You mentioned carpenter bees. I'm an exterminator by trade, and I've got a tip for you. Carpenter bees prefer to burrow and lay eggs in the softest wood they can find. Their favorite, at least among common construction lumber, seems to be red cedar. To prevent damage from carpenter bees without harming them (and assuming the structure you want to protect is NOT red cedar), hang a sacrificial piece of red cedar under the eaves. It should be at least as thick as a 2x4 if you can find it, and at least 3' long. Hope this helps! EDIT: Forgot to mention, hang the cedar horizontally, and it may take more than one piece. Cheers!
Like you, this is the first time in years I remember seeing so many dragonflies, and I live in semi-rural NC. For our UK friends, I’m sorry you don’t have lightin’ bugs. There is nothing like sitting in the porch swing in the evening with a pretty girl, watching the lightnin’ bugs flash.
John, Hi, had a similar issue and I bought a 99p hand fan run by 2 AA batteries and ripped the battery compartment springs which fitted and worked perfectly!
Used to make dragonfly knots with my son's CubScout pack. Great way to teach the little nippers some manual dexterity. Wire, twine, rope, whatever, and a few minutes later they've got a dragonfly to give their Mom.
Hi John. Nice work on the ratchet. I worked with a guy who did setup for Quality Spring in Coldwater. He showed me a couple tricks to making springs. If I don't have a spring to match, or if the original is missing, I get a spring out of my spring box. Great idea having a couple hundred different springs available. I find one with the same size wire and either wrap it around a drill bit, if it is round, or make a mandrel if it is conical. It helps a lot when I'm repairing chucks on breast drills. Grease does get hard over time. Tne old stuff was some metal salt mixed in with oil to make a soap. Like any soap once the oil evaporates or the soap sets up it starts making things worse rather than better. Dragonflies are beautiful. We get them from the lake just south of us. Not only are they pretty they eat mosquitos too. Wasps are okay if they don't get where I live. I don't mind them flying around but if I have a nest in a tree or one of the buildings it is gone. The old house had big barns that I loved working in and repairing. They were full of wasps. I was climbing a ladder up to work on the inside of a window up in the hay loft and set my hand on the 2x4 cross brace. Right on top of a nest of mud daubers. I yelled down for Ryan to run and as soon as he was out of the way I lifted my hand and slid down the ladder like a fire pole. I could feel the wasps moving under my fingers but I never got stung. I might just have been lucky but I studied them and decided they can't sting up. Their stingers point down. As long as I was pressing them down I was relatively safe. Enjoy the weather it changes pretty quick. The contractor is here to start setting up the slab tomorrow. The Annex is getting closer. 😁😎
We always have dragonflies around here. You did an awesome job making that ratchet work. Back when I was a mechanic we would also sock the ratchets in ATF or hydraulic fluid. This was a tip from an old time forklift mechanic that worked with us.
Ahhh...dragon flies and fireflies. Now that's summer! When we were kids we called the really skinny ones sewing needles. We all had to be careful cuz they would sew up your mouth if they landed on you!
We have dragonflies everywhere in North Texas. All sizes, shapes and colors. I like how they patrol my back yard in a search pattern and attack from above! When you see them dip quickly, they're usually catching a smaller bug. If you take fire flies, depending on the species, make sure you take glow worms too - They're the females!
You are 100% correct about grease. I have been collecting Plomb, Proto, Fleet, Penens, P&C and copies since the late 1960's. If you use grease in this style of ratchet, grease will get thick in the winter in cold weather and it can also thicken with age. The springs used in this style of ratchet apply very little pressure to push the pawls into the teeth of the drive gear to reduce wear. Thick grease keeps the pawls from fully engaging the gear and causes the teeth to wear because the pawls are not making full contact with the gear. After inspecting, cleaning and replacing worn parts, I only use oil to lube these styles of ratchets. Also by only using oil, I can just dunk them in solvent to flush out old oil and dirt and then re-oil. I own 74 Proto pear head ratchets, about 15 Plomb and many other brands in this style of ratchet which is also the most copied ratchet design. I also have a few Urrea ratchets that are made in Mexico. Urrea Started out as Protomex. I don't have any Protomex ratchets yet or Proto ratchets that were made in Canada.
Here in Burleson Texas we have tons of dragon flies this year. More that I have seen in probably 5 years. Also when I take my walk at about 7:30 tonight it will still be about 101 or 102. At least it gets cooler over the 5 miles I go.
Fairly sure some of the Dragonflies here in Central Florida still have a 2ft wing span 😄 Used to love taking out the macro lens to get shots of them as well as Damselflies. Very interesting to watch them hunt. Can't move for them near ponds at the right time of year.
Nice to know there are ratchet repair kits available . I found a Plomb 5249 at a second hand shop I'd like to rebuild. It has had a hard life. Selector switch is broken and won't engage the mechanism. The two screws that hold the head pieces together have been partially flattened. The slots will have to be opened up with a Dremel to get a screwdriver to fit. I was encouraged when you said many kits are similar despite the brand. I have found a Proto kit that will work. Dragonflies are fascinating and beautiful. Around here, they are welcome to all the mosquitoes they can find.
Dragonflies - Yes, someone nearby must have a big pond as we regularly get them in the back garden, we have tall hedges and trees and I think they like the slightly calmer atmosphere it creates ! Glad you managed to save the original ratchet too, it's so frustrating when spares cost so much , no wonder there are so many people selling parts on E-bay they often end up making far more than the whole tool, planes particularly ! I save all the reclaimed springs I can, yet never seem to have quite the right size ! There are plenty of people out there who regularly mix their own brand of 50:50 with a liberal quantity of BS !
