/diy/ - Do It Yourself

>>1251511
Anyway, I've created the thread because my chair is a fucking mess, the cheap fake leather is flaking off and I'm tired of finding pieces of it fucking everywhere.
Could I buy some faux leather from aliexpress and make a new (albeit maybe shittier) cover for the chair foam?
I could use my grandmother's sewing machine, I guess I could make a template for the pieces, cut them and join them together. Can you help me with some tutorial or something?

Faux leather: goo gl/dZDWgG , it wouldn't surprise me if it starts flaking too after a year, any better option?

>>1251511
Actually, there is a stupid questions thread. You know, reading really is fundamental OP. Yes, you can do exactly what you're wanting to do. It'll take a big, tough needle in a big, tough sewing machine though. You could use cloth as an alternative, like upholstery material. Google to find this.

>>1251538
>You know, reading really is fundamental OP
I was searching for "sqt", "sqtddtot", "general", "thread" and "stupid", the new thread has only QTD in the title and has several typos in the post like "They're Own Threat"
Cloth would get dirty in no time and it's harder to clean. I imagine faux leather isn't as nearly as hard as real leather.

>>1251515

spraypaint it with plastidip spraycan

I was doing some blasting with glassbeads and now there's particulate on my glasses, can I just wipe them off normally or will that scratch the lenses? Do I have to run them under water first?

>>1251515
Or use other fabric. I suggest thicc coton, fleece or fabrics similar in strength. Ow, use scotish tartan fabric for a very DIY look, did that w/ an old couch, looks verry DIY

>>1251544
Yeah I thought "/sqt/" was standard across boards here. Anyway I'll just go there. >>1250762

Are swiss army knives supposed to come so fucking stiff that it's nearly impossible to get the blades out?

how to open is2 files from fluke ? their shitty software will just show me a message telling me it can't open the file.

>>1251544
>"They're Own Threat"
ill have you know that this was 100$ intentional and im gonna bump this thread anyway

>>1251515
>new cover
probably not theyre generally stapled to the piece of wood that holds it to the piston that holds it to the rolly base.

what I did with my chair that has the same problem is just put a mat on it so i dont have to look at it.

that said, the back of the chair is probably also one piece, but removable -- it can be replaced with a new piece of wood and new cushion attached to that wood, but it's a big job.

the actual seat, though, you're better off just getting a strap-on cushion, or ripping off the rest of the leather and spraypainting it or something to make it an even color, or some similar level of bubba-dry

>>1251866
swiss army knives are so garbage that even the actual swiss army doesnt issue them

that said, yes, its a safety feature. dont want them opening up in your pocket like a cheap multitool tends to, right?

am a penis.?

>>1252113
You are what you eat.

anyone know anything about regenerative braking? an article you like would be great. thinking up a bike product

I'm hand planing the bottom of a door and I can't seem to plane the very left and right parts of it because the frame is more than one piece ofwood on the bottom. How should I do the end bits? My plane can't really get at them.

>>1252251
Set your plane fairly shallow, do from one side to the middle for several strokes, then from the other side to the middle. You'll get it with just a little practice.

I just got a job cleaning the floors of a mall and supposedly it's pretty relaxed and I can listen to audiobooks, I guess. Helps pay for college.

What will I be doing and is it relaxed or not? It's a big mall but apparently machines are used.

>>1252271
Thanks I'll try that. Had it set rather large because I was taking of about .5cm of door.

>>1252251
The end grain of the side pieces?
Sharpen the plane. You know they come blunt when you buy them right. Lots of people don't realise and give themselves a hard time about it. Chisels too. Get a stone and some light oil (there are hundreds of different people who say hundreds of different oils and mixes are the best, have a look and find something you like) if you want you can get a little angle thing that clamps the blades and keeps you right but when you get into it it will slow you down.
Or you can use a sander to level it out.

I want to install some lights for my moms sewing desk, see pic related. I've never worked with lights, what should I be looking for? she needs enough "true" light when it's dark, so she can see colors. See pic related, I want to install it under those ikea shelves. Should I go for led strips? How powerful is enough?

>>1252350
I have these ikea lights that i stuck to my ikea shelf. I put the button under my desk and its pretty comfy.
Altho its only purpose to light to the background. I think that if you got 2 or 3 of those it'd be good. You can connect up to 3 lights to the powerbrick they come with

>>1251511
Is there a resonable way to make a stirling engine with no machine tools that could be useful?
Don't need a really reliable design, just something bigger than a soda can model.

Really fucking daft question, here. Buying furniture for my first ever flat, got an obtuse room shape so I'm looking to use some of the Ikea desk tops and legs that you can buy separately to lego something together.

My only question is, do the table legs come individually or as a 4 pack? I can't seem to find anything on the page that indicates one way or another.

£25 for a single desk leg (even if it is adjustable) just seems pretty pricy, considering the table tops themselves are as cheap as £6 for the cheapest one.

>>1252350
LED provides much better color spectrum than other lightbulb, so that's the way I would go.
You can make a hole for the strips and cover with plexiglass like:
https://youtu.be/WuWW11ybNS8
Or buy aluminum profiles for LED.
In both cases you need to route a hole in the shelf to fit the profile.

HALP!!!
I've been using Minwax for a while now,mostly with pine.
OK, the instructions say "wait 5-15 minutes, wipe excess off".
But I've never had to do that. Even with oak and cherry, there's never been any excess.
So I haven't been wiping anything off, I just apply it with a chip brush and wait for it to dry
But my latest project (cherry) still has a sticky layer of the stuff after drying for 24 hours.
I've wiped most of it off with two rags, one damp, one dry, but I'm still not happy with the feel of the finish.
(it looks great, btw)
Thoughts?

>>1253189
>Minwax
is a company - they have many products
the can in the pic is stain
apply, wait a bit, wipe off

pic related is for the finish coat
apply, allow to dry

>>1253248
No wonder nobody wants to have sex with you.

>>1253189
>mostly with pine.
pine will absorb the stain
>>1253189
>But my latest project (cherry) still has a sticky layer of the stuff after drying for 24 hours.
cherry is dense - it won't absorb anywhere near the amount pine will
>lrn to follow directions

Whats the cheapest/easiest way to cut sheet aluminium?
The only tools I have right now are a cheap knockoff Dremel, a power drill and some simple hand tools.

I'm building a PC case from aluminum, so the cuts need to look good. I don't mind spending money on the necessary tools, or even getting it done at a metal shop if anons think it would be reasonable compared to the price of buying tools.
any advice welcome.


>>1252848
are you sure you don't mean £2.50, not £25..?
The price is for only one, and the more expensive ones are basically the same thing but with 30cm of height adjustment and a fancier finish.
>http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/desks/table-tops-legs/adils-leg-silver-colour-art-10217971/

>>1253361
cheapest: some tin snips
easiest: shear

>>1253311
>cherry is dense - it won't absorb anywhere near the amount pine will
Sure, that makes sense, but I didn't have this problem with a previous cherry project.
>>lrn to follow directions
Yeah, no kidding.
The real question was: how do i fix this.

>>1253421
>how do i fix this.
wipe it down with a cloth or 0000-steel-wool dampened in thinner
(mineral spirits, turpentine, paint thinner, etc.)

>>1253361
>I'm building a PC case from aluminum, so the cuts need to look good.
If you use metal snips the metal will deform and will no longer be flat.
If the aluminum is thin enough you can use a carbide tipped laminate/plastic cutter to scribe a line and 'break' it on that line.
You'd need to scribe it about all the way through and finish the edge with a file or rasp.
hacksaw blades, jigsaws, circular saws etc. will cut it but for best appearance, take it to a metal shop.

>>1251866
if they weren't stiff they would be classed as a flick knife which carries a felony conviction of 6 years.

I need to cut some conduit to exact sizes. I used a tape measure and pipe cutter the first time and wasnt happy with the results.

I have a decent Miter Saw, but dont want to pay $30+ for a cheap nonferrous blade.

You can get chop saw aluminum oxide blades for $6
They have the same arbor, the chop saw blade is rated for my miter saws RPMs.

It should work fine right? Im only making 15-20 cuts so its not like its production work.
I need the squared fence and my fence stops so that I have identical sized pieces.

im making an exhaust for my motorcycle, should i do an h pipe or x pipe crossover?
its a cm400 inline twin and had this sort of h pipe/collector/muffler device stock (pic related) and it is known to greatly increase low to mid power and response from the scavenging effect vs true duals.
i just dont know if putting in the effort for an x pipe will have much if any gain over a simple h pipe.

/g/ type question, but since it's not about smartphones they aren't interested.

I'm using a LibreOffice spreadsheet and when I insert a graph it works perfectly and updates if I change the data, but after I save the spreadsheet and reload it it shows that OLE icon. If I click on that icon to edit it the graph shows but then disappears and goes back to the OLE icon as soon as I exit edit mode on the graph. Pic related shows normal behavior above and fucked behavior below.

