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Got the saw unstuck. Since I was part way through the tree part(not the trunk, but bigger than a branch) I attached a strap between it and the pickup and gave it a tug. The tree cracked open and the saw came out. Then I fired up the saw and cut the rest of the way through. I got a lot cut up today, and some small stumps pulled out.
I'm beat. I came in and sat for a bit then started to stiffen up. I need a hot tub. I'll sleep good tonight.
Mike - I'm going to assume this 'branch' was laying on the ground under its own weight. I always establish a 'pivot' point (fulcrum) with something (usually another branch, limb, etc.) so the cut point has no or limited weight bearing on it. Any weight is then distributed outwards from the cut point. Be safe.
Colder here, 42° right now which will be the high for the day, with sustained 20mph breeze. Temp dropping throughout the day to below freezing tomorrow morning.
No big plans for tonight or tomorrow other than watching the CFP Quarterfinal Playoff games, 1 tonight and 3 tomorrow. Gonna run out in just a little while and get some party type foods, some hot wings and peel & eat shrimp are at the top of my list if they aren't sold out. Need to get to Wally World before folks start getting off of work and making the last second run on the place.
I hope everyone has a nice time whatever you have planned for tonight and I'll see ya in the New Year!
I survived, barely. Walmart was like they'd let the local Psych Ward in for a field trip! Got most of what I set out to get. They were out of frozen Buffalo Wings so I ended up with Buffalo Strips instead. They were out of Home Run Inn pizzas so I couldn't stock up on those, but I got Pap's Drafthouse which I like just as much. I was able to get my frozen peel and eat Shrimp and other sides.
So my New Year's Day spread tomorrow while I watch the CFP Playoffs will be:
- Buffalo Chicken Strips with Bleu Cheese dressing for dipping
- Large Peel & Eat Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce for dipping
- Triscuits with Colby Jack Cheese slices
- Bread and Butter Pickle slices
- Raspberry Jelly Donuts with white icing for dessert
- Just a few Rolling Rocks to wash it all down
Now you guys get on your horses and get headed this way, there will be plenty to go around!
Last edited by Dream67Olds442; Dec 31, 2024 at 11:57 AM.
RH inner fender well installed. Re-wrapped (cloth friction tape) many wire looms, wires, plugs & connectors in LH engine bay prepping for LH inner fender well installation. LH inner fender well install next. Trending in a positive direction. Installation of front exterior fender flares, wheels & tires all that remain. I have absolutely zero plans for this evening - food, drink, entertainment or otherwise.
RH inner fender well installed. Re-wrapped (cloth friction tape) many wire looms, wires, plugs & connectors in LH engine bay prepping for LH inner fender well installation. LH inner fender well install next. Trending in a positive direction. Installation of front exterior fender flares, wheels & tires all that remain. I have absolutely zero plans for this evening - food, drink, entertainment or otherwise.
Norm - Glad things are moving forward and trending positively. 👍
o my New Year's Day spread tomorrow while I watch the CFP Playoffs will be: - Buffalo Chicken Strips with Bleu Cheese dressing for dipping - Large Peel & Eat Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce for dipping - Triscuits with Colby Jack Cheese slices - Bread and Butter Pickle slices - Raspberry Jelly Donuts with white icing for dessert - Just a few Rolling Rocks to wash it all down
Now you guys get on your horses and get headed this way, there will be plenty to go around!
Dawn just finished this large chest-of-drawers today. Targeted for use in a younger girl's room. My younger daughter would have loved this when she was little, purple is her favorite color.
Today was a win all the way around. Tiger had a couple issues that I was concerned about and took him to the vet this morning. All is well. Had a great lunch at the Awful house. Put the new battery in the Valiant and took it for a spin. And not only was there no rain, it was sunny all day and well over 70* . I got quite a bit of the tree cut up and also some trimming done in the back yard. Mom loves it.
Norm I try to make cuts where there is no pressure on what I'm cutting. It doesn't always work out that way, and I've gotten pretty good at cutting from the top and judging when it will pinch, and then finish cutting from the bottom. Once in a while I don't get it right and I have to get creative. No biggie.
Chris the dresser needs to go to a MOPAR person, it's Plum Crazy Purple!
