Between 485 & 705 SQ/FT Bob Heine's Auto Emporium

[Mr.zippy]

It’s obvious the PT is pissed at you, for leaving a freezer stuck out of its rear end for a week Bob! You need to repent and apologize…..

 

[driftpin]

Bob, most people wouldn't attempt things you try with them having slim fingers and good eyesight. I had a Samsung S7 edge, the screen broke, and I ordered all OEM parts with the exception of a different name-brand battery. My experience was much the same as yours. Lots of little fasteners, arcane parts in small envelopes, I had small screwdrivers, but I bought the recommended disassembly tool kit and there were a couple of pieces of kit which helped me. In the end, I replaced everything, charged the battery, and attempted to test its return from the dead. It denied me the satisfaction of throwing it into the trash when it worked perfectly. I still have it though I since bought a Samsung Galaxy S20FE 5G, and do not have the S7 edge on a data plan. I made an aborted attempt to use an iphone, but I'm so accustomed to the Samsung, I gave it to our son with directions to 'sell it.' He promptly did, and the proceeds went into our car project of which you know. I'd had an iphone long ago, but I prefer the Android.

I like your sporty red case, it reminds me of Italian early 1950's roadsters running in various races across the boot, and up and down the leg of Italy, piloted by Ascari, Taruffi, or Fangio.

 

[Sifan]

Some times it's good to know your limitations ... I have enough patience to open my wallet and remove $100, I do not have enough patience to try and fix anything electronic

And I do get $100 of satisfaction of destroying non working electronics before sending them to the dumpster

 

[Squankum]

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.

OMG now I see how Shimano took over! BOYCOTT JAPANESE OCTOPUS SLAVERY!

 

[Squankum]

And I do get $100 of satisfaction of destroying non working electronics before sending them to the dumpster

A certain printer known for paper jams comes to mind.

 

[Squankum]

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.

Bob, IMHO, that's everybody here at GJ and we started young and we persevered. Some people have an experience like this and throw up their hands and say, "Oh, I'm just not handy!" For folks like us, we relished the challenge at some point and we fixed our errors (if possible) and learned in the process.

I had a childhood of taking things apart, building things, assisting with DIY homebuilt sailboat construction, and then, in my late teen years, got my own car and had no mentors at all about wrenching on cars, so it started with my first oil change, a few years later (really just a few) I removed the transmission to change the 5th gear to something taller, and disassembled the CV joints to clean and regrease them (ah, the energy of youth!) and that all worked! That really set the hook for me.

 

[rharman]

< snip >

@Squankum, there are a couple of current commercials I really like. That's one and the others are from Chewy.

< /snip >

My current favorite is the Chewy one where the dog apologizes for getting excited and breaking the "vaaaazz" with his wagging tail. He really draws out the "vaaaazz". Cracks me up.

edit: added pic

 

[Bob Heine]

It’s obvious the PT is pissed at you, for leaving a freezer stuck out of its rear end for a week Bob! You need to repent and apologize…..

Fred, I apologize to the PT Cruiser every time I get in it. It was born July 28, 2003 so it turns 21 this year. I like the car fondness test Rian (@Grizz1963) uses: if you look back every time you park it, you still love the car. I still look back at all of mine.

Bob, most people wouldn't attempt things you try with them having slim fingers and good eyesight. I had a Samsung S7 edge, the screen broke, and I ordered all OEM parts with the exception of a different name-brand battery. My experience was much the same as yours. Lots of little fasteners, arcane parts in small envelopes, I had small screwdrivers, but I bought the recommended disassembly tool kit and there were a couple of pieces of kit which helped me. In the end, I replaced everything, charged the battery, and attempted to test its return from the dead. It denied me the satisfaction of throwing it into the trash when it worked perfectly. I still have it though I since bought a Samsung Galaxy S20FE 5G, and do not have the S7 edge on a data plan. I made an aborted attempt to use an iphone, but I'm so accustomed to the Samsung, I gave it to our son with directions to 'sell it.' He promptly did, and the proceeds went into our car project of which you know. I'd had an iphone long ago, but I prefer the Android.

I like your sporty red case, it reminds me of Italian early 1950's roadsters running in various races across the boot, and up and down the leg of Italy, piloted by Ascari, Taruffi, or Fangio.

Philip, my track record was pretty poor when I was young. I was either too stupid or too stubborn to give up so I kept taking things apart and putting them back together. Over the years my failure rate went down, mostly due to financial status. If I couldn't fix something, I had to go without because I couldn't afford to replace it. When it came to this phone, I could afford to replace it but I wantted to know if I could fix it's more expensive successor. The cost to replace the outdated phone was a little more than half the cost of the repair parts.

I decided to get the sparkly red ccased one so I can tell them apart. I expect I will have different apps on the two non-phones.

