There Is Nothing Quite Like A Job Well Done

That is a simple coupling on the output line of a water heater for a radiant heat system. Mine died after 16 years, which sort of irritated me because it is a very simple machine and should have lasted longer. Apparently the design of the heating vessel was more for economics than longevity (what a shock!). The two halves are attached with rubber fittings, and they tend to decay. So when it cycles from hot to cold and contracts, it leaks. Not much, but enough to irritate, and eventually flood the burner tubes and pilot. There is something a bit disconcerting waking up to a 59 degree bedroom.

So my plumber tried a fix he has had some success with...tightening the bolts around the seam...hoping that it would reseal the gap. Alas, it did not work, so he replaced the entire unit.

But the original installation, done by plumbers who shall be described as "nice guys," didn't use couplings, because they were cheap bastards and not very good plumbers. So the replacement took longer than it should have. That new coupling will simplify replacing the unit if it ever needs to be swapped. Hell, I could probably do it if necessary.

What's the point? Well, doing a job correctly the first time has benefits that last a very long time. Oh, this isn't the first correction that needed to be done, although I think it will be the last. While it probably cost a bit more, the current fix and the previous ones have improved and simplified maintenance and change out of pumps, which don't last forever.

So...how many of you have examples of both a job well done and a shoddy job that required some correction? Don't be shy; if you did the shoddy job just admit it...the Horde will be gentle!

[The usual prize for the best story: One year Platinum membership with Troll-B-Gon^TM and ampersand utility.]

Posted by: CBD at 02:00 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Been there, done that.

Posted by: Additional Blond Agent, STEM guy at January 10, 2021 02:01 PM (ZSK0i)

2 And nooded.

Posted by: Additional Blond Agent, STEM guy at January 10, 2021 02:02 PM (ZSK0i)

3 We've descended once again into Obama's America of 2009+. . . . .where nothing works, and no one wants to do the right job, pay the proper prices and be accountable for their actions. Which makes sense, given the way the craven Marxist Rat Left has seized upon (never waste one, remember?) Chinese Lung Rot crisis where government employees NEVER missed a paycheck and most sat on their Clintons and collected a check. It will soon truly be the Age of Shoddy by the end of the year, complete with bread lines and rotting crops.

Posted by: H8 Marxist Rats and Lazy Bolsheviks at January 10, 2021 02:05 PM (LBDTv)

4 Sorry to go off topic but on Parler, Don Trump Jr is intimating that something called the "Freddom Social Network" is about to Launch. I can only assume it is Trump Funded?

Posted by: Nevergiveup at January 10, 2021 02:05 PM (85Gof)

5 Sorry was painting and not watching time

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2021 02:06 PM (Cxk7w)

6 Parler is dead and Gab is "under maintenance ."

That's not suspicious.

Posted by: BurkeanMama at January 10, 2021 02:06 PM (CYk5a)

7 how many of you have examples of both a job well done and a shoddy job that required some correction?

Shoot. That 'and' in there means I would have to think of a job well-done, too, in order to submit a story.

Posted by: t-bird at January 10, 2021 02:06 PM (/2aWP)

8 As a 16 year old, I had a part-time job pumping gas and adding oil at a small bus company. In the summer it went full time and I was learning the trade. After doing 10 brake jobs under close supervision, I started to do those alone. On my 5th, I put a rotor bearing back in backwards. Bus made it about a mile, warped the axle.

Back to very close supervision.

Posted by: motionview at January 10, 2021 02:07 PM (pYQR/)

9 I can do some things on my own. But I know my limitations. So thankful I found a good handyman.

I can fix a toilet and install a faucet, but no way I'm replacing a water heater.

Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 02:07 PM (wR3DP)

10 Gab is "under maintenance ."

It's still there, just checked. You just have to keep trying. It's funny, though, that CloudFlare seems to function as a Denial-of-Service service for them.

Posted by: t-bird at January 10, 2021 02:08 PM (/2aWP)

11 Bus made it about a mile, warped the axle.

Back to very close supervision.

Posted by: motionview at January 10, 2021 02:07 PM (pYQR/)

Ouch!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 10, 2021 02:08 PM (xT2tT)

12 I do most everything here myself, some repairs last a long time, others not long.
Have to think about it

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2021 02:08 PM (Cxk7w)

13 The usual prize for the best story: One year Platinum membership with Troll-B-GonTM and ampersand utility.]

-----

Damn, CBD, do you always just throw around Ace's money like that?

Posted by: LeftCoast Dawg at January 10, 2021 02:09 PM (sy5kK)

14 Is your plumber using teflon tape + pipe dope ?

looks like it , BICBW

you could refit the entire country in wasted dope, glue, solder and tape

if you can see it, it isn't helping

Posted by: REDACTED at January 10, 2021 02:09 PM (zZxh0)

15 I've been tasked as part of ny Yob with the Navy to do a complete survey of all the Dental X-ray Equipment the Reserve Component has and it's functionality....Sigh and all I can say the waste because of ppor maitanance and poor set up is appalling and runs into the big bucks.

Posted by: Nevergiveup at January 10, 2021 02:09 PM (85Gof)

16 I had a 30 year old gas furnace replaced in 2019.

Here's the thing, it was still working perfectly but it was only 75 to 80% efficient. I replaced it with a 95% unit.

The reason I replaced it was fear of it dying on a Sunday when it's zero degrees out. I'd get killed financially on the weekend emergency call.

Plus I got a smoking deal on the replacement.

Posted by: Ha at January 10, 2021 02:10 PM (rd+Bu)

17 Play it right and you can put a job off with the I'm going fishing in August till the company folds.

Posted by: DaveA at January 10, 2021 02:10 PM (FhXTo)

18 Speaking of water heaters, does anyone have an "instant" water heater?

Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 02:11 PM (wR3DP)

19 So...how many of you have examples of both a job well done and a shoddy job that required some correction?

It's been my experience that the overall quality of work in the skilled services has been steadily in decline for quite some time now. Of course, we are all hopeful that once Critical Race Theory has fully permeated our learning institutions that this trend can be reversed. Heh.

Posted by: Notorious BFD at January 10, 2021 02:11 PM (W4eKo)

20 I have had to fix a lot of issues in cars, lawnmowers, etc. but generally try to do a long run fix correctly rather than something to get by.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 02:11 PM (pO7gM)

21 So...how many of you have examples of both a job well done and a shoddy
job that required some correction? Don't be shy; if you did the shoddy
job just admit it...the Horde will be gentle!

Good Lord, where should I even start?

Posted by: The Walking Dude at January 10, 2021 02:12 PM (cCxiu)

22 Not a good idea to rewire your home this way, but all kinds of tasks are easy to do after watching some YouTube videos. Home repair, car repair, even carpentry. Often there are multiple videos on the task you need to accomplish, and different people tell it different ways.

You Tube is good for something other than censoring half of the country.

Posted by: LeftCoast Dawg at January 10, 2021 02:12 PM (sy5kK)

23 I decided to add on to my house once, spent a ton of time digging down to the footers (by hand). Drilling into the footers for connecting rebar. Making a concrete form for the small 5x12 foot outcropping of the house. Mid way through the pour the forms broke out. So today, just off the house is a huge underground boulder of concrete, and no addition.

Posted by: Jimco Industries at January 10, 2021 02:12 PM (buTO7)

24 No insulation on that set-up, CBD?

Posted by: Gref at January 10, 2021 02:12 PM (AMIL/)

25 And if the plumber spent more money on parts and labor 16 years ago someone would have bitched about that. There's always two sides to a story.

Posted by: lowandslow at January 10, 2021 02:13 PM (qH6FZ)

26 When my crowd sees (or does) something half-assed, it's called a COB-job.

No offense intended CBD, I'm sure it stands for cobbled.

Posted by: Zeera at January 10, 2021 02:14 PM (zUdXR)

27 I once did a job that propelled me all the way to the highest levels of government. I can start a Harley that way, too.

Posted by: Kamala Harris at January 10, 2021 02:15 PM (Wm5SB)

28 I can start a Harley that way, too.
Posted by: Kamala Harris at January 10, 2021 02:15 PM (Wm5SB)

really get it humming ha?

Posted by: Nevergiveup at January 10, 2021 02:16 PM (85Gof)

29 59 degree bedroom, huh?

I live in a very old house. Probably well over 100 years old. There in no central heating and no central air. On a snowy day like today, I rely on two electric heaters and two butane heaters. The average temp is 60-65 degrees, but it is pricey.

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at January 10, 2021 02:16 PM (M7K2y)

30 Mid way through the pour the forms broke out. So today, just off the
house is a huge underground boulder of concrete, and no addition.Posted by: Jimco Industries

You do know that's visible from Space, right?

Posted by: NASA at January 10, 2021 02:16 PM (cCxiu)

31 Mid way through the pour the forms broke out. So today, just off the house is a huge underground boulder of concrete, and no addition.
Posted by: Jimco Industries at January 10, 2021 02:12 PM (buTO7)

Yikes, a costly and painful mistake.

Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 02:16 PM (wR3DP)

32 I'll say that the first time I tackle a new project, it's a real learning experience. If I get a chance to do that thing again, it goes much better.

Posted by: Zeera at January 10, 2021 02:16 PM (zUdXR)

33 Jeff Bezos needs to be fired from a cannon. The man is evil.

Posted by: Jewells45TRUMPWON! at January 10, 2021 02:16 PM (nxdel)

34 Recently had a garage built; my first in 40+ years. Very spendy. By the time the frame was up, a 5 foot triangle of concrete cracked on one corner. A water line was flexible and the drywallers cut a hole around it so it stuck out. All they had to do was push on it (plastic) to get it out of the way. Argh.

Posted by: A lotta nerve at January 10, 2021 02:17 PM (JdcHc)

35 Speaking of water heaters, does anyone have an "instant" water heater?

Had them in Europe. Kind of a cool idea. They have their good points.

Posted by: t-bird at January 10, 2021 02:17 PM (8eSmR)

36 SharkBite fittings and ball valves on both lines to my water heater. Just because I can replace either the valves or fittings in five minutes. Same for the water heater.

Posted by: Turn The Page at January 10, 2021 02:17 PM (kwcaA)

37 A stitch in nine saves time.

Posted by: Hairyback Guy at January 10, 2021 02:17 PM (R/m4+)

38 I do almost everything half-assed. My motto is "Good Enough!"

Posted by: grammie winger at January 10, 2021 02:18 PM (gm3d+)

39 In the spirit of the original post, ponder these interior design failures, where someone did not cover himself in glory:

https://www.boredpanda.com/home-interior-design-fails/

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 10, 2021 02:18 PM (YqDXo)

40 When i was a kid i helped my dad rewire our entire 4 unit apartment building. Inspector came at the end and nearly cried he was so pissed at how the wiring was set up. Asked my dad who the hell he hired to do it. I was laughing in the background to myself, but to this day my dad and i have never spoke of that story to each other.

Posted by: Eli Cash at January 10, 2021 02:18 PM (SScvq)

41 I've got an old Pontiac Firebird, picked her up in '14. Drove her around till the end of summer in 2015 when I spun a rod on the #6 cylinder. Anyway, time to pull the motor and off the the machine shop. While the motor was out I went about pulling and rebuilding most of the drivetrain. If anyone has experience with old cars you find some really unique fixes as you peel that onion away... similar to old houses I suppose. Anyway the worst discovery I had was trying to get the fuel gage to work. I pulled the tank and I guess the seal on the sending unit failed because instead of taking it out and replacing the gasket there was about a quarter inch of JB Weld pooled over the top... the tank was in terrible shape so I ended up replacing it along with a new sending unit and gaskets all around... but that was a bit of a laugh.

Posted by: Inogame - Trump won at January 10, 2021 02:18 PM (+2xjH)

42 Speaking of water heaters, does anyone have an "instant" water heater?

$$$$$
So, no.

Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 02:18 PM (axyOa)

43 I'd sign off on that CBD.

Might need to check with AOP tho.

Had a guy at work that wanted to smear PVC glue on a split irrigation pipe at the course. Ain't happening at 20 psi. Sure ain't gonna fix it at 120 psi.

Posted by: golfman at January 10, 2021 02:18 PM (hOMhY)

44 There are instant hot water systems that fit under sink, see them sometimes in a office that just needs it in kitchenette. Friday brought a hardly used 5 gal water Hester home with the thinking making a instant hot in basement just under kitchen sink. Sink is but 15 feet from heater but is at end of the line at 50 feet.

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2021 02:19 PM (Cxk7w)

45 I had to construct a water connection only a little less complex, to connect the ancient in-wall refrigerator supply line to the inlet fitting on a 2014 refrigerator.

Maybe there is a simpler way, but I got it done. Only two trips to the hardware store.

Posted by: Gref at January 10, 2021 02:19 PM (AMIL/)

46 My house is usually 59 or so in the winter a.m.

I shut the furnace off at 730pm.

I like my winter energy bill being well below $200.

Posted by: Ha at January 10, 2021 02:19 PM (rd+Bu)

47 I was about 14. My dad called me over to where he was working on the family car. "Now I want to show you this. You see this little shaft? It's worn out, I built it back up with some solder and filed it back down. Good as new. If you had gone to the parts store, they would have charged you $2.50 for that shaft, and it only took me 2 hrs to fix!" You can take a man out of the Depression, but you'll never take the Depression out of that generation. Geez I miss him!

Posted by: Some rat in the swamp at January 10, 2021 02:20 PM (c9Lu2)

48 Speaking of water heaters, does anyone have an "instant" water heater?

$$$$$
So, no.
Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 02:18 PM (axyOa)

I've had two. Unlimited hot water. I love them.

Can't get golflady to sign off here at casa de golf.

Posted by: golfman at January 10, 2021 02:20 PM (hOMhY)

49 A lot of my first efforts are somewhat shoddy, but I prefer to call them "practice". A step up from functional is the art of making the job look clean. My projects are now usually functional, but not always clean. I can now more fully admire the work of the real professional, but my work is "functional".

Posted by: illiniwek at January 10, 2021 02:20 PM (Cus5s)

50 So...how many of you have examples of both a job well done and a shoddy job that required some correction? Don't be shy; if you did the shoddy job just admit it...the Horde will be gentle!
------

For years I strove to do things in a manner that would impress anyone who gazed upon it in the future, 'Wow, this guy was really a craftsman!'

In my dotage, that inclination has faded somewhat. The reason being that the preoccupation with appearance, fitment, detail, etc. were taking a lot of time and effort. Rewarding, perhaps, but time-consuming. I gradually began to focus on function rather than form.

I now have a printed note on the wall above my lathe, 'This Is Not The Space Shuttle, just get the damn job done!'

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 10, 2021 02:21 PM (6PnYW)

51 Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at January 10, 2021 02:16

No fireplace? Could you install a pellet stove? I miss the one in my old house. There was a locally owned place that was having a sale in May. You could put it on lay-a-way. I had it paid off in Aug. and installed in Sept. The pellets were a little pricey, but cheaper by the ton. It was always warm in the living area and cut way back on nat gas bill. Back when it more pricey. I also had them install a programmable thermostat.

Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 02:21 PM (wR3DP)

52 If you ever have a chance watch the series Holmes on Homes or Holmes Inspections. The entire program is about doing the job right the first time. He's Canadian so some construction differences. He also has his hot daughter working for him so that's a bonus.

Posted by: Mr. Meeseeks, Look at me at January 10, 2021 02:22 PM (2DOZq)

53 My house is usually 59 or so in the winter a.m.

*fist bump*

Posted by: Nanook of the North at January 10, 2021 02:22 PM (W4eKo)

54 And if the plumber spent more money on parts and labor 16 years ago someone would have bitched about that. There's always two sides to a story.
Posted by: lowandslow at January 10, 2021 02:13 PM (qH6FZ)

Unions are underrated IYKWIMAITYD.

Posted by: golfman at January 10, 2021 02:22 PM (hOMhY)

55 Let me tell you about this election I ran once....

Posted by: Sec State Brad Raffensperger at January 10, 2021 02:22 PM (ZfRYq)

56 Shoddy job.
Bought a new Citation in '82. After about 20k the carpeting on the back deck started to peel. I took it in as it was still under warranty. Dumb shits slapped some duck tape on it.
At 50.1k (just out of warranty) the door fell off.
Never owned a Chevy since.

Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 02:23 PM (axyOa)

57 Speaking of water heaters, does anyone have an "instant" water heater?

I thought the one at my sisters house was a soap dispenser...ouch.

