What did you do in your garage today..?

For a while I've been toying with the idea of seeing if electrolysis could rescue some rusted things I've had lying around.

Today was the day. I bought some rebar and tried to connect it to an old battery charger I had. Unfortunately that kept reporting an overload. I opened it up and couldn't find a fuse. The funny thing is that while Googling for a solution, I found a post *that I had made* on another forum probably 12 years ago where I was describing that same overload. So I realized I've been keeping this thing all that time when I knew I couldn't get it to work.

So then I tried running the electrolysis with a small bench top DC power supply. It seemed to be working - bubbles and all, but when I checked an hour or so later, the thing appeared to be dead and it was pretty hot. This time I was able to find the fuse - yup, blown.

My guess is I was too liberal with the electrolyte.
 
For a while I've been toying with the idea of seeing if electrolysis could rescue some rusted things I've had lying around.

Today was the day. I bought some rebar and tried to connect it to an old battery charger I had. Unfortunately that kept reporting an overload. I opened it up and couldn't find a fuse. The funny thing is that while Googling for a solution, I found a post *that I had made* on another forum probably 12 years ago where I was describing that same overload. So I realized I've been keeping this thing all that time when I knew I couldn't get it to work.

So then I tried running the electrolysis with a small bench top DC power supply. It seemed to be working - bubbles and all, but when I checked an hour or so later, the thing appeared to be dead and it was pretty hot. This time I was able to find the fuse - yup, blown.

My guess is I was too liberal with the electrolyte.
Benchtop power supply should have current limiting.
 
Benchtop power supply should have current limiting.
You’d think, right? Fuse was definitely blown. Of course dumb me goes to Canadian Tire and *forgets to bring the bad fuse OR the specs”….

Fortunately I ended up finding another old school “dumb” charger for reasonable money. Apparently, prices on those things have skyrocketed due to electrolysis.

And as a side benefit I got to meet and have a nice conversation with a sweet lady retiree at a garage sale in Gravenhurst who is moving to Ecuador. Found out she was a Rolling Stones fan and I offered her a biography of Mick Jagger I had just bought.
 
“new” charger worked great. I experimented with a rusty vise- results were pretty good for a first real try, and I only had my e-tank running for maybe six hours. Results were encouraging enough for me to take apart the vise and plan another go. I also picked up a big 151L Rubbermaid tote for $5 at a garage sale that will be perfect for some bigger items. I have a 4’ HiLift jack I want to rescue too - that I plan to mostly do in one of those big recycling bins people wheel out to the road.

After I got my e-tank running I set to work on felling a dead tree that was standing about 5’ from our back cottage and a few feet from a power line. I figured either I can (try to) decide where the tree falls, or let nature decide.

Lots of false starts as my big saw kept throwing the chain and my small one kept bogging down. Also had to make a much second, bigger back cut because I didn’t have big/long enough wedges to get it to move.

After felling the tree was on the ground in a way that it was hard to buck without the chain getting pinched.

For work like this, I am glad I have two saws and three sets of sharp chains for each. LOL.

This tree was about 60’. Things went a lot slower than I had planned with a few issues along the way, but in the end I put it down exactly where I wanted it.

IMG_6383.jpeg
 
“new” charger worked great. I experimented with a rusty vise- results were pretty good for a first real try, and I only had my e-tank running for maybe six hours. Results were encouraging enough for me to take apart the vise and plan another go. I also picked up a big 151L Rubbermaid tote for $5 at a garage sale that will be perfect for some bigger items. I have a 4’ HiLift jack I want to rescue too - that I plan to mostly do in one of those big recycling bins people wheel out to the road.
Most wheeled bins are not remotely water tight (most have an axle.that passes through the bin with no seals). A thick industrial bin liner (garbage bag) may be good enough to make it work. Just be careful when lowering heavy parts in.
 
Most wheeled bins are not remotely water tight (most have an axle.that passes through the bin with no seals). A thick industrial bin liner (garbage bag) may be good enough to make it work. Just be careful when lowering heavy parts in.
Ugh. As usual, you’re right. I didn’t think about that. Maybe I could plastic weld it. I have four bins at our cottage we never use and my wife wanted to toss (we haul trash and recycling back to the city because of inconvenient cottage collection day).
 
Ugh. As usual, you’re right. I didn’t think about that. Maybe I could plastic weld it. I have four bins at our cottage we never use and my wife wanted to toss (we haul trash and recycling back to the city because of inconvenient cottage collection day).
If you don't care about the wheels, it would be easy enough to remove the axle and seal the holes. You don't even need to be as fancy as welding. A scrap of plastic or metal over the hole and a piece of tape (patch tape for ice rink, vinyl pool repair patch, etc) to seal it in place and you're done.
 
If you don't care about the wheels, it would be easy enough to remove the axle and seal the holes. You don't even need to be as fancy as welding. A scrap of plastic or metal over the hole and a piece of tape (patch tape for ice rink, vinyl pool repair patch, etc) to seal it in place and you're done.
I don’t care about the holes. That’s a better idea then trying to use plastic weld or JB Weld plastic putty over an entire hole.
 
If its ABS use a scrap of plumbing pipe, (heat it and flatten it) and some ABS cement.
 
