And what did we buy today?

Is this true?

Been a while. My eyesight has been deteriorating for years. I recently started going to the doctor (didn't have insurance for 10 years) and found out it's diabetic retinopathy. It's started getting better now that I'm managing my diabetes. I'm getting used to it in my old age.

I recently let my driver's license expire. No way I'm passing the eye exam.
 
This is what you want. I don’t even want to estimate how many miles of this tape we’ve used…it’s awesome!

FrogTape Pro Grade Blue Painter's Tape | SherwinWilliams

This also works very well... ScotchBlue™ Sharp Lines Painter's Tape, 1-in Canadian Tire

Thanks for the suggestions, I wound up with the cheap (3M blue) stuff, found it works ok or exterior work if you only leave it on for a couple days.
For interior work, I do like the frog tape, or similar.

When I was younger, we painted some red stripes onto a friends ‘64 Olds 442 that I just painted white. I used some regular masking tape and it bled. What a pain in the **** that was to try and sand off, could’ve been a jeweler after that.
 
Kenwood VT121 AC Voltmeter

Found this VT121 voltmeter in mint working condition. I still prefer the needle instead of digits, even though I use 5 DMM’s as well for most other (DC) measurements.

Regards, Gerrit
 

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My next 10 hours of driving tuition

Yes...I don't drive a car. Or a motorbike. Yet.

I kept it quiet a while, but at 42 I decided to bite the bullet and get over a fear of driving, instilled in me by my last tutor :)

So I am taking auto lessons. Passed the UK theory. 5 lessons in and I seem to be doing OK, even ahead of plan...

Still, to me, and perhaps more British folks than any other nationality I still feel I "copped out" taking the easy route to a licence (an automatic box).

Next up I am going to need to research some decent auto cars available in the UK...that I can afford and don't mind pranging a bit.
 
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Still, to me, and perhaps more British folks than any other nationality I still feel I "copped out" taking the easy route to a licence (an automatic box).
.


Stick it on it's way out. Performance cars have been flappy paddle for a while and amongst others 8 speed autos are more the norm. In a few years you'll only be able to buy hybrids anyway.



I'm an oddity in that I'll heel and toe a diesel just for lolz...


Anyway congratulations on taking the plunge.
 
Don’t feel bad about having a car that’s more simple to operate while taking the driving test.

When I took the test for the first time it was in my mom’s VW Squareback, had a chipped reverse tooth so it would jump out of gear if you didn’t hold it in just a bit. The test monitor docked me points for not having both hands on the wheel…

Little did they know I’d been driving the same car on rural roads for a year or so.

The second time I took the test was in a borrowed Honda that had an automatic, power steering too. Passed that time no issues.

I’ve only had a couple automatic transmissions out of many cars, generally avoid them.
Next car will likely be electric so no crappy transmission to wear out during the car’s prime, nor the inconvenience of a clutch either!
 
I passed 1st try in a VW bug. The tester, who looked like Abe Lincoln, glared at me when I bumped the curb with my rear tire during the parallel park, but when I straightened, it was perfect, nice and close to the curb too.

I melted that 18" electric chainsaw today, after the oil pump failed soon after I thought I'd fixed it and saw it work. Did a few too many cuts on 15" maple. Melted the shaft press-fit within the main plastic drive gear, melted some insulating sheet in the motor field, jamming the armature. Fixed both, then killed it again trying to get through the last cut I needed on a 18", 300 lb trunk section. In the garbage can now.

So I'm looking for an electric chainsaw. Didnt push BIN on anything yet; <$100 all look worse than the one I had. The only one I'd trust is Makita (maybe IT doesnt have a bad-by-design chain oiler...) but they're a bit expensive for the few jobs I forsee in my future, now that the 3 bigger trees are down.
 
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First two tries were in a 1974 Ltd wagon automatic with a 460 4 bbl. Instant fails both times...

