Piccies

[tonyelectric]

Don't forget screwits are back, now called Twisters and made by Ideal Industries, type approved and available at CEF for up to 6mm, suitable for stranded and singles and combinations of those (so the box says!).

Just used some yesterday and must say i'm impressed, once they are screwed on they don't unscrew again!!!, they have a metal helix inside that is of spring steel and tightens around the cores as you twist, pretty neat, many times better than the porcelain ones.

approx £5 for 100 for 1.0-2.5mm (grey)

 

[sparkydude]

Also looks like the pipes in the boiler room are lagged in Asbestos , so i would be very careful what you disturb whilst rewiring as chances are the whole place will be lagged in it.


Nick

 

[tonyelectric]

You are most correct Nick, its a nice example of 80% magnesia insulation, formed in two halves of pre cast mix wrapped up in a plaster soaked muslin bandage. Asbestos is a bit of a pet hobby of mine so I took a sample and examined it under my microscope, the asbestos content (roughly 20% if you beleive the manufacturers blurb) is Reibeckite a form of Crocidolite (which is a member of the amphibole family of minerals), commonly known as blue asbestos, nasty stuff as little as 1 fibre that is only visible under x1000 magnification can kill.

This batch probably hails from Zimbabwe which is rich in asbestos minerals, the only other big source was Wittenoom in Australia, now a ghost town and worth googling. If you want to see some seriously big asbestos operations still going today look at the mines in Asbestos, Canada and Asbest in Russia, the developing world can't get enough of the stuff so some firms are making hay while the sun shines (or at some poor ignorant bu88ers expense)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wittenoom,_Western_Australia

http://www.uralasbest.ru/eng/begin.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos,_Quebec

 

[surreal]

Thought the assembled might enjoy these, all in one place and still going strong

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "still going strong"? Just because things are still working it doesn't mean the installation is safe to use or safe to work on. And it doesn't mean that when your backs turned it wont catch fire either.

In ten years of sparking i've had 3 nasty shocks, guess where I had them!!!!

As a professional sparks of 10 years that's such a dumb thing to say.

 

[MrTinker]

Thought the assembled might enjoy these, all in one place and still going strong

I'm not quite sure what you mean by "still going strong"? Just because things are still working it doesn't mean the installation is safe to use or safe to work on. And it doesn't mean that when your backs turned it wont catch fire either.

In ten years of sparking i've had 3 nasty shocks, guess where I had them!!!!

As a professional sparks of 10 years that's such a dumb thing to say.

Oh Knickers! bsa has got an evil twin, aaggghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

 

[ELZ4742]

i can honestly say ive never met a spark that hasnt had a shock.

 

[surreal]

i can honestly say ive never met a spark that hasnt had a shock.

In the context of this post having 3 *nasty* shocks from the same installation can only mean one of two things.

1. Tony does not have a lot of experience of working on old installations. In this case Tony should not be working on the installation.

2. The installation is so unsafe that Tony, who has a lot of experience working on old installations was caught out 3 times which resulted in 3 nasty shocks. In this case the installation should not be in service.

So if the installation is still *going strong* why would anyone admit to having 3 nasty shocks from it? So in the context of Tony's post I still think it was a dumb thing to say

Oh, and as it's Christmas I won't comment on the bit about finding and then disturbing asbestos.

 

[ELZ4742]

i can assure you that your massive collection of 10 opinionated posts mean nothing to the people who he has helped out on this forum.

 

[tonyelectric]

i can honestly say ive never met a spark that hasnt had a shock.

In the context of this post having 3 *nasty* shocks from the same installation can only mean one of two things.

1. Tony does not have a lot of experience of working on old installations. In this case Tony should not be working on the installation.

2. The installation is so unsafe that Tony, who has a lot of experience working on old installations was caught out 3 times which resulted in 3 nasty shocks. In this case the installation should not be in service.

So if the installation is still *going strong* why would anyone admit to having 3 nasty shocks from it? So in the context of Tony's post I still think it was a dumb thing to say

Oh, and as it's Christmas I won't comment on the bit about finding and then disturbing asbestos.

Number 1 I have a vast experience of old installations and very large installations, this has been an ongoing work for 10 years, and as an apprentice it got me a few times (borrowed neutral), although the instal is very old it is still functioning, it does need replacement no argument but its not my property so thats up to its owner.