We have dragon flies around here. I sit in my back yard and watch them hover over the pond next door. Them bass get very active when they do. It’s very enjoyable watching Mother Nature. My first ratchet was a fleet sold by grangers. I think my son has it. I actually have a spring cabinet with a variety of them. When you need it , it’s nice to go to the cabinet you know every spring you own is in it. Thank You
According to the Internet, we have fireflies in the UK, but they are rare. In my 69 years, I have never seen a single one. Seen loads in France though.
Afternoon… I live on Whidbey Island in Washington state, we are on an island paradise, for the wonderful Dragonfly kingdom, every color you can imagine… great to watch them do dragon things…..cool observation…….thanks. James
@@ScoutCrafter Thanks, I agree, a far cry from Wilmington Delaware,as a kid hunting frogs,and Dragonfly’s,even lightning bugs…been here 3 years,watching you and repairing tools…. Thanks for the inspiration…..James
Don't have too many dragonflies around this part of Calif. I remember as a kid catching bumblebees with a mason jar off the fruit trees. Hardly see them any more. Urban sprawl has taken away a lot of habitat. Don't see horned toads and meadowlarks which were common back then. Sad. Really enjoyed your repair job on the ratchet and the discussion of various springs.
There are a few species that are very territorial and if they build near people it can be bad. I’ve had a few nests near my roof and they never bothered anything. 😃👍
Hi John- great content as always! When I need a conical spring, usually look in my scrap electronics box. Old remotes or broken kids toys. I’m sure you pass many on the poor man’s flea market. Just a few battery hatches away from success.
Just started see lighting bugs in abundance this year, dragonfly’s are getting to be more noticeable in recent years. Like the ratchet make over, looks great, thanks for the video young man.
I've lived within 1/2 mile my entire life and at 51 I've seen numerous birds, bugs,and animals essentially dissappear then 10 years later they are back Don't mess with Mother Nature!
Speaking of fireflies I was just thinking that I have not seen any in my area for the first time ever and was wondering what is going on but anyway super great job on those wrenches 👍
Another great video. I like how you fixed those ratchets. We have a few dragon flys around here. Over the years the light bugs have slowly disappeared. I also have repaired some of my 50yr old ratchets. I am really getting tired of these 100 plus days. I miss getting out to my shop. I would work all night. But can't leave shop doors open because of the snakes. Oh well. Have a great day..👍👍😎❤...
Hi Scout , Love the Dragonflies ! There's Always A Lot Here in The Spring and Summer in NH . My Favorite Buddies When Fishing They Keep the Mosquitoes Away . Nice Job 👍 on the Ratchet Repair. I'm Working On A Project too. I'm Repainting Including Reel Foot Repair! On A Garcia Mitchell 300 Fishing 🎣 Reel From the 60's or 70's I'd Say. No Numbers . But I've Seen Enough To Say Around Those Years. Anyways It's Coming Along . Fun To Take My Time And Restore to A Usable/ Spare Reel. Pretty Good for $2 ! 😊 I Now Have 3 So I Guess I'm A Collector ! 😂
Great video 👍 Those Proto,Fleet ratchets are pretty cool. Great job with the repair and clean up of the two Fleet ratchets 👍. That special lube for those ratchets sounded pretty smooth. That looked like a pretty good fix for the missing conical spring,seems to work fine ,great idea 💡👍. That one you sent off for looks like N.O.S. Now, & the fixer one turned out Fantastic also. Those thread checkers are super handy to have around. I watched one of your videos a while back and seen you talk about them and had to have a set. Another great shot of Old Glory 🇺🇸 flying in the breeze. That Dragon fly seemed to be enjoying the breeze and he must like the colors he sees on the flag 🇺🇸,great shot. Well again great video and can’t wait to see what you do on Wednesday. 😃👍👍
I did not know that the UK doesn't have lightening bugs. Dragon flies & lightening bugs are very common in Kansas. At least in the rural areas. I don't know how much they hang around the cities. Nice job on the ratchet.
Great as always... regarding the grease mixture... I mix Marvel Mystery oil with military weapons oil. ..use it for just about everything.! Soak rusty items , really helps
We had a small pond our grandfather built, there were always dragonflies around; it’s silted in somewhat and there are still some but not as many as before. Lightning bug populations are signifcantly lower. For the half dozen ratchets I have I’ll look for spares at the flea market if there is a part that’s needed, and that fleet looks just like a Penens too. Thank you.
I'm not a skeeter fan either! A spinning ratchet is just a great sound... I never fail to load the ratchet then just grab the socket and whirl it so the handle is spinning free and cranking out that awesome sound! ...lol.. hope you have good week Mr. John!
I restored a mini singer sewing machine a couple years ago, the "parts machine" i bought from ebay was in way better shape. For me it was a tough decision to give up on my orginal part and replace it with the ebay machine, but it just made sense. All this is to eay, that was a wise choice to get a mint ratchet for a few extra bucks. Cheers
Had a dragonfly in my house a week ago never had seen one in a house before I’m an Iowa boy moved to Missouri about 50 miles from KC that little dragonfly drove my pet duck crazy don’t worry quackers never caught him he’s so slow he couldn’t catch a cold lol nice ratchet I had one years ago 24 teeth made it tough
Now I've gotta go mix up some of Scoutcrafter's 50-50-50 Ratchet Grease! I just had to use a butterfly net to get a dragonfly out of my workshop. We have a lot, but not a single firefly anywhere.
