Recent posts

#41

The Lounge / Re: Due to arrive soon

Last post by 94touring - March 01, 2026, 11:45:31 AM

Just this one for now.

#42

The Lounge / Re: Due to arrive soon

Last post by MiniDave - March 01, 2026, 09:15:45 AM

There's always a learning curve with any new tool like this, but it looks like you got it done properly. Are you just going to do the one or go ahead and do the other one while you have the head off to future proof it?

#43

The Lounge / Re: Due to arrive soon

Last post by 94touring - March 01, 2026, 07:17:52 AM

Only thing I'd have done differently was I'd use a spark plug with a few washers at the top so the plug stays out of the tight bottom end of the timesert to "screw" the timesert the whole way down flush. I was under the impression the tool that flares the tight end of the timesert would screw it the whole way down but instead it stuck part way up and was a nightmare to remove. I finally got it sorted out.  My ultra clean surface got dirty from thread locker oozing out and a few test runs with cht sensor.  I did test the thread locker for timeserts on the bench using a nut and bolt.  Good stuff.

#44

The Lounge / Re: Mini Mania forum crushed b...

Last post by MiniDave - February 28, 2026, 05:00:50 PM

My wife belongs to the Poodle forum, it's owned by one of those internet companies that own many sites. Lately they've introduced AI bots to answer questions. At first people were pretty unhappy with them, now they're having fun messing with them, asking them unanswerable questions! It's pretty funny!

#45

The Lounge / Re: Tig Welders

Last post by MiniDave - February 28, 2026, 04:56:39 PM

I have one of those, but it's usually in use......plus no place to attach the gas bottle. also, the handle is too tall to fir under the bench - while it is removable, it would be a PITA to do that every time I used it. For now I think I'll just use what I have.

#46

The Lounge / Re: Tig Welders

Last post by MPlayle - February 28, 2026, 12:10:15 PM

Would something like a Harbor Freight "lifting cart" work?

Lower it to fit under the bench for storage, raise it when using for reaching/reading the controls?

#47

The Lounge / Re: Tig Welders

Last post by MiniDave - February 28, 2026, 11:13:29 AM

I'm sure one of theirs would work just fine, like I said the only problem is where do I put it since it won't fit under the bench anymore. Need to give that some thought before I run out and buy one.

#48

The Lounge / Re: Tig Welders

Last post by 94touring - February 27, 2026, 05:09:33 PM

Pretty sure my welding cart came from HF. I've had it ages and still rolls around.  I saw vevor has good deals on wire spools.

#49

The Lounge / Re: Tig Welders

Last post by MiniDave - February 27, 2026, 01:38:59 PM

Getting there. I think now that I've been using it a bit I'll probably go ahead and sell the old one, just so I have more room in the shop. It's worked extremely well for all these years, the only issue I've had is finding consumables for it but I'm well stocked up now.

It's the perfect welder for someone who wants to learn to weld as it will run flux core or gas as long as you buy the gauges and rent a bottle of gas - worth it IMHO for the cleaner welds.

It won't bring much money as there are scads of welders on FB and Craigslist for really cheap, most of those are small stick welders or flux core only and most of them are so dirty - I mean, you couldn't take a shop rag and wipe it down once in a while?

Edit: found silicon bronze wire - from the local welding shop it's only available in 10lb spools for $200, online I found a 2lb spool for $42 but I think I'll leave that be for now. I also need to see about getting the tig torch set up and I'll need to buy some welding rod for that, plus I'll have to change out the gas bottle for straight argon. I still have a lot of mig mix left in my bottle so maybe that can wait too.

#50

Daves Garage / Re: 2018 Audi Allroad

Last post by MiniDave - February 27, 2026, 01:31:37 PM

The 2018 Audi spent another 10 days in the shop - mostly waiting for them to get to it, and they found and fixed some more chewed up wires, so that we're down to only one thing that's not working and to fix that they want to replace one of the backup sensors.

Here's the rub, they want almost $400 for the sensor, another $150 to paint it to match the bumper, another $120 for the harness it connects too, about $600 to remove the bumper cover to install it and $1100 to calibrate it once replaced.

I said no....

I went online and found the factory part number Bosch sensor - painted in the factory color - for $56 shipped from Germany. Removing the bumper cover is fiddly but on John's lift I can do it, and replace the sensor.
Then I'll take it to them and spend the money to have it calibrated - that should do it.

The reason I'm going to this much trouble and expense is because the bride has decided this is HER car, because she doesn't like the white car or its "sport seats" that are exactly 1" longer under the thighs. <sighs>

I have to admit I actually like the silver car a tiny bit better too, the engine feels a tiny bit more responsive and the brakes the same, although that could be down to pads. Other than that there's nothing to choose between them except color.

If I had caved and had Audi do everything I'd be in it almost $7K, as it is I'll be down $5K and I hope to recover some of that from insurance but they may decline it because I didn't have the insurance co adjuster out to see it before they repaired it - impossible because I had no idea when they would get to it. I do have pics of the bad wires and such, and since I've been with this bunch for 40 frickin years, my feeling is they damn well better find a way to cover it or I'm shopping insurance companies.