What did you do today

[Tom&Shelly]

Today, I installed the first of three bookcases I made to fit into a small bend in our hallway back to the bedrooms and a bathroom.

Before:



After:



Eventually, there will be another one to the right of the bathroom door, with a shelf above the door, and another one against the wall where the Indian rug used to was.

The bookcases are only 5 1/2 inches deep, so suitable for fine literature like Louis L'Amour and Nora Roberts paperbacks. (Tony's are trade paperbacks so they wouldn't fit here.) In fact though, the intent is to keep our DVD movie collection in these. The case against the Indian rug wall will block a little of this bookcase, and so that will be where we'll keep a certain type of movie that we don't want to advertise that we own. You know, like movies with famous "shower scenes", like "Convoy". (We have a friend who was an extra in it. Ya, that's why we bought it!)

I deliberately made them on the rustic side to fit in with the rest of the cabin. I've learned the secret to building rustic furniture is to imagine a rural man who can't afford too many good tools or material. Luckily for me, imagining that isn't too difficult. The uprights are simply 2x6 studs, and the shelves are 1x6 pine. I cut dados using a 3/4" router bit, though in the past, I really did do them with a back saw and chisel. Turns out the 1 by is actually a 32nd inch shorter than 3/4". I thought about making two passes with a smaller bit, but with the warping in the wood, I was glad to have the extra clearance.

Tom

[featherliteCT1]

Those book cases look real nice!

[MickinOz]

Took my .223 out to the local range for the monthly 200 yard "rabbit shoot".
200 yards, 2 rounds each consisting of 2 sighters, then 10 shots for the money at an 8 inch bunny printed on an A4 sheet of paper. Maximum achievable score is 200 points, 20 rabbits.

Last month, I completely screwed up, sending 12 bullets down the range in the first round for a score of zero.
I did everything wrong. Forgot which way I was going with the elevation adjustment on the scope, let the windage get the better of me, got rattled and started jerking the trigger, you name it I did it.
So before the second round I had a yarn with an old timer who seems to shoot consistently.
He pointed out that the 15 knot crosswind was not really the problem, most of my misses were above the bunny as if I was letting the butt of the rifle slide down my shoulder as I fired.
So he loaned me his sand bag, and we used the sighters to get the elevation of the scope set.
I managed a consolation 7 bunnies in the second round, and went home thinking at least I was confident the rifle was sighted OK.

So I rocked out there today feeling a little more confident, especially since the day was cooler, less windy, and I felt like I was ready to build on last month's 2nd round improvement.
Well, I shot a personal best, I was third out of 11 shooters, tying with the leader on number of bunnies nailed, but lagging him by 4 points.
He came out with 19 rabbits at 175 points, I got 19 rabbits for 171 points.
The guy in between us shot 18 rabbits for 173 points.
They both shoot prone, I shot from the bench. The guy in second place is the club champion. He would normally win it, but was actually trialling some new ammunition and as soon as he swapped to the new bullets halfway through the round he missed a couple.. He said as soon as I could shoot consistently from the bench, I needed to start shooting prone, he considered the bench a disadvantage. I may take him up on it of I shoot this well again next month.

[bdosborn]

Shooting is a lot like golf, 90% of it is in your head. Good shooting.
Bruce

[bdosborn]

Today, I installed the first of three bookcases I made to fit into a small bend in our hallway back to the bedrooms and a bathroom.

I assume the bookcases open up to a secret passage? Nice work, they look great.
Bruce

[friz]

I hooked the camper up to the new tow vehicle and drug it around. It'll do. I went from a 2 inch rise to a 10 inch drop going from the Focus to the Jeep.

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[MickinOz]

That's really nice looking outfit.
Not that it wasn't before.
It's sitting just nice, too.
I just got an email back from Hayman Reese, the big name towbar manufacturer here in the land of Oz.
They inform me that I can turn my hitch over and mount the towball the other way up with no loss of load rating.
This will lift the hitch about 4 inches I think. Looking forward to it, my trailer runs significantly nose down, and I'd love to get it pretty much level like yours.
(I like leaving it attached to the truck for single night camps.)

[friz]

Thanks, Mick. I guess a good thing about living in the US is that one can find plenty of towing accessories at the local Walmart. The 10 drop hitch did have to come from Amazon.

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[MickinOz]

Reinforcing Australia's image as home to some dangerous beasties, but also showing why we don't get too fussed about it - coz if you leave them alone, they'll usually leave you alone. This girl just calmly finishes her durry while 'ol Joe Blake cruises through.

