What's made you not grumpy but not smile either today?

[portland_bill]

I bought a Doblo wheelchair van a year ago, 2017 reg, so 6 years old then, with just over 12k miles.
Stop/start was reluctant, I guessed due to a tired battery. Charging the battery brought stop/start, but each time it only remained off for a few seconds. Longest was nearly 20 seconds. It starts easily, so no need to replace the battery yet, so I'll live with it.
At about that time, there was a question asked about whether the clutch needed to be depressed for starting. The answer suggested yes, but mine does not need this.
Then driving it day before yesterday, it occurred to me that the symbol with a line through it did not appear. This should be when the car tells you that it has not operated stop/start. This suggests that it was not expecting to operate it, so no need to inform.
Now I'm thinking clutch switch. Time to connect MES and enquire. Then perhaps, turn upside down in the footwell.
The car knows when the clutch starts to come up, as it raises the engine revs, so there might be a dual switch, or two switches.

 

[chr1s]

I bought a Doblo wheelchair van a year ago, 2017 reg, so 6 years old then, with just over 12k miles.
Stop/start was reluctant, I guessed due to a tired battery. Charging the battery brought stop/start, but each time it only remained off for a few seconds. Longest was nearly 20 seconds. It starts easily, so no need to replace the battery yet, so I'll live with it.
At about that time, there was a question asked about whether the clutch needed to be depressed for starting. The answer suggested yes, but mine does not need this.
Then driving it day before yesterday, it occurred to me that the symbol with a line through it did not appear. This should be when the car tells you that it has not operated stop/start. This suggests that it was not expecting to operate it, so no need to inform.
Now I'm thinking clutch switch. Time to connect MES and enquire. Then perhaps, turn upside down in the footwell.
The car knows when the clutch starts to come up, as it raises the engine revs, so there might be a dual switch, or two switches.

What if you deliberately stall the engine whilst stationary, then keep the clutch depressed. If the Stop/Start can see that the clutch is depressed then it should try to restart the engine. If the Stop/Start can't see that the clutch is depressed then it won't try to restart the engine.

 

[Cheest]

I built a chair yesterday per Mts.Cheest's request. We like Adirondack chairs for relaxing outdoors. Wood ones have become ridiculous in price and plastic ones have suffered 'quality fade' over the past few years. Our first plastic chairs we bought for probably$9.00 each lasted over 20 years. The ones we bought last year for $20 each are already breaking. So we bought fifty bucks worth of lumber and hardware Tuesday and I built the chair yesterday.

Let me say, that wood working and I do not get along at all. I never mastered it and at my age, I never will. I can have a guide on either side of a circular saw and I will still make a crooked cut. Even after having to do things over a couple of times and getting frustrated enough to toss the whole lot into the wood chipper, it didn't turn out too bad.
It's pissing down today, so I'll wood putty and sand it in the garage later today, then Mrs.Cheest can paint it however she wants.

 

[portland_bill]

What if you deliberately stall the engine whilst stationary, then keep the clutch depressed. If the Stop/Start can see that the clutch is depressed then it should try to restart the engine. If the Stop/Start can't see that the clutch is depressed then it won't try to restart the engine.

It did that when I first got it, now it does nothing. It did, once recently, fail to operate when stopped, but then cut the engine as I depressed the clutch ready to move away, restarted when pedal released. Disconcerting, but at least with little through view, I can't see the guy behind getting upset.

 

[portland_bill]

L

I built a chair yesterday per Mts.Cheest's request. We like Adirondack chairs for relaxing outdoors. Wood ones have become ridiculous in price and plastic ones have suffered 'quality fade' over the past few years. Our first plastic chairs we bought for probably$9.00 each lasted over 20 years. The ones we bought last year for $20 each are already breaking. So we bought fifty bucks worth of lumber and hardware Tuesday and I built the chair yesterday.

Let me say, that wood working and I do not get along at all. I never mastered it and at my age, I never will. I can have a guide on either side of a circular saw and I will still make a crooked cut. Even after having to do things over a couple of times and getting frustrated enough to toss the whole lot into the wood chipper, it didn't turn out too bad.
It's pissing down today, so I'll wood putty and sand it in the garage later today, then Mrs.Cheest can paint it however she wants.

