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Workshop and fixit stuff

Started by Dave, July 10, 2017, 07:26:50 PM

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hermes2015

Quote from: jumbojak on July 25, 2018, 12:52:03 PM
Well, it wasn't my meter. I popped the top cover off last night and this is what I found!



It looks like there was a small water leak that my brother never came back to fix after he did the installation. Thats not going to be fun to clean up.

Oy vey!
"Eventually everything connects - people, ideas, objects. The quality of the connections is the key to quality per se."
― Charles Eames

jumbojak

Isn't it funny that a small water leak killed the water heater? Oh well, lesson learned. I have to be the one to follow through on his projects. ::)

"Amazing what chimney sweeping can teach us, no? Keep your fire hot and
your flue clean."  - Ecurb Noselrub

"I'd be incensed by your impudence were I not so impressed by your memory." - Siz

Dave

Quote from: jumbojak on July 25, 2018, 02:19:18 PM
Isn't it funny that a small water leak killed the water heater? Oh well, lesson learned. I have to be the one to follow through on his projects. ::)

Bummer!
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

jumbojak

It doesn't look pretty but the heater is running. Now I just have to keep in mind the same voltage drop testing that I would use for automotive work for residential wiring. The access cover hid the corrosion so perfectly it never occurred to me to look there!

I'm still thinking about that Fluke though...

"Amazing what chimney sweeping can teach us, no? Keep your fire hot and
your flue clean."  - Ecurb Noselrub

"I'd be incensed by your impudence were I not so impressed by your memory." - Siz

Icarus

JJ : I have three Flukes.  A 77 the old reliable, a 12 that has capacitor checking feature, and a 335 clamp on  that has a surge current recorder.   I have never had a problem with any of them.  One time, long ago I blew the fuse in the 77.  The fuse is a special sort that can be gotten only from Fluke.  As I recall it was pricey, I think it was $11.  A bit much for a fuse methinks. 

The 335 has been used about four times and it is still in new condition as is the dandy soft zipper case that it lives in.  I bought it for the express purpose of checking the surge or starting current of a 30HP electric motor.  It helped me discover that the problem with the motor was not the motor.  It was the circuit breaker in the distribution panel.  It had some weak clips that connected it to the power bars of the panel.  The clips had been arcing and had corroded the power bars. All three of them.  I repaired the bars and installed a new breaker and the trouble was gone. 

The 335 is a beauty but I have zero use for it these days as I have retired from the service business.   I use the 12 to test flashlight batteries only.  It is a cute little meter but has limited capacity. 

The 77 is the go to tool for routine test work.  I once had a problem with the input power from the service drop on my building.  I called the electric company to complain.  They said that my meter was not reading correctly. They assumed that I was using a Harbor Freight meter or some other junker. When I told that I had used the Fluke they said OK that is different.  We will send our guys right out to the site.  Sure enough the link at the pole transformer was sick and one of the three phase legs was not delivering the standard voltage.  They fixed it.

I also had a vintage Simpson monster that I had confidence in. It was an analog meter at one time.  Back in the day, it was the standard of the industry.  I gave that one to a friend who is a collector of vintage tools. 

While I am carrying on about meters let me urge you to be damned careful with those nasty couplings in the water heater.....and elsewhere.  Good mechanics are hard to find these days so stay vigilant.

jumbojak

I love that story about the power company!

"Amazing what chimney sweeping can teach us, no? Keep your fire hot and
your flue clean."  - Ecurb Noselrub

"I'd be incensed by your impudence were I not so impressed by your memory." - Siz

Dave

Quote from: jumbojak on July 26, 2018, 02:41:00 PM
I love that story about the power company!

Yeah! Nice when you can prove to those people that they are not the only ones with technical knowledge. Years ago, living in a bed sitter with overhead distribution and one drop to the whole house - three washing machines, five water heaters, electric heaters, fridges etc. I borrowed an Avo Model 7 from work (no recorders) and made a diary of the outlet voltage at the estimated high consumption times (OK, I cheated and asked everyone to switch everything they could on.) Sent the graph in and the utility installed a paper chart recorder for a week.

The, one day, I came home to find a new feed direct to my meter from a different phase. That surprised me, it meant two phases on the same board, 415V. I thought that was illegal in domestic installations, but it cured my V-drop problem! I could trust the microwave timing . . .
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

Dave

#292
Wonder if I will be aching tomorrow? My "tennis elbow" may be back.

I have just finished drilling, effectively, 75 precise holes* in a piece of 22mm thick MDF, tightening 25 bolts very tight then applyng three coats of thinned down varnish to harden the MDF. This involved picking up and turning that heavy board a few times. The holes and bolt tightenings were to insert 25 M6 "T nuts" into the bottoms of the holes. Only one actual bolt used 25 times, needs a die run down it now . . .

