Author Topic: What have you fettled today?  (Read 2134733 times)

Pingu

  • Put away those fiery biscuits!
  • Mrs Pingu's domestique
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Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15500 on: 14 January, 2021, 05:34:44 pm »
Annualish clearing of pigeon poo from the shed gutter. Which was nice  :hand:

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15501 on: 15 January, 2021, 09:52:48 am »
Shovelled snow, with help

I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

tiermat

  • According to Jane, I'm a Unisex SpaceAdmin
Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15502 on: 15 January, 2021, 11:27:58 am »
A big box of random paper into a small pile of filing and a huge pile of recycling with a side order of shredding.

Satisfying it was, and I can now sit at my desk without feeling like something is going to fall on me
I feel like Captain Kirk, on a brand new planet every day, a little like King Kong on top of the Empire State

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15503 on: 15 January, 2021, 02:54:25 pm »
A big box of random paper into a small pile of filing and a huge pile of recycling with a side order of shredding.

Last did that in early 2016. Unfortunately my PBP 2015 medal was in one of the envelopes that went out.  :facepalm:

Haven't done it since.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15504 on: 18 January, 2021, 07:47:20 am »
A somewhat extended fettle. We have a pendulum mantle clock with chime that, some time ago, gave up chiming properly. I decided (that time ago) that it wasn't worth a proper repair by someone who knows what they were doing (it was something we had picked up in a second hand shop for about £75) so, I would have a go. Googling about, it looks something like this



I was ever so pleased that I managed to work out the issue (a bent component) and restore the chime as it should be. I also had some other mechanical repairs to deal with for the clock mounting. Only, when I  went to proudly return it to its place, it didn't work (it had worked before) :(

Fast forward more than a year and, after looking and thinking, thinking and looking, I considered it might well simply be the orientation of the clock in the body, as pendulum clocks are sensitive to small variations. So, by dint of padding up one side and then the other with sheets of card, I established that this was the case, and the amount and direction of error. A small pencil mark to give me the register, a less than one degree turn of the clock in the body and it has now been running for over 24 hours. Happy dance.

Just for the hell of it, here's the real thing



Both were marriage presents, so that was clearly a "thing", the stock one from 1915, mine from 1897.

robgul

  • Cycle:End-to-End webmaster
  • cyclist, Cytech accredited mechanic & woodworker
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Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15505 on: 18 January, 2021, 08:12:14 am »
A somewhat extended fettle. We have a pendulum mantle clock with chime that, some time ago, gave up chiming properly. I decided (that time ago) that it wasn't worth a proper repair by someone who knows what they were doing (it was something we had picked up in a second hand shop for about £75) so, I would have a go. Googling about, it looks something like this



I was ever so pleased that I managed to work out the issue (a bent component) and restore the chime as it should be. I also had some other mechanical repairs to deal with for the clock mounting. Only, when I  went to proudly return it to its place, it didn't work (it had worked before) :(

Fast forward more than a year and, after looking and thinking, thinking and looking, I considered it might well simply be the orientation of the clock in the body, as pendulum clocks are sensitive to small variations. So, by dint of padding up one side and then the other with sheets of card, I established that this was the case, and the amount and direction of error. A small pencil mark to give me the register, a less than one degree turn of the clock in the body and it has now been running for over 24 hours. Happy dance.

Just for the hell of it, here's the real thing



Both were marriage presents, so that was clearly a "thing", the stock one from 1915, mine from 1897.

Did you wear two pairs of glasses while you were working on it? - as in Steve Fletcher on The Repair Shop  ;D

Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15506 on: 18 January, 2021, 08:20:03 am »
I am not yet worthy of the Order of the Second Pair.


(and clocks are big enough to see the bits)

T42

  • Apprentice geezer
Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15507 on: 18 January, 2021, 08:53:55 am »
A somewhat extended fettle. We have a pendulum mantle clock with chime that, some time ago, gave up chiming properly. I decided (that time ago) that it wasn't worth a proper repair by someone who knows what they were doing (it was something we had picked up in a second hand shop for about £75) so, I would have a go. Googling about, it looks something like this



I was ever so pleased that I managed to work out the issue (a bent component) and restore the chime as it should be. I also had some other mechanical repairs to deal with for the clock mounting. Only, when I  went to proudly return it to its place, it didn't work (it had worked before) :(

Fast forward more than a year and, after looking and thinking, thinking and looking, I considered it might well simply be the orientation of the clock in the body, as pendulum clocks are sensitive to small variations. So, by dint of padding up one side and then the other with sheets of card, I established that this was the case, and the amount and direction of error. A small pencil mark to give me the register, a less than one degree turn of the clock in the body and it has now been running for over 24 hours. Happy dance.