Looks like a good result.
Lovely to read your post. Woodworking and I never got along either. Like you, no matter how many guides, it won't be a straight line. I can clamp tow pieces together, cut them as one, and they'll still be different lengths.
A while ago, a friend who is insanely good at this sort of stuff, saw me hacking a piece of wood, and started giving advice. "What you need to do is...." NO. What I need is someone else to do it.
I shan't be building any chairs, as I do not like sitting outside. As it gets warmer, I migrate indoors.

 

[bugsymike]

L

Looks like a good result.
Lovely to read your post. Woodworking and I never got along either. Like you, no matter how many guides, it won't be a straight line. I can clamp tow pieces together, cut them as one, and they'll still be different lengths.
A while ago, a friend who is insanely good at this sort of stuff, saw me hacking a piece of wood, and started giving advice. "What you need to do is...." NO. What I need is someone else to do it.
I shan't be building any chairs, as I do not like sitting outside. As it gets warmer, I migrate indoors.

I used to like woodwork at school and was reasonable proficient at it, doing dove tail and even hidden dovetail joints etc. just by marking out and the good use of the wood chisels and so on (no special tools to make the job easier in those days), however I liked working on mechanical things better and soon found the ingrained oil on my hands even after washing would soon find it's way onto a nice piece of prepared wood, so not compatible.

 

[Cheest]

NO. What I need is someone else to do it.

My sentiments exactly when Mrs. Cheest wants 'improvements' around the house.

She wants to pull up the carpeting in the living room, family room, and dining room(I almost agree with the dining room) and replace it with something else(don't know and don't care). I told her to knock herself out and find someone else to do it, cuz I'm not going to move three rooms of furniture and spend three weeks on my knees doing something I didn't want to do in the first place, don't have the skills or know how to do it correctly, and then having to be an asshole about having to do it. And having her mad at me because I'm being an asshole.

 

[portland_bill]

Went to the pharmacy yesterday, to collect our monthly sack of drugs.
The pharmacist (PH) is doing covid vaccinations by appointment. An older woman (OW) was brought in by a younger woman (YW), possibly her daughter. The conversation went thus: (Name changed)

PH: Are you Mrs Jones?
No reply
PH: (Louder) Are you Mrs Jones?
Pause
PH: IS THIS MRS JONES?
Pause
YW: She won't answer you, she can't hear.

These people are among us.

 

[portland_bill]

Late afternoon, lots of noise. Air ambulance circling to land in the sports field nearby. Left about an hour later.
Sadly, someone was having a really bad day. Puts one's own troubles into perspective.

 

[StevenRB45]

Away from home, brought everything but the remote for the fire stick can't use the app because I can't get on the WiFi with the remote.

Ah bum...

Having said that 3 hours on the motorway with a 5 year old passed without incident so small mercies and I remembered all the bits for his stuff obviously.

 

[portland_bill]

The grass has got to about 18" high, so despite the cat loving it, something needs to be done. Then access is needed to the manhole, as drain has a blockage.
Heaved the old mower out, set on its highest setting, and off I went. Integral grassbox, so can't run without, so needs emptying every 2 minutes, but otherwise coping well. It is old, it is noisy, and it vibrates a bit, no, a lot. It is over 25 years old, so done well.
There I am, fighting the grass, noisy mower, orange cable into the back door. Door, left open, of course.
Carer arrives. Sees me, goes indoors, shuts the door. It fails to latch, so she slams it. Genius.
Result, a slight kink in the cable, a corresponding kink in the doorseal. Cable still working, RCD didn't trip.

Perhaps I needed a big yellow sign over the cable?

 

[bugsymike]

The grass has got to about 18" high, so despite the cat loving it, something needs to be done. Then access is needed to the manhole, as drain has a blockage.
Heaved the old mower out, set on its highest setting, and off I went. Integral grassbox, so can't run without, so needs emptying every 2 minutes, but otherwise coping well. It is old, it is noisy, and it vibrates a bit, no, a lot. It is over 25 years old, so done well.
There I am, fighting the grass, noisy mower, orange cable into the back door. Door, left open, of course.
Carer arrives. Sees me, goes indoors, shuts the door. It fails to latch, so she slams it. Genius.
Result, a slight kink in the cable, a corresponding kink in the doorseal. Cable still working, RCD didn't trip.

