Thread: What have you repaired, renovated, re purposed or recycled ?

Originally Posted by Big Shed

Actually bought it from the crowd on Goodwood Rd close to the Glenel tramline when I still lived in Adelaide.

That was the model I was thinking of. The place you mention was Futura Industries

I used to go there a lot.

I saw an as new second hand one like that for $240 on Gumtree about 6 mnths ago - should have bought it and saved $100.

Oh well, will have to look harder.

PS - do you buy the bimetal blade off Ebay or through a saw works? What's cheapest - I go to a saw works for my wood bandsaw blades.

Rob

Originally Posted by nearnexus

That was the model I was thinking of. The place you mention was Futura Industries

I used to go there a lot.

I saw an as new second hand one like that for $240 on Gumtree about 6 mnths ago - should have bought it and saved $100.

Oh well, will have to look harder.

PS - do you buy the bimetal blade off Ebay or through a saw works? What's cheapest - I go to a saw works for my wood bandsaw blades.

Rob

Yes, that's the one, couldn't remember the name Weren't they tied up with Redwood Machinery on South Rd? Like you, I used to go there a lot and browse through their interesting range. Still have some MT2 drill bits from 5/8 to 1" that I bought there as well.

I buy my bi-metal blades from the local (Bendigo) saw works, pay about $30 for them and they make them while I wait. I have 2, a fine and a coarse TPI, can't remember the exact numbers.
They last very much longer than the standard blades from Hare and Frobes and cut much faster and cleaner. Also get my wood bandsaw blades there.

Get a bandsaw they need a little tweeking but you won't regret it bloody useful

On the subject of recycling I built my 4 wd articulated mini loader from all recycled steel and hydraulic components I did buy a new engine.

Originally Posted by welder

Get a bandsaw they need a little tweeking but you won't regret it bloody useful

On the subject of recycling I built my 4 wd articulated mini loader from all recycled steel and hydraulic components I did buy a new engine.

Very nice! Can you build me one, with a front bucket? I need another toy for the property....

PDW

Originally Posted by PDW

Very nice! Can you build me one, with a front bucket? I need another toy for the property....

PDW

It will have a front bucket I just haven't build it yet

Originally Posted by nearnexus

Thanks Kryn.

I was thinking that way (band saw) on running costs, but then I heard some have problems with the gearbox, and Ewan said his was only so so.

Anyone else got a comment on this? I only want a bottom of the range model, but how low is the question. I don't need angle cutting.

Rob

Hi Rob,
I guess its just like any h&f gear these days, just needs a bit of tweeking. I have already cut through 90mm dia ms with the cheap supplied blade. It took a while but you can just leave it to do its thing. I did notice on the box the other day the words "made in Taiwan" but whether that's the machine or just the cardboard box who knows..... keep in mind my Hitachi chop saw only lasted half a dozen wheels before the armature blew.....I was cutting lots of big stuff though.
I bought a spare blade from the local industrial supplies place were I got the saw, they have them on the shelf, rontgen brand, m42 cobalt bi-metal, 10/14 tpi, $33.

To the subject of the thread, the mars lathe was rescued from a butcher trying to turn it into a wood lathe, a lot of steel I have was a scrap, and I tend to keep every little offcut etc for use later. The best re-purpose Of late would have been from the shop de fit I did last year, lots of shelves and my mobile draw unit where made from the old cabinets. Plus the bulkhead support frame is being turned into a new pair of front gates to keep the feral children in.....
Cheers Ew

Almost all the shelves, drawers etc in my shed (and there are a lot of them) are made from bulk rubbish collection timber, at a cost to me of some time and a few screws etc. It amazes me what people will throw out, I have a Bosch industrial vaccuum cleaner, just picked up on the roadside, I've been using it for about 10 years now.
I make parts for things all the time, and almost always out of junk. Old taps and plumbing fittings are a good source of brass, and the old brass tap handles make excellent knobs/handles for things.
I will usually at least attempt to repair something before I would throw it away, the problem with that is I've now got a reputation of being able to fix anything. My daughters bring me stuff that is totally beyond any kind of repair and ask me to fix it saying go on dad you can fix anything. Many things, yes; anything no.

Originally Posted by BRADFORD

I will usually at least attempt to repair something before I would throw it away, the problem with that is I've now got a reputation of being able to fix anything. My daughters bring me stuff that is totally beyond any kind of repair and ask me to fix it saying go on dad you can fix anything. Many things, yes; anything no.

It's only a bit of time. And you learn a lot pulling stuff apart. And when you fix it without spending much (or any) money on it you get a warm fuzzy feeling seeing it back in action. Well I do

Like this junked pressure washer I picked up. I wouldn't buy one, as I don't particularly like them (they are great for putting water into places that it shouldn't be used on - like wheel hubs/bearings), but when you can get one for nothing, who cares.

