Confessions of a tool junkie

[redshift]

They're a distant relative of the IEC C13 lead, aren't they?  Left unobserved, they'll breed at the back of drawers and the bottom of tool boxes, but have an uncanny ability to be somewhere else when you need them.

Interestingly, I'm sure there was a hearing aid one^[1] in the magpile^[2] on my desk, but it seems to have crawled off somewhere...


_{[1] Flat-blade tweaker with a magnet at the other end.
[2] Who else accumulates Precious Things?  Maybe we need a Gallery thread...}

I have all the precious things, and inherited many more from my Dad, who played the "He who dies with the most tools wins" game for keeps.  I'd be scared of a gallery thread, as it would mean actual pictures of the enormous pile of Stuff we had to accommodate.  I say "had to" because I.couldn't possibly watch it go in a skip. 

[Kim]

I mean precious things in the 'magpile' sense.  I forget who coined the term, but it approximately means the collection of random small objects that forms on your desk (or similar space), because they're interesting or important and don't have proper homes.  Items that are on your desk because they're ornamental or something you use while at your desk (pens, etc) don't really qualify.

Mine currently consists of:
-Radiator Key
-Garmin HRM sensor
-Pair of 15mm steel rulers
-Assorted SIMs, SIM adaptors, SD and MicroSD cards
-USAnian 1 cent coin
-Hair tie
-4 BAHA test 'bite-bars' (Maybe one day we'll have enough for a chess set?)
-The Good Tweezers
-WiFi and ANT+ USB dongles
-Postage stamps
-Mystery screw

[Jurek]

I mean precious things in the 'magpile' sense.  I forget who coined the term, but it approximately means the collection of random small objects that forms on your desk (or similar space), because they're interesting or important and don't have proper homes.  Items that are on your desk because they're ornamental or something you use while at your desk (pens, etc) don't really qualify.

Mine currently consists of:
-Radiator Key
-Garmin HRM sensor
-Pair of 15mm steel rulers
-Assorted SIMs, SIM adaptors, SD and MicroSD cards
-USAnian 1 cent coin
-Hair tie
-4 BAHA test 'bite-bars' (Maybe one day we'll have enough for a chess set?)
-The Good Tweezers
-WiFi and ANT+ USB dongles
-Postage stamps
-Mystery screw

This is just crying out for a list.....

[robgul]

I mean precious things in the 'magpile' sense.  I forget who coined the term, but it approximately means the collection of random small objects that forms on your desk (or similar space), because they're interesting or important and don't have proper homes.  Items that are on your desk because they're ornamental or something you use while at your desk (pens, etc) don't really qualify.

Mine currently consists of:
-Radiator Key
-Garmin HRM sensor
-Pair of 15mm steel rulers
-Assorted SIMs, SIM adaptors, SD and MicroSD cards
-USAnian 1 cent coin
-Hair tie
-4 BAHA test 'bite-bars' (Maybe one day we'll have enough for a chess set?)
-The Good Tweezers
-WiFi and ANT+ USB dongles
-Postage stamps
-Mystery screw

That's not dissimilar to the shelf my screen sits on - I don't have the Hair tie but I do have most of the other items - plus two of those little Tour de France milestone things, a Motorola RAZR phone (the original one) a printers ruler that measures in points - a magifying glass and a gadget for eating mussels (it's like a spring hinged mussel shell that you use like a pair of tweezers, silver plated) - two expired credit cards and my BC membership card.

[Jurek]

Here we go......

A chunk of rock salt crystals about the size of a child's fist, smuggled out of a Polish salt mine. I say smuggled cos you're not supposed to remove them - however the mine workers are always willing to let some go for a few dollars.
Another thing which shouldn't be removed are two pieces of glass, about 15mm thick, from the sea-water aquaria that were in The Crystal Palace. The remains of the aquaria are at the foot of the Crystal Palace TV mast.
One of those prisms a surveyor aims his theodolite at, fascinating if for no other reason than if you look into it you can see the reflection of your eye. But if you close one eye the reflection remains there. If you close the other eye, the reflection still remains there. Spooky!
The top 30mm of a magnesium fuel rod from the Magnox reactor at Sellafield.
A turbine blade from one of Concorde's RR Olympus engines.
A mini Slinky - About 25mm Ø and 25mm tall.

[nuttycyclist]

I daren't list it... every time my magpile gets too large I find an excuse to relocate to a new desk :$

It's a bit like the floor-drobe.  So much more convenient to roll out of bed, through the floor-drobe and go downstairs fully dressed than trying to hunt through the official clothes hanging in the wardrobe.

[robgul]

Bad news - my sliding mitre saw fence is bust - a bit of wood kicked back (no idea why) with such force that it cracked the fence in two.  It's a relatively cheap Evolution machine and the part is probably available - but doubtless a value judgement against complete replacement.