I like the garbage liner idea. "the best plan is the simplest one that works"
 
Wired up the 12 volt socket for the compressor and following LightCycle's guidance dropped a battery nut somewhere into the interior.... :sneaky:
Did not end up under the bike so hopefully lodged safely. Rummaged in the tool box and found a slightly better nut and bolt and then realized it was easier to cut the loop open and fit 12 volt connection without undoing the main battery connection...I just eased off the bolt until I could slide the open loop under and then tighten back up. Now don't even need to undo the seat ....just pop off the cowl to get at the socket.

Tightened the windscreen. Got the cheapie throttle lock working okay.
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If I want to put on my risers I think I will need help with the bolts tho the dealer loosened them up fussing with the failed instrument cluster which eventually revived.
Oddly the replacement cluster came in just a couple weeks after the older revived and I already had my refund.

Getting conflicting reports on putting a riser greater than 30mm - will see - the cables look tight but there a cinches that can be unclipped to provide more give. I would like to have an up and back riser on as right now I feel like I;'m reaching a bit and my back gets sore after about 45 minutes. Not disabling, just takes away from the enjoyment.
Having the working throttle lock will really help tho as my tight neck and shoulder I think is in large part due to the strong return spring on the throttle.
Between new stiff gloves and no throttle lock was not happy. Gloves just need time.
At least it's decently cool working on the bike. 27C at 2 pm

Maybe try the chain lube tomorrow....have a service station nearby with a tucked away flat spot under good shade.🍿
 
Wired up the 12 volt socket for the compressor and following LightCycle's guidance dropped a battery nut somewhere into the interior.... :sneaky:

🤬

I have three different versions of this:

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Two telescopic, one of them narrow for tight spaces, one of them heavy duty for larger items, and another flex-neck one.

Found out that one of my long flat-heads is also magnetic. So four pick-up tools now!

Tools, bolts, etc. I drop them all... 😡😡😡
 
Not moto related but...it's GTAM.

Came home last night and at the airport the Odyssey rear sliding door gave me an error 'Rear Sliding Door Issue'.

The door wouldn't close 100% and the only item remaining was the final 'pull in' of the door prior to driving away. Mechanic doesn't have any slots available until next week, and am looking to see if anyone else has seen this issue before?

Unfortunately ripping apart a door and assembly is out of my wheelhouse, and will just let my wife take the Maverick as she needs it around this week and I'll drive the Odyssey with the bad door just in case.

Door won't open/close electrically, and while I can slide the door mechanically...I can't 100% close it. Gap of about 1/8" of an inch remains open.
 
Not moto related but...it's GTAM.

Came home last night and at the airport the Odyssey rear sliding door gave me an error 'Rear Sliding Door Issue'.

The door wouldn't close 100% and the only item remaining was the final 'pull in' of the door prior to driving away. Mechanic doesn't have any slots available until next week, and am looking to see if anyone else has seen this issue before?

Unfortunately ripping apart a door and assembly is out of my wheelhouse, and will just let my wife take the Maverick as she needs it around this week and I'll drive the Odyssey with the bad door just in case.

Door won't open/close electrically, and while I can slide the door mechanically...I can't 100% close it. Gap of about 1/8" of an inch remains open.
Anything caught in the tracks? Still having issues today after the battery had a chance to charge? Anything get slammed in the door while you were leaving?
 
Anything caught in the tracks? Still having issues today after the battery had a chance to charge? Anything get slammed in the door while you were leaving?
Wife likes to pull on the door while it's closing / opening 'to make it faster' at times so I thought maybe it's that.

Nothing seems to be jammed in there, but I'll go out at lunch and clean it out with a brush of some sorts and grab some Lithium grease (?) to lube it up.

I don't want to start disconnecting things as I don't know what I'm looking for...and what I need to fix.

Door wouldn't open today but that appears to be from me slamming it shut and loosening up the interior trim which caught on the inside. Trim got snapped back into place and it's opening heavily under physical power.
 
Not moto related but...it's GTAM.

Came home last night and at the airport the Odyssey rear sliding door gave me an error 'Rear Sliding Door Issue'.

The door wouldn't close 100% and the only item remaining was the final 'pull in' of the door prior to driving away. Mechanic doesn't have any slots available until next week, and am looking to see if anyone else has seen this issue before?

Unfortunately ripping apart a door and assembly is out of my wheelhouse, and will just let my wife take the Maverick as she needs it around this week and I'll drive the Odyssey with the bad door just in case.

Door won't open/close electrically, and while I can slide the door mechanically...I can't 100% close it. Gap of about 1/8" of an inch remains open.

Maybe this?

 
Door cables have been known to snap on Odysseys. If that has happened it's possible it's in there causing resistance.
 
Door cables have been known to snap on Odysseys. If that has happened it's possible it's in there causing resistance.
Thanks. Cables seem ok but I'll take a closer look at lunch when it's brighter and easier to look around.

Appointment for the car on Monday morning so hopefully it won't be too $$ of a cost.
 
There's a new battery for the killer sitting on the bench.

Old battery was 5 years. It shared a battery tender with 2 other bikes. Never had a blip. About a week ago I'm out riding. Made a couple stops everything fine. Make another stop and 15 minutes later the neutral light won't even illuminate. Not even a hint of a glow.
Is the death of a battery often so sudden?

It was a sealed maint free KMG from Kapscomoto. So is the new one.
 
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