Anybody else use LibreOffice spread sheets and have any advice?

What kind of wood would I need to make a good cane ? And what kind of steel to make a solid pommel who could be used as a blut object for selfdefense ?

>>1253978
Ash, oak or perhaps hickory. Pommel can basically be any steel, but i would recommend carbon. Don't use mild or it will dent during your obligatory brick endurance test.

Where can I get a good second hand multimeter?

>>1254052
My dude buy the harbor freight one it's good enough

>>1254052
>good second hand
garage sales
estate sales
auctions

I'm a senior in college and part of my senior design project includes an underwater propeller powered by a battery. I have very little to no experience with electrical motors and I kind of gotten this part of the project dumped on my lap. I'm going to be designing the propulsion system for our craft, can anyone recommend any literature that can help me choose the right parts? I need to know if my batteries have enough Ah for the motor, proper battery controllers, etc.

Is there a reason to buy a set of fixed snap ring pliers over a universal one? The use is general auto maintenance and small engine repair

>>1254246
>a reason to buy a set of fixed snap ring pliers over a universal one?
ease of use
select the correct plier
open the ring with no flopping plier parts

I'm planning to make a terrarium for my turtles out of glass. It's going to be about 90 cm long, 45 cm tall and 40 cm wide.
They'd have some islands but the water would be about 35cm deep. Any ideas how thick the glass should be? I have 4mm thick glass at home, but will it do the trick? Thanks in advance anons!

Are big box stores unnecessarily tall? Is extra height needed once the the length and width of a structure passes a certain amount? I can think of zero examples of a very large 10 foot tall building.

>>1254741
Couldnt tell you from a structural standpoint but I worked at one and in the back room the walls were lined all the way to the top with stock. Pulled shit down with forklifts. I guess its cheaper to just build the whole building tall to get its storage capacity upwards instead of making a longer and wider storage room

>>1254741
probably a lot to do with psychology, people don't particularly like being jammed in busy spaces with low ceilings. The good ole days, busier it was gonna be, the higher you built the ceiling, pic related wasn't just for show. A lot of late 70s, early 80s shopping centres, specially in Bong, maybe less so in Murica, never worked as they built too low, people just avoided them. IMO, just a trade off between it not being oppresive and heating etc costs. Also storage upwards aint bad either.

Where's the best place to sell ball bearings?

I'm about to plasti-dip a laptop and there's an emblem on top, how long should I wait before peeling the plasti-dip over the emblem?

>>1253692
>It should work fine right?
Yup.
>identical sized pieces
Don't forget to make a jig.

I wear through (cheap JC Penney) work boots in like 4-6 months

what are a decent brand that are black (uniform requirement), will last longer than 6 months, and won't break the bank? I don't want to spend more than $150 but I can do $200 if it's a really good pair of boots

>>1254829
>Don't forget to make a jig.

I have a large miter saw stand with clamps and stops, its the only reason im considering using it.

>>1254844
I should also mention I use them as a motorcycle boot, so they should go over my ankle
the shifter has a tendency to wear out the left boot's top right corner of the toebox, too

>>1254801
While the dip is still tacky.
If you wait until it dries it will pull up the stuff around the emblem.
With and emblem you want to let the dip get partially dry then run around the edges with a knife. If you try it after its dry the knife will start dragging and ruin the adhesion where you wanted the dip to stay.

Can you use popgun rivets on wood? Specifically Birch.

>>1254890
Hmm
I guess it really depends on what you are doing.
Birch is hard enough, but id be worried about splitting. I mean it bends up sheet metal

Is there any online parts retailer that has 3d models of the parts? I'm talking 1" c channel aluminum, small bearings, specific diameter springs, etc

>>1254071
I would look at trolling motors, like fishermen use on bass boats. Already designed for underwater use, plenty of competition between brands to maximize thrust, efficiency, etc.

Us

>>1252354
Buy a 4 foot workshop fluorescent light fixture meant for ceiling, screw it into the wooden joists in the ceiling, and if you know house wiring, do that, otherwise get a switched cord with black and white wires on for simplicity. You may need a cord with a ground depending on the lamp. Wire them together on the ground, then mount it to the ceiling where it's convenient and in reach of an outlet.

>>1254872
Thanks my dude, a little came up but it seemed to stick back down without any compromise.

Applying a petroleum-based gloss varnish to stucco. I know it yellows over time (and starts off a light-ish amber colour) but how long does it take to yellow and to what extent? Is it gonna look like a severe case of jaundice within 4 years or can I let my son worry about that shit 20 years in the future?

>>1254741
If the ceiling is low and full of people it gets way too hot to be comfortable.

I need a second opinion. I'm overengineering a desk for the worst reasonable case scenario, a fat friend sitting on it. I'm thinking a 36"x80" frame of 1" tube steel(whatever gauge is most common), with one extra beam going down the 80" span, all welded together, tied into the wall on the rear/right, and with a full width leg on the remaining side. Will that be sturdy enough to not sag? I'm getting mixed opinions. I mean, it seems way sturdier than a shitty workbench I have in my garage, but deflection calculators online seem... Less optimistic. I'm just putting up a gig post on Craigslist to find someone to weld it, and then I'm going to put an MDF top on and do a metallic bar-top epoxy finish on top. Does that seem sturdy enough? Would an extra beam help, or would a thicker gauge handle it? A couple people have quoted $300 for it, including materials, which seems fine to me, since it'll cost me half that just for a welder, which I've never needed outside of this project.

>>1252291
if you're lucky it will be when it's closed. You either push a machine along or ride one. Simple as fuck it drops water, brushes the floor then sucks it up. You have to fill it with clean solution and empty the dirty water every so often.

>>1254851
buy decent boots and make sure you can resole them? replace the insoles periodically, make sure to clean them if they get salty, and condition when needed

>>1254890
...how big a rivet and how thick of the material you wanna join? youre not talking birch ply correct?

>>1255471
are you gusseting? and are you taking into account the stiffness added by the top and coat? last i checked mdf has some kind of strength to it

>>1251511
I want to make a jack-o-lantern but I want it to look like the flame is green, so I was thinking of painting the inside of the pumpkin with green food coloring. Could it work?

>>1256137
No, putting the candle in a clear green bulb would work, or a green electric light that flickers

>>1256140
I'll use some glass paint and color a jar green, then put a candle in it. That should work, thanks for the tip!

I want to fix this heatsink to a board in a professional manner. What sort of threaded inserts would be best for this? The base is about 3mm thick.

>>1254844
So I work at Lowe's and when I got moved to the garden section I bought Dunham (New Balance brand) boots and they were meh. Red Wings were too heavy and pricy. Chippewa boots were nice but they got so broken in they had no support any longer and the leather wasn't very durable.

Thorogood boots is the way to go. They have a huge following in the linemen industry and construction industry. I've had my boots for 1.5-2 years now and I still wear them everyday walking on concrete.

For the amount of time they are worn I don't look at it like a huge spend. It's a worthwhile investment. And you can put new insoles in whenever you want.

Got some water coming into my basement in a corner. Best way to handle it? How to DIY waterproof?

Water entrance is minimal but wanna fix it now. Pic related - it starts midway down the wall.

is it normal to call propane tanks a "gas bottle" or is it my weird family that does that

>>1256325
it's a bottle that lets gas out

Anyone know if the harbor freight lifetime warranty covers their bench vises?

>>1256335
>Anyone know if the harbor freight lifetime warranty covers their bench vises?

i'd hope they would replace that piece of shit, unless you took a 5 lb sledgehammer to it. no vise should break like that.

my experience with harbor freight tools, like wrenches and sockets, is that they are excellent. all the automotive tools i have bought are ok so far. I also bought the metal cutting bandsaw and it is good, along with the toy lathe which claims 7 x 10 but is more like 3 x 5 but is an excellent tiny lathe.

harbor freight is definitely an enigma. they sell some shit and they sell some decent things for very good prices. how to know which you are getting?

>>1256342
It was 4 pounds, actually. I was bending some 1/8th flat stock.

>>1256309
>Threaded insert?
What? I've never seen threaded inserts in a heatsink or a board.
If you just want to attach some transistors to it you can make some holes in the base, making sure the hole goes between the fins, then tread it and attach whatever using a bit of thermal paste or a mica insulator in case you're using several transistors with an exposed metallic back.
If you want to attach a board on top you can do the same but using nylon standoffs.

>>1256355
Heatsinks don't use threaded inserts, I just wanted higher quality threads than an amateur tap in garbage chinese aluminum would allow. I ended up deciding that a $7/10pk inserts in an $8 heatsink isn't worth it though.

So I'm having an electrical problem in my house. When I would plug my microwave in it would start but then die. Plugging it into another outlet on the same breaker would do the same thing. I checked the breakers and none of them were tripped. I reset them anyway, but it seems the outlet turns off, everything else on the breaker works. I then thought that I should be using a 20amp outlet instead of 15 so I put one of those in, however now that outlet works fine, but if you plug something into the other one then both will shut off. I don't mean to be so dumbfounded, but does anyone have any idea what the fuck to do?

