Any question answered...

it's a headache I know only too well

FFS, what do you call that type of universal/adjustable spanner that has two loosely-linked halves that let you reset the pivot point to engage really big nuts? Ooer obvs.

Stillson / pipe wrench?

If this is what you're after, "plier[s] wrench" works as a search term

1 Attachment

I admit to cheating by first searching for Knipex adjustable 🙂

Pliers wrench yes yes, that works. Ta.

Plumber's wrench?

Lidl have them on sale for £2.99 as water pump pliers.

I'm sad to say that I just watched a demo video on Knipex's website.
Now I want.

MrsE has just bought a new phone (Samsung S24 if it makes any difference) and wants to try Bluetooth headphone type things.
Neither of us know anything about them - what should she buy?
Modest budget and available from rural Shropshire are fairly high on the list of priorities...

For stuff like that I usually look at Anker / soundcore as a starting point.

This - Q30 is better and cheaper than their latest (from what I've read)

That's the kind of tip that makes my heart sing.

Thanks both - we've had a look online and I'm now being told she really wants some sort of earbud device and I don't pay close enough attention. I might buy her a subscription to What HiFi then hide in the shed for a bit.

What's the use case for them? Any cheap ones will play music well enough, you can pay more if you want noise cancelling and that, in my experience the microphone is always a bit crap

Samsung have quite a range at various prices and I'm happy with the ones I have (Galaxy buds 2).

Lots of second hand but unopened deals to be had as they are often given away with phones.

I really like my Jabra Elite 3. But I recommended them to a friend who took them back after a week because of the sound of his footsteps in his ears, which I don’t really notice, or just turn the volume up.

As far as I know, they'll be mainly used at home for music and Duolingo. Noise cancelling hasn't entered the conversation (yet) and it's unlikely that use when jogging or other form of exercise will be a requirement. I think we're looking at £40-£50, so the 'modest' budget now has a value.

Unopened second hand is something I hadn't thought of...

Just go for any of the Anker / soundcore ones under £30.

More recently I've bought these: soundcore by Anker P2i True... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09DXW29JB?
Sound is good, fit is good. The physical buttons are let down by the press combinations(?) so I'd just get the other version with haptic buttons. The P40i are on sale on amazon at the moment.

And I got my OH these which they're fine with: TOZO T10 Bluetooth 5.3 Earbuds... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07VQ82393?

One thing I've noticed is how chunky a lot of the boxes are. I still use these exceptionally cheap ones a lot: Wireless Earbuds, Bluetooth... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09TN4MP6V?
because they're light and the box is the perfect size with a lovely ergonomic shape.

Also there's a headphones thread.

I've got some Sony wf-c500 which are fine, I've had them a couple of years and still going strong

I had a pair of refurbished Lypertek Tevi that were brilliant, both in terms of sound and usability. I lost one so replaced them with some pricier Sony ones that are crap in comparison. I'm secretly hoping they'll break or get lost so that I can go back to the Lypertek

I have a big idiot dog. This means I can't have food left out on counter tops. Whilst cooking yesterday I decided to 'hide' a large plastic bowl holding coconut milk in the oven. Being a big idiot myself, obviously I forgot and turned the oven on. The bowl melted and cooled/stuck fast to the oven rack. I know there are some knowledgeable plastic/polymer types on here. Would it be worth heating up again gently to try to free from the rack or is there some other solution (chemical?) I should be looking at?

Cheers

1 Attachment

is there some other solution (chemical?)

The safest way to start is mechanical. It's probably not well bonded to the metal, so peel/chip as much as you can and then see the lay of the land

This maybe with the help of a heat gun, failing that a hairdryer.