What have you fettled today?

[hatler]

Must try harder. 

[Kim]

I've definitely set it off, but I can't remember how fast I was going at the time.  40ish seems likely.

[ScumOfTheRoad]

If the radar cross section is the problem you could trail a corner reflector mad of coathangers and tinfoil...  though the drag might slow you down

[T42]

We managed to trigger a 90-kph one once with a 25-bike Audax peloton. I reckon it got confused by all the spokes.

[T42]

Anyway, I have refettled the teak chopping-board I whacked apart with my spare ribs t'other day, and gone over it with a cabinet scraper.  Up until then we had only ever washed it after use, and the scraper took off an impressive amount of natural patina crud. Lots of old knife-cuts appeared, too.  I'll maybe scald it, then take half a lemon over it and follow up with grape-seed oil...

Also fixed my flat from last wk. Mulling over cleaning the bike but it's not very dirty and there's rain forecast.

[Kim]

I've definitely set it off, but I can't remember how fast I was going at the time.  40ish seems likely.

I realised this is a strava question.  The segment's called "Smile please " and my PR is a mere 53.8km/h, though that's over about a kilometre.

https://www.strava.com/segments/7930847

[citoyen]

I've definitely set it off, but I can't remember how fast I was going at the time.  40ish seems likely.

I realised this is a strava question.  The segment's called "Smile please " and my PR is a mere 53.8km/h, though that's over about a kilometre.

https://www.strava.com/segments/7930847

Mine is a paltry 40.3kmh (average) - though I only have one attempt recorded on Strava and I vaguely recall the run in to Brighton on that occasion being heavy with traffic, which may have slowed me down. Max speed was 57.2kmh. Must try harder.

[Cudzoziemiec]

A relevant question would seem to be "What's the speed limit at that place?"

[Kim]

A relevant question would seem to be "What's the speed limit at that place?"

30mph.

[T42]

Put a 28mm GP4000s II on the back wheel of the Trek.  First time I've tried 28mm since I had a Raleigh "demi-course" in the mid-80s.  The thing is actually 31mm wide once it's pumped up.

GN: got it on fully inflated without too much faff
BN: had to buy new mudguards

[hatler]

Drum roll please.

My first wheel !

Very exciting.  Though I did start with an easy one. Front, 20 radial bladed spokes.

Next up, a 24 bladed spoke rear.

Mrs h will be pleased. (Though I will be sure to accompany her on its first outing with a spoke key at the ready.)

[T42]

Try it on the missus first, good idea.

Come to think of it, I have a tin of wood-stain I need to try...  nah, better not.

[Dave_C]

Try it on the missus first, good idea.

Come to think of it, I have a tin of wood-stain I need to try...  nah, better not.

No need, Trump has shown how that works out.

Sent from my HD1913 using Tapatalk

[T42]

Try it on the missus first, good idea.

Come to think of it, I have a tin of wood-stain I need to try...  nah, better not.

No need, Trump has shown how that works out.

Yebbut mine's oak, not padauk.

[Mrs Pingu]

Went to remove the car battery cos we've let it go flat again 
Cue an audience of 2 small boys from across the road asking me 20 questions and I completely forgot what order to disconnect the terminals in, so I got as far as removing the securing bolt at the base of the battery and then gave up and retreated.
I'll have another go when they've gone to bed.

[ElyDave]

Close inspection of the brake pads on the BB7s on the recumbent, still OK, and now set up reasonably for pad adjust and cable tension.  Also fettled the gears to finally be able to get all 10 gears reliably in both middle and big rings, at least on the workstand.  Hopefully it also translates to the road.

[Socks]

Rear wheel and gears on the Kingcycle.  Gear changing had been a bit dodgy so I had a proper look.  The derailleur must have had a knock at some point, although I hadn't realised.  It was a bit bent, and wouldn't go into top gear.  The frame hanger wasn't affected so just a matter of swapping for a 'new' derailleur - a nice Shimano RSX touring long cage from the spares box.

Checked the wheel while I was on, hub bearings sounded rough.  I couldn't get the freewheel off, and rim quite worn, so a new wheel ordered.  It is a basic Shimano hub and traditional single wall alloy rim in keeping with a 1990's bike, designed for 135mm dropouts and up to 10 speed cassette.  Fitting it to the Kingcycle involved a couple of spacers to fit the 7 speed cassette.  Then a shorter axle spacer on the non-drive side; cutting a bit off the non-drive side of the axle so that the quick release gripped properly; and adjusting the dishing on the wheel to centre the rim.

Tyre was a bit worn with a couple of big cuts, so I fitted a new tyre as well.  Test ride this morning using a hilly 38 mile route from home.  All seemed to work well and I now have the full range of gears indexing reasonably well.

On the way home I noticed that the front mudguard was a bit loose, looks like the rivets on the mudguard stay bracket have corroded.  That's tomorrows task.  And if I could just sort out that intermittent creaking noise .....

[Feanor]

I completely forgot what order to disconnect the terminals in

It really doesn't matter.

There may be some edge-case scenarios people can dream up along the lines of 'if you disconnect this one first, and are then a bit careless and let this short against that then bad things might happen'. But basically bollocks. Just be careful as you should around these things, and do it any way. I've never subscribed to any particular order.

[Kim]

Order's relevant when jump-starting, so you can avoid making a spark near the battery that's outgassing hydrogen if you break the ground connection first.  Not that I can imagine much hydrogen accumulating in a typical jump-starting scenario.  Maybe if you're doing it indoors...

TBH, the main thing is not having leads with one end connected to the positive terminal flapping about in the breeze (as I watched a neighbour doing a few weeks ago).  That's how magic smoke gets released.  Likely from the cable insulation.

[Diver300]

Given that all spanners are conductive, and the negative of the battery is connected to every bit of metal that the spanner might touch, I think it’s sensible to disconnect the negative before putting the spanner on the positive.

[JonBuoy]

Given that all spanners are conductive, and the negative of the battery is connected to every bit of metal that the spanner might touch, I think it’s sensible to disconnect the negative before putting the spanner on the positive.

My adjustable agrees with you 

[Feanor]

A few years ago I lost a screwdriver to a bank of 62000uF reservoir caps on  +/- 100v rails in a high-power audio amp...
It really was quite an impressive flash-bang!
Also vapourised the heavy bus-wire linking the caps.

[hatler]

My dad used to manufacture a device for absorbing lightning strikes in industrial plants.  I don't remember the precise details, but it consisted of a bunch of stainless steel plates dipped in a bath of a liquid (potassium something ??) all contained in a very heavy duty plastic container, about 2' x 2' x 3'.

To test it out he contracted the CEGB to pump some serious Amps through it. I think this was done at their research place in Leatherhead.

Cables to it were 1" diameter.

When they threw the switch my father reported that the cables were leaping around like a hosepipe with HP water being pumped through.

Device passed the test and he sold more than a few.

[rafletcher]

Swapped the (always getting blocked) three-jet windscreen washers on my car for a set of fan spray ones.

[zigzag]

refurbished the jaws of adjustable spanner (damaged years ago when fettling seized vintage bikes)

topped up sealant in the tyres.