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

[Bob Heine]

Tackled a couple of small projects so I wouldn't feel so trapped.

Had a corded drill and one of my 4.5-inch angle grinders in a drawer in the garage tool chest, along with a few abrasive disks and wire wheels. With my new Milwaukee M12 drills and impacts, I haven't used the drill in a long time. I also don't like to use the angle grinders in the garage where abrasive dust lands on the cars. I took the drill and grinder out of the drawer but left most of the disks behind. I also left one of my Dremel tools in the drawer because I use it to sharpen tungstens for the TIG welder. Drawer looks pretty empty. I may have to buy a new tool or two.

I found a spot for the drill in the workshop tool chest in the same drawer as my 1/2-inch hammer drill. I wanted to try to fit the angle grinder in the table saw upper cabinet drawer but there's two blow mold cases for Dremel tools in the drawer. The long case is for a recently deceased Dremel that went into the garbage (switch is no longer available and I broke the one in the tool trying to get it to work). The case also has a rarely used engraving tool and a bunch of stones, wire wheels and sanding disks in it.

With the long case out of the way, the drawer has space of all of my angle grinders and room for a bunch of my abrasive disks. The grinder at the top of the photo is my first -- impulse buy because it was on sale but I had no idea 4-inch grinders had so little support. Live and learn.

Decided to just add all the Dremel accessories from the long case to the Dremel/Burr drawer with a 'someday re-organization (the other Dremel case in that table saw cabinet drawer has a tool and accessories as well).

Decided it was time to restore some of the organization to the workshop, with a temporary shelf. Used 2x6 lumber scrap for the shelf and some packing lumber from something I bought a long time ago. Made shelf brackets out of the packing lumber.

The brackets worked great with a couple of construction screws attaching them to studs and into the 2x6.

Re-used the brass-plated steel kickplate from the front door remodel as an attachment for the parts cabinets but most of the weight is on the two-by shelf. One more shelf for the other side of the window and I should be able to get the remaining parts cabinets hung, freeing up the table they've been bowing for the past year.

 

[GeddyT]

Please tell me you didn't give that dealership $2000 for friggin' tires!

 

[mybigwarwagon]

Please tell me you didn't give that dealership $2000 for friggin' tires!

You know those dealership tires are worth the markup

 

[sean Buick 76]

Good organization! Happy Easter!

 

[patlun]

...
Friday afternoon the dealership called to say the transmission repair would be around $3,000 and the coolant and brake flushes would be another $300.
...

ouch!

Nice to see that you get some QST at least.

You are inspiring me to go out in the shop and clean up after my last three projects that is still on the bench. Beside the drill needing a new cord and the battery for the mower I need to install before the grass starts growing.

It looks like the links to the attachments in post #4961 is pointing somewhere else, I just see empty squares instead of the larger pictures, with the exception of the last one with those nice parts cabinets.

 

[driftpin]

Bob, isn't that insane, no dipstick? I think that must be the name of the engineer who designed that transmission. One of my former co-workers on fire-rescue bought a CTS-V and he likes it but with that kinda-'feature,' I'm glad I never bought one. I don't own an OBD-II reader, I have a good shop where I take my vehicles for service, it's an independent but he's given me good service over the years. Being retired, we aren't putting miles on the cars, my wife used-to drive from Miami-Dade Co. (Florida, for you carpetbaggers out-there) to N. Palm Beach Co. which was roughly 93 miles 1-way. Recently, we may have driven 93 miles, combined, in the past month.

You should be comforted they offered you the opportunity to buy 4 tires for $2,000, and like you said, none of the additional charges are included. Like when the wedding planners get you to a point where numbers are being discussed, 'per-head,' and you think, "OK, not-too-bad, for a (hopefully) once in a lifetime event," and then the wedding planner says, "plus, plus!." Add 20%.

There are people out there without an iota of comprehension that when a service writer tells you, "you need these $500-apiece tires," that's exactly what you have to-do. Unless, of-course, you want to use Tire Rack, or a local tire retailer, after doing a bit of competitive shopping, and buy something reasonably-priced, with the recognition you don't need to install a 150+ MPH rated tire, because the vehicle's never been near triple digit speeds. In your case, that may-not be true but for Auntie Sophie, whose accountant husband (may he rest in peace) always bought Cadillacs, and this was the one she got left-with, a tire with an 'H' rating will probably dry-rot before Aunt Sophie wears them out going to Hadassah and mah-jongg games in Boca Raton. Last time you saw her next to you in traffic, and you thought, "man that's a clean CTS-V!" she was probably on her way to pick-up from her kosher butcher the brisket for Passover. She doesn't need Z-rated tires.

Speaking-of service writers, that reminds me of the time I took my under warranty GMC pickup, to the dealer from whom I purchased it for an oil change. I know that I could do the changes myself, but I figured that if I ever-needed to make a warranty claim, it would be a lot-easier to say, "check your service records, it's been here for every required oil change." Anyway, I was picking-up the truck, and I saw the bill was more than I expected. Turns-out I got nicked for a new pair of wiper blades, I hadn't asked-for, I forget exactly how-much they were, but I told the service writer, "don't do that again, call me if you want to charge me more-than what I agreed to-pay in the service write-up." Since you can buy a pair of Michelin wiper blades at Costco, for less-than half of what the dealership
charged me, which I had done probably 2 months before, no, they didn't need changing.

