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Miss the Pontiacs

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Nice job on the extension cord. 👍
You didn’t **** in too much exhaust fumes when bringing home the freezer did you? Years ago I had a RX3 that tail ended by a semi in stop and go traffic. I had come off a side street on to a main thoroughfare that was barely moving. The car ahead of me was the same colour, the truck just coming and coming then crunch. I got out of my car and walked up to his door that KW was so massive he didnt even see me coming. Banged on his door with a surprised look on his face. Said he thought it was the play in his 5th wheel hitch. Remember until it was fixed that I was getting my share of fumes.

We didn’t need a new freezer but found it amazing that we got through life with 2 kids with a normal fridge and a bar fridge in the basement. We now have a full sized fridge downstairs and a beverage fridge in the garage. I blame the second fridge on COSTCO. The one in the garage on thirsty buddies.🍺
Since we have the second full size fridge we still buy the 6 pounder. 😂
 

rharman

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@Bob Heine - I always do that offset trick when splicing cables. It's just so much cleaner.

I have a 2 alligator clip holder gizmo that I've used as well. Recently bought these but haven't used them yet. They look like they'll do a better job of holding the wires aligned. At least, that's what I told myself when I clicked "Add to cart".


1704005639547.png1704005697895.png
 
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Bob Heine

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For some reason I had the desire to sharpen my plane irons so I could take a tissue thin slice off.
Leonard, I watched that video or a longer one exactly like it several years ago. It made me buy the set of Japanese water stones that live in my tool chest. That led to more purchases because, you know, Parakeet Syndrome.
Sharpening Stones.jpg
Years ago I bought that wooden handle thing in the lower right. I was intrigued by the idea of a diamond sharpening stone but not their price. The Eze-Lap Model 24 was and still is pretty cheap:
Yes, I do have OCD. But it is tempered with parakeet syndrome. (Look, something new and shiny...)
Leonard, a perfect description of my situation. The dog-squirrel metaphor attaches way too much intelligence to my syndrome.
Bob, I would have thought that the above ^^^ just strengthens the argument for a four car garage.
Great work in rangleing the freezer home.

Steve 🍻
Steve, excellent point. Liane loves to suggest that whenever we pass a run-down abandoned shop with four or more bays. Women can be cruel. The day before we found our current home we drove out west, close to the Everglades, to check out this house. What looks to be a two-car garage is actually an 8+ car garage. The recently divorced guy parked his crew cab dually and race trailer in there without having to unhitch them. He was asking $235,000. There was so much concrete in that yard I was afraid a pilot would mistake it for a landing strip.
House We Didn't Buy.jpg
You’re a very wise man, Bob. For some of us it takes years and years to know which battles to fight and which battles to walk away from. Good choice on leaving the freezer in the car.
Mac, when people ask me the secret to making a marriage last 60+ years my answer is always the same: "Liane [Honey, Dear, Sweetheart or other endearment] you're right, it's my fault and it will never happen again."
Thanks for the chuckle, Bob! I needed that today :LOL: (y)
Marc, when trying to justify a purchase to Liane, I always quote the price without the 99¢. For the bigger ones I may mumble the $99 as well. Her hearing isn't what it once was but I believe she is a good lip reader when it comes to numbers.
Nice job on the extension cord. 👍
You didn’t **** in too much exhaust fumes when bringing home the freezer did you? Years ago I had a RX3 that tail ended by a semi in stop and go traffic. I had come off a side street on to a main thoroughfare that was barely moving. The car ahead of me was the same colour, the truck just coming and coming then crunch. I got out of my car and walked up to his door that KW was so massive he didnt even see me coming. Banged on his door with a surprised look on his face. Said he thought it was the play in his 5th wheel hitch. Remember until it was fixed that I was getting my share of fumes.

We didn’t need a new freezer but found it amazing that we got through life with 2 kids with a normal fridge and a bar fridge in the basement. We now have a full sized fridge downstairs and a beverage fridge in the garage. I blame the second fridge on COSTCO. The one in the garage on thirsty buddies.🍺
Since we have the second full size fridge we still buy the 6 pounder. 😂
Emil, thank you. From 1958 to 1965 my parents only car was a Rambler station wagon. With no air conditioning Dad would roll down the window in the tailgate to get a breeze. Once under way he would close his window and lots of exhaust fumes were sucked into the car. Those were the days when lead was in everything, with lots of it in paint and gasoline. I was 13 the summer of 1958 so I was no longer eating paint. The exhaust fumes was the primary source of lead in my diet. It explains a lot.

Saskatoon residents buying freezers sounds like a joke punchline. The only reason we owned a freezer in upstate New York was its price -- FREE (cheap is good, free is better). On our big holiday, Town Cleanup Night, we found a 17-cubic-foot freezer sitting on the curb. We put it in the back of the '62 Rambler, went straight home and after putting the door back on, plugged it in with an ice cube tray inside. Returned to our scavenging in the upscale neighborhoods and at the end of the night found frozen solid ice cubes in our 'new' freezer. Had it failed the test it would have been put to the curb. Wrangled it into the basement and before plugging it in, I re-connected the wires to the pilot light in the door. Plugged the freezer in and grabbing the handle to open the door gave me a decent 120V shock. Detached the wires again and used that freezer for the next 22 years. We bought the White Westinghouse freezer shortly after we discovered Costco.
@Bob Heine - I always do that offset trick when splicing cables. It's just so much cleaner.

