compressor repair…..Here hold my beer………….
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I’ve got a twenty year old compressor that recently started leaking at one of the weld seams in the tank. I was nursing it along till I could have it welded ( attemt to any way).
We were doweling in some re-bar and had some epoxy left over. Co worker suggested trying to fill hole with the epoxy, well a week later it is still holding like new.
Neck two shades redder and time bought to pay for proper repair or replacement.
What have you guys “engineered” to nurse a toool throught the day week or years?
Replies
Not a "tool", but I once
Not a "tool", but I once repaired the flush mechanism of the toilet in the men's room at my workplace with a piece of network cable (used it to tie down the float arm pivot after a plastic part broke, then notified building management to call a plumber and replace the valve). The repair was still in place 2 years later when we moved out.
Miter Saw Handle Repair
The molded plastic handle on my Delta 10" compound miter saw broke where it attaches to the body. Delta had stopped manufacturing that part. It was either figure out how to fix it or throw it away. A couple of rubber hold down straps made for a quick fix while I worked out something more permanent, e.g. epoxy or a handle off another saw. The rubber straps have worked so well that I have stopped looking for another solution.
Jim
Not a tool per se.
Old mortise lockset in a hundred and 20 y.o. door.
Used to be you could go to a hardware and they'd have a "door box". In it, the spindles, set screws, coil springs and those flat strips of spring metal. Not so much anymore.
I mentioned to the homowner whom I met at college in '69, that if I had one of those roach clips that a guy made in town-I could maybe make up a replacement for the missing part (that door never did latch since they bought the house).
Some people hang onto things forever. He had. He dug around in an old desk and sure enough-the "tool" to repair the lockset.
A little wider metal than needed, but that spring metal cuts easily. Put it in, reassembled the lock, done.
repair with leaf rake
I have found that I could use a tang off a leaf rake (the flat kind) to replace that spring in a mortise lock.
As to the temporary tool repairs- once while fumbling out some paint supplies from the trailer, I dropped a new can of Hilti foam and punctured the side.
Grabbed the masking tape and patched it without losing too much of the propellant.
Over the next couple of weeks I was able use the whole can - at over $15 a can, I was impressed that cheap blue tape would work.
Right now I am dealing with a real crude looking repair to my tool trailer.
While parked in a customer's driveway - the long, steep and slippery kind - the customer slide into the back and caved the doors in.
To get by until I get some sort of settlement from the insurance company, I beat the doors and hinges into something sorta straight, screwed some 2x4 cleats to the inside and for the crowning touch to secure this mess, I have a 2x4 dropped into a pair of those metal cleats that you see used to hold barn door and such closed.
Looks real professional going down the road.
It's been a month now - I hope the insurance will comes up with something soon.
Terry
Terry
Well thank you for that!
Downside, they don't make those anymore, do they? .............the rakes I mean.
I'd hate to start carving up the two damn almost older than me rakes hanging in the shop. You can bet if I see one with just a few tynes left on trashday-I'm pulling over.
Hey Calvin,
I've got an old rake that I'm getting ready to trash. I'll pull off the tynes and give them to you at the Break Fest this summer. I'm sure rake tynes will be a first for the TSA folks at the airport in Boston, or are you coming via the providence RI airport?
Jim
I'd be guessing that if you need a clear purse to enter a ballgame-rake tynes would sound the alarm.......
We're driving and camping-so bring them and we'll stash the contraband with the rest of the contraband.
Thanks-I'd hate to be shortening anyones roach clips from then on.
Calvin,
Are you bringing your tools? I need a new roof and am getting estimates. But, if you want the job it's yours!!!!
Jim
no way.
I retired Jan. of this year.
Now if I disconnect the phone, all will be well for chasing the white ball.
Calvin,
You are too young to retire. You can chase the white ball anytime. My roof needs to be done soon. How many times did Brett Favre retire and then go back to work? A person with your knowledge and skills should never retire. One more time for old time's sake.
Jim
Respectfully-
You sound like the past customers and their referrals.
Heading to 65 is what I would call almost too old to forget about all the good things life offers.
This past week we attended the funeral of a long time good customer. I remembered him telling me to not forget recreation and that working the weekends just might make me the richest man in the cemetary. He was a good man and I think I might just go visit his wife in a while to make sure all is well with their home. She only requires 45 minutes to make sure there's a warm tray of cookies upon my arrival.............
Though your accolades are nice, it's still a roof. Heavy hard work up a ladder? You got to be kidding.
Calvin
OK, but stay active. And, don't eat too many cookies....save some for me.
Enjoy your retirement!!!!!
Enjoy your retirement!!!!!
ha ha ha-we've gone full circle.
It's the damn phone..........hang on.
Crown in two rooms....................
The only "roach clip" I ever
The only "roach clip" I ever saw was an "alligator clip".
Dan
There were thousands more, but simplicity and application usually trumped all.
Different kind of tool.
My digital camera lens was not retracting and the thing wouldn't work. I took it to see if it could be repaired because it was a pretty good camera. It couldn't. Talked to the guy in the store bought an equivalent but cheaper replacement. Now I thought about taking the old camera apart to see what was inside, but before I did that I put both thumbs on the unretracted lens and pushed hard. The lens retracted and the thing has worked fine ever since. Moral: once you have given up on fixing something you have many more options available to fix it.