Zen, and the art of wasting an hour or two

Haha! Ver good, Terry. Have you read Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance? I remember this happened to me a million years ago when I was very young. I just started it and watched the bits of wood/embers fly out the exhaust. But don't do this at home! George

On a more practical note maybe some Blu-tac stuck firmly to another pencil (!!) might do the trick? George

Terry

Enjoyed your story very much. I'm sure you realise this is all part of your path to higher levels of enlightenment!

Andy

It seems that this is an important learning event for one and all. This scenario has not (as yet) happened to me with infernal confustication engines. That said I did loose a screw driver down the inlet port of a high pressure compressor, or so I thought. After a major hunt around in pockets, tool bags and the general area I was about to report the event to my lead engineer then; my so called 'work mate' brought it back. He had borrowed the said screw driver while my back was turned but didn't think to tell me.

I've got taking the head off to fine art and can do it in 10 mins!

If the pencil doesn't have one of those metal sleeves that hold a rubber on, just put the plug back in and fire it up, a bit of wood and graphite wouldn't put up much of a fight.

I snapped off a chopstick that way. I managed to reach in with one of those retractable claw grabbers and got it out in seconds. Of course I took the rest of the day off I was so far ahead.

Previously George Phillips wrote:

On a more practical note maybe some Blu-tac stuck firmly to another pencil (!!) might do the trick? George

I dread to think what happens to blue tack under combustion temperature George. I spat my chewing gum on to the kitchen range once hoping to land in the fire. You only do it once in my mothers eyes, maybe it was the start of my love of polishing old iron. Can you get black lead anymore????

Yep, you can still get black lead - I use it on the fire box!

Previously Terry Grimwood wrote:

Previously Dan Field wrote:

I've got taking the head off to fine art and can do it in 10 mins!

Don't suppose you live near Tonbridge...

The screw in things are more likely to do greated damage on a Norton due to the inclination of the plug hole.... be warned especially if your cam takes over and flings the piston up into it...

er... yes, I did, a long time ago...

Previously Terry Grimwood wrote:

Previously Dan Field wrote:

I've got taking the head off to fine art and can do it in 10 mins!

Don't suppose you live near Tonbridge...

Sadly not!