Author Topic: What have you fettled today? (Read 2168103 times)

grams · « **Reply #16425 on:** 04 December, 2021, 03:57:31 pm »

Finally installed a spy hole into the front door downstairs. Given we don't have a working intercom or windows and it opens directly onto a main road in That London, our track record of not being hassled / robbed / stabbed by mystery guests is surprisingly good.

At some point someone's bought a massive sheet of 2mm steel that covers the entire door and screwed it to the back. Perhaps this is normal for TL. The step drill merrily chewed threw it.

Snakehips · « **Reply #16426 on:** 04 December, 2021, 05:08:59 pm »

It's that turn old bicycle bits in to Xmas decorations time of the year again.

For anybody obsessed with bike bits it's a Campag Veloce hub, Veloce 10sp 13-26 cassette and Mavic Open Pro rim!

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #16427 on:** 04 December, 2021, 05:49:04 pm »

That's very nice Snakehips

MattH · « **Reply #16428 on:** 04 December, 2021, 08:45:43 pm »

Very nice, but what spokes did you use?

Mr Larrington · « **Reply #16429 on:** 04 December, 2021, 08:47:27 pm »

Since my shiny new PC steering wheel could not be clamped to the already-bodged Estate Office desk in the approved manner (i.e. without wobbling) much further bodging has gone on with slabs of wood to make it work, with the result that there are now parts of it thick enough to stop a 500kg bomb should the Luftwaffe decide to finish what they started in 1940.

T42 · « **Reply #16430 on:** 05 December, 2021, 08:23:31 am »

Quote from: Snakehips on 04 December, 2021, 05:08:59 pm

It's that turn old bicycle bits in to Xmas decorations time of the year again.

For anybody obsessed with bike bits it's a Campag Veloce hub, Veloce 10sp 13-26 cassette and Mavic Open Pro rim!

Nice. You could set one up horizontally on a pole with dangly angels & such that could revolve in the ~~breeze~~ ~~wind~~ ~~gale~~ blizzard like a carousel.

LittleWheelsandBig · « **Reply #16431 on:** 05 December, 2021, 04:58:40 pm »

Swapped the Conti and Panaracer tyres between the dynohub and normal front wheels on my Moulton. It just confirms that the Crank Brothers tyre lever is only useful when the tyre is loose enough not to need a tyre lever to remove (not a Conti Speed Contact). What a badly designed piece of kit.

Cut a couple of spokes that were preventing me from swapping over a new rim onto a rear Moulton wheel. The Al nipples were frozen onto the threads and either broke or twisted the spoke. The spoke gets really hot where it is plastically deformed! I will have to dig up a couple of suitable spokes and nipples to finish it off. There should be a couple of spares deep in the depths of the garage.

ElyDave · « **Reply #16432 on:** 05 December, 2021, 05:30:48 pm »

Deep clean of the Giant after yesterday's Essex skogfest. In doing so noticed a few areas of the frame where the top coat of lacquer has worn through in the rear triangle, presumably just through changing wheels, and a couple of areas of exposed and corroding aluminium. Rubbed back and painted a couple of areas with touch up paint. Chain deep cleaned as well, and front mech had some attention after it stuck in middle ring yesterday, and a bit of attention to brake pivots and release twiddlers.

Overall though, I think this frame's days are numbered as an on the road steed, its done well at 16 years old, but may just get permanently assigned to the turbo trainer.

Marco Stefano · « **Reply #16433 on:** 05 December, 2021, 06:17:26 pm »

Son brought round a Facebook purchase of a nearly-new-looking child's bike with stabilisers for my grandson (who is getting the hang of a balance bike); could I just 'give it the once-over'? I think he thought a quick flick with a WD-40-soaked rag would do, but no.

Front wheel bearings were running in what looked like ancient black molasses (and with similar consistency), and took a very long time to clean up and regrease. Back hub was an affair I have not seen before, with a worm gear-driven hub/freewheel/coaster brake; that was also lubricated (a.k.a. gummed up) with the same molasses and took even longer to do (and so long that I took a few attempts to reassemble it properly, having forgotten quite how it came apart). The bottom bracket bearings were caged and, of course, were bone dry, having apparently never seen any grease in their life.