I have no plans for the evening or for tomorrow, celebration wise. I'm going to watch Hogan's Heros at 10, then Adam 12 at 11 and then it will be New Years. Tomorrow will be nice so I'll do some more tree. Then I go back to work Thursday. It's been nice being off several days in a row.
Fireworks and guns have been going all evening. Right at midnight it sounds like a war zone. Goes for about 20 minutes. I stay in, these people shoot real bullets into the air.
Okay Happy New Year everyone! Don't do laundry tomorrow or you'll wash away somebody's future. So they say. Best wishes.
LoL
Funny you should comment on the Naproxen though. Brand new bottle, a mistaken purchase online from Sam's Club. My wife doesn't make many mistakes ordering online, but that bottle is one of them. I told her I needed an order of Sam's Brand Ibuprofen, but mistakenly she ordered those. Easily returned, but I'm gonna give them a try as a change to regularly using Ibuprofen to manage my arthritis pain.
My father prefers Naproxin for any muscle pain.
Originally Posted by Vintage Chief
A "dead" tree stump is an excellent candidate for two methods:
(1) Drill numerous large holes into the stump. Fill each hole w/ KNO3 (Potassium Nitrate) & add water to cover. A couple weeks to a couple months it will resemble a sponge - dig it out. Doesn't work so well on freshly cut tree stumps.
(2) Drill numerous large holes &/or make large numerous deep cuts into the stump. Several really large holes works great. Fill hole(s) w/ diesel fuel or kerosene then torch it. Best if you can drill/bore holes from both top and side where both top & side holes meet so you have an updraft.
EDIT: You can buy KNO3 dirt cheap on Amazon or other likely suspects.
Tannerite and a rifle.
Originally Posted by 1969w3155
Same here. The Amish mafia got me again. The Amish furniture store that I buy from, usually has sales a couple of times a year at a whopping 10% off. I ignore them. Well, I got a mailer from them late last week, 50% off of showroom furniture. Well hell, I'm in like Flint! Headed up this a.m. after getting new pads and rotors on the Hyundai. Picked up a coffee table that matched the end table that I bought last spring. So, it was cheaper than the end table. Not light, but I managed to carry it into the house w/o blowing my back out any further. I thought that maybe I would pick up a sectional if they had one that interested me, but that **** is still expensive even at 50% off. So, just a coffee table for now.
That must be the Michigan version of In Like Flynn (or sin).
Originally Posted by Greg Rogers
John, I got 2 questions for you.
1) I just bought a AM-FM stereo radio for my 71 Cutlass that needs repair on the volume control, any tips either on who can do it, or if I could? Maybe take volume control out of my AM radio and use???
2) I have mentioned my old Sansui G5500 receiver in past threads. It is very "fussy" about tuner- fader and volume all seem to stop then if you tap on **** come back- Any advice on this? My wife is disgusted with it, she wants me to replace it, If I do maybe I will give it to you, if you want it....
I know you are a audiophile and have skills in tis area. Thanks Greg
1. There is a guy on here who offered services. I would send to him. Problem is, that volume control is soldered in.
2. Your receiver probably needs a restoration. There are people who do it. Ideally, you need a local man. I put several hundred into a received of my old man's and gave it back to him for Christmas; he is very happy.
Originally Posted by 1969w3155
Have you tried any of the aerosol contact cleaners?
De-Oxit is the best brand.
Originally Posted by Vintage Chief
Greg - Dan's advice was good but there are a couple caveats working on faders, volume tuner controls:
(1) It's meticulous business - you need to be meticulous. Since you're not rebuilding/repairing the entire radio/receiver, etc. e.g. working from a DIY/amateur perspective, don't expect any form of resolution simply spraying. You have to take each piece of equipment completely apart to reveal the 'pods' e.g. rheostat, fader, tuner, etc. You might not have to remove each device, but you need remove as many items as you can to reveal & get as far down into the gammish.
(2) Use a combination of several things:
(a) Good quality contact cleaner - e.g. good quality is key. I like CRC products;
(b) Be very liberal w/ compressed air both prior to spraying contact cleaner and while soaking spraying contact cleaner;
(c) Soak 'thoroughly'. The best contact cleaners will evaporate exceedingly well w/ no/limited residue. Use compressed air to help remove oxidized deposits of metal. This is generally 90% of the issue. The metal oxidizes, loses it's ability to make good contact(s). You want to remove this oxidation layer.
