too cheap to fix?

Relax in southern comfort on the east bank of the Mississippi. You're just around the corner from Beale Street and Sun Records. Watch the ducks, throw back a few and tell us what's on your mind.
billshurv
Posts: 436
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2018 6:07 am

Re: too cheap to fix?

Post by billshurv »

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1928_Thames_flood

I am amazed only 9 people died. Of course records of people who succumbed do disease or worse afterwards are not recorded.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNaXdLWt17A (they said I was daft to build a castle on a swamp).
User avatar
JR.
Posts: 3697
Joined: Sat May 24, 2008 7:21 pm
Contact:

Re: too cheap to fix?

Post by JR. »

JR. wrote: Sun Jun 16, 2019 3:22 pm
Gold wrote: Wed Jun 12, 2019 9:05 am I like fishing line to fix that kind of stuff. A tight sewing machine stitch usually isn’t practical. Fishing line is very durable even with only a few stitches.
The heavy thread seems adequate... probably as strong or stronger than the rest of the seams. It was nice to have two pair of gloves in rotation so I could swap them out as one got wet and sweaty (lots of yard work this weekend).

The canvas glove material seems softer/weaker than I remember... I may need to pay up for premium gloves next time, but more expensive does not always translate to better... These seem too cheap to last even through one season. :oops:

JR
Well the seam I sewed up held, but just tore a hole in the face of the thumb finger... these gloves are not worth a sh__... :oops:

Yesterday we had a sudden downpour, about 1/2" fell quickly giving my gutters and downspout drain pipes a good test.. (pipes still need some tweaking). But this downpour was accompanied by some wind shear, worst wind I've seen locally since Hurricane Katrina passed directly overhead. Small pine tree fronds were breaking off and shooting across the yard like lawn darts. I was not crazy enough to go out and get a closer look, but back on topic, today I already picked up several wheelbarrow loads of branches and immature pine combs. Not very obvious but the green pine combs have sharp points sticking out of them that tore up my gloves, just from picking them up to discard.

Last weekend while complaining to my neighbor about the cheap gloves, he reached into a cabinet and pulled out an old extra pair of his... they were more like I remember with stiff leather palm. While his gloves were clearly used they were not even broken in... the new cheap gloves are soft and don't need breaking in, the old ones do. They were too stiff for me to comfortably use with my chain saw, until after I broke them in. I was momentarily up to three pairs but after this morning down to two pair again.

JR

PS: The kudzu I used my chainsaw on last weekend, after a week to die, looks like I got most of it, but there is still some growth up on the top power section of the pole... it appears to be coming from a vine about 10' away... While there is not much risk of the kudzu interrupting power, I will revisit the remaining Kudzu tomorrow, should be surgical.
Cancel the "cancel culture", do not support mob hatred.
User avatar
JR.
Posts: 3697
Joined: Sat May 24, 2008 7:21 pm
Contact:

Re: too cheap to work?

Post by JR. »

here is a new "too cheap to work" SKU...

First I am suffering withdrawal symptoms related to throwing away my very old pole lamp, handed down to me already old and that I carried all around the country with me for decades. I recently replaced it with a better design concept (called mother/daughter lamps) that have a top 3 way fixture like my old lamp and a smaller spot fixture to use for sitting in a chair while reading.

This lamp only cost $11.44 (walmart) Image Kind of hard to ignore a price like that ... when you are cheap like me. Coincidentally I recently ordered a 3-way LED bulb that cost $11.38 :lol:

The assembly required was relatively simple. The shaft of the pole was multiple short threaded aluminum tubes. No tools were required but care was needed to not cross thread sections. The too cheap to work part comes from the top 3-way socket missing the switch actuator. I checked the package and it was completely missing, so not broken during shipping, but already gone when it was shipped. Apparently it broke in the on position so top lamp socket works.

Next I did a search of aftermarket replacement 3-way sockets and A) did not find the exact same model and B) similar ones cost a major fraction of the entire new lamp's cost. So for chuckles I ordered another new lamp for $11.44... If this one arrives missing the switch actuator I will know that Walmart is selling inferior B stock without notice.

If it works I will put it by my living room chair, and put the broken one by my computer desk that doesn't need the variable light control.