I have a 2 alligator clip holder gizmo that I've used as well. Recently bought these but haven't used them yet. They look like they'll do a better job of holding the wires aligned. At least, that's what I told myself when I clicked "Add to cart".


1704005639547.png1704005697895.png
Roger, I probably learned it here on GJ because I vividly remember lots of my wiring having the hog in the anaconda look.

The parakeet lobe in my brain had an interesting conversation with me upon seeing that wire holder. It would do so much better holding wires together in a non-magnetic environment, like the Corvette engine or the carpeted interior of most cars. I expect my front door will be hard to open this Thursday when the Amazon Day guy piles all my parakeet's purchases in front of it.
Sorry Bob.

£1.75 on offer.

Yes I bought a few.
Rian, that's so much better than the $28.99 I paid for a pair. At some point it makes economic sense to get a 3rd class seat on a flight to London. Actually a 1st class AND a 3rd class seat because there's no way Liane is letting me go back to Great Britain without her. Her bloodline goes back to "Fulbert L'Archer, the patriarch of the Lords Archer of Umberslade, in the county of Warwick, appears among the warriors at Hastings, who received recompense from the victor." Her family came to America in 1630 while my slacker Huguenot family didn't arrive until 1702. Obviously we've never been to France but we have made the pilgrimage to Great Britain several times. I yield to the Duchess of Boca.
 

Chrisb62

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1,093
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southwest fl
I should not be allowed out of the house. I went to Costco yesterday to get gas, cash the Costco credit card cashback check and get a crabmeat stuffed salmon steak. No stuffed salmon on display but of course I found a couple of Kirkland spices I'm running low on and while heading to check out, saw an 11-cubic foot refrigerator for $299.99 (they knew I wouldn't be interested if it was $300). The refrigerator doesn't have a freezer compartment but its theremostat can be set to 0°F and then used as a frost-free freezer.

Our 7-cubic foot White-Westinghouse upright freezer is working fine but we bought it in 1996 so it's going on 28 years old. I just restored the freezer to full capacity by melting 3 gallons of frost buildup and it is now stuffed full. Mentioned the freezer to Liane and she says she was having premonitions about the freezer. I suggested we invest the $300 in a new freezer to protect the hundreds of dollars worth of food in the old one. She agreed and I went back to Costco today. It was like Times Square on New Year's Eve but I got a flatbed cart and found a Costco employee to help me load it up and take it to the checkout area. While he headed to the checkout, I headed to the prepared food court and got a 5.97-pound rotisserie chicken pot pie (Costco knows I wouldn't but a 6-pound pie for the two of us).

In my rush I failed to remove the back seats from the PT Cruiser. The freezer is 64.7" tall and would have fit inside had I removed the seats. Instead I had to tilt the rear seats forward and leave a fair bit of the freezer hanging out the tailgate. I carry a selection of bungee cords in the cars so I bungeed the tailgate down and secured the freezer. One Costco employee put the freezer on the cart and two Costco employees put it into the back of the Cruiser. I took the backroads home instead of blasting down I95. Made it home safely.
Freezer 1.jpg
I brought my hand truck to the tailgate and was just about to slide and tilt the freezer out of the car when Liane came out and asked how much it weighed. I had checked and it weighs 128 pounds. She told me to stop and wait for our neighbors to return home on New Year's Day. I began to protest and realized this wasn't an argument I would win. The likelihood I would damage something (the freezer, the car, or something Liane had put a curse on) and the list of 'I-told-you-so's' would have had a new entry, to be brought up several thousand times in the coming year. She suggested turning the car around and tarping the rear to protect the freezer in case of rain.

I believe the courtesy lights will turn off but I wouldn't bet a dead battery on it. I regularly connect a Battery Tender to the cars, including the PT Cruiser in the driveway. I park the car facing the garage so the afternoon sun doesn't fry the dashboard. I connected an extension cord that easily reaches the plug in the PT Cruiser's grille when it's parked like this but it's a few feet too short to reach the plug when the car is backed in.

No problem, I've been meaning to make an extension cord for the Battery Tenders. I saved the 12V cable from a Battery Tender that died last year. I also saved the Alligator clip end from the same Tender. Time for some solder and shrink tubing. I offset cut the cables so the finished product wouldn't look like a snake swallowed a mouse.
Freezer 2.jpg
Thanks to Mike (@zmotorsports) I have this nifty cable holder. Three pieces of shrink tube and a heat gun later and I have an extension cable.
Freezer 3.jpg
I even managed to connect the two cables so they don't make the Tender think it's connected to the battery wrong. I did double-check with a multimeter (that needed a battery).
Freezer 4.jpg
An hour and a half after I brought the freezer home the PT Cruiser is covered and connected to the Tender.
Freezer 5.jpg
The pot pie is in the oven. Gonna need that bigger freezer real soon.
I happen to be on this side of the state and leaving tomorrow if you need me to stop in to unload the mini frig .
 
