The thread on the end of the wind turbine generator is definitely 4mm. I braved the Coronavirus crowds and bought a 4mm bolt. Trying it in the hole I was perplexed when it would not work. I tried a #8 bolt again and that wouldn't work. 5mm and #10 were too big, #6 and 3mm were too small. It was perplexing to say the least.
While I was out I picked up four small brackets that I have now attached to the arms of the wind turbine generator. I didn't want to blow too much money so I didn't buy plastic drainpipe to use as blades on the turbine. I'd got an idea about using a small plastic bucket that had been used to store dried milk that was now well past its worthwhile use by date.
Today however the roof of the main dwelling was being treated with BlackJack elastometric paint. At the end of that there were several 5 gallon buckets that had had the paint in them, lying empty. Thus I grabbed one bucket with the idea of cutting it vertically in two so that I have two curved blades for the wind turbine. That idea got put to one side though. I'll have a go at that another day.
Back to the thread. Can you see the problem? The thread turns to the left. It's a left-handed thread! Thus, checking online I found left handed M4 bolts were ludicrously expensive from US sources. I do mean ludicrously. I was getting no prices under $25 for a single left-handed M4 bolt. That is absolutely ridiculous and is exactly why I have bought so much from Coronavirus as the thing is liable to be in the post for 2 weeks. That's more than enough time to kill the virus.
This must be why I have never used that turbine. I almost wanted to drill out the thread and re-tap the shaft with a common bolt size like 10-24. That would have meant (since I can't find my 10-24 tap) buying a 10-24 tap in the store. I'm obeying instructions and keeping out of stores though.
When I went to the store to get the M4 bolts and whatever else it was, the store was packed. People were not obeying the stay home rules. People were not social distancing. Nobody bar me wore gloves nor masks. It would not surprise me in the slightest if the President decided to put National Guard roadblocks on major junctions and near stores, checking people's identities and reasons for being out. It would similarly not surprise me if people were given periods in the week (ex monday PM) for doing their shopping and had to have permits to head to work. That is probably the only way to stop people mingling and passing the coronavirus to each other.
It would similarly not surprise me since some wannabe survivalists have bought up the nation's entire supply of toilet paper, hand sanitizer etc to hear of looters raiding people's homes for toilet paper and hand sanitizer. The massive increase in gun and ammunition sales tells me that!
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