Home » Other » Community Hangout » caster falling off of desk chair
Re: caster falling off of desk chair [message #557317 is a reply to message #557155] |
Mon, 11 June 2012 15:46 |
joy_division
Messages: 4963 Registered: February 2005 Location: East Coast USA
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John Watson wrote on Sat, 09 June 2012 14:04We need photographs! The chair, the light fittings, the exposed wiring, and of course the villains that your security light is intended to deter.
On a different matter, I have to go to America again on Monday, I'll be flying into Philadelphia PA, never been there before. You don't happen to know of any enjoyable touristy things around there? I'll have all of next weekend free. My real interest is going to gigs, but that's no fun by yourself.
The Liberty Bell of course, but gigs? I would check out the Tin Angel on Second Street. Great place for music. Small venue with good food. I have seen a lot of shows there. Intimate environment. Search for Tin Angel Philadelphia for the website and upcoming shows.
p.s. Oh, and I have been there by myself, so don't feel weird about that.
p.p.s. I just checked out tinangel.com. Have yourself a look.
[Updated on: Mon, 11 June 2012 15:49] Report message to a moderator
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Re: caster falling off of desk chair [message #557559 is a reply to message #557554] |
Wed, 13 June 2012 18:40 |
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Barbara Boehmer
Messages: 9077 Registered: November 2002 Location: California, USA
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Littlefoot wrote on Wed, 13 June 2012 13:05
I guess that a "voltage tester" is used in such cases (I hope that this is the right word; this is what I meant).
That looks like it could be dangerous. I am thinking that maybe there is some sort of battery-powered device that will allow me to test while the electricity is off without major risk of electrical shock.
Littlefoot wrote on Wed, 13 June 2012 13:05
A "black tape testing" means that this light is on during the dark hours (i.e. night and, possibly, when there are really dark clouds)? All the time? It won't just switch off after, say, 30 seconds or so?
It is supposed to be "on at dusk, off at dawn". So, yes, it is supposed to stay on all night and initially it did that. The problem is that the light currently does not turn on at any time. It should turn on at night when it is dark, but it does not. The troubleshooting section in the instructions suggests that there may be too much light and suggests covering the sensor with black electrical tape to get it to turn on, then figure out how much of the sensor needs to be uncovered to cause it to come on at night, but not stay on during the day. However, covering it completely with electrical tape does not cause it to come on and it did previously before it stopped working, so the light sensor is not the problem. I installed it, it worked properly, then it stopped working completely. The light does not come on at all, even when the light sensor is completely covered.
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Re: caster falling off of desk chair [message #557561 is a reply to message #557559] |
Wed, 13 June 2012 19:06 |
John Watson
Messages: 8922 Registered: January 2010 Location: Global Village
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I've put up a few of these motion detector switchees over the years. Usually, they are programmable: you set them to be always on, always off, or on when something moves. The way you program them is by switching the power off/on a couple of times in rapid succession. Is your switch like that? If so, the power problems you've had may have been interpreted by the switch as a command to go to the always-off mode. Of course, this may not be relevant.
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Re: caster falling off of desk chair [message #557562 is a reply to message #557561] |
Wed, 13 June 2012 19:13 |
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Barbara Boehmer
Messages: 9077 Registered: November 2002 Location: California, USA
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John Watson wrote on Wed, 13 June 2012 17:06I've put up a few of these motion detector switchees over the years. Usually, they are programmable: you set them to be always on, always off, or on when something moves. The way you program them is by switching the power off/on a couple of times in rapid succession. Is your switch like that? If so, the power problems you've had may have been interpreted by the switch as a command to go to the always-off mode. Of course, this may not be relevant.
The old light was as you describe, with a motion detector and the switch operating it as you describe. The new light that is not working is much simpler. The new light does not have a motion detector or timer. All it has is a light sensor and it is advertised as, "on at dusk, off at dawn" and it did that initially. I should be able to turn the wall switch on and leave it on and the light will turn on automatically in the dark and stay on until it gets light, then turn off automatically and stay off until it gets dark again. It is not turning on under any circumstances, as if there is no power to it or both bulbs are not working. However, as I said, both bulbs are new and it was working, and the circuit breaker was not tripped.
