Shop Tricks

[BearKiller]

Perhaps even find an old cord in the dump.I reuse allot of vacuum cleaner cords all the time

I am always scavenging wire and cords, among anything else I might think useful.

At our shop, the dumpster is behind the building, sort of out of our view, thus we get a LOT of garbage tossed into it that didn't come from our shop; it's funny to watch those little old ladies in their Town Cars go tearing away from there, trunk-lid still up, slinging rocks from the tires, when I pop around the corner and catch them in the act.

Every time I take something around there to toss in, I find myself fishing more out than I threw in.

Many is the super-long vacuum-cleaner cord that I have collected in this manner.

 

[carpenter383]

I am a electrician the florescent lights you are talking about are not very efficient compared to the new ones.

They were more than likely T12 bulbs, they will be removed form the markets soon just like the incandescent bulbs.

They will only be T8 bulbs available. There will also be a T5 bulb but they are more expensive and less efficient.

We have a contract with Orion lighting they make high bay fluorescent lighting. When we go into a facility and change out there old light with our new ones, it is twice as bright and only use about 1/4 of the power.

The last plant we did we change out 168 lights for about 38000dollars and in about a year and nine months they will recoup all of there investment in monthly energy savings.

They make fluorescent that will go in -40 and start with no problem every time. Technology changes every day. Soon the incandescent bulbs with be a thing of the past.

The screw in fluorescent bulbs use about a 1/4 of the energy as a incandescent bulb. A 26watt fluorescent is the same as 100w incandescent bulb.

Now you can get fluorescent bulb with a higher color rendering factor. The use a scale in K's a 3500k is a yellow light like a incandescent bulb. A 5000k is more like sun light. The real sun is 10000K. The 5000K make a big difference when you are trying to work on things and need good light compared to that old yellowish light.

The 8' fluorescent bulbs are also obsolete.

The other reason you hear homing and the bulbs pulse is because the old lights that you are talking about are magnetic ballast, they do not make them any more either. All of the new fixture use electronic ballast that do not hum or pulse and are quick starting.

My advise get a good electrician or a electrical supply house and have them look at your current lighting and see what they recommend. You might be surprised to find how much money you could save and how much fluorescent lighting has changed.

A good electrician should be able to replace your current lighting one for one and save you at least half the energy and get twice the light and a better quality of light.

I hope I enlightened you on fluorescent lighting. If any thing I said was unclear just ask and I will try to help.

So you are saying I won't be able to buy new t12 ho bulbs in the future?
I just spent a few hundred bucks putting up 8ft fixtures in my garage
They are the quick start cold temp ones. They don't whine, but they do cause radio interference.
I saw the t8 fixtures when I bought the t12's. I had no idea they were planning on doing away with t12's

 

[larryccf]

........
Many is the super-long vacuum-cleaner cord that I have collected in this manner.

funny, i like scoring those as well - wish more appliances had long cords like those

 

[Iplayfarmer]

So you are saying I won't be able to buy new t12 ho bulbs in the future?
I just spent a few hundred bucks putting up 8ft fixtures in my garage
They are the quick start cold temp ones. They don't whine, but they do cause radio interference.
I saw the t8 fixtures when I bought the t12's. I had no idea they were planning on doing away with t12's

I bet they gave you a heck of a deal. It's probably like the phenomenal deal I got on a TV card for my computer just before they switched everything to digital. The TV card was advertised with the word digital in the description because it converted the analog signal to digital within the computer, but the receiver was analog. It's worthless now.

 

[BearKiller]

>> CLEANING BARRELs <<

To thoroughly clean the inside of a barrel/drum/vat/whatever, load the empty barrel onto the truck and secure it, such that it cannot move around.

Fill the barrel approximately half full of water.

Add plenty of whatever detergent you prefer.

Haul the half-full barrel around everywhere you go for as many days as possible; the rougher the ride, the better.

The constant sloshing around will more effectively clean the barrel than any other method one might contrive.

 

[bal0123]

"LIGHTING YOUR CUTTING TORCH"

the hand held squeeze spark igniters have worked for many years, But I have found if you will steal one of your wifes New Yankee Candles and keep it lit while working in your shop or garage it is a great way to light your torch and it keeps your shop smelling good and kills your nasty beer fart stinch quickley.

 

[BearKiller]

>> WEED CONTROL <<

Scavenge every plastic five-gallon bucket lid and steel drum/barrel lid you can get.

When driving steel posts, flag-poles, clothesline poles, or wooden fence posts, put the post through the center of a lid, RIM UP on the lid.

You will need to cut a hole as snug to the post as is feasible.

Level the area around the post as much as possible underneath the lid.

If said post is in a well-groomed yard, maybe sink the lid a little below flush with the surface.

Fill the surface of the lid with #8 stone, lava rock, marble chips, or BBs, whatever suits your decor.


If the post is already in the ground and no way to drop a lid over from the top, use TWO lids, notching them to fit around the post, and mis-matching the notches, such that no bare ground is exposed.

No longer will you waste time weed-eating around that post.

 

[Bedlam]

Any ideas on how to brush up and clean the inside(female) end of the small 4 prong trailer light connectors?Ive used some sand paper rolled up real small but so envision a small round brush that would slide right in there and do the abrasion.Ive never seen any but would think they would sell.
i just tried a drywall screw in and out but doesn't have the same effect.
So how does everyone clean them up ( this one in question has some serious dirt and rust on it more than usual.
Thanks...

 

[Ken45101]

Any ideas on how to brush up and clean the inside(female) end of the small 4 prong trailer light connectors?Ive used some sand paper rolled up real small but so envision a small round brush that would slide right in there and do the abrasion.Ive never seen any but would think they would sell.
i just tried a drywall screw in and out but doesn't have the same effect.
So how does everyone clean them up ( this one in question has some serious dirt and rust on it more than usual.
Thanks...

I would not use something as abrasive as sandpaper. Usually the terminals are tinned. Sandpaper will remove the tin and encourage rust.

Maybe lightly use a small rat tail file?

Ken

 

[carpenter383]

Any ideas on how to brush up and clean the inside(female) end of the small 4 prong trailer light connectors?Ive used some sand paper rolled up real small but so envision a small round brush that would slide right in there and do the abrasion.Ive never seen any but would think they would sell.
i just tried a drywall screw in and out but doesn't have the same effect.
So how does everyone clean them up ( this one in question has some serious dirt and rust on it more than usual.
Thanks...

Blast it with high pressured air then spray with carb cleaner and blst again.
Repeat until clean, then spray with wd40 and plug it in