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Bob Heine

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I happen to be on this side of the state and leaving tomorrow if you need me to stop in to unload the mini frig .
Thank you Chris but Liane has designated tomorrow as haircut day. I have no idea when our appointment will be but I sure don't want to mess it up. A bad hair day in our house is a really big deal and I've already stalled for five weeks (she had a benign tumor removed from her hairline).
 

Squankum

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What looks to be a two-car garage is actually an 8+ car garage. The recently divorced guy parked his crew cab dually and race trailer in there without having to unhitch them

There's no way this maniac builds a garage for this without a door in the back so this rig can pull straight through! I love it!

I joked for years that I wanted a big garage with a small house attached to it. Now I'm older and wiser, I want the house separate to reduce fire risk.

I don't know why she left him...
 
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Bob Heine

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Parakeet Syndrome? That's new to me. I'm glad I don't have it.

That would be so silly to buy stuff you don't need...

Unless your shop was not full, I guess. I've seen yours.
Andy, it is newly diagnosed and apparently there's no treatment. You know you have it when you are happily chirping and focusing on something and a shiny (or dull) object tears your attention away from said thing you were focusing on. It also happens when you aren't focused on anything. It's quite possible I've been mis-diagnosed. I'm pretty sure I have the Double Yellow-Headed Amazon Parrot Syndrome, (aka: Amazon Parrot-Head) which is much harder to identify. Square brown droppings by the front door are common signs you have the syndrome.
Amazon Parrot.jpg
I would not have ordered that pair of wire pliers if my primary pliers drawer was full. There's a space just waiting for it...
2023-12-31 Pliers.jpg
There's now way this maniac builds a garage for this without a door in the back so this rig can pull straight through! I love it!

I joked for years that I wanted a big garage with a small house attached to it. Now I'm older and wiser, I want the house separate to reduce fire risk.

I don't know why she left him...
@Squankum, as I recall (this was 1996) there was a door in the back that accessed a vast concrete slab. I think he said it was for the Kubota tractor he used to mow the 200 square feet of grass out front. There was also a 16-foot drop-down ladder to access the finished room above the garage. A windowless room with lots of soundproofing and insulation -- nothing odd about that. The outside paint scheme was a hint of the inside. Everything was either black or white. Except for the mirrored ceiling in the Master suite.

My guess is she didn't leave. The Kubota had a backhoe....
 
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Bob Heine

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The mufflers on the '87 Corvette are only decorative. The primary noise reduction is the catalytic converter. Last time I checked, piles of rust fell out of the exhaust tips when I stood it up. No holes in the pipes (yet) but I think that's because I painted it.
Mufflers 18.jpg
In 2012 I found a set of OBX stainless headers on eBay. They were on sale so instead of $1294.99 plus shipping they were asking $474.00 delivered. Real close to the price of plain steel headers with no siamese pipe.
OBX 10-1305-10 Stainless Headers.jpg
Turns out the passenger side flange didn't fit until I cut the web and spread the flange between #2 and #4 exhaust ports. I did buy a better set of gaskets and it has worked flawlessly for the past 12 years. It has a siamesed dual exhaust with a 3" pipe to the catalytic converter and un-siameses from the cat back first photo.

OBX offers a true dual stainless exhaust system designed to connect to their headers but it was $1,347.02 ($1,124.99 + $222.03 shipping) back in 2012. At the end of November 2023 one popped up on eBay for $704.40 ($450.00 + $208.32 shipping + $46.08tax). My Amazon parrot brain put that thing in my eBay cart and it's sitting in the garage waiting for me to focus.
OBX Catback Stainless Exhaust.jpg
When I inspected the system there's one slightly bent expanded pipe end. My Harbor Freight pipe expander should be able to fix that. I put it in the pipe end and tightened it up a couple of weeks ago so the tubing will forget its bend. I thought those two sections of four-inch 'pig in the anaconda' sections of pipe were catalytic converters but they're resonators. My APB (Amazon Parrot Brain) is telling me to find some actual catalytic converters to install in their place.

When I bought the car in 1991 the previous owner had the two front cats replaced with "test pipes" but it still had the big cat in the middle of the system. This is the stock setup:
87 Corvette Exhaust stock head pipes.jpg
While doing the header install I replaced the main catalytic converter when I discovered the honeycomb in the old one was trying to escape.
Catalytic Converter.jpg
We don't have vehicle inspections in Florida so I could get away with the resonators in the new system. I just know Florida will start an inspection process the day after I install those resonators so I'm replacing them with a pair of identical size high flow catalytic converters. They have 3-inch inlets and outlets, are 4-inches in diameter and 11-inches long. I'll probably have to weld them in but that's why one of my MIG welders is set up to weld stainless. Before you give me grief for installing cats, these are "Not legal in CA, NY or CO" so I haven't gone completely to the dark side.
High Flow Catalytic Converter.jpg
 
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Bob Heine

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The Kubota had a backhoe...
Andy, there's a good chance a house in New York or New Jersey with a really large concrete slab in the yard is hiding a body or two. This guy had the accent and he didn't look like he did a lot of digging with a shovel. Ipso facto he used the Kubota to bury his wife in the backyard before pouring the slab.
Uh, band practice?