Number 2 I posted the pics because I thought others would enjoy seeing something we don't see so often any more, others seem to have understood the light hearted nature of this post.

Number 3 Until you have sampled Asbestos and examined it under a polarizing microscope you cannot tell what type it is or indeed if it is asbestos and the sample is taken of already friable material and immediately placed in a cuvette, asbestos is a harmless mineral until it enters the lungs, ergo if you don't breath it in you don't get asbestosis

 

[surreal]

i can honestly say ive never met a spark that hasnt had a shock.

In the context of this post having 3 *nasty* shocks from the same installation can only mean one of two things.

1. Tony does not have a lot of experience of working on old installations. In this case Tony should not be working on the installation.

2. The installation is so unsafe that Tony, who has a lot of experience working on old installations was caught out 3 times which resulted in 3 nasty shocks. In this case the installation should not be in service.

So if the installation is still *going strong* why would anyone admit to having 3 nasty shocks from it? So in the context of Tony's post I still think it was a dumb thing to say

Oh, and as it's Christmas I won't comment on the bit about finding and then disturbing asbestos.

Number 1 I have a vast experience of old installations and very large installations, this has been an ongoing work for 10 years, and as an apprentice it got me a few times (borrowed neutral), although the instal is very old it is still functioning, it does need replacement no argument but its not my property so thats up to its owner.

In your original post you didn't imply you were an apprentice, however, that makes it even worse. One of the problems here is although we are working in similar fields we are working in two totally different worlds. As a supervised apprentice how the hell could you get a minor electric shock let alone three nasty shocks? Your employer could face a huge fine and a custodial sentence for allowing that to happen.

Number 2 I posted the pics because I thought others would enjoy seeing something we don't see so often any more, others seem to have understood the light hearted nature of this post.

Nothing wrong with posting the pictures, I only questioned why you said it was still going strong because based on the photos you posted it's clearly not.

Number 3 Until you have sampled Asbestos and examined it under a polarizing microscope you cannot tell what type it is or indeed if it is asbestos and the sample is taken of already friable material and immediately placed in a cuvette, asbestos is a harmless mineral until it enters the lungs, ergo if you don't breath it in you don't get asbestosis

As asbestos is your pet hobby you should know better than most than to make light of it's presence. In my world you would have been dismissed on the spot for entering that room. And because asbestos is your pet hobby why you ever went near that pipe beggars belief.

But then maybe you're young enough never to have met any off the sparks, plumber, mechanics and their wife's who are dying every week because they inadvertently came into contact with asbestos in one form or another, just like you may have done when you entered that room. Sorry if I miss off the smiley.

 

[tonyelectric]

I started working for my families business, electricians since 1912 at the age of 13, re-wired my first house alone at 16, took 2330, went to uni. read engineering (materials science with a special interest in asbestiform products), got a BSc, did formal apprenticeship with the family firm, took 16th ed, took 2391, took 17th ed. etc etc.

I know what i'm doing and am happy that i'm safe, i'm the MD of the firm so I could sue myself out of business if I wanted but er

 

[ELZ4742]

your 111 years old tony?

 

[OwainDIYer]

your 111 years old tony?

... and still working.

I've got one of those pension plans too ...

 

[tonyelectric]

I feel like it sometimes!!

Seriously though Surreal, i'm sorry if my original jovial/information/memory lane post irritated you or my interest in geology. There are lots of different types of working environments out there and yours is obviously different from mine, its what makes the world interesting.

Please feel free to critique me on a technical point you don't agree with on one of the techy threads and i'll defend myself or take on board your ideas, but this was just light hearted thread. There is already a contributor on the forum who likes to copy and paste, but at least he is actually making sensible, if sometimes a bit wordy technical/legal commentry.

I've taken the pics down in case anyone else takes umbridge.

 

[tonyelectric]

As a final part in reply to surreals last post, yes I have known people who died of asbestosis and other asbestos related complaints, my late godfather worked as a foreman at Turner & Newall in Rochdale, my heart goes out to those touched by the foolishness of four industrialists who started mass producing the stuff in the 1800 even though it had been known to cause respiratory complaints since Roman times when it was used to strengthen porcelain and ancient china where it was used to make robes.

It is a menace but as the fibres can be microscopic and hang in still air for 72 hours it cannot be avoided altogether, in the Pilbara area of australia the fibres are freed by natural errosion of rock and blown for thousands of miles, all any of us can do is use the right PPE and due care.