Day at work started off rough.  We have had a coworker with domestic problems for past 2 months.  Seems he failed to empty his oil drain bucket over 4-day weekend.  And it was overfull. When it got moved to front of his box to remind him get it done, it spilled some.  And sat for 4 days.  He came in as usual with Monday morning attitude and decided it was more important to find out who did it, then just clean it up and move on.  Demanded someone else clean it up, and so I found the svc manager mopping.  Kinda scary.  So, I took over and when the inevitable comment about "better do a good job" came.  Yup, I had enough of coddling and dealing with this victim, poor me attitude.   Laid out that the bucket was overfull for failure on his part to empty it.  And so, cleaning it up was his problem.  To my surprise he actually tried to Billy goat gruff me.  Nope, that don't work.  I earned the title Gunny, and he found out why.  Had to raise my voice.  With his feelings butt hurt he raged at svc manager and then quit.

 

So about 0930 we actually got back to working and trying to jump start a crappy morning.

 

Important lesson here, don't let someone's small size and easy demeanor let you believe that the Dragon will not set you on fire when tested.

Had a gun crew member one year....I was sighting in the 81mm with ONE finger in ONE ear...so I could hear the commands...While doing this, the command came to "Hang!"    which meant you stuck the round in the muzzle, and held it there.....kid went ahead and DROPPED the round down the barrel.......BEFORE I could close off the second ear.....sound is like a 12ga. Shotgun going off right beside your head.......

 

Needless to say...someone got his "heels Locked" for about 10 minutes of me cussing him out......then I was able to hear.....the ringing had stopped..

 

How bad was it?    Start of that day, he WAS in the OH Guard.....the next day?   He transferred to the KY Guard.....

 

Somedays...the stripes will glow....be very, very careful...

Had a fun lunch time today.  I am back to work with a vengeance and blew off some steam at lunch time.

Hand cutting mortise and tenon joints is a good way to relax and let everything fall back into place.

 

 

Almost missed today...well this thread. Past ten days been hard on this old man what with basketball games, three day swim meet, granddaughters home, wife on vacation, Thanksgiving and other responsibilities.

 

Friday pulled battery out of the truck since it was dead. Put it on slow charge overnight. Older than I remembered as I write date on with a paint stick; 07/14/18; battery on its last leg a few months early I suspect. Did a few other small projects outside. Just came in the house when SIL called. He had just replaced the battery on my daughter's 2019 Dodge Caravan. It would crank but no start. So I grabbed the scanner, drove over to their place. Sure enough, crank, no start. It had set a P0300, multiple cylinder misfire in pending. Cleared the code, cranked it over, finally fired, ran terrible like it was flooded, garage reeked of gas fumes, CEL came on, then it smoothed out and ran fine. Again P0300; shut it down, cleared code, restarted 2/3 times, took it for a test drive as ECM begin to relearn. No codes, ran fine, still running fine. IDK? ECM must've wigged out when old battery failed?

 

Saturday afternoon, checked over oldest granddaughters Jeep before she headed back to campus; nothing major; fluid levels, lights, tire pressures, etc. After she left, tackled the wife's Jeep replacing engine oil pressure sending unit. As estimated, about a 15 minute job if you have a vehicle lift, don't wear bi-focals, never had back surgery and are a 25 year old marathon runner. Since none of that applies to me, 2+ hours later I put up the last of the tools. Good news I had a sensor socket so I can take back the one I bought just like the one I have.

 

Yesterday was a brutal day. Since my back surgery, I have a night now and then I just cannot sleep; can't find a comfortable position in chair, bed floor and my mind races. Nothing helps...IDK? Anyways, Saturday night was one of those nights. I slept maybe 3 hours tops. Finally got up about 5A vs normal 6:30. Left for church about 8:30A. Forgot I had Christmas program practice after service. Came straight home, loaded up youngest granddaughters stuff up and hit the road.

 

Youngest grandson had back-to-back basketball league games in Lafayette which we pass through taking granddaughter back to campus. In fact, go right by the complex. Prior to the complex, but only a few blocks away and on the same road is the dealer where the Buick, which I have the title for, is located. Stopped by, tried to peek in the shop windows but they have that mirrored reflective tint and it was pouring down rain, but best I could tell it was in a bay up on the lift. Hey, after 108 days, maybe we're getting close.

