Mend it and make do

[classic33]

Have you got one leg significantly longer than the other?

I had similar problems a few times, always on the side of my longer leg. (I subconsciously sat slightly to the shorter leg side of the saddle so that leg didn't have quite so far to reach down to the pedal.)

You're not suggesting he lengthen his leg!!

 

[ColinJ]

You're not suggesting he lengthen his leg!!

When I used Look pedals, I shimmed the cleat on the shorter leg! Not very practical on (MTB-type) SPD shoes though because a shim would make the cleat stick out of the tread on the sole.

On one bike, I broke the crank on the shorter leg side so I replaced it with one 5 mm shorter which seemed to help.

I was looking at some photos the other day and one clearly shows that I was not sitting straight on the bike ... (The left leg is the shorter one.)

 

[Globalti]

I used to own an ex-MOD Land Rover. We got hold of the MOD service record, which ran to 27 pages of complex records of everything that had even been done to that vehicle and it's true to say that the only original parts were the engine and the chassis. While we owned it I spent many happy hours upgrading it by bolting on second-hand parts from newer Landies and turning it into quite a pleasant, easy car to drive. It was 12 years old when we got it and with some decent maintenance could have gone on for many years longer except that we sold it to a bloke who wanted something "to run into the ground" which he proceded to do. Such a shame.

 

[dantheman]

I've been replacing electric toothbrush batteries for about 10 years now. A soldering iron is all you need.

https://toothbrushbattery.com/guides/braun-oral-b-professional-care-1000-battery-replacement/

Took mine apart a month ago, surprised you just twist them apart on the recharge base... Must get around to ordering the new battery before I wear out my wife's manual toothbrush..

 

[pclay]

Here is are some photos of my iron. It’s over 10 years old. Missus dropped it about 6 years ago and it fell apart. Easily fixed though, with insulation tape!

 

[ColinJ]

I've been replacing electric toothbrush batteries for about 10 years now. A soldering iron is all you need.

https://toothbrushbattery.com/guides/braun-oral-b-professional-care-1000-battery-replacement/

Thanks for that. Mine is still holding enough charge but I've had it for a long time now so the batteries will probably pack up sometime in the next few years.

 

[Andy in Germany]

I use mechanical pencils a lot at work and home, partly because I don't like writing with pen, partly because I do a lot of creative making stuff.

Well, today I went and bunged up my favourite one, a souvenir from Japan with a brass barrel and retracting nib. I think it got too close to some superglue because it wouldn't click. Pushing wire down it didn't help either.

After thinking a bit, I remembered that in the course of this creative stuff I'd got some 0.5mm drill bits and a tiny twist drill.

Drilled up the nib and into the graphite for a bit, and ta-daa, one working pencil.

Not only cheaper and better for the environment, also much better than explaining to Beautiful Wife that I just ruined her anniversary present...

 

[steveindenmark]

There was no way I was going to pay Mickey Mouse prices for a hard bike box with wheels. I have got my original Genesis box out of the loft and now it is a work in progress.

 

[gbb]

Well after a disastrous Sunday dinner failure, multimeter out and there's 240v at the element but test the element itself, it's open circuit so it's broken.
Replacement ordered for circa £20. But I also noticed while testing the fan motor is slow, barely churning round. Fan out (after a struggle not realising the fan retaining nut is LH thread)...and it is stiff to turn. Being where it is I could imagine is subject to greasy fumes etc so I got a syringe and some solvent cleaned and bathed the bearing ends of the small motor to wash out any gunk ( This is all very hopeful)
It worked, fan freed up, refitted and running.
Just got to fit the element when it comes.

 

[sheddy]

Been vaguely thinking of getting a glue gun for a while. Can you or anyone else recommend one? I assume that they are pretty simple things but is there anything to look out for? Are all the gluesticks pretty much standard or are there particular gun brands which are best for continued availability of sticks?

Can't really help - it's the trigger action that fails (the gluestick won't move down)
I think there are 2 sizes of stick - the fatter one (12mm) is more common

 

[steveindenmark]

Still a work in progress.

 

[pclay]

View attachment 427088 View attachment 427091

Still a work in progress.

what have you wrapped the box with?

 

[steveindenmark]

It is like a sticky backed plastic. It is what is used to make numbers for yacht sails It is just scrap pieces I have. It adds a bit of colour and will make it a bit more waterproof.

Where the wheels are, the box is sandwiched between 2 plastic floor plates to give it strength.

 

[stephec]

Well after a disastrous Sunday dinner failure, multimeter out and there's 240v at the element but test the element itself, it's open circuit so it's broken.
Replacement ordered for circa £20. But I also noticed while testing the fan motor is slow, barely churning round. Fan out (after a struggle not realising the fan retaining nut is LH thread)...and it is stiff to turn. Being where it is I could imagine is subject to greasy fumes etc so I got a syringe and some solvent cleaned and bathed the bearing ends of the small motor to wash out any gunk ( This is all very hopeful)
It worked, fan freed up, refitted and running.
Just got to fit the element when it comes.

It's not a Beko oven is it?

I've replaced the element three times in five years before finally skipping ours for a Neff, first one after fourteen months when Beko and B+Q washed their hands of it.

 

[Drago]

Beko are practically giving their gear away at the moment. After all no one in the USA can buy it for sensible money, so they're desperate for someone else to do so.