Some times it's good to know your limitations ... I have enough patience to open my wallet and remove $100, I do not have enough patience to try and fix anything electronic

And I do get $100 of satisfaction of destroying non working electronics before sending them to the dumpster

Kevin, after I retired, Liane and I agreed to a $100 a week allowance so each of us has that much money to spend without discussing the purchase. We can hoard the money for big ticket items or blow it every week. I have no problem pulling out a C-note but prefer to spend it on tools and parts. I share your dislike of electronic things but I force myself to try to fix them because some of my old electronic things are no longer available or very hard to find. The circuit boards in the '87 Corvette's A/C system being one of them.

OMG now I see how Shimano took over! BOYCOTT JAPANESE OCTOPUS SLAVERY!

A certain printer known for paper jams comes to mind.

@Squankum, I'm 100% against slavery and that's why my preferred source is Campagnolo.

I may have done that to an HP inkjet printer when I discovered the price of the ink cartridges that dried up after printing two 4x6 photos.

Bob, IMHO, that's everybody here at GJ and we started young and we persevered. Some people have an experience like this and throw up their hands and say, "Oh, I'm just not handy!" For folks like us, we relished the challenge at some point and we fixed our errors (if possible) and learned in the process.

I had a childhood of taking things apart, building things, assisting with DIY homebuilt sailboat construction, and then, in my late teen years, got my own car and had no mentors at all about wrenching on cars, so it started with my first oil change, a few years later (really just a few) I removed the transmission to change the 5th gear to something taller, and disassembled the CV joints to clean and regrease them (ah, the energy of youth!) and that all worked! That really set the hook for me.

@Squankum, I share your humble opinion.

I had a childhood of punishment for taking things apart, even when I successfully put them back together. Before my father decided to "finish the basement" he put together an HO railroad setup with a rural landscape at one end and a cityscape at the other. He made a control panel with all the buttons for the track switches mounted to the Masonite panel. Unfortunately his wiring of the solenoids and their switches didn't work and the tracks had to be switched by hand. I was 9 at the time and decided to try to fix the problem. Dad was not happy I got the control panel working -- he claimed I could have electrocuted myself. I had already suffered my share of low voltage shocks cleaning the bare brass tracks before learning to disconnect the power transformer.

I was not punished but did get some side-eye during the basement finishing project. Dad nailed the 2x4 baseplate of the first wall to the concrete floor, locating it based on the poorly poured concrete foundation. I could clearly see the waves he didn't so I pulled up the baseplate, ran a string line and re-nailed it. I didn't pick up all the concrete chips from the move and of course that's what he noticed. He called his brother (an architect and all around handy guy) who confirmed my process was correct. The string line was not my original idea, just an observation from my time playing King of the Mountain at nearby house construction sites.

On our summer driving trips I was in charge of the bumper jack and lug nuts when we had a flat (we had six on the Alaska trip wnen I was 12). I was also allowed behind the wheel of the Oldsmobile when it was time to hitch up the trailer. Neither my father nor my mother could understand the process of turning the steering the opposite way the 'guider' was pointing to get the ball and socket aligned.

My current favorite is the Chewy one where the dog apologizes for getting excited and breaking the "vaaaazz" with his wagging tail. He really draws out the "vaaaazz". Cracks me up.

edit: added pic

Roger, I love that one so much I am trying to get Jasmine to say "vaaaaz." She gives me the look that she understands but refuses to participate.

 

[Squankum]

Ha!

 

[Bob Heine]

Ha!

@Squankum, that's another great one. My mother was a first grade teacher and was beyond naive. In 1975 she came to Florida to see our recently purchased house. While watching TV a Purina Cat Chow commercial came on and she was mesmerized. When it finished she turned to us and said: "I wonder how they taught that cat to dance?"

We actually visited a movie studio in 1955 while in Los Angeles. Not one of the big name ones, just a small studio that shot commercials. She saw the process but either forgot or missed the point.

My father was born and raised in the Bronx (NY) and his father was an electrician. In the 1920s he was working for several of the motion picture studios in Fort Lee, New Jersey. When one of the studios closed its doors and left New Jersey for California without paying him, he packed his wife, my father and brother into the family car and drove to California to collect what he was owed. I never met my paternal grandfather; he died in 1935 at the age of 53. When my father died at 55 I made it a point to retire as soon as I could, which turned out to be when I was 50. That retirement lasted 7 months when I got a cold call to write some manuals for America Online. That 6-week gig lasted almost four years. Retirement from AOL in 1999 stuck.

 

[Bob Heine]

While nothing like the rest of the country, we've been having cool and crappy weather for a while. Nothing like a crappy day to get me in the garage. I'm done with telephone repair failures and managed to get the new freezer installed and the food transferred from the old freezer. The new freezer is located in the space formerly occupied by the ice maker/entertainment center. I still have some wiring work to do on the entertainment center and laptop.

Replaced passenger side of the Cadillac's front splitter. The splitter doesn't catch on the standard parking curb but I managed to crack it on a slightly higher curb at a rest stop on the Florida Turnpike. Second time I've broken one of the splitters. First time I panicked and paid around $80 for the three-piece splitter set. Decided to do a little shopping and found the same set on eBay for $25. If I buy two it's 20% off on the second set so two sets are on the way. Like tuning up the generator, I'll never need to install those splitters. I used to fight with the plastic push clips so I broke down and bought a decent tool. With that tool and a 7mm nut driver it's a 10-minute job with half the time spent finding parts and tools and putting away said tools.

