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This is a question DIY Techno-hacks

Old hard drive platters make wonderfully good drinks coasters - they look dead smart and expensive and you've stopped people reading your old data into the bargain.

Have you taped all your remotes together, peep-show-style? Have you wired your doorbell to the toilet? What enterprising DIY have you done with technology?

Extra points for using sellotape rather than solder.

(, Thu 20 Aug 2009, 12:30)
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Marmalade or Butter sir?
Back in the sixties, yes I am that old. My father had a Philips 'reel to reel' tape recorder, Here's a pic I found of one
http://images.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/tq/8/99243408.jpg

As it got older and older, the valves in it started to deteriorate. It used to take 10 mins to warm up. So he took to keeping it in our central heating system to keep it warm.

The problem with this is that the rubber belt on the motor stretched due to the high temperature.

So he rubbed marmalade on the belt to make it sticky. Oh, oh, he used too much and the machine stopped dead. Unperturbed he proceeded to add butter to it until the stickiness was just right.

It worked great for about another 5 years.
(, Thu 20 Aug 2009, 20:47, 1 reply)
That's the advantage of old technology
you can fix it yourself in ridiculously unlikely ways, and it'll go.
(, Thu 20 Aug 2009, 21:46, closed)

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