At least they were easier to clean before (re)greasing. I then lost the will to carry on, and the head bearings, whatever they are, still await my attention. Place your bets, please...

Cudzoziemiec · « **Reply #16434 on:** 06 December, 2021, 08:36:24 am »

Quote from: Mr Larrington on 30 November, 2021, 12:22:54 am

Quote from: Cudzoziemiec on 29 November, 2021, 08:34:46 pm
Quote from: Mrs Pingu on 26 November, 2021, 04:35:35 pm
Quote from: Feanor on 26 November, 2021, 04:14:56 pm
Epilogue

I've just replaced all 15 50w Halogen lamps in the downlighters I have here with 5w LEDs. That's a reduction in power consumption ( and heat ) from 750w to 75w. Anyone want a bag full of part-used 50w MR16 Halogens? No, thought not.

Stick another log on the stove, brr.
I made some breakfast and coffee
Look out my window, what do I see

Some other cat lookin' over his shoulder at you
Two rabbits runnin' in the ditch
Beatniks out to make it rich
David Cronenberg concealing Nicole Kidman's corpse under the ice of a frozen lake
[“That's enough Donovan references!” – Ed.]
?

The correct answer according to Bowie is:

Crack in the sky and Gove reaching down to me
All the nightmares came today
And it looks as though they're here to stay

T42 · « **Reply #16435 on:** 06 December, 2021, 12:53:04 pm »

Painstakingly peeled back the cover on a Y2K Tiagra STI, only to discover that the only thing within was the plastic stud that made it so bloody difficult to get off. And put back. Oiled STI for probably the first time in 20 years. Vaguely thinking of changing all the cables but it's co-oh-oh-oh-old out there. Anyway, it's a horrible bike - very hard ride, with 22.2 mm bars.

BrianI · « **Reply #16436 on:** 06 December, 2021, 02:03:30 pm »

The pipework to the radiator in the kitchen...

On Sunday, I thought I'd be "clever" and see if I could tweak the 8mm microbore copper piping leading to the radiator, as it looked a little kinked. It hadn't been leaking at all, until I footered about with it. Then it split.

Then a manic Sunday trying to fix it with diy store bought bits, then a Monday buying the proper bits to replace it from proper plumbers merchant.. Now what to do with the other 9 and a half metres of 8mm copper tubing I had to buy on Sunday to get it fixed, I only used around 30cm... Maybe not the neatest of jobs, and those 8mm compression elbows are a nightmare. But all sorted now!

Kim · « **Reply #16437 on:** 06 December, 2021, 02:06:09 pm »

Quote from: BrianI on 06 December, 2021, 02:03:30 pm

The pipework to the radiator in the kitchen...

On Sunday, I thought I'd be "clever" and see if I could tweak the 8mm microbore copper piping leading to the radiator, as it looked a little kinked. It hadn't been leaking at all, until I footered about with it. Then it split.

Having heard enough stories to this effect, I long ago resolved to only touch microbore if it's actually leaking, and preferably in order to replace it with proper 15mm pipe.

BrianI · « **Reply #16438 on:** 06 December, 2021, 04:41:36 pm »

Quote from: Kim on 06 December, 2021, 02:06:09 pm

Quote from: BrianI on 06 December, 2021, 02:03:30 pm
The pipework to the radiator in the kitchen...

On Sunday, I thought I'd be "clever" and see if I could tweak the 8mm microbore copper piping leading to the radiator, as it looked a little kinked. It hadn't been leaking at all, until I footered about with it. Then it split.

Having heard enough stories to this effect, I long ago resolved to only touch microbore if it's actually leaking, and preferably in order to replace it with proper 15mm pipe.

Indeed, 8mm microbore is the devil incarnate! I guess it must have been in fashion when the c/h system was installed in my house (which I've been in since December 2010), goodness knows how old it is...

jsabine · « **Reply #16439 on:** 06 December, 2021, 04:43:19 pm »

Quote from: LittleWheelsandBig on 05 December, 2021, 04:58:40 pm

There should be a couple of spares deep in the depths of the garage.

