Tool purchases

[demographic]

Motorcycle spoke key.
Ten sizes and I've given it a very brief test and yeah it turns the nipples.
About half the price of the other versions.


Not much to say past that. Err, its very blue.

[iansoady]

I've got one of those but mine is the superior red version. Works OK but doesn't fit the nipples on some spokes I got from ebay recently.

[demographic]

I've got one of those but mine is the superior red version. Works OK but doesn't fit the nipples on some spokes I got from ebay recently.

Ahh, you got the red one, I heard there was a non fitment of nipple issue with that version followed by a recall and the updated type was blue so people knew it was the updated one

Only tried mine on my Talon with Excel rim supermoto wheels which if I remember right have Bulldog spokes.
I did check cos I had to swap an end over but can't remember for sure but I think I ended up with a 6.4mm end on it for those.
I've not tried it on the one motocross wheel I have in the shed but I expect I'll be taking the end cutters to those spokes anyway and just keeping the hub.

Hell, I might even have a go at lacing it. Maybe.

[Yorick]

Blue ones are faster.

[MrLongbeard]

Adding to the chest stack of doom
PXL_20210501_101024274 by MrLongbeard, on Flickr

[iansoady]

Hell, I might even have a go at lacing it. Maybe.

Give it a go. I find it quite relaxing (till I discover I've started in the wrong place and have to start all over again).

[demographic]

Got an exhaust dent blow out kit off Ebay.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/153202787416 ... SwO7haKmgf
I have a Pro Circuit KX 500 expansion chamber with a few dings and its all pretty easy to use.
Put the clamps and end stopper rubber pads over the pipe ends, pump the spannie upto about 50 psi and heat the dent up to a good red with a plumbers torch.
I had safety specs on but it was fairly gentle on the dents I blew out.
There was a bit of a wind so I didn't get some areas as hot as I needed but now I'm more confident its not going to pop an endcap off (the one on the silencer end didn't have much of a stop to hold in place against) I'll have another go in a building next time.
The pressure got opto about 60 psi as it was heated up and the spannie still needs a damn good clean up but the blow out kit does work quite well.

I also had a FMF Gold Series CR 500 expansion chamber that I bought for 35 quid and that failed to pressurise but then I discovered that someone had tried to weld it up at a joint and basically had lack of fusion.
It looked neat enough on initial inspection although the pipe had obviously been welded to repair it.
It's not the end of the world though cos I was maybe planning on cutting the pipe at that joint anyway but it would be nice to blow the pretty big dents out first.

[ZRX61]

Tiny tools..

[Horse]

I got rid of my hedges instead, just have a few trunks left to take to the tip. All to be replaced by bamboo because each stem only needs trimming once and I can do that by bending them over, no more wobbling on top of 3m ladders as the mountain will come to Mohammed.

I'd be very wary of letting bamboo anywhere near your garden. It propagates very rapidly, has an extensive root system and will spread anywhere it feels like. Your neighbours may not be very happy at all about this.

It's like playing a game of whack-a-mole. You think you've got rid of it and it pops up somewhere else.

I wouldn't let the stuff anywhere near any land I owned.

Our next door have loads, and it is spreading under the fence. Currently the loppers deal with anything above ground but, if it gets worse, it may be receiving chemical treatment.

[Mussels]

I got rid of my hedges instead, just have a few trunks left to take to the tip. All to be replaced by bamboo because each stem only needs trimming once and I can do that by bending them over, no more wobbling on top of 3m ladders as the mountain will come to Mohammed.

I'd be very wary of letting bamboo anywhere near your garden. It propagates very rapidly, has an extensive root system and will spread anywhere it feels like. Your neighbours may not be very happy at all about this.

It's like playing a game of whack-a-mole. You think you've got rid of it and it pops up somewhere else.

I wouldn't let the stuff anywhere near any land I owned.

Our next door have loads, and it is spreading under the fence. Currently the loppers anything above ground but, if it gets worse, it may be receiving chemical treatment.

