Most awful hack job, but my kid likes it

[Ignoramus1740]

Even more to his credit, he's doing things with his son, something that many
have no time for. Nice job, Iggy.
By the way, your son is a beautiful child. You must be very proud of him,
even if he hasn't shown an interest in the guts of things. Given enough
time, perhaps he will.

Thank you. I appreciate the compliment. Based on this discussion, I
will make some changes. Specifically, I will replace the two wire
cable to the three wire cable with ground, and will ground what needs
to be grounded.

i

 

[Spehro Pefhany]

My god man, do you really want your child playing with a hacked-up toy
that's plugged into live 115VAC line current (with nothing but some flimsy
cardboard and packing tape for insulation)?

I don't know what horrors may (or may not) lie within, but he has
strain-relieved the line cord nicely. I suggest duct tape for that
professional touch. ;-)


Best regards,
Spehro Pefhany

 

[Too_Many_Tools]

Duct tape....damn...why didn't I notice that? ;<)

TMT

 

[Ignoramus1740]

I don't know what horrors may (or may not) lie within, but he has
strain-relieved the line cord nicely. I suggest duct tape for that
professional touch. ;-)

ROTFLMAO on the duct tape. Yes, the line cord is strain relieved, in
fact even nicer than the picture suggests. I wrapped tape over it, and
only then turned it backwards and wrapped more tape.

i

 

[Too_Many_Tools]

My parents had to hide the screwdrivers from me....otherwise EVERYTHING
was taken apart.

Sometimes I was even able to reassemble the item in question with no
remaining components left over. ;<)

TMT

 

[Too_Many_Tools]

Little screwdrivers will do that ...and metallic gum wrappers too.

Of course you have to pry off those darn childproof plastic covers that
idiots keep leaving in the outlets.

Always cleaning up after the parents....

TMT

 

[Ignoramus1740]

My parents had to hide the screwdrivers from me....otherwise EVERYTHING
was taken apart.

Sometimes I was even able to reassemble the item in question with no
remaining components left over. ;<)

I just wish my son was like that. I am disappointed about it.

He had, so far, only one idea of his own. When we visited some guy who
was liquidating a factory, and I bought some stuff from him, my son
asked for several little boards. Home, by his direction, I assembled a
window out of them. He does not want me to throw that window away, but
would not make anything with it either. So it is gathering dust in our
garage.

i

 

[Ignoramus1740]

Little screwdrivers will do that ...and metallic gum wrappers too.

Of course you have to pry off those darn childproof plastic covers that
idiots keep leaving in the outlets.

These covers are 100% worthless. I keep them at home mostly against
other visiting kids.

i

 

[John Fields]

That's because it was HIS stuff. Offer to take apart some of your
wristwatch or dvd player, or maybe you're wife's food processor etc.
Something that is cool and he's not allowed to play with. Watch how
eager he'll be to take something apart then.

 

[Pig Bladder]

My god man, do you really want your child playing with a hacked-up toy
that's plugged into live 115VAC line current (with nothing but some flimsy
cardboard and packing tape for insulation)?

AAWwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, but he's so CYOOOOOoooooooot!

 

[Chris Jones]

While I agree with your sentiment, I must also point out that this
"traffic light" is, in fact, made relatively safely. Everything is
soldered inside and attached securely and insulated. The power cable
is held quite well also and cannot be easily pulled out.

The control piece of from a 1969 Siliconix transistor tester.

i

It has metal parts, therefore in my opinion it should have a three-wire plug
with an earth wire to the metal parts. (Either that or a properly approved
double-insulated transformer and AC wiring.) I think people over here pay
a bit more attention to things like that because 240V is more effective
aversion therapy - once you know what it feels like, you don't want to do
it again. Still 120V could be dangerous if there is water around.

Chris

 

[Rich Grise, Plainclothes Hippie]

WHS.

WTF 'WHS'? - Weapons systems Handling and Stowage????
- Washington Humane Society?