JR
Cancel the "cancel culture", do not support mob hatred.
User avatar
JR.
Posts: 3697
Joined: Sat May 24, 2008 7:21 pm
Contact:

Re: too cheap to fix?part two

Post by JR. »

My second (cheap) pole lamp arrived and true to form it also has problems.

Unlike the first one this has a working three way socket on top, but the top dome is cracked,,,, (with no apparent damage to shipping package). Further the lower (daughter) lamp switch is faulty... I can get light to turn on and off but the switch action is obviously busted.

This reinforced my theory that these are B stock factory rejects or returns being sold as new.

Drilling down a little this is a chinese made brand trademarked and distributed by Walmart. The same lamp is available on Amazon for roughly 2x the walmart price ($20+). I suspect the $20+ price is the typical price, and these are being blown out for $11 and change... I am tempted to write a note to walmart in AR with no expectation of repair parts, just to tell them I know what they are doing. :lol:

I haven't found the exact repair parts but have some that look close enough on order. Both lamps are making light and an improvement over my old lighting plan. I put a old lampshade over the top dome in my living room because it made too much light for watching TV. The same lamp by my computer desk is great blasting light up off the white ceiling illuminating the area indirectly, The daughter lamp pointed at my desk surface is great for reading bills and whatever I need to deal with.

I moved my very old floor standing lamp out to my car port for junk day, but every time I see it out there I have an urge to restore it... Unfortunately after decades of use it is beyond hope. Every piece of plated metal is rusty, the round base is no longer round, and rusty. This was a premium classy lamp back in the day... There is a translucent base with a lamp inside to serve as a night light, the three way switch is rotary integrated into the pole, the bail for the top shade/dome is long gone, but I can see the screw holes where it attached.

No it has to go.... As I declutter, and better illuminate my casa... remarkable how much better I can see with more lumens.

JR
Cancel the "cancel culture", do not support mob hatred.
billshurv
Posts: 436
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2018 6:07 am

Re: too cheap to fix?

Post by billshurv »

I bought a couple of 150W halogen pole lamps back to UK with me from USA. I used them well beyond their expected life time. I do miss the amount of light they put out...
User avatar
JR.
Posts: 3697
Joined: Sat May 24, 2008 7:21 pm
Contact:

Re: too cheap to fix?

Post by JR. »

I have recently installed cheap LED fixtures $10-20 in several under illuminated places around my house. I'm old and appreciate more lumens..

JR
Cancel the "cancel culture", do not support mob hatred.
billshurv
Posts: 436
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2018 6:07 am

Re: too cheap to fix?

Post by billshurv »

I just keep a head torch to hand!
User avatar
JR.
Posts: 3697
Joined: Sat May 24, 2008 7:21 pm
Contact:

Re: too cheap to fix?

Post by JR. »

billshurv wrote: Sat May 09, 2020 6:14 pm I just keep a head torch to hand!
By "head torch" are you talking about those helmet lights that miners wear? or a typo?

JR
Cancel the "cancel culture", do not support mob hatred.
billshurv
Posts: 436
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2018 6:07 am

Re: too cheap to fix?

Post by billshurv »

A smaller lighter LED version of what miners wear yet. Also used as extra light when cycling in the winter.
User avatar
JR.
Posts: 3697
Joined: Sat May 24, 2008 7:21 pm
Contact:

Re: too cheap to fix?

Post by JR. »

Repaired both $11 lamps....

The replacement 1-way socket was not exact but close enough. I couldn't fit my smallest wire nuts inside with the socket so I'll have to trust black electrical tape like we did for decades. I took the bad one apart and the plastic actuator was broken....

Likewise the replacement 3 way socket was not identical either but I got lucky. I was able to unscrew the new plastic knob and screw it back onto the old socket... The knob is different than the working one but I now have two fully functional lamps (now I need to buy another 3 way bulb, or not.)

That was easy... :lol:

[edit- I didn't realize how much of a pain the broken switch was, I could finagle it to turn on and off, but a little like picking a lock. The proper fully functional switch is one less daily PIA. Oddly (or not) it only cycles on/off if I rotate the switch clockwise. Counter clockwise it clicks but does not turn on. I don't recall ever seeing that in a switch. /edit]

JR
Cancel the "cancel culture", do not support mob hatred.
Post Reply