
Messages
9,796
Location
Far NE Oregon
Blew up a flat wheelbarrow tire...literally. Apparently on a muddy tire sidewall 30 psi looks a lot like 80 psi, when not wearing my glasses. I mean sure, 80 psi is ridiculous for that size tire, if I was actually thinking... just plugged in my nifty new auto-inflator and let 'er rip. Made a heck of a bang, the dog quickly vacated the area.
Myself and a friend were bicycle touring in Central Oregon many years ago. We pulled into a small gas station in the literal middle of nowhere to grab a Coke, and I decided that my road tires needed a boost. I asked the attendant if they had a compressor that would go to 110 psi and he pointed me to one next to the split-rim cage. I grabbed the hose and immediately blew the tire to smithereens. It was the hose for setting beads. Yes, it was LOUD. Fortunately, I had a spare tube and tire and the attendant, after getting up off the floor from laughing, bought us several Cokes before we hit the road again.
 
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mikegt4

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 12, 2005
Messages
3,269
Location
sw ohio
I had been trying to torque down the new front strut nuts on my Ford Focus daily driver without much success, they rattled over every bump. The nut is down in a recess and very hard to get a wrench on, even my deepest offset closed end wrench couldn't engage the nut enough to tighten it. My impact wrench just spun the rod with the nut. I purchased a set of strut sockets but I couldn't hold the rod from rotating so I needed something that I could use on the double D on the end of the rod, the old struts used an Allen hex. A special wrench is available but at ridiculous prices so I spent an hour or two making a tool which worked perfectly. No more noise at every bump in the road.
 

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DGersic

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2017
Messages
6,309
Location
DeKalb, IL
Spring seems to be here. Lots of rain, occasional sun. Grass is growing. Pulled my mower out of the shed to get it ready.

I saw this crack in the deck last year when I put it away, so knew I’d have to fix it,

IMG_9139.jpegIMG_9140.jpeg

Should hold it together.

Last year I bought and applied some teflon paint stuff, supposed to help keep the underside from getting all gummed up with grass. It’s mostly gone now.

IMG_9141.jpeg

But I still have most of a quart, and a chip brush, so I slapped some more on there.

IMG_9147.jpeg

I started making this clamp rack a couple of weeks ago. Sanded it.

IMG_9142.jpeg

A couple of years ago, one of our bedroom windows fogged. I got a replacement window cartridge free under warranty, but no installation. The replacement has been sitting and leaned against the wall, I’ve been too busy to deal with it. Watched a couple of YouTube videos on how to replace it, looked easy enough. So, today’s the day.

IMG_9143.jpegIMG_9144.jpegIMG_9145.jpegIMG_9146.jpeg

Pry off the inner trim. Cut the sealant. Remove the old glass. Scrape and clean old sealant. Install new foam tape sealant. Install new glass cartridge. Reinstall trim to lock it together.

Reinstalling the trim was the hardest part. I ended up with a C clamp to carefully compress the foam with a wood block, then another wood block and a mallet to smack it in to place.

Voided any warranty I may have had. Got a DOA camera. Refunded and replaced, so nothing to lose.

IMG_9148.jpeg

Figured out how to open it up. Found the +5/Gnd connector wasn’t fully seated. Fixed that. Camera powers up now.

Did some sorting, cleaning, putting away, and flinging.
 

SMOKEYBEAR

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 3, 2016
Messages
453
Fuel filter change and the filter housing drain assembly. 2000 F350, 7.3 diesel
** A good note is that if you don't position the drain handle in the middle once you assembly it, it's block by a casting on the housing and you have to do it again. Ask me how I know.
You know how you get good at doing something? Do in more than 1x, reps are key to mastering any skill.

I have a 7.3 Excursion, it will teach you things by repetitions. My GF says its only reliable because I know how to fix it. I've done the starter and alternator 2x each while on road trips in it.
 

BonzoHansen

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 24, 2005
Messages
1,738
Location
NJ
Spring seems to be here. Lots of rain, occasional sun. Grass is growing. Pulled my mower out of the shed to get it ready.

I saw this crack in the deck last year when I put it away, so knew I’d have to fix it,

IMG_9139.jpegIMG_9140.jpeg

Should hold it together.

Last year I bought and applied some teflon paint stuff, supposed to help keep the underside from getting all gummed up with grass. It’s mostly gone now.

IMG_9141.jpeg

But I still have most of a quart, and a chip brush, so I slapped some more on there.