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Re: caster falling off of desk chair [message #557660 is a reply to message #557651] |
Thu, 14 June 2012 11:25 |
John Watson
Messages: 8922 Registered: January 2010 Location: Global Village
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Just to continue my partial hijack of BB's topic, thank you BB for suggesting the Liberty Bell as a touristy thing in Philadelphia, and JD for recommending the Tin Angel. If I get time at the weekend, I'll do both. The TA sounds a bit more "unplugged" than I would normally choose (I believe that the invention of the solid body electric guitar was the high spot of the 20th century) but somewhere OK to go by yourself is worth knowing. It will be difficult to get into Philly though, I'm actually about 20km away and (as usual!) I'm finding public transport really awkward.
And while I'm here, I've heard of this thing called a Philadelphia Cheesesteak http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheesesteak which sounds like a heart attack on a plate, is it really as repulsively delicious as people say?
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Re: caster falling off of desk chair [message #557663 is a reply to message #557662] |
Thu, 14 June 2012 12:05 |
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Littlefoot
Messages: 21806 Registered: June 2005 Location: Croatia, Europe
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Barbara in order to test whether there is power coming through the house wires, I need to remove the light, turn the electricity to the house on, and touch this screwdriver-like thing to the bare wire while I am holding it. Is this correct?
Yes.
- first - turn the electricity for the whole house off (or, possibly, if you know which fuse controls that light, switch the fuse off)
- remove the lamp
- there will most probably be two wires - one is the "ground" (no problem if you touch it; voltage tester will be off all the time, there's no current in it) and another one is the "phase" wire (there IS current in it and it can be lethal if you touch it).
- turn the electricity back on (or just the fuse)
- you can't know which one is the ground and which one is the phase wire, so you need to touch both of them, but only one will turn the light ON in the voltage tester. Of course, only if there actually *is* any current there. If not, you'd rather call the electrician.
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Re: caster falling off of desk chair [message #558210 is a reply to message #558207] |
Wed, 20 June 2012 05:08 |
ThomasG
Messages: 3211 Registered: April 2005 Location: Heilbronn, Germany
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Have you tried some source for used furniture?
I now have a office chair for 8 years that I bought 8 years ago for 10€. After all the "new" ones I had before that lasted 3-4 years at most before falling apart.
I had quite some good bargains at a local place her. Basically, once a piece of furniture has wound up at a *used* furniture store it has proven that it *is* durable, not some quick plastic moulding job that falls apart after a few years.
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Re: caster falling off of desk chair [message #558286 is a reply to message #558207] |
Wed, 20 June 2012 11:17 |
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Barbara Boehmer
Messages: 9077 Registered: November 2002 Location: California, USA
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Littlefoot wrote on Wed, 20 June 2012 02:31I don't know about expenses in the US, but - would it be possible to have someone (read: a professional) do that for you?
The chair is the simplest - buy a new one. Electricity & plumbing might require certain "expertise".
I retired early due to multiple medical problems, so my retirement income is minimal. The end result is that I cannot afford to hire professionals and I have difficulty doing things myself. I have also found that most professionals rip me off. For example, when you have had a leaky sink, the plumber requires that a mold removal professional remove all mold from underneath the sink before he will stick his head under there to do anything. The mold removal professional charges a minimum of $250 just to respond, tests, and finds that because I have been using a bucket to catch the drips that there is no moisture and no mold, but I still have to pay the $250. I heard him thanking the plumber for the referral. They apparently have some sort of mutual referral benefit going on. I have also had a plumber charge $60 to respond, say that he needed to go get a part, and never return. I had another one require that I pay for a $2,000 bond to ensure that they repaired the street properly after connecting to the sewer. The bond was paid to the county and refunded to the plumbing company, who failed to refund it to me, until after months of complaints and involving the Better Business Bureau. I hired someone to build a fence around my property. They said it would take 2 or 3 weeks. Once they had the last payment they didn't show up to finish it. It took a year of me going to their house and involving a local business organization and threatening to get a lien on the contractor's bond to get it completed. These are just a few examples. Car repairs are the worst. The last time I took the car in for an oil change, they told me I needed about $1,500 of repairs. The car was running fine. I knew, because I had checked myself, that there was nothing wrong with one of the things, so I expect there was nothing wrong with the others either. So, for various reasons, I do as much as I can myself. I learn a bit more each time, so that the next time that I encounter the same problem, I know what to do. I also watch shows like "Ask This Old House" that deal with common plumbing, electrical, carpentry, and yard problems. It is generally not economical to just buy a new one, every time something has a minor problem and the rest of it is still in good shape. I used to have a homeowner's policy that claimed that it covered all plumbing, electrical, gas and so on problems. However, every time that I needed something fixed, there would be some fine print that would say that it was not covered. They can claim that just about anything is due to lack of maintenance. If your pipes have a problem, they say that it is because you do not have a water softener, and so on. So, the end result is that you pay hundreds per year for the so-called insurance, each claim costs $60 and a week's delay, and is rejected, then you start all over with your own plumber or whatever. I eventually figured out that the whole thing is just a scam and found lots of other victims on the internet who say the same thing, so I cancelled it. Where I live, there do not seem to be any honest professional repair people and it takes more money, time, and aggravation to deal with them than to fix things yourself.
