MacGyver tips thread...

[erdnase]

MacGyver may have been pretty far fetched, but it's always good to be able to adapt in various situations with random tools and equipment.

I propose in this thread that we pool together our collective knowledge of tips, tools and hacks. Let's make sure they're all "manly" though - no Womans Own type tips to get stains out of curtains, etc. Tales of any MacGyver type situations you've found yourself in, and successfully negotiated are good too.

I'll start.

Remove dents from your car with a hairdryer and some keyboard cleaner spray. Simply heat the dent up with the hairdryer, then spray the compressed air onto the dent. The sudden thermal shock will pop most dents out.

Fires can be started with steel wool and a 9v battery, by rubbing the terminals of the battery along the steel wool.

[shirt]

excellent tips there erdnase. wow, you are awesome!

http://lifehacker.com/5342899/top-10-tricks-macgyv...

[timlongs]

Been rumbled.

[erdnase]

Hah, yes, I took my tips (and picture!) from the lifehacker article - but I still want to get a PistonHeads MacGyver thread going.

I'm sure our collective mechanical type knowledge can surpass any Lifehacker articles!

So other than a method to disguise your pr0n - what else do we have?

[rhinochopig]

Liberally spray WD40 on your car's brake discs before you go on holiday to stop them rusting.

[Rollcage]

While spectating on the RAC rally many moons ago I parked my 5 GTT on the side of a Kielder forest track,half in a ditch, as you do! On my return I didnt notice the very sharp rocks behind the car, and reversed over them, neatly slicing in half one of the fuel lines under the car.

Cue much cursing and a few minutes spent trying to work out what the problem was. Having diagnosed it, the problem was how to repair it with no tools or equipment. I used a Biro in the end - took the refil out and bridged the two bust bits of pipe together. Fortunately it was an excellent fit, and didnt leak, so drove to the nearest garage and got it fixed properly for about a fiver!

I felt pretty pleased with myself for oh, hours!

[Rollcage]

rhinochopig said:

Liberally spray WD40 on your car's brake discs before you go on holiday to stop them rusting.

Will also prevent it stopping as well, I would have thought!

[rhinochopig]

Rollcage said:

rhinochopig said:

Liberally spray WD40 on your car's brake discs before you go on holiday to stop them rusting.

Will also prevent it stopping as well, I would have thought!

Nah, it's a Toyota.

[williamp]

Id MacGyver had met the A-team, we'd have a new world order by now...

Anyhow. Want to know how to solve something? Use a hammer.

[Furberger]

On a high speed run to get to the Peugeot dealer before it shut to pick up a new rad hose, I completed an overtaking maneuver to find my vision temporarily obscured by clouds of steam.
The bulging hose was now a split hose. Luckily it was on the first bend as it came off the block and there was enough give in it to allow me reconnect it once I'd cut off the split section with my Leatherman (is a Leatherman cheating?)
Water topped up, journey completed and arrived in time to get replacement hose.

On convoy in deepest darkest Cornwall some 200 miles from my house and on the Sunday of the bank holiday weekend, my clutch cable on my 205 decided to give up. I managed to drive to my lunch destination by starting in gear and timing my changes which bought me some time to investigate further.
The cable had snapped right where it attached to the clutch actuator arm. Rummaging around in my toolkit I found a bicycle brake lever which I was able to clamp round the arm and attach the end of the cable to. Got me home and kept working till I managed to get a new cable.

[Silent1]

rhinochopig said:

Liberally spray WD40 on your car's brake discs before you go on holiday to stop them rusting.

then on your way back from holiday enjoy being unable to stop because you've lubricated a surface that works via friction.

FFS do people really worry about brake discs rusting? They're supposed to fking rust!

[erdnase]

dibbers006 said:

Putting a cake on the lid of a cake tin before enclosing it makes it easier to present and slice.

Is that too gay?

[Conian]

rhinochopig said:

Liberally spray WD40 on your car's brake discs before you go on holiday to stop them rusting.

nice Viz style handy hint

a snapped throttle cable on my 944 meant only 1 thing!
wrap/twist a length of garden wire around the throttle cam, run it up out of the top of the bonnet, over wing mirror and hold hand out of window to operate makeshift throttle.

it got me the 15 miles home.
oh, and to work n back for 3 days cos it was much to cold to use the motorbike until the new cable arrived hahahahaha

[miniman]

Silent1 said:

rhinochopig said:

Liberally spray WD40 on your car's brake discs before you go on holiday to stop them rusting.

then on your way back from holiday enjoy being unable to stop because you've lubricated a surface that works via friction.

FFS do people really worry about brake discs rusting? They're supposed to fking rust!

Whoooooooooooosshhhhhhhhh

[rhinochopig]

miniman said:

Silent1 said:

rhinochopig said:

Liberally spray WD40 on your car's brake discs before you go on holiday to stop them rusting.

then on your way back from holiday enjoy being unable to stop because you've lubricated a surface that works via friction.

FFS do people really worry about brake discs rusting? They're supposed to fking rust!

Whoooooooooooosshhhhhhhhh

Indeed

[Tycho]

dibbers006 said:

Putting a cake on the lid of a cake tin before enclosing it makes it easier to present and slice.

Is that too gay?

Yep

dibbers006 said:

Oh, I have another one... Control+Alt+Apple held down and then Press 8 Inverts the Screen Colours. Which really annoys Pc World staff

Ctrl + Alt + down arrow inverts the screen which really, really annoys colleagues....

dibbers006 said:

Containing Porn in .zip files means it won't turn up on Searches.

Containing them in Trucrypt containers means even is the missus finds it, it looks like a temp file with nothing in.

Edited by Tycho on Friday 26th February 22:44

[Engineer1]

dibbers006 said:

Putting a cake on the lid of a cake tin before enclosing it makes it easier to present and slice.

Is that too gay?

Remembering it is on the lid not the base does improve the presentation though

[sploosh]

In true viz style..

Late for a plane? simply call ahead and say there is a bomb aboard.

[DaveL485]

Rubbing radish on the boot carpet that has spilt milk on neutralise's the smell...

[rhinochopig]

Want a hot drink in the morning but can't be bothered to get up?

Simply put on your headphones, close your eyes, and proceed to knock one out to your favourite rhythm, and a cup of your favourite steaming hot beverage will magically appear on your bedside table.