(d) Never think several spins of the dial are going to work. You need to rotate the dial (tuner, fader, pod, etc.) at least 50 to several hundred times - that's what it takes to remove the oxidized metal.
So, the above may or may not work. I've been down this road enumerable times w/ many pieces of equipment and with varying degrees of success - often times very good success.
EDIT: I should mention you often can't 'visualize' oxidized metal so don't 'expect' to see a visual difference. I can assure you it's the oxidation which develops most of time (save for maybe the occasional capacitor gone bad).
I am not yet to the point where I can really work on stuff. I don't have the tools or hand skills. I farm out the work. It seems like it's 1/3 replacing electronic components (soldering, testing, parts selection), 1/3 complete cleaning of mechanical components, and 1/3 cosmetic.
What that Sansui needs is to go to a go who knows them in and out and who will fix everything that is wrong, but also knows what will go wrong in the future and fix that, too. Some guys "just get something running." Other guys "replace everything." The guy in the middle who will make an informed decision based on each part is the one you want, because there are probably things wrong with it that make it sound less good than it could sound, but aren't noticeable.
Audiokarma.org is a bunch of old dudes that do this stuff. There's a Sansui subsection, and a Michigan subsection. I bet there is someone who knows the right guy in your area to make that thing bulletproof for the next 20 years.
Happy New Year gang! Welcome back John, hope you had a nice visit in Florida.
About 34° right now here, but at least the sun is out. Weatherman is calling for a significant snow/ice event here on Sunday thru Monday morning with 5 to 8-inches of snow and ice. My neighbor and I may be firing up our jointly owned snowblower if it happens. I didn't even use it last season. I think he only used it once or twice at the most. He has been keeping the manuals, but I'd better borrow the Operating Manual just to refresh myself with the operating instructions. Besides being powerful enough to easily clear our driveways, it is plenty powerful enough to pull itself through deep snow down the slope to my back yard and I can easily clear a large area in the back yard for the dogs to do their business without them having to trudge thru snow above their chest.
College Football Playoffs on tap all day today. Three Quarterfinal Games in a row starting at Noon. All three games are being broadcast by ESPN.
Hope everyone has a great day!
Last edited by Dream67Olds442; Jan 1, 2025 at 07:23 AM.
That must be the Michigan version of In Like Flynn
I was wondering if someone would mention that. Actually in reference to a couple of 007 type movies that James Colburn starred in. His character's name was Flint. Seems one of them was called Our Man Flint, but it has been decades since I've seen the movies.
RH front fender flare re-installed yesterday, general cleaning of tools, man-cave/shop area cleanup. Scanner reveals no OBD2 GP codes or any codes attendant to GPs or GPCM. One code remains (P132B TURBOCHARGER / SUPERCHARGER BOOST CONTROL "A" PERFORMANCE). This is a non-issue since I'm aware the TURBO system requires some attention. This code can also result from one or several sensors involved in the TURBO system/circuit e.g. MAF (Mass Air Flow), IAT2 (Intake Air Temperature), EGR (Exhaust Gas Regulator) valve. Any of these components can produce a P132B OBD2 code. At 200K miles, it's time to seriously look into either replacing or rebuilding the TURBO.
The IH (International Harvester) VT365 6.0L diesel is really an excellent engine. It is a Navistar engine which at one time was a division of IH. IH essentially went out of business, w/ regards to the worldwide company name. They made many forms of engines for agriculture, commercial/industrial transportation highway & off highway use, etc. They still remain viable as Navistar International. VW purchased all the Navistar (stock) shares at some point. This engine (VT365) suffered from major issues resulting in thousands of lawsuits against Ford (FMC) and this engine was deemed the worst cluster **** ever produced by Ford. The 'issue' occurred as the result of Ford's modifications to the VT365 engine, which BTW, Navistar did not agree with. Likely more information than any of you care to know. With proper aftermarket upgrades (bulletproofing) and good maintenance the engine can yield between 300K - 500K miles.
Two days in. So far so good. I didn't do a derned thing for New Years though I was up at midnight to hear the chaos.