I should be happy for small charges on the shop bill, I recall reading about the McLaren P1, and the replacement wiper blade for that, is $2,000! After all, it's got to work at > 200 MPH!

My wife used-to belong to a ski club, here in (then) Dade County FL. She would hire an expert to accompany her, and would enjoy the slope time on beginner areas as the single-digit kids went zooming-by. I've bought hockey gloves at Peter Glenn here in south Florida, but I used them for inclement weather motorcycle riding gloves. Buy 'em on-sale at the end of the season, and they're reasonable, seeing as-how you can spend $250 for a pair of bad weather gloves like Alpinestar at a motorcycle shop.

We used the same service and store you did, Instacart and Publix supermarket. The shopper showed-up, and my wife was scrambling to get-out there, with her gloves, sterile wipes, and masked-up, but she didn't make it out before the delivery person departed in his vehicle. She didn't get any message other than "I'm here," from the delivery person, and she thought that he departed with our groceries not being-delivered, which made for a tense time as she tried to figure out how to get him to-return. We had asked for the groceries to be left on our front porch, which is coquina stone, with a roof, and about 8' X 15', but the delivery person left the groceries in-front of the double garage doors. So, we did get the groceries wiped-down and in the home before the Nestle's Drumsticks ice-cream novelties displayed the physics principle of energy travelling from an area of higher concentration to one of lower concentration (ice cream melts).

We have been very-good about the shelter in-place for the past 3 weeks. I'm thinking another two weeks, and we may be able to leave the house. We'll watch Dr. Fauci speak from a point of scientific knowledge about how to behave and ignore the hunches others have, about 'this is going to go-away with warm weather.' Correlation does not imply causation.

 

[drivesitfar]

Bob: your stories are getting longer and there's a lot of talk about work and organizing i'll have to read later and just wanted to stop by and say hi and hope all is well with you.

 

[Bob Heine]

Please tell me you didn't give that dealership $2000 for friggin' tires!

Tom, are you suggesting they aren't offering me a good deal?

You know those dealership tires are worth the markup

Uncle Willie, I agree, their tires are like fine wine -- aged to perfection. You want to wait at least five years to sell a tire to be sure there are no defects.

Good organization! Happy Easter!

Thank you Sean! I think I need to throw out a bunch of stuff to make space for some engines and transmissions.

ouch!

Nice to see that you get some QST at least.

You are inspiring me to go out in the shop and clean up after my last three projects that is still on the bench. Beside the drill needing a new cord and the battery for the mower I need to install before the grass starts growing.

It looks like the links to the attachments in post #4961 is pointing somewhere else, I just see empty squares instead of the larger pictures, with the exception of the last one with those nice parts cabinets.

Patrik, you got that right!

I'm trying to get a few things done so my playpens are functional again. I have a pressure washer that needs to be put back together and serviced.

I had a little trouble with the photos in that post. When I tried to open the last photo it said it was an invalid link and when I fixed it the other photos disappeared. I think it's fixed now.

Bob, isn't that insane, no dipstick? I think that must be the name of the engineer who designed that transmission. One of my former co-workers on fire-rescue bought a CTS-V and he likes it but with that kinda-'feature,' I'm glad I never bought one. I don't own an OBD-II reader, I have a good shop where I take my vehicles for service, it's an independent but he's given me good service over the years. Being retired, we aren't putting miles on the cars, my wife used-to drive from Miami-Dade Co. (Florida, for you carpetbaggers out-there) to N. Palm Beach Co. which was roughly 93 miles 1-way. Recently, we may have driven 93 miles, combined, in the past month.

You should be comforted they offered you the opportunity to buy 4 tires for $2,000, and like you said, none of the additional charges are included. Like when the wedding planners get you to a point where numbers are being discussed, 'per-head,' and you think, "OK, not-too-bad, for a (hopefully) once in a lifetime event," and then the wedding planner says, "plus, plus!." Add 20%.

There are people out there without an iota of comprehension that when a service writer tells you, "you need these $500-apiece tires," that's exactly what you have to-do. Unless, of-course, you want to use Tire Rack, or a local tire retailer, after doing a bit of competitive shopping, and buy something reasonably-priced, with the recognition you don't need to install a 150+ MPH rated tire, because the vehicle's never been near triple digit speeds. In your case, that may-not be true but for Auntie Sophie, whose accountant husband (may he rest in peace) always bought Cadillacs, and this was the one she got left-with, a tire with an 'H' rating will probably dry-rot before Aunt Sophie wears them out going to Hadassah and mah-jongg games in Boca Raton. Last time you saw her next to you in traffic, and you thought, "man that's a clean CTS-V!" she was probably on her way to pick-up from her kosher butcher the brisket for Passover. She doesn't need Z-rated tires.