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Re: caster falling off of desk chair [message #558288 is a reply to message #558210] |
Wed, 20 June 2012 11:25 |
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Barbara Boehmer
Messages: 9077 Registered: November 2002 Location: California, USA
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ThomasG wrote on Wed, 20 June 2012 03:08Have you tried some source for used furniture?
I now have a office chair for 8 years that I bought 8 years ago for 10€. After all the "new" ones I had before that lasted 3-4 years at most before falling apart.
I had quite some good bargains at a local place her. Basically, once a piece of furniture has wound up at a *used* furniture store it has proven that it *is* durable, not some quick plastic moulding job that falls apart after a few years.
That's a possibility. I will look into it. I have had bad luck with some used things, like vehicles, and vowed never to buy a used one again, but I have gotten my money's worth from some other used items. When the man who used to live across the street developed inoperable cateracts, was gradually going blind, so he couldn't work, and lost his house to foreclosure, some relatives came to get him and moved him in with them in Colorado. The last week before they came to get him, he had daily yard sales, selling everything that he did not plan to take with him. I bought his used electric lawn mower for $35. It is a lot better than my old push-reel mower and I have already gotten more than my money's worth out of it and it still works. I just mowed the lawn with it yesterday morning. I also bought a stand fan for $5. It no longer works, but it lasted a summer, so I got my money's worth. When another neighbor moved out, I got a dresser for free, that just needed a few minor repairs that I did myself with a few nails and a little glue.
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Re: caster falling off of desk chair [message #558331 is a reply to message #558300] |
Wed, 20 June 2012 17:48 |
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Barbara Boehmer
Messages: 9077 Registered: November 2002 Location: California, USA
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In my internet search for a used chair, I stumbled upon a new one that is similar to the one that I saw at Staples for $300, but this one is $109.77 + $38.99 shipping, and because it is through Amazon.com, I can use my Discover Card rewards. I eventually decided that no matter what I do to try to fix the old chair with the plastic bottom, it is still going to have a plastic bottom that is likely to crack in other places as it gets weaker from the previous crack, as evidenced by the second caster breaking loose after the first one. So, I bought the new chair and it should be here in about a week. I have supplied the description below. I will probably remove the rest of the casters from the old chair, turning it into a stationary chair and put it in a corner somewhere as it is still a nice chair, just not a suitable rolling desk chair.
Quote:
Product Description
Check out the fabulous chrome base on this leather executive chair. Most cheaper chairs have a run-of-the-mill black nylon base. But this incredible chair features a heavy-duty "5 star" chrome base with rolling casters. It makes an otherwise ordinary executive chair look absolutely smashing in your office or home. Plus, this chair has everything! It swivels in a complete 360 degree circle. It is equipped with a pneumatic gas lift, so you can raise and lower the chair with a simple pull of a lever. It tilts back, but also has a tilt lock, so you can keep the chair upright if you like. It also has a tilt tension control, so you can make the tilt as stiff or flexible as you like. The heavy-duty double wheels are extra sturdy, and hooded for your safety. In addition to a great range of adjustment, this leather chair was ergonomically crafted to keep you comfortable in an office setting. The chair features extra padding in the seat to support the weight of your thighs. Seating is constructed of genuine cow-hide leather, backing is made of duraskin PVC for extra strength to resist tears if you back up into a cabinet or corner. The seat size is 19 x 21 inches. The back is 29.25 x 20 inches. The seat adjusts from 16.5 inches to 21 inches high. Some assembly is required.