Perhaps I needed a big yellow sign over the cable?

Some seem to have "the brains of a rocking horse", when my mum was still alive I got a panic phone call from her saying coal fired room heater was "out of control", as I drove up the road the chimney was blasting away like some old power station! Got into the room where my mum was still laying in bed and found the idiot (sorry carer) had slammed the room heater door shut bending the safety device out the way with the ash tray jamming the bottom open so giving full draft to the fire with no control, I managed to open the door, refit the ash tray and it's door, then close it and room gradually got back to normal temp. From memory the "carer" had already cleared off to her next job after her usual spending 15 minutes at my mum's out of the hour paid for (arrive 15 minutes late from previous job, then 15 minutes on toilet, 15 minutes working? then leave 15 minutes early for start of next job, leaving my mum potentially to burn to death!!! This was back in 1997, one would have hoped standards may have improved?

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Heaved the old mower out, set on its highest setting, and off I went. Integral grassbox, so can't run without, so needs emptying every 2 minutes, but otherwise coping well. It is old, it is noisy, and it vibrates a bit, no, a lot. It is over 25 years old, so done well.
There I am, fighting the grass, noisy mower, orange cable into the back door. Door, left open, of course.
Carer arrives. Sees me, goes indoors, shuts the door. It fails to latch, so she slams it. Genius.
Result, a slight kink in the cable, a corresponding kink in the doorseal. Cable still working, RCD didn't trip.

Perhaps I needed a big yellow sign over the cable?

As you'll have realized by now, old mowers are right up my street! Wish i lived nearer you because I'd love to balance up the blade and see if that smoothed it out!

Unfortunately I don't have an instant cure for people who force things when they don't seem to work smoothly - your door for instance. The door between our house and the garage, being internal, is a very heavy fire door. if you slam it it's the equivalent to hitting the door frame with a sledge hammer! unfortunately it has a quite strong return spring - to ensure it always closes if left to it's own devices - and the effect of the spring closing it is similar. For the last 40 years I've been saying to Mrs J and the kids "Don't let the garage door slam shut" but it's fallen on deaf ears mostly. Quite a lot of plaster is now missing round the frame and it's slightly loose on it's fixings. I'm hoping it's going to outlast me though and then the kids will have to bear the cost of having it repaired before they sell the house! - serves them right I say!

 

[portland_bill]

As you'll have realized by now, old mowers are right up my street! Wish i lived nearer you because I'd love to balance up the blade and see if that smoothed it out!

Blade not the issue.
It is not a direct blade on the motor. There's a short drive belt from motor to blade, with the housing having bearings in it. The bearings are sloppy now, and peened in, so difficult to replace. Housing no longer available. Do I want to try dismantling it, not really, but now you've tempted me to do so.
A couple of years ago, I found a stockist with a new housing. Ordered it, and a new belt. Belt not in stock, so no delivery until belt arrived. (Only one delivery charge, so they obviously didn't want to have the cost of a belt in a jiffy bag later. Ordered September. Belt delivery date promise moved, and again, and again. Then in February, belt arrived, on its own, housing to follow. Why no housing? Out of stock. But it was in stock at time of order, and taking my money. My guess, is they didn't flag it as sold, or move it to pending orders, so later sold it to someone else. By the time the belt arrived, housing no longer available. Bit of a fight to get refund, but Ii won. Then passed on all emails and payment evidence to Trading Standards, and credit card company. Seller got a bollocking.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Blade not the issue.
It is not a direct blade on the motor. There's a short drive belt from motor to blade, with the housing having bearings in it. The bearings are sloppy now, and peened in, so difficult to replace. Housing no longer available. Do I want to try dismantling it, not really, but now you've tempted me to do so.
A couple of years ago, I found a stockist with a new housing. Ordered it, and a new belt. Belt not in stock, so no delivery until belt arrived. (Only one delivery charge, so they obviously didn't want to have the cost of a belt in a jiffy bag later. Ordered September. Belt delivery date promise moved, and again, and again. Then in February, belt arrived, on its own, housing to follow. Why no housing? Out of stock. But it was in stock at time of order, and taking my money. My guess, is they didn't flag it as sold, or move it to pending orders, so later sold it to someone else. By the time the belt arrived, housing no longer available. Bit of a fight to get refund, but Ii won. Then passed on all emails and payment evidence to Trading Standards, and credit card company. Seller got a bollocking.