Finished installing my expensive and overkill brake booster vacuum line. It matches the silly PCV setup. Now I have some wires to route and a wiper bellcrank to re-connect.

 

[Squankum]

My mother was a first grade teacher and was beyond naive. In 1975 she came to Florida to see our recently purchased house. While watching TV a Purina Cat Chow commercial came on and she was mesmerized. When it finished she turned to us and said: "I wonder how they taught that cat to dance?"

"High voltage shocks, mom, just like they give to the actress."

 

[y'sguy]

Bob, that engine bay and booster install does look good. Did you ever find that stray bolt?

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Fred, I apologize to the PT Cruiser every time I get in it. It was born July 28, 2003 so it turns 21 this year. I like the car fondness test Rian (@Grizz1963) uses: if you look back every time you park it, you still love the car. I still look back at all of mine.

Philip, my track record was pretty poor when I was young. I was either too stupid or too stubborn to give up so I kept taking things apart and putting them back together. Over the years my failure rate went down, mostly due to financial status. If I couldn't fix something, I had to go without because I couldn't afford to replace it. When it came to this phone, I could afford to replace it but I wantted to know if I could fix it's more expensive successor. The cost to replace the outdated phone was a little more than half the cost of the repair parts.

I decided to get the sparkly red ccased one so I can tell them apart. I expect I will have different apps on the two non-phones.

Kevin, after I retired, Liane and I agreed to a $100 a week allowance so each of us has that much money to spend without discussing the purchase. We can hoard the money for big ticket items or blow it every week. I have no problem pulling out a C-note but prefer to spend it on tools and parts. I share your dislike of electronic things but I force myself to try to fix them because some of my old electronic things are no longer available or very hard to find. The circuit boards in the '87 Corvette's A/C system being one of them.


@Squankum, I'm 100% against slavery and that's why my preferred source is Campagnolo.

I may have done that to an HP inkjet printer when I discovered the price of the ink cartridges that dried up after printing two 4x6 photos.

@Squankum, I share your humble opinion.

I had a childhood of punishment for taking things apart, even when I successfully put them back together. Before my father decided to "finish the basement" he put together an HO railroad setup with a rural landscape at one end and a cityscape at the other. He made a control panel with all the buttons for the track switches mounted to the Masonite panel. Unfortunately his wiring of the solenoids and their switches didn't work and the tracks had to be switched by hand. I was 9 at the time and decided to try to fix the problem. Dad was not happy I got the control panel working -- he claimed I could have electrocuted myself. I had already suffered my share of low voltage shocks cleaning the bare brass tracks before learning to disconnect the power transformer.

I was not punished but did get some side-eye during the basement finishing project. Dad nailed the 2x4 baseplate of the first wall to the concrete floor, locating it based on the poorly poured concrete foundation. I could clearly see the waves he didn't so I pulled up the baseplate, ran a string line and re-nailed it. I didn't pick up all the concrete chips from the move and of course that's what he noticed. He called his brother (an architect and all around handy guy) who confirmed my process was correct. The string line was not my original idea, just an observation from my time playing King of the Mountain at nearby house construction sites.

On our summer driving trips I was in charge of the bumper jack and lug nuts when we had a flat (we had six on the Alaska trip wnen I was 12). I was also allowed behind the wheel of the Oldsmobile when it was time to hitch up the trailer. Neither my father nor my mother could understand the process of turning the steering the opposite way the 'guider' was pointing to get the ball and socket aligned.

Roger, I love that one so much I am trying to get Jasmine to say "vaaaaz." She gives me the look that she understands but refuses to participate.

Bob, Your story of being able to fix things your dad couldn't at a very early age reminds me of my brother-in-law. He is the nicest guy you could ever meet but he can't do ANYTHING that requires fix-it ability. I have literally seen him pick up an ordinary screwdriver and he looks uncomfortable holding it. Just naturally awkward.
He once needed to replace a rotted 3 foot wide side yard gate. He had the old gate as a guide so he bought the same wood and even had the building supply place cut the wood to size for him. My girl friend's then 12 year old son couldn't stand watching his uncle fumble around and took over. He took apart the bent and unevenly spaced nails he'd begun and remade it in 15 minutes!

PS: LOVE the "Vaaaaazzzz" commercial. Whoever voiced that part did an excellent job of being a smart *** dog perfectly.

2nd PS: Just back from 10 days in Xcaret and Isla Mujeres, Mexico. I saw dozens of iguanas from small (1 ft long) to huge (over 3 ft long) and thought of your dog every time. Saw a few trying to regrow their tails too. The claws on the big ones are fierce looking. I wonder if your dog would be up to killing a truly big one? My grand daughter, Isla age 9-1/2 holding a big one for the picture.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Great fun on the phone repair.

The lady dropped her iPad face down on tile and shattered the screen.

I'll fix it. $20 for the screen.

I cannot handle the tiny screws to get them back in. I hit on sticking the flat head on cellophane tape and using it to position the screw over the hole. Then it's easy to puncture the tape with the tiny screwdriver. I can't imagine how you did it.