I might be wrong but it looked like the Dragonfly was saluting the flag.😃 Death to all mosquitoes and yellow jackets! Great Ratchet repair. I forgot about the red grease/ Marvel Mystery Oil.👍
Hi John, my wife hates bugs but loves dragon flys. We have them flying around our back yard. Glad they made a return visit to you. Nice ratchet project. I was waiting for the “Spring Jar” to come out and you didn’t disappoint. We had our weather break here in Virginia on Sunday. Now mid 80’s which is more typical. Best Regards, John
Dragonflies are my favorite daytime insect and fireflies favorite night........If you want to see a sight like no other come out to our farm at night and you'll be treated to something few will ever see, I don't know the number but it wouldn't surprise me if it was literally a million or more......I wondered if a regular spring would work and you answered the question............I generally use the Petroleum Jelly & Mineral Oil mix in my ratchets, buttery smooth!
In North Jersey, we have numerous dragon flies. We have many lakes and streams which they love. The variety of colors are amazing. Nice repair and thanks.
Ratchets are great fun. Watching you clean one up is even more fun........I confess I don't clean them up too often....I put a layer of grease and oil all over them so my friends don't notice and make fun of me for being so lazy.....(just kidding...I have no friends). ( I picked up two much older Craftsman and one New Britain this past weekend.....ratchets are fun!) tHanks for the video
No fireflies or lightning bugs here in Australia either, but we do have dragonflies. The dragonflies appear in the summer always hovering around our in ground pool. It’s magical watching them hover over the surface of the water to drink.
Hey Johnny that came out great and someone else in the comments said it that’s what makes you different ! I use that ratchet at work all the time even though it started to give me a problem - I appreciate you and your time and knowledge not just to only fix it but to explain how you did it and what certain parts are called thanx again ✅ Hope to see you soon brother and I should have that 🔥🚒/🚔🚨 📦 👈🏼 soon as well 👍🏼 just waiting for the call .. I’ll ttys have a good day 🤜🏼🤛🏼
the best lube for ratchets i have found (so far) is stp motor oil treatment it's a really heavy oil but still lighter then grease, and lubricates the ratchet fantastic and thins out a little while the ratchet is in use, it's cheap too.
We have dragonflies "flitting" around are back yard most of the summer. But no lightning bugs. The furthest west I've ever seen them is Rife gap State park Colorado.
We've got dragonflies here too but I haven't been out enough to see any. Good old Army drugs catch up with us all but getting better, slowly. Have a fine week and good ratcheting and God Bless!
We get dragonflies but I remember seeing more at my moms and dads house, they had a little man dug waterway behind their home. They seem to like to be close to water. I was always thought to watch out for them because that have a nasty bite or sting when they feel endangered by you. Makes sense if they're eating flies, wich is new to me. Thank you.
Sure we have glowworms in the UK. Look just like the one you showed in your picture, but I think the European ones are different and they pronounce aluminium correctly. As a kid my parents had a holiday chalet at Bewdley, right next to the Severn Valley Steam Railway and River Severn. Saturday night out was a 3 mile walk to get fish and chips and a 3 mile walk back along a pitch black country lane or the railway tracks. We often collected enough glowworms in a jar to have enough light to read by. Good news about the dragonflies.
Great episode as usual,dragonflies here in iowa around cornfields. Love the Rachel segment,I used superlube on my rachets,but always love your home brews for lubrication!😊
SC, I would have used a tapered mandrel and wound a tapered spring from piano wire. Easy. Super-lube is what Snap-on and Mac use as a lubricant on their ratchets - it works very well! I have Lubriplate as well, but for Ratchets, Super-lube is the ticket.
@@ScoutCrafter The trick to winding springs is to wind them longer than needed, then trim them. The spring for the Ratchet isn't critical - as you know since you substituted one anyway. The first spring or three you make never comes out great - but as you develop the skill, they are much better. A few different thicknesses of piano wire and you will be able to make them as you need them. A lathe or drill press on slow speed can be used also.
I dont live near any swamps yet dragon flies are plentiful. One dry year they were so plentiful that when I was mowing they would fly right in front of my face.
I got funny story about grease I’m 25 small engine mechanic Guy bought new snow blower from me Left behind 70”s Ariens Snow blower And guy install extra grease fitting were there weren’t suppose to be fitting like in side the auger sleve. Good idea buttt Take easy on the grease lol And u know when ur gonna fix sonthing to sell it U got to give it cleaning Well This guy must squirted grease in it each time he used it Here on Long Island ny USE TO GET 1-4 snow storms a year so there was grease ontop of grease over grease Well after using like 1/2 gallon of gas to eat this grease away And u can tell when grease gets old Gas resists mixing with it And turns into mess We’re ever greas was looked like new So when I see grease oil stuff after u get it offmakes for restoration Vs nothing and rusted to snot Sad part is u put grease on for moving parts unfortunately the bronze bushing that snow blower rode on the axel We’re in need of replacing So dirty grease dose cause wear The world still hasn’t come up with solution for keeping forged dirt out of grease But that’s grease is killer dirt I have a stx38 John riding mower Gas grease fiting for the spindles The steering was geting tight I’m not the orginal owner so started pump grease in And u should of saw when old grease started coming out after i Hurd a pop Not only black but was compacted After 5 mins of driving I noticed big diffent on steering 😂
Special hardware or odd specifications of fasteners are often a challenge. I am restoring a Stanley 15 block plane. The adjustable throat plate broke off the threaded boss for the thumbscrew. It is 7/32 x 20 tpi BSW thread which is not readily available. I saw a taper tap on EBay from a Chinese company but it takes too long to ship. I am going to make a new adjustable throat plate, but may have to make a new brass thumbscrew so I can use 1/4x20 tpi threads on the new parts. Nice work on the ratchet. Glad it was in good condition and just needed cleaning. I have not noticed dragonflies but do see humingbirds now and again when I walk out the front door. Dave.