IMG_9147.jpeg
that looks exactly like my toro mower, and my deck cracked there too. I had to fix around the front wheel brackets too.
 

gearhead1960

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Mar 21, 2019
Messages
1,826
Location
Manassas, VA, a small blot in history
I had been trying to torque down the new front strut nuts on my Ford Focus daily driver without much success, they rattled over every bump. The nut is down in a recess and very hard to get a wrench on, even my deepest offset closed end wrench couldn't engage the nut enough to tighten it. My impact wrench just spun the rod with the nut. I purchased a set of strut sockets but I couldn't hold the rod from rotating so I needed something that I could use on the double D on the end of the rod, the old struts used an Allen hex. A special wrench is available but at ridiculous prices so I spent an hour or two making a tool which worked perfectly. No more noise at every bump in the road.
Years ago I had the same issue on a Mazda 5, which I believe was built on the same chassis. I had an old set of metric combo wrenches and had my shop at work heat and bend the 17mm so it would fit in the hole onto the nut, and then I could insert the tool into the top and still tighten the assembly....I still have it....
IMG_3253r.jpgIMG_3251r.jpg
...funny thing about the wrenches, they were the 1st set I ever purchased for my 1st car (about 40 years ago). I bought them from K-Mart and they were made in Taiwan and served me well.
 

kaymccampbell

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 27, 2015
Messages
29,518
Location
Upstate New York
Spring seems to be here. Lots of rain, occasional sun. Grass is growing. Pulled my mower out of the shed to get it ready.

I saw this crack in the deck last year when I put it away, so knew I’d have to fix it,

IMG_9139.jpegIMG_9140.jpeg

Should hold it together.

Last year I bought and applied some teflon paint stuff, supposed to help keep the underside from getting all gummed up with grass. It’s mostly gone now.

IMG_9141.jpeg

But I still have most of a quart, and a chip brush, so I slapped some more on there.

IMG_9147.jpeg

I started making this clamp rack a couple of weeks ago. Sanded it.

IMG_9142.jpeg

A couple of years ago, one of our bedroom windows fogged. I got a replacement window cartridge free under warranty, but no installation. The replacement has been sitting and leaned against the wall, I’ve been too busy to deal with it. Watched a couple of YouTube videos on how to replace it, looked easy enough. So, today’s the day.

IMG_9143.jpegIMG_9144.jpegIMG_9145.jpegIMG_9146.jpeg

Pry off the inner trim. Cut the sealant. Remove the old glass. Scrape and clean old sealant. Install new foam tape sealant. Install new glass cartridge. Reinstall trim to lock it together.

Reinstalling the trim was the hardest part. I ended up with a C clamp to carefully compress the foam with a wood block, then another wood block and a mallet to smack it in to place.

Voided any warranty I may have had. Got a DOA camera. Refunded and replaced, so nothing to lose.

IMG_9148.jpeg

Figured out how to open it up. Found the +5/Gnd connector wasn’t fully seated. Fixed that. Camera powers up now.

Did some sorting, cleaning, putting away, and flinging.
That mower deck is gonna crack again. It's the weakest point in a stamped deck. Guess how I know. Weld a piece of round stock to the lower edge of the deck, bypassing the opening by a couple inches in each direction. It'll act like a rolled edge, and improve the stressed member.
 

ecotec

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 5, 2010
Messages
5,444
This was a first for me. I needed a 1 1/4” socket for a lock ring on something for my wife. I always grab sockets from my cart. Today, for whatever dumb reason I did not. I grabbed a 32mm impact socket out of my metric drawer and a Proto ratchet. The socket would not fit on the ratchet I assumed that it had to be the ratchet, so I grabbed another one… didn’t fit… grabbed another one… didn’t fit that one either.

This socket was from an estate sale, and I had never used it before… but it is pretty damn old.

I had to spend a couple minutes filing it, so as to make it fit on a 1/2” ratchet anvil.

Anyways, I have never had to do that before.

I only grabbed it, because I didn’t want to bend over to grab a 1 1/4” out of my SAE drawer.
IMG_5784.jpeg
 

Metallitubby

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 12, 2019
Messages
25,747
Location
ATL OTP North
Did some last minute refresh items on the EP3 hillclimb car before next week's first race:

  • New windshield banner and associated number/name
  • Swapped out the old, expired harnesses w/ new 2028 pieces
  • Permanently mounted a new GoPro mount to the inside of the roof (where the sunroof would be)
  • Started checking torques on everything
EP3 Progress 04182026.jpeg
 

rsparks64

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 22, 2015
Messages
582
Location
Hill Country Texas
The weather is nice today, so I made some coffee and headed into my garage. I cleaned off the majority of what accumulated on my workbench and cart over the winter. When it is freezing out there or 100 degrees, not everything gets put away in the right place.

I got the workbench and cart nice enough to work off of. Next is my assembly table.IMG_5763.jpeg

I think you are missing a socket! :bounce:
 

LeeG

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 29, 2012
Messages
1,525
Location
Phoenix, AZ
I use mainly Baltic birch plywood. The 5x5 sheets are awkward. Today I finished v2 of a cart to keep them stored in. I don’t have any unused wall space to lean them against.

IMG_3178.jpeg

And loaded with wood and in the shed.

IMG_3179.jpeg

The upgrade replaced 8” wheels with these 22” ones. Rolls much easier over gravel.

