and did I remember to put the pressure washer gun away where it wouldn'tfreeze?

Arse.

Last year a piece inside the gun froze and split. So I got a s/h gun off
ebay, and thought to myself, "don't leave this out where it will freeze
next time" - but of course I did. This year the pressure hose forcing
itself out of the gun has split the outer casing - and did I keep the
old gun "just in case" - of course not.

I tried to fix the hose in using a fairly well secured, substantial, tie
wrap.

It lasted[1] about 0.001ms


[1] Sorry Pip, one more I had to throw away.

<fires up ebay again>

 

heh, I did that a couple years back... but so far have remembered to bring
the new one in.

Well done that man.

 

Haha just been doing *exactly* the same thing. I was thinking of Pip as
I snipped off the remains of the four cable ties.

Plan B involved four jubilee clips[1], & that worked a treat.

[1] Made from a kit.

 

<fx: Bows head and intones a short requiem ...>

Paul.

 

Thank you, my son. Salvation will be yours ... eventually, when you
see the error of your ways and out the Dreams, at least.

 

Ah, Gubiles. A far better bet, and reusable to boot.

I've never had any success with the kit-form "worm-drive clips", can
never get them to bits on the drive, somehow. Prolly doing something
wrong. Ended up welding the last couple I made up.

 

"a prayer over the 4 fallen heroes" ;-)

**** no, since I've been bikeless, [1] i've had even more of a kick up
the rear to sort out the stricken fleet.

And I still need to out the FrontError, which is slowly oxidising into
the driveway [2]

Paul.

[1] Since all my bikes are currently scattered around the globe, none
are local to me IYSWIM ...
[2] I took it for MOT to my tame tester, and he said 'I think it's
about time we gave this thing the last rites'

 

Those that have gone before, never to be zipped again.

I'm getting that way, myself.

Ah, the FrontError of your driveway. That's what is was referring to,
as it happens.

I don't even have that excuse.

I was stopped by a copper and asked why the Mini I was driving didn't
have a tax disc. "On my way to a pre-booked MoT, Officer. I've just
brought this little beast back from the dead, see". Copper looks
around, then whispers through his little 'tache: "Looks like it's still
on life support to me". Haha, how I laughed. ****.

 

I rather miss the days of the sarcastic copper. It may be a getting older
thing but I am sure that when I was nowt burra lad it was a requirement
and these modern times are a little colourless as a result.

 

I've still got a few stainless steel cable ties that really are the
dogs danglies when it comes to effecting emergency repairs.
You're supposed to pull them up with a special tool but pliers will do
the job well enough in most cases and every toolbox should have a few
in stock for those jobs where plastic ties just can't cope.

 

ha. Nice.

Years ago, I was pulled over in Skelmersdale by some traffic cops who
went to town on my (admittedly) ropey looking Alfasud [1]. The fucker
was pulling on the wings to see if they would fall off, and had a
tread gauge stuck in my tyres.

He was visibly upset when he couldn't find anything to nick me for ...

Paul.

[1] Hand painted in Matt Black with Halford's finest rattle cans

 

<incredulous>

Stainless steel cable ties? Ooh! Ooh!

 

Oh, sure. Gone the way of the shiny peak, the little gay 'tache and
wearing uniforms that doesn't make them look like SWAT team members on
an assault course. I was always game for a bit of verbal abuse,
especially if it saved a day in Court.

 

Google is your friend. You know you want some...

 

They won't go anywhere near as tight as pre-formed ones, & I wouldn't
bother with them in a tight place, but they're ok for general bodging.
The trick is to use a socket rather than a screwdriver, & hold the
drive housing with pliers to stop them twisting out of shape whilst
tightening.

 

<nostrils flare>

Aaargh! I do hate you, Bonwick!

 

Have you found them yet? panduit make them and you'll find no shortage
of suppliers. You could have them in your hands by Tuesday if you
ordered them today.

 

You're an evil man Bonwick.

 

That's where I came unstuck on the most recent attempt, then: the
bigger end of a CV joint rubber. It did work in the end, with a bit of
help and 'relieving' the bottom of the strut housing with an angle
grinder to allow space to rotate.

I never use a screwdriver on any clips, unless to ping off the 'orrible
factory fit things that never go again. My tame Snap-On man convinced
me of the wonders of a screwdriver-handled flexi-drive with a 3/8"
square on the end 25 (ulp!) years ago. Violently expensive it was, but
he guarnteed it wouldn't "Rip, slip or turn inside-out" and it
obviously hasn't.

I was dead dubious about loading it to start with, but have been giving
it full welly for decades and it still works fine. He "threw in" a
Bit-Box with a 3/8" adaptor to enable use as a screwdriver, but I used
with with the Skil cordless drill he'd also tucked me up for.

I have used that flexi for every Jubilee clip and awkward nut, screw
and bolt that you reasonably expect a screwdriver to remove ever since.
He caught me again for 4, 5, 6 and 7mm 3/8 sockets as well, of course,
to ensure I could get the non-standard clips too.

Om the other hand (literally) I don't suffer from the stab wounds to
the palms that I used to, as sockets don't slip out of slots and if
they do, they don't penetrate.

 

I've had them so desperate to find something, and so incredulous that
the obvious shed of a car wasn't giving them ammo, that they've started
on the car /on the trailer/ that I was towing. Good job they never
weighed the trailer+load, nor checked the train weight of the towing
vehicle, really.

Tasteful. If they'd ever come close to one of mine with a magnet ...
it would have fallen straight off.