Dave- Whenever I encounter oddball threads I always enjoy changing them over to common threads. Starrett was the worst, almost all their threads are Starrett only pitches. 🫣😃👍
Last month a local machinist friend and I stopped at Athol, MA for the Starrett factory tour. Very interesting. A lot of machines that look like they were made in 40's or 50's. The tour guide said they make most of their own tooling. This could be why they have unusual threads. One machine was making teeny tiny screws for an instrument. The screws looked like pieces of swarf they were so small. A fascinating place to visit. Glad to see they are still manufacturing in the original location and still have the original factory from late 1800's. Dave.
My sister in-law who now lives in Sacramento California says they don’t have lighting bugs there either. Her boy friend who is originally from England has never seen them. He’s excited to visit us in Ohio so he can see them.
Here in Putnam County NY we certainly have Dragon Flys, (And Fireflys too) Didn't Shakespeare mention fireflys though in "A Midsummer Nights Dream? or am I imagining it? Nice job on the Ratchet, I bet you;d get a kick out of an SK Frankenstein Ratchet.
I brush one aside a couple of weeks ago and it dropped and stayed still . I thought oh shit I've killed it and I barely touched it but after a while it flew off . It was playing dead...
Do you have any experience eating your sunflowers? I've heard some state that the green leaves are edible, but then some say they are toxic. I've cooked a few and they look just like spinach, but I couldn't bring myself to eat it. I have added the dried yellow flower petals to tea but I'm not sure that was a good idea either. Anyone want to chime in?
I’ve never had luck with eating non traditional plants, my Grandmother used to make me pick dandelion leaves for salad and I never ate it. I tried Pine Needle tea last year and it tasted just like you would think- awful! 😂😂😂👍
Great job and most importantly very nice of you to get him another ratchet , that's what makes you different
You mentioned carpenter bees. I'm an exterminator by trade, and I've got a tip for you.
Carpenter bees prefer to burrow and lay eggs in the softest wood they can find. Their favorite, at least among common construction lumber, seems to be red cedar. To prevent damage from carpenter bees without harming them (and assuming the structure you want to protect is NOT red cedar), hang a sacrificial piece of red cedar under the eaves. It should be at least as thick as a 2x4 if you can find it, and at least 3' long.
Hope this helps!
EDIT: Forgot to mention, hang the cedar horizontally, and it may take more than one piece. Cheers!
Like you, this is the first time in years I remember seeing so many dragonflies, and I live in semi-rural NC.
For our UK friends, I’m sorry you don’t have lightin’ bugs. There is nothing like sitting in the porch swing in the evening with a pretty girl, watching the lightnin’ bugs flash.
Always enjoy Dragonflies. Used to confuse them with Dining Needles. They fly so mysteriously, hovering and changing directions. They’re beautiful.
John, Hi, had a similar issue and I bought a 99p hand fan run by 2 AA batteries and ripped the battery compartment springs which fitted and worked perfectly!
Absolutely fantastic idea!!! 😃👍
You can find these springs in anything works with AAA batteries, like remote controls, they hold the batteries in their place.
I love RoadKing's ScoutCrafter 50/50 recipe!🤣
Used to make dragonfly knots with my son's CubScout pack. Great way to teach the little nippers some manual dexterity. Wire, twine, rope, whatever, and a few minutes later they've got a dragonfly to give their Mom.
Lots of dragonflies here in Tx this year. More than normal. The ratchet turned out nicely.
Hi John.
Nice work on the ratchet.
I worked with a guy who did setup for Quality Spring in Coldwater. He showed me a couple tricks to making springs.
If I don't have a spring to match, or if the original is missing, I get a spring out of my spring box. Great idea having a couple hundred different springs available. I find one with the same size wire and either wrap it around a drill bit, if it is round, or make a mandrel if it is conical. It helps a lot when I'm repairing chucks on breast drills.
Grease does get hard over time. Tne old stuff was some metal salt mixed in with oil to make a soap. Like any soap once the oil evaporates or the soap sets up it starts making things worse rather than better.
Dragonflies are beautiful. We get them from the lake just south of us. Not only are they pretty they eat mosquitos too.
Wasps are okay if they don't get where I live. I don't mind them flying around but if I have a nest in a tree or one of the buildings it is gone.
The old house had big barns that I loved working in and repairing. They were full of wasps. I was climbing a ladder up to work on the inside of a window up in the hay loft and set my hand on the 2x4 cross brace. Right on top of a nest of mud daubers. I yelled down for Ryan to run and as soon as he was out of the way I lifted my hand and slid down the ladder like a fire pole.
I could feel the wasps moving under my fingers but I never got stung. I might just have been lucky but I studied them and decided they can't sting up. Their stingers point down. As long as I was pressing them down I was relatively safe.