 

[Squankum]

7mm nut driver it's a 10-minute job with half the time spent finding parts and tools and putting away said tools.

Hello, nutdriver brother! Craftsman?

I'm a big fan of Wiha screwdrivers, bought a bunch of them for friends for Christmas this year when Lowe's had their inexplicable $12 sale, bought some Wiha nutdrivers for somebody else last year, but just can't bring myself to buy Wiha for myself. Got my set at Sears in the 90's, and, well, they're paid for. Even some vintage later-90's Craftsman had some nicer handles, but... these are paid for.

Here's my size marking method: Sharpie marker. It can get hazy but it takes a long time and then you can refresh it with more Sharpie ink:

 

[Squankum]

Bob, Your story of being able to fix things your dad couldn't at a very early age reminds me of my brother-in-law. He is the nicest guy you could ever meet but he can't do ANYTHING that requires fix-it ability. I have literally seen him pick up an ordinary screwdriver and he looks uncomfortable holding it. Just naturally awkward.
He once needed to replace a rotted 3 foot wide side yard gate. He had the old gate as a guide so he bought the same wood and even had the building supply place cut the wood to size for him. My girl friend's then 12 year old son couldn't stand watching his uncle fumble around and took over. He took apart the bent and unevenly spaced nails he'd begun and remade it in 15 minutes!

PS: LOVE the "Vaaaaazzzz" commercial. Whoever voiced that part did an excellent job of being a smart *** dog perfectly.

2nd PS: Just back from 10 days in Xcaret and Isla Mujeres, Mexico. I saw dozens of iguanas from small (1 ft long) to huge (over 3 ft long) and thought of your dog every time. Saw a few trying to regrow their tails too. The claws on the big ones are fierce looking. I wonder if your dog would be up to killing a truly big one? My grand daughter, Isla age 9-1/2 holding a big one for the picture.

Dan, did you see any roadside entrepreneurs selling iguana? This was, well, many decades ago, but when I was a boy you could be driving down the highway in Mexico and see a man standing there holding up a dead iguana he had just hunted so that you could buy it, take it home, roast it, and have lunch.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Dan, did you see any roadside entrepreneurs selling iguana? This was, well, many decades ago, but when I was a boy you could be driving down the highway in Mexico and see a man standing there holding up a dead iguana he had just hunted so that you could buy it, take it home, roast it, and have lunch.

Tastes like chicken. Bit rubberier.

 

[Dan in Pasadena]

Dan, did you see any roadside entrepreneurs selling iguana? This was, well, many decades ago, but when I was a boy you could be driving down the highway in Mexico and see a man standing there holding up a dead iguana he had just hunted so that you could buy it, take it home, roast it, and have lunch.

Nope. Not a one. It must be off the menu these days.

In Xcaret we were in the hotel, on the grounds or in the park 100% of the time. But on Isla Mujeres we rented a golf golf cart for two 24 hour periods and drove the entire island. We stopped at quite a few resorts, beaches and stands. No one was offering iguana to eat (thank god!)

 

[kaymccampbell]

Nope. Not a one. It must be off the menu these days.

In Xcaret we were in the hotel, on the grounds or in the park 100% of the time. But on Isla Mujeres we rented a golf golf cart for two 24 hour periods and drove the entire island. We stopped at quite a few resorts, beaches and stands. No one was offering iguana to eat (thank god!)

You missed out. Properly seasoned n cooked, it's quite nice.

 

[Squankum]

Back to nutdrivers:




Yeah, I'm good... I've got a set... they're paid for. And a longer set of nutdrivers like these would have gotten in the way in a job like your splitter.

Which reminds me, taking off the plastic aero undertray on the BMW X5 I work on sometimes, if I don't want to jack the car up at all, requires a stubby #3 Phillips. And that took me a while to find one of those! i also would have accepted "big handle but no real shaft", but those are fairly rare, dangit. I have one of those (iether Husky or Cman) in a large slot head and it's a great caveman tool for many non-screw tasks. I've never understood the logic that a larger screw means it's always further way than the smaller screws so let's make this shaft really long.

 

[Squankum]

You missed out. Properly seasoned n cooked, it's quite nice.

Oh, and my other old timey tale which may or may not go on in Mexico anymore:

We'd see a new house being built in the neighborhood, and the workers would keep a small fire going with scraps of sticks/vegetation, and they'd heat up their lunch on it. I don't know what they had for lunch, but Tortilla Guy would buzz by on his moped and sell them a big stack of tortillas.

 

[Finallygotit]

Oh, and my other old timey tale which may or may not go on in Mexico anymore:

We'd see a new house being built in the neighborhood, and the workers would keep a small fire going with scraps of sticks/vegetation, and they'd heat up their lunch on it. I don't know what they had for lunch, but Tortilla Guy would buzz by on his moped and sell them a big stack of tortillas.

Well, as of about two years ago, my experience is that it does indeed still happen. And it's not just houses; commercial and industrial buildings as well.

