Author Topic: Confessions of a tool junkie  (Read 121447 times)

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #100 on: 13 May, 2019, 10:23:41 pm »
They are installed properly and earth leakage devices have been mandatory since 1991. It seemed really odd to me that Brits didn't insist on reliable wiring and that charging of toothbrushes and shavers has to be done outside the bathroom.
Toothbrush charging and shavers can be done in the bathroom in the UK, as it uses special magica built in isolation transformer. 
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bludger

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Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #101 on: 13 May, 2019, 10:26:05 pm »
Nobody does that in Aussie schools. So they take time away from scholastic subjects to teach this sort of thing here? Whatever floats your boat.

It's more that you learn to apply scholastic knowledge via practical implementation. When I work with older people they can often give me very thorough breakdowns of how car petrol engines work, as that is the case study used in their maths and science lessons, for example.

I can't remember if I was taught wiring plugs in DT - in any case my dad taught me how with cheapo electronics brought back from the middle east 💁‍♂️
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Kim

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Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #102 on: 13 May, 2019, 10:28:30 pm »
They are installed properly and earth leakage devices have been mandatory since 1991. It seemed really odd to me that Brits didn't insist on reliable wiring and that charging of toothbrushes and shavers has to be done outside the bathroom.

We're allowed sockets outside the Safe Area (some official definition of what you're likely to reach with a limb immersed in a bath or sink, I think), though many British bathrooms are small enough that the whole room counts.

We're also allowed low-current sockets fed through an isolating transformer within the safe area:  The two pin ones that tend to have "Shavers only" written on them in large friendly letters.

I'm not sure if an appropriately IP-rated socket (I'm thinking Ceeform, or one of those outdoor sockets that enclose the plug) would be permitted if you wanted to install a washing machine or something, but it would seem like a perfectly reasonable thing to do.


It's ridiculous when you look at what's normal and ordinary in kitchens.  Put it out of splash range and require an RCD, sorted.

Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #103 on: 13 May, 2019, 10:49:10 pm »
Plug fitting is still taught on most Science sylabusses. CLEAPSS - the school science safety advisors, say that you should bend the earth pin so that it cannot be plugged in, if students are wiring plugs.

I remember a set of those lurking in the physics prep room when I was doing my A-levels.  The dangling end of the cable was properly insulated, too.  Seemed like overkill compared to just turning the power off in the classroom, as they did when I was taught, but never underestimate the power of year 9s armed with stupidity.

My main memory of the domestic electricity part of the syllabus was the teacher (who was, admittedly, a bit rubbish) failing to come up with a convincing reason for ring mains.

Actually, the recomendation is to bend the earth pin (I drilled and pop riveted ours) AND turn the power off...  :facepalm:
If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is...

LittleWheelsandBig

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Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #104 on: 13 May, 2019, 11:40:47 pm »
So, can you use a decent hairdryer in a small British bathroom?
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Kim

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Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #105 on: 13 May, 2019, 11:50:37 pm »
So, can you use a decent hairdryer in a small British bathroom?

Only a permanently installed one, I think.

Beardy

  • Shedist
Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #106 on: 14 May, 2019, 08:29:13 am »
Plug fitting is still taught on most Science sylabusses. CLEAPSS - the school science safety advisors, say that you should bend the earth pin so that it cannot be plugged in, if students are wiring plugs.

I remember a set of those lurking in the physics prep room when I was doing my A-levels.  The dangling end of the cable was properly insulated, too.  Seemed like overkill compared to just turning the power off in the classroom, as they did when I was taught, but never underestimate the power of year 9s armed with stupidity.

My main memory of the domestic electricity part of the syllabus was the teacher (who was, admittedly, a bit rubbish) failing to come up with a convincing reason for ring mains.
To be fair to him, I don’t believe their is a convincing reason for ring mains.

ETA . Apologies for that, I’ve made an assumption that it was a male teacher.
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T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #107 on: 14 May, 2019, 10:00:12 am »
Nobody does [wiring plugs] in Aussie schools. So they take time away from scholastic subjects to teach this sort of thing here? Whatever floats your boat.

