Innholdsfortegnelse for May/June 2020 i Popular Mechanics South Africa

LIFE IS anything but normal at the moment. I’m working from home, as are most of you, and right now I’m looking out the window at a completely deserted street. There are no cars, no pedestrians, just a few birds flittering about. If it wasn’t for the unprecedented event that’s turned our lives upside down, I’d say things were all rather peaceful and pleasant. But, they’re not. With the rampant spread of COVID-19, we as a nation – well, a global community – have just endured two or three surreal weeks, and I know that it’s far from over. I also know I’m not alone in the emotions I’m feeling. As I write this, the South African population has just started the first day of its strict national lockdown, which…

MILLIONS of people around the world are turning to DNA testing. From gaining health insights to tracing family origins, our genetic identity can answer questions such as ‘Who am I?’ and ‘Where do I come from?’, and it’s slowly changing everything. But what happens when what you know, or rather what you thought you knew, is different to the results you get back? And what happens when we can track down anonymous sperm donors or help orphans uncover where they come from, their culture and of course their medical genealogy? Libby Copeland’s new book entitled The Lost Family: How DNA Testing Is Upending Who We Are looks at exactly this. Spitting into a vial to obtain genetic answers might be on trend right now, but do we fully understand the…

Typically, a client will supply their already-purchased vehicle to SVI for armouring. One of the company’s mandates is to ensure all of the vehicle’s original manufacturer-fitted systems and features are retained. The conversions are approved by some OEMs but SVI also offers its own warranty covering the work done to the vehicle. When a Toyota Fortuner undergoes a B4-spec conversion, only 260 kg are added, keeping the overall mass well under the manufacturer’s stated gross vehicle mass (GVM). This means that upgrading the standard suspension or braking systems is not required. STEP 1: The interior, glass and various relevant body panels are disassembled at the SVI premises. STEP 2: Every applicable component is meticulously measured using a 3D-coordinate measuring system, and a digital model is created. This is used to produce…

» Medium- and small Phillips screwdrivers. » Small flat screwdriver (to fit into the unusual three-slot screws that prevent users from removing the base). » Small spatula or flat screwdriver for mixing and applying adhesive. » Water jug of sufficient volume to fill your coffee maker. » Chamois or sponge to mop up spillages. » Scraper, small file, and emery cloth or sandpaper. » Two-pack epoxy steel paste. Find one that clearly states a temperature range of up to 150°C. I found Steenvas at our local farmers’ co-op. The big pots (costing around R250) clearly state a temperature range of -35°C to 150°C. The little pots do not. » Temperature-conducting glue/grease. » Ice-cream container lid or a piece of cardboard for mixing the epoxy. IF YOU HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS…

Here’s how to not mess anything up. CONTROL THE TEMP Unless you have access to a 10°C cave, clean out an old fridge or chest freezer and plug it into a digital temperature control unit. A probe from the controller will tell the unit when the temperature is too high, and turn on the compressor to cool your fermenter. PITCH DOUBLE, PITCH COLD Because of the cold, relatively sluggish fermentation, double the amount of yeast you would normally pitch for a similar ale, to compensate for the cold. Also, hold off on pitching all that yeast until the wort has cooled to its fermentation temp in order to avoid a few unwelcome flavours from too-hot fermentation. TAKE A DIACETYL REST Lager yeast often needs assistance in scrubbing the diacetyl (butter…

1 SOAP BUBBLE Carve a small notch in the middle of a bar of soap that has moisturiser. Put the soap in the microwave, turn it on, and a bubble will grow out of the notch, which will become big enough to fill the entire microwave. The microwave is heating up water and the molecules inside the soap to cause it to expand. 2 EXPLODING EGG Place an egg in the micro-wave, and the egg will explode. You will also hear a loud boom. Similar to a popcorn kernel popping, the sound you hear from the egg is an explosion from the water that becomes present when it’s heated. Once the egg’s shell cracks, the water expands rapidly, hence the noise. 3 SPEED OF LIGHT Put a thin layer of…

1. MAKE IT EASIER A huge hassle of analogue circuit breakers is figuring out which outlets correspond to which breaker in your home. A tool like Klein’s ET300 Circuit Breaker Finder saves you the guesswork. 2. MAKE IT TALK TO YOU An energy monitoring system such as Sense can track device usage in your home and calculate how much each item contributes to your electricity bill. You can monitor all the data, from your pool pump’s consumption rate to whether you’ve left the garage door open, via an app on your phone. 3. MAKE IT SMARTER For the most intel and control over your breaker, Leviton is releasing a smart breaker box that lets you not only track energy costs and consumption on a granular level, but troubleshoot your breaker…

