They had a free sausage sizzle and drink on the way out, so that was lunch :) Like most of these general tool stores they cater for tradies and Mums and Dads. Very little precision metalwork gear to be had. The internet is your friend for that stuff. Cheers Rob
That's one of my favourite pastimes Rob. I love wandering around diy stores. Just over 6 years ago Bunnings bought UK diy stores Homebase. They did turn them in to amazing stores, but proved to be unprofitable for them. So they pulled out of the UK. The stores reopened as Homebase again, and sold off the vast Bunnings stock. I benefited in getting an Ozito 24ltr compressor for £60, and a load of quality drill bits for around £1 each, and a few other bits and pieces. We have another group call B&Q but they have nothing like the range of stock that Bunnings had. That store you were in looked fantastic. Cheers Nobby
Hi Nobby. They are interesting places. Quality and prices vary accordingly. First time I'd been there. The multi pump compressor was like nothing else. I wonder why they did that ? Cheers Rob
Great video as usual Rob. That piece of machinery would have been a pump, i suspect. Sunnybrae was originally the Adelaide sewerage farm. I am an Adelaide bloke from the North side of town, it all closed up when Bolivar came on line. Cheers Tim.
Hi Tim. I did a bit of research on it later and you are correct. Apparently it's a vintage water pump. Sunnybrae has been beautifully repurposed. My best mate got married out there years back. Nice grounds and dining areas. Cheers Rob
Yes these stores put what is available in NZ to shame for sure. I went to a similar place in Perth, tool barn, I think but what I noticed is they didn't seem to have any tooling like milling cutters, inserts and the likes, neither did they have much in the way of precision stuff like surface plate, height gauges and Joe blocks which surprised me a bit.
Correct. Most except for General Tools and Paramount Browns don't handle that stuff. It's all aimed at Tradies and Mums and Dads. I guess we (metalworkers) are a minority group. The internet is your best friend for metalwork gear as the few local shops that do handle our needs generally gouge with their prices for what is very similar stuff. I've bought and reviewed heaps of metalwork gear over the years and it's all been totally fine for home use. Cheers Rob
The big machine at the end is an electric powered double acting water pump. A steam engine would need cams or an eccentric to drive the valves. A compressor for air or refrigeration would use much smaller valves because the cylinder volume is squeezed smaller. Since water doesn't compress it needs six large valves on each end to flow the full amount of water that the piston displaces.
Nice day out Rob. Yeah, I don't know what it is about those tool places, but I can spend hours lost in the isles. They are a Bunnings to the tenth power.
Hi Ben. They had a free sausage sizzle on the way out as well. So that was lunch :) It's interesting (recommended) comparing prices on stuff. Some things like Makita power tool prices are virtually set in concrete everywhere, so bit pointless shopping around. However, that is one big store. Cheers Rob
The size of that place is impressive Rob. We don't have anything like that over here. The prices looked to be a bit on the high side though. The engine outside looks like it may be a pump rather than a steam engine. Impressive flywheel. Cheers, Alan.
Hi Alan. It's the biggest store of this type I've seen. Many of their prices are on the high side from my observations. From comments it looks like the big old machine is a large water pump. Certainly impressive. I doubted it was a steam engine but wasn't sure if it was all there. The electrics appear to be NEC. Must have chewed up electricity big time when running. Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu All you need is the view port and the glove holes, and I am sure that with your ingenuity you can easily make a small plywood cabinet as well. Hint is to go out back of those stores, and look near the dumpsters, where you will find a lot of plywood shipping boxes for free. Every time I do some of that comes back with me for some reason, and even the bigger things come in steel edged boxes which are really handy. Fitted one into a space like your Roobasu, folding the steel down to make the thing fit, and on bending it back into shape it, using old pallet wood, was turned into a pretty nice bit of furniture by the FIL, and is living as a cabinet in his other daughter's place. Another 2 became a set of side tables, all made using some scrap pallets and the steel angle, plus a bit of welding, some varnish, and some tek screws to hold the wood in. He also made some heavier ones as bench seats, using some steel angle gotten from the scrap yard, otherwise known as the home shopping place, because scrap steel is very cheap there. OK I have had to pay in, going there with scrap, and coming back with better "quality used" stuff.
Hi Jim. Some of their prices are high and some are good, so check around. Most of the brand name power tool prices are pretty much set in concrete for all sellers. Worth a look though. Cheers Rob
Cannot stand going into any of these “Tool Shops” .. Especially when you slow down and actually bother to look at the quality of what’s being sold and its price point 🤦🏻 . It’s like sugar to a child for most tho . Ha.
