The repurposing thread

[Beerhippie]

Nice. I've used my monitor to trace maps and such.
With your new super bright LED's, are they dimmable?

I could make them so--at additional cost. For now, just a huge--about 24X13"--light panel will be great for photography lighting.

I have a couple of little--like 9X5"--panels made for photography. Those are handy, if limited, but they're dimmable and tunable for white-balance. I leave them on daylight (around 6K K) and full strength all the time. I adjust the brightness by moving them. They don't actually conform to the inverse-squared law, at least at fairly close distances, but still loose brightness with distance.

Something amazing about the reflector/diffuser/micro-Fresnel array combo is that it looks like it's turned on and lit when just exposed to ambient light--a near-perfect retro-reflector. So an unlit one would make a damned good fill-reflector.

Dumps and recycling centers are full of dead flat-panel devices. Look up how to make your own flat-panel light--or artificial window--on YouTube.

 

[Beerhippie]

GOT IT!

Most PC cards have test contacts on them. Figuring that testing the LED panel might be handy, I decided to probe around the various test contacts and see what happened. In this case, what do I have to lose? The input power for the card is 12VDC, so shocking the hell out of myself isn't a worry. Worst case, I might let the magic smoke out of the card, which wouldn't really be a loss, either, as I'm planning to replace the existing LEDs and the card anyway.

But:



That little jumper did it! Soldering it in place was a challenge for these old fingers....



All the lights in the shop are on and the panel is absolutely overwhelming them!

Now I need to fab an adapter to mount this on a standard 1/4" 20 tpi camera mount (easy)... and then maybe fab a better light stand than just one of my old camera tripods.

 

[mikeinri]

Spillage protection while pretending to be a plumber.

Worked great!

I'm surprised that cabinet doesn't have side walls, to protect the contents of the neighboring cabinets / drawers in case of a leak.

More than that, I'm jealous that your cabinet is wide open under the sink. Mine has a central pillar in the front, which makes it EXTREMELY difficult to work under there. One of these days, I'm going to cut it out, and make it removable. I need to replace the cabinet floor due to a leak (of a cleaning chemical in a bottle).

And, I'm about to teach my son how to replace a toilet valve. Cardboard on the floor is a MUST to cushion the hard tile floor!

Mike

 

[larry4406]

I'm surprised that cabinet doesn't have side walls, to protect the contents of the neighboring cabinets / drawers in case of a leak.

More than that, I'm jealous that your cabinet is wide open under the sink. Mine has a central pillar in the front, which makes it EXTREMELY difficult to work under there. One of these days, I'm going to cut it out, and make it removable. I need to replace the cabinet floor due to a leak (of a cleaning chemical in a bottle).

And, I'm about to teach my son how to replace a toilet valve. Cardboard on the floor is a MUST to cushion the hard tile floor!

Mike

Thanks!

The cabinet is a single 48” wide cabinet with 12” banks of drawers on the ends and 24” open section in middle. Stock cabinet I ordered.

 

[PugetDude]

And, I'm about to teach my son how to replace a toilet valve. Cardboard on the floor is a MUST to cushion the hard tile floor!

Mike

Even though I hate plumbing and avoid it whenever possible, I have learned a couple of things over the years. .
I use a thick patio chair cushion for under sink work, its just the right height to get your back above the toekick. Makes it a lot less painful.
And , on most newer cabinets the center divider is secured with pocket screws, two on each end. Take those out and the divider drops out of the way.

 

[Beerhippie]

Tripod adapter:



Just a piece of 1/4" Al scrap with a few holes and some tapping. I do have the back cover and screws but left it off until I'm sure I'm done.

First test photo:



I'm liking it! Nice, soft light with very subdued shadows; no nasty glare from the shiny parts of the screwdriver!

 

[Beerhippie]

Here's one of the videos that gave me the idea:

Guy doesn't seem terribly tech-savvy, but gets 'er done.

 

[mikeinri]

Well, this went well...

Got the toilet valve replaced, no more annoying 5-second water runs every 20 minutes. Bonus, my 18-year-old now knows how to replace the valve! (Yes, I'd already tried replacing just the flapper...)

I had him watch a YouTube video, and he did everything himself. I added a few tips along the way that the video missed (clean the tube flange under the flapper, match the adjustable parts of the new valve up to the old one before installing, etc.). I could (should?) have let him learn the hard way, but wanted him to be successful on his first attempt, so he won't be afraid to tackle that in the future. I did advise him on how tight to make the fittings, so as not to damage and/or cause leaks.

