Popular Mechanics - April 2015
Popular Mechanics - April 2015
Popular Mechanics - April 2015
TECH
www.popularmechanics.co.za
STAYING
ALIVE
SKILLS
THE CASUAL
MANS GUIDE TO
SURVIVAL
WHY ROOIBOS
IS REALLY GOOD
FOR YOU
ROBOTS
WITH A HEART
USIV
E:
SMART TECHNOLOGY
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CONTENTS
APRIL 2015
VOL 13, NO 9
14
TESTED
46
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30
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APRIL 2015
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Science
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30 Domo arigato, Mr Roboto
Features
Skills
76 Hack your coffee
Workshop challenge 2
A project to build with your children: Monster Mask
Monthly
74 A beautiful thing
Tested
46 Rolling on twenties
Wheels
68 Polaris Slingshot hits the target
4 Credits
6 Editors notes
10 Letters
12 Time Machine
24 Great Stuff
104 Do it your way
Cover caption: Artificial intelligence, robots and the new Neill
Blomkamp movie Chappie are intertwined in our cover story,
which includes an exclusive interview with the human who is
also Chappie, Sharlto Copley. This page: Swiss pilots Bertrand
Piccard and Andr Borschberg were due to attempt to become
the first people to circumnavigate the world in a solarpowered aircraft, Solar Impulse 2.
38
68
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EDITORIAL TEAM
Associate editor Sean Woods
Digital content manager Kate Simons
Journalist Lindsey Schutters
APRIL 2015
KES
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TESTED: CO
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ME OUT
EELS HO
TECH
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EDITOR'S NOTES
with, he adds. She does all the responsible adult things so I can hang on
to my day job.
Having spent much of his career in the editorial engine room editing copy,
Lindsey is relishing the opportunity to spread his writing wings. And how: for
this issue he has made several substantial contributions, including our cover
feature. This wasnt necessarily planned, but thats how it turns out. Stories
sometimes take longer to develop than expected, things stop and start, interviews are rescheduled and trains are delayed.
Trains? Youll just have to keep an eye out for next months Popular
Mechanics to find out.
COMPETITION WINNERS...
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Send your letter to: Popular Mechanics, PO Box 180, Howard Place 7450, or
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10
Friends indeed
I just wanted to share with you guys how
your magazine has become a bright facet
in a great friendship.
Last year I, along with my good friend
Gianni Volpi (you placed his tip regarding
ball-bearings in one of your recent issues),
had the awesome experience of going to
Jakarta, Indonesia, for the World Robot
Olympiad. After months of building, programming and troubleshooting, there
comes a certain respect for the fact that
everything in the natural word simply
works. Only once you try to build it yourself can you understand the marvel of this
world, and also strongly doubt that it was
all created by accident.
We had a magnificent trip, learnt a
great deal, and we are now giving classes
in Lego robotics so that the younger kids
can also experience the marvel of working
with code and mechanics. To see a video
of the robot we used at the WRO, go to
http://youtu.be/QRfpNDQ5gV4
In any case, as we are constantly in
discussion with each other about technological things, I am glad to inform you
that the articles in Popular Mechanics
always are a very prominent part of our
conversations. The photograph (left)
shows us quite a few years back.
JOSUA BOTHA
BY EMAIL
KALLIE SNYMAN
Mahikeng
WWW.SIEMENS.COM/PRESS
USE TRUCKS TO
POWER THE GRID
ALASTAIR JOHNSTONE
SANDTON
PROFESSOR AE BOTHA
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
BRIAN GAYNHAM
BY EMAIL P M
1931
1942
1940
1929
12
VOICE COMMANDS
IRIS SCANNERS
S U S TA I N A B L E H O S P I TA L S
RECYCLING
14
HOW
BIG IS THIS
THING?
Solar Impulse 2
WINGSPAN:
72 m
WEIGHT:
2268 kg
Boeing 747-400
WINGSPAN:
64 m
WEIGHT:
180 tons
AT E
UPD
SOLAR IN YOUR HOME Eskom ended its involvement in the funding and implementation of the solar
water heating programme on 31 January 2015 after only reaching 400 000
households out of 2008s originally targeted one million rollout. Outstanding tax rebate claims were due at the time
of writing and the Department of Energy will announce details of a future solar programme shortly after taking over
the project on 1 February. The solar programme under Eskoms stewardship suffered setbacks because many local
suppliers failed to obtain the required SABS approval. Eskom did however honour all rebate claims and the 400 000
installations makes it one of the biggest solar heater roll out programmes in the world. The Department of Energy
was unavailable for comment.
RESCUE
HOW YOUR
WORLD WORKS
WILDEST
POOL
16
Do 40 push-ups
THE WORLDS
HOW YOUR
WORLD WORKS
18
TECH
The Myris.
Reading irises is
up to 150 times
more accurate
than fingerprints.
Pupillary Ruff
These ridges of
tissue emerge late in
embryonic development. Even identical
twins have different
irises.
MEANWHILE, IN
ONLINE SECURITY...
Ageing
The architecture and
colour of the iris subtly
change with age, which
could affect Myriss
ability to identify you.
Colour
The colour of the
iris is determined by
pigment density.
Myris identification,
however, is based
predominantly on
visual texture.
BY S A R A H Z . W E X L E R
THE EKG
PASSWORD
The upcoming
Nymi Band identifies you with your
heartbeat, then
uses Bluetooth to
automatically log
you in to any
application.
You know CAPTCHA, the hard-to-read jumble of letters, numbers, and obfuscating lines that
supposedly confirm your humanity every time you go to buy Taylor Swift tickets? Well, its getting phased out. Besides being infuriating to real people, especially those using mobile devices,
CAPTCHA is no longer fooling the robots. Succeeding it is Googles No CAPTCHA reCAPTCHA, a
much simpler set of boxes you click in answer to basic prompts (Pick your favourite color, Im not
a robot) that started rolling out late last year. The system analyses your IP address, browser cookies and even the way your mouse moves. Its a way to prove youre human and its finally humane.
HEALTH
HOW YOUR
WORLD WORKS
HOW TO MAKE A
SUSTAINABLE
HOSPITAL
Like in 1994, when, in response to an earthquake that damaged many hospitals in the San
Fernando Valley, California issued seismic safety regulations specifically for patient-care facilities. But they
were never instituted until last summer. Now a huge
number of California hospitals are being retrofitted or
completely replaced and officials are seizing the
opportunity to address sustainability by incorporating
some of the most advanced technology available. The
result is a petri dish of innovation and a model for
the industry.
Plant a garden.
El Camino Hospital created something of a connected home setup, which integrates room-based
THE EYE
DOCTOR!
20
Lucile Packard Childrens Hospital captures rainwater, condensation from the HVAC system,
and any other spare droplets it
can, and stores it in a 420000
litre underground reservoir. That
water isnt sterile enough for
patients, but it can go towards
irrigation, lessening the draw on
the clean water supply.