 

[Bob Heine]

"High voltage shocks, mom, just like they give to the actress."

@Squankum, you're not that far off. My brother claimed he was losing his mind and begged to come home his senior year at Middlebury (1963). She and my father took him to a psychiatrist who recommended electro-shock therapy. He didn't forget his potty training and remembered how to eat but not much else. From September to November, when my mother and father went to work in the morning, they dropped **** off at our house and Liane babysat him. November 1st Liane gave birth to our son so she had a second third baby to watch through Thanksgiving. Each day **** got a little better and by December didn't need to be taught how to play card games. By Christmas he was living at home with my parents because the psychiatrist felt he was recovered. On January 2, 1964 my father told my brother he had to go back to Middlebury and when my brother protested Dad said "I'm your father and you'll do as I say!"

On January 3, 1964 **** responded to my father by not driving himself to the psychiatrist's office in my mother's Triumph Herald. Instead he used the Hoover canister hose to pipe the exhaust into the Triumph. I celebrate his life quietly every January 3rd and this year marked the 60th anniversary of his passing.

Bob, that engine bay and booster install does look good. Did you ever find that stray bolt?

Thanks Alan. Still haven't found that stray bolt or its mate.

Bob, Your story of being able to fix things your dad couldn't at a very early age reminds me of my brother-in-law. He is the nicest guy you could ever meet but he can't do ANYTHING that requires fix-it ability. I have literally seen him pick up an ordinary screwdriver and he looks uncomfortable holding it. Just naturally awkward.
He once needed to replace a rotted 3 foot wide side yard gate. He had the old gate as a guide so he bought the same wood and even had the building supply place cut the wood to size for him. My girl friend's then 12 year old son couldn't stand watching his uncle fumble around and took over. He took apart the bent and unevenly spaced nails he'd begun and remade it in 15 minutes!

PS: LOVE the "Vaaaaazzzz" commercial. Whoever voiced that part did an excellent job of being a smart *** dog perfectly.

2nd PS: Just back from 10 days in Xcaret and Isla Mujeres, Mexico. I saw dozens of iguanas from small (1 ft long) to huge (over 3 ft long) and thought of your dog every time. Saw a few trying to regrow their tails too. The claws on the big ones are fierce looking. I wonder if your dog would be up to killing a truly big one? My grand daughter, Isla age 9-1/2 holding a big one for the picture.

Dan, I felt a little sorry for my father. He was brilliant when it came to books and book learning but try as he might he couldn't master manual tasks. My brother shared the book thing with my father so he was the one. Liane and I often joke that our brothers were our parents' only child. It was often subtle but I knew how my father felt about me. He was happy to hug my brother but used his hand or belt less gently on me. Two typical pictures -- can you tell who doesn't belong?

I think the voiceovers in the "Todd, you got the train set" cat and the "Vaaaaase" dog are spot on. I talk to Jasmine all the time and I know she understands but prefers to communicate with Liane.

In 1981 we went to the Cancun Club Med when it was just getting started. Ten years later we went back but stayed in a brand new all-inclusive resort. When I say brand new, we were the first occupants of our room. I wanted to try the Jacuzzi tub and when I turned on the water, debris exploded out of the faucet. I heard a scream from our friends in the next room when water splashed all over their feet when they tried to use the sink -- the drain was not yet connected. We visited Xel-ha before it became a water park. Snorkeled in the cove where the weird fresh/salt water barrier was obvious. Place was empty when we got there but a busload of tourists arrived at the same time and even though it was quite a walk to the swimming site, half the people getting off the bus were already wearing flippers and masks. Following year we went to a different all inclusive and took a scuba expedition to Isla Mujeres. It was my second and final time scuba diving. Turns out scuba diving is one of the things that can screw with your life insurance.

Jasmine has done in 27 iguanas in our yard so far. She went for the tail on her early kills but concentratedmore on the head over time. These were her 5th, 7th and 8th kills (we stopped taking pictures after that). Liane is 5'3" and she's holding the typical size Jasmine dispatches.

Great fun on the phone repair.

The lady dropped her iPad face down on tile and shattered the screen.

I'll fix it. $20 for the screen.

I cannot handle the tiny screws to get them back in. I hit on sticking the flat head on cellophane tape and using it to position the screw over the hole. Then it's easy to puncture the tape with the tiny screwdriver. I can't imagine how you did it.

Andy, the screwdriver I used was magnetized. Not rip it out of your hand magnetized, just enough to hold one of those tiny screws. So glad they didn't use stainless steel screws. Once the screw stuck to the phillips bit I could align the head with the bit using my fat fingers.

Hello, nutdriver brother! Craftsman?

I'm a big fan of Wiha screwdrivers, bought a bunch of them for friends for Christmas this year when Lowe's had their inexplicable $12 sale, bought some Wiha nutdrivers for somebody else last year, but just can't bring myself to buy Wiha for myself. Got my set at Sears in the 90's, and, well, they're paid for. Even some vintage later-90's Craftsman had some nicer handles, but... these are paid for.

