Every handyman has learned a trick or two while doing various repairs around the house. Lets share them in this thread.
I'll start off with a tip on electrical outlets. Today we are surrounded by tons of electronic gadgets, each with its own charger or power supply brick. I always find myself looking for an available convenience outlet. And when there is one available I don't have the right adapter.
To solve (or minimize the occurrence) of this problem I decided to maximize our convenience outlets and also offer the most common plug types.
Now one problem with this DIY outlet is that the metal tabs that secures the sockets in the frame is not strong enough to hold up to normal use. I've had several outlets like this that failed after a year or so of use. The metal tab lost its grip and the socket fell through.
The solution is to apply some two-part epoxy adhesive.
Push the adhesive through the hole on top of the metal tab so it oozes out the back side.
For this application you really want the adhesive to "flow", so I don't advise the use of non-sag variant of the 2-part epoxy. Make sure the ooze flows over the "ears" of the individual sockets. This will secure the socket to frame.
Re: Tips and Tricks Around the House
This is a very good thread ... hopefully I can contribute and post some tips I encounte doing my own repairs and maintenance in the house.
First and foremost I had found that doing things DIY have improved the quality of the jobs performed.
Millermatic 180 Autoset Mig Welder
Miller Spoolmate 100 Spool Gun
Victor Firepower 350 Oxy Ace Outfit
3M Speedglas 9002X AD Helmet
Makita LC1230 Dry Cut Saw
Ingersoll Rand Air Tools
Snap On Tools
Metabo Power Tools
Norseman Drill Cutting Tools
Bosch Power Tools
3M PPS
Re: Tips and Tricks Around the House
Hospital o audiophile grade sockets ba yan brader? :soon:
click my signature and it will take you there........
Re: Tips and Tricks Around the House
cool thread..will contribute as well when i find something interesting...
any cool idea on how to hide cables from tv to audio/video consoles? i just hate "black" wires runningfrom behind to go up the tv panel in a wall that is painted white...of course unless the these dvd players/receivers are housed in a framed wall type cabinet and the tv is just above it.
The devil will find work for idle hands to do.-Morrissey
Re: Tips and Tricks Around the House
napansin ko pala bro.."royu" brand yung sockets mo...
i still prefer either the toshiba or the panasonic..
250V/ 10A or 15A
minsan pala very big yung plug ng isang appliance or tool...ginagawa ko two gang socket nalang pero tandem to make a total of four outlets para me extra space between plugs.
d kaya dahil sa cheap extension cords kaya madalas me nasusunugan? pag me okasyon, octupus na yung cheap electrical cords..super taba ng insulation pero pag inautopsy mo yung electrical cord eh maninipis lang pla yung wires...
kaya bawal magtipid sa mga ganitong projects!
The devil will find work for idle hands to do.-Morrissey
Re: Tips and Tricks Around the House
i still prefer either the toshiba or the panasonic..
kaya bawal magtipid sa mga ganitong projects!
ingat sa panasonic na fake...
thanks sa tips joey...an daming plugs dito sa bahay na naglawitan na...because of those metal tabs...
Re: Tips and Tricks Around the House
Tiyempo pa naman ... I'm wiring the shop for permanent 110V outlets using Omni mounting bases ....
I chose Panasonic ... purchased from Wilcon sometime ago.The very snug fit of these outlets was the main driving point in the purchase decision. A must for high starting current power tools.
Millermatic 180 Autoset Mig Welder
Miller Spoolmate 100 Spool Gun
Victor Firepower 350 Oxy Ace Outfit
3M Speedglas 9002X AD Helmet
Makita LC1230 Dry Cut Saw
Ingersoll Rand Air Tools
Snap On Tools
Metabo Power Tools
Norseman Drill Cutting Tools
Bosch Power Tools
3M PPS
Re: Tips and Tricks Around the House
@jay,
love the 110V wiring plan!
if you find a decent step down between 4-5KW below 5K, please let me know as i am need of one.
thanks
(i bet the housing is ok..Omni put some quality in their merchandise)
V
The devil will find work for idle hands to do.-Morrissey
Re: Tips and Tricks Around the House
The local ones look over priced to me ... thus have not purchased one yet although my new 110v wiring will require one.
