Stuff that’s broken today

sardine · May 20, 2023

I restored this skip find last week from all glued up solid and missing the control knob for a foam Job I've got to do right now, of course the screw on top adaptor has now dissapeared and I've had to buy a new one.

DanZac · May 26, 2023

Maybe in hindsight I should have actually measured the amount of 2 stroke oil in the strimmer and not just "Slopped a bit in" :doh:

Barking Mat · May 26, 2023

That's well and truly dead.

How's the cylinder, no better I'd imagine.

DanZac · May 26, 2023

Barking Mat said:
How's the cylinder, no better I'd imagine.

Probably best described as "slightly worn". :laughing:

Red'n'Black · May 26, 2023

DanZac said:
Maybe in hindsight I should have actually measured the amount of 2 stroke oil in the strimmer and not just "Slopped a bit in"
View attachment 400945 View attachment 400946

That's what mine looked like after I lent it to a neighbour and he ran it on neat unleaded, he'd never heard of a two-stroke engine before.

No, he didn't offer to fix or replace it. And no, I don't lend him things any more.

Barking Mat · May 26, 2023

Red'n'Black said:
That's what mine looked like after I lent it to a neighbour and he ran it on neat unleaded, he'd never heard of a two-stroke engine before.

No, he didn't offer to fix or replace it. And no, I don't lend him things any more.

Your neighbour is an anus, a chocolate starfish.

DanZac · May 28, 2023

. said:
I gave it a good bevel so some decent material there although I'm expecting it to snap and get smacked in the face by the breaker bar

Keep it in the stuff I don't mind lending out box, and let someone else find out how good your fix is.

One of 3 things will happen. It'll either fail on whoever you lent it too, saving you a smack in the face, and that'll teach them not to borrow tools. Or you'll never see it again, in which case you've not really lost anything. Or it'll get returned having worked a treat and you'll have a better idea if it's going to fail or not.

Either way it's a win. :scared:

Smallfry · May 29, 2023

. said:
You replied too late. I tried it and it twisted and thankfully didn't break. In the bin it goes! I ideally need a deep, thin walled, 3/4 inch drive, 30mm socket. They exist but are expensive... Think I'll just get a non thin wall and grind it down.

Get an impact 6 point socket, they are stronger, so hopefully grinding some off will be OK

Smallfry · May 29, 2023

DanZac said:
Maybe in hindsight I should have actually measured the amount of 2 stroke oil in the strimmer and not just "Slopped a bit in"
View attachment 400945 View attachment 400946

I used to repair these things, and saw this very often. Biggest cause is leaving the fuel in the tank. Should always empty the tank back into your can after use, then start the thing and run it dry. A few days is OK, but you certainly must do this before a lay up.
Secondly, not mixing properly, and of course forgetting to add the two stroke in the first place.
Putting too much in gums up the carb, and make the thing harder to start. If it smokes, there is too much.
Lending any tools to neighbours........ Just NO ! Invariably the sort of people who do not have their own tools, have no idea how to use them.

DAPPH · May 29, 2023

. said:
Sigh View attachment 401225
View attachment 401226

View attachment 401227

Next time you feel gorilla strength is needed to loosen a nut or bolt apply a fraction of the pressure and give the tube a decent sharp clout about a foot back from the nut in the direction of undoing with a 2 & 1/2 pound engineers hammer .. It's amazing how many times this works to shock break the torque friction . You can also get up to torque & mesh engagement by the same method , Did you have to use a DTI to get an accurate preload ?

The only time it never worked for me was on a Mighty Antar RHR wheel nut , someone had put a LHS wheel stud & nut on the wheel hub .

I sheared it off with the inch thick four foot long wheel nut socket spanner .

bricol · May 30, 2023

DAPPH said:
Next time you feel gorilla strength is needed to loosen a nut or bolt apply a fraction of the pressure and give the tube a decent sharp clout about a foot back from the nut in the direction of undoing with a 2 & 1/2 pound engineers hammer .. It's amazing how many times this works to shock break the torque friction . You can also get up to torque & mesh engagement by the same method , Did you have to use a DTI to get an accurate preload ?

The only time it never worked for me was on a Mighty Antar RHR wheel nut , someone had put a LHS wheel stud & nut on the wheel hub .

I sheared it off with the inch thick four foot long wheel nut socket spanner .

I've done that my entire life - mainly due to having arms perfectly suited, and honed for, driving a mouse around a desk

I have to say the Halfords 1/2" drive breaker bar I obtained second hand close to 10 yrs ago has survived such use with only some slop in the pivot, and a lot of dents down the handle.

sparkysy · May 30, 2023

Nice, they are a handy tool to have.
I have a cheap one that serves it's purpose well!
And an absolute bargain at that price!!
Sy

Blobber · Jun 9, 2023

Gutted!! pulled this out of a metal skip about 4 years ago, weve run it since and boy has it worked hard but we have a failure today! a support bracket has pulled off the cutting deck and there also appears to be more holes, looks like im going to be weldering now the weathers warmed up! :doh:

If the repairs are tidy I might even post them up!

minimutly · Jun 9, 2023

Blobber said:
Gutted!! pulled this out of a metal skip about 4 years ago, weve run it since and boy has it worked hard but we have a failure today! a support bracket has pulled off the cutting deck and there also appears to be more holes, looks like im going to be weldering now the weathers warmed up!
View attachment 403019 View attachment 403020
View attachment 403021 View attachment 403022
If the repairs are tidy I might even post them up!

You got your moneys worth out of that one..

Blobber · Jun 9, 2023

minimutly said:
You got your moneys worth out of that one..

It’s not dead yet it'll go again! :thumbup:

Blobber · Jul 2, 2023

The bailer worked fine for most of the harvest, threw a wobbly a few times not tying one side, looks like that's not helping, should be a circular guide for the twine only 30mm diameter but pretty important!