Where: Palo Alto
When: December 2016
ILLUSTRATION BY SINELAB
GREAT UNKNOWNS
Do you have unusual questions about the world and how it works and why stuff
happens? This is the place to ask them. Dont be afraid. Nobody will laugh at you
here. Email [email protected] Questions will be selected
based on quality or at our whim.
22
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C O M P I L E D B Y S E A N W O O D S S E A N W @ R A M S AY M E D I A . C O . Z A
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26
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Advertisement
Domo Arigato,
Mister Roboto
Contrary to what Elon Musk and Stephen Hawkings believe, the machines are
coming to save us. Robocop, Johnny Number 5, Chappie and Scarab all have
our best interests at heart. Or at least thats what their creators are saying.
Robots are kind of a big deal on the local front, so we investigated.
BY LINDSEY SCHUTTERS
30
At a fraction of the
cost of its nearest
competitor, Scarab
will be a market
leader in search
and rescue. It is
intended as a
money spinner in
the mining sector.
SCARAB
THROWABLE
3 metres
3m
TETHER-LESS
CONTROLLER
SENSOR PAYLOAD
(IN PLATFORM)
ROBOTIC PLATFORM
CONTROL
STATION
OPERATOR
(NEAREST COMPETITOR)
Left: Hexapod is a
research platform
so we can develop
the artificial intelligence and control
systems to use in
other projects.
Motor
HEXAPOD
Tail
Temperature sensor
Thermal camera
Optical camera
LED headlights
Microphone
32
THE SEAHOG
3rd generation Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicle (ROV) for Marine Research Modular, scalable and upgradable
subsystems. Isolation of subsystems to prevent large scale system failure in case of water ingress
ELECTRONICS POD
SAAB tether
Delivers power and communications
No tools required to disconnect the tether
from the ROV
TILT UNIT
Rotates camera
and light
Magnetic slip
coupling
Position and
speed feedback
Neutrally buoyant
tether
POWER POD
Input 400VDC
Outputs 48V, 15V, 12V,
5V.
Voltage, current and
temperature monitoring
LIGHTS
2 100 lumen
LEDs with
brightness
control
Current and
temperature
feedback
Voltage
converters
MANIPULATOR ARM
Tilt unit rotates manipulator 90 to grip
objects at various orientations
Speed, position and current control
allowing for precision movement and grip
force feedback
Gripper/sediment sampler
end effector
Outer magnetic
rotor
Hermetic seal
Heat,
sink
and
cooling
fans
SONAR
CAMERAS
Live forward and rear
video feed to surface
Sony FCB EX45BP
camera unit, auto focus
and 18x zoom
Domed lens
Bosch VIP X2 video
encoder
Tether monitoring with
rear camera
PROPULSION
SYSTEM
DOF: heave, surge,
sway, yaw
Co-axial magnetic
coupling
48 V, 120 W, BLDC
motor
Dual core processor
control board
Closed loop speed
control
Forward direction
GENERAL
SPECIFICATIONS
34
From South Africas finest minds in the field of robotics to South Africas
finest robot mind. Sharlto Copley plays the title character Chappie in the
upcoming Neill Blomkamp movie. Copleys performance as Chappie is a
full motion-capture performance; he wore a grey suit with markers and
was in every scene where Chappie exists, acting opposite actors or on
his own. The animators, a team of about 200, then worked to CG animate over his every single movement in an incredible, highly technical
process. He spoke to us about getting into the role and distinguishing
the role from precursors such as Robocop. Chappie first graced
YouTube in 2004 in a short film called Tetra Vaal, which is a similar story
to how District 9 evolved from 2005s Alive in Joburg (which starred and
was produced by Sharlto Copley). Were sensing a trend and another
smash hit for the dynamic duo, a good boost with the Alien franchise
now on the horizon.
PM: WHAT DID YOU USE AS REFERENCE MATERIAL TO GET INTO THE
MIND OF A SENTIENT ROBOT?
SC: We really wanted Chappie to feel as human as possible basically starting like a baby and then developing super quickly to the
emotional maturity of about a 10-year-old with a beyond-genius
IQ. So I didnt focus on doing anything robotic. I tried to play
him more like some kind of genius human.
PM: HOW DO YOU STOP YOURSELF FROM PROJECTING YOUR PERSONALITY ON TO A CHARACTER THAT IS ESSENTIALLY A NEWBORN?
SC: Theres really no big trick you just act. (Laughs.) Actually,
to be more accurate, in the case of Chappie you react. Hes constantly observing and learning and listening, and hes developing
from the information he gets. It was an incredible opportunity
to just play a child to leave my personality and mannerisms
at home and pretend to be a kid. Getting paid to do it is an
incredible bonus.
PM: IN THE TRAILER WE SEE CHAPPIE WATCHING HE-MAN.
WHAT TV SHOWS WOULD YOU SAY HAD THE BIGGEST EFFECT
ON YOU WHEN YOU WERE GROWING UP?
ing villains extremely draining on me personally and dont plan to do many more villains in
the future because of that.
PM: SCI-FI WRITERS ARE SOMETIMES SEEN AS
BEING QUITE PROPHETIC. WHAT ARE YOUR
THOUGHTS ON HOW SCI-FI SHAPES OUR IMAGINATIONS?
Chappie was
scheduled to
appear in cinemas
across the country
from 13 March
2015.
SC: One of Neills notes while making the film was that AI is as valid,
if not more so, than human intelligence. Within that, my function
really as the actor was to make sure that people would care about and
empathise with Chappie. Hopefully Ive done that.
PM
l READER COMPETITION l READER COMPETITION l READER COMPETITION l READER COMPETITION l READER COMPETITION l
WIN
What is the Uniway? A Uniway is fun transportation experience some might call
it a single-axis selfbalancing inverted pendulum unicycle. We like to call it pure
awesome. Wind in your hair kinda awesome.
How does it work? Simply step on the foot pads and lean forwards (or
backwards if you prefer to revisit places) and the rest is history!
The Uniway moves thanks to the brushless DC motor, the battery and the
gyro-stabilised system. It detects the forward tilt and instructs the engine to
compensate for the balance by rotating the wheel and by keeping the tilt
stable. When braking, it reciprocally detects the backward tilt and order
the engine to decelerate. How cool is that?
Does it require special skills, you may be wondering? We like to believe
that, if you can learn to ride a bicycle, a horse or a car, you can learn to
ride a Uniway. No acrobatic skills are required.
The Uniway weighs 9,8 kg, can handle up to 120 kg of pure human
awesomeness and can reach speeds of up to 16 km/h.
Readers of PoPular Mechanics qualify for a discount or a free bag worth
R500. To redeem this offer, please visit the online store and quote the code
PM200 (R200 discount) or PMBAG (for a free bag).
For more information please visit www.myuniway.co.za or email
[email protected]/ [email protected] or call 0860 UNIWAY (0860 864929)
TO ENTER, please indicate your favourite color combination (see all colour combinations at www.myuniway.co.za).