Speaking-of service writers, that reminds me of the time I took my under warranty GMC pickup, to the dealer from whom I purchased it for an oil change. I know that I could do the changes myself, but I figured that if I ever-needed to make a warranty claim, it would be a lot-easier to say, "check your service records, it's been here for every required oil change." Anyway, I was picking-up the truck, and I saw the bill was more than I expected. Turns-out I got nicked for a new pair of wiper blades, I hadn't asked-for, I forget exactly how-much they were, but I told the service writer, "don't do that again, call me if you want to charge me more-than what I agreed to-pay in the service write-up." Since you can buy a pair of Michelin wiper blades at Costco, for less-than half of what the dealership
charged me, which I had done probably 2 months before, no, they didn't need changing.

I should be happy for small charges on the shop bill, I recall reading about the McLaren P1, and the replacement wiper blade for that, is $2,000! After all, it's got to work at > 200 MPH!

My wife used-to belong to a ski club, here in (then) Dade County FL. She would hire an expert to accompany her, and would enjoy the slope time on beginner areas as the single-digit kids went zooming-by. I've bought hockey gloves at Peter Glenn here in south Florida, but I used them for inclement weather motorcycle riding gloves. Buy 'em on-sale at the end of the season, and they're reasonable, seeing as-how you can spend $250 for a pair of bad weather gloves like Alpinestar at a motorcycle shop.

We used the same service and store you did, Instacart and Publix supermarket. The shopper showed-up, and my wife was scrambling to get-out there, with her gloves, sterile wipes, and masked-up, but she didn't make it out before the delivery person departed in his vehicle. She didn't get any message other than "I'm here," from the delivery person, and she thought that he departed with our groceries not being-delivered, which made for a tense time as she tried to figure out how to get him to-return. We had asked for the groceries to be left on our front porch, which is coquina stone, with a roof, and about 8' X 15', but the delivery person left the groceries in-front of the double garage doors. So, we did get the groceries wiped-down and in the home before the Nestle's Drumsticks ice-cream novelties displayed the physics principle of energy travelling from an area of higher concentration to one of lower concentration (ice cream melts).

We have been very-good about the shelter in-place for the past 3 weeks. I'm thinking another two weeks, and we may be able to leave the house. We'll watch Dr. Fauci speak from a point of scientific knowledge about how to behave and ignore the hunches others have, about 'this is going to go-away with warm weather.' Correlation does not imply causation.

Philip, I suspect the Cadillac will be returned with the transmission low on fluid. I ordered a Lokar transmission dipstick for the car so I can check it like a normal car. I understand owners who race their Cadillac CTS-Vs overfill the transmission by two quarts. The G-forces on a car that does 0-60 in 3.9 seconds can pull the fluid away from the pickup in the transmission. You have joined my low-miles world. Even visiting the grandkids and great-grandkids we don't put 2,000 miles a year on our three cars combined. Because I prefer to do my own work on them, I have an OBD II-I reader (OBD-I for the '87 Corvette) so I can check the Cadillac and PT Cruiser. I also like to play with performance so I have a DiabloSport I2 to tune the Cadillac and a DiabloSport Predator for the PT Cruiser.

We dodged the wedding bullets. Our son called us in Australia Thanksgiving day 1990 to invite us to his wedding on December 15. We were scheduled to fly home with several world tour stops on January 3, 1991 and asked if he could postpone until then. Nope, had to be the 15th but he didn't have a wedding or reception location in the event we could get tickets during Australia's holiday season (Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year's Day and summer holidays for the kids. Our daughter didn't want a big wedding so we were to meet them at the Palm Beach Courthouse at 2:00PM. Got there in plenty of time but the couple ahead of them on the schedule cancelled so they got married 5 minutes before we arrived and met them coming out. We paid the restaurant lunch bill for 7 people.

I have mixed feelings about the tires. Tire rack has a set of the current version of the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 for $1,380 but SimpleTire has a set of Landsail LS588 UHP tires for $428.68 -- both places have free shipping. I'm tempted to buy the cheapies based on how rarely the car gets past 80 mph.

I tried to save my mother some money when she was having her Saturn serviced by the dealer. Sent her to a mechanic I had good luck with an alignment but when I saw the bill for $800 I freaked out. They charged her $280 to "sanitize" the A/C system. The Cadillac service manager reminded me of that when he asked if I'd like to have them sanitize mine. I told him I had inspected it carefully when I replaced the cabin filter and it was spotless in there. Sheesh.

Our Instacart person was great and she put the bags right at the front door. My phone was powered off (its normal condition) so she couldn't text me. She had to ring the bell.

We've been sheltering in place since 1999 when I tried retirement for the second time (tried when I was 50 and got it right when I was 54). For this pandemic we've been locked up for the past 7 weeks. Started when I was released from the hospital on 02/22/2020. Now that I learned Instacart shops at Costco, we'll be good through Christmas.

Bob: your stories are getting longer and there's a lot of talk about work and organizing i'll have to read later and just wanted to stop by and say hi and hope all is well with you.

Drives, the shelter in place thing is giving me more keyboard time so the posts are getting longer. We're doing fine.

 

[Lyndon]

Bob

After your post I just went and checked the Falcon, and I run Michelin Pilot Sports on it, at 245/40ZR18.... And I'm on my second set, as they are a great tyre (tire?) for both grip, and duration. I'm on my second set, and I knew when the first ran out of tread because I completely aqua planed my way through a roundabout.....