Anyway, my cardboard wasn't as fancy as a Miller Lite box, but got the job done, LOL. We also repurposed a used foil pan as a catch basin. Still got a lot of water on the floor, of course, which made the cardboard even more critical (made a nice little island for him to stay dry).



Mike

 

[Beerhippie]

Just one more silly picture from my latest silly repurpose:



That's with all other lights off. Not bad! Not quite a high overcast daylight--it's still small compared to the entire sky--but comparable to diffuse sunlight through a window.

Note how little light fall-off there is with distance!

1/25 sec @ f1:8, hand-held--old guy still has fairly steady hands--or, knows how to brace.

 

[mikeinri]

Even though I hate plumbing and avoid it whenever possible, I have learned a couple of things over the years. .
I use a thick patio chair cushion for under sink work, its just the right height to get your back above the toekick. Makes it a lot less painful.
And , on most newer cabinets the center divider is secured with pocket screws, two on each end. Take those out and the divider drops out of the way.

That cusion idea is brilliant. The last time I had to work under there, I used (yet another) cardboard box on the edge of the cabinet. A cushion would be a million times better!

Also, thanks for making me take another look at that center piece. I knew the bottom of it had pocket screws, but I (poorly) assumed that the top didn't. Turns out, it does! (And, the cross- pieces are also attached to the center with pocket screws.) The house is around 25 years old, cabinets are original.

Top / sides:



Bottom:



Front:



The thing that threw me off is the center piece runs all the way to the top. I was getting ready to cut it below the cross-pieces, which really would have been a horrible idea. Measure twice, cut once (or not at all!), I guess...

Here's the damaged area. The hole is from my elbow the last time I was under there (fixing the faucet). The area was weakened by a spilled cleaning chemical that we hadn't noticed (a spray bottle tipped over and the contents leaked out).



When I fix it, I'll replace the floor with something waterproof. We also now keep all the chemicals in plastic totes under that sink (probably should do the same in the bathroom cabinets, come to think of it).

I really need to replace the faucet (and fix or replace the trash bin slide) when I do the floor, but I've been avoiding the entire project due to that center piece. Thanks again for making me take a better look!!!

Mike

 

[Jgaz]

About five years ago, I repaired a cabinet pull out for a neighbor and wouldn’t take any money.
At Xmas he gave me a WeatherTech under sink mat.

Less than three months later my sink faucet sprayer hose sprung a leak. It only leaked when we used the sprayer. The pan of the mat was almost completely full when we noticed a soggy box under the sink.
The cabinet floor was not damaged. It helped that all my plumbing goes into the island wall and not through the cabinet floor.
I’m a believer!

Ive have cut vinyl flooring to fit in past houses but for about $35 this was way easier and held a lot of water.

 

[FullRaceMerc]

This is my "hydraulic drill", which is 1/2" pipe with a ball valve connected to a hose. It's stepped down to 1/4" as a nozzle. It blows a tunnel thru dirt for a pipe to follow.


With assorted lengths of pipe I can start in a short ditch & keep adding length down the hole as needed.

It works pretty good most of the time. Rocks & roots can say otherwise. I used it up at the retirement place this weekend. No root or rock barriers this time.

I'm not a golfer, but really like this golf club bag with its automatic legs for keeping the hydraulic drill parts together.

 

[mikeinri]

@FullRaceMerc: Done you connect that to a power washer, or just a garden hose?

Mike

 

[mikeinri]

About five years ago, I repaired a cabinet pull out for a neighbor and wouldn’t take any money.
At Xmas he gave me a WeatherTech under sink mat.

Less than three months later my sink faucet sprayer hose sprung a leak. It only leaked when we used the sprayer. The pan of the mat was almost completely full when we noticed a soggy box under the sink.
The cabinet floor was not damaged. It helped that all my plumbing goes into the island wall and not through the cabinet floor.
I’m a believer!

Ive have cut vinyl flooring to fit in past houses but for about $35 this was way easier and held a lot of water.

I didn't know about the under-sink WeatherTech mats, I thought they just made stuff for vehicles!

I've seen a variety of ideas and materials (including vinyl flooring), by watching a BUNCH of YouTube videos.

You're right, the pipes through the floor are a major PITA for this fix. Not sure that I want to (or realistically can) reroute them. The back of the cabinet is an exterior wall (freezing pipes are a real problem in winters here). The left side is the dishwasher bay, the right side is a small cabinet.