Here's my size marking method: Sharpie marker. It can get hazy but it takes a long time and then you can refresh it with more Sharpie ink:

@Squankum, you're right, my nut driver train parked when the local Sears closed its doors. I think the SAE set came home with me about 45 years ago. It was a huge upgrade from the set I had, which had handles that cut your hands just before the shaft spun free in the handle. My dive into metric tools came more recently, probably when I acquired the BMW in 1987. Unlike my sockets and wrenches, I keep both sets of nut drivers in the same drawer. I also keep my handled phillips and Torx drivers in the same drawer. In recent years many tool sets come with hex bits so they end up in more than one drawer. The drawer in the stainless chest labeled "Allen Wrenches" has a lot more than its name implies. There are hex bits in various drive sizes as well as Torx bits. My mind is not well organized so my tool chest drawers aren't either. The 26" HF chest is supposed to be for 'metric tools' but I store metric hex bits in the stainless 'SAE tools' chest.

Dan, did you see any roadside entrepreneurs selling iguana? This was, well, many decades ago, but when I was a boy you could be driving down the highway in Mexico and see a man standing there holding up a dead iguana he had just hunted so that you could buy it, take it home, roast it, and have lunch.

Tastes like chicken. Bit rubberier.

Nope. Not a one. It must be off the menu these days.

In Xcaret we were in the hotel, on the grounds or in the park 100% of the time. But on Isla Mujeres we rented a golf golf cart for two 24 hour periods and drove the entire island. We stopped at quite a few resorts, beaches and stands. No one was offering iguana to eat (thank god!)

You missed out. Properly seasoned n cooked, it's quite nice.

@Squankum, @kaymccampbell and @Dan in Pasadena, I've missed out on eating iguana. I would be good with cooking one at home but Liane is concerned with the smell. Maybe I should buy the cookbook:

Back to nutdrivers:

Yeah, I'm good... I've got a set... they're paid for. And a longer set of nutdrivers like these would have gotten in the way in a job like your splitter.

@Squankum, I prefer drive handles that I can put a socket on, rather than individual nut drivers. I have run out of room in the tool chests. I find the plain and ratcheting drive handles work just fine.

Oh, and my other old timey tale which may or may not go on in Mexico anymore:

We'd see a new house being built in the neighborhood, and the workers would keep a small fire going with scraps of sticks/vegetation, and they'd heat up their lunch on it. I don't know what they had for lunch, but Tortilla Guy would buzz by on his moped and sell them a big stack of tortillas.

My only bad experience with Mexican food was a day in Monterrey. We crossed the border at Laredo/Nueva Laredo and finished the day in Monterrey. Dad parked the Rambler and we started walking. He picked the poorest part of the city and everywhere you looked were piles of garbage. There was a unique smell in the air that turned out to be the basic food ingredients in that part of Mexico. We ended up in a plaza and sat down for dinner in a nice restaurant. When they brought my food, it had an overwhelming smell identical to the garbage piles. Took me a few days to get over the sight/smell connection. The real surprise was that different areas in Mexico use different ingredients and spices so I really hoed into the local quisine. The fish dishes in Veracruz and Acapulco were to die for.

We had our own Tortilla Guy back in the day (1950s). The Dugan Man delivered bread and danish pastry rings to our house early in the morning, along with the Milk and Eggs Guy. They mostly buzzed by in their Divcos instead of mopeds.

 

[Bob Heine]

Well, as of about two years ago, my experience is that it does indeed still happen. And it's not just houses; commercial and industrial buildings as well.

Dan, food trucks in the US are the same. Not the huge box vans with standup headroom you see on TV. A pickup with a stainless box on the back is the quintessential construction site food truck. Driver gets out, opens the side of the box and handsd you what you request. My job at North American Winfield Door in 1963 had a coffee and donut truck arrive in the parking lot for morning and afternoon breaks and a different truck with burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches and drinks came around noon.

 

[Bob Heine]

Back in December I cut back the Tapebuia tree in the side yard. I had planned to cut the remaining tree down myself but SWMBO feared I would take out the power line in the process. I've cut down lots of trees and only taken out a power line once so I avoided the daily 'told you so' that would follow. Here's where I left it on December 18....

Last Friday it was suggested I trim the Starburst Clerodendrum trees that have been a privacy hedge for almost 20 years. I haven't pruned it back for a long time and it was pointed out to me that the things were getting close to the power line. Turns out the 'new' growth is a bunch of 4" diameter branches. Rather than do the deed on Friday, I suggested Monday because the sanitation department picks up loose yard trimmings on Monday. With MLK day it moved to Tuesday. When you cut branches off those trees the leaves fall off real quick so I didn't want them sitting on the lawn for four days. SWMBO protested but relented when I suggested it would be a bigger mess to clean up.

The M12 HATCHET 6-inch chainsaw is the perfect tool for this kind of trimming. OK, in the hands of a normal person it's perfect. I have a habit of putting the drill, screwdriver, hammer and it turns out, small chainsaw, in my stump-side armpit. No blood was spilled but I felt the side of the chain as it came to a stop -- not the teeth -- just the rivets. Turns out the HATCHET has a voice or maybe it was just my inside voice that called me a Dipstick and never put that there again.

