Home Engineering
My house has a really tiny laundry chute. It's perhaps four inches deep and a foot wide.It's sufficiently tiny that I only drop white laundry (e.g. socks and underwear) down it, and then only one at a time.
Unsurprisingly, things occasionally get stuck in it. Originally I'd clear the chute by throwing down a bottle of Tick Shampoo, but after many such trips excessive velocity caused a small leak. After that I switched to Frisbees, which fit perfectly down the chute and could be flung with sufficient speed to knock out errant socks. On those rare occasions when this was not sufficient, I improvised a hook from a metal coat hangar and would use it to pull items down the chute from the opening in the basement. Since the sticking point was just within range of an unfolded metal hangar this worked reasonably well. In the worst case scenario I'd hook a sock and have a Frisbee or two come flying down the chute.
Last week, further efforts were necessary. Apparently on one of my previous efforts a Frisbee had gotten jammed in the chute without my noticing it. This time when I threw down another Frisbee it wedged in next to the first Frisbee. However, I didn't realize this, and opted to throw down another Frisbee on top of that. At this point I realized there was a problem. I was able to hook out all of the laundry, but the Frisbees defied my attempts to hook them. I tossed down a couple more for good measure, which just made matters worse. As a last ditch resort I threw down Ralph's exercise bar*, which is both flexible enough to fit in the chute and heavy enough to move things. Alas, there was no luck.
After contemplating my options, today I improvised a tool with a 4 foot metal level, a bungie cord and a fireplace poker. Using this I was able to pull out the bottom two Frisbees. I then tied off one of Tulip's leads (thin metal covered with plastic) to the handrail and fed it down the chute. I was able to hook it with the fireplace poker, and moving it back forth loosened up the remaining Frisbees enough for them to fall out. The exercise bar followed instantly. Chalk up another victory for engineering.
So, lesson learned. The next time something is stuck I'll tie the exercise bar to the lead (easy), tie the lead to the handrail, and drop the bar down the chute. Then I'll pull it up and drop it again repeatedly until the blockage is clear.
*Ralph was another Phi Kap from Singapore. He had a big flex bar that he routinely used to do upper body workouts (he was ripped) that he left behind when he graduated. It's in my closet for reasons that escape me now.
Unsurprisingly, things occasionally get stuck in it. Originally I'd clear the chute by throwing down a bottle of Tick Shampoo, but after many such trips excessive velocity caused a small leak. After that I switched to Frisbees, which fit perfectly down the chute and could be flung with sufficient speed to knock out errant socks. On those rare occasions when this was not sufficient, I improvised a hook from a metal coat hangar and would use it to pull items down the chute from the opening in the basement. Since the sticking point was just within range of an unfolded metal hangar this worked reasonably well. In the worst case scenario I'd hook a sock and have a Frisbee or two come flying down the chute.
Last week, further efforts were necessary. Apparently on one of my previous efforts a Frisbee had gotten jammed in the chute without my noticing it. This time when I threw down another Frisbee it wedged in next to the first Frisbee. However, I didn't realize this, and opted to throw down another Frisbee on top of that. At this point I realized there was a problem. I was able to hook out all of the laundry, but the Frisbees defied my attempts to hook them. I tossed down a couple more for good measure, which just made matters worse. As a last ditch resort I threw down Ralph's exercise bar*, which is both flexible enough to fit in the chute and heavy enough to move things. Alas, there was no luck.
After contemplating my options, today I improvised a tool with a 4 foot metal level, a bungie cord and a fireplace poker. Using this I was able to pull out the bottom two Frisbees. I then tied off one of Tulip's leads (thin metal covered with plastic) to the handrail and fed it down the chute. I was able to hook it with the fireplace poker, and moving it back forth loosened up the remaining Frisbees enough for them to fall out. The exercise bar followed instantly. Chalk up another victory for engineering.
So, lesson learned. The next time something is stuck I'll tie the exercise bar to the lead (easy), tie the lead to the handrail, and drop the bar down the chute. Then I'll pull it up and drop it again repeatedly until the blockage is clear.
*Ralph was another Phi Kap from Singapore. He had a big flex bar that he routinely used to do upper body workouts (he was ripped) that he left behind when he graduated. It's in my closet for reasons that escape me now.