This does make me wonder what psychosexual criminals do for a *** bunker when they live in a place with such a high water table.

@Squankum, that never crossed my mind. Of course he's in a band.

Very few *** bunkers in Florida. It's usually the garage and the evidence goes to the Everglades. At least that's what my friend told me.
 

LeonardY

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Southern California
Bob,

Now that I think of it. I think I found my one reason to move to Florida. It's you.

Can you imagine if the garage journal community lived around each other?
Only two thing would be possible.

Anything could get done. Because the collection of tools and knowledge

Or...

Nothing would get done. Because we would all be partying in each other garages.
 

Squankum

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Can you imagine if the garage journal community lived around each other?
Only two thing would be possible.

Anything could get done. Because the collection of tools and knowledge

Or...

Nothing would get done. Because we would all be partying in each other garages.

3. We'd stand around and spectate and drive local contractors crazy.

"Is that the right stud spacing?"

"Are you sure that's the right kind of vapor barrier?"

"You really ought to wipe down that saw blade with WD-40 at the end of a workday, son. Especially in this climate."

"In my day we drove in every roofing nail with a hammer!"


"I SAID HIS PORTABLE AIR COMPRESSOR SURE IS NOISY I DON'T KNOW WHY HE DIDN'T SPEND AN EXTRA THREE THOUSAND FOR ONE WITH A SCROLL PUMP."

"TROLL JUMP? THE YOUNGSTER NEEDS A HAIRCUT BUT THERE'S NO NEED TO CALL HIM A TROLL!"
 
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Bob Heine

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Bob,

Now that I think of it. I think I found my one reason to move to Florida. It's you.

Can you imagine if the garage journal community lived around each other?
Only two thing would be possible.

Anything could get done. Because the collection of tools and knowledge

Or...

Nothing would get done. Because we would all be partying in each other garages.
Leonard, I can't think of any reason to live in Florida. It's too hot and muggy most of the time, too many bugs and too many people. My job brought us here and I'm too lazy to go looking for another place. Australia was on the list at one time but they dislike immigrants almost as much as we do. Pretty sure my permanent record down under includes the year I was a 'worker' using a 'vistor' visa.

Now, if you moved here it would be a different story. My resin 3D printer would be functional rather than decorative. Our gardening wives would ignore what we were doing and I would have recipies for edible food not involving cans or boxes.

On the other hand, I know from my encounters with Florida Garage Journal friends that nothing would get done and there would be a lot of blood spilled -- turns out laughter might be the best medicine but it doesn't prevent accidents.
3. We'd stand around and spectate and drive local contractors crazy.

"Is that the right stud spacing?"

"Are you sure that's the right kind of vapor barrier?"

"You really ought to wipe down that saw blade with WD-40 at the end of a workday, son. Especially in this climate."

"In my day we drove in every roofing nail with a hammer!"


"I SAID HIS PORTABLE AIR COMPRESSOR SURE IS NOISY I DON'T KNOW WHY HE DIDN'T SPEND AN EXTRA THREE THOUSAND FOR ONE WITH A SCROLL PUMP."

"TROLL JUMP? THE YOUNGSTER NEEDS A HAIRCUT BUT THERE'S NO NEED TO CALL HIM A TROLL!"
@Squankum, two problems with that scenario:
  1. There are so many Bunkers (flat-roof, concrete cubes) being built around here we'd probably just stare at the building and be dumbfounded. Maybe ask: "Where's the wood?
  2. Obviously the "Scroll Pump" and "Troll Jump" dialog is valid but you're probably talking to someone whose primary language isn't English.
Strange I know, but when I get fuel injection installed on the Camaro I plan to install catalytic converters on the Camaro also. I would do it now, but I know the carb will just plug the catalytic up fast.
Cody, while not the primary reason, the last time I fired up the big block Corvette the fumes were overpowering. Just the hint of starting it up sets off the Carbon Monoxide alarm in the garage. It might have also set off the CO alarms in a couple of my neighbors' houses. That thing needs a retrofit roller cam and fuel injection for sure.
 
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Mr.zippy

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Bob, my brother in law could be your doppelgänger, he’s about your age too! He does have all his appendages though….are you certain that your mom didn’t have twins, and they did rock, paper, scissors on which kid to keep?

(I really like my BIL too)
 

driftpin

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It's usually the garage and the evidence goes to the Everglades.
The Gulfstream is another likely place to deposit something.

A story about that. The brother-in-law of one of my fire-rescue co-workers was a FL G.C. Though FL is a 'right to work' state, there are unions. I was a union worker here for 30+ years, but, back to the B.I.L.: he wouldn't hire Teamsters to do the jobs where they were repp'ing for the type of work he needed to have done. He got non-union help instead.