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=723741932814103&t=00

[Tom&Shelly]

Growing up, we had garter (or garden) snakes living in our garage, and they'd do things like that. (My brother used to pick them up, much to the annoyance--we think--of the snake.) Of course, everyone knows garter snakes are harmless. If I were in an area where I didn't know the snakes all that well, I probably would at least move over for their benefit.

Although that guy in the video doesn't have a triangular head or rattles...

Tom

[MickinOz]

Although that guy in the video doesn't have a triangular head or rattles...

Tom

What he has, based on LD50 in mice, is the second most toxic venom in the world.
Only the inland taipan has more potent spit.
But, there is a big difference between "what is the most poisonous?" and "what is the most deadly?"
He might be able to kill an adult human in less than 30 minutes, but he seldom tries to. They say they won't waste their venom on anything they can't eat that isn't attacking them.
He just cruised over, checked her out and kept on trucking.
Not the slightest bit grumpy or aggressive. And that's after she had just caught him at someone's house, released him in the bush, and sat down for a rollie.

[twisted lines]

Found another Idea for my (last trailer) The one I haven't started.
I like this raised art thing
Don't know who's, but found this little clip shared on the tube

[Gold5one]

I worked 5 hrs today at my job, earning extra money for my next build project. I finally found a store that I can work at, Advance Auto.
I needed a hose clamp about 4 weeks ago and saw the two counter guys sitting on chairs behind the registers and doing the internet on their phones.
"Aren't you guys worried about gettin' fired doing that?"
Nope, they never fire anyone here.
Will they hire me?
Sure they will.
And they did.
I was a little shocked at how much prices had gone up in 2 years, since I bought my last 4x8 trailer kit-
I need a 5x8 frame for my next project- it's 2x more money than I spent last time. Plus I need a new hitch and wiring for my one month old 2023 Kia Soul. The receipts all add up fast, as we ALL know!
It not bad, helping people out with their car problems- about 20 hrs a week- and only 2 miles away from my house.
But I'm going to get a new hat, the DIE HARD battery hat they gave me doesn't feel right.
I will be 73 in April- I told my wife, "the only party I want this year is called, an Above Ground , party. haha

[Tom&Shelly]

Although that guy in the video doesn't have a triangular head or rattles...

Tom

What he has, based on LD50 in mice, is the second most toxic venom in the world.
Only the inland taipan has more potent spit.
...

That's why it's always a good idea to read up on the critters who may share your camp ground. Although, when I moved here, an isolated mountain at 2000 feet above the desert, I was told the rattlers stay in the desert and don't like it in the mountains. True, except now and again I find a rattler who missed the message. Norman Maclean had the same experience about a hundred years ago, so it isn't a recent, global warming, sort of thing. Stupid rattlers!

Tom

[MickinOz]

Although that guy in the video doesn't have a triangular head or rattles...

Tom

What he has, based on LD50 in mice, is the second most toxic venom in the world.
Only the inland taipan has more potent spit.
...

That's why it's always a good idea to read up on the critters who may share your camp ground. Although, when I moved here, an isolated mountain at 2000 feet above the desert, I was told the rattlers stay in the desert and don't like it in the mountains. True, except now and again I find a rattler who missed the message. Norman Maclean had the same experience about a hundred years ago, so it isn't a recent, global warming, sort of thing. Stupid rattlers!

Tom

You do have to understand your neighbours, eh? We Aussies love to say we have the biggest this, the deadliest that, etc. Biggest crocs, most toxic snakes, grumpiest water buffalo, world's biggest wild camel herd, etc.
All true, but snake reality is less extreme. A brown snake must feel threatened and cornered to strike. So in that sense, it might be one of the most venomous snakes on the planet, but its nowhere near the deadliest.
Unless threatened, they just go about their business. I remember sitting at a mate's place one afternoon, enjoying a couple of beers, and watching a brown snake cleaning out the mice in his hay shed. With a couple lumps distorting its belly it crawled of to a corner and curled up to sleep it off.
The inland taipan has by far the deadliest venom, and its specifically adapted for warm blooded mammals, e.g. us, but again it's a retiring animal that will probably never be as deadly as its venom suggests.
Coastal taipans on the other hand - big, fast, extremely aggressive when startled.

So what is the story with the buzzworms, when do they rattle? I'm assuming its only when they feel angry or threatened?