Lee
 

Mike65

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 7, 2007
Messages
3,064
Location
Horse Pasture, Va.
I went to mow the grass this morning and when I tried to start the mower it cranked over twice, then the solenoid just buzzed. I put a battery charger on it for a few hours, and it did the same thing. I checked the connections all are clean & tight. I pulled the starter to make sure it was not locked up. When I put power from the battery charger to it the starter drive gear spun backwards. I could turn the starter drive by hand in the proper direction & it extends like it is supposed to. I put the starter back in & tried it again & the solenoid still buzzes. It was now getting hot, so I gave up for the day. The mower is 3 years old & it is the original battery. Any ideas anyone?
 
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Beerhippie

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 13, 2023
Messages
9,796
Location
Far NE Oregon
Today is another day of working on the Brick. See my thread on that in my sig.

Still getting funky vibes from the alternator, so no long drives until I have at least one good, reliable alternator.

Gotta run over to ACE for some extrusions to mount the solar panels I stole from my old Vanagon....
 

Beerhippie

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 13, 2023
Messages
9,796
Location
Far NE Oregon
I went to mow the grass this morning and when I tried to start the mower it cranked over twice, then the solenoid just buzzed. I put a battery charger on it for a few hours, and it did the same thing. I checked the connections all are clean & tight. I pulled the starter to make sure it was not locked up. When I put power from the battery charger to it the starter drive gear spun backwards. I could turn the starter drive by hand in the proper direction & it extends like it is supposed to. I put the starter back in & tried it again & the solenoid still buzzes. It was now getting hot, so I gave up for the day. The mower is 3 years old & it is the original battery. Any ideas anyone?
Sounds to me like it's time to tell the wife and neighbors that you're "rewilding" the lawn. It's a sign.
 

Snip's

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 29, 2017
Messages
1,852
Location
Ohio
Today in the garage I spent a little time futzing around with my 1938ish Atlas 612 lathe...
It got new belts and I installed the motor and connected the power switch and I replaced all the wiring with oil resistant SOOW...
The frame and motor is now properly grounded...
I decided to just clean up the original paint, since it's in pretty good condition...
I need to add better lighting and a proper backsplash to control the oil that will be flinging off the chuck...
The original Atlas operating instructions call for copious oiling each time it's put to use...
IMG_5502.jpg

IMG_5503.jpg
 

larry4406

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 27, 2006
Messages
19,248
Location
Northern Virginia
Did some last minute refresh items on the EP3 hillclimb car before next week's first race:

  • New windshield banner and associated number/name
  • Swapped out the old, expired harnesses w/ new 2028 pieces
  • Permanently mounted a new GoPro mount to the inside of the roof (where the sunroof would be)
  • Started checking torques on everything
EP3 Progress 04182026.jpeg
Will you stream/post any of your hill climb event?

I think that would be cool to watch from the vantage of you the driver.
 

DGersic

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 12, 2017
Messages
6,309
Location
DeKalb, IL
Set up my new table saw and made some sawdust. I successfully turned a scrap 2x3 in to a demo / prototype of a threshold for the bathroom remodel project. Man does this DeWalt cut nice, and the faster blade speed is an unexpected improvement.

Started waking up my hot rod after the winter. It was in the 80s yesterday, so it’d be nice to get it out. We’ve got a freeze warning for to night, high in the 40s tomorrow.

Did more putting away, sorting, and flinging.
 

rharman

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 22, 2012
Messages
8,815
Location
SoCal
Today, I said goodbye to two old friends. The last of my 18V NiCads. They served me well. I have no idea why they sat around after purchase. I must have had a surplus of batteries at the time.

I still have all my 18V tools except the 1/2" drill that died a few years ago and was replaced by a 20V model. Now, I use the adapter sled and the 20V batteries on all my 18V stuff which still works fine.

1776568557734.png

1776568272371.jpeg1776568297403.jpeg
 
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Metallitubby

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 12, 2019
Messages
25,747
Location
ATL OTP North
Will you stream/post any of your hill climb event?

I think that would be cool to watch from the vantage of you the driver.

Stream? No. Post up edited clips? Sure, if people want to see it.

Edit - There will be a few GJ'ers at next week's event as well, so maybe I can get a group together for a photo.
 

NUTTSGT

Super Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Sep 14, 2009
Messages
50,953
Location
Northern Central Ohio
Years ago I had the same issue on a Mazda 5, which I believe was built on the same chassis. I had an old set of metric combo wrenches and had my shop at work heat and bend the 17mm so it would fit in the hole onto the nut, and then I could insert the tool into the top and still tighten the assembly....I still have it....
IMG_3253r.jpgIMG_3251r.jpg
...funny thing about the wrenches, they were the 1st set I ever purchased for my 1st car (about 40 years ago). I bought them from K-Mart and they were made in Taiwan and served me well.
Looks like an ALLTRADE brand wrench.
 
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