I don't know what the Cadillac weighs, but the Falcon is at 1800kg with me in it.

Stay safe!

Lyndon

 

[Bob Heine]

Bob

After your post I just went and checked the Falcon, and I run Michelin Pilot Sports on it, at 245/40ZR18.... And I'm on my second set, as they are a great tyre (tire?) for both grip, and duration. I'm on my second set, and I knew when the first ran out of tread because I completely aqua planed my way through a roundabout.....

I don't know what the Cadillac weighs, but the Falcon is at 1800kg with me in it.

Stay safe!

Lyndon

Hi Lyndon, the Cadillac has different tires front and rear. The front tyres are 255/40ZR19 and the rear tyres are 285/35ZR19. The Cadillac weighs 2005kg with me in it. She's no featherweight but 556bhp @ 6100rpm and 551lb-ft @3800rpm gets it going reasonably well. The tires on the car have a lot of tread left and I've driven it in Florida gushers several times with no sign of hydroplaning (I do slow down to the 70mph speed limit).

 

[mybigwarwagon]

Since the Caddy is now a junker I will give you $200 for it IF you deliver it. You will have to find a ride home, or become a convict of the asylum.

 

[Grumblebum]

Since the Caddy is now a junker I will give you $200 for it IF you deliver it. You will have to find a ride home, or become a convict of the asylum.

Don't forget to have the shop manuals thrown in.

GB

 

[sawduststeve]

Since the Caddy is now a junker I will give you $200 for it IF you deliver it. You will have to find a ride home, or become a convict of the asylum.

Nope ^^^^ My mates, Kingstown Shipping have Bobs address and are awaiting the call to come and collect. Don't worry about the tyres Bob I'll be fine.
Our Audi, A4 Avant, has a sealed for life gearbox, whatever that means?. Its all good until its not, if it goes bang at 150k thats it life, if it goes bang at 50k thats its life. I'm sure its had its oil changed at a service onetime, all sounds a bit daft to me.
Have you had to re-label your drawers, what with all the reorganisation
I do check the label in my draws just to confirm I'm wearing the right ones.

stay safe
Steve

 

[bcoke]

Bob greetings from vermont........hate dealerships for that reason......remember they charge full MSRP for parts and {I feel this is stealing} for labor "BOOK" hours yes that 1++$ per hour is by the book ------which means if the book says it is a 2.5 hour job you pay 2.5x$1++ labor even if the mechanic [excuse me technician !] does it in 45 minutes!!!!!!!WTF....... most good mechanics I know [pop was in the business ] usaly get paid 65-85+ hours while they put in 40 hours at the shop!!!!!!!!!! When they ask this scotch-irish grumpy old man that the tech will take the car I say I want a mechanic to take it!!!!!!!lol ........Now my rant........how can you afford to throw that working Dremel.......Bypass the switch put a switch in the line or just plug and unplug it......now go out to the trash and rescue it .........or use a switched outlet .........I will be damned if I will pay $6 for something I can make over 2 days at a cost of $20..........I think this quarenteen is getting too me........do not often reply but follow you..........Good Health to you and yours.......remember this all is just part of that thing called LIFE! bobbycoke

 

[driftpin]

I'm with bcoke, hot-wire that Dremel and plug it into a portable switchbox, where one of the duplex spaces is an outlet, and the other is a switch. I like Dremels, I know there are more-sturdy machines out there. However, my Dremel or other rotary tool has gotten me out of so-many problems, they have a place in my workshop that cannot be easily-replaced, except with another. You can save that one for me, and I'll drive up from Miami to pick it up, once this blows-over. I'll treat you to lunch at the Flashback Diner in Boca Raton, which I believe is just north of you, on US-1 (1424-1450 N. Federal Hwy.). They started with one location across from Gulfstream Racetrack in Hallandale Beach, and have been able to open up others. I like the pastrami sandwich and soup combo.

 

[turbowoodworker]

DriftPin,
Could you not go into such detail about menu items. I am 1200 miles away and salivating!
Rick

 

[Vieux]

Tackled a couple of small projects so I wouldn't feel so trapped.

Had a corded drill and one of my 4.5-inch angle grinders in a drawer in the garage tool chest, along with a few abrasive disks and wire wheels. With my new Milwaukee M12 drills and impacts, I haven't used the drill in a long time. I also don't like to use the angle grinders in the garage where abrasive dust lands on the cars. I took the drill and grinder out of the drawer but left most of the disks behind. I also left one of my Dremel tools in the drawer because I use it to sharpen tungstens for the TIG welder. Drawer looks pretty empty. I may have to buy a new tool or two.

I found a spot for the drill in the workshop tool chest in the same drawer as my 1/2-inch hammer drill. I wanted to try to fit the angle grinder in the table saw upper cabinet drawer but there's two blow mold cases for Dremel tools in the drawer. The long case is for a recently deceased Dremel that went into the garbage (switch is no longer available and I broke the one in the tool trying to get it to work). The case also has a rarely used engraving tool and a bunch of stones, wire wheels and sanding disks in it.