They have high end and low end tools there. All the respected big name power tools, socket sets, shifters, toolboxes, ladders etc. So you buy whatever suits the budget. Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu … oooo , yes I agree with that up to a point. There is a point where where quality is required , and to Aquire it will mean having to pay the price and I understand that to its entirety. But for the most part, it’s a different bright colour up top…but the same ol used up Chinesium glory hole under the petty coat. In my opinion of course. But I do believe it makes for a good discussion none the less
@@Xynudu I checked the conversion, it's about 6.60 usd - that's about what blowes and the homeless despot charge for buckets here (maybe even less), but you can get them at walmart for 2 or 3 last time I looked, and you can get them free from lots of places. A long time ago, my parents used to get them from the bakery at the grocery store - if you asked they'd just give you some as they got dry dough mixes in them.
Yes. I use free ones with lids that house painters often throw out on the road side (had bulk paint in them). They work well. Stronger than a lot of regular domestic use buckets. Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu What rots is that a lot of plastic products of all kinds become extremely brittle and completely fall apart after 2-3 months. It's almost like they've been designed to crumble. It's a travesty and an environmental catastrophe.
@@Xynudu I have a dozen from pulling drywall compound buckets out of the dumpster at a large residential construction site. No cleaning necessary, just leave them sitting out full of water for a few days and the stuff all dissolves, then you have a like-new bucket with a lid.
We Australians get ripped off on everything, but tools are at top of the gouge. Watched Sydney tools start up…big splash of money Wonder how long they will last….
All shitty compressors, with those universal motors running rubber diaphragm compressors, that are pretty much guaranteed to fail after a year or so, when the warranty is expired. The motors will barely do 100 hours of operation, and you will not be able to get spare parts easily.
The number of motor/pump units on the largest models blew me away. They were all independently switched as well. So you could choose to run any number you want. I don't see the point really. Maybe there's a noise factor. I have a single rubber diaphram Bings Bullows Spray Bee compressor which was made in the 70's and is still going strong. They can certainly last if made right. The basic design is dead simple. Cheers Rob
@@XynuduMany because they are each low power to get low noise, but they also are made very cheap, plastic diaphragms and plastic conrods now, plus cheap diaphragms that will fail much faster than the older ones, as they switched to the cheap urethane to cut cost. Also the motors are wound for 200VAC, and thinner wire means they get a lot hotter, breaking the insulation down fast, plus the brushes are not going to last long before burning up. Seen drills that are only designed for 20 hours of running, and some that are not even designed for more than 10 in the DIY field.
@@Xynudu More compressors provides higher flow rate - important if you're using it for a spray gun, or running a DA sander or die grinder continuously, or light sandblasting maybe
What I don't like about the Chinese compressors is the really thin metal they use for the air tank. Lighter than an LPG cylinder (which are pressurised to 300 psi and not subject to moisture issues). The brand name compressors from pre 2000 had tanks made from much thicker metal and inspection ports as well. Not any more. Gotta expect rust with compressed air, so tank life is questionable with the imports. Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu Looks like the motor was driving a wide belt, and then this would be very likely a water pump, and would have been used to pump water up from the river, to a high point to a reservoir, to supply the city with water. That would explain the motor, electric motor driving a wide belt, and the idler pulley used to get a full wrap around the motor shaft for maximum power transfer to the wide flat belt. you can see the crown on the pulleys showing the leather belt used to run there.
They had a free sausage sizzle and drink on the way out, so that was lunch :) Like most of these general tool stores they cater for tradies and Mums and Dads. Very little precision metalwork gear to be had. The internet is your friend for that stuff. Cheers Rob
That's one of my favourite pastimes Rob. I love wandering around diy stores. Just over 6 years ago Bunnings bought UK diy stores Homebase. They did turn them in to amazing stores, but proved to be unprofitable for them. So they pulled out of the UK. The stores reopened as Homebase again, and sold off the vast Bunnings stock. I benefited in getting an Ozito 24ltr compressor for £60, and a load of quality drill bits for around £1 each, and a few other bits and pieces. We have another group call B&Q but they have nothing like the range of stock that Bunnings had. That store you were in looked fantastic. Cheers Nobby
Hi Nobby. They are interesting places. Quality and prices vary accordingly. First time I'd been there. The multi pump compressor was like nothing else. I wonder why they did that ? Cheers Rob
Great video as usual Rob.
