Specialty Tools

[Poppy]

The Poppy situation involves pipes going up to, then across the attic, then down (I think). Using air compressed solves the matter of trapped water in his pipes (hoses?)

Yes @KITROBASKIN you are correct. I do have water lines that run through my attic. One of them burst 2 years ago. I had my plumber install an air coupling inline so that I could blow out the two lines that go to my outdoor faucets.

After I blow out the lines, I then pump RV antifreeze into them, just incase there is a belly in the line that the air got through, and then water still in the line settled back.

Only after I bought those other adapters, did I come to think that I probably could have connected my air hose to the side of the house, and blow the lines out to the faucet in the back of the house.
Oh well.

I did use those adapters on my garden hoses, although I disconnected them and did the walk back hand over hand with them over my head. I did it while blowing air through them. Not really necessary, but I had to put them to use. giggle.

 

[bykfixer]

Wait a minute:
Your outside spigots are fed by pipe in the attic?
Is your house a slab house?

Can you put a pair of petcock vacuum release valves on the line in the attic?

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

I don't understand why when it was originally built, the contractor didn't heat tape wrap the pipes and then completely insulate them, and then put some kind of drain system in to it. PPPPPR.

 

[Galane]

On the dowsing rods, my father was an expert with them. There's a lot of wells around Idaho and Oregon that he told the people exactly where to drill, how deep, and how much water they'd get. If they did exactly what he said, that's what they got.
He could also find things other than water. His favorite material to make rods was headliner bows from cars, back when headliners were made of fabric with tubes stitched onto the upper side, slid over steel rods to hold the liner up.

But for me? Nope. Wouldn't work at all or they'd just turn left or right or randomly cross and not lead me to anything.

My uncle in law (mom's sister's husband) *could have* used them effectively. Dad showed him how to do it and when the rods moved, Jim managed to get such a grip they wouldn't move. So dad made Jim a set with pieces of steel pipe on the handles so he couldn't stop them from turning. Jim was one of those people who had the entire Holy Bible memorized and being able to use dowsing rods freaked him out so after those few times he refused to use them again. Something something devil satan something...

The shape of the headliner bow rods wasn't round, and with around 3 feet of rod out there torquing on a non-round rod roughly 1/4" diameter, you could feel them twist. When they'd move for me I'd sometimes try to stop them but couldn't. So Jim must've had a really strong grip on them.

Dad taught a lot of people (those for whom it would work) to use a pair of rods. Dunno if any of them went on to do anything with their ability. People who couldn't do it could see it working for others.

It's like some other things some can do almost instinctively, some can learn to do, and some simply cannot no matter how much they try.

 

[Poppy]

Wait a minute:
Your outside spigots are fed by pipe in the attic?
Is your house a slab house?

Can you put a pair of petcock vacuum release valves on the line in the attic?

Your outside spigots are fed by pipe in the attic?
YES
Is your house a slab house?
YES
Can you put a pair of petcock vacuum release valves on the line in the attic?
I googled "petcock vacuum release valves" and came up with fuel pressure regulators.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

It's like some other things some can do almost instinctively, some can learn to do, and some simply cannot no matter how much they try.

There is consensus in some circles that we have a sixth sense. This seems to be comprised of a mix of all of our other senses that combine in ways that are difficult to quantify, but still can result in a heightened perception of subtle and diffuse phenomena. In other words, maybe you're carrying the dowsing rods and looking for water. You might have an unconscious awareness of subtle changes in the hardness of the ground under your feet, maybe a slight change in static electricity, a faint odor change, or something you can't quite put your finger on, and this unconsciously drives tiny movements in your hands.

Essentially you're using a sense that you didn't realize you had - a kind of macro sense.

 

[bykfixer]

Your outside spigots are fed by pipe in the attic?
YES
Is your house a slab house?
YES
Can you put a pair of petcock vacuum release valves on the line in the attic?
I googled "petcock vacuum release valves" and came up with fuel pressure regulators.

A petcock is a type of valve very similar to a ball valve but a ball valve like you already have will do.

At your cut off valve in the attic drop in a T with a vertical ball valve and a short section of pipe with threaded end so you can add a simple cap.

When you shut the water off to the outside spigot, remove the threaded cap and open the vertical valve to break the vacuum. The cap adds protection in case the valve ever lets water past.

You could insert a backflow preventer that will stop water from leaving the vacuum breaker should the valve not cut off 100% in time but a cap would be more economical.

 

[bykfixer]

There is consensus in some circles that we have a sixth sense. This seems to be comprised of a mix of all of our other senses that combine in ways that are difficult to quantify, but still can result in a heightened perception of subtle and diffuse phenomena. In other words, maybe you're carrying the dowsing rods and looking for water. You might have an unconscious awareness of subtle changes in the hardness of the ground under your feet, maybe a slight change in static electricity, a faint odor change, or something you can't quite put your finger on, and this unconsciously drives tiny movements in your hands.

Essentially you're using a sense that you didn't realize you had - a kind of macro sense.

It seems to have something to do with the earth's magnetic field and one's electrical system.

When I was younger I needed to put a band aid on the back of my quartz wrist watch to keep it from running too fast. Back the divining rods worked great for me. One year something changed. Emotional stuff I won't get into but my system changed after that. My watches no longer run fast and a divining rod is hit or niss with me anymore.

Seriously, whenever I wore one my quartz watches always ran fast. When not worn they did not run fast. My pop said cover the back of my watch with a bandaid and that worked.

 

[Poppy]

View attachment 52193
A petcock is a type of valve very similar to a ball valve but a ball valve like you already have will do.