Just for the hell of it, here's the real thing



Both were marriage presents, so that was clearly a "thing", the stock one from 1915, mine from 1897.

That must be very satisfying.  Our ancestral grandfather clock is extremely sensitive too, to the extent that I gave up trying to keep it going over 20 years ago since every time a tractor went past outside it stopped, and tractors are the second family car around here.  A couple of weeks ago, though, I gave the pendulum a swing and it kept going quite happily for almost an hour; then it began to strike 12 and I realized how much I appreciated it being stopped. Even though the striker is covered with leather it'd wake the dead.

BTW, I'm jealous of that bureau reflected in the mirror.
I've dusted off all those old bottles and set them up straight

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15508 on: 19 January, 2021, 04:52:55 pm »
Not fettling but anti-fettling.  :facepalm: Decided to change the headlight bracket for a shorter one in order to stop the brake and gear cables rubbing on the head tube; they'd have more room because there'd be more space between the lower headlight position and the head tube. All went well... until I somehow snapped off one of the spade connectors on the connectors between headlight and output to rear light. It's the male terminal on the wire from the headlight itself rather than the female one on then end of the free wire (thought that one also needs changing as it now has a piece of male connector snapped off inside it). No problem, I've got spare spade connectors. Here they are. Oh. Only female ones, no male ends for some strange reason.  ::-) :hand:

Yes, it should be easy to find their counterparts on ebay etc. If only I knew precisely what size they were.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15509 on: 19 January, 2021, 05:06:03 pm »
If it's a male-female pair that need replacing do you need an exact size? Just buy a pair and they may not match the existing pair on the other wire but eh.

Actually, I've got a variety box of different sizes, I can have a measure in a minute and chuck a couple pairs in the post tomorrow if you want?
Miles cycled 2014 = 3551.5 (Target 7300 :()
Miles cycled 2013 = 6141.4
Miles cycled 2012 = 4038.1

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15510 on: 19 January, 2021, 07:56:51 pm »
Thanks, but I've ordered a few lifetimes' supply off ebay. Just curious as to why I only had female ones to begin with (yes, I know, I'll find the male ones the day after the new ones arrive).
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15511 on: 19 January, 2021, 07:58:49 pm »
That works out well because I forgot to go and measure them. All's well that ends well.

And yes, of course they turn up.
Miles cycled 2014 = 3551.5 (Target 7300 :()
Miles cycled 2013 = 6141.4
Miles cycled 2012 = 4038.1

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15512 on: 19 January, 2021, 09:23:54 pm »
Thanks, but I've ordered a few lifetimes' supply off ebay. Just curious as to why I only had female ones to begin with (yes, I know, I'll find the male ones the day after the new ones arrive).

I think they tend to give you female ones with both front and rear lights, but you only need one set, so they breed like kettle leads.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15513 on: 20 January, 2021, 11:02:53 am »
So the females don't need males to breed? It's no surprise, after all male USB connectors breed without females!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15514 on: 20 January, 2021, 04:23:25 pm »
I spent this afternoon modifying the chain management on an Optima Orca recumbent.  On the drive side it previously had two short lengths of chain tube, with a idler in between.  Fairly direct chain line and quiet, so I left this as it was.

The return chain had a long length of chain tube with quite a lot of curve, diverting the chain to clear the front forks and then down towards the rear wheel.  Although it sounded OK I'm not sure about using a tube to deflect the chain so replaced this with an idler behind the front forks, using an existing bracket.  Seems ok, the bike is on the turbo trainer so I'll give it a try later in the week.
Sunshine approaching from the South.

First time in 1,000 years.

Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15515 on: 20 January, 2021, 04:41:03 pm »
New bigger mirror with stalk fitted to recumbent.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15516 on: 20 January, 2021, 05:36:29 pm »
The return chain had a long length of chain tube with quite a lot of curve, diverting the chain to clear the front forks and then down towards the rear wheel.  Although it sounded OK I'm not sure about using a tube to deflect the chain so replaced this with an idler behind the front forks, using an existing bracket.  Seems ok, the bike is on the turbo trainer so I'll give it a try later in the week.

Deflecting non-drive-side chain with tubes seems to work an awful lot better than in has any right to.  I've replaced the tubes on my Streetmachine once in about 32000 miles, and there's plenty of life left in them.

Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15517 on: 20 January, 2021, 07:40:17 pm »
First I put some former kitchen cupboards on the garage wall.  This means we have extra storage for stuff we are hoarding.

Next I tried to figure out why my gear change was slipping when on the little ring, big cassette cog combo.   It worked fine on the flat, lightly stressed, but under pressure it wasn't happy. 

