What did you do today non-detailing related?

Havent mowed the grass in a solid month and a half, another good thing about fall weather. But the furnace took a shiit...thankfully its warming up to 70 or so for the weekend till we can get a new one.

Water heater has been on the fritz. Today I spotted a tell-tale sign...... Wires burned. All fixed and out in the open to watch for a while.

Dang guys. Sorry to hear about the appliance problems.
 
Went for a walk i MUST do it daily weather pending but this year has been dreadful....
Well that's my excuse! :D
 
Water heater has been on the fritz. Today I spotted a tell-tail sign...... Wires burned.

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If you end up having no more water heater problems, before you stuff those wires back in the box...may i suggest making a propper connection of those wires and getting rid of the electrical tape. Twist both wires together to make them look when a girl braids her hair, and then install wire nut. Atleast a good two inchs of twist. Leave off the tape as it will deteriorate over time. Good luck

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If you end up having no more water heater problems, before you stuff those wires back in the box...may i suggest making a propper connection of those wires and getting rid of the electrical tape. Twist both wires together to make them look when a girl braids her hair, and then install wire nut. Atleast a good two inchs of twist. Leave off the tape as it will deteriorate over time. Good luck

Good point that I hadn’t noticed before you pointed it out. Those electrical connections aren’t correct. As Opie stated, you need to redo them with more twist. I found the following PDF that shows how they should be done properly. The last picture demonstrates the extra wire twisting Opie mentions.

https://mytrainingbc.ca/youthexploreskills/activity/Electrical/pdf/ConnectingWires.pdf

EDIT - Had to come back to point out that you really are lucky as the wire connection as-is is a fire hazard. You need to fix this issue immediately. Faulty wiring is the #3 leading cause of house fires.
 
Re: Installed some Conti DWS06's on the RedSport

For the first time in my 30 year life I am going to tinker with a carburetor. Neighbor has a few snow blowers that have been neglected for a long time, I got a 1998 Airins 3.5HP to start with. All the seals on the carb were shot and she leaked like a Russian submarine. Got a $23 China speacial off Amazon, judging by reviews it will either work great or leak as bad as the old one lolol. Between the new carb, new spark plug, fresh oil, and some recreational gas with seafoam, hopefully she barks to life.
 
If you end up having no more water heater problems, before you stuff those wires back in the box...may i suggest making a propper connection of those wires and getting rid of the electrical tape. Twist both wires together to make them look when a girl braids her hair, and then install wire nut. Atleast a good two inchs of twist. Leave off the tape as it will deteriorate over time. Good luck

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I personally despise wire nuts and feel there is no ideal place for them. They look "hillbilly" to my eyes. Especially when wrapped in tape which is really designed for pulling wire, not being an insulator.

Heat shrink butt connectors or bust for me. As long as there is enough wire in the case of future repairs needing to cut the connectors out and replace, you obviously lose and inch or two each time you do that, but a water-tight connection, when achievable, should be achieved. That's what Volkswagen taught me anyways.
 
Leaves...leaves....and more leaves....50 MPH winds tomorrow so I got a bunch done.
They get so deep and heavy , I need the ATV to plow them into a pile


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I personally despise wire nuts and feel there is no ideal place for them. They look "hillbilly" to my eyes. Especially when wrapped in tape which is really designed for pulling wire, not being an insulator.

Heat shrink butt connectors or bust for me. As long as there is enough wire in the case of future repairs needing to cut the connectors out and replace, you obviously lose and inch or two each time you do that, but a water-tight connection, when achievable, should be achieved. That's what Volkswagen taught me anyways.

I would have to check the NEC code book as i cant rememeber off top my head but im pretty sure heat shrink connectors and or heat shrink tube are not NEC compliant for residential. Those are for automotive and such.

Also wire nuts are not hillbilly. Tape is though lol. Using electrical tape is the first sign of a rookie mistake. Not ment to be rude just honest.

They make some different type of connectors nowadays to use instead of wire nuts...like the push in type connectors.