Ah it was so nice to be off 5 days and not have anything to worry about. I did get a lot done, but it was at my leisure and I didn't have to go anywhere. That must be what retirement feels like. Now I'm back to work for two days. Usually it feels like I've never left but something seems different. I can't put my finger on it.
I'm down to about a 15' section of tree trunk, and then the rest of the branches need shredding and a few larger parts need to be cut up for firewood. I know a tree guy, I'll have him come give me an estimate on a couple more trees that need to come down. They are close to the power lines and also way tall, I wouldn't begin to attempt taking them down. He has a boom truck and can get them in short order. The long term plan is to relocate the driveway and this is the first step. This would have been a project better started 10 years ago.
Norm I've seen ads for the 6 liter that say they've been bulletproofed. Seems to me I've seen Duramax's say they've been bulletproofed as well. Sometimes they say partially bulletproofed, and I'd think if the whole thing hasn't been done then it doesn't count.
John glad you're back. Hope you had a good time. How's Dad doing?
Got some stairs to replace on my front porch after work. I stepped on one side a few weeks ago and the wood cracked. So I just left it and started walking on the other side. Now that side has cracked so I need to do something. The other stairs will be inspected but the one that is bad is the only one that is actually outside the drip line of the overhang.
Okay break is over. Things are going fairly well this morning. I didn't miss a thing Monday and Tuesday. Hope everyone has a good day. One more to go already.
Norm - Glad you got your truck finished up! I'm assuming it started and is running ok? Any noticeable change in performance?
Mike - Sounds like you've made good progress on the downed tree. Good luck with the rest.
No big plans here today. I've got to get back to being more selective on what and how much I'm eating. Way to many sweets over the holidays! No big plans in the foreseeable future either other than going to watch Gabe play hockey on Saturday afternoon..
Definitely not looking forward to the snow/ice they are still calling for on Sunday thru Monday. They're still calling for 5 to 8-inches of snow and then some ice. Got the snowblower manual from my neighbor yesterday and refamiliarized myself with the operating controls this morning. Brutal cold will be coming in on Tuesday behind the storm. I'm seeing single digit overnight lows for several days when it gets here! Crap!
Mike, the old man is staying off the sauce. He can be ok, or be a total narcissist depending on his mood. It's draining to have to "out-dick" him when he is the latter. But, he is surviving.
Chris, the problem is we get ice, then snow, then cold, so the ice is around for a week or more. I am going for supplies today and tomorrow. Provided I have supplies and utilities, I am quite happy going nowhere for a week.
Chris, the problem is we get ice, then snow, then cold, so the ice is around for a week or more. I am going for supplies today and tomorrow. Provided I have supplies and utilities, I am quite happy going nowhere for a week.
John - Glad to hear your Dad has been staying away from the sauce.
I don't know that it really matters in the grand scheme of things, but I've been reading a different sequencing of events for our area. What I've been reading is snow first here on Sunday morning, then ice later in the afternoon after temps have warmed up some. Like I said before, I don't know that the sequencing will really matter on how bad things get. What I'm hoping is that that the plows get out early and they put enough salt down to keep any significant ice off the roads to begin with. Like you said, if we get significant ice accumulation and it's on the roadways when the extreme cold hits, it's gonna be here awhile. I don't have to be anywhere, so no big deal for me, but I worry about my daughters who as nurses really need to try and make it to work if at all possible!
Chris just stay in. The snow and ice will thaw in the spring. Here's a funny story(I think it's funny). Years ago, we had freezing rain which resulted in a buildup of ice a couple inches thick. When I lived up home we'd get ice like this from several storms over the winter from thawing and refreezing and I'd take my ice scraper(six inch scraper on a 5ft pole) and hack at the ice and scrape it up off the driveway. So this one time I did just that. My neighbor came over and asked why I was doing that. I said, because that's what you do when you have ice on the driveway. He laughed and laughed. He said it will melt eventually why go to the trouble. Well, a little while later said neighbor left and came home and couldn't get his truck up his driveway, so he and his two boys got shovels and scrapers and were hacking the ice off their driveway. I don't recall exactly what I said to them from across the street, but they didn't appreciate it and continued their ice removal.
John my Mom has episodes where she is borderline unbearable. I attribute it to several things, including her being bitter about her life not turning out how she'd like, her struggling with mortality(she's 83), and feeling obsolete. It has long been a practice with my sister and me to just let her carry on and to basically ignore her. Going up against her just adds fuel to the fire. She eventually returns to normal. Luckily these episodes are getting further apart.