Posted by: Some rat in the swamp at January 10, 2021 02:23 PM (c9Lu2)

58 FYI - your water heater usually dies from sediment. If you have a dual element unit - sediment surrounds and kills the bottom element first.

I often say "fuck it" and don't back flush mine either. Even though I have all the fittings to do so.

Posted by: Turn The Page at January 10, 2021 02:23 PM (kwcaA)

59 Posted by: REDACTED at January 10, 2021 02:09 PM (zZxh0)

This was the first thing I noticed, too....

Posted by: Baron Munchausen at January 10, 2021 02:23 PM (C1NyB)

60 Used FlexSeal on a out going water heater line, it was try it or replace the tank. Got 6 months at least before it started leaking elsewhere and had to replace it.

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2021 02:23 PM (Cxk7w)

61 Most of my damned house serves as an example of how not to do things, thanks to the original contractor.

As I fix stuff then, I do attempt to make the fix a proper one so that I or the next owner don't suffer twice.

Posted by: Additional Blond Agent, STEM guy at January 10, 2021 02:23 PM (ZSK0i)

62 My father always told me to never buy the cheapest option. You'll pay for it in the end. Even so I've got a few Hi-Point guns.

Posted by: Mr. Meeseeks, Look at me at January 10, 2021 02:24 PM (2DOZq)

63 I now have a printed note on the wall above my lathe, 'This Is Not The Space Shuttle, just get the damn job done!'
Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 10, 2021 02:21 PM (6PnYW)

Bravo.

We have one at work that has no concept of expense vs. pragmatism.

Posted by: golfman at January 10, 2021 02:24 PM (hOMhY)

64 I see that this afternoon Cabaret is on TCM and Thursday Doctor Zhivago. If that doesn't get you in the mood for the Joe and the Ho Dumpster Fire Administration, nothing will!

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at January 10, 2021 02:24 PM (+y/Ru)

65 >>Speaking of water heaters, does anyone have an "instant" water heater?
Posted by: Infidel

At a house we sold recently the 180 gallon water heater died and we thought a tankless would be a good idea. Unlimited hot water and all that. Once it was installed we discovered really only one of the three showers could be used at a time. Forget about a shower and the washing machine or dishwasher at the same time.

Months of plumber visits and component replacements as well as manufacturer representative visits before the problem was identified. The gas line to the house was too small to supply the heater. (We ran a 20kW back up generator off that line). $5000 to replace the line.

So actually great when it works.

Posted by: Aviator at January 10, 2021 02:25 PM (0FTCx)

66 My friend was a heating contractor for years. When he installed hot water heat in my house, and installed it in the garage, basement floors, underneath tile in kitchen/bath he installed the boiler. When he tightened the fittings, he made sure all the nuts faced exactly the same way, parallel. He looked at me and said, "Know why I did it that way?" I didn't. He said, "That's the way I like it. Also, it's a sign of craftsmanship so the next guy that comes in here and works on it knows things were done right."

Posted by: jeff at January 10, 2021 02:25 PM (J2JqR)

67 Wonder if the Trump-backed social media platform referenced above is what Brad Parscale was hinting at back in the spring / summer as a "secret weapon." I think it has been in development for some time by Trump / the Trump campaign as a backup in case he was deplatformed during the election.

Posted by: Revenant at January 10, 2021 02:25 PM (s3j76)

68 For years I strove to do things in a manner that would impress anyone who gazed upon it in the future, 'Wow, this guy was really a craftsman!'
----------

I have a good example. The plastic flag mount on our mail box died of sun rot. I machined some very nice pieces from billet aluminum to replace it.

It's a very nice piece of work. Total parts count, including screws and washers? 22 pieces.

Functionality? Pretty much the same as a $5.00 replacement flag/mount.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 10, 2021 02:26 PM (6PnYW)

69 I build harleys, the list of shoddy I have seen would be longer than the dead sea scrolls.

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 10, 2021 02:26 PM (9Om/r)

70 Congratulations! Your hot water system in now unionized!

Posted by: SEIU at January 10, 2021 02:26 PM (DMUuz)

71 I now have a printed note on the wall above my lathe, 'This Is Not The Space Shuttle, just get the damn job done!'
Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 10, 2021 02:21 PM (6PnYW)

I have one for carpentry projects: "It's close enough. We're not making a Stradivarius here."

Posted by: Deplorable Jay Guevara at January 10, 2021 02:27 PM (YqDXo)

72 o...how many of you have examples of both a job well done and a shoddy job that required some correction? Don't be shy; if you did the shoddy job just admit it...the Horde will be gentle!

==

I am smart enough to hire professionals.

Posted by: runner at January 10, 2021 02:27 PM (zr5Kq)

73 Dad bought a junker Chevy pickup for work. We replaced fenders, painted, put some sheet metal over holes in the floor board, etc, good looking truck when we finished.

But during restoration he ripped out the emergency brake lever WHAT? (the cables and connectors etc were long gone)

I asked how would it pass safety inspection. Dad said, the inspector won't admit that he can't find the lever.

Dad was right.

Posted by: Braenyard at January 10, 2021 02:28 PM (CZm2G)

74 At my cabin in West Virginia there's a crawl space underneath. You can only access this by going outside to one end of the house and opening a small door, then crawl through. After several years that door, the door frame and hardware rotted or rusted out. Rather than put in a new frame, door and hardware I covered the hole with a piece of plywood and held it in place with a couple bricks.

It's still there. More or less. That was 8 years ago.

Posted by: Martini Farmer - Now a Pirate, Hoisting the Black Flag at January 10, 2021 02:28 PM (3H9h1)

75 A Good job.
As a kid growing up at a little airport, I was asked to help a guy wash his airplane. I got the job of cleaning the oil, dirt and grime off the bottom. It was nasty. And the soap he had sucked. So I got some cleaner my mom used and I quickly cleaned it up right down to the paint. Then a quick wax.
Owner was impressed.
He came back later and said the reduced drag gave him about 5mph better cruise speed.
That launched a weekend business for me.

Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 02:28 PM (axyOa)

76 Nearly Willowed:

You know things are bad when people are happy to see a limerick about hemorrhoids.
Posted by: Sharon(willow's apprentice) at January 10, 2021 01:53 PM

I'm happy to see a limerick about hemorrhoids even in the best of times! Not sure what that says about me...

Posted by: Taqiyyologist (bofa/deez) at January 10, 2021 02:28 PM (OssQ4)

77 Its garden time here in Palm Beach County, and I have been jonesing for a tiller. I bought a Craftsman tiller with a 5 hp B&S. Practically free. Didn't run. One rebuilt carb later and Im as proud as a dog with two dicks.

Posted by: The Charlie Daniels of the Torque Wrench at January 10, 2021 02:28 PM (ch+GK)

78 Shitty workmanship is a pet peeve of mine. My machinists say many things concerning my character, mostly derogatory but as one said recently; when Xipe fixes something, it stays fixed. But yeah, he's an asshole.

Posted by: Xipe Totec at January 10, 2021 02:29 PM (eJn7u)

79 One rebuilt carb later and Im as proud as a dog with two dicks.
Posted by: The Charlie Daniels of the Torque Wrench at January 10, 2021 02:28 PM (ch+GK)

Better than a dog with two ticks.

Posted by: golfman at January 10, 2021 02:29 PM (hOMhY)

80 Unconstrained-Analytics-Left-Strategy-Tactics-231120.pdf

https://tinyurl.com/y2zhj56y

Posted by: Genocidal Flop Sweat at January 10, 2021 02:30 PM (ZqjOT)

81 No fireplace? Could you install a pellet stove? I miss the one in my old house. There was a locally owned place that was having a sale in May. You could put it on lay-a-way. I had it paid off in Aug. and installed in Sept. The pellets were a little pricey, but cheaper by the ton. It was always warm in the living area and cut way back on nat gas bill. Back when it more pricey. I also had them install a programmable thermostat.
Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 02:21 PM (wR3DP)

No fireplace. A pellet stove? Don't know. I have never looked into that.

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at January 10, 2021 02:30 PM (M7K2y)

82 Speaking of water heaters, does anyone have an "instant" water heater?

-
I considered it but at twice or more the cost, I didn't consider it long. Guy told me that what with the increased efficiency, you can make it up if you have four or five people in the house but if it's just two, it's not worth it.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at January 10, 2021 02:30 PM (+y/Ru)

83 Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 02:28 PM (axyOa)

Is that you I saw on Parler?

Trying to up my follows.

Posted by: golfman at January 10, 2021 02:31 PM (hOMhY)

84 I build harleys, the list of shoddy I have seen would be longer than the dead sea scrolls.
Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division
-------

At an enduro,once, I spied a bike that been wired entirely with Romex.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 10, 2021 02:31 PM (6PnYW)

85 Even so I've got a few Hi-Point guns.
Posted by: Mr. Meeseeks, Look at me at January 10, 2021 02:24 PM (2DOZq)

Ditto.
Damned nice too.

Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 02:31 PM (axyOa)

86 I handled a class action suit in the Hudson Valley filed by the owners of a new townhome complex. The builder decided to use a heat pump as the heating system. Needless to say when it was below freezing outside the owners couldn't get their homes heated above 60 degrees.

Posted by: Mr. Meeseeks, Look at me at January 10, 2021 02:32 PM (2DOZq)

87 My wife has a habit, 6 times and counting, of cutting the extension cord on our bush trimmer. One of the times I was repairing said cord I crossed the hot and cold running wires and it not only took me 20 minutes to figure out what I'd done, but another 15 to undo my redo and re-redo. Don't tell her.

Posted by: Robert17 at January 10, 2021 02:32 PM (NGqKT)

88 Is that you I saw on Parler?

Trying to up my follows.
Posted by: golfman at January 10, 2021 02:31 PM (hOMhY)

Probably.
I'm still trying to figure it out.

Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 02:32 PM (axyOa)

89 This topic is timely. I am in the process of having to fix a problem that three horse shoers and a vet have caused. After x-rays, sonograms, medications and no diagnostic skills, these incompetents have brought this horse to lameness.

Posted by: Ben Had at January 10, 2021 02:33 PM (D1xr1)

90 I have just deleted my Facebook account.
Yesterday, Hubbymayhem paid off our credit card and put a nice chunk of change toward the mortgage principle.
Today, Hubbymayhem eliminated his Amazon prime account and removed it from our Roku setup. He deleted his Twitter account and is deleting his Facebook account soon.

They want to delete conservative voices, we will delete them.
No one needs social media sewers to communicate. We managed quite well before those platforms existed. We will do just fine without them.

Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench) at January 10, 2021 02:34 PM (Vxu+H)

91 I considered it but at twice or more the cost, I didn't consider it long. Guy told me that what with the increased efficiency, you can make it up if you have four or five people in the house but if it's just two, it's not worth it.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at January 10, 2021 02:30 PM (+y/Ru)

The plus for me was NG. Currently we have an electric hot water heater in the crawlspace. Would prefer to go to NG but for some reason a NG hot water heater can't go in the crawlspace? ??? our furnace is NG and in the crawlspace.

IDK.

Posted by: golfman at January 10, 2021 02:34 PM (hOMhY)

92 OT- Additional Blond Agent, saw your comment in EMT regarding Sir Thomas More's exchange w/ Wm Roper. Searched for that and came across this article in The New Criterion that referenced that exchange in today's context re: PDJT. Interesting.

https://newcriterion.com/issues/2021/1/truth-or-dare

Posted by: olddog in mo, uckfay ancercay at January 10, 2021 02:34 PM (ju2Fy)

93 The family room in our house had a skylight. The joists are 16 inches apart. The previous owner installed a square skylight that was 12 inches on a side. One side was nailed to a joist; the other hung, supported only by the outside of the skylight resting on the shingles (waterproofed with lots of caulk). Obviously, it leaked like a sieve.

Posted by: Morgan Rhinegelt at January 10, 2021 02:34 PM (kS4V8)

94 I don't have an instant water heater, but I do have a couple of cases of instant water. You know, just in case.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at January 10, 2021 02:34 PM (kTF2Z)

95 Or you could go the other direction and over engineer a job like the Germans.

Posted by: Mr. Meeseeks, Look at me at January 10, 2021 02:35 PM (2DOZq)

96 They want to delete conservative voices, we will delete them.
No one needs social media sewers to communicate. We managed quite well before those platforms existed. We will do just fine without them.
Posted by: Madamemayhem (uppity wench) at January 10, 2021 02:34 PM (Vxu+H)

Prime will be last for me. Going to the store has become UGH inducing.

Posted by: golfman at January 10, 2021 02:36 PM (hOMhY)

97 Is that you I saw on Parler?

Trying to up my follows.
Posted by: golfman at January 10, 2021 02:31 PM (hOMhY)

Are you just golfman?

Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 02:36 PM (axyOa)

98 I just hooked up a water line to a fridge. 40 feet of tubing to reach it. I think the guy gave me extra luckily

Needed a new lawntractor battery on weekend, then my wife's car needed a battery too. Budget was tight so I put the lawntractor battery in her car till next payday. 4 cylinder so it was just fine

Posted by: Lord Percy @& at January 10, 2021 02:36 PM (K5YXy)

99 I don't have an instant water heater, but I do have a couple of cases of instant water. You know, just in case.

Just add Tang.

Posted by: The Astronauts at January 10, 2021 02:37 PM (W4eKo)

100 Are you just golfman?
Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 02:36 PM (axyOa)

Yessir

Posted by: golfman at January 10, 2021 02:37 PM (hOMhY)

101
At an enduro,once, I spied a bike that been wired entirely with Romex.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 10, 2021 02:31 PM (6PnYW)

On harleys I have seen Romex, BX (under the fender so the tire didn't cut the wires), speaker wire, lamp cord, bell wire, orange shit I couldn't identify, and wire nuts. Small garden hose sections as conduit, door bell button as a starter button, cut sections of a fucking bic pen as stand off/spacers. Need I keep going? lol

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 10, 2021 02:38 PM (9Om/r)

102 We have a gas-fired boiler for hot water heating. The house is 60 years old, has three zones, and as you would expect three circulator pumps, as well as all the associated feeds and returns, backflow preventers, regulator, overpressure valves, air scrapers, vents, valves, etc.

A bazillion feet of copper tubing...joints everywhere.

I have likened it to one of those black and white movies where the submarine is being blasted with depth charges. Something, somewhere, is leaking, weeping, burning out, rattling...

It's a real adventure.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 10, 2021 02:38 PM (6PnYW)

103 No insulation on that set-up, CBD?

Posted by: Gref at January 10, 2021 02:12 PM (AMIL/)

No. The run to the first pump is about two feet. Then it splits to the zone pumps. Since the water isn't even close to boiling, there is less of a loss and it doesn't make sense to insulate.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 10, 2021 02:38 PM (xT2tT)

104 Are you just golfman?
Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 02:36 PM (axyOa)

Yessir
Posted by: golfman at January 10, 2021 02:37 PM (hOMhY)

Now following.

Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 02:39 PM (axyOa)

105 Probably.
I'm still trying to figure it out.
Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 02:32 PM (axyOa)

---------

I kinda like it, once I scroll through everybody shilling for Trump Coins.

Posted by: Iixerupper at January 10, 2021 02:39 PM (nw6Hr)

106 For DIY I think the best advice is the well known Measure Twice, Cut Once.

Posted by: Mr. Meeseeks, Look at me at January 10, 2021 02:39 PM (2DOZq)

107 read your kids the

Emperors new clothes so they know whats going on with covid

Posted by: Lord Percy @& at January 10, 2021 02:39 PM (K5YXy)

108 100? 534 488 _1. ios auto update and canceled it. Fuck Apple.
2. _ be careful...some of those updates do effect the functionality of your device. : Nevergiveup

3. You can avoid the updates for awhile, eventually you'll have to update it if you want it to function properly. ... they pretty much OWN us. I had to order a new IPad because mine isn't holding a charge.
I feel disgusted doing so because the Tech companies despise us the most. Posted by: redridinghood
-----------------------

We need AoS tech seminars for the clueless.
Teach us how to run OS systems on our laptops and note pads that are not dependent on Apple or Android.

This control crap is going to get worse and we need to know how to stay clear and how to keep in contact.
_How to keep Ace up and running.

Posted by: Braenyard at January 10, 2021 02:39 PM (CZm2G)

109 Parler is dead and Gab is "under maintenance ."

That's not suspicious.