How about this ... Made in China according to the seller.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250683160765&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:US:1123
Millermatic 180 Autoset Mig Welder
Miller Spoolmate 100 Spool Gun
Victor Firepower 350 Oxy Ace Outfit
3M Speedglas 9002X AD Helmet
Makita LC1230 Dry Cut Saw
Ingersoll Rand Air Tools
Snap On Tools
Metabo Power Tools
Norseman Drill Cutting Tools
Bosch Power Tools
3M PPS
Re: Tips and Tricks Around the House
@jay,
love the 110V wiring plan!
if you find a decent step down between 4-5KW below 5K, please let me know as i am need of one.
thanks
(i bet the housing is ok..Omni put some quality in their merchandise)
V
You may want to ask Sonny. I got my 5kW Panther from him. Slightly banged up but good bargain.
On the sockets, I also use Panasonic. No problem with the tabs loosening.
My problem is the CO embedded in the wall. In time, those female threaded socket into which the longs screw is screwed onto gets loose. I use the Atlanta plastic boxes where a nut is embedded into the plastic. This nut gets loose so I end up with the whole outlet hanging from the wall.
I solved it by re-embedding that nut with epoxy (similar to Joey's) but it's not a very elegant solution. Hope someone here has a better one.
Re: Tips and Tricks Around the House
Panasonic is also my first choice. All my outlets and switches in the first floor are Panasonic. I tried a few units of Royu on recommendation of the merchant. They said the quality is comparable to Panasonic. After more than a year of use they're still working fine.
We seldom use extension cords nor octopus connections. I made sure our house is gadget friendly. All the rooms have at least four of those 3-gang sockets. 😀
BTW, the sockets that fell through were Panasonic. Maybe I got fakes? :(:mad:
Re: Tips and Tricks Around the House
... In time, those female threaded socket into which the longs screw is screwed onto gets loose. I use the Atlanta plastic boxes where a nut is embedded into the plastic. This nut gets loose so I end up with the whole outlet hanging from the wall.
I solved it by re-embedding that nut with epoxy (similar to Joey's) but it's not a very elegant solution. Hope someone here has a better one.
I had the same problem with some of the orange boxes. The masons who installed them were so careless that they got cement into the threads. When I try to thread the screws in, the plastic looses its grip on the brass inserts.
The best solution that I have so far is to "transplant" the whole plastic "ear". I cut the ear out from a donor using my brand spanking new DREMEL 4000, and then epoxy it into the recipient.
To hold the piece in place while the epoxy cures I use this hi-tech plastic crafted also with the DREMEL 4000:
Re: Tips and Tricks Around the House
I had the same problem with some of the orange boxes. The masons who installed them were so careless that they got cement into the threads. When I try to thread the screws in, the plastic looses its grip on the brass inserts.
That's the common problem with PVC Utility Box, the threaded brass insert tend to loose when tightening the screws. If this case happened we just tied the plate with few strands of copper wire.
Now we are using Metal Utility Box gauge 18, same price with PVC utility box.
Re: Tips and Tricks Around the House
Hey bro joey81, this is a very nice and good thread for anybody doing DIYs at home, lots of tips and tricks can be posted here for the benefit of everyone.
Hope to contribute some too in the future !!!!!!!!!!
CIGWELD Weldskill 250 amp Mig Welder
AHP Alpha-TIG 200X welder
HITRONIC 300 Amp DC Inverter IGBT Welder
YAMATO 300 amp AC Stick Welder
YAMATO 200 amp DC Inverter IGBT Welder
DeWALT Chopsaw
HOBART and ESAB Welding Helmets
cloned STIHLs
MS 044 chainsaw
MS 070 chainsaw
Re: Tips and Tricks Around the House
Ha-ha. Excellent MacGyver technique with the plastic spoon.
On epoxy, it does not stick to many plastics. But it does stick to metals. So what I did with those threaded inserts were to engulf completely with epoxy putty (keeping clear of the hole, of course) so, ven if it does not stick to the PVC plastic, the hardened epoxy structurally anchors itself to the whole assembly.
