Random Cool Tricks

Would make for a good tactical watch at night, perhaps not for split second accuracy, but no light to give away one's position.

 

Looks like a cool idea to cool oneself down during hot sultry days.

https://youtube.com/shorts/TW5Hx7z2UJM?si=dObpXy6AscZVCwsy

Also a nice project for kids to do (under supervision) with parents and grandparents as a memorable bonding experience.

 

Alcohol lamp.

https://youtube.com/shorts/XSaHOY_UCOk?si=7fKdBBxgdg4CCOWj

 

Takes all the tacticool right out of the rig. Makes it almost vanish in a crowded hand bag.

 

I pity the newly arrived camp guest who mistakenly sits in that Hot Seat!

 

Improvised shower head...

https://youtube.com/shorts/Ruam1bcHyoU?si=PEInaAjiLxLUK0bo

 

An interesting use for pristine panty liners...

 

Home made feed mill.

https://youtube.com/shorts/orLmfrjs1nQ?si=QlEFY64WZ7GW6yeh

Clever concept.

 

Measuring log cabin log gaps.

https://youtube.com/shorts/Ww12B-WSZ7Y?si=wf_M4JQTDDIa0onc

 

Plastic bottle hacks

https://youtube.com/shorts/U-haCd5hgXg?si=wKaOsxlF59oYyRLl

 

Concealed storage hack...

https://youtube.com/shorts/OXropl6I1YQ?si=9GYkwAXIXsK9_VEQ

 

Fixing uncooperative shims

https://youtube.com/shorts/7MDjYZqOQRo?si=PU1PtQK1NiC-2sgU

 

Folding outdoor table with bench searing.

https://youtube.com/shorts/M4091PeQzIU?si=c1teIRNT6tsi1vL1

 

I just did an emergency gutter cleaning in the dark and pouring rain after hearing what sounded like a waterfall outside the back door. I put on board shorts and grabbed my wooden cane. This one has an open loop that fits the gutters perfectly. Really does the trick on clearing them.

The blast of cold water down my back as I dashed down the steps woke me right up. It only takes a little prodding with the cane to get the water pressure to push the leaves and needles down the downspouts.

After my gutters were flowing properly I could hear and see the waterfall on some neighbors homes. They're all higher, and out of my reach from the ground. I'll speak to them about their gutters tomorrow.

As I stood dripping wet on the porch, leaning on my cane, a power company truck stopped in front of the house. They probably didn't see me, standing on the porch, but if they'd stayed there a bit longer I would've run toward them yelling "Surf's Up!" and waving my cane at them.

Might as well left my glasses inside. The lenses were immediately spotted with water, and making the wet transit through the house to check the front gutters they fogged up so completely I had to look over them to see.

 

I found this well used Aladdin Model A locally. I never knew the Model A existed, thinking the Model B followed the Model 12. A little research revealed that the Model A was released in 1932 and quickly redesigned into the Model B after customer complaints about the wick being difficult to replace. The lamp fired on the fuel that was in it and only needed a new wick and a good flush of the red dyed kerosene it had been fueled with. I fired it up to free the gummy kerosene residue so I could get it apart and started reading about this wick issue.



I got a new old stock wick so I could experience what a customer might have in 1932. I wouldn't say it's "difficult" to install a new wick in the Model A lamp. I'd call it nearly impossible. I fought with it for forty minutes and had it completely jammed up. Now I see why the Model A is just a footnote in Aladdin history.

The fix? Modern clear packing tape on both sides of the wick with an extended tail allowed for a lightning fast installation with no snags at all. Just peel the tape off once it's installed.

This trick will work on any lamp with a fuzzy wick or a gear mechanism that gets caught in the wick.



The lamp cleaned up just about like new. New wick, fresh fuel, new mantle. You'd never know it's 92 years old.

Makes the same light today that it did 92 years ago. Try that with a battery appliance.

 

Just needed a little love from a serious enthusiast!

 

A short saw blade: Making an improvised miniature saw handle.

https://youtube.com/shorts/MBTlpQWxYSM?si=p3JBpN9Sk5pOPnc2

I have plenty of these kinds of saw blades.

It wouldn't be too difficult to improve upon with something better than paracord as binding.

One improvement that I had thought of was drilling a small hole in each of the pieces of wood constituting the handle on the inside of each handle scale in alignment with the hole at the base of the saw blade tang. Put a nail into one scale hole, thread the saw blade tang hole through the nail, and then place the other handle scale's hole over the exposed portion of the nail; Than secure the scales together with paracord as suggested in the YouTube short.

I'm sure @Jerry Fisk could suggest a more eloquent solution to improvising a handle for a mini saw blade, and explain its construction. Though I would have to say that randomly finding such a blade whilst scrub bashing seems pretty remote.

 

Constructing storage shelving...

https://youtube.com/shorts/Y_UMzsPohmE?si=Na8QM7MA_2HvjfGI

The design seems to be easily dis assembled and re-assembled if one were to move house.