When we did it at school I was startled to be learning about something that actually applied to real life. It felt weird.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #108 on: 14 May, 2019, 10:05:03 am »
Returning to earth after purchasing the Titan drill press, I have realized that I'm going to have to remodel a significant chunk of my workshop to accommodate it, or grow 20cm and another elbow joint to shift the belts on the pulleys.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Cudzoziemiec

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Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #109 on: 14 May, 2019, 10:27:18 am »
In the UK you can buy an electric toothbrush which you're expected to charge from a shaver socket but the toothbrush plug is actually a schuko (or something of that ilk) which only fits with a bit of shoving and even then not completely.
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Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #110 on: 14 May, 2019, 11:30:53 am »
Returning to earth after purchasing the Titan drill press, I have realized that I'm going to have to remodel a significant chunk of my workshop to accommodate it, or grow 20cm and another elbow joint to shift the belts on the pulleys.

May I suggest folding steps ?

I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

robgul

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Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #111 on: 14 May, 2019, 11:47:39 am »
In the UK you can buy an electric toothbrush which you're expected to charge from a shaver socket but the toothbrush plug is actually a schuko (or something of that ilk) which only fits with a bit of shoving and even then not completely.

One of our bathrooms has an electric towel rail (about 60 watts) that's wired to a fused spur box - I chopped the plug off the toothbrush base and just wired it into the same spur box.

Rob

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #112 on: 14 May, 2019, 11:52:08 am »
Returning to earth after purchasing the Titan drill press, I have realized that I'm going to have to remodel a significant chunk of my workshop to accommodate it, or grow 20cm and another elbow joint to shift the belts on the pulleys.

May I suggest folding steps ?

I have hop-ups & such, but I need to get round the side of the thing too.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Kim

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Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #113 on: 14 May, 2019, 12:22:35 pm »
Plug fitting is still taught on most Science sylabusses. CLEAPSS - the school science safety advisors, say that you should bend the earth pin so that it cannot be plugged in, if students are wiring plugs.

I remember a set of those lurking in the physics prep room when I was doing my A-levels.  The dangling end of the cable was properly insulated, too.  Seemed like overkill compared to just turning the power off in the classroom, as they did when I was taught, but never underestimate the power of year 9s armed with stupidity.

My main memory of the domestic electricity part of the syllabus was the teacher (who was, admittedly, a bit rubbish) failing to come up with a convincing reason for ring mains.
To be fair to him, I don’t believe their is a convincing reason for ring mains.

ETA . Apologies for that, I’ve made an assumption that it was a male teacher.

Well yes.  The traditional excuse is that they reduce the amount of copper needed, which was important when these things were standardised after the war.  I suspect the reason we haven't moved over to 16A radials is that troubleshooting and testing the things keeps electricians in business.

And yes, the teacher in question was indeed female.  That's not why she was a bit rubbish.  (That was because she was a) a chemist being made to teach physics  and  b) straight out of teacher-training camp, and not yet wise in the ways of class control.)  I had an inspirationally brilliant female physics/electronics teacher in subsequent years.

Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #114 on: 16 May, 2019, 01:23:14 pm »
Plug fitting is still taught on most Science sylabusses. CLEAPSS - the school science safety advisors, say that you should bend the earth pin so that it cannot be plugged in, if students are wiring plugs.

I remember a set of those lurking in the physics prep room when I was doing my A-levels.  The dangling end of the cable was properly insulated, too.  Seemed like overkill compared to just turning the power off in the classroom, as they did when I was taught, but never underestimate the power of year 9s armed with stupidity.

My main memory of the domestic electricity part of the syllabus was the teacher (who was, admittedly, a bit rubbish) failing to come up with a convincing reason for ring mains.
To be fair to him, I don’t believe their is a convincing reason for ring mains.

ETA . Apologies for that, I’ve made an assumption that it was a male teacher.

Well yes.  The traditional excuse is that they reduce the amount of copper needed, which was important when these things were standardised after the war.  I suspect the reason we haven't moved over to 16A radials is that troubleshooting and testing the things keeps electricians in business.

And yes, the teacher in question was indeed female.  That's not why she was a bit rubbish.  (That was because she was a) a chemist being made to teach physics  and  b) straight out of teacher-training camp, and not yet wise in the ways of class control.)  I had an inspirationally brilliant female physics/electronics teacher in subsequent years.
[disclaimer: I am a bit rubbish at this elextrickery business]
I thought there was a safety justification, based on trying to restrict the max length of a spur and load on a spur (or radial)?
A radial, by its nature, can carry a higher load. It will also not get extended, unless you have a real bodger taking spurs and loops off the ring.

A radial might get extended, then extended . . .

