What I have fixed today

[Hypnotic Chimera]

Today I'm "fixing my shed door" (by shoring up the shed front wall)...

Lately the door has been difficult to lock. Only just worked out a couple weeks ago that the front wall was sagging slightly - potentially the underlying stoney-clay subsoil shrinking due to hot dry UK summer - potentially tree root soil movement - potentially rodent burrows under/into the supporting gravel layer under the shed floor...

And the door Mortise lock has potentially been supporting the wall from sagging. It's built well - pretty sturdy DIY job...

Yesterday the key broke in the lock while I was locking it...




Which meant I needed to somehow get the wall back into square. Square-ish, anyway...

Brushed out some gravel and used timber lever and car jack...





Proper floor level re-established - broken key then easy to remove...

 

[AndyT]

We've had a little Shark cordless vacuum cleaner for ten years or so. It has a powered brush head that turns on when you lean the main wand back from vertical. But just lately it sometimes turned on if you got the angle right but mostly didn't.

According to YouTube repair videos it's probably a break in a bit of wire where it goes past the hinge. I also learned that there are hundreds of subtly different models so it's unfeasible to show every variation on how to get inside.

However, one video did show me the trick of getting inside. Not only do you have to remove about ten visible screws (first having sent away for a set of long Torx security bits) you then have to prize off two bumper strips round the edges. These don't feel like soft flexible plastic but with enough confident tugging do come off, revealing three more screws hidden inside.

So, after a couple of hours, I could see the obvious break in the black wire and the places where the white and orange ones were about to fail:



After quite a lot more close examination and careful dismantling I managed to remove the surprisingly stiff original wires and replace them with the inner cores of some decent flex. There's really not much space for these wires to fit, in a special channel alongside the flexible hose, but it was really quite satisfying to manage it, work out the correct lengths, solder the ends and get everything back in place with no bits left over.

I hope it lasts another ten years now - I can look forward to the joy of replacing the rechargeable batteries!

 

[Pete Maddex]

The same thing happens in dishwashers the wire they use doesn’t have enough strands to be flexible enough.

Pete

 

[AndyT]

I wonder if they choose it for easier assembly, as a planned failure point, or just because it's a tiny bit cheaper?

 

[Dr.Al]

I wonder if they choose it for easier assembly, as a planned failure point, or just because it's a tiny bit cheaper?

I'd bet on cheaper.

 

[AndyP]

Built in obsolesence . No money in making anything that lasts forever.

 

[Lons]

"Can you knock up a quick headboard for the double bed in a spare room please" said the missus so scraped up some salvaged pine, put it across the table saw, through the thicknesser and drum sander, routed the edges and drilled for dowels, (no proper joints in this one.)
Posts are two thicknesses glued together and will need a cap on the tops. I glued it up this morning before cutting the grass and here it is out of the clamps.

I didn't take any 'photos as very basic stuff and there's still cleaning up, sanding and a finish to apply but a few more brownie points coming my way. After swapping my motor I'm in dire need.

 

[duke]

We all need brownie points, how many we need remains a mystery.
Well done!

 

[Cabinetman]

Hope it helps Lons.
As someone once said, “tricky things women” I damaged the surface of a favourite table last night and was expecting a lot of earache but no, accidents happen!
Ian

 

[duke]

May you recover Ian.

 

[RogerS]

Hope it helps Lons.
As someone once said, “tricky things women” I damaged the surface of a favourite table last night and was expecting a lot of earache but no, accidents happen!
Ian

Don’t be too sure, Ian. It’s filed away in the Book of Misdemeanours, ready to be resurrected when you least expect it. DAMHIKT

 

[AndyP]

Nice one Bob; if you need to up the brownie points can I suggest a footboard to match

 

[Lurker]

That would take me at least a week to make, hardly a quick knock up.

 

[Lons]

We all need brownie points, how many we need remains a mystery.
Well done!

I need many, many thousands Scott. I'm always in the red though and as Roger said there's a little invisible accounting book hidden away somewhere.

 

[Accipiter]

Bob... I don't know what you've done (or NOT done?!) for you to be chasing for 'brownie points' recently... was it something to do with the change of motors? I've been (still am) a tad *under the weather* and not been visiting the forum much so may have missed something...

That said... on the subject of "Brownie Points" my other is able to bring up the requirements for earning more on things in the past that have never occurred... or before ever happening.

 

[Phil]

Mine can remember the date, maybe time, who was there, what I said or didn't say.
More than 50 years ago.
So I just gave up. If someting is broken or whatever, just add it to the TDL and I will do it in my time and pleasure.
Or just FAM. (find another man!)
If she ever finds this forum, I will envoke the 5th Amendment.

 

[Doug]

We all need brownie points, how many we need remains a mystery.
Well done!

Nothing so difficult to earn as brownie points or so easily lost.