I might think about this some more. The good news is, the waste pipe runs out the side of the back corner, and the dishwasher feed runs through the leftover side, so those two water feed lines are the only floor penetrations.



Mike

 

[mikeinri]

Oh, and speaking of father / son repairs, lying on uncomfortable surfaces, and repurposing...

My Dad loved working on cars in his youth, and would fix anything he could to save money (that definitely wore off on me). For some reason, he never liked creepers, but had a dedicated scrap piece of carpet that he used for working under vehicles. I hated that thing (absorbed fluids, and really didn't provide much cushioning on asphalt).

The only good thing about it (vs. a creeper) was the ultra-low profile to get under cars with less clearance (even up on ramps or jackstands). I use cardboard in those situations. I like the larger boxes for this purpose, and re-use them unless / until they get drenched in fluids.

Mike

 

[PugetDude]

Oh, and speaking of father / son repairs, lying on uncomfortable surfaces, and repurposing...

My Dad loved working on cars in his youth, and would fix anything he could to save money (that definitely wore off on me). For some reason, he never liked creepers, but had a dedicated scrap piece of carpet that he used for working under vehicles. I hated that thing (absorbed fluids, and really didn't provide much cushioning on asphalt).

The only good thing about it (vs. a creeper) was the ultra-low profile to get under cars with less clearance (even up on ramps or jackstands). I use cardboard in those situations. I like the larger boxes for this purpose, and re-use them unless / until they get drenched in fluids.

Mike

I have empirical evidence that suggests a large slab of heavy wall oil-drenched cardboard isn't the best choice to lay on while welding under a vehicle.
This concludes our Public Service Announcement for today.
You are welcome.

 

[FullRaceMerc]

@FullRaceMerc: Done you connect that to a power washer, or just a garden hose?

Mike

Just a garden hose. I originally set it up long ago, before pressure washers were everywhere. It works well enough as is that I've never considered more pressure.

Adding the 1/4" tip made it much more effective. It does take some in & out work to keep moving dirt & small rocks out of the tunnel as you go.

 

[Debcrow]

Well, this went well...




Mike

I have a SINKing feeling that you have put that float valve in the wrong place!!

 

[Modern Garage]

I've found that if I have to get under a car on my driveway that a big piece of cardboard works better than fighting with a creeper on my not-smooth-enough driveway. The cardboard is slippy enough for me to slide on it almost as easily as a creeper.
And yes, I did stop myself when I was about to weld the neighbor's exhaust.
I also keep an old yoga mat rolled up in the garage to use as a "yard creeper" when I need to shinny under the deck to retrieve something or to keep my knees dry when gardening. I've found them in the 'free' box at garage sales.
Joe

 

[gahrajmahal]

I use my 3 x 5 sponge rubber standing mats as a creeper.

 

[Beerhippie]

I've found that if I have to get under a car on my driveway that a big piece of cardboard works better than fighting with a creeper on my not-smooth-enough driveway. The cardboard is slippy enough for me to slide on it almost as easily as a creeper.
And yes, I did stop myself when I was about to weld the neighbor's exhaust.
I also keep an old yoga mat rolled up in the garage to use as a "yard creeper" when I need to shinny under the deck to retrieve something or to keep my knees dry when gardening. I've found them in the 'free' box at garage sales.
Joe

What's this **** about not welding on oily cardboard? I do it all the time. No problems.

What's that smell?

 

[mikeinri]

As long as it's not your hair, you're good!

Mike

 

[Beerhippie]

As long as it's not your hair, you're good!

Mike

Hair? Handy tip for overhead TIG welding: Always wear a tight belt! Damned spatter down the pants....

 

[PugetDude]

As long as it's not your hair, you're good!

Mike

If I smell hair burning anytime I am welding, it's a real problem... I'm bald.

 

[Fix Until Broke]

If you have spatter when TIG welding, you're doing it wrong

 

[Beerhippie]

If you have spatter when TIG welding, you're doing it wrong

MIG, damnit! One letter wrong....

I don't even know how to make spatter with TIG.

 

[PugetDude]

I don't even know how to make spatter with TIG.

