The great "can't fix that" racket

[Escadrille Ecosse]

7 hours ago, Steve 13-60 said:

And don't get me started on the structural engineering calcs! The chaps first idea was to use more steel than in the Forth Bridge!

Yeah. Had a few debates myself in the past.

The civil structural guys tend to base everything, deflection, depth of section, etc on rules of thumb against span with lots of allowances at every stage. And usually on the assumption that someone is going to be living on the floor above, even if there isn't one!

Lazy. And almost always grossly oversize.

I look at it as a Mechanical Engineer and do the calculations on the actual load case which they have real emotional problems with.

If Planning are involved (there is an ironic term) then you don't have much option but to comply but worth a debate with the worked calcs in front of them regardless. 

[Nick Jones]

Not been a great week for household electricals…..

Computer monitor suddenly went dark in mid-flight and shows no sign of life whatever. It’s only about 4 years old. Tested the cables with its predecessor (which is one of the first flat screen monitors ever, over 20 years old), which immediately sprang into life.  Can’t even work out how to get into the newer one so I’ve taken the lazy option and replaced it with a bigger one. Shameful really…..

Meanwhile, the washing machine has given up spinning. Usually this is a sign it either wants the pump cleaning out or new brushes. Symptoms are different this time though. It’s very old (about 150 in washing machine years) and very noisy so there’s a lobby that thinks it’s time has come….. we’ll see.

[Hamish]

Hope the next one is simple - rule of 3

[Nick Jones]

On 1/17/2025 at 7:28 PM, Nick Jones said:

Meanwhile, the washing machine has given up spinning. Usually this is a sign it either wants the pump cleaning out or new brushes

 

Ewww 

Pic doesn’t do the true horror justice. Major build up of limescale and snot. Almost blocked, especially the leg that leads to the pressure switch.

Hoping the restricted draining was causing a high level alarm when the spin started.  Certainly it runs through a spin cycle completely normally while unladen….

[Hamish]

In these days of cold and sub 40deg wash recommendations on washers and dishwasher 

I do a couple of max temp cycles a year, empty with a machine cleaner just to try and keep the snot and crud at bay.  

[Nick Jones]

Wasn’t the drain. Behaved the same way after once loaded. So with a load of wet washing I tipped it up again to investigate the brushes - and right fiddlesome little buggers they are. Only about 1/3 worn as it turns out (I’ve renewed them at least twice before), but you have to take them out to discover this and putting them back is a very cuss-o-genic process, especially the one you can’t really see.

I wasn’t expecting it to have helped anything, but to my surprise it now works. I suspect that the actual cure was unplugging and re-plugging the motor multi plug as apparently the motor contains a speed sensor (Hall effect) and I don’t think it was seeing that before as the motor control was a bit abrupt, whereas after the speed control was much smoother.

Whether it will continue to work…… who knows. It doesn’t really owe us much. We can’t remember how old it is, except that it’s at least 15, possibly 18.  It’s done ok.

[Escadrille Ecosse]

4 hours ago, Nick Jones said:

Whether it will continue to work…… who knows. It doesn’t really owe us much. We can’t remember how old it is, except that it’s at least 15, possibly 18.  It’s done ok.

[JumpingFrog]

Not that exciting, but on topic. New (to us) house came with a 10+ year old inbuilt Bosch oven, which works okay, however, annoyingly the rack/shelves are unstable and constantly falling down. The reason for this is that the side brackets for the racks are removable for cleaning, but the mounts that hold them to the side of the oven were all broken or missing. Since this instability has already nearly caused several burns I thought I should fix it...

The originals are basically spring clips with a figure 8 retainer to lock against a flat on the rack bracket. Some searching online revealed this is a common issue with Bosch ovens of the era, so much so that upgraded parts are readily available from Bosch. Down side is they seem extortionately priced (£60+P&P for the 4 required), and unlike the originals can not be inserted from the inside. More searching revealed a good copy of the upgraded parts on Aliexpress at a slightly more agreeable £32 for the set.

Once they eventually came in the post, apart it came, which due to my intolerance of fiberglass insulation wasn't that pleasant. It also was quite major surgery (all the cover panels are interlocked, so all have to be removed), and I imagine a majority of the population would rather throw out the oven.

Here is the original clip against the rather more substantial copies of the upgraded part.

Another battle won...

Edited January 22 by JumpingFrog

[Escadrille Ecosse]

Not getting burned is a definite improvement.

Big job. Just getting the bloody thing out is only the start.

[Nick Jones]

7 hours ago, JumpingFrog said:

Some searching online revealed this is a common issue with Bosch ovens of the era, so much so that upgraded parts are readily available from Bosch. Down side is they seem extortionately priced (£60+P&P for the 4 required), and unlike the originals can not be inserted from the inside

Ah…. The old “make substandard stuff and then sell the fix at unreasonable prices when really should be handing them out free” trick. By companies who should know better too.

[JohnD]

Beginning of the weekend, I spilt some white sauce onto the knobs that control the gas hob.    Quickly cleaned up, but the igniter that is controlled by pressing down on a knob started firing continuously.    Click- click twice a second.    The hob is fitted into the work surface, there's no way I can see to pull the knobs off the shaft for more cleaning, and no visible electrical connection, so I was only able to turn the igniter off at the circuit breaker for the kitchen ring main.    Which turned off the fridge.    So I only turned it off in the day and when I was in the house, just in case.

The igniter didn't like working so hard, it slowed down to once every ten seconds or so.     I found a local kitchen appliance firm online, left a message with them, got a reply and a phone call - sorry, we don't have any gas fitters (!!!) Grrrrrrrrrr.  But sensible, you don't mess with gas.

