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Thread: Information from where????

  1. #1
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Default Information from where????

    So I have a little project to do. One I have never tackled before. So what do I do, I go to the internet and look it up on You-tube! Just like everyone else.

    I click the first video and within 30 seconds I hear the words, "this is my first attempt at this!"

    I skip that one I don't want lessons from a newbie, I want some experienced help.

    Video #2, ten seconds in, "I have never done this before but here we go!"

    Video #3, "stick with me while we learn this together!"

    Video #4. goes all the way to the end before they rejoice with, "not bad for a first try!"

    I'm trying to fix something that has a little value and can not be replaced, they don't make them any more! I want to do it right, but all I find are people with ten thumbs playing with an old "Operation" game, waiting to see if it buzzes.

    I went back to my last two or three project searches and realized that I have been taking advice from morons for quite some time. Every one of them on a "first try" and filming it!

    Is posting a You-tube video becoming the new version of "Here hold my beer!" for middle class suburbanites?

    I guess the people that really know how to do stuff are busy doing things, rather than posing for some ego boosting, electronic masturbation session!
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?


  2. #2
    Administrator Rick's Avatar
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    We are becoming more British. In a decidedly terrible American way. They post some weird "I've never done this before" stuff on Youtube and now we're doing it. I watched some guy wire up a monitor for his RV battery system using the finest electrical tape for the connections man ever made. Then placed it all right next to metal so if that tape came off or degraded there was sure to be a resounding pop and maybe a nice fire since it was straight from the battery with no fuse in between. I wonder how many "newbies" are going to go out and do it the same way. Just twist those puppies together and cover with tape. It makes you wonder how they've made it through life as far as they have without Darwin catching up with them.

  3. #3
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    That Darwin guy is a bad mo fo when he catches you not paying attention. I did the cable straight from the battery thing. I ran two 2 gage cables from the battery through the firewall, along the door jamb on the drivers side, and into the back seat floorboard for my 1200 W inverter. The inverter worked great, everything worked great until one day when I stepped on the cable clamp hold the cables one too many times. It only need a tiny cut in the insulation to ground out in the most spectacular way. I managed to pull the cable away from its ground and put the fire out without too much damage being done. I learned about fuses and their importance that day.

    kyrat, what is your project? Maybe I can go give it a try and take pictures on the second time around...

    Alan

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    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    It is a simple project now that I did check into it.

    About 30 years ago I bought a Craftsman 3/8" v/speed drill. I got it because I was tired of the B&D crap they were suddenly making back then, going from metal to plastic and lasting about a year for me.

    The Craftsman had a "lifetime" guarantee, which is no longer applicable. All Craftsman stuff did back then.

    Of course I used the crap out of that drill for going on 30 years, built a couple of houses with it, shot all the screws in a couple of very large deck projects and such. It's speed control and torque setting was perfect for driving those big deck screws without snapping them or buggering up the slots, and it had a cord, so it never gave out just before you finished and had to be recharged.

    A couple of years ago I decided to drill some 1/2 inch holes through some rail road cross ties so I could stake them to the ground with rebar. The poor thing gave up half way through the job. Heated up and started sparking out. I burned up the bushes.

    I jumped into the truck and ran to HF and got a 1/2" hammer drill like I should have in the first place. The HF drill only cost $25 and is about twice as big!

    I had never replaced a set of drill brushes and I was looking to see what the project included. I would love to get some more life out of that drill.

    Since it is a 30 year old model I will probably have to order the contacts and springs.

    Really odd thing is that when I buy an electric motor powered device from HF they usually include a set of springs and brushes in the box, and I never know what to do with them. I still expect my tools to last for long enough that I will not remember where I put the spare repair parts that came in the box when they wear out!
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

  5. #5
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Replacing brushes on your drill is simple. I've never done it before, but let me give it a go and put it on Youtube for the world to see.
    Can't Means Won't

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    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    Guests can not see images in the messages. Please register in the forum.
    Can't Means Won't

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    Senior Member Michael aka Mac's Avatar
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    Replacing the brushes on a drill is quite simple. Getting to the brushes on the other hand can be rather tricky. Each drill has a different configuration, wiring, etc. The ways the brushes are attached also can vary from clips, clamps, screws, etc.