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per SMS; this service does not allow for 8ta numbers). To enter online and see the rules visit our Web site at
www.popularmechanics.co.za Competition closes 30 April 2015 and winners will be drawn on 4 May 2015.
38
THE
Guide
WATC HE S
TO
Clockwise from above: Roland Murphy peers through a rose-engine machine an intricate engraving tool
during set-up for the carving of geometric designs in his watchs dials; the solid-silver dial on the rose
engine; the craftsman works in front of a vault in the old bank building that houses his business; a look
at the bridges on the main plate of the RGM 801 model watch.
40
TAKE A BEATING
G UI
DE
TO WATC
HES
IF WE MAY
An appreciation
42
or generations, if you asked a man the time, hed snap his arm out to full length so the
cuff of his shirt pulled back a little, then bend his arm at the elbow and glance down at
the watch on his wrist. Quarter to four, hed say. The whole thing took about a second.
Here, too often, is what he does now: he shoves his hand into his pants pocket, or into
the folds of the suit jacket beneath his overcoat, fishing for his telephone, which he
produces and holds in front of his face. Then he pushes the button and the time pops up on
the screen and he says, Three forty-six.
This is no way to tell time. Its inefficient. It wastes time, which is the thing youre worried
about in the first place otherwise you wouldnt need to know what time it is. Plus, its inelegant. A man without a watch looks unprepared, like a man who has to check his wallet to see
whether he has any
cash. A man should
always have cash.
Your phone tells
the time, yes, but
your phone is not a
watch. You need a
watch.
The
complications
THE SMALLEST DETAILS CAN MAKE
THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE.
MINUTE REPEATER
A holdover from the pocket
watch, repeaters have a
lever on the side that, when
flipped, activates tiny hammers that hit differently
pitched gongs. Three tones,
from low to high, signify
each hour, quarter-hour, and
minute, respectively. Minute
repeaters often cost six figures due to the complexity
of installing the many gears.
Example: Audemars Piguet
Minute Repeater
PERPETUAL CALENDAR
Mechanical watches with
annual calendars must be
reset three times every four
years. (They count 29 days
each February to account
for leap years.) A perpetual
calendar, however, accounts
for leap years only when
they happen, requiring correction just once every hundred years, since each new
century not evenly divisible
by 400 (2100, 2200, etc)
does not contain a leap
year. Example: JaegerLeCoultre Master
A SMART WATCH?
Give yourself two points for each attribute you possess, then check your results.
o You own a watch.
o You own a smartphone.
o You own more than one smartphone.
o You see no problem in owning more
than one smartphone.
o You own a Smart lightbulb.
o You can programme a PVR.
o You have a 4K TV.
o You prefer the Jetsons to the Bradys.
o You have referred to yourself, proudly,
as an early adopter.
o Youve stood in line for a smartphone.
o You have a friend with a smart watch.
KNOW YOUR
G UI
HES
3. Garmin Vvoactive
Adds smart-watch functionality to Garmins
existing and excellent
fitness trackers.
Waterproof to 50 m and
has GPS, so you can
track your run, bike
ride, or swim.
Downside: Poor battery
life in GPS mode.
TO WATC
2. LG G Watch R
Notched bezel provides a vintage aviator
feel as you cycle
through texts, weather
updates, and calendar
appointments.
Downside: Chunky
and slightly conspicuous.
DE
1. Apple Watch
Accelerometers integrate with iOS workout
apps to make it a
practical fitness tracker. Curved touchscreen
and zoom-and-scroll
crown are Apple
beautiful.
Downside: Needs
daily recharge.
MOVEMENTS
MOON PHASE
Originally used by sailors
to track tides, the Moon
phase, which shows the
visible portion of the
moon, is now just an aesthetic element. It works by
adding a dedicated gear
that completes one rotation every twenty-nine and
a half days, the length of a
lunar cycle. Example:
Baume & Mercier Clifton
TOURBILLON
Although not technically a
complication, there is no
more beautiful feature for
your wrist. Or more superfluous. Invented to prevent
timing fluctuations caused
by a pocket watchs static
vertical orientation, a tourbillon holds the escapement in a rotating cage,
offsetting gravitys negative effects. This is no
longer an issue, since a
watch moves with your
wrist. Example: Breguet
Classique Tourbillon
FLYBACK
Chronographs require
three presses of the trigger
to stop, reset and restart
the timer. With a spring
attached to the running
wheel, a flyback returns
the counting hand to
twelve oclock with one
push and almost instantly
begins counting again. The
function was created for
pilots timing turns while
flying in formation, where a
fraction of a second
counts. Example: Tudor
Grantour Chrono Fly-Back
HOW TO...
CHOOSE A STRAP
circa 3500 BC
The sundial is
invented. Not that
anyone really had
anywhere to be.
RUBBER
HES
FABRIC
DE
TO WATC
PRO: Casual,
comfortable,
washable (with a
little soap and
water), waterproof.
CON: Inappropriate
in most formal
settings.
G UI
METAL
PRO: Durable,
formal, shiny, sometimes interesting
from an engineering
standpoint (see
below).
CON: Occasionally
pulls out arm hairs.
MORE ON THIS
WATCHBAND:
The MTM Special
Ops Trigger uses
a first-of-its-kind
bracelet linked
with ball bearings
instead of pins,
making the band
much more flexible
for a closer fit and
no more pinched
skin. The face, too,
is impressively
engineered: if you
know youre going
to be banging the
watch around, you
can rotate the bezel
to raise it slightly to
protect the crystal.
44
LEATHER
PRO: Classic,
formal, elegant,
safe. Smells nice.
CON: If you are
prone to perspiration, that nice
smell can be
replaced with a
pretty terrible
one.
2015
Filson partners with
Shinola, expanding
the classic fieldwear company to
include its first line
of wristwear.
Great moments in
watchmaking history
1914
Radioactive radium paint is
used to make watch hands
glow in the dark. After clients
and employees lose teeth and
develop cancer, the radium is
eventually replaced by safe
photoluminescent materials
such as zinc sulfide and strontium aluminate.
1926
The Rolex Oyster
becomes the first
water-resistant
watch after the
free-spinning crown
is replaced by a
threaded crown,
allowing it to screw
in to the case.
1940
IWC Schaffhausen
introduces the Big
Pilots Watch, designed
with a large onion
crown (now IWCs signature) that allowed
pilots to adjust their
watches without
removing their gloves.
1960s
Deep-sea divers discover
that helium atoms can leak
into watches, building up
pressure and cracking the
crystal. In response, brands
such as Doxa create escape
valves automatic, oneway valves that release
pressure as the diver
surfaces.
2014
Bathys Hawaii
Cesium 133, the
first self-contained
atomic clock and
thus the only perfect timekeeper
debuts.
2012
The Pebble
smart watch
sells out
before its
even introduced.
1970
The first
digital watch,
the Pulsar, is
released by
the Hamilton
Watch
Company.
1917
Louis Cartier creates
the signature Tank
watch, modelled on
the aerial silhouette
of the Renault tanks
he saw while fighting for the French
during World War I.