 

Anyways, on to the ballgames. Caught the last couple minutes of his first game. They won. 10 minutes, between games, change of courts, the next game starts. Two, 18 minutes halves, running clocks, 3 minute half-time. They led 2-0. From there, they were behind as much as 10 points, in the first half but closed it to 2 at half-time. Never led again until about the 3 minute mark. Back and forth until about 1:30 to play, they went up 3 and finally won by 5. Good game for a bunch of 3rd grade kids. They only play every other weekend. Based on his team's record from games the previous weekends plus yesterday, they were the series champions, so had to hang around for the medals presentation. Now back on the road across state.

 

Stopped for early dinner at an Asian buffet. Granddaughter recommended it. Probably because of the sushi. I passed on that but found plenty else to my liking. On to campus, unloaded her stuff. Fortunately her dorm this year has an elevator and her suite is close to it. Said hi to her roommates, bye to her, used the guest restrooms and started trip 2-1/2 hour back home. Stopped at convenience mart 2 miles from home, topped off gas tank, arrived home about 8:30P. Moved trash container into place for pick-up.

 

Fed the cats, cleaned the litter box, let the dog outside for a bit, she cornered a opossum, I whacked the opossum on the head with my special pipe; Score: me & dog (1), opossum (0). Fed the dog, she hit her bed, I hit the showers. No problems sleeping last night.

 

So long boring story of my weekend; in summary, I did squat Monday (since it's now Tuesday). Well I did clean and fill bird feeders, moved trash container back in place, oh, and grabbed a shovel and tossed that opossum in the field across the road. Dog doesnt like them in her yard. I'm  gonna quit feeding the buzzards. They haven't touched the one we tossed over there last week. 

 

Oldest grandson has basketball games tonight (TU) and WE and a tournament SA. May drive up and check on the Buick today. Need to get a battery for the truck and take that socket back. While I'm out better get a card for wife's birthday too. It's this Saturday.

4 hours ago, steven newman said:

That Beagle sums it up nicely....Boss and I have been on Sick Call all day Sunday AND Monday.....

Take care. Prayers you both get better soon.

 

Hope it's not a result of that game Saturday played down in Columbus 

@Grandpadave52

If that Dodge comes back with a CEL, check the Crank Position Sensor. Chrysler products are known for the CPS becoming magnetized, and when they do they'll attract any metal particle to them. When it happens the ECU can't determine TDC properly and you'll get P0300. 

I fought that sucker for over a year on my 00 Ram before it finally gave me the code for the CPS. I could be driving along at 55 MPH and the truck would just plain shut itself off, and by the time I could pull over to the side of the road would start running again without touching the key. When I pulled the CPS I found a flake of rust flopping back and forth accross the pickup end of the sensor.

23 hours ago, John Morris said:

Isn't our English language amazing, how something that goes live is actually described as going off? Like, "My alarm clock went off". No wonder my Spanish speaking wife gets so confused with our language!

English? 

 

 

 I've spoken to people from England, and I couldn't understand them. 

 Found the harness for the Front Impact Sensor on Bruce's 05 Express had been cut through in two places about 2 1/2" apart by the radiator core support.

Glad I cut enough of the harness out of the "Donor Vehicle" at the boneyard to replace the damaged section. Had to reach in over the top behind the core support to silver solder, and shrink wrap the connections. The only 05-07 the boneyard had with the right type of impact sensor of course wasn't a 3500, so used a different sensor with a different keying on the plug end. Luckily the keyed ends are swappable by relaseing their lock clips.  Not enough room to get at the old harness to remove it without removing half the front end, so I ran the new harness along the old and wire tied it in place. Will go over today to hook up the Tech2 to see if I can now communicate with the sensor, and clear the SRS warning light. It was getting dark about the time I got the harness done. The SRS light now flashes signifying that it is going through it's self test when you turn the key on. It was just giving a steady warning light before. 

Getting back to you @John Morris on your picture.  Was going to post this one up yesterday but my mouse battery decided it was time for a charge.

This painting hangs in the Montgomery, AL city auditorium - hidden from the general public.  The painting is on a fire curtain for the stage and IIRC measures about 30' x 40'.  The "guide" I had for my tour of the facility told me that they do not know when it was painted, or who painted it.  That guy told me that it was normal for artists to paint themselves in the picture and that they think it may have been the guy dressed in white near the bottom who is just standing there taking in the scene with a dog.

 

 

This scene depicts pre-civil war (war of northern aggression) Montgomery, standing at the lower end of Dexter Ave. looking up the hill towards the State Capitol.  This next pic is taken from at/near the same vantage point in 2016 when I visited.