Enjoy the weather it changes pretty quick. The contractor is here to start setting up the slab tomorrow. The Annex is getting closer. 😁😎
Dave- Can’t tell you how excited we are to see your building get built- Everyone’s dream. 😃👍
We always have dragonflies around here. You did an awesome job making that ratchet work. Back when I was a mechanic we would also sock the ratchets in ATF or hydraulic fluid. This was a tip from an old time forklift mechanic that worked with us.
Ahhh...dragon flies and fireflies. Now that's summer! When we were kids we called the really skinny ones sewing needles. We all had to be careful cuz they would sew up your mouth if they landed on you!
We have dragonflies everywhere in North Texas. All sizes, shapes and colors.
I like how they patrol my back yard in a search pattern and attack from above! When you see them dip quickly, they're usually catching a smaller bug.
If you take fire flies, depending on the species, make sure you take glow worms too - They're the females!
You are 100% correct about grease. I have been collecting Plomb, Proto, Fleet, Penens, P&C and copies since the late 1960's. If you use grease in this style of ratchet, grease will get thick in the winter in cold weather and it can also thicken with age. The springs used in this style of ratchet apply very little pressure to push the pawls into the teeth of the drive gear to reduce wear. Thick grease keeps the pawls from fully engaging the gear and causes the teeth to wear because the pawls are not making full contact with the gear. After inspecting, cleaning and replacing worn parts, I only use oil to lube these styles of ratchets. Also by only using oil, I can just dunk them in solvent to flush out old oil and dirt and then re-oil. I own 74 Proto pear head ratchets, about 15 Plomb and many other brands in this style of ratchet which is also the most copied ratchet design. I also have a few Urrea ratchets that are made in Mexico. Urrea Started out as Protomex. I don't have any Protomex ratchets yet or Proto ratchets that were made in Canada.
Excellent tips! You are spot on!!! 😃👍
Dragonfly larvae are about the scariest looking creatures in any pond. .. Like out of the movie "Alien."
Dragon flies and Damsel flies are truly very cool insects.
Dragonflies here in Norman, Oklahoma like MAD this year
Here in Burleson Texas we have tons of dragon flies this year. More that I have seen in probably 5 years. Also when I take my walk at about 7:30 tonight it will still be about 101 or 102. At least it gets cooler over the 5 miles I go.
Fairly sure some of the Dragonflies here in Central Florida still have a 2ft wing span 😄 Used to love taking out the macro lens to get shots of them as well as Damselflies. Very interesting to watch them hunt. Can't move for them near ponds at the right time of year.
No cicadas here in the UK either. I was astounded when I first heard them last year in Ilinois.
No Cicadas either?!? Oh my! Now I want to bring both! 🫣😃👍
Nice to know there are ratchet repair kits available . I found a Plomb 5249 at a second hand shop I'd like to rebuild. It has had a hard life. Selector switch is broken and won't engage the mechanism. The two screws that hold the head pieces together have been partially flattened. The slots will have to be opened up with a Dremel to get a screwdriver to fit. I was encouraged when you said many kits are similar despite the brand. I have found a Proto kit that will work. Dragonflies are fascinating and beautiful. Around here, they are welcome to all the mosquitoes they can find.
Dragonflies - Yes, someone nearby must have a big pond as we regularly get them in the back garden, we have tall hedges and trees and I think they like the slightly calmer atmosphere it creates !
Glad you managed to save the original ratchet too, it's so frustrating when spares cost so much , no wonder there are so many people selling parts on E-bay they often end up making far more than the whole tool, planes particularly ! I save all the reclaimed springs I can, yet never seem to have quite the right size !
There are plenty of people out there who regularly mix their own brand of 50:50 with a liberal quantity of BS !
We have dragon flies around here. I sit in my back yard and watch them hover over the pond next door. Them bass get very active when they do. It’s very enjoyable watching Mother Nature. My first ratchet was a fleet sold by grangers. I think my son has it. I actually have a spring cabinet with a variety of them. When you need it , it’s nice to go to the cabinet you know every spring you own is in it. Thank You
Dragonflies eat over a hundred mosquitoes a day. Love dragonflies.❤
According to the Internet, we have fireflies in the UK, but they are rare. In my 69 years, I have never seen a single one. Seen loads in France though.
Mike- If I get to the UK I will try to smuggle some in along with Cicadas. 😂👍
Afternoon… I live on Whidbey Island in Washington state, we are on an island paradise, for the wonderful Dragonfly kingdom, every color you can imagine… great to watch them do dragon things…..cool observation…….thanks. James
James- I just looked it up! Wow! Paradise is right! What a great looking place. 😃👍
@@ScoutCrafter Thanks, I agree, a far cry from Wilmington Delaware,as a kid hunting frogs,and Dragonfly’s,even lightning bugs…been here 3 years,watching you and repairing tools…. Thanks for the inspiration…..James
Don't have too many dragonflies around this part of Calif. I remember as a kid catching bumblebees with a mason jar off the fruit trees. Hardly see them any more. Urban sprawl has taken away a lot of habitat. Don't see horned toads and meadowlarks which were common back then. Sad. Really enjoyed your repair job on the ratchet and the discussion of various springs.
Wasps are underrated, they are becoming more and more appreciated as they are brilliant and important pollinators.
There are a few species that are very territorial and if they build near people it can be bad. I’ve had a few nests near my roof and they never bothered anything. 😃👍
Hi John- great content as always! When I need a conical spring, usually look in my scrap electronics box. Old remotes or broken kids toys. I’m sure you pass many on the poor man’s flea market. Just a few battery hatches away from success.
