"Oh, this won't take long. It's just a quick project"

[honkerman]

Went out to the scoot this morning to install some new LED's. Said to myself, oh, this will take five minutes, maybe ten. Two hours later and I was finally putting a lower body panel back on. HAH! Seems that's the way with "quick" projects. Anyone have any amusing or even cringe-worthy "short project" stories?

I've linked the full story below, with a pic of the LED's and of a plug station I added (which actually was a quick project surprisingly).

http://scootinfool.blogspot.com/2015/08 ... oject.html

[Jge64]

No matter how I lay out my tools, I never seem to find the right tool after starting without a search. The other thing that lengthens a mod is dropping parts down in the bike when working on it....just dropped a fuse behind the batt that necessitated taking out the batt, another 20 min wasted.

[Valiant]

Now why would it take 20 minutes to take out the battery?

[Oyabun]

I'm famailiar witb that feeling. Dropped in the new rear shocks in "just 20 minutes" yesterday.

BTW. The acces port on the left side is for reaching the tspark plug. For the valves one has fo remove the whole luggage compartment at least.

[Bash On!]

"Anyone have any amusing or even cringe-worthy "short project" stories?"

You have to promise not to laugh (too hard). I am not mechanically inclined and usually pay others to do such things--for good reason, as you will read.

I did some accessory installation work on my ex-police bike (recently traded in on a Silver Wing). I installed strobe lights, a GPS, a fused power distribution panel, two ham radios, an external speaker, an upgraded horn, and two antennas. I even figured out the wiring for two push-to-talk buttons (one for each radio) and crafted the interface cable.

Worked all day. Surveying my handiwork, I felt pretty proud of myself. Everything worked! Nothing got fried!

Forgot to mention that the gas tank had to come off to route the wiring. The tank was drained to make it easier to remove. Put the tank back on, hooked up the fuel lines and proceeded to refill the tank with a gas can. This particular gas can had a auto-shut off safety valve and required pressure on the side of the gas tank neck to keep the valve open.

Unfortunately, a little plastic piece on the gas can nozzle got caught on the tank and broke off. Broke off INTO the gas tank. No problem, drain the gas tank and I'll just turn the tank upside down. Nope, there's a lip on the filler on the inside of the tank and the plastic piece would not come out. Can't leave it in there where it could block an intake or dissolve and gum up everything.

OK, what can I use to reach down into the tank? Pliers aren't long enough. Hey! I'm pretty good with chopsticks--I'll try them. They're too long to fall into the tank so there won't be an issue. Could see the plastic piece and almost had it. Apply a little more pressure and...oops one of the chopsticks came out of my hand--and fell INTO the gas tank. Guess it wasn't too long to drop in, after all. Needless to say, I couldn't get the chopstick out either.

Had to swallow my pride and take it to the dealer. You haven't lived until you've had to explain to the crusty shop guy that there's a chopstick in your gas tank. Adding insult to injury (or vice versa), it cost $80 to get both items removed.

[j.d.b.]

"Short project". Famous last words. Almost every time I give a time frame, Mr. Murphy intervenes to at least DOUBLE that estimate.

[Mel46]

I am a retired computer engineer, and everytime my boss would ask me how long a quick project would take, I followed the rule of thumb taught to us in school. Calculate how long it should take, double it, then add 20% for possible problems. Using that formula, I was always on time on my projects. Do that for all of your projects and you will be on time for almost all of them.

[RRocket]

No matter how I lay out my tools, I never seem to find the right tool after starting without a search.

I've found an excellent solution for this. I've taught my wife what every tool is. And to her credit, she knows her tools. So when I need something and my hands are full I just ask and she gets the correct tool for me..every time.

She's a keeper!

[honkerman]

"Anyone have any amusing or even cringe-worthy "short project" stories?"

You have to promise not to laugh (too hard). I am not mechanically inclined and usually pay others to do such things--for good reason, as you will read.

I did some accessory installation work on my ex-police bike (recently traded in on a Silver Wing). I installed strobe lights, a GPS, a fused power distribution panel, two ham radios, an external speaker, an upgraded horn, and two antennas. I even figured out the wiring for two push-to-talk buttons (one for each radio) and crafted the interface cable.

Worked all day. Surveying my handiwork, I felt pretty proud of myself. Everything worked! Nothing got fried!

Forgot to mention that the gas tank had to come off to route the wiring. The tank was drained to make it easier to remove. Put the tank back on, hooked up the fuel lines and proceeded to refill the tank with a gas can. This particular gas can had a auto-shut off safety valve and required pressure on the side of the gas tank neck to keep the valve open.

Unfortunately, a little plastic piece on the gas can nozzle got caught on the tank and broke off. Broke off INTO the gas tank. No problem, drain the gas tank and I'll just turn the tank upside down. Nope, there's a lip on the filler on the inside of the tank and the plastic piece would not come out. Can't leave it in there where it could block an intake or dissolve and gum up everything.

OK, what can I use to reach down into the tank? Pliers aren't long enough. Hey! I'm pretty good with chopsticks--I'll try them. They're too long to fall into the tank so there won't be an issue. Could see the plastic piece and almost had it. Apply a little more pressure and...oops one of the chopsticks came out of my hand--and fell INTO the gas tank. Guess it wasn't too long to drop in, after all. Needless to say, I couldn't get the chopstick out either.

Had to swallow my pride and take it to the dealer. You haven't lived until you've had to explain to the crusty shop guy that there's a chopstick in your gas tank. Adding insult to injury (or vice versa), it cost $80 to get both items removed.

That's hilarious!.