Posted by: BurkeanMama at January 10, 2021 02:06 PM (CYk5a)

I think that Parler has yet to find an alternate host (unsurprising). As far as Gab goes, I think they have been flooded with requests for new accounts and are having to physically put in new servers. From what I understand they are just difficult to reach because of that.
BurkeanMama do you post at insti under that name too?

Posted by: redbanzai the Southerner at January 10, 2021 02:40 PM (946rW)

110 Well, doing a job correctly the first time has benefits that last a very long time.

-------

So, my old man would never buy new cables. When they'd break or get lost or be outpaced by new tech, he wouldn't replace them. For years, he'd force me and Mannix to strip wires and splice them into these horrible, brain-sized balls of tape and copper. And... They worked for years!

Sometimes, a cheap bastard can be dedicated enough to cheapness to use children's tiny little fingers to do it the wrong way, and have it last a very long time.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2021 02:40 PM (Bvn1K)

111 106 For DIY I think the best advice is the well known Measure Twice, Cut Once.
Posted by: Mr. Meeseeks, Look at me at January 10, 2021 02:39 PM (2DOZq)
------------------

And keep your fingers clear.

Posted by: Braenyard at January 10, 2021 02:40 PM (CZm2G)

112 Installing the ice maker in the new fridge cause I was too cheap to pay, three trips to the hardware store, it worked for 6 months before I ripped it out. Ice cube trays don't leak.

Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 02:40 PM (wR3DP)

113 Sixteen years - and the union or the tank failed ? Yeah - I guess they don't make 'em like they used to.

Posted by: Turn The Page at January 10, 2021 02:40 PM (kwcaA)

114 Fixing the side bar:
---
The GOP has chosen to side with the Tech Monopolists, who hate them, over the conservative activists who ~~support them~~ serve as their crop of voters.

Posted by: Axeman at January 10, 2021 02:41 PM (Eicbe)

115 Need I keep going? lol
Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division
---------

Baby bottle tie-wrapped to frame, to catch blow-off oil from crankcase breather.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 10, 2021 02:41 PM (6PnYW)

116
Fixed my nic. Sheesh

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 02:41 PM (nw6Hr)

117 And keep your fingers clear.
Posted by: Braenyard at January 10, 2021 02:40 PM (CZm2G)

This!

Posted by: Lefty at January 10, 2021 02:41 PM (axyOa)

118 https://newcriterion.com/issues/2021/1/truth-or-dare

Posted by: olddog in mo, uckfay ancercay at January 10, 2021 02:34 PM (ju2Fy)

Interesting article.

It's unfortunate, however, that the author makes the statement "I wonder if, twelve years later, he would feel the same way about Donald Trump's slightly less laughably deranged allegations of election fraud? ". Most conservative readers would close the tab right there, missing the rest of the article that's actually pretty much on point.

Posted by: Additional Blond Agent, STEM guy at January 10, 2021 02:41 PM (ZSK0i)

119 Sometimes a job, if you have a boss, can't be done right.

A new restaurant we built used to be a gas and service station. Paint the kitchen floor, he said. Epoxy, one part. First time, it was late winter, way too cold for the product. He said "paint it anyway!". Well that all peeled off, the next day.

Second attempt. Its warm enough. But the kitchen floor was an auto garage from the 1940s to the 1970s. The concrete is impregnated for its entire thickness with motor oil, and no paint in existence will ever stick to it. "Paint it anyway! You're just trying to get out of doing work!". It didn't stick.

Then I etched the entire kitchen floor with muriatic acid. Painted it again. It didn't stick. My initial suggestion, months before, because I knew what I was doing, was to Tapcon screw Durock to the floor, and lay tile, because no paint will ever stick to that floor. It would have saved my boss a lot of time and money. But no.

Posted by: Taqiyyologist (bofa/deez) at January 10, 2021 02:42 PM (OssQ4)

120 cutting the extension cord on our bush trimmer.

-
Although generally I prefer electric to gas yard equipment, I decided that I'd never buy another corded appliance, just battery. But now, of course, they'll all have to be candle powered.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Tyrannosaur Wrangler at January 10, 2021 02:42 PM (+y/Ru)

121 Not sure where this falls on the scale - it's both shoddy and a good job so....you judge.

Bought the home in 2000 from the original owner who had been in it since the 50's after his wife died. Tons of weird and intricate detail work and, we found out later, a bunch of non residential and non-commercial fixtures since he was an employee of the Phila. Nay Yard.
In 2003, the gas heat won't come on - fiddling with the thermostat does nothing, checking fuses does nothing, attempting to light pilot does nothing - stone dead. I call a casual acquaintance from work who I know to be an HVAC guy. He comes out and fiddles with it, says the thermocouple is bad and replaces it.
2006, same problem. Call guy again. Comes out and replaces the thermocouple again. Ask if that's usual, he says no, but you get a bad part sometimes.
2009, same problem, same guy. Spends two hours with the thing. Replaces the thermocouple again. Apologizes he doesn't have an answer, charges nothing.
2012, again.
2015. Same problem, guy now retired, but left a note in the file to have the company call him when I called. New Thermocouple, no charge.
2018, again.
2021 is here. Hope he survived the 'rona.

Posted by: common sense at January 10, 2021 02:42 PM (UCCfH)

122 So the drivers side window of my lesburu blew out. I took it to the dealership for replacement. Everything seemed ok

A couple years later, I bought some cool speakers and had them installed at Car Toys. They took apart the drivers side door and sent me a picture of what they found. It was a mess. There was broken glass everywhere and it was covered with cardboard and duct tape. I was furious and sent the photos to the dealership. They denied any and all responsibility.

Car toys installed the new speakers and sent me a picture of their work before they closed up the panel.

Posted by: nurse ratched at January 10, 2021 02:43 PM (U2p+3)

123 Installing the ice maker in the new fridge cause I was too cheap to pay, three trips to the hardware store, it worked for 6 months before I ripped it out. Ice cube trays don't leak.
Posted by: Infidel
-------

When we installed a new fridge, I very definitely did NOT attach the automatic ice maker line.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 10, 2021 02:43 PM (6PnYW)

124 I'm basically a troglodyte and still prefer brick and mortar shopping so avoiding Amazon is not a burden for me.

Posted by: Mr. Meeseeks, Look at me at January 10, 2021 02:43 PM (2DOZq)

125 Measure as many times as you have to to get it right, then cut once

Posted by: Lord Percy @& at January 10, 2021 02:43 PM (K5YXy)

126 I fix alot at work my co-workers leave me to fix.

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2021 02:43 PM (Cxk7w)

127 Installing the ice maker in the new fridge cause I was too cheap to pay, three trips to the hardware store, it worked for 6 months before I ripped it out. Ice cube trays don't leak.
Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 02:40 PM (wR3DP)

BNL worked in insurance all his career. They called ice makers "claim makers."

Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 02:43 PM (axyOa)

128 Mid-way through the shut down, when it switched to the mail lady bringing me 50 pound boxes of Amazon food instead of me putting on a 10 gram mask, I opened the door one day just as she was dropping off a box. She looked at me and said - Quit ordering shit!

Posted by: Jimco Industries at January 10, 2021 02:43 PM (buTO7)

129 I build harleys, the list of shoddy I have seen would be longer than the dead sea scrolls.
Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division

I knew better. Even though I had a manual, the only thing I would do to my harley was change the oil and filter.

Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 02:44 PM (wR3DP)

130 Baby bottle tie-wrapped to frame, to catch blow-off oil from crankcase breather.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 10, 2021 02:41 PM (6PnYW)

Beer cans, I have seen beer cans used that way. 10 out of 10 for style. lol

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 10, 2021 02:44 PM (9Om/r)

131 Sort-of on-topic? Some Rube Goldberg machines.

https://preview.tinyurl.com/roaeml8

Posted by: Gref at January 10, 2021 02:45 PM (AMIL/)

132
As a general contractor specializing in disaster restoration, you wouldnt believe some of the shit Ive seen done to houses, by pros and DIYs alike.

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 02:45 PM (nw6Hr)

133 I bought my grandson the mousetrap game.
I still love it!

Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 02:46 PM (axyOa)

134 "It's still there, just checked. You just have to keep trying. It's funny, though, that CloudFlare seems to function as a Denial-of-Service service for them."

Funny ha ha, or funny tech tyranny.

Posted by: BurkeanMama at January 10, 2021 02:46 PM (CYk5a)

135 Beer cans, I have seen beer cans used that way. 10 out of 10 for style. lol
Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division
----------

Maybe. Might depend on the beer can. Bud Lite no more than 5 points.

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 10, 2021 02:48 PM (6PnYW)

136 As a general contractor specializing in disaster
restoration, you wouldnt believe some of the shit Ive seen done to
houses, by pros and DIYs alike.

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 02:45 PM (nw6Hr)

Yeah I didn't even get to that list yet. Coffee can duct work was a fav. lol

Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 10, 2021 02:48 PM (9Om/r)

137 speaking of technology. Is anyone aware of any distributed methods for web or other communications? Email, web hosting, these all rely on single servers that are obvious points of weakness. Is there anyway to create something like a website that uses P2P to propagate? Like Ace loads a new thing article then it propagates out like a torrent or something? Or something like a distributed IRC to host chat comments?

Obviously, I don't know the answer, but seems like we need to start thinking ahead and ready to mass distribute news with minimum points of weakness or central servers.

Posted by: Lou at January 10, 2021 02:48 PM (Kzd2j)

138 >When i was a kid i helped my dad rewire our entire 4 unit apartment building. Inspector came at the end and nearly cried he was so pissed at how the wiring was set up. Asked my dad who the hell he hired to do it. I was laughing in the background to myself, but to this day my dad and i have never spoke of that story to each other.
Posted by: Eli Cash at January 10, 2021 02:18 PM (SScvq)

Recently built an finished outbuilding on my property, with electrical service. I wired the interior myself. Other than making one easily-corrected mistake, the inspector told me that I kind of overdid it. As in, it was nicer than most pros would bother doing.

Posted by: Dworkin Barimen - anarcho-tyranny? you're soaking in it! at January 10, 2021 02:48 PM (poEUH)

139 When I bought some rental property in the early 90's, I got used to replacing the water heaters that had been installed in the 50's and 60's. I found that those I installed in the 90's lasted about 15 years or so. I ask my plumber today, an old friend with a lot of experience, and he says "when people ask how long the new heater will last, I tell them it has a 5 year warranty. When they say no, how long will it last really? I just say it has a 5 year warranty."

I had to replace a 4 year old refrigerator yesterday. It was a cheap chinese made whirlpool, about $400 new, for an apartment. Started leaking water inside, my appliance guy after a look said "it's gonna cost more to tear it apart and figure out what's wrong than to replace it, so junk it." I did.

Posted by: Tom Servo lear at January 10, 2021 02:49 PM (V2Yro)

140 I bought my grandson the mousetrap game.

I still love it!
Posted by: Diogenes

Bought it a few years ago. One of the best games from my childhood.

Posted by: SFGoth at January 10, 2021 02:50 PM (KAi1n)

141 Recently changed the fuel pump twice on my wife's Durango, got a bad one first time . Had to drop the gas tank in the driveway.. Always try and test parts before using.

Posted by: Lord Percy @& at January 10, 2021 02:51 PM (K5YXy)

142 89 This topic is timely. I am in the process of having to fix a problem that three horse shoers and a vet have caused. After x-rays, sonograms, medications and no diagnostic skills, these incompetents have brought this horse to lameness.

Posted by: Ben Had at January 10, 2021 02:33 PM (D1xr1)

Get four ropes, if you know what I mean. They won't heal the horse but will give you some satisfaction.

Posted by: Gref at January 10, 2021 02:51 PM (AMIL/)

143 I have mostly given up on hiring people and if I do I expect to follow up repairing their work. My last encounter, I had a humidifier installed in my furnace and they had to install an outlet. Once complete, there was no cover on the outlet and no clamps holding the wire going into the box, allowing the wire to rub against the sharp edge of the metal box. Of course they insisted I needed a sleeve put in the water heater vent because it was too big, "for safety reasons".

Posted by: MH-53J at January 10, 2021 02:51 PM (7NmRg)

144 Redbanzi with conservatives being hunted for our pelts it makes sense that one of our last sites is being flooded.

If by insti you mean Instapundit, I used to comment there as BurkeanMama. But I've been banned. Yes libertarian who posts every day about the left's attack on free speech has banned me.

Posted by: BurkeanMama at January 10, 2021 02:52 PM (CYk5a)

145 I guess the tech giants just proved Barack wrong, they did build it and are only allowing who they want to play with it.

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2021 02:53 PM (Cxk7w)

146 Kathy Shaidle of the "Five Feet of Fury" blog has passed away of ovarian cancer.
From you Ms. Shaidle, my repertoire of phrases was enriched with one I saw you write many times: "These people aren't smart enough to tell me how to live!" Amen, and Rest in Peace, ma'am. You've more than earned it.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at January 10, 2021 02:53 PM (kgQDj)

147 I have done some creative repairs

Posted by: Lord Percy @& at January 10, 2021 02:54 PM (K5YXy)

148 Yeah I didn't even get to that list yet. Coffee can duct work was a fav. lol
Posted by: Berserker-Dragonheads Division at January 10, 2021 02:48 PM (9Om/r)

-----------

Overloaded breaker boxes with double lugged breakers are fun. Then there was the gal that didnt like the seel posts in her basement so she knocked them all out. Sewer stacks ventininto walls and attics are nice too.

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 02:54 PM (nw6Hr)

149 I know enough about home and auto repair that I know enough to get a guy that can do it right the first time and without 4 trips to the hardware store
Plus it's a lot easier on my knees and back

Posted by: Bruce at January 10, 2021 02:54 PM (vd8XM)

150 Speaking of water heaters, does anyone have an "instant" water heater?

Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 02:11 PM (wR3DP)

Just had a tankless installed. The old water heater was an eyesore in the laundry room plus it was as far away from the master bath as was possible. Tankless is now in the attic and equidistant from the kitchen and master bath. No problems so far. Sized so it delivers enough hot water that two people can take showers simultaneously. Not "instant" hot water though.

Posted by: Javems at January 10, 2021 02:54 PM (8SSHh)

151 >Or something like a distributed IRC to host chat comments?

Obviously, I don't know the answer, but seems like we need to start thinking ahead and ready to mass distribute news with minimum points of weakness or central servers.
Posted by: Lou at January 10, 2021 02:48 PM (Kzd2j)

There is a service called Element that is like Discord (a super IRC) that you can host on your own server and it's federated. I've offered by spin up an instance for the Horde but I don't think there's any interest.

Still hoping ace or a cob will do a dedicated alt-tech post on Monday.

Posted by: Dworkin Barimen - anarcho-tyranny? you're soaking in it! at January 10, 2021 02:55 PM (poEUH)

152 Had to replace the 40+ yo furnace in the old place. Got some estimates. Turns out the furnace was put in the crawl space before the house was finished. (1961) The only access to the crawl space was in the back yard. About a 1 1/2 foot tall, 6 inch thick square concrete (attached to the foundation) and I had built a replacement top for it and covered it with shingles. No modern furnace would fitt through that access and the old one wouldn't come out. I bought a 10 lb sledge and tore that shit access out. Snuck the pieces in the city trash can a bit at a time. Before that winter I (larger) extended the patio and had them build a another base for access. Had to build a new cover too. The installers wanted to leave the old furnace down there. The only other option was to put a new furnace in the guest room closet.

No f'n way.

Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 02:55 PM (wR3DP)

153 Gref, good idea. I can fix her, no problem. I just hate that their mistakes lead to pain for the mare.

Posted by: Ben Had at January 10, 2021 02:56 PM (D1xr1)

154 144 Posted by: BurkeanMama at January 10, 2021 02:52 PM (CYk5a)

Mike in San Diego et al think the left will be gentle with them.

They will devour you and I first, but they are covered in marinade.

Posted by: sven at January 10, 2021 02:56 PM (Lzpvj)

155 Currently live in a 100-year old house, the list of things found that were done badly would run dozens of pages.

Good thing about the house? It's structural brick on a concrete foundation, solid as a rock.

Bad thing? All the systems need to be periodically ripped out (or abandoned in place) and replaced. Once upon a time, the house had knob & tube electricity, going through fuses. Ditto with the plumbing and heating systems.

The previous homeowner modifications to those systems, well it's amazing the house didn't burn down or fill up with water.

