I just can't win

Ric · #1 09-11-2007, 07:16 PM

Blimey after losing a windscreen and CRT monitor the other day, todays effort was a blocked drain and discovered after 5pm.

It was blocked down near to road but we are on a battleaxe block which mean there was about a 100 metres of water backed up in the pipe to the house. The plumber started to undo the screws of the plate and we had a water jet spurting out for nearly 5 minutes until the pressure dropped, you would swear it was a burst pipe.

Got the electric eel in and all is right it was an invasive root from a Privet bush and that will be gone tomorrow as well. Oh well another $250 goes missing out of the astro-goody fund.

Cheers

Outbackmanyep · #2 09-11-2007, 07:51 PM

It got fixed didn't it??

At least thats a start! Chin up Ric!

All is well that ends well!

xelasnave · #3 09-11-2007, 07:57 PM

You have had a few little negatives Ric just count your blessings and relax, things just are.. neither good or bad ... you will get your wedge in time ..Could you not build one??? it cant be too hard as you dont need much adjustment ...any adjustment could come from the bolts on top of the pier..and you may as well build a pier to put the wedge on

I think you are lucky that really you got everything back to normal in such a short time... and no one was injured..the windscreen could have had very unhappy results, the moniter screen could have died at a more inappropriate time and well there are lots of other unhappy senerios that can come from privet..

See the good luck and you never have bad luck.

best wishes and may you get a better run for a while.

alex

Dennis · #4 09-11-2007, 08:03 PM

Hey Ric

There is an old saying that these things tend to happen in three’s. Windscreen, CRT and Drain; that’s your three for this episode in life, you’re done now. Hmm, let’s hope that the angels can count!

I’m glad that you’ve survived all 3 and still have your health, sanity and sense of humour!

Cheers

Dennis

Ric · #5 09-11-2007, 08:32 PM

Thanks guys for your well wishes and encouragement it's greatly appreciated.

Well as you say that's my three for a while and Kee and I had a chuckle and what the neighbours must have thought at that water jet spraying out from the back pressure.

Alex, funny you should mention the wedge. I was talking with my brother in law earlier today who is a mechanical engineer and he was saying to find him some pictures and diagrams off the web and he doesn't think it will be too hard to build one.

So there may be a few wedge questions coming this way in the DIY section

Cheers all

xelasnave · #6 09-11-2007, 09:29 PM

I reckon I could build a better one than the shop version... stronger with no flex.. even build the pier and wedge in one unit with adjustment via bolts that hold the pier in place.

It is just a 3d triangle after all... a prism
alex

Ric · #7 09-11-2007, 09:40 PM

Hi Alex, I was thinking of something along these lines without infringing anyones copyright or patent. It looks very robust and well constructed.

http://home.san.rr.com/hobbyland/Ulti-Wedge/Index.htm

Cheers

citivolus (Ric) · #8 10-11-2007, 12:12 AM

I wonder how they keep play out of the mounting plate bearings and support arm without having side support?

Omaroo (Chris Malikoff) · #9 10-11-2007, 08:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by citivolus

I wonder how they keep play out of the mounting plate bearings and support arm without having side support?

Yep - I'm wondering the same. Without side support, the twisting moment would be considerable I'd reckon - even given the thickness of the top plate.

Hey Ric - your pipes get rooted today!

Ric · #10 10-11-2007, 10:35 AM

Good question guys, those are the sort of things that I'm going to have to discuss with my brother in law and pester everyone here with similar questions

.

Chris, we know the offending bush, a Privet that is going to be removed today and I'll plant flowers there. Should be safe with them.

Cheers

Dujon · #11 10-11-2007, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric

. . . Privet that is going to be removed today and I'll plant flowers there. Should be safe with them. . . .

Now be honest, Ric, that's just a pipe dream.

Nevyn · #12 10-11-2007, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Chris, we know the offending bush, a Privet that is going to be removed today and I'll plant flowers there. Should be safe with them.