Breaktime. I need to go to the ATM, I think I'll do that now. Nice out, sunny and 40s.
I'm assuming it started and is running ok? Any noticeable change in performance?
Chris- Diesel tractor starts very nicely now. It runs fine and no - there is no noticeable change in performance. GPs have no influence on a diesel engine's performance. GPs are required to start a diesel engine - that's all.
John/Mike - I can (like many of us) relate to the aging process regarding many parents - not all, but many. Our Mom was typical of the scenario you both described. And, from my experience, boy howdy, attempts at reasoning &/or discussions are useless. Don't bother to engage when they get that way, just nod your head & walk away.
Norm, I recall reading about the Navistar/Ford lawsuit. We still have a Navistar service center here for their trucks and busses. Many years ago, I dated a gal whose dad worked there. A great guy, his daughter, not so much!
This guy had far, far, far, far too much knowledge about how he could have created an explosive device. Personally, unless for some reason he became mentally deranged (recently), it almost appears the guy was heading out camping somewhere or into the desert to play with fireworks. Hell, he may have stopped at the hotel to pick up his girlfriend/boyfriend to go w/ him, found her/him w/ some other guy/girl & shot himself in the head w/ nothing to do about a terrorist scenario. Easy to jump to conclusions I think, maybe. Hell, the gunshot might have sparked the explosion itself.
Chris- Diesel tractor starts very nicely now. It runs fine and no - there is no noticeable change in performance. GPs have no influence on a diesel engine's performance. GPs are required to start a diesel engine - that's all.
Thanks Norm, appreciate the response. Of course there's no change in driving performance, you'd already explained in a previous post how a diesel engine does not require a spark source for the fuel/air mixture to combust, but that explanation had already left my brain!
I have to say though, that before you explained how a diesel engine works, I didn't know they didn't need a spark source for the fuel to combust and the engine run. I mistakenly thought the GP's were a spark source to ignite the fuel. You definitely taught me something there! 👍
Chris - Yeah, basically it's this without being encumbered or muddying the discussion w/ specifics:
A petrol engine utilizes "spark" ignition (spark plug in each cylinder to ignite fuel); whereas, a diesel engine utilizes "compression" ignition (compression of air creates heat - heat is used to ignite fuel).
I can identify three reasons which cause/contribute to dieseling (runaway) - all involve an engine w/ a carburetor. Note: Dieseling can occur in a diesel engine (equipped w/ a carburetor) as well. I've ridden farm diesel tractors w/ this condition.
(1) An engine which runs too lean creates a very (above normal operating temperature) hot environment in which unspent fuel resides in one or more cylinder chamber(s) (after the engine is turned OFF & this fuel is ignited by an overheat condition);
(2) A carburetor which fails to close at engine (ignition) shutdown - continues to feed fuel into the engine causing the unspent fuel to burn from heat in the cylinder(s);
(3) Incorrect timing.
Bonus (reason) (4): Inadequate/Incorrect (intake) valve closing for any number of reasons which can contribute to an intake valve not sealing/closing - continues to pull in fuel after ignition is turned off.
Dawn has been going gangbusters on finishing up some pieces after finally feeling better from the nagging bug she had. Today she finished 2 pieces. First is a very large Coffee Table, 36" x 50", that has alot of storage, with very pretty wood on the top. The 2nd is another Vintage Radio. The radio unit only has AM, but both the Radio and the Phonograph are still operational.
Sorry, Norm, I meant diesel runaway as in the engine gets hot enough, or gets a leak, or both, that it ignites the engine oil in the cylinders and starts running off the lubrication as fuel. Shutting the injectors down does nothing, and, unless you have a cutoff device on the intake air, that thing is running hell bent for leather until it dies or until someone stuffs a shirt down the bore to stifle it. Or you can try to stall it like this guy.
Got most of what I set out to get. They were out of frozen Buffalo Wings so I ended up with Buffalo Strips instead. They were out of Home Run Inn pizzas so I couldn't stock up on those, but I got Pap's Drafthouse which I like just as much. I was able to get my frozen peel and eat Shrimp and other sides.
