what jobs are we getting done due to lockdown - no necessarily bike related

Joined
Feb 7, 2008
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4,573
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Nottinghamshire England
So still plodding on with Lock Down jobs ?



Cars now need charging as 2 of them have not moved since start on March 18th

This started out as a tidy up of garage , it spread to the front lawn AND both bike sheds !



The blue bike was sold on Ebay yesterday and is awaiting pickup.



Going to use the old hardboard as a temporary floor in the trike shed [ slabs are hard to get hold of at present ] it has be cluttering up the other bike shed for a number of years so win/win there.



Behind the trike shed door on the wall is a socket from out of the garage to plug mower/power tools in another ' waiting job '

Trike shed did look like this :-



Now looks like this :-



Awaiting floor , rack to the right on the grass in picture 1 will become to a two trike carried to be wheeled in and out of here.
 
Joined
Oct 28, 2019
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17
Location
Sydney Australia
Well it is indirectly bike related...

Decided to build a high roller.
So did a community college welding course and bought a cheap MIG welder.

However the shed has been running on a lightweight extension cord from the house for the last 20 years.
Thought that it may not be enough for the power needed for the welder.
So bought a 15amp extension cord but it was a drag to connect it up each time I want to weld.

Mentioned this to a friend who is an electrician who offered to connect up the house at the switchboard if I ran the cables and did all the wiring.
So bought a 100x50 RHS and linked the house to the shed and ran the electrical cables through it, easier than digging trenches to run the cables.

The RHS faces northish, towards the sun down here,
So I thought I would make a sundial out of a bit of the left over RHS.

Research showed that it needed to be a Vertical Declineing type, worked it out in Sketchup and fixed it on to the RHS beam and welded up some roman numerals for the numbers.

Now I can get back to work on the high roller.

Thought today being the winter solstice here is an appropriate time to post.

Stewart
https://flic.kr/p/2jdRyHa
https://flic.kr/p/2jdRyF6
 
Joined
Jan 16, 2011
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712
Location
Vilvoorde / Flanders / Belgium
One of the things I do in my spare time is helping in a local maker space. Atelier Vilvoorde. Things done in the last time over there.
  • Rewelding the steel legs for a very beautifull walnut table*. (the original welding was a bit "iffy)
  • Making juwelers anvils to be mounted in dedicated workbenches*.
  • Engraving rotating vice with adjustable brake.
  • Propane powered metal melter oven, for crusibles up to 7 liters of volume. (Mk2, Mk 1 was smaller ,but can double up as a smithing oven²)
  • Resurfacing of the terras at the workshop.
  • Building a plastics extruder setup*.
* customers at the place with great idea's and somewhat limited skill.
² the smithing oven can be seen here.
 
Joined
May 31, 2013
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3,980
Location
South Benfleet, Essex, England, UK
Needs more heat! ;)
 
Joined
Feb 7, 2008
Messages
4,573
Location
Nottinghamshire England
The RHS faces northish, towards the sun down here,
So I thought I would make a sundial out of a bit of the left over RHS.

Research showed that it needed to be a Vertical Declineing type, worked it out in Sketchup and fixed it on to the RHS beam and welded up some roman numerals for the numbers.

Now I can get back to work on the high roller.

Thought today being the winter solstice here is an appropriate time to post.

Stewart
https://flic.kr/p/2jdRyHa
https://flic.kr/p/2jdRyF6
Crikey that is long , the sundial is a nice touch.
 

Radical Brad

Garage Hacker!
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Kakabeka Falls, Ontario, Canada
One other "stay at home" job I have been doing is finishing a Robot project I started 10 years ago. I put a few days into it in 2010 and then it was on hold until 2 weeks ago. Should have it rolling in a week or so!

Brad
 

Twinkle

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Peacehaven nr Brighton, Sussex ,UK
With the 5 mile rule still in place up here , we have finished the workshop benches, fittedca solar panel to the hut and finished the trike .Unfortunately Can't post photos using the phone.
 
Joined
May 31, 2013
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South Benfleet, Essex, England, UK
"Triggers Wheelbarrow" has had an upgrade.
The barrow had given great service for about 20 years, but the tub had rotted away and really needed sorting.
I looked at the price of a new barrow Vs a new tub and decided on the tub only option (cheapskate).
The new tub is a galvanised pressed steel sheet and I have fixed it with Stainless M8 bolts and penny-washers with rubber gasket washers to try and keep the SS and Galvo away from each-other.
 