1980
Casios iconic
C-80 calculator
watch debuts.
2011
Shinola opens in
Detroit, delivering manufacturing jobs back to
a city that needs and
deserves them and
beautiful, accessible
American watches to
the rest of us.
PM
TESTED
COMPACT BICYCLES
Rolling on twenties
Dahon Vybe C7
FRAME: Double-butted aerospace grade aluminium
FORK: Dahon patented fusion technology
RIMS: single-wall alloy
TYRES: 20x1,5
WEIGHT: 11 kg
POSITIVES: Good gearing
NEGATIVES: Harsh ride
PRICE: R6 000
TEST NOTES: Seven speeds and skinny
tyres helped the Dahon surge to the
finish line as the fastest bike, but the
15-second fold time lost it some points.
All the goodness of the compact fold is
also offset by the greasy chain and easy-todamage derailleur. Still a great bike from the
worldwide leader in fold-up bicycles.
TESTED
BTwin Tilt 7
FRAME: 6061 aluminium
FORK: 6061 aluminium
RIMS: single-wall aluminium
TYRES: 20x1,95
WEIGHT: 13,5kg
POSITIVES: Well thought-out design
NEGATIVES: Not the most compact fold
PRICE: 480
Mongoose Subject
FRAME: Butted high-tensile steel
FORK: high-tensile steel
RIMS: double-wall aluminium
TYRES: 20x2
WEIGHT: 12 kg
POSITIVES: Built like a tank
NEGATIVES: Cramped riding style
PRICE: R3 000
TEST NOTES: If an adult decides to ride a BMX it becomes a commitment. Choose between knee pain from sitting down with your thighs
coming up to your ears or get a full body workout by standing up. The
Mongoose was great for hopping on and off pavements and comfortably rolled over any obstacle, but it did partially block the walkway and
the micro gears (25:9) spin out at around 20km/h. This is also one of
the lightest steel frames on the market.
CONCLUSION:
Its horses for courses, really. If you live close (>3 km) to the office
and have no hills then get a BMX; itll be fun and make you
strong. For train/bus commuters the clean drivetrain on the Tilt 7
is your weapon of choice. Serious bike commuters who like to
trek for miles should consider the Dahon. There are plenty of foldup choices out there and none of them are poor.
E C H A NI C
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CASUAL
MANS
GUIDE
4 .1
THE
POP
RM
LA
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DISASTER LEVEL:
STABLE
Page 52
WORSENING
Page 57
APOCALYPTIC
Page 59
E XPE R T
Nate Becker
Dog Musher, Eagle, Alaska
50
TRAPPING
On the trail
Becker prefers
to wear gloves
under his mittens, because
you can take a
gloved hand out
of a mitt and do
something like
chop wood or
set a trap.
GEAR
Always take a sleeping bag. You
never know when youll get stuck
out and have to spend the night or
just need a quick warm-up. And I
bring a preassembled emergency
pack. Right on top is a pair of warm
mitts in a ziplock bag. History is
riddled with stories of people who
didnt survive because their hands
froze. You can walk a thousand miles
on frozen feet, but you cant survive
six hours with frozen hands.
Also in my pack are blankets, hand
warmers, a big survival knife, signalling devices, fire-starting equipment you cant have enough fire
starter. One thing I absolutely wont
be without is a Leatherman. I carry
two. And then theres a fur ruff,
which lines the hood of your parka.
Even the stiffest wind has a hard
time penetrating a ruff. Just make
sure its real fur.
TRAVEL
The easiest travel is on frozen rivers
and creeks, because the land is
usually choked with brush and trees.
But remember that the ice is dangerous. You have to know the difference between good ice and bad.
Clear is bad. You want cloudy. And
PREPPER JARGON DECODER
SETTING UP CAMP
For me the number one priority is
easy water. You can almost always
find enough firewood. But it takes
a lot of time and energy to melt
enough snow into water for 20 dogs.
To find the water, just listen for it.
When I get to a spot that looks like
it might have water, Ill put my ear
down and listen. If I can hear the
water, I can get to it. If I cant hear
it because its under a couple of
metres of snow and another layer
of ice I move on.
If its a true emergency, dont
worry about trying to build the
shelters you see in survival books.
You would never have time to build
most of them. As long as youve got
a sleeping bag, the best and the
quickest shelter you could make
would be to sandwich yourself with
your sleeping bag inside a tarp, kinda
like a burrito, and then figure out
some way to cover yourself with
snow for insulation. When its 50
below and the snow temperature
STAYING DRY
Dont work up a sweat. If I find
myself exerting a lot of energy, the
first things off are my hat and neck
gaiter to promote cooling. It is far
better to stay a little chilly (knowing
I can put clothes back on to warm
up) than to let yourself perspire.
Moisture lessens the insulating
value of your gear, and even the
best moisture-wicking fabric in
the world wont eliminate sweat.
Once you get wet, you stay wet
until you get to the cabin or tent
at night to dry out.
RESCUE
I always carry high-visibility material
in neon orange or green. This comes
from my days working on a helicopter crew as a paramedic. Its easy to
miss someone from the air, so you
want to make yourself as visible as
possible. That means movement
and contrast. A signal flare works,
obviously. But neon material called
flagging can be tied to a tree. Then,
if a pilot flies over, he can see you
and which way the wind is blowing.
That helps him if hes going to come
in and land to get you out.
as told to Peter Martin
BOB: Bug-out bag. The essential escape kit in case of emergency. GENNY: Generator.
V A L P M
VI
0
ST
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DISASTER
LEVEL
||
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|
||||
15
SU
4.
ABLE
Prepping Lite
What preppers do, and what you, a
slightly less paranoid citizen, can do.
Prepper
Casual survivalist
COMMUNICATION
FOOD
HEAT
HEALTH
SHELTER
WATER
THE ESSENTIAL
SURVIVAL
BOOKSHELF
SAS SURVIVAL
HANDBOOK,
by John Lofty
Wiseman
Everything you
need to know.
ADRIFT: 76 Days
Lost at Sea, by
Steven Callahan
Because if you have
common sense, a little
general knowledge, and
a lot of fear, you can
survive anything. And
because he punches
sharks in the face.
LIFE,
by Keith
Richards
DOOMER: Someone who thinks total chaos and collapse will follow the oil supply falling short. TEOTWAWKI: The end of the world as we know it. Probably easier
52
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SURVIVAL
DISASTER LEVEL:
STABLE
THE
ULTIMATE
SURVIVAL
DOG:
The German
shorthaired
pointer
Gear
u
Stuff yo
t
may no ed,
ely ne
a b s o l u t , i t d b e
y
but, bo have.
nice to
YOUVE BEEN
FORAGING ALL DAY
AND REALLY NEED A
PICK-ME-UP
GSIs Commuter Java
Press (R375) and Coffee
Mill (R499) ensure you
get that decent caffeine
fix, just like you would
at home. Made out of
co-polyester, both items
are extremely durable,
making them ideal for
the rigours of the bush.