At your cut off valve in the attic drop in a T with a vertical ball valve and a short section of pipe with threaded end so you can add a simple cap.

When you shut the water off to the outside spigot, remove the threaded cap and open the vertical valve to break the vacuum. The cap adds protection in case the valve ever lets water past.

You could insert a backflow preventer that will stop water from leaving the vacuum breaker should the valve not cut off 100% in time but a cap would be more economical.

Got it. Thanks!

 

[Poppy]

For years I've owned a 13/16ths 3/8 drive spark plug socket, It has a sponge rubber boot inside of it to hold onto the plug. At some point I picked up a similar one sized 5/8th inch. Today I bought a 9/16th inch one that has a magnet inside it.

They've become more important in today's engines because it seems that the spark plugs are more recessed.

The one on the left is magnetized, the one on the right has a rubber boot.

 

[bykfixer]

I didn't know whether to put this one here or in the Megeyver thread since it has kite string and duct tape as parts.

An emergency down spout unclogger.
It started out as an overhead plant watering tool like for hanging baskets that got broken. The curved end on the top has a doggy nail file fastened to the tip with two small screws and duct tape. The middle section is a section of 3/4" plastic pipe with a small screw fastening the 1/2" pipe with the curved tip to that. About mid-way down is a sleeve of 1" alluminum pipe as a stiffener for the plastic pipe. At the base is a 3/4" inch section of alluminum pipe with a smaller pipe inside that is adjustable.

I built it about 25 years ago one rainy day out of stuff I found in my dad's garage to unclog a down spout he had trouble with. I later built him one out of a 12' long fiberglass "bean pole" with a pair of scissors fastened to it. The scissors were fastened in the center to stay about 60 degrees open so that one arm mounts to the pole and the other about a 60 degree angle away from the pole. It's much nicer than the original version. When I bought the house I live in now it was surrounded with trees so one almost had to clean the gutters daily in the Fall or use the ole rigged up contraption in wet season.

Most of the trees are gone now but it still comes in handy from time to time.

I may go to home depot some day and buy a stick of 1/2" pipe with a 45 degree bend and build one that looks a lot nicer.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

Nice, and it gets the job done.

Earlier this fall I had a similar idea that I haven't gotten around to building yet. Fashion a long stick to unclog gutters and equip it with a cheap wi-fi camera, using a cell phone as the viewfinder so you can see what you're doing without needing to climb up a ladder. I got as far as obtaining a couple of cheap, lightweight wi-fi camera modules but one of them went poof when I powered it up, apparently a manufacturing defect. I powered up the other one briefly using the same wiring and it was ok. Then I got distracted by other stuff.

 

[bykfixer]

It pays to have the correct screwdriver.
Or torx or allen or even square tip. Yet the universal driver allows for all that without having a whole drawer full. A bunch of specialty tools in one.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

A spudger tool. This is used for managing tiny wires in close quarters like punch-downs in patch panels. The hook shape at the top and the notch at the bottom end make it possible to twist, pull and position small 26-28 gauge wires. I've had these in my kits for years.

 

[scalpel_ninja]

Cobbled this together today. I was attempting to remove a retaining ring in a Novatac SPL-120. The SLR lens tool I was using wasn't working, even after boiling the head. I was fed up and bought M12 washers and tube stock. I ground the washer down so the corners would fit into the four grooves of the ring and welded it to a tube, then welded the vertical part to a handle. It's ugly as sin, but it got that red thread locked ring out after heating the head a second time with a reflow plate.

 

[bykfixer]

Anybody remember these?
Found this one unopened in my work truck yesterday.

For the last 20 some years I migrate from one truck to another and find at least one little plastic bag of random stuff from the previous truck. All small stuff accumulated over decades. Often a bag in a bag, or bags in a bag. Yesterday I was swapping to another vehicle and decided to see just what the heck was in those bags. It was like a time capsule in a sense.

I found generic tylenol that had expired in 2005, various promo inkpens, alkaline batteries that had not leaked, various lighters with butane left, and miniature staplers (like keychain size) to name a few. Some of it I tossed in a bankers box with some current stuff to keep it going. I kept the cd opener out to go on a shelf in my den with other odds and ends.

 

[PhotonWrangler]

View attachment 54265
Anybody remember these?
Found this one unopened in my work truck yesterday.

For the last 20 some years I migrate from one truck to another and find at least one little plastic bag of random stuff from the previous truck. All small stuff accumulated over decades. Often a bag in a bag, or bags in a bag. Yesterday I was swapping to another vehicle and decided to see just what the heck was in those bags. It was like a time capsule in a sense.

I found generic tylenol that had expired in 2005, various promo inkpens, alkaline batteries that had not leaked, various lighters with butane left, and miniature staplers (like keychain size) to name a few. Some of it I tossed in a bankers box with some current stuff to keep it going. I kept the cd opener out to go on a shelf in my den with other odds and ends.

Yeah I had one of those also. I think I used it once or twice. I'm also guilty of having those collections of random stuff in bags. Every now and then Ii find something in one of those bags that winds up getting put back into service, like oddball co-ax adapters.

 

[IMA SOL MAN]

Yup! My house is like Fibber McGee's closet! I know exactly what you mean! Happens here every once in a while.

 

[Poppy]

A pen or pencil can be a very important specialty tool.

I heard a little squeaking under the hood of my car. I assumed that it was the idler pully or the tensioner pulley, so I ordered both. If one goes it's not long before the other goes. So I bought the tensioner, and a new serpentine belt.

Before removing the belt, I used a pen to draw out a routing diagram.

 

[raggie33]

We used to just use wd40 to temporarily silence the bad bearing to know which one it was but a course now that seems like it may harm the belt