That's easy.
Put the collet in backwards.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Maybe not much of a repurpose but a useful hack at least. I have one of those 3/4” plywood top, 3’x 8’ tables used in bingo halls, swap meets etc. I thought some wheels for the legs would be a good idea. Looked quick at a couple retailers and Amazon.
The retailers didn’t have what I needed and Amazon wanted between $50-$70 for the same expandable hollow leg mounted wheels from different suppliers. .
So I knew I had a variety of casters in a box in the garage. Most were mountable with a 4 fastener flat mounts, many simple studded smooth stems. But I did have a set of 4 threaded stem casters possibly from one of those chrome wire racks Costco sells. Actually I’m not sure where they originally meant to be used.
Found some matching nuts but how to mount them within the hollow legs. Likely the best option would be to weld them in. Well I’m not a welder and it would have been a pain to haul over to my buddies for a simple job.
Pulled open the fastener drawer and have a ridiculous variety of nails that I barely use anymore. But sometimes I use a few here and there. So held the nut in place with a long bolt and tapped in a few ring type nails of various sizes. Unscrewed the bolt tapped the nail flush to tube and screwed in the casters.
Works great but the table top now being an additional 4”s higher will maybe need some getting used to.

 

[Beerhippie]

@Miss the Pontiacs wins the internet MacGiver award for today!

 

[M.Brane]

Nice hack! A cheap flux core welder would be better, and it's not hard to learn.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Nice hack! A cheap flux core welder would be better, and it's not hard to learn.

To tell you the truth I have one but haven’t played with the damn thing yet. Its status is similar to my wood lathe that has been sitting under a cabinet for 5 plus years waiting for me to get around to building a stand for it. Too many projects so little time.

 

[M.Brane]

Just grab some scrap, clean it off, and start melting it together. It's fun!

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

Just what I need another rabbit hole to check for depth.

 

[PugetDude]

Just weld the nails in place.
Function over form.

 

[atch]

Maybe not much of a repurpose but a useful hack at least. I have one of those 3/4” plywood top, 3’x 8’ tables used in bingo halls, swap meets etc. I thought some wheels for the legs would be a good idea. Looked quick at a couple retailers and Amazon.
The retailers didn’t have what I needed and Amazon wanted between $50-$70 for the same expandable hollow leg mounted wheels from different suppliers. .
So I knew I had a variety of casters in a box in the garage. Most were mountable with a 4 fastener flat mounts, many simple studded smooth stems. But I did have a set of 4 threaded stem casters possibly from one of those chrome wire racks Costco sells. Actually I’m not sure where they originally meant to be used.
Found some matching nuts but how to mount them within the hollow legs. Likely the best option would be to weld them in. Well I’m not a welder and it would have been a pain to haul over to my buddies for a simple job.
Pulled open the fastener drawer and have a ridiculous variety of nails that I barely use anymore. But sometimes I use a few here and there. So held the nut in place with a long bolt and tapped in a few ring type nails of various sizes. Unscrewed the bolt tapped the nail flush to tube and screwed in the casters.
Works great but the table top now being an additional 4”s higher will maybe need some getting used to.

Just think what all you could accomplish with a roll of duct tape and a handful of zip ties...

 

[PugetDude]

Just think what all you could accomplish with a roll of duct tape and a handful of zip ties...

You don't even need a real welder, just a nickel, jumper cables, a 12V car battery, Ray Ban Sunglasses, and a pair of Italian leather driving gloves.
I believe McGyver once saved the world from certain destruction by welding up a sabotaged nuclear reactor that way.

 

[mikeinri]

Wow... I probably would have tried JB Weld. But, I never, ever would have thought to use nails that way!

Mike

 

[mikeinri]

You don't even need a real welder, just a nickel, jumper cables, a 12V car battery, Ray Ban Sunglasses, and a pair of Italian leather driving gloves.
I believe McGyver once saved the world from certain destruction by welding up a sabotaged nuclear reactor that way.

I didn't think he did anything without a foil chewing gum wrapper, LOL...

Mike

 

[PugetDude]

I didn't think he did anything without a foil chewing gum wrapper, LOL...

Mike

Well, duh....everyone knows he used the dust from the chewing gum wrapper as flux for his 12v welding.

 

[Miss the Pontiacs]

I was doing some sanding on a project. The dust collector or should I call it the sandpaper sucker ate up about the equivalent of a sheet and a half of my Mirka sandpaper. But I found a use for a piece of orbital sandpaper if you want to call it that. It is some **** I bought at either HD or Rona. I needed something NOW and all that nice mesh that comes with paving stones was at the lake. That mesh would have been ideal. But this will work until I make something permanent. Hell chicken wire would have sufficed.