Great tip! Contact springs in my battery toothbrushes (which I always save) are conical. I'll save them, from now on!
What kind of maniac does not have one, two, or three large jars full of springs in their collection. Great video. Always enjoyable and educational.
Just started see lighting bugs in abundance this year, dragonfly’s are getting to be more noticeable in recent years. Like the ratchet make over, looks great, thanks for the video young man.
I've lived within 1/2 mile my entire life and at 51 I've seen numerous birds, bugs,and animals essentially dissappear then 10 years later they are back Don't mess with Mother Nature!
Now that you mention it yes I did see a dragonfly yesterday.
I thought I haven't seen one of them in awhile. Great video Scout!!
Speaking of fireflies I was just thinking that I have not seen any in my area for the first time ever and was wondering what is going on but anyway super great job on those wrenches 👍
Maybe they are a little late this year because of the dry Spring we had. 😃👍
I have lots of dragonflies in my yard. They feed on gnat swarms.
Another great video. I like how you fixed those ratchets. We have a few dragon flys around here. Over the years the light bugs have slowly disappeared. I also have repaired some of my 50yr old ratchets. I am really getting tired of these 100 plus days. I miss getting out to my shop. I would work all night. But can't leave shop doors open because of the snakes. Oh well. Have a great day..👍👍😎❤...
Larry- Some snakes scare the bejesus out of me! 🫣😃👍
Ya. Me too!!!!!
Hi Scout , Love the Dragonflies ! There's Always A Lot Here in The Spring and Summer in NH . My Favorite Buddies When Fishing They Keep the Mosquitoes Away . Nice Job 👍 on the Ratchet Repair. I'm Working On A Project too. I'm Repainting Including Reel Foot Repair! On A Garcia Mitchell 300 Fishing 🎣 Reel From the 60's or 70's I'd Say. No Numbers . But I've Seen Enough To Say Around Those Years. Anyways It's Coming Along . Fun To Take My Time And Restore to A Usable/ Spare Reel. Pretty Good for $2 ! 😊 I Now Have 3 So I Guess I'm A Collector ! 😂
I always wanted a Abu Garcia 5000 for some reason…. 😃👍
Great video 👍 Those Proto,Fleet ratchets are pretty cool. Great job with the repair and clean up of the two Fleet ratchets 👍. That special lube for those ratchets sounded pretty smooth. That looked like a pretty good fix for the missing conical spring,seems to work fine ,great idea 💡👍. That one you sent off for looks like N.O.S. Now, & the fixer one turned out Fantastic also. Those thread checkers are super handy to have around. I watched one of your videos a while back and seen you talk about them and had to have a set. Another great shot of Old Glory 🇺🇸 flying in the breeze. That Dragon fly seemed to be enjoying the breeze and he must like the colors he sees on the flag 🇺🇸,great shot. Well again great video and can’t wait to see what you do on Wednesday. 😃👍👍
Steven- That Lubriplate is great stuff. Slippery as all heck! 😃👍
I did not know that the UK doesn't have lightening bugs. Dragon flies & lightening bugs are very common in Kansas. At least in the rural areas. I don't know how much they hang around the cities. Nice job on the ratchet.
Love the tip of soaking ratchets in ATF. Thanks!!
Great as always... regarding the grease mixture... I mix Marvel Mystery oil with military weapons oil. ..use it for just about everything.! Soak rusty items , really helps
I love MMO! 😃👍
A lot of dragon flies here, probably as there are so many fresh water lakes. I remember as a kid they would land on my fishing line.
We had a small pond our grandfather built, there were always dragonflies around; it’s silted in somewhat and there are still some but not as many as before. Lightning bug populations are signifcantly lower. For the half dozen ratchets I have I’ll look for spares at the flea market if there is a part that’s needed, and that fleet looks just like a Penens too. Thank you.
I'm not a skeeter fan either! A spinning ratchet is just a great sound... I never fail to load the ratchet then just grab the socket and whirl it so the handle is spinning free and cranking out that awesome sound! ...lol.. hope you have good week Mr. John!
Vic- Like those antique noise makers! 😃👍
@@ScoutCrafter exactly !!
I restored a mini singer sewing machine a couple years ago, the "parts machine" i bought from ebay was in way better shape. For me it was a tough decision to give up on my orginal part and replace it with the ebay machine, but it just made sense. All this is to eay, that was a wise choice to get a mint ratchet for a few extra bucks. Cheers
Joe- That happens so often, you buy a parts car and it’s better then the one you’ve been working on! 😂👍
I used to use Lubriplate on slot cars back in the 60s. Very nice light grease.
We have dragonflies! We have loads of them! Theyre fantastic!
Lots of dragon flies and even a few hummingbirds!!
Had a dragonfly in my house a week ago never had seen one in a house before I’m an Iowa boy moved to Missouri about 50 miles from KC that little dragonfly drove my pet duck crazy don’t worry quackers never caught him he’s so slow he couldn’t catch a cold lol nice ratchet I had one years ago 24 teeth made it tough
Something so simple, but was a great watch, thank you for sharing!
It really did brighten my night!
Another very good tool video. And we all learned more about ratchets, thumbs up cheers !
Now I've gotta go mix up some of Scoutcrafter's 50-50-50 Ratchet Grease!