It was coolish in the attic, I had very little pain of any kind (until I stabbed my left hand opening the varnish tin with a screwdriver, got a tool for that job, er, somewhere) - but you know and I know that some pains wait 12 -24 hours before they make their presence known. I had to keep trying to remember to alternate arms when tightening the bolts. This is the most "arm work" I have done for a long time - three hours total in the attic.

Why am l doing this? It is the Mark two of a new worktop for the Workmate bench. Screws go into the holes to form stops or hold downs for things one is working on. Round pieces of wood and plastic (made from old cutting boards), wooden blocks and wedges are accessories. Plus loads of steel nuts, bolts, big washers etc. Other accessories, like vertical and horizontal toggle clamps, may follow. I have an 18" x 12" x 2mm thick steel plate that may be drilled, in its corners, to the hole matrix, to provide a hard/magnetic surface

Would be great for carving wooden plaques say - no big clamps to get in the way or screw holes in the back.

May not use it much but it is brain and muscle exercise and more practical than making models and more interesting than lifting weights.! And I just like making "tools" and jigs!



I will do another picture with sone accessories in place.

When I have recovered.

* Holes, all from underside, 20mm flatbit - point on that useful to get dead on the marked matrix, depth set to take the "T nut" flange; followed by a 6.5mm hole all the way through (centre point of flatbit forms a perfect guide hole;) finally a 7mm hole 10mm deep for the barrel of the "T nut".
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

jumbojak

You made yourself a wooden welding table!

"Amazing what chimney sweeping can teach us, no? Keep your fire hot and
your flue clean."  - Ecurb Noselrub

"I'd be incensed by your impudence were I not so impressed by your memory." - Siz

hermes2015

Quote from: Dave on July 28, 2018, 03:24:21 PM
Wonder if I will be aching tomorrow? My "tennis elbow" may be back.

I have just finished drilling, effectively, 75 precise holes* in a piece of 22mm thick MDF, tightening 25 bolts very tight then applyng three coats of thinned down varnish to harden the MDF. This involved picking up and turning that heavy board a few times. The holes and bolt tightenings were to insert 25 M6 "T nuts" into the bottoms of the holes. Only one actual bolt used 25 times, needs a die run down it now . . .

It was coolish in the attic, I had very little pain of any kind (until I stabbed my left hand opening the varnish tin with a screwdriver, got a tool for that job, er, somewhere) - but you know and I know that some pains wait 12 -24 hours before they make their presence known. I had to keep trying to remember to alternate arms when tightening the bolts. This is the most "arm work" I have done for a long time - three hours total in the attic.

Why am l doing this? It is the Mark two of a new worktop for the Workmate bench. Screws go into the holes to form stops or hold downs for things one is working on. Round pieces of wood and plastic (made from old cutting boards), wooden blocks and wedges are accessories. Plus loads of steel nuts, bolts, big washers etc. Other accessories, like vertical and horizontal toggle clamps, may follow. I have an 18" x 12" x 2mm thick steel plate that may be drilled, in its corners, to the hole matrix, to provide a hard/magnetic surface

Would be great for carving wooden plaques say - no big clamps to get in the way or screw holes in the back.

May not use it much but it is brain and muscle exercise and more practical than making models and more interesting than lifting weights.! And I just like making "tools" and jigs!



I will do another picture with sone accessories in place.

When I have recovered.

* Holes, all from underside, 20mm flatbit - point on that useful to get dead on the marked matrix, depth set to take the "T nut" flange; followed by a 6.5mm hole all the way through (centre point of flatbit forms a perfect guide hole;) finally a 7mm hole 10mm deep for the barrel of the "T nut".

Nice work! How did you ensure that you drilled the holes vertically? I assume you didn't hand-hold the drill.
"Eventually everything connects - people, ideas, objects. The quality of the connections is the key to quality per se."
― Charles Eames

Dave

This awful picture (cropped from one taken with my phone) shows the Wolfcraft hand drill jig I bought decades ago and which has been a boon. It has a "V" groove inside and outside for drilling small pipes and a depth stop on one leg.



(I knew someone would ask!  :grin:
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

Tank

Do should do your own version of 'Tool Time'! :)

If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Dave

Quote from: Tank on July 29, 2018, 08:15:10 AM
Do should do your own version of 'Tool Time'! :)


He is a bit of a tool isn't he?

Did think of videoing the process but decided not to in the end. I am an avid fan of some of the guys (and one woman whom I can't find again) who do creative practical projects on Youtube - usually whilst displaying a green tinge at their facilities, I have to move things to get access to others in my attic!
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

Tank

That's a shame. You could always do one just for HAF.
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Dave

Quote from: Tank on July 29, 2018, 08:24:21 AM
That's a shame. You could always do one just for HAF.

I am lucky in that public speaking has never bothered me at all, I am extrovert in that respect. But I am lousy talking to camera; hesitant, forget things, need hours of rehearsals, retakes and editing. Would have to set up the camera behind the eye of a picture of an attractive woman or something!

Actually someone behind the camera, a person to talk to, might help.
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74