What was your most interesting recent non solar project?

[G00SE]

Just finished reading through the thread.
Goodness, yall are absolutely inspiring!
I need to kick myself into gear and make better consistent use of my time being productive.

I had been mentioning lately that time seems to have changed, I feel like we skipped half a decade. I then stumbled upon a video that suggests time is relative to lived experiences and adventure.
the method of which this was studied was by having people free fall and estimate the time it took and then observe others doing the same fall and estimate their time.
It was over 30% different in the perception of time, time feeling slower when falling than observing others falling. Maybe I need more adventure!

How old are yall? Some of you look like you’ve done a lifetime of cool stuff in the last week! If you’re older, what’s your secret to keep going? If you’re younger, how’d you stay on a productive path and minimize distractions?

Sorry for the side tangent, I just enjoy being motivated from y’all. Proof I can and will just tackle the next project.

 

[skyking1]

I just got here @G00SE .
I start my pension in April @63-ish, and will start building our retirement home soon. I will keep working part time until I can't take it anymore.

 

[HalfBaked]

Yep, Hollywood Marine.

0811 Cannon Cocker

You yell, we shell, death from the rear. (that is how it is supposed to work)

First day in combat we spent most of the day shooting behind us as that is where recon and the grunts were. We had passed all the tanks, grunts mounted on Amtraks and LAV's with recon after crossing the minefields. Every now and then we had to speed shift to the front and shoot ahead of us when FO's in OV-10's would spot tank columns heading our way. Then back to shooting to the rear and sides as the front was unified.

A risky move putting FA in front but brilliant. We had enemy tanks right in front of us (but we were just out of their range) with close air support F18's strafing them as we laid in. Mechanized warfare is fast moving, one hell of an experience that most people will never have.

I spent 8 years with the Corps, loved what I did. I spent 4 years as a section chief and trained many of the other section chiefs that were in charge of the other 7 guns. Left the Corps as an E6, the war had taken a toll on my health and I knew it was time even though I had enough rank I worked hard for that a career from then on would have been easy if Iraq hadn't occurred. CO and XO were begging me to stay, the CO was my XO and platoon commander during the war. Spent a month smack dab in the middle of the oil well fires, smoke so thick you couldn't see your hand in front of your face mid day.

I still keep in contact with the boys, we are moving to a reunion every year now. Some are dying now from cancers and other sickness. One of my boys told me at the last reunion he had severe sinus infections and lost his sense of taste and smell. I told him to get to the VA and file a claim, he called me a few months ago and thanked me for sending him to the VA. The VA took care of him and rated his loss of taste and smell at 70%. I'm glad he got it. Many others have had to fight tooth and nail for benefits. I've been in the VA system for almost 30 years now. The PACT Act has made a huge difference.

You missed the sand fleas, I missed Mt Mfer.
0411 Maint Mgmt Logistics, aka Rifleman, 2nd FSSG CLNC
Spent 8 months on a ship during shield/storm, used as a decoy, ran landing drills in the Gulf to draw fire. So never had to charge a beach, but we were ready. Ship took missile fire, easily cured by the seawiz. I still talk to a few buddies. Went to one's wedding a couple years ago. Just started seeing my rep to file claims. Got a whole 10% so far for tinnitus!

 

[SparkyJJO]

@G00SE I'm in my late 30s. Time is at a premium, but a great motivator when you're just about out of it!

I struggle with distractions quite a bit, otherwise.

 

[fatjay]

I almost flipped my tractor carrying a heavy load in the bucket. So I picked up suitcase weights but didn't want to mount them on the 3pt to make the tractor longer, as I want to keep it maneuverable.

So I mocked up a bracket, welded it, and hung hte weights. Looks like it was always there.

 

[fatjay]

Then I needed some bus bars for top balancing. But they're $$$ so i made my own.

 

[Zwy]

You missed the sand fleas, I missed Mt Mfer.

Plenty of sand fleas in the desert. As for Mt Mfer, my senior DI was going up and I was behind him and made sure that he didn't see me. As we went up, he would take members of the platoon and push them and down the hill they went. When the top was reached, I was number 3 of the platoon to get there. My mother and father didn't raise an idiot. I thought it was quite easy actually.

0411 Maint Mgmt Logistics, aka Rifleman, 2nd FSSG CLNC
Spent 8 months on a ship during shield/storm, used as a decoy, ran landing drills in the Gulf to draw fire. So never had to charge a beach, but we were ready. Ship took missile fire, easily cured by the seawiz. I still talk to a few buddies. Went to one's wedding a couple years ago. Just started seeing my rep to file claims. Got a whole 10% so far for tinnitus!

We used to play games along the border before the ground offensive all night long. We would drive along the border for hours back and forth. Another tactic was set up one gun with radar close by, shoot 2 rounds across the border, then quick pull out. We had other guns setup off to the flanks. The enemy would fire back of course as we had sold them our old radar which was slower. Before those rounds hit where that sole gun had been, there was already a fire mission to the other guns and the enemy artillery was smoked. That was one of our biggest threats was that radar, during the ground offensive we would take incoming as they had used their radar to know where we were firing from.