1940s WILLYS MA: 4×4 reconnaissance vehicle used in WWII. WILLYS PICKUP: Tames rural America with its 1 ton load capacity. 1950s M38A1 (MD): First Jeep with round mudguard. Inspired CJ-5. FC-150–170: Go-anywhere 4×4 truck built on CJ-5 chassis. 1960s GLADIATOR PICKUP: Optional auto transmission and power steering is introduced. WAGONEER: Revolutionary SUV design boasting classic grille and squared wheel arches. 1970s CHEROKEE SJ: A legend is born, with adjustable seats and robust, rugged power. CJ-7: A superstar for the brand, with a longer wheel-base and new improved comfort. 1980s CHEROKEE XJ: Best-selling model of all time, manufactured for almost 20 years. WRANGLER YJ: Excellent yet controversial off-roader that replaced the CJ series. 1990s GRAND CHEROKEE ZJ: ‘Truck of the Year’ with luxury features and Quadra-Trac 4WD system. GRAND CHEROKEE WJ/WG/W1:…

» SVI recently armoured a fleet of 110 locomotives in Mozambique. » SVI operates one of the largest armoured-vehicle rental fleets in Africa. » SVI has a special projects division. (One such project was a low-profile grader for Barloworld that was designed to maintain underground road systems in mines.) » SVI offers fleet owners economical protection-package options for their vehicles, from staff transport vehicles through to dignitary transporters. » While ballistic armouring is the starting point, SVI offers a broad selection of optional extras, such as heavy-duty run-flat rings for tyres as well as reinforced bumpers.…

SHARPENING hand-plane blades is essentially the same process as sharpening chisels and other edge tools. Your aim is to create the finest arris you can, at the highest abrasive grit possible. They might look similar but, no, hand planes aren’t all the same – the different types perform a wide variety of functions. A smoothing plane, for example, will have an entirely different blade-edge shape to a scrub plane. When compared to a router plane, a shoulder plane has a completely different angle of attack (called the pitch), and the pitch geometries of standard-angle hand planes differ substantially to those of low-angle hand planes. The table below shows a list of the most commonly used hand planes. Whether the plane is a smoother, jointer, tryin-gor apron plane, it’s important to…

With the bottom cover still off, elevate the appliance, fill it with water, connect to a power outlet and switch it on. Be sure to keep hands away from the underside. Carefully check underneath for any leaks. Once all the water has slowly made its way through to the coffee jug, do not switch off. This will simulate the ‘keep warm’ state, where the heated pipe gets much hotter once all the water and steam has passed through it. It’s at this point in my repair process that acrid smoke came wafting out from under the appliance, which was definitely cause for concern. I switched it off to inspect, and discovered that it was just the volatiles evaporating out of the epoxy paste, which had turned dark brown. A further…

SKOTTEL PIZZA Prep time: 35 minutes + 1 hour rising time Cook time: 15 minutes Makes: 1 large pizza Difficulty: Easy What you’ll need: 1 × Skottel Braai, plus accompanying gas cylinder FOR THE PIZZA BASE 1½ cups lukewarm water1 tsp sugar10 g packet instant dry yeast3½ cups bread flour + extra for dusting1 tsp salt2 tbsp olive oil + extra for brushing FOR THE TOPPINGS ½ cup tomato puree with 2 tsp mixed dried herbs added3 cups grated mozzarella cheese½ packet diced bacon, fried60 g mushrooms, sliced20 g sliced salami1 green pepper, deseeded and sliced½ cup baby tomatoes, halved¼ red onion, sliced TO SERVE ⅓ cup fresh basil Steps to success: FOR THE BASE 1 Whisk the water, sugar and yeast together in a bowl and set aside for…

The CADAC brand is probably most famous for its Skottel Braai, an improvised grill that has its origins in the South African farmlands, where old plough-shear discs were turned into large, circular pans for cooking over an open fire. The first commercial sales began in the 1940s. It’s ideal for cooking paella, breakfast fry-ups, stir-fries, traditional boerie rolls and, yes, even pizzas! PARTS: Skottel dish, pot stand, burner pan and a stainless-steel stem, weighing 6 kg. The dish is concave, with stainless-steel handles. Its surface is coated in a vitreous enamel that’s durable and has non-stick properties. When assembled, the Skottel is 85 cm high and 58 cm wide, and fits on to a 3-, 5- or 7 kg CADAC gas cylinder.…

Master Lock Mini Safe: Perfect for when you need to keep your keys safe, but don’t want to carry them with you, this handy key-storage unit lets you set your own combination. There’s enough space inside for multiple keys or access cards, and dual-locking levers provide added resistance. Solid zinc body withstands hammering and sawing. Master Lock Tower Combination Lock: Set your own combination on this sturdy padlock featuring a 37 mm-wide zinc body. The 7 mm-diameter shackle is 22 mm long and made from hardened steel, offering extra resistance to cutting or sawing. For added peace of mind, there’s a limited lifetime warranty. Master Lock M1 Excell Padlock: Features a tough boron-alloy body that’s 50 per cent stronger than standard padlocks, and a 45 mm laminated steel core with…