Posted by: Boots Who Read The Gulag Archipelago at January 10, 2021 02:56 PM (O0Tro)

156 Braenyard,
Ubuntu and other distributions (called distros) of Linux OS systems pretty much are plug and play now. BUT, it is a PITA to get dual booting of Windows plus Linux going and keep it maintained. Requires a higher level of knowledge of bootloaders, etc.

Instead of dual booting, If you want stealth, and your BIOS allows it, you can change your boot sequence of devices to allow thumb drives or external drives to boot the system first, then cd/dvd drives, then hard drives. You can install a linux system on an external hard drive connected by USB 3.0 or better, and literally have a portable secured system. You can also then encrypt the hard drive or particular folders if you wish. A bit more inconvenient but very usable for ordinary tasks such as secure web browsing. You can also boot up and use a usb thumb drive or dvd holding the Linux operating system for temporary browsing and not install it. It won't save your bookmarks, etc. (which is going to be still available online fwiw) from your browsing session but it is useful if you want to use wireless hot spots at places like restaurants etc. without fear that your computer will be hijacked in such a place.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 02:57 PM (pO7gM)

157 could not get past your phone tree to respond
thanks

Posted by: yoeman at January 10, 2021 02:57 PM (BYNHj)

158 A little inter-trade rivalry me being a pipefitter/welder that works in industrial.
Looking at that pic CBD, typical turd herder/plumber. They used excess teflon tape and paste because the threaded fittings were loose and didn't match up that well (sometimes not always their fault) but the least they could have done was wiped the fittings of excess paste.
The excess paste and that much tape says they didn't have much faith in the fittings. Though usually if theres going to be a leak you'll know right away, so maybe keep an eye on it for a week or two or when seasonal temps change.

Meh, maybe I'm just nit-picking, plus I like rib poking turd chasers/plumbers : )

Posted by: JROD at January 10, 2021 02:57 PM (0jZnq)

159 OH Mousetrap, my son loved that game so much as a child. He is 21 now, he hasn't played in years, but he won't let me get rid of it.

Posted by: BurkeanMama at January 10, 2021 02:58 PM (CYk5a)

160 "Remove engine, this will expose the two phillips screws attaching radio...."Swear to God that set of instructions is coming.

Posted by: Some rat in the swamp at January 10, 2021 02:59 PM (c9Lu2)

161 Sven, Mike in San Diego has bent the knee he will be giving his 3 grams and he will celebrate when it is raised to 2 grams.

If you mention to him that 2 is less than 3, he will follow you around and down vote all your possts.

Posted by: BurkeanMama at January 10, 2021 02:59 PM (CYk5a)

162 it's gonna cost more to tear it apart and figure out what's wrong than to replace it, so junk it." I did.
Posted by: Tom Servo lear at January 10, 2021 02:49 PM (V2Yro)

--------

410 frdge gas runs about 20% higher pressures than the old r22 stuff. Plus, because of efficiency requiremnts, those sysyem start 100 percent presuure.

There is no ramp up for the compressor. The new units literally beat themselves to death. Same for the ac in your car.

But hey... You dont hear about the hole in the ozone anymore do you.

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 02:59 PM (nw6Hr)

163 >Freshman Congresswoman Kat Cammack's office is next door to Jew-hating Democrat Rashida Tlaib's office. Rep Cammack has made this statement: "Rep. Tlaib has some strong opinions about Israel that I 100% disagree with, so I've made a pledge to plant Israel's flag outside my door right next to the American flag. I think it'll be very helpful as she walks past both every day" [Buck]

WOW, that'll OWN the LIBS!

Give me a fuckin break. Stupid conservative virtue signaling.

Posted by: Dworkin Barimen - anarcho-tyranny? you're soaking in it! at January 10, 2021 03:00 PM (poEUH)

164 I wish I had before pictures of the house I just bought. The water heater went in first. Followed by a second water heater and a water conditioning system, and finally a geothermal heat pump with hot water assist plumbed to one of the water heaters. All beautifully done in soldered copper pipe. Except it was all done without consideration of ever replacing the original water heater. It started leaking the day I closed. The water conditioner, the first water heater and most of the plumbing for the entire system had to be removed just to get the water heater out. No water, no heat for an entire day in PA in Nov.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at January 10, 2021 03:00 PM (QYoFn)

165 The installers wanted to leave the old furnace down there. The only other option was to put a new furnace in the guest room closet.

No f'n way.
Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 02:55 PM (wR3DP)

Yikes! I hate any equipment built in so you have to tear down a wall or something to replace it, I've run into a couple of those. I have seen a couple models where the heating system can be completely external to the house, set on a little concrete pad next to it. Worth considering when you don't want to give up any floor space.

Posted by: Tom Servo lear at January 10, 2021 03:01 PM (V2Yro)

166 When I was coaching I had a talented athlete who was having a beast of a time mastering a complex move. I broke it down for her and we discovered she had learned a much more basic skill incorrectly. It took months of going back to the basic move to build the muscle memory so she could master the more complex one. It was frustrating for both of us, but she got it in the end.

Even after she mastered it, we often had to spend time on the basics, just to make sure.

Posted by: nurse ratched at January 10, 2021 03:01 PM (U2p+3)

167 Speaking of water heaters, does anyone have an "instant" water heater?
Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 02:11 PM (wR3DP)

Infidel, one thing to remember is that gas lines are of a certain size within a house, sort of like how a main breaker box routes electricity through the house. Instant hot water heaters demand a lot of gas immediately (or in the case of electric--a huge amount of current) in order to raise the ground temp of cold water to whatever you want. In my case, the energy savings from the instant hotwater heater were very marginal compared to a regular tanked, and would require additional plumbing work--both the enlarge the gas line and moving the hot and cold supply lines from the original spot. Payback would have been about 20 years.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 03:01 PM (pO7gM)

168 Another one. Had a high efficiency furnace installed. They punctured the aluminum threshold on the door coming in from the garage hauling the old furnace out. Owner blew me off for 2 months before I had someone else install a new door. After they installed the furnace the gas line was leaking, after 2 tries it was still leaking. I fixed it myself and the city inspector finally blessed it.

Posted by: MH-53J at January 10, 2021 03:02 PM (7NmRg)

169 Just had a tankless installed. The old water heater was an eyesore in the laundry room plus it was as far away from the master bath as was possible. Tankless is now in the attic and equidistant from the kitchen and master bath. No problems so far. Sized so it delivers enough hot water that two people can take showers simultaneously

Ah, I used the wrong terminology. Thank you.

Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 03:02 PM (wR3DP)

170 Once upon a time, the house had knob & tube electricity, going through fuses. Ditto with the plumbing and heating systems.

--------

Wow. You plumbing went thru fuses?

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 03:02 PM (nw6Hr)

171 144 - Glenn Reynolds never wanted comments. In the early days of the blog, the site didn't have any, and he wrote more than one post saying they added little value and were mostly a nuisance. But that was back in the days when folks who ran blogs talked to and debated other blogs. The blogosphere changed (the whole Internet did), and Reynolds wanted the ad revenue, which required eyeballs, which then required comments.

Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at January 10, 2021 03:02 PM (H5knJ)

172 161 Posted by: BurkeanMama at January 10, 2021 02:59 PM (CYk5a)

The hilarious thing here is that we are "led" by retards like Mike who pretend they do not understand that rule 1 in politics is build a coalition and rule 2 is splinter split your opponents.

In the end the question humans face is a pretty simple one.

"You have four guests and one pie, four more people come over what do you do?"

Cut the pie smaller or bake more pie?

The pie cutters refuse to understand their instinct is selfish and immoral.

Posted by: sven at January 10, 2021 03:03 PM (Lzpvj)

173 A tankless job

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at January 10, 2021 03:03 PM (63Dwl)

174 For years I have wanted a utility sink in my basement but haven't had the $$ until the covid stimulus check gave me the extra $$ and its was supposed to be used to help the economy so I bought a sink and hired a plumber.....

Yes... "nice guy"...talked me into a much more expensive sump style pump instead of the direct one I bought at HD because he said it did not need to be direct vented to the stack even thought the instruction manual said it would need to be.... anyway it did not work correctly and he had to come back and direct vent it at which time he broke a pipe on the main stack... 8 HOURS LATER MORE it was functioning and my 800.00 project now cost 2200.00.... Oh well at least its done right now.

Posted by: China_is_ahoe at January 10, 2021 03:05 PM (ejB9w)

175 At one time i lived in a house built in 1837. Old 1940s wiring where the insulation cracked off if the wire was moved, still live. A bare knob/tube wire running across the attic was the live power for most of the living room. Yikes!

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at January 10, 2021 03:06 PM (QYoFn)

176 165 Infidel, Tom Servo is right, In some cases, it may make more sense to go to the newer ductless zoned systems--they are more efficient and often can be installed much more painlessly and cheaply. Search for Alpine Home Air systems for what is out there. Much of the rest of the world uses these systems for new construction rather than the older ductless systems.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 03:06 PM (pO7gM)

177 Today is the anniversary of the date when Julius Caesar crossed the Rubicon.

And all is NOT hunky-dory in Silicon Valley, thanks to Gab:

https://tinyurl.com/y55uk8n9

Posted by: RondinellaMamma, I didn't sign up to live in interesting times...yet here I am at January 10, 2021 03:07 PM (8/7u2)

178 155 Currently live in a 100-year old house, the list of things found that were done badly would run dozens of pages."

I've lived in one of those! Had much the same experience. In fact, it had started out as a single family, was converted into a duplex, than converted back into a single family, and all kinds of wackiness occurred along the way.

House I'm in currently was built in 1937, and it's taken quite a bit of upgrading as well.

Posted by: Tom Servo lear at January 10, 2021 03:07 PM (V2Yro)

179 We replaced a tank water heater last summer. The prior one lasted 15 years.
It was professionally done, with a permit (now required) by a licensed plumber, who audibly cursed the "jack-leg sonnuvabitch" who put in the last one, which was, of course, me.

Posted by: navybrat, in the bunker at January 10, 2021 03:07 PM (w7KSn)

180 Electricity is just plumbing with added shock value if you make a mistake. Instead of moving H2O inside pipes, you're moving electrons through pipes. The pipes are constructed differently, but they serve the same purpose.

Posted by: SFGoth at January 10, 2021 03:07 PM (KAi1n)

181 Wow. You plumbing went thru fuses?

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 03:02 PM (nw6Hr)

Darn. Editing and proofreading, how does it work? I'm sure back in the day that pennies went in those fuses, one of my first apartments had an actual fusebox with fuses, and while looking to change out a blown fuse, found the other blown fuse with a penny in there. Yikes.

Posted by: Boots Who Read The Gulag Archipelago at January 10, 2021 03:07 PM (O0Tro)

182 8 HOURS LATER MORE it was functioning and my 800.00 project now cost 2200.00.... Oh well at least its done right now.

-------

Wait... That fuckup should be paid for on your plumbers dime.

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 03:08 PM (nw6Hr)

183 Meh, maybe I'm just nit-picking, plus I like rib poking turd chasers/plumbers : )

Posted by: JROD at January 10, 2021 02:57 PM (0jZnq)

You are nit-picking. That was taken before he finished. The joints are cleaner now (though not spotless). That coupling gets many heating/cooling cycles each day, so he was aware that it could be a source of leaks. And you should see his brazed work. Neat and clean.

The guy has been doing work in the house for years (soon after the knuckleheads installed the heater), and nothing has leaked or failed.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 10, 2021 03:08 PM (xT2tT)

184 Barimen, Whig, thanks for the replies. I'm going to look into the Element packages and see if I can offer anything.

I'm not as worried about secure browsing just because I think if it came to that, the sites would be long gone first. I would expect they continue what they're doing now, choke down on known coms routes like twitter and reddit, kick alternatives off anything they can control like the AWS cloud. Next up is start looking at starving them of banking options and make it difficult/impossible for them to pay for hosting options then if they still persist just DOS whatever remaining small servers they have left.

They figured out how to kill the comments on Federalist so it won't be long before Disqus and alternatives start getting pressure to get people off of Ace and the blogosphere too.

Posted by: Lou at January 10, 2021 03:09 PM (9jXEV)

185 So...how many of you have examples of both a job well done and a shoddy job that required some correction? Don't be shy; if you did the shoddy job just admit it...the Horde will be gentle!

Shoddy job, water heater replacement at old house. "Plumber" re-used several short bits of pipe to make a longer pipe. Thing had several extra turns in it because those were the couplers he had on hand.

Well done job. Water heater replacement at the secret mountain lair. New pipe run where needed, and added a small reservoir tank to make sure that installation met current code, even though he didn't have to as I wouldn't have known the difference. Also, new pan and a water leak detector/alarm.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - moronhorde.com. Now with nothing new and exciting! at January 10, 2021 03:09 PM (SchxB)

186 The pipes are constructed differently, but they serve the same purpose.
Posted by: SFGoth at January 10, 2021 03:07 PM (KAi1n)

-----------

I hope your plumbing isnt alternating current too. Blech.

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 03:09 PM (nw6Hr)

187 Years ago my microwave was on the fritz. Wife called a repairman and it was $50 just to look at it. I took it out of the wall and took it apart. Identified a faulty switch. Off to the parts department at sears for a replacement. Twelve cents.

Posted by: Duke Lowell at January 10, 2021 03:10 PM (kTF2Z)

188 Once upon a time, the house had knob & tube electricity, going through fuses. Ditto with the plumbing and heating systems.

--------

Wow. You plumbing went thru fuses?

Posted by: fixerupper
---

As an aside, ever notice that lamp bushings are 1/8" NPT? Ever wondered why? Because that's the size piping that was used for gaslights.

Now, we can move on to why the threads on the base of light bulbs are what they are...

Posted by: Mike Hammer, etc., etc. at January 10, 2021 03:10 PM (6PnYW)

189 I loved the HBO series, Rome. The second episode of season 1 was my fave ... "Caesar is in Italy!" Not what you want to hear when you're a useless wealthy senator leading the phat life.

Posted by: Blacksheep at January 10, 2021 03:11 PM (6mvRv)

190 I've got a four gallon water heater under my kitchen sink. Works great and pretty much instantaneous heat for a few minutes anyway.

Posted by: That Guy What Always Says Yeah Buddy TM at January 10, 2021 03:12 PM (R5lpX)

191 There's never enough time to do it right, but there's always time to do it over.

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 10, 2021 03:14 PM (ofYez)

192 Off to the parts department at sears for a replacement.

LOL

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at January 10, 2021 03:14 PM (QYoFn)

193 I rent house that was brand new when I moved in 5 years ago.

Gas smell in front of stove. Appliance guy came and checked it. Plumber who installed the gas fitting recycled a used one. Big code no no. It was leaking so a plumber had to come replace.

Furnace would start, run for a minute or so, and shut down. A couple of minutes later it would start up again. Builder's rep came out. Seems that condensate would collect and trigger the shutdown. Furnace is in a crawlspace which requires a standard and very easy change to installation since its a horizontal installation. They failed to do it.

Sump pump is designed to discharge into storm sewer. Instead, it was firing up a couple of times a day and discharged through the emergency overflow into the neighbors' yard. Plumbers had installed a fitting upside down, so it wouldn't run into the storm sewer.

Radon system was installed, but never connected to power. Builder got an electrician on site in 15 minutes for that.

Best of all, the contactor didn't flash the roof correctly around the soffit. Pigeons got in and couldn't get out. They'd crap all over and die. Dead pigeons+pigeon shit=biohazard.

Posted by: ChupaMe at January 10, 2021 03:16 PM (ujJgu)

194 Back in May, I put vinyl planks down over the ceramic tile in the kitchen. About a week later I noticed about an eighth on an inch gap between the end on one plank and the next.

I thought about filling the gap with epoxy or something.

On Dec 14, I decided. Pulled almost the whole thing up and reset.

New quarter-round.

I am very happy with it now.

Posted by: JAS, AoSHQ addict at January 10, 2021 03:17 PM (2BZBZ)

195 There's never enough time to do it right, but there's always time to do it over.

--------

Sometimes i joke with my clients that:

I can do the job quick
I can do the job right
I can do the job cheap.

You get to pick which two I do.

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 03:17 PM (nw6Hr)

196 My grandparents house was built in 1893. Weird pushbutton electrical, two buttons one above the other for on and off, though it had been updated with central air & heat (the latter being crucial in NY) and modern bathrooms. No overhead lights in any of the bedrooms, only lamps (not sure why).

