LeonardY
Well-known member
Then your aware of the phrase,
"Happy wife. Happy life,"
The Lady of the Garden is very pleased when the cars are shiny.
What did you do "IN" your garage today?
- Thread starter mayhemman
- Start date
"Happy wife. Happy life,"
The Lady of the Garden is very pleased when the cars are shiny.
Outlawmws
Well-known member
I barely made it across the new (2nd) Dumbarton bridge in the Loma Prieta Quake of 89 before they closed all bridges after the quake.
I was at work in a 1950s steel post and pre-stressed concrete floor 2 story building on the top floor. Long and narrow, it started swaying lengthwise, and the hanging 8 ft florescent fixtures were swinging about 2 feet, and in some cases hitting the posts.
I yelled, very loudly, for everyone to "get under your desks". (most did some just sat there...) and was thinking "kiss your *** goodbye, this old ******* will collapse and kill us..."
I was shocked when it didn't, so as soon as it stopped swaying, I grabbed my desk phone and called home and told SWMBO to "get you and the baby out of the house and sit in the car now! (she wanted to argue - I told her to stop arguing, this was the big one, and demanded it..) Then I ran and told my small staff to "Go home!" and then ran for my car. The company soon followed suit, but I didn't wait for those slow dumb *** meatheads...
I raced up 101 and crossed the bridge hoping it was still up and not in collapse (new bridge so I had hopes)
I breathed a sigh of relief as I got onto the "solid ground" causeway on the other side. They had prepared that causeway for liquefaction resistance and it worked! Then I saw the two KGO Radio towers - Uhm supposed to be three there! The furthest one out IIR was snapped of and had a stub.
I got home safely and we watched/listened to the news and kept the front door open so we could escape quick if a big aftershock hit. We watched news for hours; freeway collapses sinking houses, all kinds of death and destruction....
Land line phones were dead and ******* long before I got to the bridge and mostly till the next day if then... (Cell phones were in the future)
For anyone who doesn't remember, there are tons of stories on line about the ‘89 Loma Prieta Quake, but that's my story about it.
kaymccampbell
Well-known member
Toss a pair of water wings in your bucket.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
My brother was in Candlestick Park. He had some stories. Apparently, "major sporting event" and "orderly evacuation" are phrases that don't go together.
I put away the mower for the season and started tuning up the ol' Ariens snow thrower. First, the spark plug--original equipment--has not one single number on it. I looked it up on Ariens' website cross-ref chart and got some part #s--which were wrong. Fortunately, the young guy behind the counter at the farm supply place had enough savvy to find the right one for me.
Spent ten minutes taking the Chinese-puzzle-box shrouding off the engine to access the air filter... then remembered IT DOESN'T HAVE AN AIR FILTER! Put the damned shrouding back together.
Found the expensive, special Ariens oil for the gearbox--someone knocked it over and all the oil leaked out of the bottle. I'll bet some regular gear oil works fine.
Got a new bottle of thirty-weight to change the crankcase oil. Need to warm 'er up first. No fuel in the tank (good). Went out to the garden shed (again) to grab the gas can--empty.
All in all, a typical start to an average day... just hope I can find somewhere open for lunch.
First snow on the ground for the season. Just a dusting and mostly gone now. I hope the blizzards, ice fogs and ice storms hold off for a week longer as I have to drive almost the entire width of the state and back next week. Five or six hours on the Interstate can easily turn into an eternity when the weather hits--especially if it's the the first storm of the season and natural selection hasn't yet weeded out the bad drivers.
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wireman1987
Member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2025
- Messages
- 5
Checked stocks & emails on the garage computer.. talked to a friend who recommended this forum, so I decided to create an account
Nofries
Well-known member
Welcome to the ForumChecked stocks & emails on the garage computer.. talked to a friend who recommended this forum, so I decided to create an account
Outlawmws
Well-known member
kaymccampbell
Well-known member
I really got a laugh out of this. I remember my first snowblower, born with no air filter, and the choke was part of the shroud, and you jus held it in, while you struggled with the pull string. I used to fill mine with the used oil from the rototiller, cause then it was thin enough for winter use. Both engine and gear case. The spark plug came from the tiller or mower.
