As the icy winds from northern climes prepare for their surge to the south, to cleave the intertesticular extremities and create howls of pain of protest from people who reckon they know why a brass monkey has two reasons not to like low temperatures, O'Blene Industrial Kinetics (OINK), continues its journey on the yellow brick road which leads to equality with Dyson and Baylis.
A few years ago, Mrs S Senior gave the company an electric reciprocating saw, because there are logs and branches on the 'Turrets' estate which need a few clops every now and then, to remind them who actually is boss round here! (A chain saw was not an option at the time, as the safety trousers were the wrong colour...)
Now this implement is a powerful machine, and while it is not in the industrial category, it takes quite a lot of muscle to keep it going longer than a few minutes, because an unusual condition creeps into the system, i.e., it begins to hurt.
This pain is a version of 'white finger', which was a pesky condition experienced by miners and other handlers of machinery which create high levels of vibration. In fact, after a few minutes of operation on some hard logs, like rhododendron, the 'white finger' quickly merges with a variation called 'very pale elbow', and then transgresses into 'sod me shoulder', and finally ends up (via 'bugger that hurts trembling back-bone'), in a state of 'white clenched arse, loose teeth and red vision'!
It had to change, as after each session at the bench, the journey from the shed to the house took longer with each faltering step, and even with a recreational tincture as a prize, those few minutes were agony...
I mentioned to Thud, whom as far as I can see has the best job in the world, and has superb results to prove it, that I'd altered the design of the saw to help me over the crisis, and here are the pics I promised him. In the world of sharp objects, 'elfun saftie' is always written large on the box, but weighing up the pros and cons of the design and also the operation, I'm taking a bet that this is probably a safer way to use the saw than by swinging it around like a dervish at every twig or bough which gets in the way. If I'm proved wrong, and that is the prerogative of Santa Barbara, and also Mr Gilbert Fiddler, of the local 'Sharp Objects Inspectorate and Licensing (SOIL) office, than I'll have to retract the statement...
All I've done, is to activate the switch permanently, and attach the whole machine to a frame which allows a downward swinging arm motion, That way, I can secure the beast in the jaws of the 1966 vintage Workmate (one of the best inventions ever), and connect to the juice as normal. As the machine is technically on because the handle is depressed, the master switch cuts off the power when necessary. The logs fit securely into the 'V' joint and stay firm, and the saw cuts only downwards with slight pressure on the handle near the blade.
Although this is a prototype, it's done a full morning's work, but is also showing signs of 'white screw loosening' which is exactly what used to vibrate the operator's body to some interesting levels, and I'm already working on version two, which creates a monocoque structure and the vibration reduces as it becomes integral to the operation and which hopefully will allow me to finish the pile of logs which is threatening to topple over and crush 'white Fiat-Ferrari-Punto-Turbo', the 'white branch Acer Palmatum Atropurpureum', which is a pride and joy, and also the various visitors we have calling to ask me why I'm up and about so early, and didn't I realise that the clocks went back today...
16 comments:
The truly remarkable things you get up to in your shed Scrobs!
I bought a car polisher, optimistically when the car was new and shiny, but it did that vibration thing and I only used it once. Needless to say, the car is a doggy midden on the inside, and has been reshaped in Sainsbury's car park by considerate shoppers, so the polisher lies idle.
I've always thought that one of the nicest things about autumn is when you can smell the smoke from a wood burning stove.
It's one of those evocative smells that takes you back to your childhood.
Sometimes the language is so bad out there Lils, even I have to run out with my hands over my ears...
I like the idea of your car polisher though. I took the fibre discs from Mrs S's floor polisher once, and tried those on her Turbot Fiat 2CV. It sent catherine wheels of polish over a radius of about forty yards, and soaked me and apparel as well as leaving great scars all over the paintwork..
Sainsbury's is well known for car re-enhancement Lils. Try Asda, but best not to mention the word 'doggy' in your negotiations eh...?
That is an evocative smell Lakes, I agree. There are a few logs outside from a fallen oak tree, which are best left to last thing at night, as the next morning, the room smells very pleasant indeed.