If there aren't, then (as per your other little wheeled spokes query), I've probably got some in the cellar. (ETA - no I don't.)

Mrs Pingu · « **Reply #16440 on:** 06 December, 2021, 07:52:32 pm »

I carefully prised all the crappy dirty painted over rubber seal round the kitchen to hall doorway now that it's not needed thanks to the new extraction facilities. Of course that just left a load of nail holes and old paint on show.
But at least the door shuts properly now.

Will leave the same job on the bathroom door for another night.

Also, I dunno what paint she used to paint the doors in here but it's fucking horrible. All the dirty bits just go all slimy and horrible when you try to clean it off.

T42 · « **Reply #16441 on:** 07 December, 2021, 04:16:15 pm »

New hanger + derailleur onto the Trek. Had to dremel a sliver off the VAR "compatible" hanger to make it snug. New chain currently soaking in white spirit to de-gunk it. Workshop's going to stink tomorrow.

diapsaon0 · « **Reply #16442 on:** 07 December, 2021, 04:26:14 pm »

Did a huge pile of ironing and wrote my Christmass cards. Good day's work!

cycleman · « **Reply #16443 on:** 07 December, 2021, 06:53:11 pm »

Fitted a new lock nut to the none drive wheel axle on the sun and repaired a rear wheel puncture on the trice

T42 · « **Reply #16444 on:** 08 December, 2021, 04:28:12 pm »

New chain on Trek. Something still clicks every pedal-rev, though, but only when I'm sitting down: standing on the pedals, everything's fine.

Heigh ho.

Ham · « **Reply #16445 on:** 08 December, 2021, 10:02:27 pm »

Why did nobody tell me putting a new plug onto earplugs with mic and a cloth woven lead could be so much fun? Satisfyingly, it works.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #16446 on:** 10 December, 2021, 03:39:18 pm »

I think the creak from the Moulton Speed was the RH pedal, not the BB. It wasn't very tight on the crank. I have regreased the bearings of both pedals and fitted them to 45Nm. Hopefully the crank threads aren't worn out; it was a used one from fleaBay.

Kim · « **Reply #16447 on:** 10 December, 2021, 09:29:29 pm »

Swapped the granny ring on the Dawes, which for some reason was causing the new chain to jam under extreme load in a difficult-to-reproduce way. It didn't look particularly worn, but there were a few teeth with burrs on them that might have been responsible, and since I'd accidentally ordered two of the chainrings I happened to have a spare.

Also, the rear brakes now have some brake block. Decided the front could wait until spring, not least on the only-fettle-one-brake-at-a-time principle.

Moleman76 · « **Reply #16448 on:** 11 December, 2021, 07:01:25 am »

Stretched over several days, but determined today that all the fettling had been effective:
Remote sender for motorized garage door stopped working.
Since the LED wasn't illuminating, decided to look at the battery.
Snap-on terminals for the 9V battery were corroded.
Pulled the terminal holder off of the battery; one connector broke.
Researched purchase cost of a new remote.
Spouse made executive decision, directing repair, not replacement.
By and by visited the local "they have everything" hardware store and a couple of the staff remembered where in the electrical bits department that replacement battery connectors could be found.
Also purchased some squeeze-on wire connectors to attach new, skinny wires to portion of old, skinny wires.
Set about stripping insulation from remaining part of old, skinny wires.
Succeeded in stripping the first one.
While stripping the second, pulled it off of the printed circuit board.
After a day or two, remembered where my soldering iron was, and retrieved it.
Heated up the solder blobs and extracted the remains of the old, skinny wires.
Inserted new, skinny wires through the holes in the circuit board, and successfully soldered them, without compromising other circuit traces.
Located the household supply of 9V batteries.
Tried each of them. They were flat, and about 2-years past the "good until" date.
Purchased more batteries. Noticed that package now boasts about 5-year life; used to be 10.
Installed one of the new batteries. Reassembled the snap-together case.
Pushed the button.
Watched the door open.

orienteer · « **Reply #16449 on:** 11 December, 2021, 08:39:59 am »

Never been tempted to fit an automatic garage door opener.

Now I know why!