He was an offshore fisherman, like so-many FL sportsmen are. One day, he went out, alone, in his sport-fisherman, and he didn't return home as-expected. A search turned-up his boat, and the sole (boat floor) was stained with much blood. His body was never recovered.

Another 'life in So. FL' story: A rich couple lived in a condo building on the Atlantic Ocean. They were related to a famous haute-couture label. Some 'investors' offered the couple entry into a loan-sharking scheme and the rich couple was asked to contribute a substantial sum of $, at the request of the 'new investors.' They agreed to. The fashion business continued, reportedly with $600 million yearly income, according to Women's Wear Daily (WWD).

The rich couple asked for repayment of their loan to the loan-sharking business, but it was not forthcoming. They made noise about seeking redress.

A relative was unable to contact them at their oceanfront condo, and went there. They found the two creditors, deceased from multiple gunshot wounds apparently delivered from a Miami Vice-style automatic weapon. The investigation initially turned up nothing, and the neighbors didn't hear anything.

Years later, a storage locker in an adjoining city was auctioned-off for rent non-payment. The high-bidder discovered an automatic weapon, which he turned over to the local PD. It came back as a match to the ballistics of the murdered couple from the loan-sharking scheme. It was simple to trace the renter as he used his own name. If he had disposed of the gat in the Everglades or the Gulfstream as named 'burial grounds,' they probably would have gotten away with it. Multiple people were convicted.

About your recent purchase of the splicing pliers, that appears to be a good one to own. I think there will be a Double Yellow-Headed Amazon Parrot Syndrome, (aka: Amazon Parrot-Head) poo-poo dropping soon for me to 'clean-up.'
 

LeonardY

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I can't think of any reason to live in Florida. It's too hot and muggy most of the time, too many bugs and too many people.
Bob, I did live in Florida for a year and I actually feel the same. But you would be the one good reason.

BTW. The house next door to me is for sale. It gets hot here but not very humid. We have bugs but nothing like Florida. But there are too many people here too.

Talk to me about your printer. I can help even from the other side of the country.
 

Grizz1963

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Location
Rochester, KENT. UK
Bob !!!!!!


I am sorry.


Not sorry.









Just because you are into this sort of thing……..



Thought you would appreciate this













Doorbell rings…..



Courier delivery



Cold chain box.



IMG_0824.jpg



Opening it, a note at the top of a sealed foil pack.



IMG_0825.jpg



Opening the foil bag……



A whole selection of pasties.



IMG_0827.jpg



So I unpacked them into the refrigerator.



Later I zapped one in the microwave. Oven heating would be better.

I added a bit of Sweet Cider Chutney.



IMG_0828.jpg



So….?



Who would send me a load of amazing pasties?

Mate Steve, another one of those guys whose actions speak louder than words.

Kindness.

Thank you very much mate.



Life is good.
 

zmotorsports

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Bob, looks like you're putting that magnetic wire holder to good use.

I haven't seen the plier version before. That looks interesting as well but I sure like the magnetic one and find myself using it a lot.
 

Squankum

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He was an offshore fisherman, like so-many FL sportsmen are. One day, he went out, alone, in his sport-fisherman, and he didn't return home as-expected. A search turned-up his boat, and the sole (boat floor) was stained with much blood. His body was never recovered.

Danged barracudas!
 
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Bob Heine

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Bob, my brother in law could be your doppelgänger, he’s about your age too! He does have all his appendages though….are you certain that your mom didn’t have twins, and they did rock, paper, scissors on which kid to keep?

(I really like my BIL too)
Fred, it's quite possible I'm your brother-in-law's lost twin. We've already determined Andy (@oldironfarmer) and Lyndon (@Lyndon) are my brothers by another mother. The story goes that I was born in Douglas, Arizona, nine blocks from the Mexican town of Agua Prieta (aka Dark Water). In the late 1970s I learned my Hospital Certificate, which names "Dr. Quick" as the physician who delivered me, was not a legal Birth Certificate. According to a letter my so-called father sent back home, an iceman might have been involved and the doctor might not have been present at the delivery. The story sounds fishy to me and there's mention of me being all wet, probably code for me being a *******. The letter these excerpts came from was sent to "Mom," my paternal grandmother and "Gonger," my paternal great grandmother. My father may have been covering something up, based on all the ether involved in the "delivery"....
Robert William Heine Birth Excerpt 1.jpg Robert William Heine Birth Excerpt 2.jpg
Keep on keeping on buddy!. keep up the good work 😎
Thanks Eric! You do the same. I love what you do and much of the really amateur fabrication I do is because of what you do.
The Gulfstream is another likely place to deposit something.

A story about that. The brother-in-law of one of my fire-rescue co-workers was a FL G.C. Though FL is a 'right to work' state, there are unions. I was a union worker here for 30+ years, but, back to the B.I.L.: he wouldn't hire Teamsters to do the jobs where they were repp'ing for the type of work he needed to have done. He got non-union help instead.