In the meantime I shall attempt a repair with epoxy . . .. the cutting I need to do pro-tem isn't desperately accurate.

[robgul]

Bad news - my sliding mitre saw fence is bust - a bit of wood kicked back (no idea why) with such force that it cracked the fence in two.  It's a relatively cheap Evolution machine and the part is probably available - but doubtless a value judgement against complete replacement.

In the meantime I shall attempt a repair with epoxy . . .. the cutting I need to do pro-tem isn't desperately accurate.

UPDATE - Too broken for epoxy (it's the usual sort of die-cast construction) BUT I've managed to unbolt the two pieces that are now the fence and re-fit them pretty much in alignment - all looks safe so I can use the saw pending a part/replacement.   Taking the dust shroud off the machine (box made from OSB) I had the opportunity for some serious sawdust vacuuming.

[seasider]

Here we go......

A chunk of rock salt crystals about the size of a child's fist, smuggled out of a Polish salt mine. I say smuggled cos you're not supposed to remove them - however the mine workers are always willing to let some go for a few dollars.
Another thing which shouldn't be removed are two pieces of glass, about 15mm thick, from the sea-water aquaria that were in The Crystal Palace. The remains of the aquaria are at the foot of the Crystal Palace TV mast.
One of those prisms a surveyor aims his theodolite at, fascinating if for no other reason than if you look into it you can see the reflection of your eye. But if you close one eye the reflection remains there. If you close the other eye, the reflection still remains there. Spooky!
The top 30mm of a magnesium fuel rod from the Magnox reactor at Sellafield.
A turbine blade from one of Concorde's RR Olympus engines.
A mini Slinky - About 25mm Ø and 25mm tall.

In my younger days I used to fill Magnox cans with U bars and finish and pack elements for Pippa reactor. Happy days.

[robgul]

Bad news - my sliding mitre saw fence is bust - a bit of wood kicked back (no idea why) with such force that it cracked the fence in two.  It's a relatively cheap Evolution machine and the part is probably available - but doubtless a value judgement against complete replacement.

In the meantime I shall attempt a repair with epoxy . . .. the cutting I need to do pro-tem isn't desperately accurate.

UPDATE - Too broken for epoxy (it's the usual sort of die-cast construction) BUT I've managed to unbolt the two pieces that are now the fence and re-fit them pretty much in alignment - all looks safe so I can use the saw pending a part/replacement.   Taking the dust shroud off the machine (box made from OSB) I had the opportunity for some serious sawdust vacuuming.

Ordered the part yesterday - cost not too bad - arrived today so ready for action again with my woodwork/furniture making projects.

[quixoticgeek]

Bought another saw...



It's heavier than I expected, and I'm not sure if I want to keep it. I might give it to a friend as a gift.

J

[quixoticgeek]

I ordered a set of M4 taps for an upcoming project.

They arrived today, and as I roll them through my hands and look at them closely, I am hit with an overwhelming realisation.

I don't own a tap wrench.

Guess I'm gonna need to buy one.

J

PS I didn't keep the silky saw, I sold it to a friend for what I paid for it, and replaced it with a Opinel saw instead.

[robgul]

A mortiser attachment for my drill press/pillar drill - BNIB bought from a member on a woodwork related forum at a very good price - makes it a bit easier than bashing away with a mallet and chisel to make mortises 

... and 2 or 3 new router bits arrived too.

[quixoticgeek]

Well. I now own a tap wrench. Also realised I didn't have the right size drill bit, so got that. and then decided that the 3 quid ali express tap set may not be great, so got a €10 set at the same time... and a router bit for another project.

And now I need to work out where to store such small parts in my storage system[1]



This is the saw I replaced the silky with.

J

[1] Pile of crap on my desk

[robgul]

Having moved to a single "battery platform" with a new impact driver and combo drill I've just ordered an angle grinder (bare, to share the 2 batteries I have)

So, fully tooled up for stealing bikes 

[Kim]

So, fully tooled up for stealing bikes fixing Silly Sustrans Gates™ 

FTFY

[robgul]

So, fully tooled up for stealing bikes fixing Silly Sustrans Gates™ 

FTFY

Slight hitch - ordered for delivery from Toolstation (no stock at local shop etc) . . .  message this morning with a refund saying they don't have stock BUT there's another model at £25 more.   I've queried that stock was there when I ordered . . . and subject to what they say may suggest that they supply the other one at the price . .   we'll see.