I'm thinking of altering a chiminea to work with a pipe up the chimney at the moment, but have been severley warned not to by Mrs S who understands these things...
Couldn't you have employed wifey in a push-me-pull-me rip-saw effort ?
Great for fitness and marital bonding.
Scrobs..I bow to your genius how could we have ever lost an Empire with such inventivness? A sawzall (to the yanks)is a bloody good tool.
Your chimenea idea is intriguing but fraught perhaps with various dificulties the least being lack of thermal mass?
Your inventiveness is astoundingful.
Mrs rvi asks if you could please knock up a modified version for use in the kitchen which can be used for slicing bread, tomatoes, ham, cucumber etc.?
(I have told her that if she wants an electric knife I will buy her on for Christmas.)
Now I hadn't thought of that recently Elecs...
We bought a bow saw with a Swedish blade (supposed to be pretty special) in 1974, and it still shreds the fingers like as if it were new.
However, some of the logs I've got hold of are somewhat green, and it tends to do what the old boys used to say 'make you warm twice...'
Thudders! It needs your acceptance - many thanks!
I'd never heard of a Sawzall until you just mentioned it, and Googled the site.
That's like one we used to have for cutting up composite metal roofing samples in the 1980s. (we were building big sheds back then). It used to send sparks out in all directions, but was very powerful and did a good job.
I had to do a rush job one morning, to get a 'slice' of composite metal roofing to some office or other where we were doing a presentation to get specified.
All went well at the appointment with - I believe some architect or other, and when we'd got the order, a chum from the firm and I relaxed and sat back in our chairs as you do, while they all started to whitter away at how good all this was etc etc.
I can easily remember how I crossed my legs, and saw to my horror that my sock had parted company from my shoe right up to my suit trousers, and there was a huge gaping hole all round my ankle where there should have been expensive sock!
The sparks from the cutter had sprayed all over me back at the works, and I hadn't realised until that awful moment exactly how much this order was going to cost me...
The look on my chum's face was an absolute picture, and we drank may a single malt on the strength of the episode!
BTW Thudders, the chiminea jape was only an aside...
When we bought one a few years ago, there was a lot in the gardening press about them, and some idiot had asked if he could light it indoors!
They are good at getting rid of stuff though, and do chuck out an enormous heat if you let them!
Just leave it to me Reevers!
(btw, we're nearly on the same dateline as we speak, as I forgot to change my alarm clock last night; woke up saw the time and got up, only to find that it's only half four...)
We could get the old TAT shop going again, if only I could remember who were the members of the team...Trubes was one I seem to remember, probably Lakes... hm...they would all chip in ideas and Mrs Reevers would have a kitchen cutter in no time at all!
Ta for filling in a rather gullible northerner!
Scrobs, it looks to me as if the downward swing from it's pivot might not cut the log through? It's difficult to judge distances from a pic so am I correct? Or is there enough gap to complete the cut before the tip of the blade fouls the wooden frame? I guess so. My Dad has a circular saw on a proper bed/stand which makes cutting wood repeatedly a much easier task. I know what you mean about the vibration - I'm slightly built and cutting worktop with my jigsaw was quickly abandoned in favour of a router. Cutting thin hardboard with a jigsaw was a joke. I felt like a chorus of 'tie me kangaroo down' and completed the task by hand. One thing I love about my Dad is that he'll always find some way around a problem by using what we have. I'm sure your daughters must appreciate that in you, Scrobs. I love little gadgets like the one you've shown us :-)
Am envious of your fire. Marshmallows?
Know what you mean Pips, and good point. It does just do the cut in time, and in fact the tip buries itself into the base by about half an inch which is no problem!
If I have a problem with - say - a small piece of wood, it's sometimes easier to turn the piece slowly in the jaws, (because it can sit right down at the bottom of the 'v'), and then it gets the whole cut done!
Agree with you about the Rolf Harris scenario too, and work tops cost about a jigsaw blade a yard down here...
BTW, don't ever buy shelf brackets, they're dead easy to make with the Scrobs hidden screw design (patent applied for)!
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