Jump to content

Tales from the Two Poster.


Barry Cade

Recommended Posts

I must admit the main reason I go for Snap On stuff is that if it breaks (and it does when you use them all day every day) I never have an issue getting it replaced, the Mac wagon rarely visits, and if I have to go to Halfords, 9 times out of 10 I get some spotty twat who couldn't tell his arse from his elbow, refusing to replace my broken stuff, which is a ten mile trip in the first place.

 

My garage at home has an awful lot of mismatched chod though!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only snap on tools I have are ones that have been found under bonnets etc left by other mechanics. The guarantee is a bit pointless really as you are more likely to lose tools than break them. I have got a lovely snap on breaker bar that they have repaired twice now. (didn't mention the scaffold pole I had on the end of it when it broke) I found it lying in the road a few years ago. I have never understood people paying through the nose for snap on then not looking after them. Don't get me started about there code reader whoever thought that having all those silly different keys was a good idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can well see that a young apprentice wants 'the best' and enjoy a certain prestige, but I've never rushed out and bought a full tool-set. Instead, I've bought as I needed and accumulated a good tool set over time - many years, in fact. But this is coming from a weekend tinkerer/amateur, not someone who has to do it for a living and maybe has to get some spanners quickly. But there are plenty of old, quality makes out there at flea markets going for next to nothing. 

 

Panhard, you raise a point which always amuses and irks me at the same time, viz. people not looking after their tools. Hell, I see old men who should know better, having lived through shortages, throw tools on the ground.

 

Anyway, I paid £2 for this, showing no signs of giving up yet.

 

post-17604-0-90760200-1393368048_thumb.jpg

 

post-17604-0-65970600-1393368093_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used to listen to Atlantic 252 around 1990, if I was somewhere Radio1 couldn't reach.  (Yes, even I used to listen to R1, and as late as my 30s too!)  I remember when Mad Donna got to number one with Hanky Panky, R1 didn't seem keen to play it (a bit risque maybe?) but 252 played it to death.  I haven't heard another song of hers that I would listen to so readily.  It's very much her Forgotten Hit.

 

Has Atlantic gone now?

It bit the dust around the year 2000.

 

I remember one of the DJ 's was called Robin Banks.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Atlantic 252 was bought out by a company called TEAMtalk who closed it down and relaunched as a sports talk station, similar to talksport.

 

They absolutely bombed and were off the air and bankrupt after 6 months.

 

The transmitter then lay unused until a few years ago and now it rebroacasts RTE Radio 1.

 

Robin Banks is a bit of a legend in the industry, for being really creative but also for landing stations in the shit. He's starting a new gig soon on Jack FM in berkshire

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I can well see that a young apprentice wants 'the best' and enjoy a certain prestige, but I've never rushed out and bought a full tool-set. Instead, I've bought as I needed and accumulated a good tool set over time - many years, in fact. But this is coming from a weekend tinkerer/amateur, not someone who has to do it for a living and maybe has to get some spanners quickly. But there are plenty of old, quality makes out there at flea markets going for next to nothing. 

 

Panhard, you raise a point which always amuses and irks me at the same time, viz. people not looking after their tools. Hell, I see old men who should know better, having lived through shortages, throw tools on the ground.

 

Anyway, I paid £2 for this, showing no signs of giving up yet.

 

attachicon.gifphoto-3 (4).JPG

 

attachicon.gifphoto-2 (4).JPG

 

Ooooo old tools.

 

I have a considerable array of imperial chod, some extremely ancient but still brilliant. 

 

How's the gig going, Tiff? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well today I had a simple little job that turned out to be a knob. Front exhaust and cat on a mk4 golf 1.6 16 v . What a cock to wrangle into place.

Yup, just did no2 daughters a few weeks back. on a jack. in the rain. nice.

 

I also got fed up with all the stupidness that goes on inside the doors on these things, and on having a non working interior light off the drivers door, I decided to overrule VW's cleverness and fitted a Fiat pin switch to the pillar, as in the olden days. Guess what...It works and took less time to do than taking off the door panel...AGAIN.

 

 

Well. The Gig.

