Entropy

[JR.]

Todays failure and red neck repair

The wimpy steel tube handle for my pecan picker bent today. When picking up pecans in tall grass I had to press down harder than the handle liked. When I bent it back straight I could tell it was one more bend away from breaking in half. You can see the missing paint just to the left of the black cable tie.

The white piece in the picture is a steel bracket from my old air conditioner heat pump... The thin steel tube is a press fit into the steel bracket. Screw clamps would be better but the cable ties work for now... I will finish with some duct tape. You can see about a dozen pecans in the basket I picked up to confirm that it works.

This is also a pack rat win since I should have thrown that bracket away years ago...

JR

[JR.]

I really appreciate bringing order to disorder...

Today I finally adjusted the tilt of my refrigerator so the door will close by itself.... I should have done this over a decade ago, but how hard is it too close the door? Now it is that much easier, left alone it closes itself. Now I need to teach myself to let it close without an extra push.

This was a huge PIA to get down on the floor to reach the adjustment bolts, and then get back up. Getting old is not for wimps.

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I recently ordered some on-off-on switches to vary the speed of my too fast blower with two operating speeds. The spirit moved me today but the order shipping advice said that switch was still days away (ETA next tuesday). I decided to visit my junk drawer to make a two speed (without off) using a simple SPST switch.... To my pleasure and for my latest pack rat win, I found a 3 position switch I had recovered from some old appliance I salvaged parts from before I threw it away. This old switch was; off, 1 on, or both on, but it still works for my application, until I get the new switches. The switch was old enough that the switch lugs wouldn't take solder, but when I salvaged it I left the press on wire connectors attached so just soldered to them.

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My DR powered string trimmer has started making belt slippage noise in heavy grass,,, it appears there is a belt tension adjustment that involves taking it partially apart... Since a new belt only cost $11.56*** I think I will go ahead and order a new one before I take it apart.

JR

***I continue to be amazed (and irritated ) by cookie tracking wrt web shopping. The replacement drive belt for the string trimmer cost exactly the same from Amazon and Walmart to the penny. I do not consider that a coincidence... I may game them a little, and hold off ordering one, to see if either vendor pushes me a cheaper price (i've seen that happen)...

[JR.]

A fairly minor repair but my molded rubber pull on yard shoes, that I like because they are water tight, developed a fatigue crack in the top. Not leaking water yet, but i patched the crack with rubber cement. We'll see if that holds.

JR

[brianroth]

I've used a product called Shoe Goo for those repairs (from Walmart, Target, etc....usually in the shoe department). It smells like silicone type adhesive.

Bri

[JR.]

I recall using shoe goo years (decades?) ago to reattach separated lasts from uppers with broken leather or faux leather shoes. IIRC I fixed more than one pair of shoes with that one tube.

These yard shoes are molded rubber so I used rubber cement in case it lives up to it's name. and I had some from patching my bike tires.

the shoes look something like this (Neoprene?)

Its not a typical shoe separation but a fatigue stress crack where the neoprene outer layer on the top of the shoe flexed too often and didn't like it. These weren't very expensive when new so probably about due for retirement. They are worn and a little frizzy around the top foot hole opening, but everything else is remarkably solid.

Shoe goo claims to work on rubber, but there actually is a dedicated neoprene cement for patching up wet suits and the like, that might be the better tool for the job, and cost about the same. We'll see, so far the rubber cement is weak. The tear is on the top of the shoe and only the outside layer so not causing a leak.

I may give rubber cement another try,,, because I have it right here. I'm not sure I gave it a long enough cure/rest time my first attempt.

JR

[edit- second pass with rubber cement seems to be holding... I used a fat rubber band to hold the tear closed while it cured. Around the foot hole is frayed so these are probably approaching end of life but still water tight for now. [/edit]

[mediatechnology]

You remind me that I have a pair of hiking boots that need a sole glued back on.

[Gold]

My Weller WRX 1002 just died. The other day it wasn’t working well despite vigorous cleaning. When I turned it in yesterday I got an error message on the display.

The vacuum seems to work although the pressure seems low. The handpiece won’t heat up though. I opened it up and poked around. There were no internal fuses I could see. Most of it is SMD but I checked the bridge rectifier and a couple of other through hole parts I recognized. No dice. I got 10 years out of it and I got it on blowout for 2/3rd off retail.

I ordered a cheap Chinese special for $100. It looks like an older Hakko model. I’ve heard sometimes Chinese plants are allowed to manufacture older models unbranded. If itnsucks I’ll have to buy a more expensive one but I have my fingers crossed.

[JR.]

I ordered a cheap Chinese special for $100. It looks like an older Hakko model. I’ve heard sometimes Chinese plants are allowed to manufacture older models unbranded. If itnsucks I’ll have to buy a more expensive one but I have my fingers crossed.

"Allowed", as in you can't stop them if the SKU is not patented or otherwise protected. If you only work with more professional contract manufacturers and keep working with them they are less likely to borrow your IP, but it still happens.

Classic story, when Marshall moved their small guitar amp production from Korea to India to reduce cost, the Korean factory owner didn't want to lay off all his workers and close his doors.. So the rebranded the low end guitar amps (Park***) and sold them himself.

JR

PS: I am on my second cheap chinese hot air rework station, no regerts.

**** Park spelled backwards is krap.

[Gold]

I got the new de soldering station. I really like it. It works great and doesn’t feel cheap. My suspicions that it’s a Hakko knockoff seem correct. The holder came with a Hakko 808 desoldering gun. See pictures.

[JR.]

Entropy updates...

I found and ordered a nut wizard handle (wood).While the price was right, and handle will not bend, the female thread in the screw-on handle is different from the threaded stud attachment point to the nut bail... It appears the original nut wizard was good old made in usa with standard american thread pitch, and the cheaper knock off I apparently purchased uses something else. The threads are close enough that I can screw the handle on 1/4"+ before it binds up and it works, mostly. The original manufacturer sells a replacement bail (the part with the conflicting thread) for only $2 but what are the odds it will work with the knock off wire basket? It works for now and I have some metric nuts I can thread onto the stud to firm it up.

Apparently the wire basket is the expensive part of these.

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Both Franken driveway lamps still rocking at 5AM... now I can go out drinking all night and still find my driveway. Like that could happen in Hickory MS.

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This weekend I have some more grease monkey under the hood work on my 22YO car... I am replacing the fuel pressure regulator in case that is the problem. Symptom of being gas starved fits. Of course yesterday's shopping trip it worked fine... must know I have plans to do some wrenching on it. Parts arrived yesterday.

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I have a tree branch trimmer that has a frayed pull rope, and gets stuck closed. I took it apart and it looks like the original build used the wrong length shoulder bolt, but that isn't where it binds, the opposite end of the blade rides against a spring in compression and that tends to hang up and not slide smoothly on the blade... either a missing part between the blade and the spring, or yet another crappy design. It can work ok after I replace the rope (some on order) but I just have to manually unstick it.

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Off topic my new improved electronic outdoor thermometer that has a barometer inside and claims to forecast weather seems to chronically mis-report the weather... right now it says cloudy and rain, but it is actually sunny with blues skies.... Internet weather report forecasts 0% rain.. I guess they can claim that is a 12-24 hour weather forecast so it just about rains some every day.

JR