That piece of machinery would have been a pump, i suspect.
Sunnybrae was originally the Adelaide sewerage farm.
I am an Adelaide bloke from the North side of town, it all closed up when Bolivar came on line.
Cheers
Tim.
Hi Tim. I did a bit of research on it later and you are correct. Apparently it's a vintage water pump. Sunnybrae has been beautifully repurposed. My best mate got married out there years back. Nice grounds and dining areas. Cheers Rob
Yes these stores put what is available in NZ to shame for sure. I went to a similar place in Perth, tool barn, I think but what I noticed is they didn't seem to have any tooling like milling cutters, inserts and the likes, neither did they have much in the way of precision stuff like surface plate, height gauges and Joe blocks which surprised me a bit.
Correct. Most except for General Tools and Paramount Browns don't handle that stuff. It's all aimed at Tradies and Mums and Dads. I guess we (metalworkers) are a minority group. The internet is your best friend for metalwork gear as the few local shops that do handle our needs generally gouge with their prices for what is very similar stuff. I've bought and reviewed heaps of metalwork gear over the years and it's all been totally fine for home use. Cheers Rob
There is NOTHING like this in Cleveland Ohio. Home Despot has at best 2 half isles of tools. Boy do I envy you.
Wow. I thought they would all be like this in the USA.
The big machine at the end is an electric powered double acting water pump. A steam engine would need cams or an eccentric to drive the valves. A compressor for air or refrigeration would use much smaller valves because the cylinder volume is squeezed smaller. Since water doesn't compress it needs six large valves on each end to flow the full amount of water that the piston displaces.
Interesting. Thanks for the info. Sounds right to me. It's certainly a massive thing. Cheers Rob
Nice day out Rob. Yeah, I don't know what it is about those tool places, but I can spend hours lost in the isles. They are a Bunnings to the tenth power.
Hi Ben. They had a free sausage sizzle on the way out as well. So that was lunch :) It's interesting (recommended) comparing prices on stuff. Some things like Makita power tool prices are virtually set in concrete everywhere, so bit pointless shopping around. However, that is one big store. Cheers Rob
The size of that place is impressive Rob. We don't have anything like that over here. The prices looked to be a bit on the high side though. The engine outside looks like it may be a pump rather than a steam engine. Impressive flywheel. Cheers, Alan.
Hi Alan. It's the biggest store of this type I've seen. Many of their prices are on the high side from my observations. From comments it looks like the big old machine is a large water pump. Certainly impressive. I doubted it was a steam engine but wasn't sure if it was all there. The electrics appear to be NEC. Must have chewed up electricity big time when running. Cheers Rob
I made my sandblast cabinet in plywood far larger than I could of afforded and works very well. Think I have the plans if you need them... 😊
Thanks for the offer. I only have a small place to put one. I'm just looking at what's available ATM. Not sure if it's necessary. Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu All you need is the view port and the glove holes, and I am sure that with your ingenuity you can easily make a small plywood cabinet as well. Hint is to go out back of those stores, and look near the dumpsters, where you will find a lot of plywood shipping boxes for free. Every time I do some of that comes back with me for some reason, and even the bigger things come in steel edged boxes which are really handy.
Fitted one into a space like your Roobasu, folding the steel down to make the thing fit, and on bending it back into shape it, using old pallet wood, was turned into a pretty nice bit of furniture by the FIL, and is living as a cabinet in his other daughter's place. Another 2 became a set of side tables, all made using some scrap pallets and the steel angle, plus a bit of welding, some varnish, and some tek screws to hold the wood in.
He also made some heavier ones as bench seats, using some steel angle gotten from the scrap yard, otherwise known as the home shopping place, because scrap steel is very cheap there. OK I have had to pay in, going there with scrap, and coming back with better "quality used" stuff.
I did intend to make one years ago using a single SS sink as the base, but it never happened. Still have the bits to do it.
Hey Rob not sure if you know, but hare and forbes now have have a store in adelaide, behind the bunnings on port road
Thanks for the tip off. I heard a while back that they were going to open one here, but nothing came to light. I will go and check it out. Cheers Rob
Rob there's one of these opened up an hour North of me.....going to have to visit now after this vid mate!!!! - Cheers Jim
Hi Jim. Some of their prices are high and some are good, so check around. Most of the brand name power tool prices are pretty much set in concrete for all sellers. Worth a look though. Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu Thanks Rob, enjoyed the vid mate.
Cannot stand going into any of these “Tool Shops” ..