Gear
CONTINUED
56
SECOND PRIORITY
THIRD PRIORITY
FIRST PRIORITY
THE DEFINITIVE
GO BAG
V A L P M
VI
0
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DISASTER
LEVEL
||||
15
SU
4.
RSENIN
THE
GOURMET
SURVIVAL
KITCHEN
Theres no point in
stocking delicious food
if you cant cook it.
BY WYLIE DUFRESNE
FIRE
Matches dont take up much space.
Keep them around. And make
sure the ones you buy are stormproof. (You can make your own
by dipping standard matches in
melted wax.) I also recently discovered the Soto Pocket Torch,
which turns certain disposable
lighters into a minitorch. Its great
for mending a frayed piece of
paracord or, better yet, making
smores in your livingroom.
A CAMP STOVE
One of my favourite portable
stoves is the Jetboil Joule Cooking System. I like Jetboils in
general, but this one is serious:
it puts out 10 000 British thermal
units, and the pot on top holds
more than two litres, which is
good for when you need to cook
for a few people.
You should also have a PowerPot: the five watts of energy it
creates while heating water (up
A WORST-CASE-SCENARIO
STOVE
If you are without matches or any
other way to produce a flame, you
can still make a hot meal if you
have the Barocook system. It generates heat with a chemical reaction. You simply pour water over
the heating pack, then put a tray
of food on top. So in the middle
of the worst, you can just pretend
youre at a really weird buffet.
BREAKFAST
COOKED
BREAKFAST
Nutritious, but
sadly not so
appetising. Would
work better at the
end of the day
when youre really
hungry.
LUNCH
VEGETARIAN
STIR FRY
THAI CHICKEN
CURRY
DINNER
BOBOTIE
Surprisingly
scrumptious. The
only thing missing:
a dash of fruit
chutney.
ROAST
LAMB AND
VEGETABLES
DESSERT
APRICOT
CRUMBLE
Dont be fooled
by how different it
looks. It tastes just
like the real thing.
MAD: Mutually assured destruction, e.g. nuclear war. WROL: Without rule of law. YOYO: Youre on your own.
Consider the
ham radio
RVIVA
HOW TO:
SIGNAL
FOR HELP
HOW TO:
HOW TO:
ORIENT A MAP
Align north on your
compass with the maps
vertical grid lines. Rotate
the map and compass
together until the needle
reaches north.
Car electricity runs on direct current, but almost everything else is alternating current. What
you need: an inverter. Some cars have them built in, but you can buy one for a few hundred
rand. Use the clamps to attach the inverter directly to the terminals on your car battery. Let
the car run at idle and you have 220-volt AC power for as long as you have fuel. With a
300-watt inverter, youll have enough amps to run a laptop or even a television.
No relation to YOLO.
HOW
TO
58
AP
HOW TO:
BARRICADE
YOUR HOUSE
FROM THE
INSIDE
DISASTER
LEVEL
IC
|||
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15
SU
3.
V A L PM
VI
0
R
CALYPT
HOW TO:
SWIM A LONG
DISTANCE
IN FREEZING WATER
Kimberley Chambers, open-water
swimmer and the sixth person to
ever complete The Oceans Seven
marathon challenge
BREATHE
KEEP MOVING
An early sign of
hypothermia: claw
hands. You can last
a long time after this,
so flex your fingers
closed after each
stroke to get blood
flowing again.
HOW TO:
LOOT
WAMPUM: A stockpile of ammunition that can be used for trade or as currency. GOBLIN: Someone who will start looting or committing other crimes in a survival
APRIL 2015 _ www.popularmechanics.co.za 59
SURVIVAL
DISASTER LEVEL:
APOCALYPTIC
A F E W S U R V I VA L T I P S F R O M T H E
SPECIAL
FORCES
HOW TO CATCH
MINNOWS WHEN
YOURE STARVING
BUGS, NOT
BERRIES
Eat insects
instead of berries
or plants. The
wrong plant could
debilitate or kill
you. Insects just
taste bad, and
theyre an abundant source of
protein. But
remember: six
legs or less to
avoid potential
poisoning, and
roast them if
possible to cook
away parasites.
TA R P
HOME
1 Crawl under the biggest evergreen you can find. Get right up
to the trunk.
2 Locate two trees roughly 2,5 metres apart. Tie your line
around one of them. If its warm, the cord should be higher
off the ground to let in more air and vice versa.
SNACKY
orange and
watermelon rinds
Fibre-rich, pairs
well with
chocolate.
HUNGRY
1 The materials: a tarpaulin or dropcloth at
least 2,5 by 3 m and a
minimum 8 m of cord
(preferably parachute
cord).
TREE
WELL
LASTRESORT FOOD,
IN ORDER OF
DESPERATION
Tree bark
Remove the tender
inner layer, called
cambium, and boil
strips of it as you
would pasta, or
grind to powder
for thickening soup.
FAMISHED
RO C K
Leather
Avoid dyes or
treatments, if
possible, and boil
in water to soften.
Can also be
roasted into chips.
DYING
When society collapses, a bicycle becomes the optimal mode of transpor-tation. The Cream (around R90 000), a mountain bike made by Spot
Brand in Golden, Colorado, can handle smooth tar and rugged wilderness
trails alike. Its also low-maintenance. The frame is sturdy titanium, and
its a single-speed, so no gearing to fuss over. The drivebelt needs no
lube and is nearly silent good for keeping a low profile.
PREPPER JARGON DECODER
60
situation.
Soil/clay
Dig deep to avoid
pesticides. If able,
bake to kill bacteria, then boil for
half an hour and
strain. Soil is
nutrient rich, and
clay is filling.
BIB: Bug-in bag. Everything you need to ride out an emergency at home. MARAUDERS: People
SURVIVAL
DISASTER LEVEL:
APOCALYPTIC
KEEPING WARM
If youre stuck out in the wild, the first
thing you need to do is avoid exposure.
Wind saps your body temperature and
increases the risk of hypothermia. Keep
moving to maintain blood flow and retain
body heat. No matter what, never go
100per cent. Always leave a little gas in
your tank, because you never know when
youll need it.
GEAR
NICK MEYERS
E XPE R T
who collect guns rather than supplies. Their plan: to raid the prepared and eliminate the competition.
62
5ROOIBOS
things you should
know about
64
ROOIBOS IS THE
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
Using the same antioxidant theories,
scientists have been increasing the risk
of skin cancer in a group of mice and
then treating them with rooibos. The
group treated with rooibos gels and
creams showed massive signs of recovery, leading to the conclusion that it
could work on humans as well. Bye-bye
wrinkles? Its all down to our old
friend superoxide dismutase and its
antioxidant qualities. Other desirable
characteristics of rooibos are its antibacterial properties, its hypoallergenic
characteristic, as well as high levels of
zinc and vitamin D. Moving away from
the skin, a 2007 clinical trial in adults
at risk of heart disease done by the
Cape Peninsula University of
Technology (CPUT) found that drinking six cups of rooibos a day is good
for your ticker and will lower your risk
of heart disease.
