If the tree is near/over power lines sometimes the power company will help with the removal.
I have a stand of pines 2.5x taller than a nearby power line. I need to get them on the case for those (they need to be topped, I can't do it myself). The pines generally drop branches in the wind to save the trees (they survived Katrina when some of my other trees didn't.
JR
Entropy
Re: Entropy
Cancel the "cancel culture", do not support mob hatred.
Re: Entropy
If only; entropy on the wallet coming.....
Best,
Doug Williams
Electromagnetic Radiation Recorders
Doug Williams
Electromagnetic Radiation Recorders
Re: Entropy
Wallet entropy is another good topic.
JR
JR
Cancel the "cancel culture", do not support mob hatred.
Re: Entropy
I guess there is also thread entropy?
JR
JR
Cancel the "cancel culture", do not support mob hatred.
Re: Entropy
I wouldn't want you guys to think my stuff stopped breaking... lets see if i can remember what I've fixed since April.
Most recently I had to replace the water tank for my under sink RO unit. A little disappointing life. The original tank seems like it lasted 15+ years before wimping out. The replacement tank seems like it lasted half that or less. The tank itself doesn't fail, but there is an internal (rubber?) bladder like a tire inner tube that allows the tank to maintain reasonably stable pressure over a range of water in the tank... I was disappointed to see that the failed tank was made in USA, there goes that cliche about made in China, the replacement tank was also made in USA but from a different company in a different part of the USA so hopefully the new tank will last longer.
======
A couple months ago I had to buy some jewelers screw drivers so I could take apart my cheap video camera that was not responding to the main record/stop button. After I got it apart I didn't find a smoking gun but it seemed to be a fit/tolerance issue, so by wedging a small piece of plastic behind the button pressing down on the switch membrane, I was able to get it working again.
--
As long as I now had my jewelers screwdrivers I replaced the batteries in two different jogging stop-watches, so now those are ready to run. I also managed to make one more cheap pair of reading glasses from parts, so now I have a spare pair of readers to carry with me when shopping.
----
As I mentioned in another post, last month i replaced two outlets in my house with cheap chinese GFCI, time to start the count down for these failing since I understand these are shoddy.
----
I still have a long list of things that need repair. Just the other day the lamp switch on a lamp by my computer desk broke. The twisty thing just twisted off... Since I couldn't find a replacement lamp socket in the hardware store, and it failed turned on... I can just put the lamp in a switched outlet for now.
I found what looks like a replacement lamp socket on the internet for $12 + $8 S/H . I'm not sure the lamp is worth a $20 parts repair.
[edit- Found a replacement lamp socket (zorotools.com) for $4 with $5 shopping so repair project is on... /edit
and the beat goes on...
JR
Most recently I had to replace the water tank for my under sink RO unit. A little disappointing life. The original tank seems like it lasted 15+ years before wimping out. The replacement tank seems like it lasted half that or less. The tank itself doesn't fail, but there is an internal (rubber?) bladder like a tire inner tube that allows the tank to maintain reasonably stable pressure over a range of water in the tank... I was disappointed to see that the failed tank was made in USA, there goes that cliche about made in China, the replacement tank was also made in USA but from a different company in a different part of the USA so hopefully the new tank will last longer.
======
A couple months ago I had to buy some jewelers screw drivers so I could take apart my cheap video camera that was not responding to the main record/stop button. After I got it apart I didn't find a smoking gun but it seemed to be a fit/tolerance issue, so by wedging a small piece of plastic behind the button pressing down on the switch membrane, I was able to get it working again.
--
As long as I now had my jewelers screwdrivers I replaced the batteries in two different jogging stop-watches, so now those are ready to run. I also managed to make one more cheap pair of reading glasses from parts, so now I have a spare pair of readers to carry with me when shopping.
----
As I mentioned in another post, last month i replaced two outlets in my house with cheap chinese GFCI, time to start the count down for these failing since I understand these are shoddy.
----
I still have a long list of things that need repair. Just the other day the lamp switch on a lamp by my computer desk broke. The twisty thing just twisted off... Since I couldn't find a replacement lamp socket in the hardware store, and it failed turned on... I can just put the lamp in a switched outlet for now.
I found what looks like a replacement lamp socket on the internet for $12 + $8 S/H . I'm not sure the lamp is worth a $20 parts repair.
[edit- Found a replacement lamp socket (zorotools.com) for $4 with $5 shopping so repair project is on... /edit
and the beat goes on...
JR
Cancel the "cancel culture", do not support mob hatred.
Re: Entropy
Replaced the lamp socket and learned something new from reading the instructions, after I finished. There's a knot called the underwriters knot used to secure the wires from pulling throught the bottom of the socket.
JR
JR
Cancel the "cancel culture", do not support mob hatred.
Re: Entropy
Now that's one for the interns.
"go get me an Underwriters Knot"
I recently pulled a TV remote apart that had developed many bad buttons and found the inside looked like it had half a dried beer in it. I don't think anything has ever been spilled anywhere near it. Scrubbing it out with a toothbrush and water brought it back from the edge.
