What did you do today

[BigDave_185]

In another forum I belong to we have a thread called “ what did you do today”. Open to any number of topics like work, to-do list items, small projects not really large enough for a whole thread on it,
Things you may have learned or read about that you found inspiring.... things of that nature.

We have found it also very helpful for a 911 type location. Where if you have an immediate problem or a question you can get fast answers with out cluttering up another build page





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[BigDave_185]

I’ll start with my honey do list for the day.

Changed the oil and fuel filters on my 2007 duramax, 155k on the odometer and I run Amsoil products in the motor and fuel additive. 10k max in each oil change and the local tractor company will read a sample of oil and tell your about the partials found in the oil.... I won’t be doing that this oil change but I usually do every other change. Fuel filters consisted of my aux fuel pump, water separator and the factory fuel filter. Changing fuel filters usually costs a half gallon of diesel on my floor or plastic bag.

Then I turned my sites on this new to us Honda 2002 Xr200r that a friend gave me to let my boy ride this season. Needs lots of parts and lots of parts are discontinued, The plastic hand guards are smashed to hell, the front fender is a bit twisted. Otherwise it’s in good shape just needs a major tuneup



Now to find a glass of ice and fill it with some Crown Peach and hit the hay.


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[edgeau]

Today I had to put on my fire warden hard hat. Luckily it was a false alarm but while the evacuate alarm was blaring I found one fellow messing with his lunch at the office refrigerator. I moved him on and followed him down the stairs to the next floor where he went back in to the office area! When I said "wrong way you need to evacuate" he replied "but I need to get my phone". It seems phones are now so important they are worth risking your life for! To add to the frustration, after clearing the building we saw another fellow come down the stairs. It turns out he came in the back door, while the alarm was going off, rode the lift up and then took headphones off and heard the alarm. That alarm is loud so he must have had the tunes cranking. So it seems now we need an extra fire warden to guard the back door and stop people wandering oblivious into a burning building.

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[BigDave_185]

What type of work do you do when not being the fire Fighter


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[noseoil]

It's winter & I'm doing a new knife pattern out in the shop. Roughed out a pair of new ones yesterday, which will look like this after the bevels are ground & finishing is done. It's 5160 steel (leaf spring stuff with 0.6% carbon, 0.9% chromium & 0.075% manganese) which will heat treat at about HRC 59. There aren't a lot of carbides when it's quenched, but it's very tough & strong. Holds an edge well enough, but not like other steels with more carbon & chrome, not stainless, but good stuff to work with & makes a good durable knife.

[tony.latham]

It's winter & I'm doing a new knife pattern out in the shop. Roughed out a pair of new ones yesterday, which will look like this after the bevels are ground & finishing is done. It's 5160 steel (leaf spring stuff with 0.6% carbon, 0.9% chromium & 0.075% manganese) which will heat treat at about HRC 59. There aren't a lot of carbides when it's quenched, but it's very tough & strong. Holds an edge well enough, but not like other steels with more carbon & chrome, not stainless, but good stuff to work with & makes a good durable knife.

And a damn fine bladesmith for sure. (Personal knowledge)


Tony

[Tom&Shelly]

Found a deal too good to pass up on LED under cabinet lights at Surplus City, so I took a break from the teardrop build (approaching the two year point--yikes!) yesterday, and replaced our florescent lights under the kitchen cabinets.



Looks like some returns to NICOR, which is located in Albuquerque. Of course, for the price ($15-20/unit), I was willing to put up with 1) A smashed plastic end piece from someone who thought it would be a good idea to hit the knock-out with a hammer (like one would with the metal knock-outs along the sides), instead of cutting it with a utility knife; B. A single bad LED in one unit; III, Three white units and one black one; d: three units with two position (bright/dim) switches, and one unit with a single brightness; and 5. Many missing parts--strain reliefs, wire nuts, screws, etc. all of which I possess in some form or another in my junk.

The electrician who wired our cabin put in a switch (at my request) and some junction boxes in the cabinets. I'd originally wired in the florescents with some 12 AWG Romex that I'd had lying around. This time, I decided to do it "more professionally" and wired in outlets and bought some new appliance cords to plug in the lights.

