What Do You Fix?

[clean]

I could be wrong, but the hood of a car is pretty heavy. I think that the gas struts really just hold it open, the real power comes from the springs.  Perhaps there is a spring you can either put under the door (on the inside), or alternatively a longer, but less powerful spring that goes over the top (on the outside).  EIther way the locking mechanism would need to be firm. 

But sounds like a good solution so far! 

IF you get snow, would that be a problem getting it to open, especially if you were inside trying to get out.  (assuming that there was an entry from the house, otherwise, the snow would have to be removed before you got in!)

[larryc]

I could be wrong, but the hood of a car is pretty heavy. I think that the gas struts really just hold it open, the real power comes from the springs.  Perhaps there is a spring you can either put under the door (on the inside), or alternatively a longer, but less powerful spring that goes over the top (on the outside).  EIther way the locking mechanism would need to be firm. 

But sounds like a good solution so far! 

IF you get snow, would that be a problem getting it to open, especially if you were inside trying to get out.  (assuming that there was an entry from the house, otherwise, the snow would have to be removed before you got in!)

No struts definitely help you open things like hatchbacks. I found some instructions for determining  which struts you need by putting a board at the strut connection point on the hatch and the other end of the board on a scale. Clever! I'll let you all know how it goes.

[fishbrains]

I replaced the vortex baffle on the mowing deck of my son's lawn tractor. Pretty cool there.

Quite the manly feeling to order a vortex baffle on Amazon. At least until I'm told to add a 4-pack of loofahs to the order.

[ergative]

I replaced the vortex baffle on the mowing deck of my son's lawn tractor. Pretty cool there.

Quite the manly feeling to order a vortex baffle on Amazon. At least until I'm told to add a 4-pack of loofahs to the order.

Don't worry--Amazon will invite you to buy many more vortex baffles in future orders. After all, if you bought a vortex baffle once, surely you'll need many more. Would you like a monthly subscription to vortex baffles? Amazon fully appreciates your manliness.

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

I 'sewed up' my old plastic wheelbarrow. Well, I drilled holes in it (along cracks) and threaded them with parachute cord to hold things together for a few more years. I also used some zip ties that I found to patch a crack in the bottom of it. Not my original idea- I saw this online somewhere (that person only used zip ties). I guess you could say, I did some surgery on it. Looks very Frankensteinian. We'll see how long it lasts!

[clean]

DID YOU KNOW....

(this may be a thread to itself someday).

Did you know that on a 12 V battery, the positive and negative terminals are different sizes? 
I learned that today!  I was replacing a battery terminal connector on my truck. I got a 2 pack.  The positive was the one I needed replaced.  It seems that the pack had one size for positive and one size for negative.  I picked wrong!  So I had to redo today's repair! 
I appreciate that one would not want to inadvertently install a battery backwards, so I appreciate that there are 2 sizes.  HOwever, I didnt Know it til now!! 

Did YOU Know this trivia?

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

We replaced a car battery and siphoned (and disposed of properly) 1 year old gas. That is all.

[clean]

recently I hit a branch on the way home ... at night, dark, in the road!!   
It took off some trim on the car.
The next day I went back and found the trim that fell off as a result.
Yesterday more trim was coming off, but had not quite come off... just flopping off the door! 
This afternoon, with hot glue gun plugged in, I used a stick of glue to hot glue it back and fix a few other areas that were not looking fully connected.  Not sure it will work, but I feel a sense of accomplishment for trying! 

It also prompted me to get that extension cord back on the spool and put away instead of just being jumbled up! 

Also, yesterday I put the insulation on the outside pipe that brings the water into my house.  We are expecting very cold weather coming through on Sunday so this makes me happy to know that I have, hopefully, prevented a pipe break that would be a mess! 

[FishProf]

After the third time of my mailbox being knocked off the post (at least once was vandalism) I did some heavy duty modifications with several lab bolts and a metal brace.  It should hold up against snow plow discharge, and I pity someone who hits it intentionally (actually, I don't)

[evil_physics_witchcraft]

After the third time of my mailbox being knocked off the post (at least once was vandalism) I did some heavy duty modifications with several lab bolts and a metal brace.  It should hold up against snow plow discharge, and I pity someone who hits it intentionally (actually, I don't)

Nice. I remember, back when I was a kid, our mailbox (plastic) was constantly being destroyed by vandals (hoodlums!) :) My Dad had someone WELD a metal box which he placed under the plastic mailbox, so that the next time someone took a baseball bat to it- they'd get a surprise. A little dangerous, but we didn't have any issues after that.

[apl68]

My father recalls local youths near where he grew up placing a board between the cab and bed of their pickup truck and driving down the road using it to knock over mailboxes.  Then they  hit a reinforced mailbox and tore the bed off the truck. 

Outside my home town there used to be a mailbox with multiple decommissioned chain saws welded to it.  Probably just intended to be decorative, but I'm pretty sure it deterred vandals as well.

[Juvenal]

What do I fix?  Anything my pen and checkbook can encompass.  You really should admire my new toilet.  I flush with renewed pride (and lack of apprehension).

[Parasaurolophus]

The power's been out for almost two days due to an ice storm. It might be restored by tonight, otherwise tomorrow.

When the fridge lost most of its ambient cool, I made an ice box. Nothing in it is fully frozen, but it's all properly cool.

[FishProf]

I paid for a remodel of my daughters room (she's a tween, needs privacy).  I then used my sabre saw to change the openings on her steam radiator cover to better fit in the new room configuration.  It isn't pretty, but it works.

[clean]

I just fixed my front door! 

over time, the part of the door that goes into the door jam was not fully retracting.  A few days ago, the outside handle was sort of wonky.  Today My Bride got stuck outside and had to go all the way around the house to get in.
When I got home, I was able to get in, but it was not an easy task.

I took the door knob apart and found a screw had fallen out somewhere.  So with some more effort I took the whole thing apart, put the screw back in and after some effort got all of the other screws to line back up and I was able to reinstall it!

My Bride was able to get back in, and now she could do it with one hand!  (As for some time, it has taken a bit more effort).

So I am the HERO for today!...

(I did the Taxes on Saturday (see other thread), So I am On a Roll!!)