He was an offshore fisherman, like so-many FL sportsmen are. One day, he went out, alone, in his sport-fisherman, and he didn't return home as-expected. A search turned-up his boat, and the sole (boat floor) was stained with much blood. His body was never recovered.

Another 'life in So. FL' story: A rich couple lived in a condo building on the Atlantic Ocean. They were related to a famous haute-couture label. Some 'investors' offered the couple entry into a loan-sharking scheme and the rich couple was asked to contribute a substantial sum of $, at the request of the 'new investors.' They agreed to. The fashion business continued, reportedly with $600 million yearly income, according to Women's Wear Daily (WWD).

The rich couple asked for repayment of their loan to the loan-sharking business, but it was not forthcoming. They made noise about seeking redress.

A relative was unable to contact them at their oceanfront condo, and went there. They found the two creditors, deceased from multiple gunshot wounds apparently delivered from a Miami Vice-style automatic weapon. The investigation initially turned up nothing, and the neighbors didn't hear anything.

Years later, a storage locker in an adjoining city was auctioned-off for rent non-payment. The high-bidder discovered an automatic weapon, which he turned over to the local PD. It came back as a match to the ballistics of the murdered couple from the loan-sharking scheme. It was simple to trace the renter as he used his own name. If he had disposed of the gat in the Everglades or the Gulfstream as named 'burial grounds,' they probably would have gotten away with it. Multiple people were convicted.

About your recent purchase of the splicing pliers, that appears to be a good one to own. I think there will be a Double Yellow-Headed Amazon Parrot Syndrome, (aka: Amazon Parrot-Head) poo-poo dropping soon for me to 'clean-up.'
Philip, that story brings new meaning to the phrase "Money will not buy you happiness." On the other hand, I'm expecting the splicing pliers will make me happy the next time I need to fix a wiring problem. The extension cord I use with the electric chainsaw being a regular victim.
Electric Chainsaw Extension.jpg
Bob, I did live in Florida for a year and I actually feel the same. But you would be the one good reason.

BTW. The house next door to me is for sale. It gets hot here but not very humid. We have bugs but nothing like Florida. But there are too many people here too.

Talk to me about your printer. I can help even from the other side of the country.
Leonard, to me, Florida is karma. My first manager at the IBM East Fishkill site didn't like me. I was doing favors for engineers (helping them get published in Electronics magazine) and executives at IBM's headquarters. When he couldn't ding me on my review for the work I was assigned, he lowered my rating for "taking too much time off." I had taken a day off twice to get my artificial arm repaired (required a trip to Manhattan each time), three days off to attend my grandfather's funeral in Vermont and five days off recovering from my first eye surgery (cut eye muscles, move eyeball and sew muscles back on). Apparently ten paid leave days was a horrendous crime. I stopped attending funerals, put off sinus surgery, stopped wearing my artificial arm and didn't take any paid leave for the next seven years. My rating went up and my nemesis was promoted to second- and eventually third-line manager.

When I was invited to present at a "Text Processing" conference in 1973, my nemesis attended as well, probably hoping I would flop. Instead, an executive from IBM's Thousand Oaks facility in California asked me if I would be interested in transferring there. I said "absolutely, yes" but my nemesis said "absolutely, no" because I was a "Critical Resource" in East Fishkill. I was critical but not promotable. I got shuffled to a new office in an converted motel two miles from the main site, where my new manager and the rest of the department ran the print shop (company notices, internal documents and blueprints). In 1975 IBM posted a notice of personnel cuts to Hudson Valley New York sites and openings at the Boca Raton, Florida site. Called my manager to ask about the Boca jobs but he wasn't in his office. Called HR and learned the Boca team was leaving that day and I needed to get to the main site ASAP. My management team didn't know about the interview and there were no "Critical Resource" exceptions. After the interview I called Liane to ask if she would consider moving to Florida and she hung up on me. I took it as a bad sign but upon arriving home that evening, she was throwing stuff out of the attic window and had her bag packed for the house-hunting trip.

My Creality Halot-Mage Pro Resin 3D Printer is in the shed. I have it connected to a laptop, which is connected to the house network via a CAT-7 cable. There's also a pair of TP-Link 2.4GHz N300 Long Range Outdoor PtP units. For the life of me I can't get the Halot to recognize the wifi network and it refuses to communicate with the laptop. I tried a USB stick with a set of files that work on the laptop but nothing happens at the printer.
I am sorry.

Not sorry.

Just because you are into this sort of thing……..

Thought you would appreciate this

Doorbell rings…..

Courier delivery

Cold chain box.

Opening it, a note at the top of a sealed foil pack.

Opening the foil bag……

A whole selection of pasties.

So I unpacked them into the refrigerator.

Later I zapped one in the microwave. Oven heating would be better.

I added a bit of Sweet Cider Chutney.

So….?

Who would send me a load of amazing pasties?

Mate Steve, another one of those guys whose actions speak louder than words.

Kindness.

Thank you very much mate.

Life is good.
Rian,

I am sorry.

Not sorry.

Eight days before Christmas 2018...

I hear tiny footsteps on the roof and a THUMP at the door.

