Smart Shop tips!

[bindian]

Brandi, I love it when you talk shop, but it scares me to think of you having cleaned your hands with (shudder) that MEK stuff.

Of course acetone is a great cleaner (eats PVC & paints) but it sure isn't for hand cleaning. ...

btw, best wishes from a fan in MI.

waves, jon

Thanks Jon! I hope to be around a long time to talk shop. Back then in the engine/gearbox and transmission shops, we had vats of trichloroethylene or trike. I think the vats were heated and when you dipped a part caked in grease and oils, the part came out clean, while holding your breath.

I used it for my cleaning sheetmetal parts, once or twice over 5 years. I used the trike vat when the part I was repairing was too dirty for MEK and a rag to remove.

Just like some stuff in your icebox that is good, stuff that works good in your shop is bad for you.
hugs, Brandi

 

[fried1765]

Thanks Jon! I hope to be around a long time to talk shop. Back then in the engine/gearbox and transmission shops, we had vats of trichloroethylene or trike. I think the vats were heated and when you dipped a part caked in grease and oils, the part came out clean, while holding your breath.

I used it for my cleaning sheetmetal parts, once or twice over 5 years. I used the trike vat when the part I was repairing was too dirty for MEK and a rag to remove.

Just like some stuff in your icebox that is good, stuff that works good in your shop is bad for you.
hugs, Brandi

I was totally unaware that the "ice box" was still in use in Texas.:laughing:

 

[Xfaxman]

Pictures for those too young to know what an ice box is:

 

[pmsmechanic]

Pictures for those too young to know what an ice box is:

View attachment 683739 View attachment 683740

You can still buy ice in large blocks like that in Haiti. The vendors are on the street and they will chip off as much of a block as you want.

 

[Doofy]

I remember going to the Ice House with my Dad as a small boy in Texas.

 

[user.69169]

Dat 75# of ice in dat box. Made in a can plant not sawed ice. Must be real expensive house cause ice man using bag to grab drips, maybe apartment. Usually ice man use tongs and carry over shoulder. Drag bag good for apartments, sit in hall and man sell whatever chunk apartment wants.

Kids in second picture look like handling pond ice. North part of country harvested pond ice in winter & stored in insulated ice houses wid sawdust between layers. Most ice house dug into ground wid sawdust insulation hold ice into Summer.

House had ice card to hang in window when want ice. How you hang card tells ice man how big chunk you want. Lot of iceboxes & ice into 60s at places didn't have electric. Had automatic dispensers too you could get 25 or 50 chunk wid quarters.

 

[dragoneggs]

Another tip using tight fitting thin nitrile gloves...

Wear these cotton gloves underneath. Two benefits. Keeps your hands much warmer on those cold wrenching days, and they make it easier to remove and reuse the nitrile gloves. The cotton gloves are washable.

Also great for BBQ'ing as they provide a bit of insulation for handling hot brisket, ribs, grabbing them briefly to remove or to wrap, etc.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07FPQRX63/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[bindian]

I got hooked on latex powered gloves in the hangar at SWA. I just found 4 boxes at Harmony Lab & Safety Supplies. First gloves I have bought in 25 years.
hugs, Brandi

 

[bindian]

I was totally unaware that the "ice box" was still in use in Texas.:laughing:

I still use the term. Also, it is faster to type than refrigerator. Refrigerator is too refine, for Texans like me.

 

[pmsmechanic]

I still use the term. Also, it is faster to type than refrigerator. Refrigerator is too refine, for Texans like me.

Here we say "fridge".

 

[stuckmotor]

Here we say "fridge".

My grandparents used to call it the Frigidaire. I think it was really a GE.

 

[the old grind]

I remember latching handles and de-frosting the 'ice box' vs adding to it. Nowadays some of us have a 'fridge' and a 'nuke' in our shops.

 

[houser52]

Thinking back, my grandparents called the refrigerator a Kelvinator. I'm 68 and I still remember the old Kenmore we had, filling up old metal ice trays and how they could pinch your hand when levering the handle to break the ice loose.

 

[fried1765]

I still use the term. Also, it is faster to type than refrigerator. Refrigerator is too refine, for Texans like me.

I clearly understood what you meant.
I grew up with an ice box, until we became refined, and had a kerosene refrigerator.

 

[not2old]

I remember ice being delivered to our house by horse and wagon. We got a "Kelvinator" shortly after my sister was born in 1952. The old ice box sat on our back porch for years afterwards.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I remember an ice box sitting in one of our out buildings back in the 60s

 

[3Ts]

And a wringer washing machine sitting on the back porch, with a 4 strand closeline in the back yard.

 

[pmsmechanic]

A friend of mine bought an old ice box at a sale. Polished and painted it up and now has a neat looking enclosed book shelf in his home.

 

[grsthegreat]

i bet if a kid sees a 4 wire cloths line in gramps backyard...they think its some kind of old TV antenna.

 

[the old grind]

I can hang a full load of wash on one line. Gave up using the dryer in '82 and don't miss it. (I'm part Scottish )

In winter I hang everything on store-type pinch hangers in my room and can give the room humidifier a night off. Blue jeans & towels are always dry by morning, even with it on.

btw, best humidifier I've found is electrostatic but must be used with distilled water to only need a cleaning when put away for the season. I get ~3 nights/gal at $.89 so $.30/night when I'm not washing. Vinegar will clean tap-water scale, but be sure to neutralize with baking soda afterward or things will get worse from the acidity. Wiping dry is not enough. (BTDT)

Wires in the backyard should be ground planes for working DX on 40 meters. A car-type compact antenna will send/receive silly-far for wattage if the antenna is up high and ground-radials are 30' long.