I started having my garage sale yesterday and was showing a nice 6" vintage Black and Decker bench grinder with glass eye shields to a guy who was interested in it. Plugged it in and turned it on and it started smoking! Well of course I didn't sell it LOL. Pulled the base paalte off and there was the remnants of a mud dauber nest all over the electronics, the wasps that make the little mud nests all over the place. GRRRR!
Mud daubers killed my vintage grinder!
- Thread starter bluebolt
- Start date
joe_padavano
Well-known member
I have a similar problem with these bugs making nests in the inlet fittings of my air tools. Finally bought a bunch of the caps at HF.
I've got an old wooden small parts drawer (has finger holes instead of drawer pulls). They found their way in through the finger hole of one of the drawers and made a small nest inside the center hole of a stack of old grinder wheels that were sitting inside the drawer.
They must have a thing for grinders.
They must have a thing for grinders.
EOC_Jason
Well-known member
I had an oooold battery charger where the wires wore coming right out of the box. So I took it apart and every last bit of airspace inside was filled with those mud nests. After cleaning it all out and fixing the wire I swear that thing lost half its weight!
nationalminer84
Well-known member
My vintage grinder started smoking on me last week too.....
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Was it the magic smoke, or dust? I would expect dust from the mud, but if the magic smoke came out, hen I'd suspect the starter cap (Assuming it has one) shorted out and fried something.
Yeah there was mud all over what I assume was the starter cap. I will post pictures after the garage sale is over.
What were you asking for it? What are you asking for it now? When was the last time you used it? I probably would have still tried to purchase it.
I can't remember the last time, or if I ever have bought a running piece of machinery.
Seriously.AceCombat6842
Member
- Joined
- Dec 27, 2023
- Messages
- 6
That's how o scored my 1962 Owens Ski boat with original Merc 450 motor and trailer for 850$ mud dauber had built nests all over the flywheel but you couldn't see them with the top cap bolted on. Old owner said just stopped working.
Sat for 3 years and 2 hours after I got it home she was fired up and idling in the driveway lol
I scored a really nice vintage drill press "that didn't work" and it turns out mud daubers built a nest in the electric motor. After a good cleaning its just as good as new.
I also purchased a Marvel 4B Power Hacksaw that was broken. Mud daubers once again built a nest inside the gear rack for the mechanism that powers the arm, snapping a cast iron linkage. After cleaning the mud nest and a little cast iron welding it's good as new also.
These little guys should NOT be underestimated, they can cause a lot of damage!
I also purchased a Marvel 4B Power Hacksaw that was broken. Mud daubers once again built a nest inside the gear rack for the mechanism that powers the arm, snapping a cast iron linkage. After cleaning the mud nest and a little cast iron welding it's good as new also.
These little guys should NOT be underestimated, they can cause a lot of damage!
I was called to repair a security camera one time. It was one of those cameras where the cables come down through a hollow aluminum mount. That way you can drill a hole under the mount, and have no cables showing.
Anyway, the camera was mounted to a red brick exterior, and the installer drilled the hole in the mortar between the bricks, and the camera then straddled two bricks. Well, that gap let wasps in. The hole in the brick was sealed, so thankfully they couldn't get into the building, but they made a nest up the tube of the camera mount. They could have lived there peacefully had they not severed the cable somehow. I don't know if they chewed through it or what, but they cut it off and killed the camera (and shorted the power supply).
Anyway, the camera was mounted to a red brick exterior, and the installer drilled the hole in the mortar between the bricks, and the camera then straddled two bricks. Well, that gap let wasps in. The hole in the brick was sealed, so thankfully they couldn't get into the building, but they made a nest up the tube of the camera mount. They could have lived there peacefully had they not severed the cable somehow. I don't know if they chewed through it or what, but they cut it off and killed the camera (and shorted the power supply).
Outlawmws
Well-known member
I learned something about dealing with Mud wasp nests in the ten years since I last (or anyone) posted in this thread. its not uncommon for then to getin inot te air ports on camp lanterns adn such or inside the manifold of a camp stove.
Hydrogen Peroxide with dissolve the protiens the mud wasps use to bind the mud together. So HP to he rescuer!
Hydrogen Peroxide with dissolve the protiens the mud wasps use to bind the mud together. So HP to he rescuer!
Packard V8
Well-known member
Born 'n raised in Alabama, but living in the PNW for fifty years, I don't miss the bugs at all. Well, maybe lightnin' bugs; fireflies are magical on a warm evening.
jack vines
jack vines
I’m an hour away from you. At most, a half dozen daddy longlegs will move into the garage around Labor Day. No insects. Ever.
southalabama
Well-known member
When was a kid at the local airport a Cessna took off and something blocked by mud dobbers. They survived the crash landing.
Was up the river once and the water pump had been clogged up and the motor overheated
Was up the river once and the water pump had been clogged up and the motor overheated