I just had to use a butterfly net to get a dragonfly out of my workshop. We have a lot, but not a single firefly anywhere.
Yes! I have seen more dragon flies this year as compared to the past,
I might be wrong but it looked like the Dragonfly was saluting the flag.😃 Death to all mosquitoes and yellow jackets! Great Ratchet repair. I forgot about the red grease/ Marvel Mystery Oil.👍
😂👍🇺🇸
Great restoration and nice dragonflies. Thanks.
Holy Christ!! 50% Red Grease/ 50% MMO, does it ever end!! You're killin' Me Dawg!!☻
😂😂😂😂😂
No joke- I’m working on a 50% ATF/ 50% Mineral Sprits cleaning solution. 😃👍
Great video as always we've noticed a few Dragonflies around our house this year seems odd
Good opening monologue. 🇺🇸
Hi John, my wife hates bugs but loves dragon flys. We have them flying around our back yard. Glad they made a return visit to you. Nice ratchet project. I was waiting for the “Spring Jar” to come out and you didn’t disappoint. We had our weather break here in Virginia on Sunday. Now mid 80’s which is more typical.
Best Regards,
John
John- I’m ok with 80’s. Looking forward to September weather. 😃👍
Dragonflies are my favorite daytime insect and fireflies favorite night........If you want to see a sight like no other come out to our farm at night and you'll be treated to something few will ever see, I don't know the number but it wouldn't surprise me if it was literally a million or more......I wondered if a regular spring would work and you answered the question............I generally use the Petroleum Jelly & Mineral Oil mix in my ratchets, buttery smooth!
Thank you, greetings from Mexico!
In North Jersey, we have numerous dragon flies. We have many lakes and streams which they love. The variety of colors are amazing. Nice repair and thanks.
Great job on the ratchets! You make it look easy.
Love dragon flies so mysterious love the way the hover fantastic video Scot god bless take care 🇺🇸🇳🇿😎👌🏻💤🪖🪖45
Ratchets are great fun. Watching you clean one up is even more fun........I confess I don't clean them up too often....I put a layer of grease and oil all over them so my friends don't notice and make fun of me for being so lazy.....(just kidding...I have no friends).
( I picked up two much older Craftsman and one New Britain this past weekend.....ratchets are fun!) tHanks for the video
No fireflies or lightning bugs here in Australia either, but we do have dragonflies. The dragonflies appear in the summer always hovering around our in ground pool. It’s magical watching them hover over the surface of the water to drink.
Hey Johnny that came out great and someone else in the comments said it that’s what makes you different ! I use that ratchet at work all the time even though it started to give me a problem - I appreciate you and your time and knowledge not just to only fix it but to explain how you did it and what certain parts are called thanx again ✅ Hope to see you soon brother and I should have that
🔥🚒/🚔🚨 📦 👈🏼 soon as well 👍🏼 just waiting for the call .. I’ll ttys have a good day 🤜🏼🤛🏼
the best lube for ratchets i have found (so far) is stp motor oil treatment it's a really heavy oil but still lighter then grease, and lubricates the ratchet fantastic and thins out a little while the ratchet is in use, it's cheap too.
We have dragonflies "flitting" around are back yard most of the summer. But no lightning bugs. The furthest west I've ever seen them is Rife gap State park Colorado.
I just read that they aren’t common out west. 🤔😃👍
Thousands of dragonflies here buddy.
Maine! 😃👍
We've got dragonflies here too but I haven't been out enough to see any. Good old Army drugs catch up with us all but getting better, slowly. Have a fine week and good ratcheting and God Bless!
Crazy thought! How about inside of an electronic battery compartment for a conical spring? Cheers
We get dragonflies but I remember seeing more at my moms and dads house, they had a little man dug waterway behind their home. They seem to like to be close to water. I was always thought to watch out for them because that have a nasty bite or sting when they feel endangered by you. Makes sense if they're eating flies, wich is new to me. Thank you.
Thank You ScoutCrafter .
Them springs look a lot like springs you would find in a faucet repair kit. You know the ones that come with the sleeve type washers .
Another good tip to remember!
I guess the Fire Flies don't like war beer - LOL!
Hey John thanks for the shoutout❗️😊👍…Nice job on that Fleet 👀. That one’s a little tough because it has those two open plates
Rich- if that spring shot across my shop it was game over! 🫣😂👍
@@ScoutCrafter yup you ain’t kidding lol👍
Sure we have glowworms in the UK. Look just like the one you showed in your picture, but I think the European ones are different and they pronounce aluminium correctly.
As a kid my parents had a holiday chalet at Bewdley, right next to the Severn Valley Steam Railway and River Severn. Saturday night out was a 3 mile walk to get fish and chips and a 3 mile walk back along a pitch black country lane or the railway tracks. We often collected enough glowworms in a jar to have enough light to read by.
Good news about the dragonflies.
Great episode as usual,dragonflies here in iowa around cornfields. Love the Rachel segment,I used superlube on my rachets,but always love your home brews for lubrication!😊
SC, I would have used a tapered mandrel and wound a tapered spring from piano wire. Easy. Super-lube is what Snap-on and Mac use as a lubricant on their ratchets - it works very well! I have Lubriplate as well, but for Ratchets, Super-lube is the ticket.
I’ve never had luck winding springs especially small ones.
@@ScoutCrafter The trick to winding springs is to wind them longer than needed, then trim them. The spring for the Ratchet isn't critical - as you know since you substituted one anyway. The first spring or three you make never comes out great - but as you develop the skill, they are much better. A few different thicknesses of piano wire and you will be able to make them as you need them. A lathe or drill press on slow speed can be used also.
