2025: What are you doing today?

[Crosley.In.AZ]

I am on ver 4.0 with my ceiling lights in the shop?  I added lights near the back wall with a switch on the back wall.  I wondered if I would often forget to turn those lights off as I walked towards the entrance door. I did. It was a PITA to walk back , turn the light off.

I added some EMT on the ceiling. I hooked into the lights near the work bench area. Not pretty , but it works.  Now I have the 2 switches at the door that control all the ceiling lights.  All lights are now LED tubes.

Weather has been great since thursday storms. High 80s. Some wind as usual.

Hearing aids are still in repair shop jail for 1 week now.  Weird how I can hear so little, but adjusted to the change now. My tinnitus is crazy high levels now. Can not understand most of what is said on the TV.  Closed captioning sucks most of the time. But that is not new. CC has sucked for years with the AI crap in control.

I may look into some type of TV Ears listening device.?

 

[Crosley.In.AZ]

I read Kieth Black died on May 13th 1991...  I did not recall he died so long ago?  Other day it was anniversary of Smokey Yunick's death in 2001.  These 2 guys were amazing

[58 Yeoman]

Going to the hearing DOCTOR today, not audiologist.  All my hearing aids sound like people are talking through a kazoo, so I want to find out if it's something in my head (haha).

Guy coming to replace the front rain gutter that was damaged last July in major storm.  Insurance company didn't want to pay the last 1/2 of settlement; took nine months of fighting with them to get the check.  Thirty plus feet one piece gutter.  Insurance replaced these gutters years ago after another major storm, was supposed to be just the front.  My wife was working from home at the time, I was working at the factory.  Guys were replacing part of the roof, and she went out to see how they were doing, and the gutter guys had all the gutters off.  She said 'you were supposed to just do the front.'  He said that now you got them all done, same price to us.

We switched trash haulers last week, saving a bunch of money every quarter. They still haven't picked up their wheeled dumpster.  We bought our own for the new hauler.  Maybe I should start charging storage fees?

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Been on the search for an air compressor. 60 gallon tank , up right type.  Between price , size , air produced I narrowed down to a Dewalt brand unit. 11 cfm at 90psi claimed. Single stage. 155psi max claimed. I would turn that down to 130psi max or less...   That size would be plenty for my future needs.

Any thoughts are apreciated.

 

[kb426]

Tony, if you decide to do automotive projects, that might not be enough. If you're running an air stapler or another air tool, that would be fine. I don't remember seeing single stage at better than 125psi but it has been a couple of decades since I shopped for a compressor.

[58 Yeoman]

Tony, back in the 70's I bought a Sanborn 60 gallon, 5hp compressor that lasted me until about 2015 when the bottom of the tank rusted out.  I abused that machine to no end with sanding and sand blasting, and obviously not draining it enough.  I went to Menard's big box store in '15 and bought another Sanborn for less than $500, only this one goes higher in pressure.  I abuse this one also, but drain the water every time I use it.  I don't use it as much as I did the other one as I'm not doing as much work now, but it seems to keep up with me.  Being a single stage it's noisier, and I wish it was at the other end of the shop, but the 220V was at this end, so here it sits.

I looked at Menard's site now, and they don't even offer a 60 gallon any longer in that configuration.  Starts at 80.

The ENT ear doctor did some test today and told me my left ear is beyond hearing aids.  He wants me to have an MRI to be sure there isn't a tumor or something inside that's causing problems. Suggested cochlear implant may be in my future.

Got home to find a couple large PU trucks and trailers in my driveway.  Had to have one move so I could get in.  I talked to one of the guys about the rain gutters, and how much it was going to cost.  He said about $950. Okay.  Are you going to haul off the old one?  Yes. Are you going to be done today?  He said it's already all done. Really?  Okay, send us a bill.  Got a call just now from the owner making sure he has the right $$ amount; $915 for the gutter install and both ends and replace all the gutter screens.  I said yes, just send us the bill.

The contractor that had given us the estimate for the insurance company had quoted $1400 for that job, so we got a deal.  Some days you're the dog, some days you're the hydrant.  Today, we're the dog.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Tony, if you decide to do automotive projects, that might not be enough. If you're running an air stapler or another air tool, that would be fine. I don't remember seeing single stage at better than 125psi but it has been a couple of decades since I shopped for a compressor.

I agree , a single stage compressor rated at 150psi makes no sense to me either.  If you view the photo Phil posted of the ratings on his Sanborn unit.. Those rates are the Same as many compressors I have looked at.  Same rating as the Dewalt brand I am considering.

Couple of items I also keep in mind: How much electric I have here. 

There is 100 amp service in the shop.  Former "oil phree" compressor was on a 30 breaker.  I can switch that over to a 40 or 50 amp breaker since the 220v heater is no longer used.