Some spread like nuts and others don't and are safe to plant normally in a garden, all I've seen for sale in garden centres and supermarkets are the spreading type so it's a shame people don't do their homework before getting them.
Spreading ones also spread before they grow tall so I have a production line going here churning out planters because I bought them as a screen and I don't want to piss off my neighbours. They spread from the rhizome which grows within a few inches of the surface so if your neighbour won't do anything a root barrier along your fence should help.

[mangocrazy]

I got rid of my hedges instead, just have a few trunks left to take to the tip. All to be replaced by bamboo because each stem only needs trimming once and I can do that by bending them over, no more wobbling on top of 3m ladders as the mountain will come to Mohammed.

I'd be very wary of letting bamboo anywhere near your garden. It propagates very rapidly, has an extensive root system and will spread anywhere it feels like. Your neighbours may not be very happy at all about this.

It's like playing a game of whack-a-mole. You think you've got rid of it and it pops up somewhere else.

I wouldn't let the stuff anywhere near any land I owned.

Our next door have loads, and it is spreading under the fence. Currently the loppers deal with anything above ground but, if it gets worse, it may be receiving chemical treatment.

If you do need to get serious and start using chemicals, I'd suggest ammonium sulphamate. It's been outlawed as a weedkiller by the EU under a technicality, but can still be purchased as a compost accelerator. This is, of course, the use to which you will be putting it to...

It's very effective and can be targetted very precisely. It's certainly way safer than stuff like Round-up or glyphosate.

[Silly Car]

64693EE8-A23B-45E7-A31F-2DF5308C44A1.jpeg (30.34 KiB) Viewed 806 times

Wagner 250M airless sprayer. It was a bit spendy but we’ve got a 4 storey Victorian townhouse which we are slowly renovating so should save a chunk of time and hopefully give some good results.

I used it in anger for first time today, observations so far:

It takes far longer to mask everything up than to spray anything
It takes longer to move the ladder / scaffold platform than it takes to spray what you can reach
You can spray much more with an extension fitted but it can lead to spurting
It took no time to spray all walls and ceiling in a 16’ x 14’ room with 12’ high ceilings, circa 1 hour
Clean up takes time but overall probably the same as cleaning out brushes, roller, tray etc

The daughters have started hinting about their fences needing painting / staining which will be a joy rather than a chore

[Druid]

Once you've done your daughters'...

[Mussels]

What's the advantage of an airless sprayer over a normal one? It seems to be just as much work and no cheaper.

[Silly Car]

Once you've done your daughters'...

I suspect there will be a queue forming

What's the advantage of an airless sprayer over a normal one? It seems to be just as much work and no cheaper.

No need to dilute so fewer coats, this one is straight from the can so 10-15 litres + continuous spraying, less overspray.

[Jody]

Once you've done your daughters'...

There's a sentence not to be taken out of context !

[Kneerly Down]

I was caught by the buy cheap buy twice trap.
I got a cheap new hydraulic press from the 'Bay that bent when trying to press out a wheel bearing race on the boys' Clio.
Now replaced by a tatty looking used version of this:

Sealey 10t press.
So far, so good.

[ZRX61]

These, for plumbing stuff...



Like this:

[Silly Car]

New table saw

BD8F1485-9E7B-4D79-88DA-167C058B0DA9.jpeg (94.65 KiB) Viewed 491 times

I’ve also ordered a 40T standard and 3mm wide 28T flat top grind blade from saxton to complement the 80T blade in my mitre saw and the multi material blade supplied as they are all interchangeable which helped seal the deal on this purchase.

Not fired it up yet but I’ll be using it at the weekend to rebate some timber for a window frame and to cut some tenons.

In due course I’ll be ordering / making some zero clearance inserts (especially for the flat top blade) and there appears to be a selection of 3D printed accessories on eBay to consider.

[Silly Car]

Used the table saw for the first time in anger at the weekend, the 40T cuts like a hot knife through butter, the flat top blade rebates we’ll but needs a little more finesse when being used. The brucie bonus is my mitre saw stand can be adjusted so the rollers make the perfect out feed table.

I’ll share some photos of the window frame I’ve built once it is filled, sanded and under coated.