I’ve seen a few dragon flies here in Kansas. They are not uncommon.Nice tutorial on the ratchet.
Thank You for sharing.
I dont live near any swamps yet dragon flies are plentiful. One dry year they were so plentiful that when I was mowing they would fly right in front of my face.
Nice job John and a nice gesture for you good friend. Paying it forward, way too go!
I got funny story about grease I’m 25 small engine mechanic
Guy bought new snow blower from me
Left behind 70”s Ariens
Snow blower
And guy install extra grease fitting were there weren’t suppose to be fitting like in side the auger sleve. Good idea buttt
Take easy on the grease lol
And u know when ur gonna fix sonthing to sell it
U got to give it cleaning
Well
This guy must squirted grease in it each time he used it
Here on Long Island ny USE TO GET 1-4 snow storms a year so there was grease ontop of grease over grease
Well after using like 1/2 gallon of gas to eat this grease away
And u can tell when grease gets old
Gas resists mixing with it
And turns into mess
We’re ever greas was looked like new
So when I see grease oil stuff after u get it offmakes for restoration
Vs nothing and rusted to snot
Sad part is u put grease on for moving parts unfortunately the bronze bushing that snow blower rode on the axel
We’re in need of replacing
So dirty grease dose cause wear
The world still hasn’t come up with solution for keeping forged dirt out of grease
But that’s grease is killer dirt
I have a stx38 John riding mower
Gas grease fiting for the spindles
The steering was geting tight I’m not the orginal owner so started pump grease in
And u should of saw when old grease started coming out after i Hurd a pop
Not only black but was compacted
After 5 mins of driving
I noticed big diffent on steering
😂
Nice job on the ratchet…🖖
Special hardware or odd specifications of fasteners are often a challenge.
I am restoring a Stanley 15 block plane. The adjustable throat plate broke off the threaded boss for the thumbscrew. It is 7/32 x 20 tpi BSW thread which is not readily available. I saw a taper tap on EBay from a Chinese company but it takes too long to ship.
I am going to make a new adjustable throat plate, but may have to make a new brass thumbscrew so I can use 1/4x20 tpi threads on the new parts.
Nice work on the ratchet. Glad it was in good condition and just needed cleaning.
I have not noticed dragonflies but do see humingbirds now and again when I walk out the front door.
Dave.
Dave- Whenever I encounter oddball threads I always enjoy changing them over to common threads. Starrett was the worst, almost all their threads are Starrett only pitches. 🫣😃👍
Last month a local machinist friend and I stopped at Athol, MA for the Starrett factory tour. Very interesting. A lot of machines that look like they were made in 40's or 50's. The tour guide said they make most of their own tooling. This could be why they have unusual threads.
One machine was making teeny tiny screws for an instrument. The screws looked like pieces of swarf they were so small.
A fascinating place to visit. Glad to see they are still manufacturing in the original location and still have the original factory from late 1800's.
Dave.
Great job John❤
We do have glow worms in the UK they're pretty rare you get them on Chalky Downlands in places like the county of Dorset. I saw them years ago there.😊
Nice work. Ratchets do need maintenance from time to time.
Lubriplate is also the recommended grease to use on the M1 Garand. Good show John
Really! That’s good to know. That Garand kicks like a mule! 😂👍
I have 4½ acres and a small lake.... Loads of dragonflies here.
Possibly the sides of the ratchet were left textured so you can grip it with greasy hands
😂. Mike you would make a awesome salesman! 😃👍
My sister in-law who now lives in Sacramento California says they don’t have lighting bugs there either. Her boy friend who is originally from England has never seen them. He’s excited to visit us in Ohio so he can see them.
I hope he gets to see them! 😃👍
Here in Putnam County NY we certainly have Dragon Flys, (And Fireflys too) Didn't Shakespeare mention fireflys though in "A Midsummer Nights Dream? or am I imagining it?
Nice job on the Ratchet, I bet you;d get a kick out of an SK Frankenstein Ratchet.
When I make my breakfast tacos, I use 50% bacon and 50% eggs. Nothing lubricates the arteries better. So slippery!
I miss Bacon. I used to have Bacon and Grape jelly on buttered toast. Ben it’s delightful. 😃👍
txs for sharing...
Cool old ratchet but I never knew across the pond they don't have firefly's or lighting bugs that's a shame
So for the spring, what about using the negative terminal of a triple A battery holder? They pretty much look the same.
I brush one aside a couple of weeks ago and it dropped and stayed still . I thought oh shit I've killed it and I barely touched it but after a while it flew off . It was playing dead...
We used Lubriplate for years. Everyone called it " duck butter". Don't know why.
The stuff is really slippery, doesn’t smell and isn’t messy. I think they marketed it all wrong. I could sell the heck out of that product! 😃👍
Do you have any experience eating your sunflowers? I've heard some state that the green leaves are edible, but then some say they are toxic. I've cooked a few and they look just like spinach, but I couldn't bring myself to eat it. I have added the dried yellow flower petals to tea but I'm not sure that was a good idea either. Anyone want to chime in?
I’ve never had luck with eating non traditional plants, my Grandmother used to make me pick dandelion leaves for salad and I never ate it. I tried Pine Needle tea last year and it tasted just like you would think- awful! 😂😂😂👍
@@ScoutCrafter 😂Yuck 🤮 !