I can still remember the smell of the kitchen from my just off the boat grandmother ... and of course that creepy, underlit, earthen floor cellar (((shudder)))

Posted by: Blacksheep at January 10, 2021 03:17 PM (6mvRv)

197 @156

When installing a secondary OS on a computer it's best to install another hard drive rather than partition the existing drive for another OS. When setting up a Linux distro on the secondary (or tertiary if you're that person) it's best to unplug the other drives, set up the new drive and verify it's integrity, then shut down the system, re-plug the other drives and then enter BIOS to select boot order. No problems with the method on conflicts at the boot level.

Posted by: Robert17 at January 10, 2021 03:17 PM (NGqKT)

198 I hope your plumbing isnt alternating current too. Blech.
Posted by: fixerupper

It kind of is. First it's too hot, then it's too cold.
Blech is actually decent beer. I think it's Austrian.

Posted by: SFGoth at January 10, 2021 03:17 PM (KAi1n)

199 Electrical. I've replaced every outlet and light switch in the current place. Holy crud some of the stuff I saw was scary when I pulled outlets/switches out of the boxes. But I did fix the problem with GFCI in the garage tripping all the time, and the plug in the kitchen where they forgot to attach a neutral wire. Also got rid of the browned insulation (wires got hot from excessive current draw) at a few outlets at the cost of a few inches of romex getting cut off.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - moronhorde.com. Now with nothing new and exciting! at January 10, 2021 03:19 PM (SchxB)

200
My car's shifting was really off.
The dealer said I needed a ECM (Engine Control Module).
Price at that time was over $1,300 not counting labor and tax.

So I took it to friend of mine who run his own auto shop.
He said that's common problem for my car and all that's needed is $13.00 o-ring kit and its a diy job.

He got me the part and I installed myself.
Problem solved.

Posted by: YIKES! at January 10, 2021 03:19 PM (t6XCL)

201 I have an eleven year old car that needs frequent repairs. I and the Mrs have done most repairs. Usually I supervise and she does the mechanic work. Her hands are small enough to get into places mine won't fit. It has developed an oil leak somewhere now, so it may have to go into a shop to find it. If it's the oil pan seal that is a $4,000 job (Mercedes). Might just drive it till it completely falls apart. Stains the driveway though and my mechanic doesn't like that.

Posted by: Javems at January 10, 2021 03:19 PM (8SSHh)

202 184 Lou,
Thanks for your kind words.
The major issue for private browsing is at work, for example, browsing AOS could be considered violation of policy but using a vpn plus booting off an external OS on a thumb drive when browsing means that the local router will not be able block the site. It is also useful if you use hotel wireless as some of those providers have blacklists of websites.

Ultimately, even in Red China, most of this rigamorale doesn't prevent the information from getting out, it just slows it down. Chinese still by and large support the regime because this is probably the best living conditions that many of them have ever had in history. Xi has become more or less emperor of China--but historically emperors have two problems--transitions to new leaders and losing the mandate of heaven via mistakes.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 03:19 PM (pO7gM)

203 About the title to this thread, if the job is cooking a steak, yeah, I'm avoiding that job well done.

Posted by: SFGoth at January 10, 2021 03:20 PM (KAi1n)

204 Sump pump is designed to discharge into storm sewer.

-------

In most cities thats a nono.

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 03:20 PM (nw6Hr)

205 Crew came to remove dead birds and insulation. Then do mitigation. Roofers claimed they fixed the holes. The insulation guys then found another live pigeon in the attic. So another roofer came out, caught the bird, and found the hole.

All of this went on while I was trying to run my business out of my home.

Fortunately for me and my landlord the builder paid for it all. Supposedly this is a premium home...

Posted by: ChupaMe at January 10, 2021 03:21 PM (ujJgu)

206 Nothing I did, but the first time I had the swamp cooler hooked up here, there was a pin hole in the copper pipe in the attic. That was on a Wed. Fri. am at 4:30 I heard a crash. Grabbed protection and started searching the house and turning lights on. The ceiling in the guest room caved in. Water leak. F'k me. Immediately turned off water.

Called insurance, adjuster came to inspect. Since house was built in 1975 they had to test for asbestos. Guess what? Positive so they say. 3 mo. shitty ordeal. Had to stay in a hotel for almost 2 wks.

The water line now goes on the outside and if there is a leak it goes into the house gutter.

Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 03:21 PM (wR3DP)

207 The dealer said I needed a ECM (Engine Control Module).
Price at that time was over $1,300 not counting labor and tax.

Hey, you replaced the ecm, and it still has the problem.

Oh, it must be a faulty ecm, we will replace it again and only charge the labor.

Still has the problem

Oh, must be the tranny, $3000.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at January 10, 2021 03:21 PM (QYoFn)

208 Posted by: Eli Cash at January 10, 2021 02:18 PM (SScvq)

------

Is he an engineer? My dad's an engineer.

Engineers will make the most scary repairs, and even initial construction, because they know the actual limits of things down to the last volt or foot-lb.

My dad had me build a slipshod buttress under his deck for his hot tub, that I was morally certain would collapse and kill both my parents. It lasted for fifteen years before being replaced during a deck upgrade.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2021 03:22 PM (Bvn1K)

209 My domicile was built in1964 and updated in later years by 'contractors' who made greater efforts to hide their shitty lazy ass work than the effort they made to do the work.

Its one f'ng surprise after another.

Posted by: BluesFish at January 10, 2021 03:22 PM (MqOqR)

210 >>> 155 Currently live in a 100-year old house, the list of things found that were done badly would run dozens of pages.
Posted by: Boots Who Read The Gulag Archipelago at January 10, 2021 02:56 PM (O0Tro)

I have a 80-year old house with the same issues. I don't think the various owners over the years had ever had a professional do anything. From electrical to pluming it's all a mess. It's a brick home but with a raised floor over a crawl space occupied by packs of feral cats. If it was pristine and professionally upgraded it would have been well outside of my budget so I can't complain too loudly.

It was my hope that I'd have it professionally upgraded overtime, put a second floor in our large attic, fix all the functional issues, modernize. I found a good quality contractor that I trust and was too far from starting. The plan, however, required a working civilization. With the great reset and year zero I've changed plans to sell it off while there's a market and run away.

Posted by: banana Dream at January 10, 2021 03:22 PM (l6b3d)

211 We have a major asian ladybug infestation in the house.

Every electrical box is choked with them. I am replacing all of the switches and outlets and filling the boxes with spray foam as i go. Hate to be the next sob who has to do electrical in my house.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at January 10, 2021 03:23 PM (QYoFn)

212 Fortunately for me and my landlord the builder paid for it all. Supposedly this is a premium home...

It came with a free supply of squab! You just had to go up to the attic once in a while.

Posted by: Blanco Basura - moronhorde.com. Now with nothing new and exciting! at January 10, 2021 03:23 PM (SchxB)

213 "In most cities thats a nono."

Apparently there's a float that triggers to surface discharge if there's too much for normal sump drainage. I live in a very dry area with about 13" of moisture a year.

Posted by: ChupaMe at January 10, 2021 03:24 PM (ujJgu)

214 So...how many of you have examples of both a job well done and a
shoddy job that required some correction? Don't be shy; if you did the
shoddy job just admit it...the Horde will be gentle!

---------

Well I can say that the furnace in my apartment was built in 1954 by the Chrysler Corporation and it still runs like a champ so... WHOOT for 1950s manufacturing.

Posted by: redbanzai the Southerner at January 10, 2021 03:24 PM (946rW)

215
Parler is dead and Gab is "under maintenance ."

That's not suspicious.
Posted by: BurkeanMama at January 10, 2021 02:06 PM (CYk5a)

Don't know about Gab but Parler seems to be working just fine but I don't use Google.
I use Brave as my browsers and DuckDuckGo for my search engine.

Posted by: YIKES! at January 10, 2021 03:25 PM (t6XCL)

216 There is something a bit disconcerting waking up to a 59 degree bedroom. CBD

You get used to it if you are married to a woman having hot flashes.

Posted by: Delurk Ergo Sum at January 10, 2021 03:25 PM (YwPJG)

217 Ladybugs are vicious, indiscriminate killers and cannibals. They should be wiped out wherever you encounter them.

Posted by: Blacksheep at January 10, 2021 03:25 PM (6mvRv)

218 Only ever seen maybe 3 episodes of Rome but looked like I could get into it had the chance.

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2021 03:25 PM (Cxk7w)

219 197 Robert, you are correct that installing on the same partition is usually problematic. That is why generally if I need to use an alternative OS, I install it on an external drive and change the boot sequence. Had OS/2 and Windows 3.1 back in the day on one hard drive and it was a pain to maintain. For me, since I build my systems from parts, easier to just add a new computer or use VMS if intending the system for permanent use.

I generally use Linux distros on thumb drives for secure browsing via wireless hotspots when traveling or to fix computers that will not boot or need their hard drive cloned (have various open source tools on the thumb drive to do so).

Had dos utilities disks for back in the day of Windows 95 etc.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 03:25 PM (pO7gM)

220 My car's shifting was really off.

The dealer said I needed a ECM (Engine Control Module).

Price at that time was over $1,300 not counting labor and tax.

Posted by: YIKES! at January 10, 2021 03:19 PM (t6XCL)

I
had a Mazda Mini van that had that problem. If you kept it out of
overdrive it worked OK. Otherwise it kicked like a mule every time it
shifted. We gave it to our electrician in trade for a job

Posted by: Javems at January 10, 2021 03:26 PM (8SSHh)

221
Engineers will make the most scary repairs, and even initial construction, because they know the actual limits of things down to the last volt or foot-lb.

-----------

This this a thousand times this. And have no idea about codes or or actual compnent applications.

I avoid doing work for attorneys and engineers.

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 03:26 PM (nw6Hr)

222 Chinese still by and large support the regime
because this is probably the best living conditions that many of them
have ever had in history.
Posted by: whig

This is true for almost anyone in any reasonably industrialized country and why any thought of a hot CW2 here is going to fall flat. Even most people here -- you've got gadgets that were pipe dreams 20 years ago and you're still in love with them. We live in a material utopia. "Fweedom" is an abstract concept quite removed from on-demand control of your surroundings, entertainment, climate, etc. It's like Jews who disdain turning on the A/C on a blazing hot Shabbat and don't have a goy to give an 'oy. You'll never convince me that if you showed up with a generator and an air-conditioner in Jerusalem in July in 500 BC or so that my ancestors wouldn't be the first to find an argument that turning on the A/C in July isn't work.

Posted by: SFGoth at January 10, 2021 03:27 PM (KAi1n)

223 >>We have a major asian ladybug infestation in the house.

I wondered where my wife went.

Posted by: Mitch the Turtle at January 10, 2021 03:28 PM (0FTCx)

224 A couple of months ago I drove into a curb to avoid getting t-boned. (Which has nothing to do with Senator Spartacus's friend).
The steering control sensor was damaged and the ball joint needed to be replaced. It cost me $2,300.
Here's the challenge. Because I was doing food deliveries my insurance was canceled.
My former insurance company called the shop and said I would not be covered.
The manager of the shop canceled the order of parts and never fucking called me.
Sorry I'm moving on but he never fucking called me to ask what I wanted to do.
Idiot
Because he never called it cost me an extra two weeks of car rental.
Fucking Idiot.
Sorry, I've moved on.

Posted by: Brother Northernlurker just another guy at January 10, 2021 03:28 PM (lgiXo)

225
Well I can say that the furnace in my apartment was built in 1954 by the Chrysler Corporation and it still runs like a champ so... WHOOT for 1950s manufacturing.

Posted by: redbanzai

I have my grandparents old 1950's fridge stored in bffs garage. It says Chevrolet on on the chrome handle. I need to get it here and see if it still works. It's was my first fridge in the old place I bought in 99.

Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 03:28 PM (wR3DP)

226 Redbanzi with conservatives being hunted for our pelts it makes sense that one of our last sites is being flooded.

If by insti you mean Instapundit, I used to comment there as
BurkeanMama. But I've been banned. Yes libertarian who posts every day
about the left's attack on free speech has banned me.

Posted by: BurkeanMama at January 10, 2021 02:52 PM (CYk5a)

Well I am glad you are here:-)

Posted by: redbanzai the Southerner at January 10, 2021 03:28 PM (946rW)

227 I loved the HBO series, Rome. The second episode of season 1 was my fave ... "Caesar is in Italy!" Not what you want to hear when you're a useless wealthy senator leading the phat life.
Posted by: Blacksheep

First, he made the salad.

Posted by: Bozo Conservative....living on the prison planet at January 10, 2021 03:29 PM (ZCiJZ)

228 I don't see a valve. Good luck with that coupling.

Posted by: Dr. Bone at January 10, 2021 03:29 PM (WOYcU)

229 3 >>We have a major asian ladybug infestation in the house

Are their lady parts horizontal?

Posted by: Brother Northernlurker just another guy at January 10, 2021 03:29 PM (lgiXo)

230 I designed and built my home 5.5 years ago. Did most of the work. Design is unique but Ive found leaves much to be desired after living here, but not much I can do about that. My trim work is awful and will stay that way for another few years.

Posted by: Tree of Liberty Landscaping at January 10, 2021 03:30 PM (DB16e)

231 @218 - It's definitely worth the time investment.

Brilliant period series, and only two seasons long so, maybe twenty or so episodes. Very doable without a big commitment.

Posted by: Blacksheep at January 10, 2021 03:30 PM (6mvRv)

232 I needed a shed for the saws and chipper storage. It was a business expense for my cash-starved startup.

Got a great deal on one at Menards. I can build it. Umm, no you can't. The Kansas winds dished in the door and tore off roof panels. Repairs were ongoing and futile.

Finally got a Derksen shed. Pricey, but it works. The remains of the other shed is nearby as a deer shelter and future firewood cover.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2021 03:30 PM (u82oZ)

233 @228 Dr. Bone-Isolation is overrated.

Posted by: JROD at January 10, 2021 03:31 PM (0jZnq)

234 Even most people here -- you've got gadgets that were pipe dreams 20 years ago and you're still in love with them.

For how long?

Posted by: Methos at January 10, 2021 03:31 PM (kOpft)

235 Having to pay all that out of pocket has given me a bit of a setback.
Fucking idiot. Worst customer service ever

Sorry I've moved on

Posted by: Brother Northernlurker just another guy at January 10, 2021 03:31 PM (lgiXo)

236 @219 Whig, yeah, I also think in terms of redundancy. If a HDD decides it's a fishing weight it's much easier to rebuild one image rather than two. Sounds like you've been at this a while too.

Posted by: Robert17 at January 10, 2021 03:31 PM (NGqKT)

237 if it's important, for safety or for long term use, do the job correctly for DIY.* Otherwise, I am with grammie, good enough is good enough, life is too short, ducktape that bastard.

*obviously if you are getting paid, do everything correctly and well done.

Posted by: Guy Mohawk at January 10, 2021 03:33 PM (r+sAi)

238 PACK OF TEN (10) D&H 5.56 30RD ALUMINUM MAGAZINES, BLACK

$100

palmettostatearmory.com

Posted by: bonhomme at January 10, 2021 03:34 PM (i0wNm)

239 SFGoth,
That reminds me of a story about my grandmother. My grandfather installed ac in their home and my grandmother obstinately refused to turn it on the first year, the second year, she reluctantly turned it on when it got really hot on some days, the third year and later years, she was griping if it was not on all summer running full blast.

And so it goes. Personally, I would think that we are more likely to get Latin American style repression than a Red Dawn scenario.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 03:34 PM (pO7gM)

240 We replaced our backdoor 5 years ago. The builders really f'd it up. We decided to put a new one in because the old one was kind of loose and drafty. Any way when my dad and I took out the old one, the builders had left 4 inch gaps on both sides and filled them loosely with some kind of Styrofoam. We replaced tha mess with 2 x 4s and the new door works so much better.

My dad always said when he would do renovations for people. Builders can cover up sloppiness because it won't be noticed by regular people until its a problem.

Posted by: Mishdog at January 10, 2021 03:34 PM (F/Rk0)

241 Fucking moron.
Sorry, I've moved on

Posted by: Brother Northernlurker just another guy at January 10, 2021 03:35 PM (lgiXo)

242 First year I owned my house the sewers backed up and flooded my basement with 15 inches of water while I was at work. The water put out the pilot light of the dryer but the auto gas shutoff didn't kick in and gas filled my house until I came home. Buddy I was with flicked his cigarette just as I opened the door to a rush of natural gas coming out. Got lucky that time.

Posted by: dartist at January 10, 2021 03:35 PM (+ya+t)

243 Brother Northernlurker just another guy

So you're saying "I'm over that!" Right?