With the long case out of the way, the drawer has space of all of my angle grinders and room for a bunch of my abrasive disks. The grinder at the top of the photo is my first -- impulse buy because it was on sale but I had no idea 4-inch grinders had so little support. Live and learn.

Decided to just add all the Dremel accessories from the long case to the Dremel/Burr drawer with a 'someday re-organization (the other Dremel case in that table saw cabinet drawer has a tool and accessories as well).

Decided it was time to restore some of the organization to the workshop, with a temporary shelf. Used 2x6 lumber scrap for the shelf and some packing lumber from something I bought a long time ago. Made shelf brackets out of the packing lumber.

The brackets worked great with a couple of construction screws attaching them to studs and into the 2x6.

Re-used the brass-plated steel kickplate from the front door remodel as an attachment for the parts cabinets but most of the weight is on the two-by shelf. One more shelf for the other side of the window and I should be able to get the remaining parts cabinets hung, freeing up the table they've been bowing for the past year.

If you don't mind, I'll steal some ideas for storing tools

 

[shortykorte]

Bob, what are you doing in Boca


Shorty Korte
Always remember quality in QST

Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[Craptain]

Shorty and others. As someone who lived on a boat for about 20years I am very aware of the damage that wipes can do. Oddly enough the problems always originated from visitors and not the boat owners.
Don't ever, and I mean EVER flush wipes, not even the so called flushable ones.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

 

[Bob Heine]

Since the Caddy is now a junker I will give you $200 for it IF you deliver it. You will have to find a ride home, or become a convict of the asylum.

Uncle Willie, I haven't heard from the dealership so I suspect most of the car has already been parted out. I took the cigarette lighter and ash tray out of the car (Liane insists on being the last smoker in the United States) so those are yours if you come and pick them up.

Don't forget to have the shop manuals thrown in.

GB

Rod, now that I have an idea how much the dealership charges, I'm going to spend the next decade reading the shop manuals and sharing my knowledge for a thousand dollars an hour. I'll be like Yoda sitting a wheelchair and dispensing wisdom.

Nope ^^^^ My mates, Kingstown Shipping have Bobs address and are awaiting the call to come and collect. Don't worry about the tyres Bob I'll be fine.
Our Audi, A4 Avant, has a sealed for life gearbox, whatever that means?. Its all good until its not, if it goes bang at 150k thats it life, if it goes bang at 50k thats its life. I'm sure its had its oil changed at a service onetime, all sounds a bit daft to me.
Have you had to re-label your drawers, what with all the reorganisation
I do check the label in my draws just to confirm I'm wearing the right ones.

stay safe
Steve

Steve, Uncle Willie is getting the lighter and ashtray so I'm going to send you the 500+ page Owner's Manuals and supplements.

Now that I've given up toilet paper I am going to have to label my draws with toxic stickers, one for each day I wear them -- maybe Poop Emoji stickers if they are cheaper.

Bob greetings from vermont........hate dealerships for that reason......remember they charge full MSRP for parts and {I feel this is stealing} for labor "BOOK" hours yes that 1++$ per hour is by the book ------which means if the book says it is a 2.5 hour job you pay 2.5x$1++ labor even if the mechanic [excuse me technician !] does it in 45 minutes!!!!!!!WTF....... most good mechanics I know [pop was in the business ] usaly get paid 65-85+ hours while they put in 40 hours at the shop!!!!!!!!!! When they ask this scotch-irish grumpy old man that the tech will take the car I say I want a mechanic to take it!!!!!!!lol ........Now my rant........how can you afford to throw that working Dremel.......Bypass the switch put a switch in the line or just plug and unplug it......now go out to the trash and rescue it .........or use a switched outlet .........I will be damned if I will pay $6 for something I can make over 2 days at a cost of $20..........I think this quarenteen is getting too me........do not often reply but follow you..........Good Health to you and yours.......remember this all is just part of that thing called LIFE! bobbycoke

BobbyCoke, I have to admit I had a pleasant relationship with the Castle Hill Toyota dealership in Australia. They never added anything unexpected to the bill and fixed the few warranty items with no fuss. My US dealership experiences have been at the other end of the spectrum. My mood at the moment is not great for bringing dead tools back. I very rarely run my Dremel tools at maximum speed so the idea of a screaming machine with a grinding stone on it seems like an ER visit at a perfect time for an old man. To add insult to injury one of my Milwaukee M12 batteries went belly-up. I have no idea when I bought it but it can't be more than a year ago. Apparently they don't warranty the battery packs.

I'm with bcoke, hot-wire that Dremel and plug it into a portable switchbox, where one of the duplex spaces is an outlet, and the other is a switch. I like Dremels, I know there are more-sturdy machines out there. However, my Dremel or other rotary tool has gotten me out of so-many problems, they have a place in my workshop that cannot be easily-replaced, except with another. You can save that one for me, and I'll drive up from Miami to pick it up, once this blows-over. I'll treat you to lunch at the Flashback Diner in Boca Raton, which I believe is just north of you, on US-1 (1424-1450 N. Federal Hwy.). They started with one location across from Gulfstream Racetrack in Hallandale Beach, and have been able to open up others. I like the pastrami sandwich and soup combo.