Spill the tea, Cal. What went wrong? Did you open two many barrels for the instructors? ;)

Speaking of big old Fords: I took summer Driver's Ed in a spanking-new, Linda Blair Puke Green '73 Galaxy. Instructor was a bit of a psycho - one time I wasn't merging onto the freeway fast enough, so he lifted his foot over the hump and jammed mine to the floor on the gas pedal! But by God I learned how to merge, right now.

Didn't buy anything today either. Last interesting thing was a 1 TB SSD to repair a friend's laptop over the holiday so he could have it while recovering from bypass surgery, only to learn Monday that his procedure had to be postponed because of all the unvaccinated Covid cases clogging up the ICUs. Good grief... :confused:
 
Yes...I don't drive a car. Or a motorbike. Yet.

I kept it quiet a while, but at 42 I decided to bite the bullet and get over a fear of driving, instilled in me by my last tutor :)

So I am taking auto lessons. Passed the UK theory. 5 lessons in and I seem to be doing OK, even ahead of plan...

Still, to me, and perhaps more British folks than any other nationality I still feel I "copped out" taking the easy route to a licence (an automatic box).

Next up I am going to need to research some decent auto cars available in the UK...that I can afford and don't mind pranging a bit.

Stick with it :)

I failed twice.. in fact my third time the guy that failed me the first time was the examiner. I was so nervous I was sweating profusely and he asked me to pull over to the side of the road, wind the window down and to take a breather to relax.

Since then - I've raced around Nordschliefe, even doing a 180. Had two accidents and even learnt to drive front wheel cars in the wet (this is hard).

Since then I've calmed down.. The last car I had was a "go from A to B" diesel in comfort. This car I made the switch from manual to an automatic diesel. Best thing in the world :)

Only annoyance is that automatic will decide to switch gears in the middle of a corner which is about the worst thing you can do to upset the balance and tyre traction. It's akin to dabbing the brakes in the middle of the corner (the way you get the back to step out or to cause oversteer depending on the road surface). PS.. Always break in a straight line before the turn. As the addage says - slow in, fast out. (the fast being getting on the gas pedal early and even unnaturally earlier with turbo spool up delay)

Soon enough we'll all be driving electric where the torque and speed aren't geared but simply managed by the car power system. Given most travel now days ends up queuing, and automatic and/or hybrid makes perfect sense!
 
Stick it on it's way out. Performance cars have been flappy paddle for a while and amongst others 8 speed autos are more the norm. In a few years you'll only be able to buy hybrids anyway.



I'm an oddity in that I'll heel and toe a diesel just for lolz...


Anyway congratulations on taking the plunge.

Haha great minds perhaps but...

I keep cruising the used car ads for a cheap A4 TDI with the auto DSG.

Then the maintenance part of me (not a mechanic but...), says..."I wonder what milage the DSG starts to get expensive to maintain?"

I saw a cheap (sub 3k) A6 2.7 TDI DSG Quattro sport back the other day and I nearly soiled myself.

I must be getting old
 

PRR

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Joined 2003
Paid Member
.... a bad-by-design chain oiler....

Those things never work. You should have been keeping an eye on the dry chain. But that's no way to cut wood. I keep a oil-can. Oil the crack between blade and chain, also try to force oil in the hub of the nose roller. (If it isn't roller nose, may as well throw it away right away. There ARE non-roller designs that last, but not in your price class.)
 
Yes...I don't drive a car. Or a motorbike. Yet.

I kept it quiet a while, but at 42 I decided to bite the bullet and get over a fear of driving, instilled in me by my last tutor :)

I had a similar problem.

At least where I'm from, the majority of people at the "learn to drive age" are completely fearless and stupid and need all the help they can get. There is a minority of us who are already extremely anxious and need absolutely no help in being nervous or recognizing the dangers involved. What I (and a few other people I know) needed at age 16 was a little help in getting past the fear, not someone intentionally making it worse.
 
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