>>1256325
>is it my weird family
I think you're the weird one for not googleing it instead of asking and waiting for a reply.

Stupid question or not, here goes.

We have australian willows that need to come down, I want to get rid of them myself but i also want to work slow because they re vey close to our house.

A friend told us if you de-limb the whole tree it will end up falling down in the wind indiscriminately. Is this true? I planned on de-limbing the trees and then slowly topping then off one section at a time.

>>1256323
Extend downspouts at least 10 feet away from soil, grade the soil along the house so theres an incline away from the house, apply water proof gel / paint to wall.

Dont just treat the inside, the water will just find a way around or through

Can I spray bed liner on roughed up mill scale and expect similar results to painting roughed up shiny steel? It's just some brackets that I don't want to rust, and the mill scale is kind of a pain to remove.

>>1251511
Jesus fucking christ
How are you supposed to know if your tape measure is accurate or not?

I have 10+ tape measures laying around here and just found out that there is a variance of over a 16th between some of them.

I have a used old USA made stanley I got at a thrift shop, it has a "calibration" sticker that says it was checked in january 2017 and will be due to be checked again in january 2018. No other info on it.

Am I to assume this one is actually calibrated, or is a 16th within tolerance for a tape measure?

I know there have been times where I have seen my cuts be off by a 16th or more after meticulously measuring before cutting, But I just use whatever random tape measure is handy so I know a few times could have easily been this discrepancy between tapes.

Is there a good way to check otherwise?

>>1256487
Measure a steel ruler with the tape measure. A proper tape measure's hook should have play equivalent to the thickness of the hook (a bit under a sixteenth) so you can measure from the inside and outside of corners. If you need to measure from a mark on something flat, use one of the inch markings along the tape and subtract the offset from the final measurement. Tape measures are relatively fragile, and damage to the tape or hook can mess with accuracy, so check if there's damage.

how do i replicate this https://i.imgur.com/LCd2MPz.jpg

it's too wide, i can't just carve it out of a trunk

>>1256624
Steam wood bending. Get a large thin piece and attach it where it meets.

>>1256626
>Steam wood bending
thats what i thought, i'm fucked then

>>1256627
It cant be that hard on wood that thin.

>>1256628
it's dont have acces to the proper material, i'm looking up DIY wood bending and there seam to be no easy way other than buying a couple of pvc pipes and making something up

>>1256629
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6TCFzoRVo1k

Make the jig large enough for the mirror.
Use it as the guide to bend it. Then you can mount the bent wood and mirror onto it

>>1256631
thank you, that seem good!

good luck on your diy anon

What metals apart from aluminium are good for casting, and how do you easily identify them?

Tin, Pewter? I'm thinking of a few projects (making knickknacks to sell to hipsters mainly) and know there is plenty of stock available in thrift stores in the form of spoons, cups, pots etc. Just not sure.

Also, how do you find THAT tool you're looking for when you need it?

>>1256624
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_roPv_WrZzw

>>1256639
Best basic advice I have ever heard about casting is only melt down cast parts, this way you know it casts well.

>>1256646
That's a good point, but plenty of things are cast and then have a cursory finish by machine.

>>1256325
It's stupid to call it propane when the mix might include plenty of butane or others.

>>1256325
>>1256677
Here it's called LPG (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) which covers propane, butane, isobutane and any mix of these. This is basically a way of them being able to use whatever is cheaper at the time and it doesn't make much difference on the user end assuming you aren't trying any chemistry with it.

>>1255471
>>1251511

Have a marble top I'm turning into a table top. Any tips as to
1. lower the center of gravity so my newborn doesn't get the corner to crush its skull
2. 1" tubing structurally enough to hold this heavyass stone? Thinking of 2 cross bars.

It's been a couple years since I built a circuit.
Where the hell do the dials and buttons go on this thing?

>>1256739
I'm retarded, top image is a different version.

i want to grow some stupid hot peppers for shits and giggles, but a lot of the info i find on starting the seeds is contradictory. theyre going to be started indoors in a propagator and put outside in pots later on.
>best soil? some people say orchid mix because its chunky and airy, but others say coarse soil blocks airflow
>peat containing soil or no? some people say as long as its not the main ingredient, others say as minimum as possible
>best fertilizer? pretty much the only thing they agree on, bone meal and fish fertilizer
>humidity dome or no on the propagator? (will be using a heating mat)
>grow light yes or no? if yes are the standard red/blue ones ok or should i get one with uv/ir too?
>anything else i should know?

I just moved into a new house. For heating and hot water we have a kerosene burning boiler which is about 14 years old. Yesterday the heat came on but no hot water without also having the heating on at the same time (retarded), one of the automatic valves seems to be broken
Today it made a noise like air coming out of a balloon and water started pissing out all over the garage floor.
Is it fucked or can it be fixed?

>>1256849
I grew Ghost Peppers. Started in Feb indoors in store bought starter soil. Germenated in a paper towel on a heating mat. Come August, I realized how stupid hot they were. Never ate one - just watched my cousin take one bite. Laughed my ass off until he wanted to go to the ER.

Northern hemesphere, obviously.

When Tig welding, do you "float" the gas nozzle over your weld, or rest it on the weld as you move the tip forward?

*Im pretty high so I hope that makes sense*

>>1251511
Does anyone know where you can get a decent dummy cheap? I've got so much chainmail now that I need to hang it up somewhere.

I'm thinking of building a temporary wooden stand and building my own dummy otherwise. But not sure how to go about doing the latter. What do you guys think?

Pic is of the largest piece.

>>1257089

ayo

>>1257089
you can buy mannequin torsos for like 25 bucks on amazon or you can probably go to going out of business sales and buy them

I need some kind of waterproof sensor that can detect whether something is there up to like 6 inches moving at a top speed of 30mph
Is an IR sensor my best bet for this or is there something else? I want to attach it to my sideview mirror so I can tell without having to guess if I'm too close to a car/if they're too close to me

Does anyone here have any experience in running/building gasifiers? Looking to build one that can power a small household and u would really appreciate some advice before i get started

>>1254890

use washers.

Electrolysis question:
I'm using these steel bars as anodes. They came with a matte grey coating. I *roughly* ground that off, after which they quickly started to rust. In use the bars get covered in this green/blue stuff. Is this normal or did I make some toxic soup?

>>1257233
>Electrolysis question:
electrolysis is a general term usually referring to electrical means of hair removal
if you're doing rust removal,>>1257233
>get covered in this green/blue stuff
It sounds like you're using copper wire to hold the part being de-rusted.
>>1257233
>they quickly started to rust.
The rust on the part that isn't converted back to the part ends up either in the solution or on the anode

>>1257240
Thanks for the (You)s. I dont have copper wire in contact with the solution- just an iron tube part.

At this point I think the bars may have been galvanized, and the green stuff would be zinc that I left on them.

>>1257244
Zinc compounds are generally white/colorless.
I'd guess your steel was nickel plated or stainless.

>>1254844
I'm in the military and my boots have lasted me 3 years, only the treads are wearing out but the bulk of the boot is fine and they are comfy with some cheap foam inserts. The brand is Bellville or something like that. I'm sure you could find some black Navy boots from that brand. Good luck finding some boots Anon

Am I wrong to assume that if a switch is rated for say 10 amps at 220 volts that it would be good for 100 amps at 22 volts? Or am I missing something here?

I need to switch a lot of current but at a low voltage (12 volts) and I don't know if these sort of switches will do the job or if I need something special for it.

>>1257493
>10 amps at 220 volts
will more likely be 15a @125v
and no more than 20a at 48v or less

just buy a switch with the proper ratings

>>1257501
Its almost impossible to get a switch rated for 100 amps at 12 volts (except for those car battery cutoff switches, but that's a bit too big for my application). Can you give me a reason why my line of thinking is wrong?

The switch has a contact with some resistance 'R' and if at 220 volts the power dissipated at the contact is (V^2)/R where V is the voltage dropped across the contact. If I suppose that this power is about 1 watt (so the V=0.1 volts and R=0.01 ohms) which is something I can see these little switches handling.

Now if I use the same switch for a low voltage application and a high current application then what exactly changes? Does the contact resistance change? Does the voltage drop across the contact change? Does the power drop across the switch change? And what changes in it?

>>1257509
Main issue you're going to have is that an AC switch is not designed to switch DC loads, especially at high current. You'll get arcing in the switch when you disconnect and kill the switch pretty fast.

Just get a relay.

>>1257526
Doesn't arcing happen in high voltage switch contacts? I have a very low voltage switch so I doubt too much arcing would happen.

I would have thunk that the biggest problem I'd have is that the contacts would weld themselves closed because of a smaller contact area.

I might be able to get away with using a relay connected to a small toggle switch which would toggle the relay primary. Maybe even a solid state relay? What problems would I face in that?