I recently had an increase in my rating for migraines which I get Botox for every 3 months. My combined rating is now 90%. I spent yesterday getting an MRI at the local hospital, Monday is Des Moines to see ortho, Thursday is back to Des Moines to see a PMR specialist about the MRI. The following week is Botox treatment, the next week is primary doc at the local VA clinic. Des Moines is 3 hours away, local VA clinic is an hour away.

The VA docs keep asking if I'm still working and I tell them I'm working full time and not quitting yet. They just shake their head.

 

[JJJJ]

OK, compared to some other projects mentioned here this is a relatively simple one. Only it was my first time actually doing it which adds to the "fun" factor.

Needed to remove the toilet bowl so I could paint behind the needed receptacle. Nothing says "fun" like manhandling a hack saw blade because the sawsall cannot fit into the space to cut corroded bolts.

I also l learned a valuable lesson. When a part says "universal" on the label it is code for two trips to the big box store instead of three.

Then there is the second guessing out of a sound sleep at 2:30 when you realized you skipped a step, which while leak free at the initial test, was a recipe for failure later. Fortunately the redo with proper assembly went much faster the next day. I utilize the "paper towel" below the fittings test for a couple of days. Granted it is OCD but it helps me sort through things earlier if needed. Fortunately all is well so far.

 

[fatjay]

Backhoe in the way, so it needed to move. It's a 1953 oliver 77 industrial. Haven't needed to move it since I dug the footers for my shop. New fuel filter, new fuel, new battery, half a can of starting fluid, tires inflated. It sank pretty well over the years so I had to rock it back and forth a bit to get out of it's hole. It's really light on the front end, so heading up hill is moderately terrifying and there's no steering or brakes.

It needs to move so I can do the garden, but then I found it had a hydrulic leak so I needed to scrape the top 6" of soil off with the kubota and pile it out of the garden area.

 

[Kenny_]

Looks like a much better home for it now.

 

[wiseacre]

Maple Madness
There's a lot of standing around watching sap boil

 

[OffGridForGood]

I heat my home and workshop (next door) primarily with wood cut and processed on the property.
As of this week, I have converted the processing part to all electric - YUP running on my mobile 8s 315Ah pack. So much quieter without generators and gas operated splitter.
Now I just need to convert the quad-harvester from ICE to LFP (or Sodium) ...

 

[fatjay]

Shaved the cat today...






My wife has this cat, lucy, a long hair rag doll who she overfeeds. Lucy is a bit on the pudgy side now, and had matting on her sides, back, stomach and neck. She would brush her but brushing a cat against their will is not recommended. So she made an appointment with the groomer, then just before the appointment, she died suddenly.

So my wife is stressing about the cat and she looks to me. So I get on them innernets and start googling about, and learn how to become an amateur cat groomer. I picked up a shaver that was highly recommended. First I tried in the dining room, and the cat was not having it and disappeared to the basement for 2 weeks.

So tonight she was out and about so i grabbed her and the shaver and went to the bathroom. I started on the body/back, then worked my way to the stomach, neck, and eventually asshole. Do you know how much fun it is to shave a cat's asshole? Not very, but it has it's moments.

By the time I got done the body, the cat had mostly given up to her fate about trying to run away, which made things easier. Also, the shaver is extremely safe and very hard to nick the skin, I tried on my forearm first to see what it would take. I have to admit, I'm impressed. And I was using that battery powered shaver for a solid hour before it eventually got weak and started to slow down.

This is the shaver I used: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJ6YJXG2

I''ve seen people with worse haircuts.

 

[Kenny_]

Shaved the cat today...






My wife has this cat, lucy, a long hair rag doll who she overfeeds. Lucy is a bit on the pudgy side now, and had matting on her sides, back, stomach and neck. She would brush her but brushing a cat against their will is not recommended. So she made an appointment with the groomer, then just before the appointment, she died suddenly.

So my wife is stressing about the cat and she looks to me. So I get on them innernets and start googling about, and learn how to become an amateur cat groomer. I picked up a shaver that was highly recommended. First I tried in the dining room, and the cat was not having it and disappeared to the basement for 2 weeks.

So tonight she was out and about so i grabbed her and the shaver and went to the bathroom. I started on the body/back, then worked my way to the stomach, neck, and eventually asshole. Do you know how much fun it is to shave a cat's asshole? Not very, but it has it's moments.

By the time I got done the body, the cat had mostly given up to her fate about trying to run away, which made things easier. Also, the shaver is extremely safe and very hard to nick the skin, I tried on my forearm first to see what it would take. I have to admit, I'm impressed. And I was using that battery powered shaver for a solid hour before it eventually got weak and started to slow down.

This is the shaver I used: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJ6YJXG2

I''ve seen people with worse haircuts.

Brave man!!

 

[green mountain boys]

Shaved the cat today...