Ah, all is made clear. Sounds a bit of an unusual set up? Most I've seen have the blade straight on the end of the motor shaft.

 

[The Panda Nut]

Some seem to have "the brains of a rocking horse", when my mum was still alive I got a panic phone call from her saying coal fired room heater was "out of control", as I drove up the road the chimney was blasting away like some old power station! Got into the room where my mum was still laying in bed and found the idiot (sorry carer) had slammed the room heater door shut bending the safety device out the way with the ash tray jamming the bottom open so giving full draft to the fire with no control, I managed to open the door, refit the ash tray and it's door, then close it and room gradually got back to normal temp. From memory the "carer" had already cleared off to her next job after her usual spending 15 minutes at my mum's out of the hour paid for (arrive 15 minutes late from previous job, then 15 minutes on toilet, 15 minutes working? then leave 15 minutes early for start of next job, leaving my mum potentially to burn to death!!! This was back in 1997, one would have hoped standards may have improved?

One would but NO Kinchance unfortunately. I think I will hang myself soon and avoid getting involved with people 'caring' for me. It will be less painful. Fortunatley there are some good carers but its pot luck if you meet any of them. Its unfairly and badly paid work and other 'people' are creaming off a lot of money from the elderly and infirm for this poor care. I sincerely hope they get theirs when their time is approaching. Not that that will affect things sadly.

 

[The Panda Nut]

As you'll have realized by now, old mowers are right up my street! Wish i lived nearer you because I'd love to balance up the blade and see if that smoothed it out!

Unfortunately I don't have an instant cure for people who force things when they don't seem to work smoothly - your door for instance. The door between our house and the garage, being internal, is a very heavy fire door. if you slam it it's the equivalent to hitting the door frame with a sledge hammer! unfortunately it has a quite strong return spring - to ensure it always closes if left to it's own devices - and the effect of the spring closing it is similar. For the last 40 years I've been saying to Mrs J and the kids "Don't let the garage door slam shut" but it's fallen on deaf ears mostly. Quite a lot of plaster is now missing round the frame and it's slightly loose on it's fixings. I'm hoping it's going to outlast me though and then the kids will have to bear the cost of having it repaired before they sell the house! - serves them right I say!

The cure? Its called a baseball bat!

Have you tried screw in frame fixings. I have some that you drill an 8mm hole through frame and into either morter or brick. Theythey screw in and cut their own thread in the brick, no rawlplugs etc reqjuired. Truly amazing things. They would hold a loose floor on a sky scraper! I often think if anyone wants to get into our house it would be quicker and easier to break through the brickwork than getting round the doors or windows.

 

[bugsymike]

The cure? Its called a baseball bat!

Have you tried screw in frame fixings. I have some that you drill an 8mm hole through frame and into either morter or brick. Theythey screw in and cut their own thread in the brick, no rawlplugs etc reqjuired. Truly amazing things. They would hold a loose floor on a sky scraper! I often think if anyone wants to get into our house it would be quicker and easier to break through the brickwork than getting round the doors or windows.

I have used those, drill the hole then hammer drill them in on doors and PVC window frames etc.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

The cure? Its called a baseball bat!

Have you tried screw in frame fixings. I have some that you drill an 8mm hole through frame and into either morter or brick. Theythey screw in and cut their own thread in the brick, no rawlplugs etc reqjuired. Truly amazing things. They would hold a loose floor on a sky scraper! I often think if anyone wants to get into our house it would be quicker and easier to break through the brickwork than getting round the doors or windows.

Sounds very like what my joiner pal used to fit the windows when we were doing up my son's first flat.

 

[The Panda Nut]

My doors have 16 holding them. Tgey aint going anywhere unless tge wallsgo first.