What are these called? They're buttons but the plastic cover for the d-pad is kaput, and I'm looking for some sort of generic buttons for replacement... any ideas?

Recommendations as to what to replace this sink with?

3'x5' 1960's shit shack half bathroom.

What do you need to know or have before applying for an apprenticeship for a trade?

>>1257630
Depends a lot on where you live, here there are "pre-apprenticeship" course that employers love because it teaches you the name of tools and hardware used in your trade and basic skills that are used daily. It basically means you are somewhat useful on day one instead of needing your hand held for weeks while you you learn what "grab the 2.5 twin 'n' e and some GPOs" means.

>>1256849
I grew habaneros in straight peat for start and they grew beautifully but I wasn't thinking and moved them to a place with low sunlight and they died.

I suppose straight peat could potentially kill the heat and a dryer more arid dirt would make it hotter but I'd know little about that.

>>1256409
Get a new microwave

>>1257493
dont tell me youre gonna have a hot wire under your fingertips? would you have any place for relays as your lord and savior?

>>1257493
no. 100 amps is going to make a fuckload of heat no matter the voltage and youre going to melt and/or blow up the switch. use a relay. if you cant make it fit, make it fit.

How to soundproof a door with an enormous gap under it? Shitty apartment bedroom door has about an inch and a half gap under it and lots of noise and light gets in. The door sits above the edge of a carpet and hardwood floor

>>1251515
That's called DuraBlend and it's the worst kind of leather, if you can call it that. It's essentially leather shavings put in a blender, mixed with glue, and pressed flat to make a fake leather sheet. Then the leather flakes off and you're left with your picture. Never buy DuraBlend couches, they're a complete waste of money. Bonded leather is middle-tier. They take leather pieces and sew them together to look like one full piece of leather. But a full piece of leather, that's god tier. Pic related, my couches are bonded cow leather on the sides and solid pieces of goat leather on the seats. At least 15 goats died to make my couches. Yeah I'm rich bitch, check the chain nigga. You're gonna need a seat cover or something, no coming back from that.

What's this thing? There were two of them at a local flea market but I have no idea what are they.

>>1257854

With the number of RAM slots it has, I can only assume it is/was a server. Couldn't say what exactly for, though.

Hi /diy/, electric engineering brainlet here. I want to create an amplifier to increase the voltage from a single AA battery. Again, electric engineering brainlet, not even sure if that's the correct usage of voltage. But I want to increase power output/voltage, and hook it up to a coil because I want to play with making DIY vaporizers. Not sure how okay you guys are with spoonfeeding, but any help would be very much appreciated.

>>1257233
Go to your local plumbing supply house and get some water heater anodes.

>>1257509
>Its almost impossible
Nigga what are you doing with 100 amps at 12 volts? You need to learn the magic of relays.

>>1257854
I hope you didn't spend a lot.

>>1257899
Do you know how much power you're going to need to drive the coil? You can get voltage boost converters dirt cheap but you'd need to know the wattage, coils can tend to pull a lot of current (watts = volts x current).

Alternatively I'd suggest using an 18650 (~3.7 volts) instead of an AA (1.5 volts) but they can be a bit dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.

What's a good cheap way to clean these up? I'm not sure if they're chrome or nickel. Two of them are just pitted, the other two it looks like someone tried at some stage to paint over them with silver, I'll try lifting it off with thinners but I might have to sand them.

>>1257917
>>1257801
>>1257789

Thanks anons I'm looking into relays right now, I'll most probably be able to make it fit. Its not actually going to be carrying 100 amps, I just wanted that for redundancy, its going to be close to 40 amps with peaks at 60 amps but I just wanted to be a bit more safe. Its a sort of an RC testing rig for large BLDC motors, a dynamic balancing rig of sorts.

>>1257983
>What's a good cheap way to clean these up?
>pitted
If you want them to look good you will have to strip off the finish and re-chrome or re-nickel them. There isn't anything that is 'good' that will fix it other than that.

Can i diy into surgery?

>>1257552
Tactile switches, you might have some luck browsing by sites like aliexpress using "smd tactile switches" as keywords. Make sure you measure the size correctly in order to make sure you can replace them.
>>1257899
AA batteries might not have the current output capabilities to reliably work in vaporizers. To increase the voltage you need even more current from the AA, since power in must equal power out.
Vaporizers use special, high current batteries for a reason.
Normally vaporizers don't have any step up-down circuitry, since it would create big power losses, it's far easier to decrease the resistance of the coil if you have a low voltage source like AAs

>>1257828
>a door with an enormous gap under it
The gap is for air circulation. Air from the a/c register has to get back to the a/c intake.

>>1258140
but, there is a large vent above the door for what i would think is the same purpose, and none of my roommates have this problem despite identical doors

>>1258147

>>1258151
will those absorb most sound and light as well? looking for something a bit more permanent since the door gets opened and shut many times a day

>>1258159
>>1257828
>Shitty apartment bedroom door
> complain to your landlord
> replace the door with one that fits
> put a threshold inside the frame
> turn off lights and ask room mates to be quiet
> go to hardware store and ask for something to make your door longer
> move to a not-shitty apartment

>>1257981
>18650
I have no clue. I would like to be on the side of caution though, so I'll go with >>1258045 suggestion of using a low resistance coil. Thanks!

>>1251515
>any better option?
leather chair suck ass. there is no breathing and it jsut makes your back sweat.
Peel the shit off and you now have a comfy cloth chair.

>>1257126
No, you don't need that, you NEED to become a less shitty driver.

>>1257899
I once toyed with the idea of making a diy vaporizer connected to the wallplug. Might require an AC to DC converter.

>>1258021
Read a few books about it and replace surgical tools for equivalents.

example: scalpel = box cutter

Depends what do you want to do though.

>>1257087
Both are legitimate techniques useful in different situations. Floating the nozzle gives more control for fiddly situations. Resting the nozzle can help maintain constant arc length and electrode angle. A third technique is "walking the cup" where the nozzle rolled along the weld bead to advance the torch. This is generally slower, but it can make it easier to produce even, smooth beads with good wash on both sides. If you're learning, do everything freehand first, since the others don't work in all situations, and they can be used as a crutch that inhibits development of fine hand control.

>>1257493
>Or am I missing something here?
Resistive heating (usually the limiting factor for a switch's current capacity) depends on amperage and not on voltage. That switch would be able to handle the same amperage at any voltage up to 220. Exposure to voltage above 220 may exceed the insulating capacity of the switch, causing a short. Same for wiring rated for a given voltage and amperage. Those are separate limits, not a combined power capacity. Transformers are a different matter.

I have a couple of frying pans with screwed on handles that keep coming lose after I've tightened them, I assume caused by the heat from cooking.

I'd like to secure them on, LOCTITE 272 seems like it would work well as it can handle high heat. Is that going to be my best bet?

Hey /diy/, I tried asking /sci/ this (because math), but got no takers.

I'm trying to build a shelf for shot glasses.
I'd like it to be curved so the center is a little further from the wall than the ends.
I'd like it to be a certain width (about 30-32").
I don't want it to stick too far out from the wall (6-8").
and I'd like a smaller, second row of glasses behind the first row.
I know the math for finding the length of an arc of a circle, and a little trig also helps, but I keep coming back to trial and error for finding the right parameters for laying this out.
I've never taken calculus, and maybe that's the short answer, but how do I find the right combination of degrees of arc and radius to find a layout for x number of glasses spaced y distance apart without resorting to trial and error?

>>1258753
It would work, but threadlocker is made for securing threaded connections that you might want to take apart again. For a permanent connection, use a strong heat-resistant adhesive like epoxy.

>>1258767
>how do I find the right combination of degrees of arc and radius to find a layout for x number of glasses spaced y distance apart
If you want to express that in terms of degrees, you're going to have a hard time, since the degree spacing will change between rows. Find the length of each arc (you can include a variable representing the spacing in this expression) and divide by the spacing you want to find the shot glass capacity, or divide the capacity you want by the totaled arc lengths to get the spacing. You can get a first order approximation by finding the area of the shelf dedicated to glasses and dividing by the number of glasses. If you want a mathematical relationship between all the parameters you mentioned, you're going to get a mess, though it's doable. Actually making decisions about what you want and putting numbers into it will make the remaining parameters easy to solve for.

>>1259075
>heat-resistant adhesive like epoxy.
Thanks

>>1259079
Thanks, but that's pretty much where I am now.
I wrote a Perl script to calculate the results of different diameters and degrees of arc.
Then I run the script with different parameters, trying to home in on a good answer.
It works, but it seems like there should be an easier way.
Maybe that's just wishful thinking...

i guess it might be better suited here.
i want fix some objects with monofilament line. Tying knot in such slippery sucker is somewhat complicated - I know a few that are usable to splice monofilament or to make a slipknot/hangmans noose to attach something to an end of it. But I havent found nor figured out some good knot that would allow me to fix stuff so that I can in the process of making the knot or maybe later tighten one end of the remaining line.
It is hard to explain but I hope my painting here helps some. line must run over an object through holes in the protrusions of the base, after securing the line through one hole i want to run it through other and form a knot so that the line above the object will stay nice and firm.