There are reindeer droppings everywhere and a box at the door.

I open the box and it's a tin of Walkers and a note from one of Santa's helpers -- we all know him as @sawduststeve.
Steve & Family 2018-12-17 Present.jpg

A few days after my birthday in 2023 my doorbell didn't ring but I heard a noise at the front door (OK, Jasmine heard the noise and told me to go look).

It was a box with a cake and cookies inside. Santa's helper strikes again (he doesn't just celebrate Christmas)!
Steve & Family 2023-09-26 Present.jpg
The cookies disappeared before I could share them with Liane but the cake was harder to swallow whole.

To quote another friend of mine:

"Mate Steve, another one of those guys whose actions speak louder than words.

Kindness.

Thank you very much mate.

Life is good."

Bob, looks like you're putting that magnetic wire holder to good use.

I haven't seen the plier version before. That looks interesting as well but I sure like the magnetic one and find myself using it a lot.
Mike, the magnetic wire holder is especially useful for me. I can remove either of the alligator clips, place them at the perfect spot on the cable insulation and re-mount them clips to the magnetized pedestal. Perfect when soldering at the vise or near a steel surface.
Third Hand - Magnetic.jpg
Danged barracudas!
@Squankum, you never know, coulda been bears....
Post it again, Rian...
Andy, I think he did!
 

driftpin

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 22, 2016
Messages
11,309
Location
Miami-Dade/Broward Co. Florida
I'm perfectly happy to be in So. FL, especially as snow hits the Great Lakes. No more 'snow-effect!' Yes, lots of rush hour traffic, but in retirement, I don't go out at those times unless I have to.

I'd like a bigger garage, but that's something I don't need to exist, and it helps me to economize.
 
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Bob Heine

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Oct 24, 2009
Messages
10,708
Location
Boca Raton, Florida
Truth Bob. Truth.
A good man is hard to find. A good carpenter -- priceless.
Critical? That guy didn't know how critical I was!

1704663842896.jpeg
@Squankum, "Life's a ***** and then you die." Or "valar morghulis."
@Squankum, there are a couple of current commercials I really like. That's one and the others are from Chewy.
The Peanut Butter Box was good...
...but my favorite was Mr. Marbles.
True, Bob is a wise guy.
Andy, in my younger days I was frequently called a Smart A$$.
I'm perfectly happy to be in So. FL, especially as snow hits the Great Lakes. No more 'snow-effect!' Yes, lots of rush hour traffic, but in retirement, I don't go out at those times unless I have to.

I'd like a bigger garage, but that's something I don't need to exist, and it helps me to economize.
Philip, being a lifelong car fanatic and visiting California when I was 10 gave me a strong desire to live there. When I was in San Jose on a business trip in 1973, I looked at a 4-bedroom, 3 bath, 2-car garage model home for $53,000 and knew I could afford it.

I'm content wherever I am. When we spent summers in a 15-foot travel trailer I lived outdoors and seared wonderful memories in my brain. When it snowed a lot where we lived I enjoyed winter activities. Those places also gave me a deep appreciation for the summer months. When we had a boat, I turned the summer into four-day work weeks with every other weekend having four days off. In Florida I was happy with our 4-bedroom, 2 bath, 2-car garage house and made many improvements to it over the 21 years we lived there. On our return from two wonderful years in Australia, Liane expressed an interest in moving. My only stipulation was a 3-car garage. Five years of intermittent searches later we found the house we're in today. Somehow we're still happy with it after a few small modifications 27 years later.

When one of my pre-teen grandchildren said "I want a golf cart!" I told him "It's good to want." When he pressed the issue and whined: "Grandpa, I neeed a golf cart!" I told him "You neeeed a job!" He's the current 31 YO who crashed his golf cart and injured his kids. Be careful what you wish for.
 

hewey

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
1,682
Location
Blue Mountains, Australia
That's a hell of a story about how you made the shift to Florida. Got to 'love' people with toxic egos and their personal approach to politics. And of course, these are just the kind of guys who get promoted in to senior management. To be honest they can keep it.

Like anything, not surprised that both you and Liane take a positive approach to making the most of it.
 
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Bob Heine

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Oct 24, 2009
Messages
10,708
Location
Boca Raton, Florida
I have a genetic defect. I take things apart to see what makes them tick. I don't always succeed in getting them back together. I received a windup watch for my church Confirmation. Wound it too tight and it stopped working. Certain I could fix it, I opened the back and picked away at lots of things. I got the back cover on but it never worked again (OK, it did show the correct time twice a day...). One of those spring loaded fly fishing reels jammed up and I took it apart to fix it, only to discover you need eight hands to get the spring back in the reel. Took the coaster brake on my Roadmaster apart and apparently lost one of the washers in the brake pack but it was the 1950s when you didn't need a helmet or brakes to ride your bike. In my adult life I have successfully taken lots of stuff apart and successfully put it back together, including a couple of engines and TurboHydro 400 transmission.