Recently stripped down the Mother in Law’s boiler after a phone call from the GLW, it hadn’t been serviced for 11 years & wouldn’t produce either hot water or heating, 5 hours later both piping hot radiators & hot water. Brownie points earned zero, Apparently I shouldn’t have let it get in that state I the first place

 

[Lons]

Bob... I don't know what you've done (or NOT done?!) for you to be chasing for 'brownie points' recently... was it something to do with the change of motors? I've been (still am) a tad *under the weather* and not been visiting the forum much so may have missed something...

That said... on the subject of "Brownie Points" my other is able to bring up the requirements for earning more on things in the past that have never occurred... or before ever happening.

Yes I spent a lot of money changing my car Frank. Not a sensible thing to do looking purely from a financial point of view though I did buy a used model that had already taken the huge hit. However our days of holidays etc. is over as my wife isn't up to it now for health reasons and the car is one of my pleasures. She gets peeved because I won't allow her to eat in it, she can do that in her Mini if she wants.

She's very easy going usually and we've been married 54 years so if we don't know each other by now we never will. That said I'll never really understand how a woman's mind works.

Hope you get better soon.

 

[Accipiter]

Yes I spent a lot of money changing my car Frank. Not a sensible thing to do looking purely from a financial point of view though I did buy a used model that had already taken the huge hit. However our days of holidays etc. is over as my wife isn't up to it now for health reasons and the car is one of my pleasures. She gets peeved because I won't allow her to eat in it, she can do that in her Mini if she wants.

She's very easy going usually and we've been married 54 years so if we don't know each other by now we never will. That said I'll never really understand how a woman's mind works.

Hope you get better soon.

Thanks for the get well wishes Bob. Wish I could say I'm on the way but heading into the 3rd week and still have it. Thing is, having looked at the side effects of the Amoxocillin, I can't tell if the cough is now there because of the antibiotic as it's a listed side effect? So will try for a follow up with the doctor to see what they say - no guarantees it'll be the one I saw last week .

Now... your brownie points... ... I didn't now if I should laugh or feel sad... the bit about 'not allowing her to eat in your car'... a little laugh... but definitely sad about her being unwell and your holiday not happening... definitely .

At 46 years married I understand what you mean after saying yours is now 54... yep! It's like me looking into the future .

Wishing you both well

 

[Lons]

Hi Frank, your illness doesn't sound nice, I hope it improves soon.

I rarely look at the huge list of side effects for any drug these days as in the main they're just covering their backsides IMO. I take Rivoraxaban blood thinners as I have A-Fib (low and erratic pulse) and have had nose bleeds almost every day since the first 3 hour episode on 1st July. I waited 8 weeks for an ENT appointment which was on Friday however hadn't had a nosebleed for nearly 2 weeks so told the doc I felt like a fraud however on examination he said it definitely needed cauterization and possibly a second one at some stage. Oh joy!
I know it's nothing but burned like hell and is still very sore. Once the docs get hold of you there's no going back.

The lack of holidays isn't a problem though I was miffed at first as I sold the motorhome two years ago on the condition that we go back to proper holidays however I fully understand why we can't and think ouselves extremely lucky we saw so much of the world while we were able.

She has plenty of friends and goes to coffee mornings and lunch often and I have no problem whatsoever keeping occupied.

I freely admit to being OTT about my cars, hate the inside especially being dirty or smelling of garlic or cheese and onion crisps which is why she's not allowed.

 

[duke]

Hopefully got rid of the mice making a nest in my truck.

 

[SamQ aka Ah! Q!]

I freely admit to being OTT about my cars, hate the inside especially being dirty or smelling of garlic or cheese and onion crisps which is why she's not allowed.

I can confirm Lons's new (and old) conveyances gleam(ed) like new pins. Autoglym must rub their hands when they see him coming....

I must confess though, that knowing his lovely 'minder' reasonably well, I cannot conjure up an image of her stuffing wheeze and bunion into herself, in a moving vehicle, or out. Then again, as per the remarks above, it occurs to me this might be *** expressing disappointment with Lons falling short of her high standards. Again.

This 'irking Da Boss/risking her disapproval' club is so widespread. I thought it was just me....

 

[Accipiter]

Thanks Bob... I hope I do also... no brownie points if my being ill spoils the trip to Cornwall .

I think most of us just "take the meds" when given... as we want to get better as quickly as possible. Put our faith in the Med Pros... I'd read through, not pay too much attention as most SEs are the same. However... over time you don't realise you're having these SEs as they've built up over time - especially if on long term meds (Artovastatin, Omeprazole etc).

There's a thread in the other place about BP meds... Artovastatin etc. I've put a couple of comments in. Most recent one because, checking my med recs blood tests, reminded me I've a (so called) *benign* condition called Gilbert's Syndrome... turns out to not be so benign with certain meds such as... Artovastatin and Omeprazole... So, a discussion is required with my Medical practice pharmacist - doctors don't realise some stuff and are too pressured to look for some long term issues. I only checked the Amoxocillin sheet late Saturday after completing the course Sat morning... after bringing up some blood! Seems it's a *possible* side effect!

Don't blame you for the OTT with your cars mate - especially if you've a loved one with such cuisine Trends as you've listed