>>1258767
Here is how we swing radius at work.

You have to know your width of the piece and the depth it’s coming out.

Draw two lines from the ends of the wall side towards the middle where it’s farther out. Now you mark the half distance of the of those lines. Now you mark lines square off of that halfway till those 2 lines intersect . From that intersection point to your furthest depth of the piece is the measurement you will use to make another stick or something and pop a nail in the intersection point and use it as a backrest for your stick to swing the arch with a pencil.

>>1259158
>>1258767
I guess I didn’t fully read your post. I’d just mark your layout. Set your glasses on it and then rip off what you don’t need.

>>1258767
This is the answer>>1259165. Fucking math? No. You're way over thinking this shit. Just sit your glasses on your material, or foam board if you want to template first, then trace it and cut. Life doesn't need to be as complicated as you're making it.

>>1257244
In case anyone cares: I fitted the anodes too snugly to the plastic sides of the box.They're fine; the green stuff quickly turned black and orange when in full contact with the solution.
>>1257916
Those aren't carbon steel

So I have a really shitty desk that I built out of square iron and flatiron bolted together, and currently the tabletop is MDF with melamine screwed into the top for dry-erase use.

I'm thinking about replacing the tabletop with one made from concrete, but I'm worried the desk isn't really strong enough to support 200lbs of concrete on, so I was thinking about trying to make concrete foam and pouring it into a mold, and reinforcing that with rebar/mesh/etc. Essentially I'd like to reduce the density of the concrete. It really needs only to support its own weight, because the desk is not a work surface.

Anyone have any experience or ideas with foam concrete for this kind of stuff? I know it's used for blocks, but I dunno about tabletops.

How do I go about replacing this plug?

>>1259263
Probably the least involved way would be to find a duplicate plug that you can salvage, and then cut it off. Cut the bad plug off, solder the wires together, heat shrink tubing, etc. You can use lead-bearing solder because this isn't an electronics situation.

If you are determined to get new, you can also search "NEMA 5-15 replacement plug" or something to that effect to find a new plug with screw-terminals.

>>1259263
Most of my screwdrivers have more arc-marks than that.
Just wipe the soot off and keep using it.
>this is why the outlet should be oriented ground pin UP

>>1259183
>Fucking math? No. You're way over thinking this shit
I want to print a template and paste it to my wood so I have a perfectly uniform layout.
I've done this before with rows of dowels. It gave me perfectly straight lines of perfectly spaced holes.
I'll probably draw the outer arc with a home-made compass, but I want the glasses to sit in holes drilled into the shelf, and I want those holes to be very precisely placed.

>>1259286
Read the first response. And then figure how many degrees you want to offset the glasses from the center using the intersection point.

For stud walls do I need bracing straps if I'm going to cover the whole thing in OSB anyway?

>>1259319
Does your local code require it? Will it be inspected? Is it an exterior wall? Are you afraid your going to rack it ?

I'm using plastic bonding glue to reassemble a circuitboard which should allow an LED at one end to light up. Knowing nearly nothing about electronics, will just the superglue be enough to fix it?

>>1259379
No. You also have to join all the broken copper tracks under the board.
>Clean off solder mask (green stuff normally)
>Solder wires along broken tracks

>>1259385
fuck, how & where do i clean? Not too well versed in soldering either but i think i'll be able to handle it

>>1259347
Exterior wall, I don't plan to rack but echo does? We get some wind occasionally, near by tornados get pretty rough. But from what I've seen you can put osb in the corners instead of the metal straps. My question is, if I'm going to osb the entire exterior then does that mean I don't need the straps?

>>1259423
Also, no code or inspection

>>1259424
>>1259423

Also for a little more clarification, it's a 2 story 16x19 structure, the entire thing will be covered in osb, and the frame will be 2x6

best and easiest way to remove oil spots from brick pavers?

>>1259448
Tide powder laundry detergent
sprinkle on spot
allow to sit and absorb oil
(the longer, the better)
fluff to absorb more oil
wait again
add water and broom to scrub spot away

>>1259465
grassy ass my man

What is maxumum safe span for 40mm glued oak tabletop? A want something like 700x1900-2300mm.
Will cheap ikea legs like this http://www.ikea.com/ru/ru/assembly_instructions/adil-s-nozka__AA-844478-3_pub.pdf hold it well? Should i get bigger screws like 5x35mm or 25mm will be fine?

years ago, before windows, lots of computer systems had a cool thing: move the mouse to a corner, and the screen would blank.

why was this discarded? when I'm listening to music at night I want to turn off the display and I can't.

>>1259828
google search for Hot Corners

Are there lampshades that are mirrored to reflect light up into the ceiling and disperse it around? I don't know what to google for in English for the idea.

I have a lightbulb in one of my rooms that is bare, and I want a lampshade, but I want something that hangs below the lightbulb and reflects the light up, rather than points down.

>>1259828
Why can't you just turn the screen off? Is it a laptop? If so there's apps like screenOff

>>1259838
probably have to get pic related and coat the inside yourself

>>1259838
>mirrored to reflect light up into the ceiling
buy >>1259844
save clip - throw plastic away
attach clip to pic related

>>1259844
UPLIGHTER, it's called an uplighter, who the fuck came up with that name, I only found it by following any keyword I could find searching things.

Seriously, even searching your search term on actual shopping sites just gave me those tubular generic lampshades again, turns out there's a word.

>>1259844
Still have to find a reflective one though, I'm thinking I might just put tin foil on a cheap uplighter.

>>1256335

I believe Harbor Freight offers life warranty on Pittsburg brand merchandise. If its a Pittsburg vice then you should try to get it replaced.

>>1256335
Save up and buy a new vise
The Yost 750-DI is a ductile iron vise that will take a huge beating and is only $175. Best bang for buck you can get

>>1259909
Their vises are Central Forge and only has a 90 day warranty

>>1259912
And finally, there is the answer I was looking for. I bought a new vise from tractor supply about an hour after asking, btw.

>>1259911
I'll buy a good one in a few years when I learn to stop treating them like shit. For now I'll just keep buying junk.

>>1259922
I have a big larin that has been placed under the bench in shame in place of a tiny littletown. I'm not impressed with them

>>1259973
I'm way un impressed as well, even compared to the harbor the larin is junk. But it kinda holds shit in place for now, if you put way more force on it than you should. But that was all I needed to complete my project. I'm sure I'll do something more next time I do something that matters.

>>1259973
I have a baby sized Wilton Scout and a huge Columbian vise that I got at garage sales. I stripped both of them, never got around to repainting so they have sat and gotten rusty.

I have a crappy chinese craftsman vise thats still mounted. I dont use a vise all that often.

I should get around to finishing those up

>>1259922
>90 day warranty vs 0 day warranty
>on chinesium vises that likely came out of the same slave-labor factories

I don't understand your decision making process.

>>1259268
>You can use lead-bearing solder
Who say's you can't use lead-bearing solder in burgerland?

>>1260033
>~$60 a piece for both vises so 120 into cast vises that will just break the second you put some weight into them

Just wait till this one breaks, its going to hurt a whole lot more to buy a proper vise after youve already sunk money into these other ones

Is the "foundation" in a house with the basement considered the walls or the floor of the basement.

Floor has like 5 long thin cracks in it, wall has one bigger crack that leaks and Im considering getting this to fix it:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008DG7UCO/ref=psdcmw_13399821_t3_B008DG7W2M

I wanted to know how concerned I should also be about the floor cracks and whether the floor or the walls is more important to the overall structure of the house

So I bought an old hughes and kettner tube 50 and the original front was broken and replaced by a piece of plywood. Looks ugly and janky. Thinking about stealing an idea from their modern amps with the clear plexiglass and leds behind it. The acrylic and polycarbonate available at home depot has a lot of flex to it, the plexi on the tubemeisters is really ridgid, no flex at all. Any recs for a material? Should I track down some 1/4" thick? Have very little experience with plastics.

Also, aesthetics questions. The trannies and tubes are inside the chassis on the Tube 50, only thing in the top part is the boring reverb tank. Would sanding the back to make it look like frosted glass look cool? Also, thinking purple leds. Maybe I might get a little adventurous and put leds in that only turn on when I'm playing, blue for the clean channel and red for the dirty. As for powering the leds I'll ve able to figure that out, maybe a small switching power supply tapped into mains parallel with the pt, there's also an 18v line I noticed on the schematic that's part of the switching circuit.

Why do some plastic / rubber coatings degrade and turn into sticky goo? I have this neat IDE USB enclosure that I got at goodwill and it's tacky and sticky as fuck. It's not something spilled on it, it's the rubberized coating, that is now turning into molasses.

What can I use to strip it off or make the surface ready to paint?