PM VERDICT: Not so fast. The 90s were
UNIQUELY GOOD
POTASSIUM
IRON
fluoride
SODIUM
copper
magnesium
ZINC manganese
HUMAN-TIME,
Does it fly or does it drag? Its all relative, says William Horne
66
ou sit down at a restaurant, by the window, and you enjoy the view as you
wait to be served. Its noon, and the restaurant is buzzing. Your wait will be
longer than usual, you realise within the first 12 seconds.
Part of human life on Earth is to divide, categorise, and delineate what one
encounters. Time is no exception. However, the process is done so consistently and
ubiquitously that time has taken on a false objectivity in the minds of Man. The arbitrary division of a day into 24 hours, for instance, has its roots in a human predilection for the number 12 that extends from Ancient India, Greece and Egypt, further
fuelled by the contingency of there being 12 lunar cycles in a year.
Before it became pervasive throughout human society, many other systems of perceiving time held primacy. David Landes, in his book Revolution in Time, explains that,
before artificial light, daylight hours were central to human agency, and thus formed
the cornerstone of division of workable hours and life in general. This would mean a
more fluid and random division of time as daylight hours changed through seasons,
quite unlike the concrete system of
the contemporary 24-hour day.
Despite human misconceptions of
the centrality of an imposed system
of elapsing time, the universe works
on yet another time scale, one which
is in many ways inaccessible to the
human mind. The phenomena of
truly large numbers extend beyond
the reach of our otherwise vast
imagination. According to a 2011
study published in the journal
Cognitive Science, led by David Landy,
most people can conceptualise numbers now that extend far from a
million, due to growing familiarity.
However, once the boundary of several billion, say, is breached, most
attribute numbers above this threshold to the same category of the
inconceivably massive, simply
because it becomes impossible to
visualise.
Humans simply do not function in
a way that has to do with too large
numbers. Our years on Earth are
few, our friends and family number
in, at most, the triple digits, and our
bank accounts are generally not so
large either. So when it comes to
possibly understanding the arbitrariness of our imposed and anthropocentric perception of time, it is
nearly impossible. When the sheer
magnitude of the numbers we must
face stand in such stark contrast to
our very imaginary boundaries, analogies become the last resort.
At the restaurant, you have now
been sitting for about five minutes
without being served. Five minutes,
any stockbroker will tell you, is a
lifetime, and you would be inclined
to agree in this instance. But tell a
child he has five minutes to finish
his game, and you will see a completely different, and still real, view
on that very same arbitrary interval.
In terms of our universe though,
no amount of time we spend on
APRIL 2015 _ www.popularmechanics.co.za
WHEELS
THREE-WHEELED THRILLS
FAST BIKES
Compiled by
ANTHONY DOMAN
[email protected]
68
SLINGSHOT ANATOMY
DRIVEBELT The drivebelt is reinforced
with carbon fibre to help withstand the
Ecotecs 225 N.m of torque.
WEATHERPROOFING
The seats are waterproof, as is
the whole interior. So dont be
afraid to park outside.
ingly reasonable: in the US, around R220 000 to start. That seems like
a bargain for a machine that delivers so much visual impact and sheer
visceral entertainment. Whatever the Slingshot is, theres nothing else
like it. Ezra Dyer
WHEELS
HYUNDAI I20
STAYING POWER
You know the adage about
beating a king to become a
king? Well, thats kind of what
Hyundai are trying to do with
the i20, with the proverbial king
being Toyota. Korean car makers
have been on a good wicket in
terms of market penetration, but
it seems like Hyundai want to
wipe the floor with its Japanese
counterparts. The already good
previous i20 was second only
to Volkswagens traditionally
market-leading Polo in
vehicle sales in 2014
and this new model is a
significant jump up in
quality and specification. Hyundais volume
seller gets wider by
200 mm and longer by
45 mm, gains a rallyinspired torsion beam
rear suspension and
electric power steering.
In the engine bay is a
choice of 1,2 or 1,4 litre
petrol, with a diesel
coming as soon as Korea greenlights the VGI engine
for our market (Hyundai South Africa believes the
old CRDI engine isnt up to the current emissions
and economy standards). Theres still space for four
adults and enough luggage for a weekend away and all the electronic wizardry
youll have come to expect as the Korean value offering comes standard.
Lindsey Schutters
CITRON C1 AIRSCAPE
IN THE EURO ZONE
SPECS:
ENGINE: 1,2 litres, three-cylinder
OUTPUT: 61 kW and 116 N.m
ECONOMY: 4,3 litres/100 km
BOOT SIZE: 190 litres
PRICE: R194900
The interior is quite Spartan, but the few bells are a standard issue reverse camera and 7
touchscreen infotainment system with USB and Bluetooth. C1 Airscape is the cheapest
convertible in the land and a step forward for Citron when the first generation struggled
hard to stand out on the Toyota Aygo platform it shares with its Peugeot 107 compatriot.
Lindsey Schutters
THE MOTORCYCLE,
The Deceiver
2015 INDIAN SCOUT
The Scout looks like
a laid-back cruiser,
but its classic styling conceals
modern, high-performance
technology, courtesy of a new
fuel-injected, liquid-cooled
V-twin that kicks out a 75 kilowatts and 98 N.m. Dual overhead cams and four valves per
cylinder give the Scout big
lungs at high revolutions per
minute, while good old-fashioned displacement 1 133
cubic centimetres of it provides plenty of torque. With an
aluminium frame helping keep
weight down to 253 kilograms,
the Scout has a better powerto-weight ratio than a Porsche
911 Turbo. So whereas its
happy to putter around town
looking good, it can still boogie
when it wants to.
TESTED
The Screamer
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
PROJECT LIVEWIRE
WHEELS
OPEL CORSA
RUN THIS TOWN
My driving partner on the launch of SAs fourthgeneration (but actually fifth-generation) Corsa is Italian.
This is important because Opel, a German manufacturer,
has stuck with an Italian name for its compact car since
debut 1982. When I owned one years ago, it meant freedom. Turns out Corsa actually means run or race. The
new car comes in two engine choices (1-litre or 1,4 petrol),
predominantly manual because the auto box doesnt play
well with the Adam-sourced 1-litre Ecoflex engine (hence
the addition of a 1,4) and three spec levels (Essentia, Enjoy
ENJOY
and Cosmo). Handling is good,
performance is adequate and
build quality is solid; a good step
forward for a beloved brand.
Opel has snuck in the frustrating
Bringgo system that uses the
connected smartphone for GPS,
creating massive opportunities
for inopportune system failures.
