Collet Tool, part 1

Last time mentioned ordering cheap 8mm slot screw bits, 1.2mm thick. This to make my own SIFAM collet tool. Received the bits with a bit of delay, just before I left last weekend.
It is a small pack of 3 bits for €2.75 so one bit is about only 90 cents.

When unpacking, I was slightly alarmed by the claims ‘Extra Hard’ and ‘Made in Czech Republic’. So this actually might be very good quality, instead of the cheap and soft steel I had hoped for at this price...

Bosch 2 607 001 468 Extra Hard S8 bits

Tried a small needle file file on it, and can confirm it is really good steel.
Instead of using a lot of patience and elbow grease ordered a Proxxon Micromot 28 240 diamond coated grind bit (1.8mm) for about €3.49

Bit clampled in a small vice with red marker

Will try it in a drill at a high RPM setting and gradually mill a small indent, as marked inside the red region in this picture. If it fails, still can have two other tries.

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ADR modules part 1

This is a restoration project I’ve been procrastinating around since about 2015. This will be quite some work, but then if one doesn’t start at least it will not happen at all. This will be a step by step project, and see how far we get with this Kaizen like approach. So first a short intro of the four audio modules made by Audio & Design (Recording) Ltd, in the mid 70s based in Shinfield Green, Reading, Berkshire UK. The company still exists to this date and is still active in pro-audio and is now in a different location but still in Reading. These modules can be dated to the mid 1970s, more precisely found the E900 Equaliser unit quality checklists to be dated 12 November 1976. There are two E900 equaliser modules, and two F760N Compressor/Limiters. A picture of the now dismantled mixing desk with the four modules. The mixing desk was in a quite dusty and sorry state. The desk was too space consuming and heavy to keep and many other parts were sold as separate items. ...

A Story of Repair (SoR): Electric Kettle

One or two weeks ago, during the day, the RCCD (residual-current circuit breaker) tripped. The root cause was very unclear at first since no equipment was switched on or off during the event. Also the weather was quite humid and sticky after a thunderstorm, so that could be a factor as well. By unplugging some usual suspects one at a time, we could trace it to the culprit. First I unplugged the coffee maker from the mains, but again the RCCD tripped after some minutes. Next the electric kettle was unplugged, and bingo! The RCCD did not trip again. This Kettle, a Tristar HL-108B, has a base piece. This base did have my suspicion, since the inner wires became visible from where there should be a cable strain relief. Opening the base required special spanner or ‘fork’ style screws. Somehow they want to discourage repair, but they are wrong. With a suitable long bit style drivers it was fairly easy to get access to the wire terminals. The multimeter did not show any problems, but these kin...

More cheap trick tool alternatives (Remove Stuck/Seized/Frozen Bottom Bracket Fixed Cup)

Many bicycle tools can be quite expensive for an average tinkerer. On the other end some parts can be so hard to remove, that they do require some investment in tools to get the job done. E.g. to remove the fixed cup of an old road bike. Found this neat trick on Youtube for that exact problem, by "RJ The Bike Guy". Note he starts with an expensive electric impact wrench which works wonders if you own such a thing, but watch the video to the end where he shows a bit cheaper way where he uses some long breaker bar.

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