A Tale About a Small World

[RandyB]

I have an On-The-Go water softener. To regenerate this unit, a cap must be removed from the top to introduce the sodium chloride. The torque needed to remove this cap sometimes exceeds the grip on these old hands. To that end, I made a handle to aid in this operation. From the ole woodshop, I made a plywood tool that worked just fine for dozens of times. Then during the last snowbird trip, the handle broke. So, once home, I decided that I would make another, with some design changes to prevent the failure I just experienced.

My ole brain got to working and I remembered that my district library has a 3D printer! All I need to do is design it and translate it to a *.stl file and have it printed over there. I've wanted a 3D printer for a long time, but just can't seem to justify it, so the library has been a handy outlet.

That same ole brain got to thinking again, and voila! Thingiverse! For those that don't know, this is a website that creators of novel things in the 3D print world can post and share their designs. Well, I thought maybe, but not too confidently a tool that I was about to design might already be there. So, look anyway. Lo and behold, I found one right away. How cool. It looks like it should work just fine. I look up in the corner at the creator and it is some guy named NealC, with the same avatar previously found on this forum. Well, there's the small world moniker for ya.

I had it printed. The library charges $0.10 per gram, so the tool cost me $3.50. AND it works! Thanks NealC

 

[Neal]

Haha, glad you found it, it works great. If only I mass produced my Amazon Echo Show 5 under cabinet mount...that would have been a big hit. Here's the OTG thingeemabobb.

On The Go Portable Water Softener Cap Wrench by NealC

I have a water softener for my RV/motorhome by On The Go Portable Water Softeners. The cap can get stuck from salt. They sell a cap wrench which you can buy from https://www.portablewatersoftener.com/shop/water-softener-accessories but I decided to design my own. I decided on handles on opposing...

www.thingiverse.com

 

[Neal]

For those with Sani-con this is one of my other popular favs:

RV Wet Bay Hole Cover for Sanicon Hose by NealC

I have a sani-con macerator pump system in my RV/motorhome wet bay in which I feed a hose through a hole to connect to the dump port. I want a cover plate to go around the empty area around the hose to prevent critters from coming in. I designed a cover plate that seals the area around the...

www.thingiverse.com

 

[Fish]

I've got a small world story, nothing to do with 3d printing.

I see a neighbor here at the resort has a repairman on his roof. After the repairman leaves I walk over and talk to the guy to find out if the mobile repair guy was any good so I'd have his name for future reference.

We talk awhile and I'm thinking This guy looks familiar, and then I said I lived in so. IL. He said I used to work a lot in Cape Girardeau, I said Oh wow, me too.
He says he's a pipefitter, I say well I used to be a pipe insulator/asbestos worker.

We look at each other again, I say Dave? He says Mike?

Well I'll be a sob we both say at the same time.

He retired in 2004, I retired in 2013 (even though they still talk me into working a little from time to time).

We worked together for 15 years on and off at a hospital in Cape Girardeau that was continually adding on, him in charge of putting the pipe in and me in charge of getting it covered.

That was 3 years ago I guess. He sold his motorhome and got a park model and his girlfriend and him have sold everything up north and now live here in the resort full time. I stopped by and talked to him day before yesterday.

 

[DennisT]

That is funny.

Bunch of years ago we were at a Harley rally with a bunch of people we had been riding with for a while.

One individual turns out was in the Navy too.

We got chatting and found out we both worked at the same power plant before I left there.

Further discussion about the time we were both there led to him saying he was in supply chain. I said something about writing a bunch of reports for supply before I left.

He looked at me and smiled - turns out he was the one I wrote them for

We said something similar to you when it clicked for us - being ex sailors though it was probably something I shouldn’t type here

Had ridden together many times and never knew.

 

[bpaikman]

Yeah, reminds me of the time we were in Glacier National Park and met a nice couple - they asked where we’re from and we say, Texas..They say REALLY! Do you know Kevin and Vikki______?
And we go…. Nuuuuuu.
I’ll show myself out.
(Seriously happened)

 

[lostinfla]

I installed our On the Go water softener permanently in a bin which made it a pain to remove for regeneration. I made a regen system from a water filter housing that quick connects in line to add salt without removing the cap of the unit. Only takes about 1 min to hook up and delivers 2 containers of salt to the unit with no cap removal necessary avoiding possible leaks afterward. I'll get some pics when the sun comes up.

 

[lostinfla]