>>1260644
Likely something to do with not getting any air. I have a few products that get the same effect if kept unopened. Since your shit is electrical unlike mine I can't really suggest my solution which was just soap and water. Have you tried just scrapping it off?

>>1260655

The interior isn't coated so I'm pretty sure I can use a chemical product as long as I just wipe it on and off with a rag or something. Plus 3/4 of the shell completely removes and comes away from any electrical components, I could put that part through a dishwasher if I wanted to.

>>1251515
Nice extension cord m8

You could, but upholstery is tricky to sew if you don't have a machine made for large material.
Last chair I had like that I just covered it with a t-shirt.

>>1260644
you still use that?
only time I see IDE drives now (apart from CD/DVDs) is in odd industrial shit, mostly seems to have been eradicated.

Why aren't "4 foot" fluorescent light bulbs actually 4 feet?

I thought they were all just "four feet" but I measured all mine and they vary from 45 15/16" to 46 3/4". None of them are even close to a full 48" even including the prongs.

I don't even know how all the bulbs I've purchased in the past work, they're all different lengths. They should be falling out of fixtures. I don't know how I never noticed this for 30 years.

I feel I'd look an idiot if I walked into the store with six different length "four foot" bulbs under my arm, but how do I know which to buy?

>>1260789
>Why aren't "4 foot" fluorescent light bulbs actually 4 feet?
Because the fixture they go into is actually 48"
If they were four feet long they couldn't fit inside.

>>1260676
Hey man, those alligator clips are rated around 10A.

>>1260848
Makes sense, but why are my bulms varying nearly an inch in length?

Had a power surge today, one of my lamps shorted and burnt the wires, but the breaker didn't trip. Anyone know why?

>>1260863
breakers have a time/current trip profile
a certain amount of current has to flow for a certain period of time to trip the breaker
if the over-current wasn't sever enough for long enough the breaker won't trip

>>1260865
>sever
*severe

tldr: the wire burned out before the breaker had time to trip

>>1251511
case(s) of flyback transformers (most boxed/new, from ex TV repairco) - wut do?

>>1253940
I use LibreOffice a lot, but this question is better suited for the LibreOffice forums. Did you post on their help boards and get a response? What format are you saving it as? Also, what version of LibreOffice are you using?

>>1257600
>Recommendations as to what to replace this sink with?

keep the sink, replace the faucet.

>>1257854
heatsink seems to be for an HP ProLiant 585

>>1252226
Regenerative braking just engages the motor and uses it as a generator for the Li Ion battery. The brake pads aren't engaging. Just like dropping into 3rd or 2nd gear while approaching a stop.

Why is PEX so fucking popular now?
Can I be a decent plumber by just putting PEX into old systems, or is that not how it works?

>>1260982
Yes, you can connect PEX to copper lines.

>>1260982
>Why is PEX so fucking popular now?
It's really, really easy to install. You can run a single pipe from A to B without worrying about bends needing joints. That way more than offsets its higher per-foot cost in a lot of home plumbing situations.

>>1260987
What are the actual downsides, then?

>>1260989
There are none, it's better than copper in every way

>>1260996
What about PVC, then?

I am planning on hiring a handyman from craigslist ads to help me put a door on my car at pick n pull which is a self service junk yard. The questions are how much should I pay him and should I obtain him elsewhere as in not c.l..

I have a 3 axis CNC mill, what would be stopping me from fitting a 3-jaw chuck to the mill head and have a tool post with cutting tool attached to the bed and have it as a vertical CNC lathe for turning smaller parts.?

I have a 3 axis CNC mill, what would be stopping me from fitting a 3-jaw chuck to the mill head and have a tool post with cutting tool attached to the bed and have it as a vertical CNC lathe for turning smaller parts.?
> pic related, same as my CNC mill.

>>1261028
Well you should ask if he has an hourly rate. You just gonna hold the door as he bolts it on type of thing ?

>>1261034

Nothing. I mean, you're limited to pretty small parts and it won't be as rigid as a proper lathe, but it works in a pinch.

Are these respirators worth the money? I have a shitload of grinding to do and want a decent respirator that isn't going to get stinking hot and flood with sweat.

Any of you crazy geniuses know a way to determine the flattest section of a concrete slab floor? I have started cabinetmaking and just moved into a rental with a good sized shop space, but a flat and level project I kicked off at my last joint is now rocking around, and I'm not sure if it's the floor or the piece twisted during the move. Makes me nervous that future projects will be out because the floor is wonky.

I have about 10 square meters of floor space, if I can somehow determine the flattest 2 squares I'll be a happy anon.

>>1261066
Just use this in the area you want to work in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gde03zxi-Q

>>1261068
see
>>1261066
> just moved into a rental

I only want to find the levelest section, not spend money improving a property I don't own.

>>1261070
I understand that but the quickest / easiest way to find some flat floor is to make some floor flat.
What do you want more, to never spend a cent on someone else's property or to have a level working surface?

>>1261070
Are you stupid/don't watch Rick and Morty? Put down something flat that won't bind it and pour your own concrete slab on top of it. It will level itself.

>>1261068
>>1261076
>>1261078
It's stupid question thread you cock dumpsters, not stupid answers. Get the fuck out of here.

>>1261066
Mark out a few areas to test with a rectangle with masking tape at the size you want to work in. Buy a length of aluminium extrusion (guaranteed to be straight, as opposed to a piece of timber or something) as long as the longest side of the marked rectangle. 2400mm is a standard length close to your size, maybe mark some 2400x2400 squares?

Start at corner A, lay the extrusion along a side of the area, and sweep it 90 degrees across. Observe the high/low points as you go, maybe mark them with chalk as you find them (I use X for high, O for low, sizes approximate to the deviation) Place the extrusion at the opposite corner to corner A along the opposite line you started on, sweep again, and mark again. Repeat until you find an area with the least deviation. Little fiddly, but it has worked for me more than once at various locations for finding level floors for machinery etc. Good luck.

>>1261082
Your straight edge costs twice as much as my leveling compound.

I need to make slip rings to get the voltage from a tachometer I am building to sense the speed of a motor. The current will be negligible, but the voltage needs to be clean.

I have a small lathe and can make the rings from steel, brass, aluminum, or copper, and it does not have to last for very many hours of operation. Also I can clean corrosion each time I use it if it's not too much trouble, meaning spray it with contact cleaner and run the motor for a few minutes before I use the tach.

The brushes are new parts that are for an automotive starter motor.

Any thoughts as to what material might work best? I'm thinking that copper might work best because it's easy to solder while attaching wires to steel or aluminum will require screws or some other mechanical method.

It's a project to learn about PID control and is not going to be used for any real purpose.

>>1261082
Fucking aye, that's the shit I'm talking about. Thanks anon.

>>1261084
> selecting the most expensive item to try and make a point.
k.

>>1261087

why not do the same as virtually every small motor in existence, copper pads rubbing against graphite contacts. you can get the contacts from thrift store portable vacuums, and such, for a couple of bucks.

>>1261093

That might work if the diameter is not too large. I should have mentioned that mine will hopefully be about 3/4 inch diameter or smaller.

Thanks for the suggestion.

>>1261091
Just the first result I got.

>>1260997
PVC joints are held by solvent, not a mechanical crimp, and so take more time to set up than PEX. PVC is not really bendable over short distances like PEX. PVC is a stiffer, more brittle material which is more prone to cracking in freezing conditions.
I only ever use pex for my own stuff.

So before I blew up myself, just wondering if I can replace a similar farad capacitor rating but with different voltage rating on my machine.
E.g. Same 35uf but 450v instead of the original 240v.
Couldn't find any nearby

>>1261352

if it fits, go ahead. you can always go higher on voltage. same way you can replace a chair rated for 200-lbs with one rated for 400-lbs.

>>1261352

if it fits, go ahead. you can always go higher on voltage. same way you can replace a chair rated for 200-lbs with one rated for 400-lbs.
the pins will likely be further apart, tho.

>>1260281
Plz

I dont want to be laughed at for such a stupid question outside this thread

Is building a steel building for a house on your own land a good idea?

>>1261385
To semi hijack this anons question, is it worth it to reinforce a 140+ year old house with steel?

sexually frustrated right now and I want to build a sex bot, what should be my first steps? Any guide's to follow to get a foundation

>>1261401

>>670504

>>1261352
the 450V cap is overdimensioned but should be safe to use... it could store a higher electric charge.

Help me /diy/, you're my only hope.

My door is not closing anymore. It is now lower than it should be and the latch won't, uh, latch. Somehow it is still square with the jambs, just 1/4 inch too low. There is also a gap on the latch side top of the door, about a 1/4 inch.
All the hinges seem tight. I can lift the door about 1/8 of an inch with I'd say 150lbs of force; it is not loose in any way.
What is going on and how can I fix it?
Pic related shows gap above door.

>>1261505
This shows how the door latch doesn't go in its home.