I hate to be bearer of bad news, but once the tree roots are in the sewer whether or not you remove the tree they'll continue to grow in the pipes. If you can, I would reccomend digging down to the problem area and repairing the broken/damaged section. Very easy to replace a section with things like rubber couplings etc.

With the internet and digital cameras I eckon I could help you out from my comfy chair

If not definately keep checking the offending tree roots in the sewer and control the growth.

Cheers Brad

Ric · #13 10-11-2007, 04:55 PM

Hi Brad, thanks for the advice, according to the plumber it's only about 30 to 40 cm down on a junction so once I dig out the roots I may be close enough to replace the infiltrated section.

All the pipes are plastic and not the terracotta type so I think that's a plus for starters.

Internet plumbing

, hmm could be the start of a new business venture, it would certainly be a lot cleaner.

Cheers

xelasnave · #14 10-11-2007, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ric

Hi Alex, I was thinking of something along these lines without infringing anyones copyright or patent. It looks very robust and well constructed.

http://home.san.rr.com/hobbyland/Ulti-Wedge/Index.htm

Cheers

That looks very nice Ric but I think it is overkill if you intend to opperate from the one spot..If you do not intend taking it anywhere there is no need to have any moving parts..which was my point really... make a prism .. steel plate welded ..on the base plate you will need four holes for bolts to mount it to a pier.. this is where you can adjust altitude slightly..having designed the prism so your angle is close to your latitude..the holes if a little elongated will give movement also to allow dialing in South.. I am suggesting perhaps only a 5 degree range here..once you are polar aligned it will not ever have to be moved..well a little as the pier may settle over time... if you are not clear on what I have in mind tell me and I will draw a wedge and pier design cheaper and better than a shop version. I promise.
With no moving parts it will not flex..I would say you could even build using thick ply, a very strong material because of the layering and use of two part glue (resin I believe these days)... Ply has advantages as it respondes little to heat change.

Alex

xelasnave · #15 10-11-2007, 05:27 PM

I have given this matter a lot of thought before you mentioned a wedge because I was going to make a wedge for the dob so that the axis could point at the celestial South Pole.. It was during these moments that the obvious presented itself and that is one does not have to worry about hinges etc as it would always be in the one spot (for me this is)..If one is manufacturing for a market that can be all over the world needless to say you will need a huinge etc..as the chap in the link opted for... but when anything moves it will add to the possibility of flex so I suggest to eliminate all movement.

alex

Ric · #16 10-11-2007, 05:57 PM

Hi Alex, I understand exactly what you mean and this may be a better approach as once I start buiding the obsevatory (probably the end of next year) a pier will be going in and I dont think I will be moving any where else.

I already have a design for a pier and a roll off roof observatory which I purchased from Skyshed and their pier design allows for adjustment for minor corrections when aligning as well.

This may be prove to be a better alternative to the path I was thinking of travelling.

Many thanks Alex, your ideas are appreciated.

xelasnave · #17 10-11-2007, 06:13 PM

Thank you Ric when you have an permanent set up things improve all round..polar alignemt frustration becomes a thing of the past.. not draging stuf in and out at the wim of the clouds well you must know what I mean by that already.
Please think of a shed that rolls away.. it is so much cheaper and you can use a very small shed...mine is only 1.5 mtr square but when rolled away it is a nice warm room very adequate for lap top and gear... I have a winch to move it (have a hernia and heart condition so I need not to strain myself) but it now rolls easy so one can do without a winch.. but winches are so cheap these days ..super cheap auto has specials at 130..I paid a little more as I could not wait for the next special.

Leon has a roll away set up and other than his wheels falling off

I think he is very happy.
I used a standard garden shed and added a floor with a channel in the floor (which I made out of pine) for the pier ...lined it and she is terrific.

Good luck with developing your set up.
alex

Ric · #18 10-11-2007, 11:31 PM

Hi Alex, I did consider a small roll away shed such as yours and Leon's but in the end I found that the Skyshed plans offered exactly what I was looking for except that I wont have the whole roof movable only approx two thirds and the rest will be a warm room for our -5 and better winter nights.

You are right, the benefits of a permanent setup and pier are numerous.

Cheers