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South Benfleet, Essex, England, UK
On today's "Honey-Do" list was the making of a new gate for the pathway at the side of the house.
The last one was of a much lighter construction than this one, and lasted over 20 years.
This one is about twice the weight and thickness material-wise so should see me out.
I have yet to trim it to size along the long edges. I think herself will be pleased with it.
It is nothing fancy, just 4x1" Redwood Matching and 6 x 1" Spruce bracing.
It is both screwed and glued where the bracing is affixed to the matching boards.
Mrs Fox that has been using the side path is in for a shock!

 
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South Benfleet, Essex, England, UK
The woman that has been holding me hostage for 45 years (you know, the one who's father very cleverly hired a ventriloquist to say "I do" at the registry office) has asked for a "swing" for her 66th birthday.
I thought she said "I want to "swing" " but no, it is actually a garden swing that she wants.
All the ones I showed her "online" she pulled faces at and said no-way! So I have had to undertake the building of a swing.
The main timbers are 4" x 4" 10 foot fenceposts and so it should last for some considerable while. I started it this afternoon and I have built one side of it and the top cross-beam.
Here it is propped up on a spare baulk of timber on the patio. I have to complete the "A" frame with a cross-brace so I can flip it over to do the other side/end.
The "Really difficult bit" will be transporting it down to the bottom of the garden where she wants it to be installed under the big twisted willow tree.
 

Twinkle

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Apr 14, 2013
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Peacehaven nr Brighton, Sussex ,UK
Just come out of our second lockdown today ( Wales ) apart from the red trike ( ex Danny ) which is now finished, we have our double garage errected on a concrete and steel raft over the air raid shelter, 3 solar panels located in the detached garden charge the 3 leisure batteries and led lighting installed inside and out . Some triking during the year but not a lot . Met up with some local trikers in August but all quiet here now.

Regards Emma and Ken
 
Joined
Apr 16, 2017
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424
Location
Winnipeg, Manitoba
I've been slowly picking away at my DCC electronic HO scale railway that takes up roughly 1/3 of my garage. These 2 pictures are not the best but they do give an idea of what its about.

 

Radical Brad

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Kakabeka Falls, Ontario, Canada
Ironically the pandemic is my job lately!

Probably not sure what you meant in the title of this thread but due to the pandemic I am overloaded with work.
I repair medical equipment and provide I.T. services to several hospitals in the Ontario North.
So I have been on the road a lot doing everything from fixing optometry machines to installing custom panic alarms.
Electronics prototypes, repairs, computer networking, and wiring... the list goes on.

Before all of this covid insanity started, I was only doing a few jobs like this per month.
Now I have a master key to the doors in multiple hospitals and am always working on something.
it's nice to be working over the cold months though, so I wont' complain.

Oh, I am also working with a company to design a high voltage mask sanitizer and a UV room air cleaner.

So... lockdown = new career!

Brad
 
Joined
Jan 16, 2011
Messages
712
Location
Vilvoorde / Flanders / Belgium
Soon you'll have money to burn, and a burn out if you're not carefull Oh Master.

High voltage mask sanitizer? I hope it's for static applications. I wouldn't fancy wearing a Jacobs Ladder on my face...
UV aircleaner. Pity the high power UVC lamps need watercooling (as they are ment to desinfect HPW or WFI), otherwise it would be simple. BTW, I hope nobody had the bright idea to use plastics in the UV chamber.
 

Radical Brad

Garage Hacker!
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Kakabeka Falls, Ontario, Canada
The first one is unlikely, and I am doing my best to avoid the second, so all is good!
I do enjoy my work though, so that is true wealth in life.

Yes, you would not want to put 4000 volts on your face, that's for sure...





And the nitrogen flooded plasma chamber...

5454

For the other UV project, only 30 watt germicidal UV-C lamps are used, and it is forced air exposure only, no skin exposure of course!

Brad
 
Joined
Sep 16, 2018
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Netherlands
As the moment, my new trike. But as that is finished, I have 2 other things I want yo work on. Well actually 3. Fiks my current bike trailer. It needs new wheels and I will move the mounting to the bike ad an other point.
Building the bike caravan, designed by Paul Elkins. Elkinsdiy.com
And probably where I start with as my current build is ready, a 3D printer. I have one, but I want a bigger one. 500x500x500 corexy. I will build it, instead of buying one. Gives me more freedom on how I want it, cheaper and I can get the parts I want without the need to replace parts on an existing one. Still it won't be cheap, but it will be cheaper than buying one that can print in that size, speed and quality.
 
Joined
May 31, 2013
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South Benfleet, Essex, England, UK
Yesterday I added the required extra lengths of chain to Milady's swing that she wanted for her 66th Birthday.
It is yet to be moved to its final destination and the pivots need a bit of lubrication it seems. ;)
I have to say that it really does make you grin inanely while riding it. A bit like a recumbent. If only she would give that a try too!
 
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