Swanny1953
ALLIANCE MEMBER
I was waiting on the south footbridge to enter Candlestick when the ‘89 earthquake hit. It sounded like the stadium was full of people stamping their feet. Once the shaking stopped, all the motion detector alarms in cars in the parking lot went off. We continued inside to our seats, and by the time we got to our seats, the blimp had moved from overhead to over the now damaged Bay Bridge (our seat neighbors had a battery powered TV), which we had crossed just minutes earlier. After it became apparent no game would be played, we made our way to the car to begin our trip back the East Bay Area. My recollection of the exit experience was fairly orderly without any pandemonium.
But, how to get home? The Bay Bridge, our normal route, is now impassable. We could take the Golden Gate to Marin Co. and then the Richmond/San Rafael bridge to the east bay, but that would involve going through the Marina district which was described on the radio a “liquified and on fire”, so that was a no go. We decided to go south on 101 and go around the south end of SFO Bay if we had to.
We got to the San Mateo bridge as it was closed for inspections, so we kept going. Shortly thereafter, we got caught in a traffic j and didn’t move more very far over the next 2 hours. While in that jam, they closed the next bridge to the south, the Dumbarton, for inspection, but declared the San Mateo fit for travel. So at the next exit, we reversed direction on 101 only to get stuck in another traffic jam for 2 hours. Once we finally got on the bridge, it was smooth sailing the rest of the way home. However, what was normally a 40 minute trip turned into 6-1/2 hours that evening!!
Certainly a “life event” that you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing 36 years later!!!
But, how to get home? The Bay Bridge, our normal route, is now impassable. We could take the Golden Gate to Marin Co. and then the Richmond/San Rafael bridge to the east bay, but that would involve going through the Marina district which was described on the radio a “liquified and on fire”, so that was a no go. We decided to go south on 101 and go around the south end of SFO Bay if we had to.
We got to the San Mateo bridge as it was closed for inspections, so we kept going. Shortly thereafter, we got caught in a traffic j and didn’t move more very far over the next 2 hours. While in that jam, they closed the next bridge to the south, the Dumbarton, for inspection, but declared the San Mateo fit for travel. So at the next exit, we reversed direction on 101 only to get stuck in another traffic jam for 2 hours. Once we finally got on the bridge, it was smooth sailing the rest of the way home. However, what was normally a 40 minute trip turned into 6-1/2 hours that evening!!
Certainly a “life event” that you remember exactly where you were and what you were doing 36 years later!!!
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Baseball. They won't play in the rain, not to mention a seven-Richter shaker.So was mine! He was pissed they didn't play through!
My brother's description of sitting in the stands watching the lines of dust shoot out of the cracks propagating through the cast-concrete structure while folks were trampling each other trying to get out... doesn't sound like a day at the ballpark to me.
I have 6 of these cheap Menards lights in my little temporary shop:
The ones I have hanging on chains are fine. The ones that are surface mount keep popping off the ceiling. Their cheap plastic bodies expand so far as they heat up, they push themselves off their key-slot mount. You can actually hear them creaking as they expand.
I went out today and it's super cold out, and two more lights popped off the ceiling. So I put conduit clamps over all of them to clamp them to the ceiling.
Silly, but what do I expect for $9, I guess.
The ones I have hanging on chains are fine. The ones that are surface mount keep popping off the ceiling. Their cheap plastic bodies expand so far as they heat up, they push themselves off their key-slot mount. You can actually hear them creaking as they expand.
I went out today and it's super cold out, and two more lights popped off the ceiling. So I put conduit clamps over all of them to clamp them to the ceiling.
Silly, but what do I expect for $9, I guess.
LeonardY
Well-known member
Mine too.So was mine! He was pissed they didn't play through!
He was buying hotdogs when it hit. The vendor started to leave and my brother yelled he had paid for the hotdogs. The vendor gave him a couple of extras and ran.
I was on the levee in Foster City riding bicycles with my dad. We heard it before we saw it. The seagulls were exploding of the ground in the distance. Then we saw the ground wave coming towards us. We got off our bicycles and used them as support to keep from being knocked down.
Mom was headed to Berkeley for a work thing. Thank god, her friend didn’t like the Cypress structure. They were on 580. Turn around and were able to get across Dumbarton bridge
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Beerhippie
Well-known member
One of the scarier things my brother told me about earthquakes--he lived in the LA area--was the early-warning system they used down there: A wave of car alarms sweeping across the city and getting closer FAST.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Snow thrower is tuned up, filled up and ready to throw snow. It reminded me how easily it floods, so took a bit for the first start of the season. Fortunately, it has an electric start--the kind you plug an extension cord into. Good thing, as it's almost impossible to start with the pull-start.