Blindspot assist and park assist
are optional packages across the
board and the Corsa will even
COSMO
ENJOY
park itself if you choose the right
package. Opel had an underPRICING
appreciated value-for-money hit
1,0 ECOFLEX ESSENTIA R185500
with the excellent revised Astra
1,0 ECOFLEX ENJOY
R216200
and seem to have another in the
1,4 ENJOY (AUTOMATIC) R216500
garage now. Lindsey Schutters
1,0 ECOFLEX COSMO
R236300 (+R5000 for advanced park assist)
72
COSMO
A Beautiful
Thing
A MAPLE HEART LONGBOARD
COMPANY:
Warren Pieces
OWNERS:
Whitney Phillips and
Matt Groom
LOCATION:
Warren, Vermont
74
UNIQUELY
MADE-IN-SA
Hack your
coffee
76
BY FRANCINE MAROUKIAN
RUN ONE BREW CYCLE WITH JUST WATER no coffee to saturate the
filter. This will remove the filters papery taste, as well as eliminate surface
irregularities and dry spots, allowing the brewing water to soak the grounds
more evenly. Now run a second brew cycle with the coffee.
THE TEMPERATURE
Bring the water to a
boil, 100 degrees, then
remove it from the heat
and let it sit for 30 seconds so that it falls into
the 93 to 98 range.
Any higher and the heat will draw
unwanted elements out of the grounds,
giving your coffee a slightly bitter
flavour and a silty quality that coats
the tongue. You can insert any digitalprobe thermometer to check for this,
but if you want perfect accuracy, try
the Bonavita Variable Temperature
Digital Electric Gooseneck Kettle. Its
temperature increments every degree
between 60 and 100 C allow for
near-pathological levels of control.
THE WATER
Although I have
respect for the coffee/
water ratio, when it
comes to making coffee in the morning I am
more caveman than
scientist. I eyeball it, adding ground
coffee to the beaker so it looks like
one part coffee to six parts water
volumetrically, Iberti says. Dissolved
solids from coffee make up only 1,2
to 1,4 per cent of the final beverage,
so what kind of water you use is
important as well. Ibertis choice:
bottled spring.
THE GRIND
THE POUR
A French press is the
only coffeemaker in
which you can actually
see the water acting as
a solvent on the coffee.
On first pour, cover the
grounds by just couple of centimetres
of water. This is called the bloom
when gases rise, the top foams, and
aromas are created. After adding the
remaining water, stir once or twice
with a long spoon to break the top
foam and create a homogenous suspension of the grounds in the water;
this is called a slurry. Now put on the
lid.
THE TIMING
Lid on, Iberti lets his
coffee steep for just
one more minute. Let
coffee sit too long and
it develops flavours you
dont want, like too
much char on a steak, he says. This
is why you should never keep your
coffee in a French press after youve
pressed out the grounds, as it will continue to brew. When its ready, decant
your coffee into a serving vessel.
If you like your coffee with milk, fill a clean French press about one-third
of the way with warm milk. Slowly insert the plunger and pump it (like
a bike-tyre pump) until the milk foams and expands to twice its volume.
The milk will be silky, frothy and ready to pour into a caf au lait.
TA K I N G T H I N G S
A PA R T
EVAPORATOR
EXPANSION VALVE
CONDENSER
If you want to make a hot space cold, you need to carry heat energy away from it. To
do this, a refrigerator uses a chemical called a refrigerant inside a length of sealed tubing.
This refrigerant absorbs heat from the freezer in a portion of the tube called the evaporator
coil. It then moves to the compressor and then to the condenser coil at the bottom or
back of the refrigerator and releases that heat into the air.
COMPRESSOR
78
5
7
6
8
10
11
14
17
12
13
16
15
18
In 25 years,
repairclinic.coms
Chris Zeisler has
never faced an
appliance problem
he couldnt fix.
19
20
AUTOMOTIVE
THANKS TO THE LOWER DRIVING AGE IN THE US, its not uncommon for high schoolers
to spend their spare time working on cars often their own cars. Their South African equivalents,
who have to wait until theyre 18 to start driving solo legally, would give their eyeteeth to experience
the pleasure of tinkering like Freedom High Schools car club in Freedom, Wisconsin. But the
lessons those pupils are learning in working on their project cars a 1974 Oldsmobile Delta88
and a 1981 Chevrolet Camaro Z28 apply to any car enthusiasts, particularly newbies. Metal
repair, for instance.
Both cars had panels with enough rust and metal damage that they needed to be patched or
entirely replaced by welding and using plasma cutters, much to the students enjoyment. (Naturally,
the paintwork has to be reduced to bare metal before this step.) But many of the panels had dents
the club could fix just with body filler. My favourite part is the bodywork, says 16-year-old Cole
Woods. I like seeing the progress of an old car from rusty to shiny-new.
80
How to strip, repair, repaint and rewire an old car with help from an after-school car club.
FILL A DENT
AND announcing:
Workshop Challenge No. 2
Accept the PM Home Workshop Challenge and a
top-of-the-range cordless drill driver kit, valued
at R6 794, could be yours.
CONTEST NO. 2
step one
step two
prize:
step three
SAND
Using 80-grit sandpaper, cross-sand the
filler until it is level with
the rest of the surface
metal. Then, using 180
or 320-grit sandpaper,
continue to cross-sand
the area until the
edges are feathered
thoroughly blended
into the surrounding
metal. The deeper
scratches from the
coarser sandpaper will
help hold your first
coat of primer.
NEXT MONTH
IDS
RK
Monster Mask
LAR ME
PU
ANICS F
CH
E ASY REASONABLE HA RD
Difficulty:
Time: 30 minutes (or less)
Ages: 6 to 12
Materials
QTY.
DESCRIPTION
1
2
1
1
1
TOOLS
Instructions
Kid-only
Parent and kid
STEP-BY-STEP
Goggles
Scrub-pad
eyebrow
Reducer
fitting
Bungee
cord
MARCH 2015
82
www.popularmechanics.co.za 91
www.popularmechanics.co.za _ APRIL 2015
PROJECT
Tool Restoration
Clinic
Deep in the drawer, everybody has old, worn tools that could live
useful lives again. To rescue one requires patience, sturdy abrasives
and vision. BY ROY BERENDSOHN
neglected tool has an odd, magnetic power. It pulls you in. Pick it up
and, the next thing you know, youre scraping away rust with your
thumbnail, trying to make out the manufacturers name. You vaguely
recall how you came by it: a red tag sale, or your father-in-law, or a neighbour
who was moving away. Everybody has them, these little hidden jewels, says
contributing editor Richard Romanski, a fine woodworker and unrepentant tool
collector. Restoring them is pretty easy. We gathered a bunch of forlorn implements and went to work in his studio, a cavernous former church in North
Salem, New York. We found that all it takes is some basic chemistry and a little
work to salvage tools that look like theyve been sitting on the bottom of the
ocean for a century or two.
PROJECT
3
2
the machine
the restorers
Pictured in the photo above, from left: contributing editor Richard Romanski,
editor-in-chief Ryan DAgostino, and senior editor Roy Berendsohn.
the equipment
Craftsman table saw, circa 1980s, purchased at a church auction for R800.
was rusty, and its parts had been thrown out of alignment.