>>1261505
tighten the hinge plates, tighten the handle screws, and stop fucking pushing down on the door when you open/close it

>>1261506

you can always unscrew the latch plate a bit and tap it down so it's level with the latch

>>1261062
I dunno. I saw a guy use a motorcycle helmet with a sheet taped around the bottom. On his belt he had a hair dryer set to cool, with a peice of flexable tube going up to the back of the helmet for positive ventilation. He made it with shit laying around the house.

>>1253421
You can apply more stain and wipe excess after 5-10 mins (new stain will redissolve the old stuff). May get a darker color with this method though.

Or use mineral spirits to redissolve it and wipe off. End product will be lighter in this case so you may need to apply another coat of stain (and wipe away excess this time!)

>>1254844
I usually get Oakley or 5.11 boots for work, they last about a year and are about $100. My winter work boots are Keens (they're like $200+), only use them when it's cold and wet or snowy, so they last several years.

>>1261512
They're all the way down

>>1254914
McMaster Carr might be with a look. Have used them in the past and I know they give 2d files don't know bout 3d model

>>1261511
Everything is snug as can be.
Maybe the house is sinking =/

>>1254844
White's makes good boots. Hawthorne explorers by White's are good boots that run around $200 to $250. Some kg boot guard on your toe will keep it from wearing down from the shifter.

>>1260281
Generally there is a concrete 'footing' poured first that is the true foundation. This would be directly below the walls of the basement.

So I'd say to answer your question the walls are more important than the floor (since the walls bear all the weightof the house) but the footing is the foundation under it all.

>>1260624
Bump

The small piece of rubber to the power button to my flashlight broke, what can I use as a replacement? Is there some kind of moldable rubber or something similar I can get? I was thinking about getting some kind of foam but I don't think it's going to be stiff enough to be able to press the small button in the hole. Right now I MacGyvered it and taped a small piece of wood to act as a replacement button but it's not going to last very long.

>>1261694

>>1261694
>moldable rubber
A tube of silicon comes to mind. You'd still have to shape it and it's messy to work with, but when it dries it's a lot like rubber. I'm not sure how it fit in there so I don't know if it is a good solution or not.

>>1261699
That sounds pretty smart but shaping it properly will probably be a bit tricky, I'll probably give it a shot though. My first thought was to use one of these, shape it with a file and tape it down with some duct tape but I think it's either going to come loose or get stuck and I'd have to repeat the process every time it happens.

So, I have mug with an image printed on it. I would like to have that image printed onto a teapot.
Is there a magical better way of copying an image off a mug so I reproduce it on other things?
Other than try to take a high wuality photo?

>>1251511
Lol

>>1261537
Thank you, I was getting pretty confused trying to figure it out myself

>>1261401
Where should I ask this question then? Any websites or other boards?

>>1261706
I'd cut down a flathead nail or tack with a suitable head size and give it a wrap of self-fusing rubber tape.

So what are these for? Inb4 'are you retarded?'

Is there any way for me to fix this or is it kill? 99% sure it's rubber.

>>1261801

Mouse testicle crusher, 99% sure.

>>1261818

Might try a hot-knife splice. The solvent adhesive in bicycle inner tube repair kits might also work, depending on the kind of rubber.

Otherwise, you're going to be better off putting a new ring on it somehow.

>>1261406
>>1261401
>>1261769
Tagged the wrong one.
So I'll just restate the entire thing. Where should I ask about building a sexbot

>>1261801

>>1261825
Guy that originally replied to you here.

No idea desu, I dont frequent any nsfw boards.

Whats the cheapest floor to put in a basement that wont get utterly fucked by the small leak I have (heavy rain for mutiple days = small puddle)

Eventually Id like to epoxy the floor, but I want to wait until I have the money to do it without cutting corners and with good epoxy. I just want something that looks / feels better than raw concrete til then.

>>1261857
Water proof paint

>>1261871
Will that be a bitch to remove when I have the money to epoxy down the road? Or will it come off easy since I have to grind the floor anyways?

Thats actually a good suggestion though, Ive been looking at it for the walls and dont know why I didnt think of just slapping it onto the floor, thanks

>>1256639
Lead is an easy cast. Remember, they're just hipsters.

>>1259394
hello my friend

>>1261885
Grinding will take paint of. Any pacthes that don't come up can be removed with a heat gun or a paint stripper like premium stripper or citra strip. A lot of people don't like chemicals, just protect yourself and you'll be fine. Get recommended ppe from the container or the manufacturer.

I have a shitload of arc welding to do and I need 100% penetration on pieces of steel 2" x 4", I'll be grinding then down to a point like pic related for full penetration.
My problem is slag inclusions, I have a hard time getting all my slag to stay on top and as I'm looking at 20+ layers of weld on each side I need to keep inclusions to a minimum.

Any tips on how to keep slag inclusion to a minimum?

Thinking about making a fly fishing reel from scratch. I work at a machine shop and think I score most of the material I need from scrap. The trouble is I can't find good cad drawings or breakdowns of fly reels with measurements to get me started.

>>1254052
>>1254064

I worked there a few years back. That booklet they send out every month repeats over and over, there's always a coupon on for free work gloves, shitty scissors, calipers, tape measures, and multimeters.
Looks like it's on tape measures right now, so you can keep an eye out if you're willing to wait.

Since we're on the subject, never buy pricey power tools, and if you do never EVER buy their insurance for them. When something breaks on you there is no help desk, you have to go to the cashier who is often working alone or with one other person. The cashier can't help you either, they let you use the phone and you have to talk to "corporate" and explain to them what broke and why it couldn't possibly have been your fault. Meanwhile customers stack up behind you. As the anxious cashier in the situation I always felt so bad for people who bought it, and you were pressured to sell the insurance like nothing else, it's just free money for them. Fuck, it literally took a guy an entire hour once. I can't believe they are willing to treat their customers like that.

My chimney's blocked, so I have to clean it, so I have to get the throat plates out of my stove.

They take a hex bolt. I've tried 9/64, it's a little too small, but 5/32 is too big, so I'm figuring I need somewhere around a 3.75mm hex key. I've never seen one in my entire life. Does anyone have a 3.75mm hex key? Do they exist? Are they obtainable?

Damn

Does anyone recognise this connector?

>>1262223
in b4 Hazard Fraught Tools

>>1262251
>Does anyone recognise this connector?

Yes.

>>1262245

what's wrong buddy?

I have a small piece of wood that's too small to use a saw on that I need to cut a lot of excess wood from, I basically have to cut it down to less than 1 cm3, how can I make the wood easier to carve with a knife?

>>1262277

very weird question. you just put the wood in a vice, squeezing the part you dont want, and letting the part you want protrude. with a fine blade, like a hacksaw, you should be able to cut off bits as short as 1mm. so 1cm is child's play.

>>1262306
I'm asking because I only have a carving knife and some files, but I figured out how to do it

>>1262241

what's wrong with using a monkey wrench, which is infinitely adjustable? no room? then it's possible to make any sized hex wrench using a bit of pipe, and hammering it on 2 sides.

maybe the manufacturers are faggots and expect you to buy a custom tool, like Delta does with its plumbing gadgets.

>>1262315
It's countersunk, nothing to grip.

I've got some steel dowel, I'm going to try grinding that down to fit

>>1262241
>but 5/32 is too big
>>1262326
>I've got some steel dowel, I'm going to try grinding that down to fit

You'd have a head start by grinding the 5/32" just a tiny bit.
If it's part of a set you don't want to modify, just buy another and keep it for when you need to do this again.

Is this wire coated copper #1? Or #2
Went to scrap place and they paid me 1.40lb and labeled it coated copper 1.

Did they scam me saying it's #1?

I know for a fact they pay more for #2

>>1261696
Can the polished ring that held the switch cover be removed. If so you can measure it and have it 3d printed in a flexible plastic.

If you opt for using a sealant I wouldn't go for acrylic, polyeurathane is more hard wearing. Get the stuff used to hold car windscreens in, tough as hell.

>>1262179
Not much of a welder myself but using the right rod, power, feed rate and clean steel will help you. You gotta experiment first, find something that works well. Air blast any dust that you can't get out with a chipping hammer.

>>1262423
what's 'coated copper'?

it's bare copper with a plastic sheath

it's not enamelled or anything

My cheap casio digital watch (AE1000W) has a tear on the watch band.

The band is made of something soft and readily malleable, like rubber. I believe it's what Casio calls 'resin', whatever that means.

Can I solder the band back together, using heat to melt the spot around the tear and close it back up? Or will it just burn up? What kind of respiration would I want? (I have a 3M half-face respirator with P100 filters)

Can anyone tell me how to disassemble this. The only thing I can see that might do it is taking out this inverted screw thing but I'm not sure how to do that.

>>1262758

it's held together by snaps, like a TV remote control. so find the seam, and jam a knife, screwdriver, credit card, guitar pick, or what-have-you, into it and twist. i use a dull rounded x-acto blade, and this allows me to open pretty much anything without leaving a mark. experience also helps.