Anyway, it wasn't quick but it was all on the ground by 2:45 PM.

It didn't look like that much when it was standing up....

A gorilla wagon, the chainsaw and pruning shears cleared it up by about 5:15 PM. I took water breaks but I was afraid not enough to ward off muscle cramps. Drank a couple of glasses of W8 and some bananas but in the middle of dinner my forearm cramped up and I had to take some potassium gluconate tablets. Sorry, W8 is Walmart V8 vegetable juice. I was lucky that some of the bananas were ripe and ready to eat raw. I can't be bothered cooking green bananas.

 

[Blackbyrd]

Thats a lot of work! I had to do something similar in our current house. The backyard was left pretty much unkept, and we took some bad advice. We were told that they planted a lot of seasonal plants and we needed to wait through a season to make sure we didnt get rid of soemthing we liked......

Terrible suggestion, My back yard was like Jumanji?!?!?!?.

 

[oldironfarmer]

Good job Bob.

I'm sad every time I recall your brother. Hard on everyone except him, I guess.

My sincerest condolences 60 years on.

 

[Finallygotit]

Dan, food trucks in the US are the same. Not the huge box vans with standup headroom you see on TV. A pickup with a stainless box on the back is the quintessential construction site food truck. Driver gets out, opens the side of the box and handsd you what you request. My job at North American Winfield Door in 1963 had a coffee and donut truck arrive in the parking lot for morning and afternoon breaks and a different truck with burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches and drinks came around noon.

Bob, I totally agree.

When I would have to visit Tijuana on business, more often than not, I would see some guy pedal up to a construction site with with a cooler or two loaded behind him with tortillas and jarritos to drink.

Glad I don't have to make that trek any more!

 

[Squankum]

I have a habit of putting the drill, screwdriver, hammer and it turns out, small chainsaw, in my stump-side armpit. No blood was spilled but I felt the side of the chain as it came to a stop -- not the teeth -- just the rivets. Turns out the HATCHET has a voice or maybe it was just my inside voice that called me a Dipstick and never put that there again.

Ay caramba! In addition to BladeStop, maybe some tools need an infared sensor to see when they're being pointed at humans. Of course, drug dealers in Miami would need to put duct tape over that sensor. They've already got the duct tape for the mouth of the person they're hacking up in the bathroom. These new cordless tools must be a godsend for their trade!

 

[Squankum]

When I would have to visit Tijuana on business, more often than not, I would see some guy pedal up to a construction site with with a cooler or two loaded behind him with tortillas and jarritos to drink.

I was about a mile from my house in the USA a summer or two ago, in a section of fairly scruffy neighborhood, probably on my way to my Mexican tire shop, when I saw an old Mexican man pushing an ice cream? flavored ices? cart. It wasn't very big, and this wiry, leathery older gentleman wasn't going for any speed records, but he was going to make a few dollars that hot summer afternoon. How many, I don't know, but he was pushing that tiny cart.

As recently as the 1990's (er, when I was last in Mexico, I guess) I'd last seen that kind of wiry, leathery arms, when the street sweeper came by. He had a big danged hand-made broom made out of brush lashed to a pole and he was sweeping the street.

Note for Bob: there was garbage pickup and no smells, at least in that fancy part of town!

 

[Bob Heine]

Thats a lot of work! I had to do something similar in our current house. The backyard was left pretty much unkept, and we took some bad advice. We were told that they planted a lot of seasonal plants and we needed to wait through a season to make sure we didnt get rid of soemthing we liked......

Terrible suggestion, My back yard was like Jumanji?!?!?!?.

@Blackbyrd, on the bright side, that job convinced me I need a Milwaukee M12 pruner. It arrived yesterday but it's been raining off and on so I haven't tried it yet. I thought my Milwaukee M12 PVC pipe cutter would do the job but it was more work than it was worth. The pruner is faster and has two settings depending on the size of the branch (not sure how long the safety cover will last):

Good job Bob.

I'm sad every time I recall your brother. Hard on everyone except him, I guess.

My sincerest condolences 60 years on.

Andy, the only memories I have are good ones. We fought like all siblings but it was the good kind of fighting -- like "Good Trouble."

Bob, I totally agree.

When I would have to visit Tijuana on business, more often than not, I would see some guy pedal up to a construction site with with a cooler or two loaded behind him with tortillas and jarritos to drink.

Glad I don't have to make that trek any more!

Dan, when we went to San Diego for our son's graduation from Naval basic training in 1981, we did the obligatory visits to the zoo and Tijuana. Had no destination in mind and probably should have had a map. We ended up at the Plaza de Toros as the crowd was leaving. Managed to turn around and get back to the border crossing and our hotel unscathed.

Ay caramba! In addition to BladeStop, maybe some tools need an infared sensor to see when they're being pointed at humans. Of course, drug dealers in Miami would need to put duct tape over that sensor. They've already got the duct tape for the mouth of the person they're hacking up in the bathroom. These new cordless tools must be a godsend for their trade!

@Squankum, I'm starting to worry about accumulating so many Scarface tools.