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2021 03:35 PM (u82oZ)

244 And have no idea about codes or or actual compnent applications.

---

See, that's the thing. He knows all that stuff. For a client, he designs to code. For his own family's stuff? No way. That's wasteful pussy shit, as far as he's concerned.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2021 03:35 PM (Bvn1K)

245 Mike in San Diego et al think the left will be gentle with them.

They will devour you and I first, but they are covered in marinade.
Posted by: seven

For work purposes, my wife had a Twitter account.
She deleted it this morning.
But first, she looked around.

A lot of real, unfiltered hate toward "conservatives" and of course, no pushback, or you get banned. Totes tolerated by Jack Dorsey and crew.
They have created this ugly Leftist echo chamber, and they will amp up anything they please in it. It will lead to a real psychotic action and reaction by the Left to whatever it does.
It's like the Dailly Kos is now amplified by Twitter.

Posted by: Bozo Conservative....living on the prison planet at January 10, 2021 03:36 PM (ZCiJZ)

246
Mrs Fixer just.made an interesting observation.

"Just wait untill Big Tech fucks with the people that just want to be left alone."

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 03:36 PM (nw6Hr)

247 Thats both Teflon tape & pipe dope,in the correct order on the union pictured.
Care to guess where the union was made? And the reason a new fitting ( the union) needed both tape & dope?
Yes,its a water heating vessel, but properly identified as a boiler- hot water ( radiant) and atmospheric judging by the vent hood in photo. Probably Cast Iron block, very traditional. Next time hire a boilerman or radiant specialist for time tested work and options on a mod/con or other options.
May want to call anyway for the reliability of the system and your personal safety.

Posted by: HotWater at January 10, 2021 03:38 PM (OdWCA)

248 So you're saying "I'm over that!" Right?
Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2021 03:35 PM (u82oZ)

Umm. Yeah. I guess.

Posted by: Brother Northernlurker just another guy at January 10, 2021 03:39 PM (lgiXo)

249 When I was in private practice, I helped defend a gas company on a couple of cases. House full of gas creates an impressive explosion. It's better to be impressed from a distance or after the fact.

Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at January 10, 2021 03:39 PM (H5knJ)

250 236 Robert,
I have a guilty secret, I grew up when you had to write and compile assembly code to make the most of the 4k ram you had for micro computers and their cassette tape drive. Learned language programming on a Harris and Dec mini computers.

I would like the play around with the more elegant OS's of times gone by and still have several copies of OS/2 floating around along with a bunch of Linux distros. But, my time is limited and most of the time now, if I am learning something new, it pertains to database and statistical programs now. Stop and start learning of R right now as I need a stat function for a project.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 03:39 PM (pO7gM)

251 They have created this ugly Leftist echo chamber, and they will amp up anything they please in it. It will lead to a real psychotic action and reaction by the Left to whatever it does.
It's like the Dailly Kos is now amplified by Twitter.

---------

Which is why they are always SHOCKED when somebody calls them on their bullshit in real life.

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 03:39 PM (nw6Hr)

252 > And keep your fingers clear.

Before I pull the starting trigger on any kind of power tool, I always take account of where all my fingers and toes are.

Posted by: Rhubarb Ranch at January 10, 2021 03:40 PM (N9/qT)

253 About a million or so years ago, my Dad installed the hugest room airconditioner that Chrysler Airtemp made, a 27,500 BTU unit. It was a vast undertaking to put that varmint into a window in the dining room, the central room in the house. We had an old gravity gas -fired furnace, so central air would have been really costly/unthinkable at the time.
The thing was well installed (my Dad knew what he was doing) and ran well for years, until well after he died, and my Mom put in a new furnace and central air.

Posted by: Bozo Conservative....living on the prison planet at January 10, 2021 03:41 PM (ZCiJZ)

254 Probably already been said, CBD, but that's not a coupling, it's a union. And they sure used a lot of Teflon tape.

Posted by: Alberta Oil Peon at January 10, 2021 03:41 PM (mzC78)

255 SFGoth

We are comfortable for now.

What I see is a lack of knowledge of Thermodynamics in our bien-pensant betters. The elites want to run their Tesla and other Green ideas. They will take the power from you to meet their own needs.

If they were wanting to solve problems and make a better society for all, they would build nuclear plants. They are doing it wrong.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2021 03:41 PM (u82oZ)

256 @183 Charlie Browns Dildo-Going back and looking at that pic I can see the soldered joints of the copper look pretty good. Always nice when guys take pride in their work. It says a lot when someone fuses a joint together and makes it look visually appealing even when they don't necessarily need to when it will probably never be seen.

Posted by: JROD at January 10, 2021 03:41 PM (0jZnq)

257 I've come to believe that life makes more sense if you assume that the last owner of your house hated you and wanted your life to be difficult. It helps me to manage my expectations going into a project.

That said, I like to do things that will make it easier for me or the next guy in the future. One of the foremost is using good hardware instead of cheap junk that comes with a lot if installation kits.

Posted by: Pepe Shaw at January 10, 2021 03:42 PM (7OftP)

258 A plumber did a non-code water heater replacement for me 10 years ago, and I was glad.

Several years before, my townhouse roof was replaced by a contractor hired by the homeowners assoc. The cheap-ass roofers damaged the gas water heater exhaust stacks in many units, including mine, but of course didn't tell on themselves.

The plumber removes the old unit and sets the new one in-place. He comes downstairs and tells me he cannot make a decent connection to the displaced exhaust, and as best he can tell, it's so crushed at the roof exit that it's not working, anyway.

Long story short, he hooked up the gas and water lines, but did not connect to the buggered-up exhaust stack. The unit is in a small closet-like space, with a sealed door. He put this handwritten sign on that door: Do NOT Close Door!

He told me to always leave the door open a little, to allow venting into the house. I asked him if it was dangerous. He said not really, and I'm saving you the hassle of getting a functioning exhaust rigged-up. I thanked him.

Never had a problem with it. Last year the roofs in the complex were replaced again, and I got everything set-up per code.

Posted by: Gref at January 10, 2021 03:43 PM (AMIL/)

259 What's so hard about fucking customer service?

Sorry I'm over that.

Posted by: Brother Northernlurker just another guy at January 10, 2021 03:43 PM (lgiXo)

260 All of tge rioters either arrested or outed are trump supporters
Many QAnon people

Posted by: Attila at January 10, 2021 03:43 PM (chkVF)

261 Brother Northernlurker just another guy

Thanks for the LOLs. We need those.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2021 03:45 PM (u82oZ)

262 256 Jrod,
I could never solder a pretty joint like that. I used the connectors with solder already applied to them for that reason, even they were higher. Nowadays, I would get rid of the copper and go to PEX if it was not for the expense and pain of changing it.

Better stuff and easier to use.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 03:45 PM (pO7gM)

263 There are reports now that at least one of the Lincoln Project members, John Weaver, was propositioning guys like Scott Stedman in employment for hot Nevertrumper buttzex deals. And now more, mostly young internish type men are saying the same thing happened throughout the Lincoln Project.

I wonder if some of our trolls have some deal where they get hairy old fat nevertrumper sex as a reward/punishment for trolling?

Posted by: banana Dream at January 10, 2021 03:45 PM (l6b3d)

264 Attila

Because the AntiFa and BLM types skated untouched.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2021 03:45 PM (u82oZ)

265 When we moved into our house, the dining room ceiling had a network of spider cracks in the plaster (earthquake country). I got the whole network taped and patched and then developed a nasty coughing cold, hurt my ribs. I couldn't properly sand it all down, so it I can see them all through the paint. I just try not to look up.

Posted by: Chunk Hunger at January 10, 2021 03:45 PM (M1UFP)

266 @250 Whig, cool, you got me beat. I didn't get started until I was revising BIOS code for 1MB of RAM to get past the 640k OS demand. The IRQs were far more difficult to overcome.

Posted by: Robert17 at January 10, 2021 03:46 PM (NGqKT)

267 House full of gas creates an impressive explosion. It's better to be impressed from a distance or after the fact.
Posted by: bear with asymmetrical balls at January 10, 2021 03:39 PM (H5knJ)

------

Yeah it's awful. We had some houses explode in SE CO from a driller who fucked up. I don't quite remember how it happened, but these guys were running lines from the gas-field underneath nearby homes, and they somehow leaked. Under the farm fields, they just leaked, no problems. Under the houses, they leaked into the foundations and blew them to kingdom come. It's amazing. A room full of gas can blast a house to flinders. Scary shit.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2021 03:46 PM (Bvn1K)

268 In most cities thats a nono.

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 03:20 PM (nw6Hr)

There is a house about six lots up the hill that has a sump pump that discharges into the street. Well, it gets to the end of my driveway, pools and freezes...sometime six inches thick. So I call the village and bitch, and they tell me that it was installed before the code change so there is nothing they can do except keep sending a public works guy to deal with the ice. So I have an on-call service whenever the end of my driveway gets icy.

Idiots.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 10, 2021 03:48 PM (xT2tT)

269 Had a dream last night that Trump signed the Insurrection Act and arrested congress.

It would be so apropos if, after all the begging from his supporters, it was getting kicked off Twitter that finally convinced him to go full Napoleon.

Posted by: Shenanigans at January 10, 2021 03:48 PM (ojwvu)

270 I've come to believe that life makes more sense if you assume that the last owner of your house hated you and wanted your life to be difficult. It helps me to manage my expectations going into a project.

The owner of our house lived here for 57 years, and it appears he and his drunk brother-in-law lived by the words, "Building Code is for losers."

Posted by: Moki at January 10, 2021 03:48 PM (+X9Vs)

271 Nevertrumpers are replying on the left's twitter that it was Scott's own damn fault for looking so damn sexy to his nevertrumper big daddies.

Posted by: banana Dream at January 10, 2021 03:49 PM (l6b3d)

272 i should say, the previous owner of our home.

Posted by: Moki at January 10, 2021 03:49 PM (+X9Vs)

273 @266 Robert 17, LOL, I remember those days. That is one of the reasons that I like OS/2 back in the day. But, I was too poor to afford another hard drive at the time and had to dual boot with Windoze. Was a PITA.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 03:49 PM (pO7gM)

274 @262 whig-That PEX system/tubing is really cool stuff. I helped a buddy of mine that was building his house install it. Clever, well designed systems.
If I was ever to build my own place, I'd use PEX.

Posted by: JROD at January 10, 2021 03:50 PM (0jZnq)

275 260 All of tge rioters either arrested or outed are trump supporters
Many QAnon people

In a gathering of at least, by some estimates, several hundred thousand, the use of the term "all" is immediately suspect.

Although, I'm guessing the Antifatards and BurnLootMurder guys are either protected or GTFO.
Amazing how fast the FBI and DOJ were on top of this particular event, having not been bothered at all by demonstrable fraud and lawlessness for the last 12 years, or even the last 12 months.

The FBI is now the Gestapo of the Left. Plan accordingly.

Posted by: Rhubarb Ranch at January 10, 2021 03:50 PM (N9/qT)

276 Posted by: JROD at January 10, 2021 03:41 PM (0jZnq)

If you can't talk shit about plumbers, then the terrorists have won!

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 10, 2021 03:51 PM (xT2tT)

277 255 SFGoth

We are comfortable for now.

What I see is a lack of knowledge of Thermodynamics in our bien-pensant betters. The elites want to run their Tesla and other Green ideas. They will take the power from you to meet their own needs.

If they were wanting to solve problems and make a better society for all, they would build nuclear plants. They are doing it wrong.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at January 10, 2021 03:41 PM (u82oZ)

I look forward to the panic over plastic shortages when they get rid of fossil fuels entirely.

Posted by: Prothonotary Warbler- Quit the GOP on 1/20! at January 10, 2021 03:51 PM (H3MF8)

278 Idiots.
Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 10, 2021 03:48 PM (xT2tT)

--------

Theres a house like that on one of the routes I take doggeh for walk, except it pushing out GREY WATER.

If I was a neighbor Id be very pissed

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 03:51 PM (nw6Hr)

279 In my case, the energy savings from the instant hotwater heater were very marginal compared to a regular tanked, and would require additional plumbing work-...
Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 03:01 PM (pO7gM)
-------------------

When VP Al Gore moved into the Navy Office Bldg he had all the existing water heaters replaced with instant heaters at point of use locations.

The electricity bill doubled.

Posted by: Braenyard at January 10, 2021 03:52 PM (CZm2G)

280 Opps, reread- you liked the new guys!
Send a picture of the boiler, near boiler piping,manifolds ,circulators etc.
Hot Water beats Scorched Air every time

Posted by: HotWater at January 10, 2021 03:53 PM (OdWCA)

281 last summer, in my garage, I had a gallon of old paint between my feet and started to mix it with a heavy duty power mixer, chucked into a 1/2 inch Drill .
Allot of torque.
When I hit the bottom of the can and pulled up, the can came with it, rotated a few times and went flying into a wall.

Next summer I might finish the floor after I finish painting my walls..

Posted by: leik at January 10, 2021 03:53 PM (i5YxA)

282
Pex is a gift from the construction gods.

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 03:54 PM (nw6Hr)

283 YD, yes. When they were doing asbestos mitigation here, I stopped in after work (as I did everyday) to pick up some clothes from the entry closet. (they had the hallway, bedrooms and bathrooms blocked off)

I smelled nat gas. I exited the house and called the subcontractor and told them to get here fast and turn the gas off. I was scared shitless.

Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 03:54 PM (wR3DP)

284 >>>I look forward to the panic over plastic shortages when they get rid of fossil fuels entirely.
Posted by: Prothonotary Warbler- Quit the GOP on 1/20! at January 10, 2021 03:51 PM (H3MF

----------------

Speculating on war hawks having won the presidency it's quite possible that the need for fossil fuels will increase substantially in the near future.

Posted by: Braenyard at January 10, 2021 03:55 PM (CZm2G)

285 If I was ever to build my own place, I'd use PEX.
Posted by: JROD at January 10, 2021 03:50 PM (0jZnq)

--------

PEX is cool. But watch out with those shark-bite type connectors. They're cool, too, but you HAVE to set them so they really "bite." On a toilet or sink or dishwasher it might not be a problem, but I've seen them fail when you have constant/semi-constant flow like for hydroponics. I think there's a special wrench you can buy for them, if memory serves.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2021 03:55 PM (Bvn1K)

286 Anyone epoxy their garage floor?

How'd it go?

Posted by: Ha at January 10, 2021 03:55 PM (56Jkm)

287 Next summer I might finish the floor after I finish painting my walls..
Posted by: leik

I'm laughing so hard. Thanks, I needed that!

Posted by: Infidel at January 10, 2021 03:55 PM (wR3DP)

288
Do your prep. Etch your floor. Follow directions.

Love mine.

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 03:57 PM (nw6Hr)

289 OTOH, I have to remind family members that the reason part of I-35 is always torn up is because of the wear and tear of the thousands of cars on it 24/7/365.

Not because they did a bad job in the first place.

Posted by: Sal at January 10, 2021 03:57 PM (KTdeA)

290 Do your prep. Etch your floor. Follow directions.

Love mine.

Posted by: fixerupper at January 10, 2021 03:57 PM (nw6Hr)

Roger that.

They do look great.

Posted by: Ha at January 10, 2021 03:58 PM (56Jkm)

291 Was cat napping

Posted by: Skip at January 10, 2021 03:58 PM (Cxk7w)

292 May want to call anyway for the reliability of the system and your personal safety.

Posted by: HotWater at January 10, 2021 03:38 PM (OdWCA)

The radiant system is fine. The water heater is a lower-end model, mostly because I didn't want to replace the failed model with a top-end one, because that would have required replumbing a lot more stuff. It heats half the house (a big addition), and uses about 1/4 of the NG that the original steam heat uses. We added an additional zone several years ago when we built an office in a porch. Our gas bill actually went down because the exterior wall was much better insulated.

Posted by: CharlieBrown'sDildo at January 10, 2021 03:59 PM (xT2tT)

293 A fellow I worked with bought a renovated house in a gentrifying (sp?) area near downtown Houston, about 8 years ago. At least once a month he described to us in the office a problem with plumbing, wiring, doors and windows, and smelly waterlogged spots in the backyard, that were beyond belief. That house cost him a lot more money than what he bought it for!