I do not see many paint jobs done here any longer.  No air powered  sander running for days in a row?

Local Tractor Supply carry the Dewalt brand at $700.00 plus taxes.

Some brands have an aluminum pulley on the pump. Some folks say you want a cast iron pulley to reduce vibration?

On the flip side:  Costco called me.  My hearing aids are ready for pickup. Thankfully my wife is traveling to the valley of the sun to visit her elderly sisters today (wednesday).  SO the aids can be retrieved.  I will admit:  I am not sure I am gonna wear them. It is nice not hearing many noises the aids amp up. Ignorance is bliss? LOL

Couple hundred buck$ I can buy some hardware to listen to the TV better.  I try to explain to people and doctors that some of the words coming into my head are all garbled up.  My hearing is real bad , but the processor in my head seems to be goof'd up too. Some words run together or over each other ? The brain does not sort them out like the old daze?

 

[Crosley.In.AZ]

Still looking at air compressors...  Found another company that will ship to me. Puma brand compressor. 3 cylinder, 15cfm at 90psi, Single stage pump, 240 volt, 5hp motor from Air Compressors Direct.  $1100.00 .. Shipped and delivered.  I figure at least 250 dollars is for shipment?

Weeks back with my car trailer, I was checking stuff.  Pulled the breakaway switch cable and the switch broke apart (plastic), it was OEM to 1990 trailer.  I re-wired stuff with the new winch install , battery cables, etc.

Not too distant future I will be putting the car trailer to work again , so I am checking stuff.  Tested the breakaway switch for working brakes. I had NO brakes. Checked stuff. Looked. Scratch my bald (ing) head. Then I see that I never added a new battery ground from the battery to the trailer.  So NO the brakes would not work if the trailer unhooked from my truck.

I checked the wheel brakes on the trailer that had flat spotted the tire while empty.  I found nothing different or seemed wrong, adjustment seemed the same as other wheels.  I had the brake controller set at 2... Other tires were not locking up.

[58 Yeoman]

Took a nap this afternoon (I'm old and tired), and when I got up, my wife said she had watered some plants outside, as we haven't had rain in a while.  When she turned off the new outside faucet in front of the house. the handle broke off with the shaft.  What's it been, a week?  I told her that faucet is cemented in.  I'll have to go to Menard's and buy a new one and switch the shafts.  Fun times.

[kb426]

I welded up a friends exhaust for a 29 model a sedan today. That's as close to hot rod work as I have been for a while.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

I welded up a friends exhaust for a 29 model a sedan today. That's as close to hot rod work as I have been for a while.

I walk past my 1948 Simca daily.. Does that count? LOL

[chimp koose]

installed back wheel on my sons chopper . Chain sprockets line up perfectly!

[58 Yeoman]

I walk past my Corvair almost daily.  Mentioned to my wife that I"d like to get it painted this year and back on the road.

[Crosley.In.AZ]

We had a large group of motorcycle riders gather up here at the school yard across the street on thursday.  Part of the "Run to the Wall" folks for memorial day Veteran Ride.  Probably 80 bikes of all types, 2 wheel and 3 wheel.

Still not happy with my hearing aids.  Left one likes to "feedback squeal" since the replacement from Costco.  A mild level squeal. I may just go without the aids , which my wife is not happy about.

I found the extreme squeaky hinge and wheel on my 10x10 garage door in the shop. I moved the truck out, grabbed the remote to the door , the ladder. I lubed every place I could get to.  Found a hinge that black crud flowed out as I sprayed in silicone and lithium grease in.. The screech noise is gone.

We gave up on the guy that "would call" and drop by to break up the concrete so we can widen the driveway entrance to the back yard.  Rented a jack hammer in Winslow.  $105.00 a day plus taxes.  Of course the fellow we have used to haul off all the crap we removed from the house dropped by.  He offered to haul off the concrete $$$.. But I knew better. Holbrook setup a phree concrete dump site a few months ago.  There is a crushing plant a few miles west on the I-40. They send equipment over and remove the concrete debris to process it.

Square metal frame in front of the jack hammer?  The base mount for the gate opener battery box.. It was cemented into the ground before the additional concrete run was poured on top?.  The F-350 yanked that out of the ground

[WZ JUNK]

Hooley called today to inform me of the passing of Norris Anderson.  Norris competed at Bonneville for most of the years that we competed on the salt.  Many of the members here remember Norris and Alan pitting next to us often and helping us from time to time.  Attached is a shot of Norris's white Studebaker truck with our 974 Studebaker.  The photo was taken right after both teams had backed up their record runs from the previous day.  Norris was an incredible driver and builder.  He will be missed by anyone who knew him and competed against him.  Gods speed Norris