Philip, I am not handing over an electric hand grenade to anyone because my liability insurance isn't adequate for a face transplant. Remember, we live in the "Who Can I Sue State!"

DriftPin,
Could you not go into such detail about menu items. I am 1200 miles away and salivating!
Rick

Rick, we haven't eaten outside the house in five years. There's a Chinese take-away (take-out) and a recently closed Pizza joint but that's our limit and even those are every couple of months. Because I do the cooking there are fewer complaints when there's nothing to compare it to.

If you don't mind, I'll steal some ideas for storing tools

Vladimir, I would be honored to see you adopt an idea of mine. Of course I probably stole them from someone else and just can't remember who.

Bob, what are you doing in Boca


Shorty Korte
Always remember quality in QST

Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

Stuart, I don't put anything in the toilet except what my body excretes. My current plaid boxers are still presentable even though there are five Poop Emojis on them.

Shorty and others. As someone who lived on a boat for about 20years I am very aware of the damage that wipes can do. Oddly enough the problems always originated from visitors and not the boat owners.
Don't ever, and I mean EVER flush wipes, not even the so called flushable ones.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk

Andrew, soon after our daughter "became a woman" we had to call Roto Rooter to clear the main drain. He strongly suggested feminine hygiene products not be flushed. Our boats were too small for a head so we had a bucket with a tight lid on board. Surprisingly it was never used.

 

[Guster]

Sorry to hear about your terrible, horrible, no good day Bob! Sounds like things are slowly getting better. That is a grand collection of on OBD devices! I remember needing a Nissan specific one but have been lucky to only need the one now. Managed to splurge on a nice digital battery condition tester instead.

I know how it feels when you need a car and neither work. My wife's car had left a door open and as a result, needed the battery charged. I check its condition and seemed OK. While it turned over it wouldn't start. What I didn't know was that the AC compressor is failing and putting load on the engine. Turning the AC off fired her up right away. Will have to wait a few months to get it serviced. Then my car failed to start as well. Least I had bought a spare battery before lockdown and luckily only took 5mins to install in the rain during my only break between work meetings. Just so I can go stand in a queue for groceries later.

You are definitely onto a good thing with the Instacart setup. I don't mind shopping during current restrictions too much. Just don't need flour that badly and while it is odd using hard soap for the first time in years, it is only mildly inconveniencing. Though it seems that grocery shops have become a focal point for public attention. Attracting some strange behavior from people who are either on behaviour moderating medication or stricter supervision than can be provided at the moment. Of the 4 times I had been there in the last 3 weeks there had been 3 incidents involving police, one which required a tow vehicle and another an ambulance.

Even before the restriction announcements started there was a renewed campaign about not flushing sanitary wipes. Even the flushable ones have a "plastic fibre reinforcing" to them that makes them not break down fast enough, if at all. They also tend to amass and tangle with other stuff really easily. Our capital has particularly old sewage networks and have recently come under severe strain because of this. Even some of the newer networks in Auckland had "collection and overflow junctions" needing to be cleared 5 times before lockdown started. That is such a **** job!

Stay safe Bob and keep sane!

PS. I remind myself every day that a peace offering to the wife does less to my pride compared to what she can commit while I sleep. Her sanity above mine!

 

[Bob Heine]

Sorry to hear about your terrible, horrible, no good day Bob! Sounds like things are slowly getting better. That is a grand collection of on OBD devices! I remember needing a Nissan specific one but have been lucky to only need the one now. Managed to splurge on a nice digital battery condition tester instead.

I know how it feels when you need a car and neither work. My wife's car had left a door open and as a result, needed the battery charged. I check its condition and seemed OK. While it turned over it wouldn't start. What I didn't know was that the AC compressor is failing and putting load on the engine. Turning the AC off fired her up right away. Will have to wait a few months to get it serviced. Then my car failed to start as well. Least I had bought a spare battery before lockdown and luckily only took 5mins to install in the rain during my only break between work meetings. Just so I can go stand in a queue for groceries later.

You are definitely onto a good thing with the Instacart setup. I don't mind shopping during current restrictions too much. Just don't need flour that badly and while it is odd using hard soap for the first time in years, it is only mildly inconveniencing. Though it seems that grocery shops have become a focal point for public attention. Attracting some strange behavior from people who are either on behaviour moderating medication or stricter supervision than can be provided at the moment. Of the 4 times I had been there in the last 3 weeks there had been 3 incidents involving police, one which required a tow vehicle and another an ambulance.

Even before the restriction announcements started there was a renewed campaign about not flushing sanitary wipes. Even the flushable ones have a "plastic fibre reinforcing" to them that makes them not break down fast enough, if at all. They also tend to amass and tangle with other stuff really easily. Our capital has particularly old sewage networks and have recently come under severe strain because of this. Even some of the newer networks in Auckland had "collection and overflow junctions" needing to be cleared 5 times before lockdown started. That is such a **** job!

Stay safe Bob and keep sane!

PS. I remind myself every day that a peace offering to the wife does less to my pride compared to what she can commit while I sleep. Her sanity above mine!