Posted by: Gref at January 10, 2021 03:59 PM (AMIL/)

294 Was Skip napping.

Posted by: A Cat at January 10, 2021 04:00 PM (kTF2Z)

295 There is something to be said for having the right tool, and a good quality tool at that. I discovered this when I started knitting! Now I don't wonder at the typical male tool collection. I do wonder at my craft closet!

Posted by: funsize at January 10, 2021 04:00 PM (EiPf6)

296 I went to replace a light switch in the hall one time and found the medicine cabinet from the bathroom protruding into the electrical box. That was an interesting surprise.

Posted by: AF at January 10, 2021 04:00 PM (S8ePJ)

297 284 Posted by: Braenyard at January 10, 2021 03:55 PM (CZm2G)

One thing to consider is that the deal has been cut and the IT billionaires are in fact "the winners" and the wars are either finally "over" or are going to be used as population control and bragging rights like normies use sports teams.

Posted by: sven at January 10, 2021 04:01 PM (Lzpvj)

298 My father and big brother were much more mechanically adept than I was, but I watched and tried to learn from them. When I was 17 and got my first car (a 7 year old Dodge) I was determined to do the first oil chang all by myself. I bought 5 quarts of oil, grabbed my dad's drain bucket and did it after school one day. At dinner that night as we discussed our day, I humbly offered up that I changed my car's oil. My dad was pleased with me and my brother was shocked. "Any trouble getting the oil filter off?" he asked. "Oil filter?" I replied.

Posted by: Buck Throckmorton at January 10, 2021 04:01 PM (d9Cw3)

299 Food Nood.

Posted by: I am the Shadout Mapes, the Housekeeper at January 10, 2021 04:01 PM (PiwSw)

300 They have created this ugly Leftist echo chamber, and they will amp up anything they please in it. It will lead to a real psychotic action and reaction by the Left to whatever it does.
It's like the Dailly Kos is now amplified by Twitter.
Posted by: Bozo Conservative....living on the prison planet

The test will come if they convince themselves in the truth of their false narratives and their actions go beyond words. Life outside of an electronic screen may prove painful or even fatal to them. Personally, I'm done with words. There is no dialogue. They don't have the cognitive ability to realize when to stop. If it comes to that, I, for one, will do my utmost to make them regret their arrogance.

Posted by: Cynical Sock Monkey...there's no retreat from here folks. at January 10, 2021 04:01 PM (kSm5J)

301 I replaced a light switch that now operates upside down. Apparently reversed the wires, but it was such a struggle to stuff the stiff wires back into the box that I just left it.

Posted by: President-elect Emmie at January 10, 2021 04:03 PM (ofYez)

302 I've also found that most switch and outlet terminals are doubled up, one outlet had two wires under each screw and was using the backstab connections too. The electrician that wired this house was not a fan of pigtails apparently. I've added them whenever I've had to replace anything.

Posted by: AF at January 10, 2021 04:03 PM (S8ePJ)

303 >>Now I don't wonder at the typical male tool collection. I do wonder at my craft closet!

There is a joke in here somewhere.

Posted by: Aviator at January 10, 2021 04:03 PM (0FTCx)

304 Installed Tails OS on a flash drive. It uses TOR for browsing. Wasn't able to comment on AoS due to banned IP on TOR. Is there a way to get a different IP?

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at January 10, 2021 04:03 PM (63Dwl)

305 All of tge rioters either arrested or outed are trump supporters
Many QAnon people
Posted by: Attila at January 10, 2021 03:43 PM (chkVF)

All?
My B.S. Meter has pegged.

Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 04:05 PM (axyOa)

306 305 Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 04:05 PM (axyOa)

They are not arresting Antifa and the anarchists.

Not complex at all, you also do not arrest undercover FIB operatives or farm boys and girls.

Posted by: sven at January 10, 2021 04:06 PM (Lzpvj)

307 >>> 286 Anyone epoxy their garage floor? How'd it go? Posted by: Ha at January 10, 2021 03:55 PM (56Jkm)

I have it was ok. You have to clean/degrease and then etch the concrete with muric acid first. Supplies for that are generally suplied in the same box as the epoxy. Make sure you are ready, have things planned out, and have the time for a full job. It dries quick and doesn't self anneal very well.

The painting wasn't very hard for me I did have difficulty with casting the paint chips out. You can put paint chips in the epoxy to give it a non-flat look and a little better traction. I tried to use the method you would for spreading seed and it bunched up and was uneven.

Posted by: banana Dream at January 10, 2021 04:08 PM (l6b3d)

308 146 Kathy Shaidle of the "Five Feet of Fury" blog has passed away of ovarian cancer.
From you Ms. Shaidle, my repertoire of phrases was enriched with one I saw you write many times: "These people aren't smart enough to tell me how to live!" Amen, and Rest in Peace, ma'am. You've more than earned it.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at January 10, 2021 02:53 PM (kgQDj)

That's sad, I liked her and her blog.

Posted by: browndog at January 10, 2021 04:09 PM (BgMrQ)

309 All of tge rioters either arrested or outed are trump supporters

Many QAnon people

Posted by: Attila at January 10, 2021 03:43 PM (chkVF)

All?

My B.S. Meter has pegged.

Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 04:05 PM (axyOa)

Well technically that is true. All of the Antifa/BLM people were detained and then let go. You didn't think there would be equal application of the law even within the same "riot" did you?

Posted by: redbanzai the Southerner at January 10, 2021 04:11 PM (946rW)

310 I will confess to using flexible copper tubing to install the last water heater here, it looks like flexible electrical armored cable except its copper with connections for the tank and solid copper line you're hooking to.

Posted by: Gmac - WTF did you think was going to happen? at January 10, 2021 04:12 PM (qZdIZ)

311 @285 Yuhiishthira's Dice-Yeah you are right there is a special wrench that you use. Fortunately having residential plumbers at our union hall, besides being handy for personally abusing for their lowly position in life, come in handy when plumbing work on our personal residence might come up. Me and my friend were made hip to little things you needed to be aware of with working with/installing PEX. Everything went smooth with no problems or leaks for a couple of dumb pipe-fitters.

Posted by: JROD at January 10, 2021 04:13 PM (0jZnq)

312 It's just been announced that the studio behind Home Alone 2 is going to digitally erase Trump from the movie and replace him with a famous black actor who has just done a reshoot of Trump's part in the movie. They're keeping the name of the replacement actor a closely guarded secret to build up the suspense.

We now live in Stalin's Russia.

Posted by: Stalin's tactics at January 10, 2021 04:15 PM (OsZdy)

313 279 Braenyard, cool story. I always work the math regarding major systems and appliances and I was green before it was cool because I am a cheapskate on spending money for nothing. Insulation for most applications and weatherstripping properly are the low handing fruit that a lot of people miss.

Have not been able to make photovoltaic system math work where I am, but considering it anyway for more resiliency. Same as windmills and a passive solar heating unit. Issue has always been storage of energy from those.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 04:16 PM (pO7gM)

314 Everything went smooth with no problems or leaks for a couple of dumb pipe-fitters.
Posted by: JROD at January 10, 2021 04:13 PM (0jZnq

Yeah, I bet it went fine, you guys are pros, lol. I'm just a dumb hillbilly who was growing dope in a basement, and PEX was the easiest way to graft the new plumbing onto the old copper. We made some boo-boos along the way.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2021 04:17 PM (Bvn1K)

315
It's just been announced that the studio behind Home Alone 2 is going to
digitally erase Trump from the movie and replace him with a famous
black actor who has just done a reshoot of Trump's part in the movie.
They're keeping the name of the replacement actor a closely guarded
secret to build up the suspense.

We now live in Stalin's Russia.

Posted by: Stalin's tactics at January 10, 2021 04:15 PM (OsZdy)

THAT will teach us. Now let me unstick my eye that has rolled so hard it is in the back of my skull.

Posted by: redbanzai the Southerner at January 10, 2021 04:18 PM (946rW)

316 All?
My B.S. Meter has pegged.
Posted by: Diogenes

My B.S. meter broke last February. I sent it in for repair but due to C19 I am still waiting for its return.

Posted by: Cynical Sock Monkey...there's no retreat from here folks. at January 10, 2021 04:19 PM (kSm5J)

317 275 Rhubarb Ranch,
Knowing how the current Feebs works, most of the Auntie FaLaLa people arrested were probably informants on the payroll.

I am not afraid of the Feebs being Gestapo so much (they were practically stupid and corrupt) but the more efficient NKVD under Beria.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 04:21 PM (pO7gM)

318 My house was built in the late 50s in the midst of the missile crisis paranoia by a Honeywell Engineer. Complete with a well, fire suppression in the basement where he liked to do welding, and a bomb shelter. I've found countless 'make it work' specials. In his defense most of is still works fine 60 years later, but every contractor we bring in has a WTF moment.

Posted by: Esch at January 10, 2021 04:21 PM (mZXTh)

319 312, HomeAlone2 was Fox Studios I believe which makes DevilMouse Corp the current owners of that IP. Home Alone part 10-20 will probably have Kevina mowing down QAnons that refused to use the proper gender pronouns when addressing it.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 04:23 PM (pO7gM)

320 308 146 Kathy Shaidle of the "Five Feet of Fury" blog has passed away of ovarian cancer.
From you Ms. Shaidle, my repertoire of phrases was enriched with one I saw you write many times: "These people aren't smart enough to tell me how to live!" Amen, and Rest in Peace, ma'am. You've more than earned it.
Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at January 10, 2021 02:53 PM (kgQDj)

That's sad, I liked her and her blog.
Posted by: browndog at January 10, 2021 04:09 PM (BgMrQ)

Me, too. RIP, Kathy!

Posted by: Prothonotary Warbler- Quit the GOP on 1/20! at January 10, 2021 04:24 PM (H3MF8)

321 Late to this but I had an on demand propane hot water heater in the 1965 Airstream. Water system could be pressurized by electric pump or an air valve. It worked wonderfully.

Posted by: Notsothoreau - look forward at January 10, 2021 04:24 PM (YynYJ)

322 A friend from some years back, in our men's Bible study, was an FBI counter terror guy, regionally the top management guy, was in the M1A1 at the Waco BBQ, said that no way they caused the fire. But another friend, a Lt. on the Waco fire dept in charge of dispatch told me that they got a request to send out a Fire/Rescue crew every day of the siege except on the day of the fire. Interesting that the FBI guy really believed what he said and had no insight into what the other members of the FBI team were doing or not, no?

Posted by: Robert17 at January 10, 2021 04:26 PM (NGqKT)

323 I am not afraid of the Feebs being Gestapo so much
(they were practically stupid and corrupt) but the more efficient NKVD
under Beria.
Posted by: whig

I think you have it exactly backwards. NKVD was also stupid and corrupt, but also terror driven. It was paranoia all the way down. The USSR was the first "artificial" modern country, so Stalin and Beria didn't care how many eggs they had to break to make omelettes. The Gestapo -- at least the members with actual intelligence and policing backgrounds -- did care about getting things right. Throwing productive Germans in the concentration camp because of a mistake wasn't seen as a good thing. There were no good Russians. There were either Soviets constantly in fear of random terror as a state of political being or they were dead/imprisoned. Both Stalin and Hitler had their pre-war military purges. Stalin executed or gulag'd them. Hitler pensioned them off. Big difference.

Posted by: SFGoth at January 10, 2021 04:27 PM (KAi1n)

324 In defense of generous use of Teflon tape and pipe dope, by wrapping the tape until all the threads are covered, even if the threads don't enter the female end of the union all the way, protects the threads from rusting, at least a bit.

A galvanized pipe nipple is not galvanized where the threads are cut. Those threads will rust if not protected. Tape and dope help resist thread rusting.

Also, I can't tell you how many times I have wished I'd added just another wrap or two of tape to a threaded pipe joint. Tape is cheap. Don't skimp out.

Posted by: Dan at January 10, 2021 04:27 PM (+NG5U)

325 My first house was nearly new, a rowhouse in a new subdivision. The builders embedded the PVC pipes carrying water, gas, and sewage in the concrete slab foundation.

New houses settle. Embedded pipes can't move. Snap!

Posted by: Trimegistus at January 10, 2021 04:29 PM (QZxDR)

326 It's just been announced that the sIt's just been announced that the studio behind Home Alone 2 is going to digitally erase Trump from the movie and replace him with a famous black actor who has just done a reshoot of Trump's part in the movie.

-------

I watched it on Christmas at the Children's Hospital, which was surreal because that movie has the Children's Hospital charity as the focus of Joe Pesci's and Daniel Stern's evil scheme. Anyway, I actually watched it, for some reason, and they had erased the Trump scene from the movie. It made an impression, and I pointed it out to Lady YD when I got home, as an example of weird totalitarian speech control.

But that's less weird and totalitarian than including it, and replacing him with an actor from a currently in-vogue minority group. They'll never find a level of in-your-face domineering thought-policing low enough, I suppose.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2021 04:31 PM (Bvn1K)

327 SFGoth,
Maybe, but my understanding of the history of the time was that the SS and Abwehr were the effective cointel and internal security units while the Gestapo was not that effective. But, many of the accounts that I have read dealt with Gestapo tactics in occupied countries and not specifically in Germany itself.

SOE targeted Heydrich for a reason as they feared him more than the Gestapo. Course, Abwehr may have actually helped the Brits as some of them feared the SS taking over internal counterintelligence totally due to the Abwehr agents undercover help to the Allies.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 04:34 PM (pO7gM)

328 312 Posted by: Stalin's tactics at January 10, 2021 04:15 PM (OsZdy)

Remember they are starting with Trump, they are finishing with us.

Posted by: sven at January 10, 2021 04:35 PM (Lzpvj)

329

Democrats have at least 180 co-sponsors for articles of impeachment against President Trump and they plan to introduce the measure on Monday.

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at January 10, 2021 04:38 PM (63Dwl)

330 328 sven, as mentioned above, this is more like a desperate coup attempt than a revolution--the techlords, oligarchs, and Feebs with their congressional allies are trying to launch a coup.

First rule of coups--cut the comms, second is try to arrest/kill the leader or make them in communicado. Third is try to mollify and recruit potential allies that are uncertain about the success of the coup, Fourth is trying to establish some sort of plausible excuse for the coup by orchestrated 'outrage' in order to build popular support. In the long run, popular support and buyin is absolutely necessary for the coup to work.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 04:40 PM (pO7gM)

331 329 Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at January 10, 2021 04:38 PM (63Dwl)

They'll have unanimous agreement to put us in camps if that is what whoever pays them decides that is what needs doing.

You need to get past thinking their stupidity or their rage has off switches.

Posted by: sven at January 10, 2021 04:41 PM (Lzpvj)

332 329, I suppose that they plan to do the short form impeachment with no defense allowed. That will move public opinion--not. They are doing the most stupid and pointless exercise ever.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 04:41 PM (pO7gM)

333 330 Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 04:40 PM (pO7gM)

This is not a traditional coup. I don't think their goal is seizure of the government, they had that with their domination of the "civil service" I think they are setting up a race war where minorities are going to understand they can kill conservative whites with impunity. That is the goal.

Posted by: sven at January 10, 2021 04:43 PM (Lzpvj)

334 333, sven, perhaps their fevered dreams of the deranged would like that but more likely this is a defensive move because the Dems and oligarchs have committed so many crimes leading up to their putsch that they are trying to forestall justice.

Most of the civil service are inert pension and money takers, not risk takers, and much of the spear in law enforcement and the military are not like the Feebs.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 04:46 PM (pO7gM)

335 They'll have unanimous agreement to put us in camps if that is what whoever pays them decides that is what needs doing.

You need to get past thinking their stupidity or their rage has off switches.

Posted by: sven at January 10, 2021 04:41 PM (Lzpvj)
And plan accordingly.

Posted by: redbanzai the Southerner at January 10, 2021 04:46 PM (946rW)

336 BarryO had pretty much 'retired' the military leadership that truely believed in 'protect and defend the Constitution' so that there would be less chance of that option to worry about in the slow-roll takeover. Trump didn't rectify this. So the protect and defend crowd isn't as much of a worry for the Harris/Biden/BarryO III crowd. But I do consider it a possibility that the armed services are having some interesting internal comms at the moment.

Posted by: Robert17 at January 10, 2021 04:46 PM (NGqKT)

337 Posted by: sven at January 10, 2021 04:43 PM (Lzpvj)

------

The coup is done. The point is to make Trump's supporters ritualistically pass under the yoke, including, maybe perhaps especially, his minority voters.

