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Re: Entropy

Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2021 1:22 pm
by JR.
I think I finally figured out what I was doing wrong with the iron on patches... they say 300+ degrees "cotton" iron setting. I was using #4 "blends of cotton" and didn't notice #6 "cotton" two clicks hotter. That seemed to make a huge difference in adhesion strength. I got the pants leg with only one hole sorted, but ran out of enough fresh patches to put together humpty (10-12 patches)...These are cheap so I ordered more.

JR

PS: Not quite entropy but I finally had to replace the toner cartridge for my dell printer... I bought a spare toner cart when I first bought the printer so I'm set for another couple thousand pages...Since I shut down my tuner business I am not printing very much.

Re: Entropy hot patches part deux

Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2021 11:57 am
by JR.
I figured out what I was doing wrong, not enough heat. Since I ran out of patches doing it wrong, I purchased some more with more colors. As long as the jeans already looked like clown pants, I went for more color :lol:
clown pants.jpeg
Ever optimistic I used two brown patches on my 45 year old lazy boy recliner where a seat cushion had a tear... The hot patches worked better than gaffer tape. :lol:

So far so good...

JR

Re: Entropy

Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2021 12:09 pm
by mediatechnology
Reminds me of Barbie "Hip To Be Square." :lol:
You need an outlandish hat to go with that.

Re: Entropy

Posted: Sun Mar 28, 2021 1:11 pm
by JR.
I can wear my MAGA cap....

JR

Re: Entropy

Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 8:55 am
by JR.
My next entropy project is that my sump pump float valve is sticking... I have to shake it to get it to start... Later today after it warms up some more, I will pull it up out of the water in my crawl space and see if hosing it off gets the float valve working properly.

I hope its just mud/gunk in the works...

JR

Re: Entropy

Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2021 6:26 pm
by JR.
I got the sump pump sorted but of course not that easy... The sump pump has a tethered float valve that doesn't work in my application, and an added on aftermarket float valve that does work (or did).

The first problem was that it hung up down in the crawl space and refused to come out easily. The tethered float valve had wrapped itself around my water main pipe. Long story short I wrestled it out.

The tethered float valve needs to be secured in the vertical "on" position so the aftermarket float valve can control the pump. I couldn't find evidence of how it was secured up, so I suspect a cable tie, gave up the ghost after time in the elements. I secured the stock float valve up again with a screw clamp.

Then the next drama was that I couldn't get the pump to sit up straight in its hole down in the crawl space... (that was under water so hard to see). After too long trying to get it in place I pulled it out again and noticed that the outlet hose fitting had partially unscrewed and was pointing straight down instead of straight up... After correcting the outlet hose orientation it was willing to sit properly in place. I suspect I inadvertently partially unscrewed the hose/fitting while trying to get it unstuck and out from under the house the first time.

Today's lesson is that cable ties are not robust enough for long term outdoor use.

All is well....

JR

PS: My pants of many colors got wet and muddy today so already in the laundry basket.

Re: Entropy

Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2021 2:33 pm
by JR.
For today's dose of entropy I flushed out my DIY silt trap... half a bucket of mud.... This is only a month or two's accumulation. Better in the bucket than in the buried pipe.

JR

Re: Entropy

Posted: Wed Mar 31, 2021 4:55 pm
by JR.
My pants of many colors survived battle with my washing machine/dryer.... I am now a believer in iron on patches... strong when done correctly.
==
The repair to my torn recliner cushion is holding so another win...

===

Today, I repaired a torn cushion on my living room couch. The couch fabric was melting from the hot iron, but the benefit from the two iron on patches was worth it.

I feel like the guy with only a hammer in my tool kit, to me it looks like iron on patches are the answer to everything.

Furniture that is several decades old, needs love.

JR

Re: Entropy

Posted: Mon Apr 05, 2021 8:31 am
by JR.
The repair to the recliner and couch cushion are holding for now, but my pants of many colors is tearing again. :oops:

Image

I inadvertently overlapped the hot patches everywhere but between the red and light blue patches so of course the pants are tearing there. It looks like I need to place yet another patch overlapping between the red and blue patches.

As usual this has been a learning process with most of the lessons coming late in the game. I probably just need to stick a fork in this one pair of pants, but I still have a couple more patches left, and I haven't used every possible color yet. :lol:

JR

Re: Entropy

Posted: Sat Apr 10, 2021 12:35 pm
by JR.
Entropy strikes again.... Last night during a 3" rain storm we took a major lightning strike nearby...tripped the GFCI outlet in my kitchen, but didn't appear to damage anything else, but the aftermarket float switch sump pump controller failed stuck constantly on. It seems too much of a coincidence to discount that lightning caused the failure.

This controller switch is still within it's 2 year warranty. This puppy broke while it was still almost new and they turned it around quickly.

Two warranty repairs has probably consumed any potential profit.

JR