But meanwhile the igniter is working properly again!   I'm tempted to leave it alone, not go to the "Gas Safe Register as suggested by the appliance firm with no gas fitters.

Back to normal!

 

[Hamish]

If it ain’t broke ( now)  leave it alone 

[Escadrille Ecosse]

21 hours ago, Hamish said:

If it ain’t broke ( now)  leave it alone 

This^^^

[DeTRacted]

Probably just moisture at the electrode John.  There are various DIY videos on YouTube showing that drying out the electrode under the burners stops it. 

e.g. 

 

[Nick Jones]

On 1/19/2025 at 5:47 PM, Nick Jones said:

Whether it will continue to work…… who knows. It doesn’t really owe us much. We can’t remember how old it is, except that it’s at least 15, possibly 18.  It’s done ok.

That’s a no then…… at least it had the grace to fail while winding down at the end of the final spin cycle. Can’t really grumble about the timing.

Failed to make 20 years……

I have ordered a new belt and am taking the opportunity to fit the new door seal I’ve had for some time. The old one……. Is fairly unattractive!

[Nick Jones]

I may have mentioned the shower pump before…… last time it was the capacitor. 
 

Now it has a continence issue. This manifests as fairly long-period hunting and a fairly modest puddle under it. 
 

Initially I thought it was a loose outlet connection on the outlet of the hot side as it was damp there. No! Waaay to easy. Then I thought it was coming from just below the connection, at a point where the metal pin used to hold the non-return valve in place emerges from the plastic housing (genius design - not!) and indeed it was leaking from there.
I slathered it in epoxy.

It no longer leaks from there. However, the main leak point turns out to be the hot-side shaft seal.

Fine - I can fix that, or rather, I could if the bloody manufacturer (Salamander) hadn’t obsoleted the bloody thing.  Possibly I still could, but I’ll need to pull it out and apart to discover what the seal actually is before I can order it….. which presents logistical and diplomatic problems.

Replacement pump is £400 though…..  seal would be under a tenner….,

[Escadrille Ecosse]

22 hours ago, Nick Jones said:

which presents logistical and diplomatic problems.

Damned if you do and all that...

[mpbarrett]

Not sure this fits in this thread but could have done.

Went to Haddenham steam rally at the weekend, lots of nice steams engines and tractors.

Beer tent and steam engines would  could possibly go wrong...

Brought a nice set of AF stubby spanners 

and noticed a Hilka battery pack, light and compressor for £5 with a label saying it would not charge. It was half charged so thought I would buy it and try to fix it, for £5 nothing to loose!
In the end all it needed was a decent USB C 3A charger and it works perfectly, fully charged in a  couple of hours and all working! New price £100! So pleased I got a bargain. 

[RogerH]

A bit of history that fits this thread 'can't fix that racket'

Back in the 70's I played a lot of squash raquets.  I had to play a lot to stop me being completely useless at the game.

As it was I was only useless.

Towards the end of this daftness I bought a Dunlop carbon fibre raquet - quite expensive at the time and did nothing for my game.  But within a month or so the far end of the racket were the strings are knitted I broke the frame.  I tried to play a few more games with this tatty racket - the condition did not affect my game.

At the time I could find nobody - not even in British Airways that would attempt a repair.

So I ended up with a 'cant' fix that raquet racket '

My sporting history went through

Cricket,  Football, Squash, Tennis and latterly road running  1/2 and full marathons

All pretty useless but I enjoyed them but with not great success.

However I still have my certificate from the youth club for winning the domino's competition - over 60 years ago.

Roger

 

[Escadrille Ecosse]

3 hours ago, mpbarrett said:

Brought a nice set of AF stubby spanners 

They're nice. And far better than chopping the end off your oldest/tattiest/least matching (delete as appropriate), but still perfectly servicable, standard spanner.

[Escadrille Ecosse]

2 hours ago, RogerH said:

However I still have my certificate from the youth club for winning the domino's competition - over 60 years ago.

Damn right Roger.

I still have the envelope that contained the £20 prize for being the first over 50 rider in the Bute Cycling Weekend 65km road race (17th o/a and 56 at the time). The £20 is long gone. Spent that same evening in Zavaroni's (yes that Zavaroni) chip shop in Rothesay for three fish suppers for myself and my two mates that we ate in the evening sun on the ferry back to Wemyss Bay.

[JohnD]

Apparently all those who completed the recent Great North Run were awarded a medal.  How nice:

But the eagle-eyes spotted that the map is NOT of Newcastle, but of Sunderland.

Fix that!  The organisers say "Wear sorry!"

John 

[Hamish]

My wife achieved one of those. 
the “mistake” just makes them more special. 
 

and the red arrow display at the finish was ace

[egret]

On 9/9/2025 at 10:26 AM, mpbarrett said:

Brought a nice set of AF stubby spanners 

These remind me of a tour I took of the Bentley factory in Crewe.  Nothing but stubby spanners and torque wrenches to help prevent over torquing of bolts.  A very sensible idea for engine building purposes!

[rogerguzzi]

Hello All

              Our downstairs shower has been faulty for a while (to hot!)

It my have been damaged back in the Summer as we had solar water at 80++ degs

Perhaps that was a bit hotter than it was designed for our Son says it may damaged the cartridge??

So a look on line and after feeling feint at the prices £100 to £150

So plenty hunting and found one for £56

The next problem how to get the front ring off? it is just circular with no gripping grooves and nice and shiny!

So a good measure up and off to the workshop and made this and even fitted Brass plugs in front of the 6mm screws!

Then it worked perfectly and no marks in the ring

Then bit of a fight to get the cartridge out and get the new one in

I have roughly set the maximum temperature but need to get the water a bit hotter to make sure?

Roger (the part time Cheap Plumber!!)