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Re: caster falling off of desk chair [message #558332 is a reply to message #558331] |
Wed, 20 June 2012 18:15 |
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Barbara Boehmer
Messages: 9077 Registered: November 2002 Location: California, USA
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Shortly after I made my last post, I got up for a little bit, then sat down again, and a second caster fell off. So, I turned the chair on its side and yanked the other three casters out. They all came off easily, but one came off without the stem. I was able to get a grip on the remaining stem with a pair of pliers and remove it. I am now using it as a stationary desk chair. It doesn't roll, but it still swivels and tilts and allows me to lean back and rest my neck from time to time, and is comfortable, so for the next week it should be better than the plastic patio chair that I used as a substitute before. It sits a little low without the casters. I think I might be able to adjust the height, but I don't remember how to do that and don't feel like messing with it any more today.
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Re: caster falling off of desk chair [message #559114 is a reply to message #558332] |
Thu, 28 June 2012 15:26 |
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Barbara Boehmer
Messages: 9077 Registered: November 2002 Location: California, USA
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The new chair was delivered yesterday, I assembled it yesterday, and am now sitting in it. As usual with such things, it took me quite a while of fumbling around with trying to hold chair pieces, screw, and washer together, and use the supplied allen wrench to get the screw started. It seemed like every time I got everything lined up and stuck the screw and washer in, by the time I got the allen wrench in position, either the screw and washer had fallen out or the pieces were out of alignment. At times like that it seems like you need to be an octopus in order to have enough arms and hands to handle everything. However, for the most part, I was impressed with it only taking twelve screws to assemble the thing, four to hold the mechanism to the bottom of the chair seat, four to hold the chair seat to the arms, and four to hold the arms to the chair back. The rest of the pieces assembled without screws and all of the pieces fit well. The whole chair seems to be slightly better quality than my previous one, with a sturdier metal base and a slightly higher back. It rolls, it swivels, it tilts or locks upright, and the height is easily adjustable within the allowable range.
After sitting in the old chair with the casters removed, then sitting in this one, it felt like getting out of a low-rider and into a high-chair. I adjusted the new chair to the lowest height, but it is still a bit higher than I would like. I am only 5 feet 4 inches tall. I can reach the floor with my toes, but cannot put my feet flat while sitting in the chair. I recall that I had the same problem with the old chair, which is why I got the foot rest, but this one seems to be a smidgeon higher than the old one, so that there isn't much space between the top of the chair seat and the underside of the front desk drawer. I think this may be exaggerated due to the chair sitting a little higher on the chair mat and the desk legs having sunk lower into the carpet.
The way the desk and chair are now reminds me of a private school that I attended when I was 13 years old. They had built a new school with two more classrooms than the old school and enrolled enough students to fill them. However, the construction was delayed and the new school wasn't built until a year later. Initially, they put the class that I was in and one other in a very comfortable building intended for adults with very nice comfortable desks. But, that was only temporary. We spent the rest of the semester in a rented facility with desks that were intended for younger children. We could fit in the chairs and fit our legs under the desks, but not with enough room to cross one over the other. If you wanted to cross your legs, then you had to turn sideways or back away from the desk, in order to get your legs out from under the desk. My situation now is the same. That was my last of eight years at that school and I never did see the new school. I went to public school after that. Just a bit of trivia: The name of the school was "The Mirman School for Gifted Children" and I met Nathan Myhrvold there when he was a fellow student. He was in a different class because he was younger than me, so I didn't know him real well. I do remember going to his house once and him beating me at a game of chess. Back then, I had no idea how well he would do in life. I think he is the only one that I know of from that little private school that did extremely well. The first year that I attended, there were three classes of 15 students each. Then there were five classrooms. Then seven classrooms the final year. Our graduating class of ten students, was the largest that they had ever had at that point.
I thought maybe I could lift one leg at a time of the desk and slide the chair mat underneath. I found that I could lift one leg with both hands, but that did not leave a hand free to slide the mat. Once again, I'm not an octopus. So, I tried to lift the leg with one hand. All that accomplished was causing the indoor/outdoor thermometer and a bottle of ibuprofen to fall off the top of the desk and straining my back. So, I took some ibuprofen and sat back down.