I'm the only one here at the brewery this afternoon. Kind of at loose ends, so I think I'll sort and put away the small pile of assorted fasteners that have accumulated on the work bench since I last sorted and put away.
Still no pics.
I'm the only one here at the brewery this afternoon. Kind of at loose ends, so I think I'll sort and put away the small pile of assorted fasteners that have accumulated on the work bench since I last sorted and put away.
Still no pics.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Found a couple of things to fix. Cleaned, sorted, put away, threw away.
Beer thirty. I'm working through the holiday, so may as well get some slack time in now.
Beer thirty. I'm working through the holiday, so may as well get some slack time in now.
larry4406
Well-known member
We could tell you are a company man!
Beerhippie
Well-known member
There are some tasks I can't do while the brewery is running--like working on the hot water system, which is what I'm doing tomorrow. Or maybe Friday.
Besides, it's good for the paycheck. Gotta keep my toy fund healthy.
wireman1987
Member
- Joined
- Nov 26, 2025
- Messages
- 5
thank you!
rd65
Well-known member
I work in Public Works and we are expected to make sure our family is ok then head in to work for what could be up to a two week shift if needed. I laugh. I think the newest bridge to get out of Everett was built around '95.
kaymccampbell
Well-known member
My evening commute in the Capitol District was that at least twice a week, and we rarely have earthquakes above 3.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Just lawyers, lobbyists and politicians....
JustVicingIt
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 6, 2025
- Messages
- 179
I'll have them soon. Tail Vice install hit a roadblock. It's binding a lot so I need to adjust unfortunately and it wouldn't photograph well as it's in pieces still lol
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Remember the recommended procedure in case of the Cascadia Event: Place head between knees and kiss your *** goodbye.
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PWC Repair
Well-known member
Does it count if I bring tools up from the shop to fix something in the house? The washing machine has this completely stupid "auto temp control". After some troubleshooting and interwebz search for this crazy, sputtering, pausing, water fill thing it was doing......I came to the conclusion something with the "auto" temp was bad. I found the schematic all folded up inside the control panel and figured out which wire did what. Unplugged the temp selector switch.......snipped 3 wires.......wire nutted them together........and VIOLA!!!! When you turn the wash cycle on, both hot and cold open fully, and it fills right up. I've successfully dumbed down the washing machine LOL!
Skyman
Well-known member
Sat and watched two strong, young men assemble my new erector set for grown-ups.
GrayFlattop
Well-known member
Put up more shelves, filled shelves and spent a few hours cleaning up / throwing stuff away. One smaller wire shelving unit vexed me as the coupling ****** for one corner post had gone missing. It wasn’t 1/2 npt, a close pipe ****** only went in one turn so it was some metric deviant. At this point I was pissed and had already wasted too much time. Being a good butcher, I jammed in a 1/2 npt pipe tap, oiled her up and cross-threaded / rethreaded the mating tubes. Not perfect, but good enough to last the rest of my life.
Gangly
Well-known member
The rear axle seal has been leaking on the truck, so I spent the day working on replacing the seal. I also bought a new smoker and thought to myself "what better time to smoke something up than while working on the truck?".
So today boiled down to fixing a yoke seal on the rear axle amd smoking a couple beef ribs.
So today boiled down to fixing a yoke seal on the rear axle amd smoking a couple beef ribs.
Beerhippie
Well-known member
Rear diff oil is perfect for basting ribs!
Your damned pictures are making me hungry... and I just ate.
Your damned pictures are making me hungry... and I just ate.
micromind
Well-known member
I absolutely love defeating idiot technology.......
Outlawmws
Well-known member
Yes.
Miss the Pontiacs
Well-known member
Sat and watched two strong, young men assemble my new erector set for grown-ups.
I put up a 4 post this summer at the lake. I’m thinking I’m going to like it. Didn’t have any strong young men just me and a neighbour fella. Well at least one strong YOUNG man.
As for my garage today, I spent some time cleaning up an old lathe motor. I’ve had the lathe 11 years laying under a bench. Thought I better put it to work. Cleaned up the motor, still in the process but made a little progress today.
TurnipTruck
Well-known member
Still working on getting my 18yo Honda running again.