The rest are high schools:
http://www.acronymfinder.com/af-query.asp?acronym=WHS


[Weapons Hidden Securely? ;-) ]

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Rich Grise]

More importantly, why is the receptacle mounted sideways?

Now that you mention it, the whole wall looks like a hack job, like he
put up some paneling in his basement. (note the unfinished trim, or
moulding, stage right.) Then again, maybe he got a great deal on a LV
lighting transformer, and it's a 12V outlet. ;-P

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Richard the Dreaded Libertarian]

ROFLMAO....no wonder there is no sense of adventure and scientific
pioneer spirit anymore..

What happened to all those kids who's pappy helped em make scooter,
carts, sleds, racers, and things that variously explode, implode or
just travel at high speeds out of sight?

They sold out. They got oopsed by some airhead bimbo and saddled with
a bunch of hungry SPMs and a hungry PBH and had to fall into lockstep
with the sheeple, trading Freedom for the Illusion of Security.

Some became Democrats and some became Republicans, depending on whether
they think their security comes from Mom or from Dad.

Thanks,
Rich
[these aren't in the acronym finders yet:
SPM = Screaming Poop Machine
PBH = Psycho Bitch from Hell
-- Cheers! - R]

 

[Rich, Under the Affluence]

My Dad built us kids a go-cart using a Maytag washing machine motor and if
he would have posted a pic of it here I am sure the same comments would have
been made. Granted we were 10-12 years old but the go-cart would have been
real easy to get maimed on. I think that go-cart is what got me started with
mechanics and contraptions.

Must have had a very long extension cord. ;-)

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Rich Grise, Plainclothes Hippie]

"How can brain damage derive enjoyment?"

Haven't you ever noticed that after one stops hitting one's head
against the wall the head in question feels better? ;<)

They used to say that about my sister, ("She used to beat her head
on the floor because it felt good when she stopped.") but what can
you say about someone who never stops?

Thanks,
Rich

 

[Pig Bladder]

Unfortunately, he is not curious about taking things apart. Often
times I would offer him, look, let's take this toy and take it apart
and see what's inside. He was always very negative about doing that. I
have not been able to interest him in taking apart even a single toy.

Maybe he's a girl.

 

[Richard the Dreaded Libertarian]

And my friends messed with explosives, which I never did. (magnesium
and potassium permanganate, for example).

And glycerine ;-)
[/QUOTE]

No, no, no, not with Mg and KMnO4. With them you put in a pinch of MN02
for a catalyst. C3H5(OH)3 you mix with a little H2SO4 to absorb the
evolved H2O, and dribble in HNO3 to make, of course, C3H5(NO3)3. What's
left, I guess, you put in your car battery. ;-P

Cheers!
Rich

 

[Richard the Dreaded Libertarian]

We used to do all sorts of stupid, dangerous things.

BB Gun wars with the kids from the community down the street. Just old
daisy spring loaded cockers, till they all got pellet rifles for
Christmas and attacked using pellets. Almost put my best friends eye
out. Man did I get ticked. Went into dad's shop, grabbed a box of
shotgun shells and a roll of silver tape.
A little alignment of primer over bb-gun barrel and some duct taping,
then we waited in the trees for their next attack. They came riding up
on their bikes and everyone fired up at about a 45 degree angle. BOOM,
BOOM, BOOM - stttsssshhhh as the shot scattered everywhere.
Those kids scattered, leaving behind bikes and pellet guns. Never came
back again either.

We all got new bikes and pellet guns that January

(Warning: Attempting any of the previous could result in severe injury
or death. I was a stupid 11 year old. Don't try this at home)

So, speak softly and carry a LOUD stick? ;-D

Thanks!
Rich

 

[Rich, Under the Affluence]

Still "have" him ;-) He's now 35 years old and writes communication
software...

So, there we have it folks - sticking bobby pins into light sockets
_does_ cause brain damage! (or is it the other way around?)

;-P
Rich