Found the derailleur was askew because the tensioner screw wasn't on the pad and had got between the hanger and the derailleur pushing it over slightly.  Clearly some idiot hadn't checked carefully when reassembling everything recently - I wonder who that could have been?

I think that will be the answer but only a proper test ride will tell me. 
Move Faster and Bake Things

Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15518 on: 20 January, 2021, 07:55:44 pm »
A somewhat extended fettle. We have a pendulum mantle clock with chime that, some time ago, gave up chiming properly. I decided (that time ago) that it wasn't worth a proper repair by someone who knows what they were doing (it was something we had picked up in a second hand shop for about £75) so, I would have a go. Googling about, it looks something like this



I was ever so pleased that I managed to work out the issue (a bent component) and restore the chime as it should be. I also had some other mechanical repairs to deal with for the clock mounting. Only, when I  went to proudly return it to its place, it didn't work (it had worked before) :(

Fast forward more than a year and, after looking and thinking, thinking and looking, I considered it might well simply be the orientation of the clock in the body, as pendulum clocks are sensitive to small variations. So, by dint of padding up one side and then the other with sheets of card, I established that this was the case, and the amount and direction of error. A small pencil mark to give me the register, a less than one degree turn of the clock in the body and it has now been running for over 24 hours. Happy dance.

Just for the hell of it, here's the real thing



Both were marriage presents, so that was clearly a "thing", the stock one from 1915, mine from 1897.

OK here's my guesses:

The top image is a mass market clock with a movement made either in Germany or by German clock-makers who'd moved to the USA.  It would not have been very expensive but such movements are remarkably long-lived and not too hard to restore.

The lower clock is much better quality with probably a French (Japy Freres) movement.  Japy Freres were good enough to make movements for clocks sold by the prestigious English company Dent of London.  You'd want a decent horologist to do any serious repairs to a clock like that.

Move Faster and Bake Things

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15519 on: 23 January, 2021, 11:22:25 am »
Managed to sort out the broken dynamo connectors to a greater extent than I'd imagined, without any of that awkward crimping. Was able to extricate the male prong that had broken off in the female socket (oo-err!) by pushing it with a needle and pulling with pointy pliers. Then removed the heat shrink from the broken male end and found there was just enough left to make a connection. Tested it and it works electrically. Not going to heat shrink it till I've sorted out the bracket – ideally it needs a lower one, which should arrive next week – and hopefully it'll hold fast.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Tim Hall

  • Victoria is my queen
Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15520 on: 24 January, 2021, 08:42:57 pm »
Finished fettling the bike storage cupboard for the Pretty Bike that I sought assistance for in this thread.

I was strongly tempted by Brucey's pulley suggestions, just because, but as is tradition, I ended up doing something slightly different.


The 4 x 2 lower down are the remnants of a cold water tank stillage.  The vertical 2 x 3/4 above picks up on the timber bearer the paramount plasterboad runs on. There's a similar arrangement on the right hand side. The horizontal timbers are 2 x 1 and are trapped by lap(?) joints beneath the vertical timbers. Spray painted the timbers grey, two coats of white emulsion on the walls. All the timber was repurposed from the storage racks that used to sit beneath the cold water tank.
There are two ways you can get exercise out of a bicycle: you can
"overhaul" it, or you can ride it.  (Jerome K Jerome)

Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15521 on: 24 January, 2021, 08:47:48 pm »
Reattached the saddle to the exercise bike. Nearly fell off when it all moved under me in the last minute of my half hour on the thing.

Moved it slightly to see what was loose/broken and it came off in my hand.

Luckily just loose though so once I'd fetched the spanners and socket set it was all fine and dandy

Did me quite a startle though.
Miles cycled 2014 = 3551.5 (Target 7300 :()
Miles cycled 2013 = 6141.4
Miles cycled 2012 = 4038.1

Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15522 on: 24 January, 2021, 08:50:03 pm »
Nothing practical today, I spent some time finding my way around some virtual cycling apps, as I want to store downloaded ride videos to external storage. And then searching them for suitably-easy-for-me rides to download.
We are making a New World (Paul Nash, 1918)

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15523 on: 24 January, 2021, 09:24:35 pm »
A somewhat extended fettle.

[...]

At the other end of the extended clock-fettling spectrum:

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Mr Larrington

  • A bit ov a lyv wyr by slof standirds
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Re: What have you fettled today?
« Reply #15524 on: 24 January, 2021, 09:29:33 pm »
w00t and, moreover, awsum :thumbsup:
External Transparent Wall Inspection Operative & Mayor of Mortagne-au-Perche
Satisfying the Bloodlust of the Masses in Peacetime