Removing Thule Roof Racks from Toyota Corolla - Rapid System 317

OK, this is Not an IT post, but I hope it helps anyone that is in the same position that I was.

I bought a Toyota Corolla Ascent 2004 (through work) and optioned it up to include a Thule roof rack.  The guide for installing the roof rack can be found here.

Even this guide didn't help that much.

You get keys to unlock this roof rack.  One set has the wavy edge you expect to see on keys.  In my case I had 4 of these in the pack (don't know why as they were all the same).  But there is also a slightly larger key with straight edges - it is important.

Most of the Thule roof racks have the keyhole in the "base" - the bit that sits on the roof of your car, but not this system.  It has the keyhole in the end of the rack.

I removed the whole key assembly buy:

1. unlocking it with the wavy edge key
2. pulling that key out, then inserting the straight edge key - all the way in
3. then I pulled the black end, with the keyhole in it, outwards away from the body of the car - this allowed me to push the inside of the key mechanism and it just pops out

You probably don't have to remove the key mechanism like I did.

With the black end bit pulled out a few centimetres, but still in the rack,  start turning it counter-clockwise like you are unscrewing a top or a nut off a bolt. The whole mechanism starts to loosen.  Do this on both sides, then pick one side to loosen off enough to clear the edge of the roof and then lift to remove.

OK, so when you "get it" - the process is easy.  But I couldn't find any instructions on how to remove it on the web - and believe me I tried.

I hope this helps someone out there that searches for an answer!

The 3D Printing Revolution

So pretty much every day I'm reading another article about 3D printing.  For those not up to speed, it means you can print solid objects from a plastic like compound.

This used to be a very expensive exercise, but the price is tumbling as more players enter the market (competition) and we get more people wanting to buy the technology (scale).

I predict (actually, I predicted this about 10 years ago - check with my now-adult children...) that 3D printing would become fairly mainstream in most homes - and here's why.

A while back, a small plastic component in my fridge broke.  It was like a little bracket thingy that held up a shelf in the door.  Now I had 3 options (well 4 if you count "do nothing"):

1. Drive to the outlet where you can buy this component,
2. Ring up, order it by phone and pay for it to be delivered, or
3. Order it via their web site and pay for it to be delivered.

What if I could go to their web site and pay to download the component to my 3D printer?  Problem solved in a few minutes and for far less as I'm only paying for the "design" of the part - I'm providing the physical substance and there's no delivery fee.

OK, let's take a breath and start to continue this line of thinking...

What about all the "add on" products like smartphone cases, little clips, frames, hooks...

People can design things to be printed, then you pay to simply use this design to create the physical object.

Now at the moment, the size of the object is restricted to fairly small - but it is increasing slowly.

Let's start designing!