 

Edited November 29, 20223 yr by Cal

My first exposure to cnc was in a factory in CA. They were fabbing parts for NASA. The cutting agent was water... under lots of pressure. I don't remember what they were cutting. I think it was blocks of aluminum.

John I think the old guy in the back looks like a retired wood worker who misses the work, maybe an older relative of one of the workers.

 

Thanks for the video. I found a Thos. Moser catalog a many years ago and I was amazed at the style. I was blown away at what a full room of their furniture would cost and spent a bit of time filling rooms with their furniture like I had just hit the Megabucks lottery.

10 hours ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Almost missed today...well this thread. Past ten days been hard on this old man what with basketball games, three day swim meet, granddaughters home, wife on vacation, Thanksgiving and other responsibilities.

 

You need some rest. I am pooped just reading this

1 hour of shoptime today...I am done whopped....Having a Tonic & Gin to cool me down....film at 2300 hrs..

Finished pouring the flood coat on the last two mesquite rounds. They are curing, now.

The white streak on thefist pic is reflection of my rope lights in the ceiling.  the red resin looks a bit mute in the pics. it's actually pretty vibrant.

Bee-u-tee-full @Gene Howe. All that work has paid off with amazing dividends. Amazing.

On 11/28/2022 at 9:24 AM, lew said:

Pennsylvania Dutch is also confusing 

That was my first language, and the only version of German I still speak fluently!

Buick Enclave, Where Art Thou update:: Still in IBU, aka Intensive Buick Unit. Visited it in the hospital yesterday. It's guts were laying all over the floor waiting on the engine transplant. Had a great visit with its surgeon aka mechanic. Hospital chief of staff aka dealer not so much. New heart, aka GM factory remanufactured engine is due today which is two weeks later than it was originally promised.

 

Stay tuned for future episodes of this boring, but sad, excessively long saga of personal stress. Keep in mind though, I don't get out much, but when I do, it's only to get more bad Buick news. As Forrest Gump would say, "stupid is as stupid does."

 

1 hour ago, Grandpadave52 said:

Buick Enclave, Where Art Thou update:: Still in IBU, aka Intensive Buick Unit.

 

One question that you probably stated when this began: Is this a new car? and if so doesn't your state have a lemon law?

14 minutes ago, Gerald said:

One question that you probably stated when this began: Is this a new car? and if so doesn't your state have a lemon law?

I was wondering about that too 

49 minutes ago, Gerald said:

One question that you probably stated when this began: Is this a new car? and if so doesn't your state have a lemon law?

 

34 minutes ago, lew said:

I was wondering about that too 

Used 2011. We've only owned two new vehicles in our life, both purchased in 1975. Both GM and both the biggest pieces of cra, 'er junk I've owned. No Lemon Law then.

 

Yes Indiana now has a "Lemon Law". Early on dealer offered to buy it back. I preferred the vehicle. One owner, sold new in our area, very detailed CarFax that included every recommended GM service checks + oil changes all performed by GM dealerships. Has every option available for that model/ year except tow package and rear entertainment center. Amazingly clean vehicle for the year with no signs of rust underneath. The negotiated cash selling price was well below current market value especially back in August which included a full bumper to bumper warranty, not just engine/ drivetrain.

 

I never expected to be at this point especially with all the new parts "thrown" at it. Two GM dealers and three independent shops along with selling dealer shop has never been able to diagnose the root cause for the misfire only on cylinder 6. Buick themselves were of no assistance either. A concensus has finally agreed something must be wrong with cylinder 6 even though boroscope of cylinder, engine oil analysis, compression and cylinder leak-down tests all meet/exceed specifications. O2 sensors all check, catalytic converters check. Engine/ powertrain computer replaced with new GM, engine wiring harness replaced with new GM, timing chains, gears replaced, injectors replaced, coils, plugs replaced, intake gaskets replaced and who knows what else.

 

I finally agreed to a cost share for engine replacement ONLY if it fixed the issue and overall vehicle warranty be extended. Maybe I'm being a butthead trying to prove a point, but in all my years pulling wrenches, I never "sold" an engine as a "fix" without being able to show the customer exactly why. Hind-sight being 20/20, I should have accepted the buy back and moved on.

 

Sorry for the long winded rant. Guessing you both wish you hadn't asked that question.Thanks for asking though, I feel much better now.