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Good point that I hadn’t noticed before you pointed it out. Those electrical connections aren’t correct. As Opie stated, you need to redo them with more twist. I found the following PDF that shows how they should be done properly. The last picture demonstrates the extra wire twisting Opie mentions.

https://mytrainingbc.ca/youthexploreskills/activity/Electrical/pdf/ConnectingWires.pdf

EDIT - Had to come back to point out that you really are lucky as the wire connection as-is is a fire hazard. You need to fix this issue immediately. Faulty wiring is the #3 leading cause of house fires.

Life pro tip. Thanks for sharing!
 
Re: Installed some Conti DWS06's on the RedSport

Never thought I would be cutting grass in PA in November! It reached 78 today! INSANE!
 
Before I started for the day, I walked into my local Stihl dealer with a wad of cash ready to buy a new chainsaw!

I already have a Stihl MSA 140 C-B which I have been using for light pruning jobs. It's a great little saw for that role, it's battery powered and so easy to just grab and go.





I also have an old 009L that was used for firewood collection for a long time. Despite it's petite looks, this saw has a larger than normal 40.8cc engine, so it had great power to weight.



But, I wanted something that I could use on larger jobs and know I wouldn't be left wanting! I was also not considering anything other than a Stihl for this purchase, despite wavering here and there, I'm a Stihl boy to the core and grew up in awe of my neighbors big Stihl chainsaw.

(Note - These prices are in Australian Dollars, inflated over the price you US guys pay)

I had two models shortlisted, the $ 899 MS 251 and the $999 MS 271. These two are within Stihl's "Landowner" range, offering bigger engines than the "Homeowner" range, but without the bulk and extreme power of the "Professional" line that is catered to industries who use these all day long.

MS 251 - STIHL MS 251 Wood Boss(R) Chainsaw
MS 271 - WoodBoss(R) Chainsaw

Stihl also sell a MS 251 C-BE for $999 with their Easy2Start system, but I decided to forgo that feature. I figured that if I'm going to spend $1000, I would rather spend that on a more powerful machine. For the extra $100 over the 45.6cc MS 251, the MS 271 comes with a larger 50.2cc engine and a longer bar. In the end, I chose the MS 271 for the additional power and bar size for a modest price premium. Once you go above the MS 271, you start to get into pretty big money, so the 271 is a happy sweet spot in the range.

This store is ALWAYS busy, with far more floor traffic and phone calls than they small team can deal with. I know how that feels! So I try to know what I want and just get to the point so I'm not wasting their time or mine.

I told the guy I wanted a saw and the two I was looking at, he handed me the MS 271 and I said "I'll take it" in less than 15 seconds. He remarked that I was so easy to deal with, my response was I always researched what I'm looking at so I kind of already know what I want when I walk in the store.

I also wanted the carry case and the 2-in1 chain sharpening tool along with the saw. I never ask for discount, I think it's rude to be honest. But they know I'm a contractor so they seem to always give me a good deal. This saw was no different. The MS 271 retails for $999 and the case $100, so I came prepared to spend $1100. All up, I got the saw, sharpener and case for $1050 with a free chain included, which works out to be about $147 discount and $50 under budget.

We both won here, he got an easy sale, and I got a new toy...........















Stihl saws have had these features for a while now, but a single action choke/run/stop lever and the tool-less fuel/oil caps add to ease of use.





The 2in1 File is for quickly sharpening the teeth and depth gauge in a single step.

https://www.stihl.com.au/STIHL-Prod...ccessories/21733-1649/2-in-1-File-Holder.aspx







The case is supplied with a replacement bar cover to allow it to slot into the body of the case.



The case is also large enough to hold the supplied multitool and sharpener.





When the salesman took the machine out back for it's pre-use startup, I couldn't help but smile at the sound she made, a super healthy scream. :drool:

For this point onwards, I'm going to call her Aretha, as in Aretha Franklin whose voice seemed to have the ability to out scream all the others.

