Backup your Ghost server
backup image, page header

Backup your Ghost server

Introduction If you can't use snapshot technology to backup your web site, or would like something more flexible, then you'll need an automated process that creates an archive of your data and copies it somewhere safe. Simpler options are available! If you want to see what's involved, read on....

Introduction If you can't use snapshot technology to backup your web site, or would like something more flexible, then you'll need...

website hosting
AWS lightsail branding

Amazon Lightsail snapshots

Hosting your own web site comes with a number headaches, not least sorting out backups so you can recover your data should disaster strike. A relatively painless solution for those of us with servers deployed on a cloud platform is to use snapshots. To be honest it is a lot easier to use a third...

Hosting your own web site comes with a number headaches, not least sorting out backups so you can recover your data should disaster strike. A...

website hosting
Migrating from Wordpress to Ghost

Migrating from Wordpress to Ghost

Over the past couple of weeks I have been moving this website from Wordpress to Ghost. Modern web technology Moving to a modern solution based on HTML, CSS, and JavaScript seemed like a good opportunity to learn some new things, since I haven't done any front-end development before (well, apart from in the...

Over the past couple of weeks I have been moving this website from Wordpress to Ghost. Modern web technology Moving to a modern solution based...

website hosting
Honda C90 Super Cub - shop manuals

Honda C90 Super Cub - shop manuals

When learning how to repair my 1978 Honda Super Cub c90  I was surprised to discover that original printed copies of the Honda shop manuals are still in circulation.  Unlike the Haynes and Clymer publications that were aimed at the general public, these are the instructions used by the Honda mechanics who mended and maintained...

When learning how to repair my 1978 Honda Super Cub c90  I was surprised to discover that original printed copies of the Honda shop manuals...

manuals
Honda C90 - Cam to crank timing

Honda C90 - Cam to crank timing

Timing The cam to crank timing is initially set when you assemble the engine. Timing refers to the regulation of the parts of a mechanism to ensure it works as designed. In this context it a reference to the mechanism by which the crank turns the camshaft and the valves in the engine are made...

Timing The cam to crank timing is initially set when you assemble the engine. Timing refers to the regulation of the parts of a mechanism...

C90 Engine
Honda C90 - valve adjustment

Honda C90 - valve adjustment

Adjustment Here are Honda's valve adjustment instructions for the C90/CT90 engine. The idea is to set the gap so that the feeler gauge just slides between the tappet adjustment screw and the top of the valve stem. As explained here the adjustment must be done when the engine is cold and when...

Adjustment Here are Honda's valve adjustment instructions for the C90/CT90 engine. The idea is to set the gap so that the feeler...

C90 Engine
Honda C90 - finding TDC on the compression stroke

Honda C90 - finding TDC on the compression stroke

As explained in this extract from a Honda manual, valve adjustment measurements must be taken at top dead centre (TDC) on the compression stroke.  This short article explains how to check your engine is in the right spot to measure the valve gap. To understand Honda’s instructions we need to recall the basic operation...

As explained in this extract from a Honda manual, valve adjustment measurements must be taken at top dead centre (TDC) on the compression stroke.  This...

C90 Engine
Washita Oilstones

Washita Oilstones

Washita oilstones are used by woodworkers around the world and they all come from a small area east of Hot Springs in Arkansas, USA. Origins Washita, and the closely related Arkansas stone, are both forms of a rock geologists call Novaculite.  As this research shows, Novaculite was used by Indians to make tools long before...

Washita oilstones are used by woodworkers around the world and they all come from a small area east of Hot Springs in Arkansas, USA. Origins...

sharpening
The Record 74 Auto Vice

The Record 74 Auto Vice

The Record 74 is an excellent little vice, it weights 26lbs , has 4 inch jaws and opens to about 4 ½ inches. It was pitched as an inexpensive[1] vice for the amateur mechanic or the woodworker who has an occasional need to do a bit of metalwork (where the fact it can be popped into...

The Record 74 is an excellent little vice, it weights 26lbs , has 4 inch jaws and opens to about 4 ½ inches. It was pitched as...

Record Tools Ltd
Yankee 1003 bench drill

Yankee 1003 bench drill

The North Bros Yankee 1003 bench drill – and its larger sibling, the 1005 – is one of the finest bench drills ever produced.   They were only made for about 15 years and are now something of a rarity.  I was lucky enough to get hold of one a couple of years ago (you can read about...

The North Bros Yankee 1003 bench drill – and its larger sibling, the 1005 – is one of the finest bench drills ever produced.   They were only...

drills
Honda C90 - valve clearance

Honda C90 - valve clearance

Once you have the engine back together an important job is to adjust the valve clearance (sometimes called “valve lash”). The clearance you are adjusting is the gap between the “tappet” and the tip of the valve. Tappet is an Engineering term meaning: a moving part in a machine which transmits motion in a straight...

Once you have the engine back together an important job is to adjust the valve clearance (sometimes called “valve lash”). The clearance you are adjusting...

C90 Engine
Honda C90 - valve seals

Honda C90 - valve seals

The valves are held in place by metal guides installed in the cylinder head and on some C90s (including the c90 z2) there is a synthetic rubber valve seal on top of the exhaust valve guide, as is shown in this diagram from the 1978 CT90 service manual: Honda tried a number of different valve...

The valves are held in place by metal guides installed in the cylinder head and on some C90s (including the c90 z2) there is a...

C90 Engine
Honda C90 - valve lapping

Honda C90 - valve lapping

Doing an overhaul of the engine involves dismantling the cylinder head and inspecting the valves. They will need to be cleaned of any accumulated oil and carbon, but do they also need lapping? Lapping If the valves are worn or pitted due to wear or because they have been poorly adjusted in the past it...

Doing an overhaul of the engine involves dismantling the cylinder head and inspecting the valves. They will need to be cleaned of any accumulated oil...

C90 Engine
Honda C90 - valve inspection

Honda C90 - valve inspection

Here are a few posts on the topic of valve adjustment.  Happily, since the c90 is such a simple engine, it is a good place to learn about these automotive fundamentals.  Here goes! Disassembly Here are the cylinder head parts for the c90 z2.  As you can see the z2 has contact breaker points and...

Here are a few posts on the topic of valve adjustment.  Happily, since the c90 is such a simple engine, it is a good place...

C90 Engine
Honda C90 - tool kits

Honda C90 - tool kits

Looking at the CMSL microfiche parts diagrams, the older Kowa tool kits – for example the c100 from the 1960s – contained: * an open ended 10/14mm spanner * 17mm and 23mm ring spanners * a set of pliers Pliers * a spark plug socket * a screwdriver handle with one slotted and two cross head bits. The kit also included...

Looking at the CMSL microfiche parts diagrams, the older Kowa tool kits – for example the c100 from the 1960s – contained: * an open ended 10/14mm...

Kowa
Kowa tools

Kowa tools

Kowa Seiki has made tools for Honda since 1956, initially making their special workshop tools and going on to make the tool kits for all their bikes from the 60s until the early 2000s. From the 1970s they also made tools for the Japanese government, Mazda, Kawasaki, Suzuki, Yamaha and Mitsubishi. Add all that production...

Kowa Seiki has made tools for Honda since 1956, initially making their special workshop tools and going on to make the tool kits for all...

Kowa