Why are batteries so expensive?

[flecc]

I've seen pics of two bare wires (no earth) pushed in to a 15A round pin socket (still the standard in India)

I'm old enough to have not only seen this, but frequently done it myself! Very often there wasn't a 15A socket and a 2A was the only one available.

A common variant was the electrical maypole, one or more two way adaptors with power devices run from cables from the centre of room light socket. Bayonet plug in adaptors for light sockets were sold for this purpose in those days, many UK rooms having no electrical sockets.
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[sopht]

I think (based on experience in foreign parts) that they had just hand tools - many home-made - which they easily carried in a carpenter's canvas bag. It's all the modern aids and health and safety crap which bumps up the weight. If you work with Sikh carpenters on site, ask one of them how they do things in India - you might find it interesting, and I'm sure they'll be happy to tell you.

Rog.

I wouldn't want to carry my hand tool bag too far myself - but then I'm a modern weakling and a woman to boot. Saws, chisels, planes etc are basically chunks of metal and add up.

Good idea about asking around, though most of the guys on the current site are Poles, Romanians etc and use what we use. Modern tools are very, what's the word? Alluring. Or something. Cutting 300 noggins with chop saw or hand saw? Hanging 30 doors with router, hinge jig and planer, or chisels and plane? Quite apart from which is easier and more accurate, who's paying?

It's always good to look outside the box though.

Don't get me started on Health and safety...

Soph

 

[sopht]

Thank you Flecc for the info and a peek at the web page encourages me ENORMOUSLY!! I can see saw horses on there and everything

Traders often used hand barrows. The Jones brothers who invented tubular steel scaffolding and the band and plate coupling used a hand barrow out of Mitcham to do all their jobs at the outset, imagine the weights they must have pushed around South London. They eventually became SGB (Scaffolding Great Britain), and members of the Jones family were on the board up into the 1990s, so the hand barrow did the trick for them!
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How interesting - I reckon hand barrows are undersold these days - I often want one to take all my stuff from car or bike to where I'm setting up, and where possible it should be really useful to be able to unhook a trailer from a bike and trundle it off. I'll get some stick for it though.

 

[sopht]

with the caption "After a Good Day's Work For Britain - that's when BEER is best"

Some things never change then

In India and other foreign countries, (probably non-EU mostly) the biggest difference is they do not follow the safety regs about 110V equipment. Power tools are plugged straight into the 230V mains and if the worker is lucky there is a RCD, I've seen pics of two bare wires (no earth) pushed in to a 15A round pin socket (still the standard in India)

Oh no, you've started me on H&S...

..no, I'll restrain myself, or it'll be building site language all the way

I'll just say this - when everyone here has to have their bike PAT tested every 3 months, you'll be joining me for that (commiserating) beer

 

[rog_london]

Good idea about asking around, though most of the guys on the current site are Poles, Romanians etc and use what we use. Modern tools are very, what's the word? Alluring. Or something. Cutting 300 noggins with chop saw or hand saw? Hanging 30 doors with router, hinge jig and planer, or chisels and plane? Quite apart from which is easier and more accurate, who's paying?

It's always good to look outside the box though.

Don't get me started on Health and safety...

Soph

When you say 'Who's paying' that's the key though - in many parts of the world (skilled) labour is one thing which is very cheap, and tools are expensive. Also we take electricity supplies for granted, but again in many parts of the world they are unreliable or non-existent.

Rog.

 

[rog_london]

I'm old enough to have not only seen this, but frequently done it myself! Very often there wasn't a 15A socket and a 2A was the only one available.

A common variant was the electrical maypole, one or more two way adaptors with power devices run from cables from the centre of room light socket. Bayonet plug in adaptors for light sockets were sold for this purpose in those days, many UK rooms having no electrical sockets.
.

Hee hee - reminds me of an old sparks years ago who used to lick his thumb and stick it in a light socket to see if it was live...

AFAIK he did eventually die of something other than electrocution....

Rog.

 

[flecc]

Hee hee - reminds me of an old sparks years ago who used to lick his thumb and stick it in a light socket to see if it was live...

AFAIK he did eventually die of something other than electrocution....

Rog.

I still sometimes test that way Rog, though I don't need to lick my thumb, just brush a finger momentarily against a terminal.

Stimulates the nervous system!
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[Alex728]

I actually found the pic on the external drive I brought along when I moved from Reading to Ipswich (I did remember scanning it)