Eugene, I realize that day was a nothing-muffin in real terms. I have been spoiled by a very long string of good days. I'm a hermit at heart so I have OBD devices for all the cars that use them, even my learning disabled '87 Corvette. If I have my way, the '72 Corvette will have a fuel injection system with a baby brain -- and another handheld computer.

Back in the early '60s I had five cars in the yard. My '55 and '56 Chevies, as well as the '56 Ford had 12v negative ground electrical systems. The '47 Ford had a 6v negative ground system and the '55 Plymouth had a 6v positive ground system. We had two vehicles running at a time but when Liane rolled the '47 Ford (drag racing a '64 GTO) I had to go out back, find and start the '55 Plymouth that was settling into the dirt over the previous 18 months. Took the battery out of the '47 Ford, hooked it up to the Plymouth and checked for coolant (it didn't have anti-freeze in it). The freeze plugs in the block did their job and I hammered the one that popped out back in its hole, filled it with water and fired it up. I had converted the car from automatic to standard and was able to drive it out to the driveway and swap plates from the Ford to the Plymouth. Winter was coming so we only drove the Plymouth for a short time and traded the car for a pair of snow tires on Chevy rims. Some would call those "the good old days!"

Went to the drug store to pick up some prescriptions mid-afternoon and was pleased again at the one-person line when I arrived. I splashed a little alcohol on the counter and spread it around with my heavy-duty black Nitrile glove so the clerk didn't have to wipe it down through the small slot at the bottom of the new plastic shield. Very odd shield because it didn't extend to the register so the clerk was completely exposed to every customer. When she returned with the prescriptions, her jab dropped open. The woman who was six feet behind me was obviously late picking up her meds. She was somewhere between 30 and 90 years old, bleached blond hair, a little hunched over and tan like a 1960s Hawaiian Tan advertisement. No mask, no gloves, just a Stevie Nicks outfit and Southern Belle straw hat that hinted at her age. She was loudly complaining about the beaches being closed. She was asking no one in particular why they allowed other essential places to remain open but not the beaches. The very sweet black clerk didn't say a word but she had that "what's wrong with white people" look on her face.

 

[Bob Heine]

Lots of little projects, some successful, some not. Because we wear face shields when we go out, I thought my scratched up one could use a quick polish.

It isn't that bad but I figured I'd get rid of the light scratches and not have it quite so cloudy. Clamped my Flex variable speed buffer in the vice and spread some extra fine V38 optical polishing compound on a foam pad.

I set the machine on its slowest setting and began polishing the face shield. Apparently the foam pad has passed it's 'best by' date and shredded itself apart. My face shield isn't a whole lot clearer but I do have a mess to clean up.

I was surprised to see the pad fall apart like that. In the past I've had good luck with Lake Country foam pads but I haven't been using them lately.

 

[Bob Heine]

The flimsy metal basket holding the 'little' Staghorn Fern in the back yard failed the other day. One of the chains rusted through so I scrounged around in the workshop and came up with some all-thread, nuts and washers, a piece of steel saved from a garage door opener and some chain left over from the last Staghorn Fern project. I expect to bash my head on the steel plate under the fern so I cut the corners off and and rounded the sharp edges.

I thought the all-thread was longer so I had to make a short section of chain to fit the space.

Spent way too long on this project (3+ hours) but it was a nice diversion. Should be at least 10 years before I have to repair this again. Of course I'll have to move it to a higher branch sooner than later because this is already too heavy for me to carry up a ladder by myself. Cable Come-Along will ride again!

 

[Bob Heine]

This one's for all the Sunrise/Sunset folks. I got up to a very pretty sunrise but by the time I got the camera, the sky was a dull gray rather than the bright pink/red. With the jungle taking over my back yard there isn't much of a view of the sky. We had some heavy humidity last night (heavy humidity in Florida = light rain).

 

[Bob Heine]

Managed to make another shelf to hold the last parts cabinet temporarily so I can get the table out of the workshop.

 

[Bob Heine]

Because I have the silver base and clear on hand, I'm getting back on the PT Cruiser bumper project. I ignored a rule of automotive painting and chased a fisheye, resulting in a nice curtain run. Pissed me off enough so I just quit. It's time to get out the sandpaper and level the paint one more time.

 

[y'sguy]

I think Staghorn ferns are one of the coolest plants ever. I've had a few but in our environment without some sort of greenhouse protection they will not survive of course. Worth living in your neck of the woods!

 

[drivesitfar]

BOB: your yard looks like an OASIS to me cause i like all those plants that have aged nicely like you have!!

nice try on the shield and from my chair it does look a bit better.

 

[harley jim]

Bob
Yours is the second stag horn fern I have seen here in a week. I never actually looked at one before but they are kinda interesting. I think I need one

Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk

 

[bj383ss]

This one's for all the Sunrise/Sunset folks. I got up to a very pretty sunrise but by the time I got the camera, the sky was a dull gray rather than the bright pink/red. With the jungle taking over my back yard there isn't much of a view of the sky. We had some heavy humidity last night (heavy humidity in Florida = light rain).

