What Have You Fettled Today?

[Andy in Germany]

Changed the tyres on Beautiful Wife's bike from some rather worn Kendas, which were at least 20 years old, to some Marathon Plus tyres. While I was at it, I checked the brake blocks and noticed they were almost down to the metal; fortunately I'd brought a couple of pairs with me to make replacements. The wheels were wobbly, so I straightened them as well as I could which wasn't brilliant but at least doesn't rub against the blocks every time the wheel turns.

 

[fossyant]

Headset on the Diamond Back needs swapping. When the bike was new it had a low stack, probably Tange headset. I changed this for a Shimano cartridge headset that's done the business for over 20 years, but the top cap hardly had any thread - only about 3mm and no washer. It's coming loose over a few rides since the refurb, so I've ordered a Tange Passage headset, that's just a 30-32mm stack. The STX is about 38mm.

 

[Ridgeback Roller]

Fitted some Raw mudflaps to my tourer after the winter had left the rubber ones I'd made up looking decidedly tatty. Not sure how long these will last and whether they're vfm or not, but they certainly look better and keep the muck off.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

My fettling was minimal today, I fettled the table onto the turbore desk.
View attachment 671674

Does someone have to pedal the bike on left for fan to go round?

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Fitted some Raw mudflaps to my tourer after the winter had left the rubber ones I'd made up looking decidedly tatty. Not sure how long these will last and whether they're vfm or not, but they certainly look better and keep the muck off.
View attachment 676153

I’ve had some raw flaps for three years. The front needs replacing but rear still going strong. Mainly front got damaged when resting bike on ground when fixing a puncture.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

It is time to replace the chain:

1. Removed chain and saved a couple of quick links for re use.
2. Shimano Hollowtech BB missing 2.5mm spacer on left side. Decided to do that whilst chain off, as so much easier taking cranks off.
3. Decided to clean bike whilst chain off as it’s needed.
4. New chain will be fitted tomorrow
5. It’s for a recumbent thus 2 1/4 chains and three quick links.
6. Realised I currently have 10 chains as I bought 5 more thinking I was running out. Thus I have enough chains for the next 4 years for the recumbent.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Does this count?

It was broken before I took it off the bike, honest.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Cleaned bike, and fitted new chain. Used bit of chain left over from last chain fitting plus two full length ones. Three chain links required to join it all together for recumbent. Went out for test ride to confirm didn’t need to replace either chain rings or cassette. Then carried on once it was clear I didn’t need to return home for those tasks. Two hour ride fitted in , and stayed dry.

 

[Reynard]

Been fettling my Canon s900 printer which suddenly decided that it was going to start disgorging documents in a fetching shade of magenta despite having plenty of ink in all six cartridges (black, photo cyan, photo magenta, cyan, magenta & yellow).

Troubleshooting variously has led me to removing the print head and sitting the nozzle on some kitchen roll with warm, soapy water, as the diagnosis seems to be a gummed up nozzle / ink feed.

I *am* now out of ink however, as the in-printer cleaning process uses it like it's going out of fashion. Fortunately I can get a set of six third-party-made cartridges for just over £7 delivered. I gave up buying the OEM inks years ago.

I can also get a new print head off Ali Express for around £20 or an OEM refurbished off the 'bay for £38, but I'm first going to see whether the cheap fix works before going down that route.

 

[tom73]

Been fettling my Canon s900 printer which suddenly decided that it was going to start disgorging documents in a fetching shade of magenta despite having plenty of ink in all six cartridges (black, photo cyan, photo magenta, cyan, magenta & yellow).

Troubleshooting variously has led me to removing the print head and sitting the nozzle on some kitchen roll with warm, soapy water, as the diagnosis seems to be a gummed up nozzle / ink feed.

I *am* now out of ink however, as the in-printer cleaning process uses it like it's going out of fashion. Fortunately I can get a set of six third-party-made cartridges for just over £7 delivered. I gave up buying the OEM inks years ago.

I can also get a new print head off Ali Express for around £20 or an OEM refurbished off the 'bay for £38, but I'm first going to see whether the cheap fix works before going down that route.

We binned ink jet printers years ago at home forever having to run head cleaning mode and went though cartridges like water.
Went though a few printers along the way too in the end we moved to a lazer printer.
Now hardly users anything , cartridges last for agers it works out cheeper all round for us.

 

[Reynard]

We binned ink jet printers years ago at home forever having to run head cleaning mode and went though cartridges like water.
Went though a few printers along the way too in the end we moved to a lazer printer.
Now hardly users anything , cartridges last for agers it works out cheeper all round for us.

I've had this one for nearly 23 years, so it doesn't owe me anything. It's really good at what I use it for, so I might as well have a go at fixing it first.

If you use it in normal print mode (text, mostly), it's actually quite parsimonious with ink. Photo mode, and that's a different kettle of fish. Plus the photos aren't archival quality, which is the downside. But for that, there's the Max Spielmann machine in Tesco...

But if it *IS* fubared, then I'll see what my options are.

 

[tom73]

I've had this one for nearly 23 years, so it doesn't owe me anything. It's really good at what I use it for, so I might as well have a go at fixing it first.

If you use it in normal print mode (text, mostly), it's actually quite parsimonious with ink. Photo mode, and that's a different kettle of fish. Plus the photos aren't archival quality, which is the downside. But for that, there's the Max Spielmann machine in Tesco...

But if it *IS* fubared, then I'll see what my options are.

We mostly do B&W and like we get photos printed by machine fit for the job. always work for every thing else.
Our printer was not expensive and hardy users toner so well worth a look around if you need a replacement.

 

[Reynard]

We mostly do B&W and like we get photos printed by machine fit for the job. always work for every thing else.
Our printer was not expensive and hardy users toner so well worth a look around if you need a replacement.

I do a mix of stuff, mainly reproducing things like race reports and news items, plus creating bespoke greetings cards and the like. As well as printing out manuscripts.

There is a lot of crud floating in the dish I've got the print head soaking in - just replaced the water. So we shall see...

 

[Mike_P]

Agree re laser printer, no clogging and it does not matter how long you leave between uses. Great if you print little.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Agree re laser printer, no clogging and it does not matter how long you leave between uses. Great if you print little.

What if you print Big ?