It wont stay shut by itself
in [Car Maintenance]
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From: Michael Black on 6 Jun 2010 13:42 On Sun, 6 Jun 2010, Jeff The Drunk wrote: > On Sun, 06 Jun 2010 11:06:09 -0400, Ralph Mowery wrote: > >> "john hamilton" <bluestarx(a)mail.invalid> wrote in message >> news:hugc8b$uec$1(a)news.eternal-september.org... >>> Have tried using the strongest cuboard magnet I can find (In north >>> London u.k.), but if the wind picks up surprisingly it will just not >>> hold. Also >> >> The magnet out of a hard drive is flat and very strong. > > Really? What kind of hard drive has a big flat magnet inside? That defies > all logic on the principals of how a hard drive works. > No it doesn't. There is a pair of very strong magnets in every hard drive I've taken apart. I'm not sure exactly what they are doing, but the actual arm with the read/write head is between the magnets. Since there is a pair of them, they incidentally contain the magnetism. They are right next to the platter(s). These are strong, you don't want to get your finger between them. I suppose a big speaker magnet might be stronger, but they are also a lot bigger. Michael
From: terry on 6 Jun 2010 13:48 Agree: We have kept two such very powerful magnets from old hard drives. So strong that the two attracted each and clung through a 3 inch sapling! Wood not otherwise being magnetic AFIK! {:-) My neighbour recently borrowed one to get a piece of metal (successfully) out of his eye! We keep one magnet on the fridge. It's hard to dislodge! Got another couple of hard drives downstairs to be scrapped for small parts, especially the magnets. Development of stronger magnets has certainly progressed during the last 50 to 60 years! The magnets used for WWII magnetrons were huge. Nowadays each microwave oven normally contains two such annular (doughnut shape) magnets, which together will fit into a mail envelope! Suggestion about windy door, use a piece of string ........................... !
From: Vic Smith on 6 Jun 2010 13:53 On Sun, 6 Jun 2010 15:44:16 +0100, "john hamilton" <bluestarx(a)mail.invalid> wrote: >When working on my car, I bring it right up close to the house and lay my >tools out on the floor behind the front door. Since you never know when it >will rain, it works out very handy since then all I have to do is close the >door; and don't have to be picking up all the tools. > >Now if its not warm the family doesn't like the cold air coming into the >house and they want the front door shut, which is fair enough. Since the >door just swings open I have to keep getting the keys out of my pocket to >open the door. > >I would like the door to stay shut on its own accord, yet just open with a >push without having to use the keys. There is no room on the door jamb to >screw one of those helical spring self closers. And anyway in general use we >dont want the door to close by itself. Which also rules out one of those >hydraulic self closers which could fit on at the top of the door. > >Have tried using the strongest cuboard magnet I can find (In north London >u.k.), but if the wind picks up surprisingly it will just not hold. Also >tried cutting a thin wedge of cork glued to an upright jamb which makes the >door a tight fit when closed. However the door shrinks in the summer and >expands in the winter so that only works for about half the year. > >Grateful for any suggestions, especially something similar to the cork >arrangement which works just fine prividing the weather suits it. Thanks. > This very complex situation requires thinking outside the already normally complex "how do I close a door" thought processes. Since you choose to keep your tools where you must take a walk to get the one you need - btw, are they on the floor where the family can trip over them as they come and go? - it should be no problem to use chain or rope to secure the door. That's only logical. Tie one end a rope or chain around the car and the attach the other end to the door. Properly done this will prevent the wind from blowing open the door. When you take a stroll to get a tool, untie the rope/chain from the car so there is enough slack to open the door and reach the tools. An added benefit to chain/rope is if the rain becomes heavy enough to obscure vision, you can hand-over-hand on the chain/rope to find your way to the house. Make sure to warn the family to use another door or the windows to come in and out of the house while you are working on the car, or set up a system to notify you when you should untie the door from the car. Perhaps a klaxon system next to the tools on the floor can be activated when you are doing repairs. That way no one is inconvenienced. Another important note: A foolproof system of reminders is needed so that the chain/rope is removed and stored before you drive away in the car. Or you might try something like this http://www.stedall.co.uk/acatalog/Door_Retainers.html --Vic
From: Graham. on 6 Jun 2010 14:07 >>> Have tried using the strongest cuboard magnet I can find (In north >>> London u.k.), but if the wind picks up surprisingly it will just not >>> hold. Also >> >> The magnet out of a hard drive is flat and very strong. > > Really? What kind of hard drive has a big flat magnet inside? That defies > all logic on the principals of how a hard drive works. Contra-intuitive, but true nonetheless. A hard-drive has a pair of the most vicious magnets you are likely to encounter outside of a hospital's MRI dept. They form a simple head position actuator. -- Graham. %Profound_observation%
From: aemeijers on 6 Jun 2010 14:22
willshak wrote: > john hamilton wrote the following: >> When working on my car, I bring it right up close to the house and lay >> my tools out on the floor behind the front door. Since you never know >> when it will rain, it works out very handy since then all I have to do >> is close the door; and don't have to be picking up all the tools. >> >> Now if its not warm the family doesn't like the cold air coming into >> the house and they want the front door shut, which is fair enough. >> Since the door just swings open I have to keep getting the keys out of >> my pocket to open the door. >> >> I would like the door to stay shut on its own accord, yet just open >> with a push without having to use the keys. There is no room on the >> door jamb to screw one of those helical spring self closers. And >> anyway in general use we dont want the door to close by itself. Which >> also rules out one of those hydraulic self closers which could fit on >> at the top of the door. >> >> Have tried using the strongest cuboard magnet I can find (In north >> London u.k.), but if the wind picks up surprisingly it will just not >> hold. Also tried cutting a thin wedge of cork glued to an upright >> jamb which makes the door a tight fit when closed. However the door >> shrinks in the summer and expands in the winter so that only works for >> about half the year. >> >> Grateful for any suggestions, especially something similar to the cork >> arrangement which works just fine prividing the weather suits it. >> Thanks. > > Here in the US, we have pretty accurate weather forecasting, so we know > when not to plan to work outside. > Now, setting that GB weather joke aside, a question. Why do you need > keys to open the front door at any time? Can you leave the door unlocked? > Thirdly, a suggestion. Leave the tools in the vehicle when you are > working with them, either on the floor of the car, or in the trunk > (boot). Then, if it rains, just shut the car door or boot and go inside > til the rain stops.. > I was gonna suggest one of those plastic storage boxes that gardeners use, or even a child's plastic sandbox with a lid that could be closed if a sudden shower comes up. OP's wife must be super-tolerant to not freak at greasy tools all over her front-hall rug. And unless these are row-houses with no front yards to speak of, the neighbors must love him parking on the lawn. Methinks that if OP can't figure a painless way to rig the front door to not lock him out every time it closes (like a snippet of duct tape over the the bolt), he'd best not be doing any work on the brakes on his motorcar. Dunno about UK and Chubb or whoever, but door latch makers here in the states always put a little tab or button to disable the auto-lock feature when needed. Assuming this isn't just a troll, of course. -- aem sends... |