>>1262782
Thanks a lot man.

>>1251511
My garage has a breaker in it that is basically used like a giant light switch for stuff.
the garage itself as a whole is on its own breaker switch in the house. on the one in the garage, there is a double one labled mains, and other ones for outlets, lights, and so on.
when thing on the left touches the thing on the right in the garage the electric goes off and I have to go into the house and reset the breaker for the whole garage. The switches in the garage dont flip on their own though. I dont know if they just arnt the self flipping type or if its because they were in a high humidity area for 30 years and are just defective or whatever, this is irrelevant.

so my question is wtf is causing the breaker in the house to flip off, ground touching ground shouldn't do that, right? If it was shorted out some how then shouldn't I have noticed something else not working right a long time ago?

>>1262846
> wtf is causing the breaker in the house to flip off

obviously there is a wiring error somewhere, which no one here can divine without tracing wires and taking measurements.

the most likely culprit is the lamp and wire reel, tho, coz it was probably done by an amateur, whereas the panel was done by a pro.

>>1251515
I cut up some camo jacket and reupholstered it

What is this? Seems to be something to do with building, it has plaster or something on it.

Would it be practical to hook a large spiral spring up to a bicycle for regenerative braking? I was thinking you could have a little lever to release the tension and give yourself a speed boost.
>but why
Just thought it'd be cool.

>>1263103
It would take some 'engineering'.
When braking, the spring would wind OK but when released it would attempt to spin the when the opposite direction of how it was wound.
>instapower reverse!

>>1262900
good point, Ill check the light. thanks

>>1263103
I kinda like that idea.
like the other anon said, it would take some engineering. You'll also want some way to stop it at a certain amount otherwise it would break itself. The spring would have to be strong enough to launch the rider, and the brakes would have to be strong enough to stop the spring from propelling you farther and into stuff such as traffic.
If this gets marketed and a piece fails and a child gets flung into traffic, the resulting lawsuit will be nightmare fuel.

I'm building a guide for my table saw/router work bench. I'd like for it to be adjustable via turning threaded rods. My question is, are there bolts that could be driven into my guide bar, that have threading across the head of the bolt, that a threaded rod could go through? I think I've seen them, but I have no idea what they're called.

>>1263321
This is the type of bolt that I'm looking for.

My apologies for the slopshop.

>>1263327
>I'm lo
its seems like ive seen something like that before, but if it were me, Id just weld a nut onto a bold head.
Youre never going to find something that is level/lined up JUST the way you need it when it is completly tightened like that. Youd have to back it out enough so that the to hole lines up in the direction you need it. But then you run into the issue where the track is now moved 1/8" away from the mounting surface.
welding the nut onto a bold, you should tighten the bolt all the way, then mark where the nut needs to be facing so you can weld it and it will all line up just right.

>>1263342
I guess it's an excuse to buy some new tools, but I was hoping I could save the money and just get the 2 bolts.

Any other thoughts on a threaded track?

>>1263103
Apparently, like most good ideas, yours isn't original.
google.com/patents/US4108459
hackaday.com/2008/09/04/regenerative-bike-brakes/
But at least now you know it works quite well.

>>1263343
it probably exists, if you dont have any luck here maybe ask the guys at granger.
Sorry I cant help anymore, I dont know what the hell Im talking about. I just gave my two cents and redneck solution to pass the time until real answers come in

>>1263349
>google.com/patents/US4108459
AND because some fucknut back in the 70s registered the idea and did nothing with it, we wont ever be allowed to actually use this idea until the patent expires when we are all either dead or too old to ride a bicycle?

>>1263356
No worries. I'm just sitting here fucking around on the computer anyhow.

Think soldering it would be strong enough?

>>1251511
New thread yo.
>>1263355
> keeping dat dubs train rollin'

>>1263366
Holy fuck, I didn't even mean to get 66s..

>>1263356
Looks like I'll end up going with your idea.

As an aside, Google results for "welded nut bolt" don't disappoint.

>>1262179
Run hot with a tight arc and smooth movements. Tie the edges of the bead in well, so there aren't any spots for slag to hide in the next pass. If there are any divots, corners, or other tight spots, grind them smooth before welding over them. After chipping, go over the entire weld area with a wire wheel and get it CLEAN. Don't quench the weldment between passes. Let it get as hot as you can manage, and air cool for a bit if it gets hotter than that.

Also, on a weld that big, you can save a lot of hassle by grinding a U groove rather than a V groove. Just keep it wide enough for easy accessibility. 20+ layers seems excessive. Get the biggest high-deposition rods that your machine can run. Those will make things go a lot faster, and the big, hot puddle tends to wash in nicely. Of course, this would ideally be done with a wirefeed process.

>>1263363
What I would do, if I were building something like that, is get a big threaded rod. Bigger than what you'd be able to run through the head of a bolt. A proper Acme thread if I can find one cheap, but a 3/4" standard thread would work. The movable piece becomes a steel angle with a nut welded to the bottom and faced with wood. Silver solder might work if you baby it. Brazing would be better. Plenty strong if you know what you're doing. Welding would be faster and easier if you have the equipment, but you'd probably have to run a tap through the threads. Use lube on the threaded rod in any case.

>>1263363
don't solder steel, Ive never seen solder stick to steel.. Also if its bigger than a few inches you better have a very high powered soldering iron or gun.

>>1263370
>bolt" don't disappoin
no they dont. What I was talking about in my first post was basically pic related but without the arms and legs. just make sure the bolt is tightened down all the way then line up where you need the nut to be, mark it, and weld it on.
if you don't have a welder, all Im going to say is Ive seen people weld with 3 car batteries and a pair of jumper cables. use welding goggles.

>>1263391
>use welding goggles.
Which is to say, a full welding helmet with a ~#10 shade. Also long sleeves and pants made of dense cotton, leather gloves and shoes, and safety glasses.

>>1263398
yea this.
above #10. I like a 13 or 14 myself but I like being close.
long sleeves and stuff too especially if youre going to be doing it for long periods, this shit will give you sun burn and skin cancer.

>>1261413
>>1261363
Kinda late but thanks for the reply. Unfortunately the caps was the least of the problem. Haha

>>1263362
What do you mean? You can still make patented stuff for personal use, just can't sell it.

>>1263555
hmm, does this apply for software?
the real question is, how many people are actually going to make it?

>>1263687
Isn't a pure software patent impossible anyway in most places?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_patent
But who is going to check what you do on your own, patents are only meant to regulate products which enter the market.

>>1263372
Thanks for the tips anon, sadly I only have a 160A stick welder so it's going to be slow going no matter what.

Which battery terminal connects to the negative? It's not positive to negative?

Where do you all source your shit?

Recently found a lumber yard and realized how the big box stores really stick it to you.

Now I'm looking for a sink and toilet as I'm redoing the bathroom. All HD and Lowes have for vanities is shitty cardboard crap.

Guess I'll post here and repost if I get no answer before it 404's

Im looking to see if there are any low psi rotary tools I can get.

I have 2 compressors, one powerful one for the garage that will work with a normal one but is loud as fuck, and one airbrush one that is relatively silent. I want to work inside if possible so if there is a way to use my airbrush compressor for a rotary tool or a rotary tool made to work with one, that would be perfect.

>>1251511
>buy new light fixtures (t8 florescent)
>two 32 watt bulbs
>32*2 = 64
>shits dim as fuck despite each bulb being 3000 lumens
>put it on the killowatt
>mfw 42 watts being used
is this normal? why are the bulbs only using half the wattage?

How do I repair my ear phones with mic, it has two red wires with copper things spirals around it. One straight up copper wire, one blue wire. I have realised I needed a special jack that support the mic But I don't flcare for the mic. I want the earphones working. Here is pic. Thanks.
Also will a bad job be able to electrocute me or is worst case scenario it doesn't work?

>>1264073
its too low of voltage to do any harm to you.
You have the jack there, each metal band is a terminal and has a corresponding contact on the other end. You can solder your wires back to the jack and cover it with heat shrink and hot glue, be sure to file down and solder that is protruding in a way that can cut or get caught on anything. Make sure that you dont bridge any of the contacts or else it wont work.
Youll need to find the pin out for everything, just use process of elimination.

you can also buy a solderless headphone jack, but those are bulky and in my experience, they are shit.

>>1263970
>Which battery terminal connects to the negative? It's not positive to negative?

question makes no sense.
the diagram is perfectly clear how to connect the batteries.

>>1264057
>why are the bulbs only using half the wattage?

the difference between a $20 fixture and a $40 fixture is the quality of the ballast. the expensive ones give you more light.

>>1264073

you need to WATCH how it's done, not read about it. so search for ''headphone repair'' on youtube.

>>1264121
>the difference between a $20 fixture and a $40 fixture is the quality of the ballast. the expensive ones give you more light.
thats fucked. how do I identify a quality ballast?
seriously thinking of taking these things back now.

>>1264121
Didn't notice the bottom circuit diagram hue hue.