The solution to that would be to have mandatory max lengths/load combinations; not beyond the bounds of testing equip I would have thought.
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Mr Larrington

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Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #115 on: 17 May, 2019, 11:34:49 am »
There is a story that the ring main came about as a result of a post-WW2 shortage of copper, but Wikinaccurate claims this is A Myth.
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Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #116 on: 17 May, 2019, 04:24:13 pm »
I am unreasonably pleased because Screwfix have delivered a Makita belt sander and 1/3 sheet sander this afternoon. I have never had a belt sander before, it's a beast! Hopefully the weather stays dry and I can try it out sorting out the garden table that hasn't been refinished for 10 years.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #117 on: 17 May, 2019, 09:28:22 pm »
I am unreasonably pleased because Screwfix have delivered a Makita belt sander and 1/3 sheet sander this afternoon. I have never had a belt sander before, it's a beast! Hopefully the weather stays dry and I can try it out sorting out the garden table that hasn't been refinished for 10 years.

If you have a pressure washer, start with that.  ;)

Remember to keep the cable well out of the way of belt sanders. I have a old version of the Makita belt sander, which is still compatable with current belts, sole-plate pad etc, but seems to weigh twice as much, and be more powerful (we have a newer one at work, thus the abilty to compare).
If it ain't broke, fix it 'til it is...

Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #118 on: 17 May, 2019, 09:49:35 pm »
Thanks. I do have a pressure washer, did the table last spring. The Makita I bought is an M9400 which is from their red DIY range. Never had anything but blue Makita before but this gets good reviews. Opinion seems to be its based on an older blue 9400 but made in China. That isn't necessarily a bad thing since the old ones were apparantly hard to kill, we will see. The 1/3 sheet sander is a blue Makita as there was only £5 difference between that and the red one rather than £200 between the red and blue belt sanders! My last 1/3 sheet sander was some unknown brand I got form B&Q or Homebase 20 years ago and its only just given up the ghost so I hope this one lasts me out :)

Thanks for the warning re teh cable, I managed to cut the hedge trimmer cable twice last year! Good job I always fit RCDs to outside cable :)
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #119 on: 18 May, 2019, 09:38:49 am »
I am unreasonably pleased because Screwfix have delivered a Makita belt sander and 1/3 sheet sander this afternoon. I have never had a belt sander before, it's a beast! Hopefully the weather stays dry and I can try it out sorting out the garden table that hasn't been refinished for 10 years.

Practise on a few bits of scrap first. Newton's 3rd law applies.

https://youtu.be/F9hCPe4KNtg
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #120 on: 18 May, 2019, 09:58:47 am »
I am unreasonably pleased because Screwfix have delivered a Makita belt sander and 1/3 sheet sander this afternoon. I have never had a belt sander before, it's a beast! Hopefully the weather stays dry and I can try it out sorting out the garden table that hasn't been refinished for 10 years.

Practise on a few bits of scrap first. Newton's 3rd law applies.

https://youtu.be/F9hCPe4KNtg
We used to do this with a pair of DeWalts, in the museum workshop where I was once employed.
They have a surprising amount of grunt.
See also: Deploying a compressed airline to spin up the outer race of a bearing, before dropping said bearing onto a concrete floor...

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #121 on: 18 May, 2019, 10:43:00 am »
See also: Deploying a compressed airline to spin up the outer race of a bearing, before dropping said bearing onto a concrete floor...

Well now, I've got all of those... the bearings I have are a bit small, though.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #122 on: 18 May, 2019, 11:21:17 am »
See also: Deploying a compressed airline to spin up the outer race of a bearing, before dropping said bearing onto a concrete floor...

Well now, I've got all of those... the bearings I have are a bit small, though.
You need a bearing with an ID of ~ 25mm or more.

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #123 on: 18 May, 2019, 12:47:19 pm »
Yeah, all mine are 25mm OD
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: Confessions of a tool junkie
« Reply #124 on: 23 May, 2019, 04:48:02 pm »
Bosch how I love thee. Delta sander that's at least 10 years old and the pad has de-laminated, glued it back together but I doubt it will hold. Quick Google and a new pad delivered today.
Try that with your B&Q own brand and the like, actually I have with sliding mitre saw that was only three years old, I needed a part and B&Q couldn't even tell me who made the damn thing never mind get a spare.
Bosch even have exploded diagrams on their web site where you can find the exact part number you need.
I think you'll find it's a bit more complicated than that.