I have a partial solution for Sustrans and other gates in the shape of a RADAR key - obv works for toilets too.   [I am eligible  )

[pcolbeck]

I have a hankering for a hydraulic motorbike lift. Both Sealey and Clarke the main UK suppliers of such things to home users will only deliver if you can provide a forklift to take it off the back of the delivery van. Applies no matter who you buy them through as they are delivered direct from Sealey or Clarke

That's not very sensible when your trying to sell to hobby mechanics.

[robgul]

So, fully tooled up for stealing bikes fixing Silly Sustrans Gates™ 

FTFY

Slight hitch - ordered for delivery from Toolstation (no stock at local shop etc) . . .  message this morning with a refund saying they don't have stock BUT there's another model at £25 more.   I've queried that stock was there when I ordered . . . and subject to what they say may suggest that they supply the other one at the price . .   we'll see.

I have a partial solution for Sustrans and other gates in the shape of a RADAR key - obv works for toilets too.   [I am eligible  )

Update on the angle grinder - no reply from Toolstation - but then found the same thing on Amazon a fiver cheaper as one its flash sale deals.  Really nice tool with soft start rather than the straight to full speed on the old (very old) B&D corded grinder.

AND have ordered a cheapie spray gun (corded, electric) from Screwfix - in the clearance stuff for £10.  Reviews are pretty good and I only really need it to treat some timber for a gate I'm making so if it's no good it'll go back, or I've spent a tenner.

[robgul]

I have a hankering for a hydraulic motorbike lift. Both Sealey and Clarke the main UK suppliers of such things to home users will only deliver if you can provide a forklift to take it off the back of the delivery van. Applies no matter who you buy them through as they are delivered direct from Sealey or Clarke

That's not very sensible when your trying to sell to hobby mechanics.

Either hire a small truck with a tail-lift to take the weight - or find a man-and-a-van (truck with tail-lift) - and collect from the nearest MachineMart shop?

[pcolbeck]

I have a hankering for a hydraulic motorbike lift. Both Sealey and Clarke the main UK suppliers of such things to home users will only deliver if you can provide a forklift to take it off the back of the delivery van. Applies no matter who you buy them through as they are delivered direct from Sealey or Clarke

That's not very sensible when your trying to sell to hobby mechanics.

Either hire a small truck with a tail-lift to take the weight - or find a man-and-a-van (truck with tail-lift) - and collect from the nearest MachineMart shop?

They don't hold stock apparently they just get it shipped direct. I might have to do some phoning around. I can get hold of a forklift (a real one or a front loader with forklift attachment) but that would require knowing the exact time (within a reasons) of delivery. If they could give me a date and a one hour timeslot it would be doable.

[andytheflyer]

I have a hankering for a hydraulic motorbike lift. Both Sealey and Clarke the main UK suppliers of such things to home users will only deliver if you can provide a forklift to take it off the back of the delivery van. Applies no matter who you buy them through as they are delivered direct from Sealey or Clarke

That's not very sensible when your trying to sell to hobby mechanics.

I have one that fits under the engine and lifts the bike so that the wheels are off the ground - lifts the bike a good 18 inches.

The challenge with this type of lift is that if the exhausts or other components get in the way of the two lifting arms then you have to adapt as you should only lift on the engine cradle tubes.

I made a wooden shoe that sits on the lifting arms and has wooden blocks to pick up under the frame tubes under the engine on my 73 Tiger 750.  I still need to make one to fit my 72 Daytona, and I've not looked at lifting my 2015 Bonneville yet.

But the weight of the lift is way less than a full lifting table (but still heavy), and there's a mod on YT showing how to make an extension for the lift type that I have to turn it into a full table lift. 

[pcolbeck]

Not sure that type would work with my BMW. There is no engine cradle as the the forks and shaft drive come single sided swinging arm are bolted directly to the engine. The only frame is bolted to to top of the engine to provide somewhere to mount the tank, seat and battery. Given that its a boxer the actual engine casings are narrow as well so might be a bit wobbly.

[Zipperhead]

I have a hankering for a hydraulic motorbike lift. Both Sealey and Clarke the main UK suppliers of such things to home users will only deliver if you can provide a forklift to take it off the back of the delivery van. Applies no matter who you buy them through as they are delivered direct from Sealey or Clarke

That's not very sensible when your trying to sell to hobby mechanics.

Might I suggest an Abba Skylift?

[andytheflyer]

Not sure that type would work with my BMW. There is no engine cradle as the the forks and shaft drive come single sided swinging arm are bolted directly to the engine. The only frame is bolted to to top of the engine to provide somewhere to mount the tank, seat and battery. Given that its a boxer the actual engine casings are narrow as well so might be a bit wobbly.

  Whilst anything's possible, I could see that my lift would be tricky with a Beemer Boxer. I don't like the table lifts much.  They are very convenient but if you want to take the wheels off..........