"go get me an Underwriters Knot"
I recently pulled a TV remote apart that had developed many bad buttons and found the inside looked like it had half a dried beer in it. I don't think anything has ever been spilled anywhere near it. Scrubbing it out with a toothbrush and water brought it back from the edge.
Best,
Doug Williams
Electromagnetic Radiation Recorders
Doug Williams
Electromagnetic Radiation Recorders
Re: Entropy (lawnmower chapter again)
Stuff is still breaking and getting fixed, but this interesting (to me) one that was never completely fixed popped up again.
last summer I replaced my lawnmower magneto and repaired some wiring issues to deal with balky starting behavior. My suspicion was a high impedance conduction path on the magneto shunt (on/off) winding.
Recently I recognized a repeatable pattern when starting the mower. After several pulls I would smell raw gas, as in NO SPARK. If I then turned off and then back on again, the on/off switch the mower starts the next pull.
Since i normally leave the on switch in on position and use the seat safety switch to kill the motor, my new theory is that dirt builds up inside the switch, that gets cleared by exercising the switch.
While trying to unscrew the wire lead to the switch it fell apart (screw was tight). So I got an opportunity to inspect the innards.
Switch was very simple piece of bakelite with two posts, with a spring and copper shunt that shorts the two post together in off position. With my rat shack VOM I measured 20M between the two posts just sitting apart. While 20M seems high across a couple ohm winding, the impedance transform is the turns ratio squared so apparently this is enough to hinder hand cranking the mower.
I had to literally scrape the surface of the bakelite to get it to register completely open circuit with my VOM. Apparently dirt dust and moisture had precipitated a conductive layer. There should be a modest AC voltage at this switch while the motor is running but I don't know why AC would cause the conductive path to firm up.
I was actually able to re-assemble the switch so it's back in place and working. I taped around the gap where the bakelite mates to the switch body to keep new dirt/dust out. We'll see if this works for the rest of the summer. I should probably buy a new switch JIC.
JR
{edit=] mower started on 3 rd pull this weekend so all good... so far. [/edit]
last summer I replaced my lawnmower magneto and repaired some wiring issues to deal with balky starting behavior. My suspicion was a high impedance conduction path on the magneto shunt (on/off) winding.
Recently I recognized a repeatable pattern when starting the mower. After several pulls I would smell raw gas, as in NO SPARK. If I then turned off and then back on again, the on/off switch the mower starts the next pull.
Since i normally leave the on switch in on position and use the seat safety switch to kill the motor, my new theory is that dirt builds up inside the switch, that gets cleared by exercising the switch. While trying to unscrew the wire lead to the switch it fell apart (screw was tight). So I got an opportunity to inspect the innards.
Switch was very simple piece of bakelite with two posts, with a spring and copper shunt that shorts the two post together in off position. With my rat shack VOM I measured 20M between the two posts just sitting apart. While 20M seems high across a couple ohm winding, the impedance transform is the turns ratio squared so apparently this is enough to hinder hand cranking the mower.
I had to literally scrape the surface of the bakelite to get it to register completely open circuit with my VOM. Apparently dirt dust and moisture had precipitated a conductive layer. There should be a modest AC voltage at this switch while the motor is running but I don't know why AC would cause the conductive path to firm up.
I was actually able to re-assemble the switch so it's back in place and working. I taped around the gap where the bakelite mates to the switch body to keep new dirt/dust out. We'll see if this works for the rest of the summer. I should probably buy a new switch JIC.
JR
{edit=] mower started on 3 rd pull this weekend so all good... so far. [/edit]
Cancel the "cancel culture", do not support mob hatred.
Re: Entropy
Well ignition switch was not the only leaky conduction path draining energy from the mag and making it hard to start. Last year I added a switch so I could disconnect the entire safety wiring harness (except the on/off switch) and even with the on/off switch cleaned up I still have balky start (i smell raw gas) while hand cranking until is switch out the safety harness and it starts right up. Once the motor starts the engine keeps running with the safety switches turned back on.
All kind of academic at this point... the mower is now sitting out in the middle of my yard with the rear wheels locked up. I think it is the chain drive between clutch and live axle that is seized up. Rear wheels turn freely in opposite directions but lock in the same direction.
It's always something to fix... Good news is I can get parts, bad news is I don't have all the tools I need, nor the desire. May have to buy some snap ring pliers, if my mower shop quote is too high. Not rocket science but a suitable PIA I would pay a fair amount to make it go away. I don't expect my idea of fair to agree with the mower shop who wants to sell me a new one.
JR
All kind of academic at this point... the mower is now sitting out in the middle of my yard with the rear wheels locked up. I think it is the chain drive between clutch and live axle that is seized up. Rear wheels turn freely in opposite directions but lock in the same direction.
It's always something to fix... Good news is I can get parts, bad news is I don't have all the tools I need, nor the desire. May have to buy some snap ring pliers, if my mower shop quote is too high. Not rocket science but a suitable PIA I would pay a fair amount to make it go away. I don't expect my idea of fair to agree with the mower shop who wants to sell me a new one.
JR
Cancel the "cancel culture", do not support mob hatred.