The first step was to move the saw to a warm, dry workshop.
We took it off its rolling stand and hoisted it into a pick-up, then
drove it down the street to Romanskis studio (2).
Next came disassembly. We unbolted the cast-iron wings from
each side of the saw and removed the motor (3). We were pleased
to find that the motor was a commercial-duty type with twin
capacitors one to start the motor turning and another to provide
extra kick to the run winding. The motors shaft and pulley were
all in good shape. We used compressed air to blow accumulated
sawdust and cobwebs out of the saws cavity (4).
Next came removal of surface rust from the saws table and
www.popularmechanics.co.za _ APRIL 2015
PROJECT
Target:
CORRODED HAND TOOLS
the tools
Tools grow dull, and when they grow dull they are
set aside, and when they are set aside they rust.
And rust begets more rust, until they look like
these. Time to dig in.
86
the equipment
White vinegar,
No. 1 steel wool,
rubber gloves, disc
sander, hand files
for sharpening,
mineral spirits,
water stones.
Body
Lever cap
1
5
Iron
the tool
Chip
breaker
Target:
DULL PRECISION TOOLS
Hand planes, machinists squares, and
adjustable combination squares are precision tools that require careful okay,
fussy restoration and adjustment.
HOW TO
THE ART
OF THE LOOP
A simple guide to a complicated
thing: layering instruments and
sounds over each other to
create music. BY KAWEHI
TI P!
There is a metronome
built into many loopers
that helps you keep
time. Use it. Timing is
the most important
thing about looping.
One millisecond off
and youre starting
over.
88
4,5 cm
2,5 cm
REMODELING
WHATS IN
ROYS
GARAGE?
Our columnist
on his favourite
new tool.
90
Whats great about buying a saw from a legacy tool company like Skil is that
you know what youre getting a sturdy, comfortable tool from a company thats
proved itself for more than ninety years. So it is not surprising that Skils newest
circular saw, the SPT67WM-22, is solid, agile and vibration-free, with a sidewinder
construction and a magnesium motor housing and shoe. Its more surprising
that it has a heck of a lot of new design flourishes, including industrial-looking
motor vents and ribbing reminiscent of the companys flagship, the Model 77,
which was introduced back in the 1930s. Its never a good idea to sacrifice
substance for style, but in this case, you can have both.
PM
ask roy
BUYER'SGUIDE
BUYER'SGUIDE
92
BUYER'SGUIDE
CFP TECHNOLOGIES
Electric motors & Drives
Electric Motors
Single Phase: 0.12 Kw - 7.5 Kw Three Phase: 0.18 Kw - 330 Kw
Website: www.cfptech.co.za
Email: [email protected]
Tel: 082 8570324
BUYER'SGUIDE
94
BUYER'SGUIDE
BUYER'SGUIDE
96
BUYER'SGUIDE
BUYER'SGUIDE
98
BUYER'SGUIDE
BUYER'SGUIDE
100
BUYER'SGUIDE
BUYER'SGUIDE
102
BUYER'SGUIDE
W I N0
D O I T Y O U R W AY / U S E F U L , C L E V E R T I P S F O R Y O U R H O M E
R1 00
SEND US
YOUR HINT
AND SCORE!
Send us your most helpful home,
garage, workshop and general DIY
hints and score! The months
best tip will receive R1 000. For
more information, visit www.popularmechanics.co.za
WINNING TIP
CRIMEBUSTER
Unfortunately crime is a huge problem in our country, even in the outlying areas. I
live on a farm and usually leave the office door wide open. As laptops are always in
demand, I would be taking a risk simply leaving mine on my desk, but its a hassle
to have to lock it in a cupboard if you only need to go out for a couple of minutes.
My solution is L-shaped brackets screwed underneath the desk. The metal is covered with felt to prevent scratches to the laptop.
So now I sit in my chair, just slip the laptopx below the desk before leaving office
and there is a good chance it will still be there on my return.
Most thieves will open the drawers, but will not look underneath a desktop.
Hopefully this idea will prevent the loss of some of those special family photos on
the laptop that we never back up to a more secure location.
PIERRE BURGER
MONTAGU
DARREN NESBITT
BREDASDORP
Psssst
To locate pinhole punctures in inflatible
mattresses I bought a stethoscope for R53.
The puntures were located easily. Previousily
I used soapy water, but only succeeded in
making a mess. Then, afterwards the mattress would have to be dried out. Using the
stethoscope the mattress remains dry and
the puncture can be repaired immediately.
ROBERT PENNY
HERMANUS
Pressure-proof
This tip is so simple its ridiculous, but it
works like a charm. One of my pet hates
is hosepipe connectors constantly popping
off because they cant handle the water
LOUWRENS OOSTHUIZEN
KLEINMOND
Small torque
This hint comes from personal experience
and a sprained wrist.
Modern battery-powered drill/drivers,
especially the 18 V type, can generate
impressive torque, with adjustable settings
to suit whatever youre driving. Driving
screws into wood is fairly straightforward,
as high torque will either be absorbed by
the screw-head compressing the wood or
strip the thread (not that that is a desirable outcome). In any case, you would
probably have both hands on the drill.
But be careful when using the tool with
a nut-driver/socket, especially if (as I did)
have to hold the bolt head with a separate
spanner and have only one hand holding
the tool; when the nut is tight it stops
DEAD, and the drill will twist violently
in your hand. So always use a low torque
setting in such instances, and do a final
tightening-up by hand. (My wrist is much
better now.)
CHRIS GRAHAM
RANDBURG PM
RESERVATION OF COPYRIGHT
The publishers of Popular Mechanics reserve all rights of reproduction or broadcasting of feature articles and factual data appearing in this journal under Section 12 (7) of the Copyright
Act, 1978. Such reproduction or broadcasting may be authorised only by the publishers of Popular Mechanics. Published by RamsayMedia Pty Ltd for the Proprietors, Popular Mechanics (SA)
Pty Ltd, Uitvlugt, Howard Drive, Pinelands, Western Cape. Distributed by RNA, 12 Nobel St, Industria West, Johannesburg, and printed by CTP Gravure, 19-21 Joyner Road, Prospecton,
Durban. Apple Mac support: Digicape tel 021 674-5000.
104
APRIL 2015
www.popularmechanics.co.za
APRIL 2015
TESTED:
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BIKES
COMPACT
OUTSIDE
SCIENCE W
HEELS
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SKILLS
STAYING
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THE CASUAL
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echanics.co.za
WHY ROOIBOS
IS REALLY GOOD
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MECHANICS
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ARE COMING
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COPLEY GOT
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UTSIDE
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EXCLUS
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HACKAPART
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FILL ATOOLS
DENT
WHY ROOIBOS
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FOR YOU
ROBOTS
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IVE:
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TECH
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TO KNOW
BE THE FIRST
TS
ROHBO
A HEART
TESTED
POPULAR
POPULAR MECHANICS
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HACK YOURACOFFEE
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