{{ Stuff that just works }}

[Chauncey Gardener]

It's time for pliers to get another mention. This time it's going to be the smooth-jaw type.

When you need to repair something you don't want scratched, they just work. :thumbsup:

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Offset pipe wrench or what some call a finishing wrench. A must have tool for fixing commercial plumbing. I was looking at getting one a few years ago but then they were $45, I was shocked when I see HD has one for $29 now may pick one up at that price.

 

[Chauncey Gardener]

Yep! That's the price I paid last April. $44. I shopped locally, but didn't find them in stock at Ace or HD. So, off to the local plumbing supply store.

Our church and school have 16 toilets and six urinals, the newest being 20 years old. It was time to stop wrapping the fixtures with shop towels when a repair was needed.

While on the subject of plumbing, something else that just works is the Flushometer toilet valve system. The guy that invented them, William Elvis Sloan, was a genius.

 

[KITROBASKIN]

Interesting about the flushometer. Guessing the bypass port is what gets adjusted to change flow timing and where bits of grit or precipitate impair the functioning. Sometimes a sharp rap with the side of a fist is sufficient to get the valve to close. Having worked in a school environment for over 20 years, we always have those valves running nonstop at times.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I bought a set of smooth jaw slip joint pliers for about $10 on ebay to work on things but it wasn't big enough for the nuts on flush valves it did ok on the sink nuts though. I saw Reed now sells an offset finish wrench but it could be a rebranded Ridgid these days you can't tell who makes their own tools any more.

 

[Chauncey Gardener]

Interesting about the flushometer. Guessing the bypass port is what gets adjusted to change flow timing and where bits of grit or precipitate impair the functioning. Sometimes a sharp rap with the side of a fist is sufficient to get the valve to close. Having worked in a school environment for over 20 years, we always have those valves running nonstop at times.

There are a few different things that can cause issues over time. They have a fix for most of them. https://sloanrepair.com/blogs/blog/sloan-royal-vs-regal-flushometer-comparison

 

[Lynx_Arc]

There are a few different things that can cause issues over time. They have a fix for most of them. https://sloanrepair.com/blogs/blog/sloan-royal-vs-regal-flushometer-comparison
I've been purchasing the new & improved version without knowing.

Yes, I"m sure you can repair them but unless you replace most of the parts that can go wrong at that time you will have other parts not replaced possibly fail sooner than you would if you put a whole new unit in and we had long travel time plus a 2 man crew that the client was being charged for and units were very heavily used in a larger grocery store. I just read the royal vs regal I've not noticed which ones we replaced but I have messed with new auto flush units of one brand and it was a disaster not sure why but we had leaks on about 1/4 of them and couldn't figure out how to stop them as nobody had experience repairing them. Hopefully they fixed the problem as brand new flush valves automatic or not shouldn't leak at all

 

[5S8Zh5]

Just brewed coffee cup that won't burn your fingers and stays hot the longest? My n=1 is double walled glass cups [ small or large ].

 

[bykfixer]

The drinking cup was a great invention. Double wall coffee cup? Neat-o!!


Polarized sunglasses just work. Rhinestone shades or cheap sunglasses.

Polaroid, the company most think of as a camera company invented them.

 

[Chauncey Gardener]

The drinking cup was a great invention. Double wall coffee cup? Neat-o!!


Polarized sunglasses just work. Rhinestone shades or cheap sunglasses.

Polaroid, the company most think of as a camera company invented them.

Yep! 5S8 got me with the double wall coffee cup. :) Ours are scheduled for arrival today. L@@King forward to not needing to microwave my coffee two or three times.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I will only buy polarized sunglasses.

 

[archimedes]

I will only buy polarized sunglasses.

Some electronic displays become difficult to read ... :(

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Some electronic displays become difficult to read ... :(

Yup but you can turn your head 90 degrees and usually read them.

 

[archimedes]

Yup but you can turn your head 90 degrees and usually read them.

That seems inconvenient to me :shrug:

 

[PhotonWrangler]

Polarized glasses make portions of my car's dashboard display vanish completely. Mostly non-safety-critical stuff like temperature but still annoying.

 

[Lynx_Arc]

Polarized glasses make portions of my car's dashboard display vanish completely. Mostly non-safety-critical stuff like temperature but still annoying.

LCD displays do that as they are also polarized and if the two get at the right angle you can't see the readout.

 

[Poppy]

I also only buy polarized lenses. I thought that I couldn't read the clock on my car radio because the lenses made it darker. Who'd a thought?

I don't have a problem with learning something every day, because I often forget it and get to learn it again! :)

 

[Lynx_Arc]

I also only buy polarized lenses. I thought that I couldn't read the clock on my car radio because the lenses made it darker. Who'd a thought?

I don't have a problem with learning something every day, because I often forget it and get to learn it again! :)

I've taken apart LCD displays and if you don't get them back correctly they end up negative colored that is the face is black and the numbers light colored.

 

[Owen]

After a couple of decades using and killing cheap Torx bits, and recently stripping both of my remaining T6 ones on clip screws that they never got fully tightened, I finally stopped being half-assed and got a set of Wihas.
The set of 8 cost 6x what the little Husky 8 in 1 things(that I've ruined 4 of, total) do, but my clips won't budge, now, because I finally got something that actually works:thumbsup:

Should have bought a good Torx set a long time ago, as into folding knives as I used to be...

 

[archimedes]

After a couple of decades using and killing cheap Torx bits, and recently stripping both of my remaining T6 ones on clip screws that they never got fully tightened, I finally stopped being half-assed and got a set of Wihas.
The set of 8 cost 6x what the little Husky 8 in 1 things(that I've ruined 4 of, total) do, but my clips won't budge, now, because I finally got something that actually works:thumbsup:
....
Should have bought a good Torx set a long time ago, as into folding knives as I used to be...

Good value there, at six-times the price[emoji106]