Once I got her home, I can safely say I'm going to love using this saw. It has a little hesitancy on initial throttle application that I'm told will settle once the saw breaks in. But boy, can she rev! She has this lovely throaty growl when given full throttle that builds to a frankly hard-on inducing scream. Sorry, but I can't be the only nutjob who gets off on the sound of an angry chainsaw! :o:laughing:

NOW! I have this unnatural urge to go and chop something down! Anything! :bat:
 
When I was growing up, I had a neighbor that always seemed to have all the coolest things. He was like me in a couple of ways, never doing things by halves when it came to gadgets and tools.

He had a wood fired heater for the winter months, and that meant he needed a chainsaw. I remember my Dad and I tagging along to help him collect firewood for his and our garage potbelly stove. We supplied the big Mazda T3500 and labor, meaning he could collect more than the little box trailer he normally used. He supplied the chainsaw. We then split the load, he taking 2/3 and us 1/3.

I always wanted a chainsaw like he had. To a 12-year-old boy, it looked and sounded so big and powerful. This is that saw, a Stihl 028AV Super -







From what I can gather, this model was made from 1979 to 1990 and in Super guise, used a 51.5cc engine with 3.2hp. The "AV" designation refers to Anti-Vibration, a feature most saws have as standard these days. It also has a full magnesium case, rather than the plastic used for most modern saws.

As you can see, she is in need of some attention. While it may look dirty and unloved, he looked after that saw very well so I have no doubt it would still be a very good machine. It's likely not been used in ten years or more and now hangs unneeded on a hook.
 
Re: Installed some Conti DWS06's on the RedSport

Had the main garage door opener replaced Monday. Local garage door contractor. Circuit board was gone in the old one. Door is not used on a daily basis. But wanted it replaced none the less.
 
Re: Installed some Conti DWS06's on the RedSport

For the first time in my 30 year life I am going to tinker with a carburetor. Neighbor has a few snow blowers that have been neglected for a long time, I got a 1998 Airins 3.5HP to start with. All the seals on the carb were shot and she leaked like a Russian submarine. Got a $23 China speacial off Amazon, judging by reviews it will either work great or leak as bad as the old one lolol. Between the new carb, new spark plug, fresh oil, and some recreational gas with seafoam, hopefully she barks to life.

If you need any tips, feel free to PM me.

I've done hundreds of them....... :)
 
Installed a 1:64 diecast display case and moved some other stuff around. I need to eventually wall mount the custom Ford Motorsport sign. It's around 75lbs and 5 feet wide.
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When I was growing up, I had a neighbor that always seemed to have all the coolest things. He was like me in a couple of ways, never doing things by halves when it came to gadgets and tools.

He had a wood fired heater for the winter months, and that meant he needed a chainsaw. I remember my Dad and I tagging along to help him collect firewood for his and our garage potbelly stove. We supplied the big Mazda T3500 and labor, meaning he could collect more than the little box trailer he normally used. He supplied the chainsaw. We then split the load, he taking 2/3 and us 1/3.

I always wanted a chainsaw like he had. To a 12-year-old boy, it looked and sounded so big and powerful. This is that saw, a Stihl 028AV Super -
...

From what I can gather, this model was made from 1979 to 1990 and in Super guise, used a 51.5cc engine with 3.2hp. The "AV" designation refers to Anti-Vibration, a feature most saws have as standard these days. It also has a full magnesium case, rather than the plastic used for most modern saws.

As you can see, she is in need of some attention. While it may look dirty and unloved, he looked after that saw very well so I have no doubt it would still be a very good machine. It's likely not been used in ten years or more and now hangs unneeded on a hook.

Dang it man, this post made me get all oddly nostalgic and go out to the garage to see what the chainsaw I inherited from my dad was. It's a Homelite 240, circa mid 80's it looks like from a quick google.

I've long planned to someday dig it out and give it a full detail and get it running again. Currently soaked in bar/chain oil and covered in sawdust. I have no idea if it's a desirable model at all, or just a cheapie, but from what I remember it went through plenty of trees no problem.
 
What did I do today....non-detailing related? Checked trail cam photos to see if there are any good bucks where I hunt
 
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