I think if I could get something like floor protectors for the desk legs that would raise them just slightly and put those on under the legs and on top of the floor mat, it would make the height relation between desk and chair more comfortable. However, in order to pick the desk legs up, I need to take everything out of and off of the desk first. So, that may be a project for sometime down the road after I finish my more urgent projects. In the meanwhile, this is good enough. It is so nice to be able to roll back and forth again, instead of trying to pick up a heavy chair and move it, every time you stand up or sit down or want to move a little closer or further or left or right.
For the most part, the two chairs are very similar and look like some parts might be standardized and interchangeable. In fact, it looks like I might even be able to replace the broken plastic piece on the old chair with a metal one like the new chair has, if they sell the parts separately somewhere. The only thing I would need to figure out is how to separate the chair seat from the base. It seems like, once it is inserted, it locks in place, but there must be a way. Perhaps that will be another project to research sometime later on. If I could get a spare base and install it, then the old chair would make a nice spare. If not, it is still decent as a stationary chair. It does seem to wobble a little, but probably just needs to have a few screws tightened after years of use.
[Updated on: Thu, 28 June 2012 15:36] Report message to a moderator
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Re: caster falling off of desk chair [message #559128 is a reply to message #559114] |
Fri, 29 June 2012 01:27 |
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Littlefoot
Messages: 21806 Registered: June 2005 Location: Croatia, Europe
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Senior Member Account Moderator |
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Barbara, slightly modifiedAt times like that it seems like you need to be an octopussy in order to have enough arms and hands to handle everything
LOL! So true!
Quote: So, I tried to lift the leg with one hand (etc.)
Time to invite your new friend, jogger Brandon, for a cup of coffee (or tea or ...) and ask him for help? If he jogs, he probably won't care if he takes your street or a parallel one. Doesn't really matter, right? I might be wrong, but my impression is that you can't rely on your close neighbours much, can you?
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Re: caster falling off of desk chair [message #651322 is a reply to message #651321] |
Sun, 15 May 2016 19:15 |
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Barbara Boehmer
Messages: 9077 Registered: November 2002 Location: California, USA
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Thanks for the suggestion. The chair that I am currently sitting in, that I bought in June of 2012, now has 4 out of 5 wheels broken off, but still sits fairly level, and rolls somewhat. It is kind of an unusual design where the wheels stuck out low and when they broke off, there is still a small ball that they can roll on, so it is still reasonably usable. The rest of it is pretty worn as well. After the previous chair, I got so tired of messing with casters, that I haven't even turned this one upside down to see what I might be able to do for it. I will probably continue to use this one for a while and get as much use out of it as I can. Eventually, I will need to look for another new chair. I will be looking for something comfortable, practical, sturdy, and economical. So, I am looking for a high-back chair that rolls and swivels with as much metal, not plastic, everywhere between the seat and the floor, at a reasonable price. As much as I use my desk chair, I guess if at lasts for 4 years or more and is reasonably priced, it is a good deal. So, I am looking more for chair suggestions that caster suggestion nowadays.
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Re: caster falling off of desk chair [message #668398 is a reply to message #668319] |
Wed, 21 February 2018 04:56 |
gazzag
Messages: 1118 Registered: November 2010 Location: Bedwas, UK
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Littlefoot wrote on Sun, 18 February 2018 13:54A standing desk? It is the one you stand behind? What improvement does it bring? True, your ass doesn't hurt (because of hours spent sitting), but - your legs do (because of hours spent standing). Eh?
They are good if you have lower back-pain, e.g. sciatica, which I suffer from occasionally.
[Updated on: Wed, 21 February 2018 05:39] Report message to a moderator
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Re: caster falling off of desk chair [message #669389 is a reply to message #668398] |
Thu, 19 April 2018 08:59 |
ThomasG
Messages: 3211 Registered: April 2005 Location: Heilbronn, Germany
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I also have a height adjustable desk where I usually sit for ~30 Minutes and then stand for ~15 minutes and so on during the day.
Got it from the pension fund after I slipped a disk in 2015 and wasn't able to work for six months because of that. Since then I'm following the "change positions often" mantra. Sit on chair - stand - walk around - lean against wall - etc...
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