WHATEVER year you’re reading this, the new iPhone is awesome. It always is. Same with the new Samsung Galaxy, and Bose’s new noise-cancelling headphones. But right now, just as we’ve entered a new decade, the improvements between versions are becoming less obvious. In the case of the iPhone 11, the cameras are a big advancement. But for the majority of us customers, the previous model will serve us just as well as the new one. That’s why, when I need something such as a phone or laptop, I almost never buy it new. You should do the same. I’m not talking about going on eBay for used tech. Even if you know what to look for and what prices are fair, the time cost of doing all the quality control…

ARCHIMEDES IS considered by many to be the greatest mathematician that has ever lived. He anticipated modern calculus and analysis using the concepts of infinitesimals and the method of exhaustion, and so great was his reputation that the Archimedes screw was given his name (even though it’s now commonly accepted that the Egyptians, in fact, invented the famed water screw many years prior). Still, Archimedes is said to have ‘described’ the device, and brought it to Greece, so he played an important role in its development. Whoever actually came up with this invention millennia ago, it’s the principle behind the device that helped inspire Dutch scientists to develop a highly efficient windmill for home power generation. Marinus Mieremet considered the Archimedes screw when he began researching and developing what would…

LEATHERMAN FREE P4 Getting your first Leatherman is like falling in love: the excitement of the unknown, the thrill of discovering new things, the joy of feeling like you belong together … the anguish when the relationship ends. I got my first, the little Leatherman Micra, in 2006, and didn’t know how I’d survived without it – and then I lost it. I admit, it’s materialistic, but the loss hit me hard. So I saved and saved, and then upgraded, buying myself a legendary Leatherman Wave II in 2008, and it’s barely left my side ever since. It’s become almost an extension of me, so I never have to worry about being unprepared. The Wave II has recently been upgraded to the Wave +, with only the replaceable wire cutter…

SOUTH AFRICANS get few chances to try downhill snow skiing. Maybe you’ll have a trip to the Alps or the United States once or twice in your lifetime, or even to Lesotho when conditions are favourable, but it’s uncommon at best. If you get the chance to go skiing, you should grab it, but there are definitely a few things to know before you go. I found these out through first-hand experience on a skiing trip to a resort called Sunday River in Maine in the north-east of the US, during my recent end-of-year holiday. WHERE TO GO? Selecting the best destination is difficult and, with the current weak rand, costly. So you’ll want to get the most out of it. Consider things such as likely snow conditions, facilities, gear-rental…

IT’S THE FURTHEST thing from a regular Thursday at work for me. I’m behind the wheel of a MAX 9 armoured personnel carrier (APC), taking it for a spin through the bush outside Pretoria. It’s by far the most formidable and toughest vehicle I’ve ever driven. It’s not only capable of overcoming extreme off-road obstacles, dongas and ditches with its 6.7-litre turbocharged diesel engine and colossal 380 mm of ground clearance, but it can also withstand high-velocity rifle fire and offers blast protection from mines or grenades to all eight of its occupants. Yes, invincible is how I’m feeling right now. The MAX 9 has been designed and manufactured by SVI Engineering, or ‘Special Vehicle Innovation’, a local armouring company that has made a significant name for itself in the…

AS LUCK would have it, the guarantee on our home coffee-making machine had just expired when it started leaking – if it had happened prior to that, I would’ve definitely reported it to the manufacturer, as I firmly believe that feedback helps to drive product improvements. So, ignoring the clear caution underneath (‘Do not remove this cover. No user-serviceable parts inside. Repair should be done by authorised service personnel only.’), I got to work. But here’s our disclaimer: These warnings should indeed be heeded by non-technical people, especially when working on any electrically powered devices. But if you have the knowledge, skills and tools, why waste your money? Dismantling Disconnect the coffee maker from the electrical power supply. Remove the bottom cover. Inside, you’ll find a heater element with integral…

WALK INTO a brewery taproom today and it’s no surprise the menu is littered with IPAs. The hop bombs keep the lights on. But look to the corner of the beer list and you’ll likely see a humble lager. Order it. It’s the most carefully brewed beer on tap. While loud and bold IPAs are brewed for the consumer, subtle and highly drinkable lagers are brewed for the brewer. All beers in this great sudsy world trickle down from two streams: ales and lagers. Craft breweries mostly mess around with ales. Meanwhile, lagers – by far the favoured type of beer in the non-craft world – are mainly turned out by megabrewers. The defining difference between these two families of beer is yeast. Ale yeast ferments much faster, at warmer…

BY HAND: If you’re eating a good, handmade pizza, chances are the base was hand-formed – it’s the most gentle method, resulting in no two bases being alike. The dough isn’t handled nearly as much as in commercial industries, so very little gas is lost, which results in less shrinkage of the base. Although most people opt for a rolling pin when making pizzas, there’s a functional reason for hand-tossing the dough. The spinning and tossing action is actually the best way of extending the dough without tearing it. The airflow also dries the surface of the dough just enough, helping to form a thin skin. This develops the perfect balance of moisture in the dough and helps to create a crisp crust. PRESSING: There are two common pizza-base-forming methods…