Especially when you slow down and actually bother to look at the quality of what’s being sold and its price point 🤦🏻 .
It’s like sugar to a child for most tho . Ha.
They have high end and low end tools there. All the respected big name power tools, socket sets, shifters, toolboxes, ladders etc. So you buy whatever suits the budget. Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu … oooo , yes I agree with that up to a point. There is a point where where quality is required , and to Aquire it will mean having to pay the price and I understand that to its entirety.
But for the most part, it’s a different bright colour up top…but the same ol used up Chinesium glory hole under the petty coat.
In my opinion of course.
But I do believe it makes for a good discussion none the less
Wow, 10 bucks for a bucket? Seems kinda pricey
Stores now charge $8 -10 AU for an empty/new 4 litre paint tin. LOL. What a rip off.
@@Xynudu I checked the conversion, it's about 6.60 usd - that's about what blowes and the homeless despot charge for buckets here (maybe even less), but you can get them at walmart for 2 or 3 last time I looked, and you can get them free from lots of places. A long time ago, my parents used to get them from the bakery at the grocery store - if you asked they'd just give you some as they got dry dough mixes in them.
Yes. I use free ones with lids that house painters often throw out on the road side (had bulk paint in them). They work well. Stronger than a lot of regular domestic use buckets. Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu What rots is that a lot of plastic products of all kinds become extremely brittle and completely fall apart after 2-3 months. It's almost like they've been designed to crumble. It's a travesty and an environmental catastrophe.
@@Xynudu I have a dozen from pulling drywall compound buckets out of the dumpster at a large residential construction site. No cleaning necessary, just leave them sitting out full of water for a few days and the stuff all dissolves, then you have a like-new bucket with a lid.
We Australians get ripped off on everything, but tools are at top of the gouge.
Watched Sydney tools start up…big splash of money
Wonder how long they will last….
You have to shop around.
All shitty compressors, with those universal motors running rubber diaphragm compressors, that are pretty much guaranteed to fail after a year or so, when the warranty is expired. The motors will barely do 100 hours of operation, and you will not be able to get spare parts easily.
The number of motor/pump units on the largest models blew me away. They were all independently switched as well. So you could choose to run any number you want. I don't see the point really. Maybe there's a noise factor. I have a single rubber diaphram Bings Bullows Spray Bee compressor which was made in the 70's and is still going strong. They can certainly last if made right. The basic design is dead simple. Cheers Rob
@@XynuduMany because they are each low power to get low noise, but they also are made very cheap, plastic diaphragms and plastic conrods now, plus cheap diaphragms that will fail much faster than the older ones, as they switched to the cheap urethane to cut cost. Also the motors are wound for 200VAC, and thinner wire means they get a lot hotter, breaking the insulation down fast, plus the brushes are not going to last long before burning up. Seen drills that are only designed for 20 hours of running, and some that are not even designed for more than 10 in the DIY field.
@@Xynudu More compressors provides higher flow rate - important if you're using it for a spray gun, or running a DA sander or die grinder continuously, or light sandblasting maybe
What I don't like about the Chinese compressors is the really thin metal they use for the air tank. Lighter than an LPG cylinder (which are pressurised to 300 psi and not subject to moisture issues). The brand name compressors from pre 2000 had tanks made from much thicker metal and inspection ports as well. Not any more. Gotta expect rust with compressed air, so tank life is questionable with the imports. Cheers Rob
You can still achieve that with a large capacity piston pump of 1 - 3 cylinder config. Cheers Rob
Pretty cool up here in kingaroy too.
I just had a look at BOM.
Hi Rob. Interesting find. Where is it located?
On Grand Junction Road by the corner of the road that cuts through by Coopers Brewery and Blackwoods.
Sunnybrae Estate Main Entrance, 1 Naweena Rd, Regency Park SA 5010, Australia
If it came from a meat works then possibly its a refrigeration compressor?
Could well be. I couldn't find any information on what it actually did. I doubt that it's a steam engine. Cheers Rob
@@Xynudu Looks like the motor was driving a wide belt, and then this would be very likely a water pump, and would have been used to pump water up from the river, to a high point to a reservoir, to supply the city with water. That would explain the motor, electric motor driving a wide belt, and the idler pulley used to get a full wrap around the motor shaft for maximum power transfer to the wide flat belt. you can see the crown on the pulleys showing the leather belt used to run there.
I think you are dead right on all counts. The double pulley system looked like a wrap around type. Big mother. Would be cool to see going. Cheers Rob