With switched outlets, we don't care about the one vs two position switch mis-match on the lights, and since they're under counter lights, no one should notice the black/white mix. Don't look!:



I "fixed" the end piece using silicon sealant to glue the valence down so it won't slide out.

The job shouldn't have taken all day, but I also cleaned out the cabinets while removing stuff to get at the boxes.

Been retired two months now, and the fun just never stops!

Tom

[edgeau]

What type of work do you do when not being the fire Fighter


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IT Manager

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[BigDave_185]

Undercabinet light look really good. We build all of our cabinets for them, most loved by wife’s in the laundry rooms too so the room isn’t so dark

IT work is way above me pay grade


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[Spotman]

Took the 4 dogs for a walk (separately), gets me more exercise! Came home and continued to paint the Kitchen trim. So much for being retired, the "honey-do" list keeps getting bigger.

[lfhoward]

Worked from home today so a technician could wire up a new inverter for our solar system. The solar system takes care of approximately 25% of our electricity needs (3 story row house) over the course of the year. Of course, in the summer it does much better than now, since the days are much longer and the angle of the sun is better on the south-facing panels. It’s a 3.52 kW system.

Inverter


11 Panels

[Tom&Shelly]

This evening I helped launch my friends' hydrogen balloon from Fiesta Field in Albuquerque.





We fly hot air balloons for an hour or so at a time (usually right after Sun-up, when the winds are light), but these gas balloons can go for several days. They plan to land tomorrow afternoon somewhere around the Oklahoma pan-handle.

For years, they flew helium balloons for fun, and in competition, and have flown as far as Canada. but helium prices really jumped a few years ago, so they worked with an expert to design a safe hydrogen balloon. (Europeans have been flying them for years.) This has a conductive carbon shell in the envelope, and everything is grounded together to prevent sparks. While being filled, we all have our electronics turned off and wear cotton and wool clothing to mitigate static.

This is (we think) the first manned gas flight with ADS-B, so if you have tracking software, like Flightradar24, you'll be able to see them. The icon looks like a balloon, and they are N505HY.

Tom

[BigDave_185]

Not going to start a build thread for it but another new trailer into my garage tonight for an epoxy floor, It’s a good buddy of mines and he doesn’t have any desire to convert his 18x8.5 cargo trailer but since I have some left over epoxy from my trailer I figured I could help him out with a floor for being a good pal

So we will bondo and caulk seems today, sand any oil spots ands prep for epoxy tonight or maybe tomorrow.

All add a photo when I get shoes on


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[BigDave_185]

This evening I helped launch my friends' hydrogen balloon from Fiesta Field in Albuquerque.





We fly hot air balloons for an hour or so at a time (usually right after Sun-up, when the winds are light), but these gas balloons can go for several days. They plan to land tomorrow afternoon somewhere around the Oklahoma pan-handle.

For years, they flew helium balloons for fun, and in competition, and have flown as far as Canada. but helium prices really jumped a few years ago, so they worked with an expert to design a safe hydrogen balloon. (Europeans have been flying them for years.) This has a conductive carbon shell in the envelope, and everything is grounded together to prevent sparks. While being filled, we all have our electronics turned off and wear cotton and wool clothing to mitigate static.

This is (we think) the first manned gas flight with ADS-B, so if you have tracking software, like Flightradar24, you'll be able to see them. The icon looks like a balloon, and they are N505HY.

Tom

Tom when you say prices jumped up, what kind of cost would it be to fill up a ballon that larger? How many gas bottles?
They do a ballon fest here in ogden Utah every year and it’s such a fun experience to take kids to, the color and sure size is amazing. We all appreciate the hobby from a far. Thanks


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[Pinstriper]

Repacked the TD with the few dishes that had needed washing after the trip last week. Replaced consumables in the pantry - couple cans of hash, some tea/coffee, checked the stock levels on the instant oatmeal, spam, and instant soup mix.

Everything is now "bugout ready" for an impromptu camping trip lasting 5-7 days. Have 4 one gallon jugs of Crystal Geyser already packed as well.

Already planning on an overnight fishing/clamming outing next weekend. All I will need to do for the camping side is check the weather and decide whether to load a second easy-up in case of rain.