Cleaning the carburetor and replacing the gas did get it running, but backfiring. Took it all even further apart and found the slow jet was plugged hard. YouTube showed that I should be able to see thru the jet, but mine must have a rock in it with the way it dulled my drill bits in a pin vise. The local Honda shop is now a Mercury and SmokerCraft dealer, so Online We Go for one of these tiny things:
With the Honda at a standstill, how about finishing the dual battery monitor in the Jeep? I had a local GJer who owns a 3D printer build a frame for the little display to add just enough room for the electronics to fit in the trim piece above the windshield.
It was so tight for space that I had to remove the brains from the protective case and wrap it with electrical tape just to get it all to barely fit inside.
Now I can monitor each individual battery voltage, jumpstart myself if necessary, and isolate the crank battery from the house loads from the driver seat!
Cleaning the carburetor and replacing the gas did get it running, but backfiring. Took it all even further apart and found the slow jet was plugged hard. YouTube showed that I should be able to see thru the jet, but mine must have a rock in it with the way it dulled my drill bits in a pin vise. The local Honda shop is now a Mercury and SmokerCraft dealer, so Online We Go for one of these tiny things:
With the Honda at a standstill, how about finishing the dual battery monitor in the Jeep? I had a local GJer who owns a 3D printer build a frame for the little display to add just enough room for the electronics to fit in the trim piece above the windshield.
It was so tight for space that I had to remove the brains from the protective case and wrap it with electrical tape just to get it all to barely fit inside.
Now I can monitor each individual battery voltage, jumpstart myself if necessary, and isolate the crank battery from the house loads from the driver seat!
Deutchewelder
Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2025
- Messages
- 5
Deutchewelder
Member
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2025
- Messages
- 5
bmwrd0
Well-known member
I was sitting in high school four hours down the coast, just off the San Andreas, and barely felt a thing!
Anyway, waiting for parts so I can put the apron on it and see how the tracking is. But I got the rest of the carriage together, and the cross slide working smoothly, despite some chewed up gibs. I might have to pull out the Unimat and make my own.
But the Krag parts came in, and seeing what I need to do to get that thing up and functional. Looks like I need to get them cleaned of cosmo(?) and find a striker.
JEFFREYWisconsin
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 9, 2021
- Messages
- 380
this may be my new safe for children command to an unsavory person... oh Go Jumpstart yourself!!!!!Still working on getting my 18yo Honda running again.
Cleaning the carburetor and replacing the gas did get it running, but backfiring. Took it all even further apart and found the slow jet was plugged hard. YouTube showed that I should be able to see thru the jet, but mine must have a rock in it with the way it dulled my drill bits in a pin vise. The local Honda shop is now a Mercury and SmokerCraft dealer, so Online We Go for one of these tiny things:
With the Honda at a standstill, how about finishing the dual battery monitor in the Jeep? I had a local GJer who owns a 3D printer build a frame for the little display to add just enough room for the electronics to fit in the trim piece above the windshield.
It was so tight for space that I had to remove the brains from the protective case and wrap it with electrical tape just to get it all to barely fit inside.
Now I can monitor each individual battery voltage, jumpstart myself if necessary, and isolate the crank battery from the house loads from the driver seat!
I dig it.
micromind
Well-known member
I put up a 4 post this summer at the lake. I’m thinking I’m going to like it. Didn’t have any strong young men just me and a neighbour fella. Well at least one strong YOUNG man.
As for my garage today, I spent some time cleaning up an old lathe motor. I’ve had the lathe 11 years laying under a bench. Thought I better put it to work. Cleaned up the motor, still in the process but made a little progress today.
I would orient it so the oil caps are facing up. Then I'd put about 20 drops of 10 or 20W oil in each one.
jblnut
ALLIANCE MEMBER
Little guy and I got some new to us hardware bins setup on a bench in the shop. Not sure if they’ll live here forever so I’m gonna wait to fill them for a week or so.
Miss the Pontiacs
Well-known member
Appreciate the input. The position in the pic was for cleaning purposes. The motor is an old Hoover which has 2 oil fill caps at 90 degrees to each other. I was thinking of placing at 45 degrees to the top. Good idea or not? I had put 5 drops in each fill hole thinking this would be adequate as I was under the impression that it was sufficient and not excessive. Thought overfilling could damage the motor.
I don't know how well it was maintained by the original owner.
Miss the Pontiacs
Well-known member
That young man reminds me of my Grandson.Little guy and I got some new to us hardware bins setup on a bench in the shop. Not sure if they’ll live here forever so I’m gonna wait to fill them for a week or so.