 

Site at my garage had been checked and signed off. I have all my paperwork, computer and office all as I want it.I've familiarised myself with all the Crypton equipment and know how it all works. To book a demo test you need to have paperwork in place on the wall, which is in the post. Diary is ram packed with MOT's, which have been getting taken to our other branch. This is a major hassle, so they have booked my demo test for Friday first thing at this other branch to save time. This branch uses Tecalemit equipment which is quite a bit different, and I'll get no time to get it sussed, as I was off today, and have a Doblo timing belt and a few other things to do tomorrow. I was supposed to be off next Monday, when I had hoped to get both my bikes MOT'd. This was changed to Thursday as the MOT diary is full on Monday. Then the MOT diary filled up for Thursday so I got today off, so it's going to be another couple of weeks before I can get on my bikes.

 

No pressure,like.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

Quick one from today -

 

MGTF, won't charge, flattens battery. Owner had already bought and fitted a new alt and battery which didn't fix it, taken them both back to halfords and exchanged for another pair which still didn't make it work. I went round with a multimeter, thankfully he already had the engine cover off. Batt light not illuminating at all, 11.6v at battery with engine running.

 

14-15v fluctuating at the large terminal on the alternator proves the alt is ok, the battery started the car easily enough so it isn't the battery lead. Continuity test between starter and alternator shows open circuit and a jump lead across the terminals (starter to alt) makes it all work properly, battery warning light as well.

 

This is why you should get stuff diagnosed!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quiet day here today, just two oil and filter changes. I've worked every day 6 weeks straight so a day off is welcome!

 

Going out to a "my mate sez..." Job tomorrow morning, 206 with a misfire and eml on. "My mates a mechanic, told me to change the plugs and coil but it's still the same so my mate sez it could be an injector.." Has your mate plugged it in to see what the fair actually is or done any tests?? "Na but he's shit hot wiv cars tho" , oh so that'll be why you called me then....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since you're mobile, Dave, do you have a lightweight but sturdy trolley jack you use?

 

Had to lump my massive floor jack in and out of my car yesterday to rescue a stricken friend after the supplied widow maker failed whilst swapping the spare on and it's far too heavy to leave my workshop regularly at just over 40kg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Quiet day here today, just two oil and filter changes. I've worked every day 6 weeks straight so a day off is welcome!

 

Going out to a "my mate sez..." Job tomorrow morning, 206 with a misfire and eml on. "My mates a mechanic, told me to change the plugs and coil but it's still the same so my mate sez it could be an injector.." Has your mate plugged it in to see what the fair actually is or done any tests?? "Na but he's shit hot wiv cars tho" , oh so that'll be why you called me then....

No 1 fuel injector. I have had 2 now and both have been no 1 injector. If I remember rightly it just puts a code in for random misfire. 

I had an Austin 8 in the other week which kept playing up after about 8 miles. It wouldn't play up all the time I had it in but broke down just as the customer came to collect it. A quick rummage through the cupboards for a new coil and it was back on the road. Not much else of interest this week just a cam belt and water pump on a C3 tomorrow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Since you're mobile, Dave, do you have a lightweight but sturdy trolley jack you use?

 

Had to lump my massive floor jack in and out of my car yesterday to rescue a stricken friend after the supplied widow maker failed whilst swapping the spare on and it's far too heavy to leave my workshop regularly at just over 40kg

I have the costco 2 tonne Arcan one , ace and trusted jack but still no lightweight at 26kg but it is manageable to haul about and a barg at £85 ish

Link to comment
Share on other sites

SGS do lightweight aluminium jacks for similar money (I don't have a Costco card) and I really like their 3T jack which I use now but I'm not sure whether they'll be any good

 

Could just get a cheapy one for small mobile jobs but I don't trust them as much!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh, just half a million or something.... http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/music-news/10510135/Slade-earn-500000-every-Christmas-in-royalties.html

 

I wouldn't mind, but that's half a million per year for a song that makes me want to push people's heads through shop windows.

 

I loved that song when I was kid but I can't stick it now - I did feel a bit more kindly when Noddy Holder said "that song's me pension" on TV - at least he's honest about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...