All will be brought to heel. Most certainly not just whites.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2021 04:46 PM (Bvn1K)

338 Whig, it's been a few years since I was addicted to reading all things Germany 1918-1945, but as I recall, Abwehr was extremely effective (in assisting the allies -- intentionally, as Canaris had turned against Hitler in '39). All of these agencies (SS, GeSTAttsheimatsPOlizei, KRIminalPOlizei ("KRIPO"), etc.), also suffered from explosive bureaucratic overload. Hitler encouraged fiefdom below him as his underlings carved out their own smaller and overlapping niches, it strengthened his power and gave him toadies to play off against each other. The SU was so far into the Twilight Zone of domestic political organization and operation that nothing Rod Serling ever came up with came close to that nightmare.

Posted by: SFGoth at January 10, 2021 04:46 PM (KAi1n)

339 My B.S. Meter has pegged.

Posted by: Diogenes at January 10, 2021 04:05 PM (axyOa)

Well technically that is true. All of the Antifa/BLM people were detained and then let go. You didn't think there would be equal application of the law even within the same "riot" did you?
Posted by: redbanzai the Southerner at January 10, 2021 04:11 PM (946rW)
-------------------------------

Bingo

Posted by: Braenyard at January 10, 2021 04:46 PM (CZm2G)

340 338 SFGoth,
You are probably better informed on internals in Germany than I am. Most of my focus on WWII in Europe was the secret war between Allied intel and the Germans which is was a subset of the German control over the civilian populace. One of the more chilling books that I ever read about internal German control mechanisms dealt with the notorious People's Court.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 04:49 PM (pO7gM)

341 The coup is done. The point is to make Trump's
supporters ritualistically pass under the yoke, including, maybe perhaps
especially, his minority voters.

All will be brought to heel. Most certainly not just whites.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2021 04:46 PM (Bvn1K)

YD, we get the government we will tolerate. If we allow them to do that, we deserve to have it done. If any population in the entire world is capable of defending itself against government tyranny, it is ours.

Posted by: redbanzai the Southerner at January 10, 2021 04:51 PM (946rW)

342 Oh, and SFGoth, if still here, if I remember, Heydrich's very effective control measures in Czechoslovakia were due to be replicated in other countries as he was getting ready to be transferred to other duties elsewhere. Thus, the SOE struck when they had the best chance to get rid of him.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 04:52 PM (pO7gM)

343 Whig, I read a book some years ago about the various intelligence efforts by the main players to end the war early. Conclusion was that it had to be fought out.

Posted by: SFGoth at January 10, 2021 04:53 PM (KAi1n)

344 Isaac Parker, the "hanging judge," had nothing on Freisler.

He earned his reputation by hanging 80 guys. Freisler did 5K.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2021 04:55 PM (Bvn1K)

345 The skeleton of my barn door entertainment center is up and not wobbly....winning!!!

Posted by: lin-duh at January 10, 2021 04:57 PM (UUBmN)

346 343, SfGoth, at least, in Body Guard of Lies which is from the Brit perspective, they believed that Canaris simply did not have the ability to carry out an effective coup and after the Allied victory conditions became unconditional surrender, it was effectively dead for a negotiated settlement that a coup would cause. Nevertheless, they encouraged the conspirators against the regime and took whatever info that they got. The Russians with their internal intel (some speculate Borman was a Russian asset) simply did not care to negotiate and used the Germans strictly for intel.

If I remember correctly, OSS Allen Dulles was one of the biggest proponents of a negotiated end of the war and a primary contact for anti-regime operatives in Germany.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 04:58 PM (pO7gM)

347 It's being rumored on leftwing blogs that amongst the first priorities of the new administration will be the construction of 20 new Federal prisons. Can't imagine who they're intending on filling those with.

Posted by: More prisons is suddenly the left's policy at January 10, 2021 04:59 PM (PwND+)

348 The "storming" of the Capitol is psy-op to provide cover for the impending marginalization of Trump supporters AND to provide--retroactively--the reason and excuse for the outright theft of his re-election so that when the truth comes out--and it will--the MSM can say, "Sure they stole the election from Hitler! And it's a good thing too."

Posted by: JoeF. at January 10, 2021 05:00 PM (dR6lV)

349 We are going to see some nauseating things in the coming months.

Posted by: JoeF. at January 10, 2021 05:02 PM (dR6lV)

350 We are going to see some nauseating things in the coming months.

Posted by: JoeF. at January 10, 2021 05:02 PM (dR6lV)

Read my reply to YD and consider it a reply here too:-)

Posted by: redbanzai the Southerner at January 10, 2021 05:05 PM (946rW)

351 348, Yet despite the deluge of propaganda, the meter of public opinion has not moved. The problem is that for better or worse, the opinion on PDT is fixed and ludicrous actions and sensationalism is simply not moving the dial much.

In a coup rules that I mentioned above, one of the other very important rules is securing or at least neutralizing the military and all law enforcement. Not sure that has been done here.

This is not a revolution but a coup carried out by a large fraction of elites against the populace. Most coups fail by the way either collapsing quickly or in short order. What comes next, if successful is what should be feared. Generally it is a tyrant, sometimes it is military rule.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 05:05 PM (pO7gM)

352 Thankfully that the Heydrich types (evil, brilliant, utterly capable of realizing their goals) were rare at the top of the Nazi hierarchy. Goering was smart and a WWI fighter ace actually, but he was an uncultured playboy, totally on the take, and, eventually, a morphine addict. In retrospect, he probably could've been bought off by Hollywood. He also unknowingly sabotaged the Luftwaffe. Goebbels was freaky good and more of a believer than Hitler but ultimately of little military use. Germany actually had the capability of mass-producing Panzer IV's with sloped armor and long cannons before invading the SU but didn't. Hitler wanted to have war without affecting domestic production. Guns oder Butter.

Posted by: SFGoth at January 10, 2021 05:07 PM (KAi1n)

353 347 Posted by: More prisons is suddenly the left's policy at January 10, 2021 04:59 PM (PwND+)

Remember they let out rapists, serial killers, jihadists, and simple murderers because "Covid" but I assure you we'll be okay in prison.

Posted by: sven at January 10, 2021 05:07 PM (Lzpvj)

354 The next four plus years is going to be so much worse than Obama. Obama didn't have the momentum that the left has now. Thing are going to go to shit, here and abroad very quickly.

Posted by: pawn at January 10, 2021 05:09 PM (Cfk8j)

355 Coups are undertaken by institutional actors usually at the behest of a small group of people. It can be due to avoidance of justice, it can be to forestall loss of power, and it can be externally guided. Very different than a popular revolution--does not resemble the German issue as the Nahrzis as Churchill called them, already had the largest bloc in the Reichstag via elections and no one in Germany particularly supported the Weimar Republic at that point. The opposing Socialists and Communists opposition due to their own outrages during the interwar period had no moral claim of clean hands to acquire power either. So the muddy middle shrugged and went with the fascists over the commies as the best of evils. Not same situation here.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 05:10 PM (pO7gM)

356 354 Posted by: pawn at January 10, 2021 05:09 PM (Cfk8j)

The momentum they are pretending is there largely is not, they are pretending to cow the right.

The problem is "our" politicians are so easy to cow they are yoohoo.

Buckle up.

Posted by: sven at January 10, 2021 05:10 PM (Lzpvj)

357 Oh, I don't deny that they can be stopped. I'm not hopeless.

But it's best to understand their motivations. They're not so simple as Nazis. It's not a racial thing. They're definitely racists, but that's not the motivation.

The motivation is total control. They're close, now. If they get it, all people must bend before the almighty State. This isn't racial, or class-based, or religious, or political. There is no motive but for will to power.

Posted by: Yudhishthira's Dice at January 10, 2021 05:11 PM (Bvn1K)

358 PA tries to control "bad" insects in their gamelands by dropping ladybugs. Except they buy the invasive asian beetles which look kind of like ladybugs, but don't do much to control pests, but do like to invade homes to keep warm.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at January 10, 2021 05:11 PM (QYoFn)

359 352, SFGoth, yes I read that during the aftermath of smashing France, that AH did not want to fully go to war footing and figured his SU invasion would be a walk in the park due to Stalin's purges. Never really knew if the Germans had good intel regarding the SU as I have never really come across that. The Eastern front and the complicated involvement of the Axis minor allies in that theater is something I know little about other than battle history.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 05:13 PM (pO7gM)

360 CBD,

Sixteen years is way too early for a boiler to die. Any boiler.

What you seem to be describing is a cast iron sectional boiler. I am a heating professional and I have to say that in almost 40 years I have never seen a residential cast iron boiler fail in the way that you described.

There are cast iron boilers that are still in service that were made before I was born. Not many, of course, but there are.

Usually, if a boiler heat exchanger fails it is due to one of two things: Exposed to freezing temperatures without the benefit of anti-freeze in the system or a chemical issue (corrosion).

What I would be wondering regording your dead boiler (and now your new one) is if there are any copper to steel connections at or near the boiler that are not separated by a dielctric union. When water flows through a piped connection of dissimilar metals an electric current is created that will, over time, destroy ferrous metals...like a cast iron heat exchanger. This phenomenon is called galvanic corrosion and heat accelerates it.

I would recommend that you look at the piping near your boiler for any copper to steel connections.

Posted by: Chuck Rambo at January 10, 2021 05:17 PM (Xo67T)

361 "Never really knew if the Germans had good intel regarding the SU as I have never really come across that."

Dude! During the late 20's, Germany was sending teams of military advisors, including some future generals and FM Keitel, to the SU to practice clandestine maneuvers with Soviet teams. Germans had the know-how, Sovs had the room and materials to work with. Hitler canceled it when he came to power, but *at the very fukcing least*, they knew that the SU was vast, not just huge, vast, and they knew it had shit for roads. Germany lost, IMO, because they bought their own propaganda. Move Speer up a few years and it's over.

Posted by: SFGoth at January 10, 2021 05:23 PM (KAi1n)

362 @357 YD, actually, I would consider the real activists overextended. The actual techlord financiers of this are in it to keep sweet lucre from the China market and continuing to exploit the US. The activists think they will get to rule.

The techlords want a coup, not revolution--their paid hands want power. My guess is that the paid hands will be gotten rid off as nuisances. Revolutions are unpredictable who wins, who loses, and who dies, and billionaires are not up for that. This is a certain segment of the liberal elite trying to seize power over the government and its actions, the techlords continue without regulation and get to play footsie with China, the politicians get their graft and the intel/fp community gets to keep its wars for forever.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 05:26 PM (pO7gM)

363 361 SFGoth, I knew about the training programs with the SU but not actual spies and code breaking of Russian cyphers within the Kremlin during WWII. Plenty of stuff about Russian spy activity in Germany and elsewhere for example Richard Sorge. Not so much on intel operations during war from SU for German. Did believe that Richard Gehlen was put to use in German intel again post war because of his spy networks in Russia but never saw an adequate story about details.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 05:29 PM (pO7gM)

364 360 Chuck Rambo,
Very good point on dielectric corrosion. Seen it in other circumstances along with galling sometimes in mechanical connections.

Posted by: whig at January 10, 2021 05:31 PM (pO7gM)

365 dielectric couplings! This place rocks!

Posted by: vizzy at January 10, 2021 05:33 PM (R/9t3)

366 PA tries to control "bad" insects in their gamelands
by dropping ladybugs. Except they buy the invasive asian beetles which
look kind of like ladybugs, but don't do much to control pests, but do
like to invade homes to keep warm.

Posted by: Cat Ass Trophy at January 10, 2021 05:11 PM (QYoFn)

LOL... perfect.

Posted by: redbanzai the Southerner at January 10, 2021 05:33 PM (946rW)

367 test

Posted by: Nick Danger Third Eye at January 10, 2021 05:48 PM (c1JKE)

368 I can't see exactly what is going on in the picture, but it almost appears that both tape and pipe thread sealant are being used there. I question if that is SOP. Anyhow, in my line of work I often see where someone has used tape on a compression connection or, even worse, on a connection where a hose has a rubber washer in the end. I mean, what was the last time you installaed teflon tape when attaching a garden hose? Same thing.

Posted by: next in line at January 10, 2021 05:52 PM (3W7ip)

369 I bought a used vehicle recently. I'm no mechanic, but got a good one to help me get it in order. While he was tending to no foolin' big deals like pistons and operating controls and true safety items, I got fixated on a broken cable to an air vent. I researched, sourced a part, and then went after it. He patiently assisted with some bemusement, showing me along the way what meticulous care in getting it done right entailed.

Getting that stupid vent working made me feel like I'd just hand-built a working Saturn V rocket...

Posted by: MarkW at January 10, 2021 05:53 PM (iDVR9)

370 Many years ago as a teenager I sealed asphalt driveways. This guy insisted we not mix the base sealant with water. We refused. He eventually calls the boss/business owner and the homeowner signed a statement that it was his request we seal the driveway with straight sealer mix and releasing all liability claims. Drove by weeks later and that drive was still roped off and driveway was a gooey mess.

Posted by: Bang-a-gong at January 10, 2021 06:09 PM (kIDB3)

371 Using tape + pipe dope is heroic b/c no leaks.

But one or the other ususally works.

Nothing doesnt work.

Posted by: torabora at January 10, 2021 06:15 PM (HCQSQ)

372 To save money, I fell over 300 six inch diameter pines, cut them into 8 foot lengths and peeled them for fence posts on the ranch. A lot of work and I had been told that they would last for at most eight years. As a young man that sounded like a lot of time.The years came rapidly and I took down the mile of fence, pulled the posts, pounded in 900 new Treated posts and restrung the wire. All on me.

Posted by: Norton at January 10, 2021 06:23 PM (3ds/v)

373 33

How about firing him into 23 foundation? Surely the dirt will be easier to dig the second time.

Posted by: Dwayne at January 10, 2021 06:35 PM (gtu/X)

374 It nevers ends.

https://www.nj.com/sports/2021/01/ pga-will-strip-trump-bedminster-of-2022-pga- championship-insider-says.html

Posted by: Cancel Culture again at January 10, 2021 06:44 PM (Y4L7k)

375 t nevers ends.

https://www.nj.com/sports/2021/01/ pga-will-strip-trump-bedminster-of-2022-pga- championship-insider-says.html

Posted by: Cancel Culture again at January 10, 2021 06:44 PM (Y4L7k)

Humiliation --if not prison-- will never end

Posted by: JoeF. at January 10, 2021 07:14 PM (dR6lV)

376 Is PDT still at Camp David? Is he under house arrest?

This is so weird

Posted by: JoeF. at January 10, 2021 08:00 PM (dR6lV)

377 Hells bells, my life is full of shoddy jobs I've 'performed' or those I've fixed.

My awakening came as a Damage Controlman on a large Cutter. There I learned (and for ever after) overbuild and do it so it will be the only time you have to.
There my team had the ethos of, we wanted the next guy to come along and go, "Damn that's some nice work".

So then the Coast Guard gives the boat to Vietnam...
Oh well...

Posted by: Mudshark at January 10, 2021 09:37 PM (qCkAJ)

378 I had a contractor come in to remodel my master bathroom. To be fair, the work was great and was done in a week.
Fast forward to last year. We had a frameless shower door in the bathroom and it exploded. Took about a month to get the replacement (Company was great in handling it but it was being shipped from Canada) and this time, I hired a glass specialist to handle the reinstallation.
Two hours into the job and one of the contractors calls me over with "Sir, you need to see this." Turns out that the first contractor used decking screws to secure the shower door to the bar. They came just loose enough to damage the door.

Posted by: NR Pax at January 11, 2021 05:20 AM (O8fk2)

379 That reducing union (I didn't know there was such a thing) and the bushing to fit the nipple on the other side makes a bottle neck in flow the system presumably was designed for. This itself looks less than perfect. To me.

Posted by: meg at January 11, 2021 09:57 AM (BCV0P)

380 The picture sure look as if the two nipples are black pipe (suitable for gas but not water). If I am right your repair is not as lasting and proper as you think. Black pipe rusts quickly!

Posted by: Murray in Nashville at January 11, 2021 11:19 AM (YwWa1)

381 Hot water boilers have a useful lifespan of 25 years.
That is a union, not a coupling. Black pipe will last the life of a boiler, provided there isn't a leak in the system, if there is one, even a tiny one. The fresh water coming in will kill the boiler quickly.
Also, the only manufacturer that uses rubber push nipples ( the nipples between the boiler sections) is Weil-Mclain. avoid them if at all possible.

Posted by: Pepi B at January 11, 2021 02:18 PM (bR9Qv)

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