I was about a mile from my house in the USA a summer or two ago, in a section of fairly scruffy neighborhood, probably on my way to my Mexican tire shop, when I saw an old Mexican man pushing an ice cream? flavored ices? cart. It wasn't very big, and this wiry, leathery older gentleman wasn't going for any speed records, but he was going to make a few dollars that hot summer afternoon. How many, I don't know, but he was pushing that tiny cart.

As recently as the 1990's (er, when I was last in Mexico, I guess) I'd last seen that kind of wiry, leathery arms, when the street sweeper came by. He had a big danged hand-made broom made out of brush lashed to a pole and he was sweeping the street.

Note for Bob: there was garbage pickup and no smells, at least in that fancy part of town!

I should clarify my comment on the smells in Monterrey. The smell I associated with the sight of the garbage was the smells emanating from the homes and businesses. Mostly fresh cooked tortillas and their fillings. These were totally unfamiliar smells -- 1959 was 65 years ago, three years before first Taco Bell opened. Fast food wasn't even a thing outside California -- the first McDonald's opened on Long Island in 1958.

The shaved ice carts were a city thing when we visited Mexico. In the small markets you got an ice cold citrus drink to go with your tamales.

Probably where I got my first and only dose of Montezuma's Revenge. I was the lone survivor in our later Mexican vacations (I believe once you have it your body recognizes subsequent Mexican E.coli visits).

 

[Bob Heine]

Time flies when you're having fun. Each day I go into the garage and work on the Corvette until I'm raining sweat. Turns out that's less than an hour of light work. I'm making progress but annoyingly slow. At least I found the wrench and socket I dropped.

Liane made an appointment with a Sports doctor (orthopedic) to get a cortisone shot in her right hip. It has been bothering her for a while and every time our Primary Care and her Pain doctor give her a shot it doesn't help like it should. Our Primary Care used this Sports doctor to give him a shot in his shoulder and he raved about how well it worked. Saw the doctor on Monday and it turns out he's really good and really popular. He's also in a wall-in orthopedic center so we waited in the lobby torcher chairs for quite a while. An X-ray later and a diagnosis of osteoarthritis in the right hip and bursitis in the left one and she was ready for the shot(s). Medicare requires 48 hours between diagnosis and the shots so we were back today. In and out in a half hour.

The shots were painless but only until the novocaine wore off. While Liane napped I vacuumed the interior and cleaned and dressed the vinyl, rubber and plastic bits on the PT Cruiser. Washed and dried the outside and pressure cleaned the iguana $hit off the front walk. Hopefully the road kill iguana in the front swale was the culprit. Came in the house and changed out of my a soaking wet shirt and pants. At least my socks didn't get soaked -- oh, I wasn't wearing any so only my canvas shoes were soaked. Had a glass of W8 and went inside. Came out to get the mail and was greeted by a nice sunset.

 

[y'sguy]

Sounds and looks like a great day, Bob. I hope Lian benefits from the injection. I go to a guy like that and it can be very helpful. Well, most of the time! haha

 

[Finallygotit]

Love the sunset pic!

 

[Grizz1963]

Sunsets are always a pleasure to see and share.

Sunrises are good too. Means you have woken up to opportunities.

 

[shortykorte]

Gorgeous. We don’t see those here unfortunately. We can’t see the forest because of the trees. One thing I miss when living in Tampa, Austin and Sacramento.

Bob I heard there’s this new type of yoga that’s good for conditioning. Has something about not wearing clothes too.

 

[Bob Heine]

Sounds and looks like a great day, Bob. I hope Lian benefits from the injection. I go to a guy like that and it can be very helpful. Well, most of the time! haha

Alan, it was a good day. Liane was hurting yesterday but today she had me out in the gardens moving pots. If she gets relief for a few months it would be wonderful. On a positive note, after her experience with the robotic surgery to remove her renal tumor she is less afraid of a robotic hip replacement. I believe she watched one of the early ones that involved drills, chisels and mallets.

Love the sunset pic!

Sunsets are always a pleasure to see and share.

Sunrises are good too. Means you have woken up to opportunities.

Gorgeous. We don’t see those here unfortunately. We can’t see the forest because of the trees. One thing I miss when living in Tampa, Austin and Sacramento.

Bob I heard there’s this new type of yoga that’s good for conditioning. Has something about not wearing clothes too.

Dan, Rian and Shorty, I understand the humidity and cloud formations brought that sunset to us. As a professional Florida retiree, sunrises happen when my head is buried under the covers so I can't testify to their beauty. One of these days I may catch one by accident.

Shorty, with or without clothes I don't believe I'll be doing any yoga. My nightmare is doing this, intentionally or unintentionally.

 

[Grizz1963]

There you go Bob

In case you missed it

 

[sawduststeve]

Bob, sounds like a productive day. All the best to Liane, my dad had a hip replacement but because of other issues he couldn’t have general anaesthetic just a epidural, he said he counted about 200 light hammer taps and reckoned we should have offered the guy a job in the workshop.
But he was off his head on drugs

Great sunset.

Steve