    I suggest you start with gathering the following: Magnifying glass, several small containers to put screws, clamps, etc in , a camera, and pen and paper, screw driver (reg & Philips), needle nose pliers

    TO replace your brushes you 1st need to get access to them. Once you remove the case housing of the drill, take a "Before u do any work" photo to use as a reference. Locate where all the brushes are on drill and make a paper diagram and write down what you remove and unscrew and its location on the paper.

    In some drills you will need to further take apart the drill housing and possibly finger trigger to access the bottom brushes.

    Between the photo and hand written diagram and step by step list of what you have done so far, it will be easy to retrace your steps to put it back together.

    Some helpful hints: Clamps be careful removing esp if they are clipped or "snapped" on as bending these clamps may cause the brushes to either pop out or cause them to be too far away.

    Check the springs that are attached to brushes, as they may not be as strong and offer as much spring as the original brushes' coil spring, ( even 30 years later, those springs were built stronger then the cheaper Asian built ones)

    Fixing a drill is simply following a labyrinth maze like the one you see in newspapers that you follow with a pencil to go from one end to the other. Here you are removing components and clamps to gain access to the brushes housing, so it is merely a matter of being able to trace back your steps to put them back together.

  8. #8

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    Years ago we were building our cabin with no way to drive up to it. I went to garage sales and estate sale for old hand tools. None of them have brushes..
    7

  9. #9
    Senior Member kyratshooter's Avatar
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    Tell you what Max, the last time I built an off grid cabin the first thing I bought for the project was a generator!

    I have reached that age where when the hand tools come out I become the voice of wisdom and turn supervisor.
    If you didn't bring jerky what did I just eat?

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    I don't think I've worn out too many drills. I've worn out an impact driver, a couple of belt sanders and a bunch of 4" grinders. I get the HF $14 4" grinders and when they crater, a new set of brushes is not necessary... Most of my stuff is cordless these days and I use the Ryobi stuff from HD... Almost none of my work is off the place here so a battery is always on the charger. If I've got something to do at the ranch I just put them in a bag and go. #1 son uses Dewalt but he uses them to make a living. In those instances when replacing brushes was needed, I got someone else to do it.

    Alan

  11. #11
    Super Moderator crashdive123's Avatar
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    There is something to be said about using those cheaper HF tools. I really can't say it in polite company. For the occasional light job they work just fine. In a bit heavier use (knife making) they start to cost more (replacing them often) than their more expensive, name brand counterparts. I still have several that get used from time to time and work just fine. The tools that see more and heavier use are no longer HF tools.

    I still enjoy using hand tools every now and then. Enjoy might not be the right word. Too lazy to dig out the power tool might be more accurate.
    Can't Means Won't

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  12. #12
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    For tools that require precision cuts or heavy use I have higher quality tools (Bosch, Makita, etc..). For the light duty stuff the Ryobi works fine for me.

    The other day I was helping #3 son build a fence. I walked to the trailer to get another armload of pickets when, literally out of the blue, it rained. Only rained for about two minutes but enough to get everything wet. Everything included my impact driver and sawzall and the bag of batteries. I dried them off and they still work but I'd be sweating it a bit more if they had been more expensive tools.

    I must have 15 - 20 hand saws... I can't remember the last time I used one. I have been checking pawn/antique shops for an old bowl adze. There's lots on line but I want to hold it in my hands before I buy. I've never used one but I want to try.

    Alan

  13. #13

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    My grandpaw told me about construction sites in his past. Most had a designated saw man. Did it all day long everyday. I bet his dominate arm looked like Popeye's.
    I have a flathead adze for hewing logs. Needs work. And talk about work. Wow.

  14. #14
    Senior Member Michael aka Mac's Avatar
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    The cabin our family built in the Catskills was built entirely without electric tools. Gramps already had multiple hand crank drills, 2 person hand saws, axes and hatchets, and we even had one of those HUGE foot pedal stone wheel grinders u sit on and step pedal to run. I gotta say, I am happy to have learned how to build a log cabin that way, but I would be damned to ever do that !@#$ again, that was hard work...(worse part was lugging everything down the hill to get to the build site)

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