Bob this is great!

Bret

 

[shortykorte]

I’m thinking us Floridians should quarantine at your place Bob. Jungle oasis, pool, two shops and some cool cars to work on.


Shorty Korte
Always remember quality in QST

Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[iced98lx]

I was surprised to see the pad fall apart like that. In the past I've had good luck with Lake Country foam pads but I haven't been using them lately.

Holy moly I have a stockpile of LCC pads that I pull out whenever I need one (dating back to 2010, 2012?) and haven't had one do that to me, wild!

 

[xtremek]

Can you slow down, you're making the rest of us look bad.

 

[cbacres]

Hi Bob,

I'll be in the area tomorrow visiting one of those places that a lot of people have been sending thier used antibacterial wipes. Yep, your local waste water treatment plant, at least I don't have to worry about running into a lot of people there.

I have a quick site inspection for a bid, and it's not prying the wipes out of the pumps.

It won't feel right being near your hood and not stopping, but I'm still playing it safe for a while. I'll just wave when I go by. it's probably safer for me to just wave as I'm sure Liane still remembers me suggesting how you could extend your garage.............

I pack a cooler and am pretty much good for the day, pretty much only make stops to share the roadside bathrooms with the critters.

Hope all is well and we'll catch up next time.

 

[Bob Heine]

I think Staghorn ferns are one of the coolest plants ever. I've had a few but in our environment without some sort of greenhouse protection they will not survive of course. Worth living in your neck of the woods!

Y'sguy, they are amazing. We have three hanging from branches and two that grew from spores on tree trunks all by themselves. I think they are even cooler when they grow naturally. One settled on a palm tree near the front door...

...and a really cool one landed on the Maple in the back yard.

Another unexpected bonus/curse of our climate in South Florida is the seasons trees choose to drop their leaves. One tree in the front yard and several on the garage side yard dropped its leaves last week and a tree in the back yard dropped its leaves this week (same time other trees are dropping flowers in the yard.).

BOB: your yard looks like an OASIS to me cause i like all those plants that have aged nicely like you have!!

nice try on the shield and from my chair it does look a bit better.

Drives, glad you like the yard. I kinda wish I could grow a new limb like my plants.

I only wear the shield when I get to a public place (as I get out of the car) so it doesn't have to be perfect. Just clear enough to read the fine print through it.

Bob
Yours is the second stag horn fern I have seen here in a week. I never actually looked at one before but they are kinda interesting. I think I need one

Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk

Jim, I believe you only need one. Once they get growing, their spores spread and you will have them pop up around the compound.

Bob this is great!

Bret

Glad you like it Bret!

I’m thinking us Floridians should quarantine at your place Bob. Jungle oasis, pool, two shops and some cool cars to work on.


Shorty Korte
Always remember quality in QST

Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

Stewart, as long as you don't come inside you're probably safe. We've been locked up together inside for almost 9 weeks. Your chances of survival are better in an alligator pit.

Holy moly I have a stockpile of LCC pads that I pull out whenever I need one (dating back to 2010, 2012?) and haven't had one do that to me, wild!

Iced98lx, I think it was one I probably washed with the wrong cleaner. All of my other LCC pads are holding up fine. I should say the green and blue ones that I used to polish and wax the PT Cruiser held up fine last weekend.

Can you slow down, you're making the rest of us look bad.

Kirk, at my age any sign of slowing down triggers the predators. "Lie down on this cool pile of dirt next to the hole Grandpa Bob!"

Hi Bob,

I'll be in the area tomorrow visiting one of those places that a lot of people have been sending thier used antibacterial wipes. Yep, your local waste water treatment plant, at least I don't have to worry about running into a lot of people there.

I have a quick site inspection for a bid, and it's not prying the wipes out of the pumps.

It won't feel right being near your hood and not stopping, but I'm still playing it safe for a while. I'll just wave when I go by. it's probably safer for me to just wave as I'm sure Liane still remembers me suggesting how you could extend your garage.............

I pack a cooler and am pretty much good for the day, pretty much only make stops to share the roadside bathrooms with the critters.

Hope all is well and we'll catch up next time.

Craig, You know you're always welcome and don't worry about Liane, she remember Ellie liked you. We adopted Jasmine, a Puerto Rico rescue dog who loves Liane like she's the Second Coming but hates me and every man we know so you might want to wait for Little Cujo to settle in.

I'm going to get an attendant/co-pilot to do a road trip with me when this thing lets up. I don't feel like I'm one of the old people this virus kills but all my stats disagree. Worse than that SWMBO controls my shock collar.

 

[sean Buick 76]

Good job as always and AWE that dog is so darn cute!!!

 

[shortykorte]

Little Cujo. Cute name, cute pup.


Shorty Korte
Always remember quality in QST

Sent from my iPhone using Garage Journal

 

[oldironfarmer]

Just catching up Bob.

Nice place you got there, I'll come visit some day.

 

[cbacres]

Cute dog!

I’m honored knowing a dog approved of me.

One of our past dogs didn’t like some people we we’re around and it proved out later the dog was right.

Maybe one of the East coast guys will put a gather together.

I could swing by to get you since I’m dog approved.