So another learning curve on pressure washers.

Can always sell it if the repair works like it should and I don't like it. Still sorting the carby on that cheap Genny. It's got a few problems.

Rob

Originally Posted by welder

It will have a front bucket I just haven't build it yet

As I said, I want..... with a front bucket and a 3' slasher on the back it'd be perfect for maintenance round here.

Wonderful toy. Nice work.

PDW

This should be a good thread to watch.

Where to start as I am a scrounger of all things tossed out for recycling since a kid, making such as Billy Carts from pram wheels and axles at age 6. Restored an old 24" bike at age 9. Lots forgotten about.
Restorer of old vehicles, repairer of damaged vehicles buses, coaches, cars, trucks, motorbikes. I guess just about anything wood metal or what ever I see I can possible use stuff off or alter or repair I'll have a go.

The worst that can happen is that you will fail.

But at least you had a go.

So if you have no success, store that experience away as a learning exercise and move on to the next project.

People that are too afraid to tackle jobs for fear of failure are deluding themselves. Life is full of failures.

We all fail, but so what, we also succeed and that's what makes it sweet.

Winners are things you never forget.

It might only be a small win, but at least you did it.

My motto has always been, if he can do it then so can I.

Cheers

Rob

Originally Posted by nearnexus

Thanks Kryn.

I was thinking that way (band saw) on running costs, but then I heard some have problems with the gearbox, and Ewan said his was only so so.

Anyone else got a comment on this? I only want a bottom of the range model, but how low is the question. I don't need angle cutting.

Rob

G'day Rob,
My first band saw, did do its gearbox in, actually the bearing collapsed, ruining the shaft. Also the motor didn't last long either, about 3 years. But that was 8-12 hrs per day 5 days a week so I suppose not to bad a run.
I get my band saw blades from Independant Saw Works on Torrens Rd, about $25.00 plus posting. When fitting a new blade it is most important to adjust the bearing rollers, as per a wood band saw. If not set correctly, they will cut on an angle, top to bottom of cut.
For cutting angles. I leave it set at 90 degrees and fit angle blocks made from flat bar (50X5) to suit the angle I want. The backing for the vise and angle blocks were fitted with a 1/2" bsw nut so that different length stop rods could be fitted, a short 1/2" bsw bolt was welded to the end of the rod, a lock nut was fitted also. Other mods are a chute arrangement under the blade to catch the fine metal swarf, and o/cuts, into a bucket. The threaded vise shaft was modified with a bearing as it wore through the casting. The plate for on/off was replaced with a longer one so that I could partially cut to a certain depth for notching etc.
I found the base too flimsy, I made mine from 50x50x3 angle basically a rectangle with 4 uprights and a flat across the short ends to bolt it to, if you go this way, make sure to mount the saw with the motor inside the frame as it will overbalance when used as a band saw. DAMHIKT!!!!!!. I also fitted locking castors to slide it out of the way when I need more space.
Model Engineers Workshop has a couple of interesting articles on the Asian saws, Tiawanese is better made than Chinese.
This could end up being quite a large thread, like show us your shaper and todays tool gloat. Maybe they need their own section?????????
Hope this helps.
Kryn

Originally Posted by nearnexus

The worst that can happen is that you will fail.

But at least you had a go.

So if you have no success, store that experience away as a learning exercise and move on to the next project.

People that are too afraid to tackle jobs for fear of failure are deluding themselves. Life is full of failures.

We all fail, but so what, we also succeed and that's what makes it sweet.

Winners are things you never forget.

It might only be a small win, but at least you did it.

My motto has always been, if he can do it then so can I.

Cheers

Rob

Pretty much this for me too. If its busted, is it going to be more busted if you didnt get it back together and working?

I love playing with cars for much the same logic as your last point. Some dude put this thing together before, therefore I (usually) can too. Its just a collection of lots of little machines doing little bits and pieces to add to the whole. Except for ECU's. Thats where the pixies live and if i open it up, the pixies will leave and my my cars brain will not work anymore. If electronics get much more complicated than motors and simple circuits, im out of my depth.

I think one of the things against repairing these days is the use of plastic in products. They become lots cheaper but are then not easily repairable. At one stage I was having success using cloth tape (the sort that dress makers use not the sticky stuff) and araldite to build up and reinforce broken plastic [/QUOTE]

Regarding plastic...
I've done a few fixes on my cars (broken console lid, broken hood release handle, broken hatch lift handle) all using ABS dissolved in acetone.

I planed shavings off a Microsoft keyboard, and filled a jar with them, then added acetone and let it sit for a day or so until it reduced to a thick jelly consistency, then used it to mould the repairs, then let it air dry/set. These repairs have all lasted several years.

Cheers,
Andrew