Having smashed the screen on my obsolete Samsung Galaxy S4 smarty phone, I decided to replace the screen myself (instead of paying $100 to someone else. Started the teardown on a turkish towel so dropped microscopic screws would not bounce into the ever present black hole in the garage. An S2 PH00 screwdriver bit worked perfectly to get all the screws out. After watching a YouTube video repair process, I chose to buy the LCD Display Touch Screen Replacement with Screen Digitizer Assembly rather than the much cheaper Touch Screen alone. The heating process to release the adhesive holding the screen in looked sketchy.
Samsung Galaxy S4 1.jpg
I was able to remove the first layer of the phone with nine tiny screws and lots of gentle prying.
Samsung Galaxy S4 2.jpg
Next comes the motherboard but first you have to unplug and remove cameras, ********, microphone and I forget what all else so you can get at the final layer.
Samsung Galaxy S4 3.jpg
Next step is to transfer the charge port motherboard section with its antenna wires to the new unit. It's glued down so there's lots of gentle prying and praying that nothing cracks or snaps. I failed to notice the new digitizer assembly looks almost identical -- except for a lot of extra plastic in the bottom left corner. It seems way too hard to press back in place on the new piece but I charge forward anyway.
Samsung Galaxy S4 4.jpg
Those two skinny wires on either side of the board are to be installed by small children with very soft delicate fingertips. It's a huge challenge for a fat-fingered old man. After I reinstalled the motherboard it was time to connect those two antenna wires. The one on the left went right in. The one on the right refused to connect to the thing I thought it plugged into. I was trying with all my might to force the connector on the large gold ringed thing when it was meant to go on the little one below.
Samsung Galaxy S4 5.jpg
Fat fingered old men do not have the best eyesight so I didn't discover my misplaced efforts until after I ordered another pair of antenna wires (I was sure I buggered the connection). Upon returning to the fight I remembered I have some Buffalo Bill goggles that might help see the mistake.
Samsung Galaxy S4 6.jpg
The final assembly went well until I started screwing the final layer back in place. The bottom left corner wouldn't snap in place and neither would the power on/off button on the top right side. Turns out Samsung used different versions of the digitizer over the course of the Galaxy S4 life. Tried tuning the phone on and sure enough, it's like my Confirmation watch -- nada.

I no longer have those earlier life failures so a small box in thee garage will contain this one as a reminder. If I need parts it will be there....

To fill my need for two outdated camera/phone/app machines, I found a $23 Samsung Galaxy S4 in Red. It will live in the shed.
Samsung Galaxy S4 7.jpg
 
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B

Bob Heine

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Oct 24, 2009
Messages
10,708
Location
Boca Raton, Florida
That's a hell of a story about how you made the shift to Florida. Got to 'love' people with toxic egos and their personal approach to politics. And of course, these are just the kind of guys who get promoted in to senior management. To be honest they can keep it.

Like anything, not surprised that both you and Liane take a positive approach to making the most of it.
Hewey, I don't think it was my experience that caused it but my nemesis was taken out of management, transferreed to a staff job in the basement of an IBM office building 40 miles south (sorry, I just Googled it and it was 45.9 miles) meaning he had a two or three hour commute on a good day. I came across his office on the way to the basement garage on one of my business trips to White Plains. I've mentioned it before but he made his first visit to the IBM Boca Raton site the day my promotion to second-line manager appeared on the bulletin board. Patience and karma are wonderful things.
 
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Bob Heine

ALLIANCE MEMBER
Joined
Oct 24, 2009
Messages
10,708
Location
Boca Raton, Florida
Undaunted by my phone repair success, I got my neighbor to come over and help me get the freezer out of the PT Cruiser. I showed him it was easy because you never lift the whole 128 lb weight when tilting it out of the car.

Shuffled the entertainment/ice maker cabinet out of the way and plugged the new freezer in. Took about an hour to get to 0°F and I'm moving food from the old freezer to the new one. The new one has a tiny flaw. Instead of open wire shelves with refrigerant lines it has glass shelves. Some of the things that stack securely on the wire shelves slide off the glass ones so I've ordered some clear plastic stackable drawers to solve that problem. I labeled most of the wires in the entertainment center but found a couple with no ID. Made a couple of shrink tube labels and I think I have a winner.
Shrink Tube Label.jpg
I knew there was a reason for connecting a Battery Tender to the cars and I'm glad I made that extension cord. While taking the garbage out Sunday night I noticed the fog lights on the PT Cruiser were glowing.
PT Cruiser Driving Lights 2.jpg
They weren't on at full brightness so I only noticed it because it was dark out (the garage gable camera IR lights are about as bright). Unlocked the car and jiggled the directional stalk and the lights went out. Closed the door, set the alarm and they came back on. I noticed the dash indicated they were on when I was driving to a doctor appointment today so I guess it's time for that multifuntion fiasco in the steering column to be examined/repaired/replaced. I suspect the LEDs would take a few days to drain the battery if it weren't on the tender.

The lights are very visible in the daylight, especially since I swapped the incandescent bulbs for LEDs (LED on the left, incandescent on theright).
PT Cruiser Driving Lights.jpg
 
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