My wife has this cat, lucy, a long hair rag doll who she overfeeds. Lucy is a bit on the pudgy side now, and had matting on her sides, back, stomach and neck. She would brush her but brushing a cat against their will is not recommended. So she made an appointment with the groomer, then just before the appointment, she died suddenly.

So my wife is stressing about the cat and she looks to me. So I get on them innernets and start googling about, and learn how to become an amateur cat groomer. I picked up a shaver that was highly recommended. First I tried in the dining room, and the cat was not having it and disappeared to the basement for 2 weeks.

So tonight she was out and about so i grabbed her and the shaver and went to the bathroom. I started on the body/back, then worked my way to the stomach, neck, and eventually asshole. Do you know how much fun it is to shave a cat's asshole? Not very, but it has it's moments.

By the time I got done the body, the cat had mostly given up to her fate about trying to run away, which made things easier. Also, the shaver is extremely safe and very hard to nick the skin, I tried on my forearm first to see what it would take. I have to admit, I'm impressed. And I was using that battery powered shaver for a solid hour before it eventually got weak and started to slow down.

This is the shaver I used: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJ6YJXG2

I''ve seen people with worse haircuts.

Oh man, I read that too quickly. I thought the cat died, and you were trying to figure out how to shave a dead cat!

 

[Hedges]

Needed to remove the toilet bowl so I could paint behind the needed receptacle. Nothing says "fun" like manhandling a hack saw blade because the sawsall cannot fit into the space to cut corroded bolts.

I did that with a Milwaukee grinder, plugged into GFIC outlet.
Maybe drill would have worked, but need to secure against spinning.



All the toilet tank bolts at Home Depot were carbon steel, with brass plating.
I want brass, stainless, or plastic.
Finally found (new) brass ones at ReStore.

 

[fatjay]

I'd buy a new toilet before I used a hacksaw.

 

[fatjay]

Shit.

 

[fatjay]

Thar she goes! Not started in 9 years, once the 1951 ferguson to30 was running she couldn't be stopped. Even with 2 flat tires.

https://imgur.com/cMWsGuL

 

[Kenny_]

Pulled out my Canon 1Ds camera to take pics of my current art work and found the battery and backup battery dead dead dead... thought maybe I could repair it so opened on up and found a bad cell 18650 and tried to replace it unsuccessfully with a flashlight battery but the top nub was too long so didn't work... three cells cost about $25 but Ordered a third party replacement battery for $21 and it works. but still the challenge... took the backup battery apart (more carefully ) and was able to replace a defective cell with one form the original bad battery pack so ... and it works! Woo-Hoo. All this to take pics of my Graphite Artwork in Progress:

View attachment 205174


The Aviator - WIP
Kenny A. Chaffin
9 x 11 inches
Graphite on Conqueror paper
Drawn from a photo reference
about 22.5 hours at this point

Here's the final version of this drawing:

 

[tpenfield]

Nice idea to share non-electrical DIY projects . . .

I do a whole bunch of stuff DIY ranging from home remodeling to boat work, auto's, etc.

Here are some of my finer projects . . .

Custom extended swim platform for my previous boat (all made from scratch . . . well fiberglass & foam actually )
.

.

.
Looks totally factory.

On my previous and now current boats, I re-upholstered the cockpit seating (all by myself).

Previous boat . . .
.

.
Current boat re-upholstery job (below). . . (this is the one I just did an off-grid electrical system w/ LiFePO4 batteries)
.
.

.
I do boat upholstery as a part-time gig in retirement.

 

[fatjay]

Finished clearing the area. Got my tiller ready last month and broke it out. Started right up, and hit that red clay hard. I'm going to need some fertilizer. Maybe something nitrogen based.

 

[SoggyShoes]

Nice idea to share non-electrical DIY projects . . .

I do a whole bunch of stuff DIY ranging from home remodeling to boat work, auto's, etc.

Here are some of my finer projects . . .

Custom extended swim platform for my previous boat (all made from scratch . . . well fiberglass & foam actually )
.
View attachment 209109
.
View attachment 209265
.
Looks totally factory.

On my previous and now current boats, I re-upholstered the cockpit seating (all by myself).

Previous boat . . .
.
View attachment 209108
.
Current boat re-upholstery job (below). . . (this is the one I just did an off-grid electrical system w/ LiFePO4 batteries)
.View attachment 209107
.
View attachment 209106
.
I do boat upholstery as a part-time gig in retirement.

@tpenfield that looks really Nice!

 

[42OhmsPA]

Well it was going to be putting new fence around the garden but FedEx put a few kinks in those plans.... Was supposed to deliver last Thursday.
Really made my day after a Monday at work...



12.5 gauge wire my ass. HD is getting to be as bad as scamazon.

Don't mind the weeds, they'll be brown soon enough and I'll pull the ones around the strawberry's.
Started putting fabric down then the wind picked up...
Happy Monday!

 

[400bird]

I picked up a CNC knee mill that needs new motors and controls. The ways, ball screws, and bed look nearly untouched. The variable speed head is in the floor just out of shot. The thing was filthy and needed to be torn down to fit out of the building.