Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Neomys Sapiens]

ohh OMG.

@work boss told me there is a concrete opportunity for me in the USA. Maybe I move there first quartal next year.
THIS CHANGE A LOT OF THINGS.

PS: mnem how to change home in a painless way?

I would suggest that you make sure that you use both current and locality-specific data when you do your calculations on whether this will be a net gain to you. Figures can be deceiving.
What I was offered once was fine only at the surface - it would definitely not pay for the same style and quality of life.

[tautech]

Maybe not google this one 

Ah yes the refurbed yellow Bedford school bus. 
Good mate of my eldest son did all the work on that for his weekend driver hobby......stripper pole in the aisle and all. 

Came here for the son's 21st and stayed overnight in the paddock. Never did see how many souls emerged from it the next morning. 

[25 CPS]

The case of the Mustang might not be about an overhanging load, but if the load was adequately secured; there is a law for that as well with higher penalties.

Oh, I hate the 407 and avoid it.  That concrete surface generates weird harmonics in the truck tires and I went bonkers within 3 minutes of getting on that highway.  That was during the free introduction; never again even when it was free.  The A20 on the east side of Montreal also uses photo invoicing; $8 ($2 I think if you buy a transponder) to save 1.5 hours on pristine highway is absolutely worth it.  The A30 on the south shore of Montreal is $2+change, but uses toll booths where you have to stop, and again the highway is pristine and can save an hour to go around the city.

I think it had something to do with the load being adequately secured from what I remember hearing after this took place.  My friend was griping about how all the lumber was firmly wedged into the car and would have to get loose and then go UP then OUT to get free vs. if he rented a white van and had everything laying flat on the floor with the back door open where it could just slide out relatively easily compared to how it was stuffed into the car.  The next time we talk I'll have to ask about this because I'm curious how it went down.  He's also a paralegal so he's well prepared to take it to court and argue it strongly so I'll definitely have to ask what eventually happened with this one.

The tolls around Montreal are downright reasonable compared to the 407 gougery we get here.  I've never driven it myself and the one time my plates got photographed going on and off the road was several years ago when my car was stolen and the thieves took it for a short trip on the 407 as part of whatever they did with it that night before dumping it still running outside someone's house and locking the doors so nobody could get in and shut it off.

@25 CPS, Oh no!  That is dangerous when they name a neighbourhood; that is always the beginning of the end.  I saw it happen at Young & Eligible (Yonge Street & Eglinton Avenue).  I too still have connections in the GTA, but those have somewhat spread out.  It depends on how close you need to keep those connections.  Greater Ottawa Area to Toronto is about 4 hours by train, 5 by car or 0.5 by plane if urgent; that works for me.

The beginning of the end or a sure sign the end's already underway.  You mentioned Yonge & Eglinton.  My family used to live not far from there when I was a kid.  North Toronto hadn't been named Midtown yet.  I dig my heels in at that one and remind people that the high school's named North Toronto Collegiate Institute, not Midtown.

I mentioned not knowing how long old style businesses like Electronic Surplus Industries hanging on with gentrification going crazy after seeing places like Active Surplus and Supremetronic and others either fold outright or move but then find out they couldn't make it in their new location.  Active Surplus moved twice that I know of, from the original store to the one upstairs on Queen St. and then up to Steeles West, and then shut down completely not long after from what I remember.  If you need electronics parts immediately and need to go to a brick and mortar store to get them and you live in Toronto, you're looking at a trip into the 905 area code to get them except or maybe Creatron or the Sayal on Victoria Park in the northeast corner of the city.

[Specmaster]

By the way, is all the bruising gone on your toe?  If the bone has set, the bruising should be all gone by now and you should be walking, albeit with a slight bit of pain.  If it is still bruised, get yourself to a doctor to get the bone properly set.  How do I know?  I did battle with the sheet metal side of my new used above ground pool in a wind storm about a month ago; the wind won and my toe lost.

It is a bit uncanny how we find ourselves in similar situations.

Well Mnem's got an excuse, he was walking downstairs indoors. You haven't. Please folks, wear safety boots/shoes/trainers if you're working with things heavy enough to break toes - they're so cheap there's no excuse not to own a pair and use them.

In size 14, extra wide?

Well obviously this is advice for humans, not proto-simian throwbacks or clowns. If you do have size 14 feet (Or is that flippers, you're not originally from Norfolk or the fens are you?) it would seem that safety boots are even more important - bigger target.

Precisely my point, apart from it seems that such things are not available, my feet are suffering from having to be crammed into size 12 normal width work boots, ouch.

[BU508A]

By the way, is all the bruising gone on your toe?  If the bone has set, the bruising should be all gone by now and you should be walking, albeit with a slight bit of pain.  If it is still bruised, get yourself to a doctor to get the bone properly set.  How do I know?  I did battle with the sheet metal side of my new used above ground pool in a wind storm about a month ago; the wind won and my toe lost.

It is a bit uncanny how we find ourselves in similar situations.

Well Mnem's got an excuse, he was walking downstairs indoors. You haven't. Please folks, wear safety boots/shoes/trainers if you're working with things heavy enough to break toes - they're so cheap there's no excuse not to own a pair and use them.

In size 14, extra wide?

Well obviously this is advice for humans, not proto-simian throwbacks or clowns. If you do have size 14 feet (Or is that flippers, you're not originally from Norfolk or the fens are you?) it would seem that safety boots are even more important - bigger target.

Precisely my point, apart from it seems that such things are not available, my feet are suffering from having to be crammed into size 12 normal width work boots, ouch.

I can recommend the shoes from Haix. (Link to the UK store)
For example this one, available up to UK size 15 (sorry, but I wasn't able to get the product details of this shoe from the UK site because of my crappy old PC (12 years, need a new one ...))

[mansaxel]

Precisely my point, apart from it seems that such things are not available, my feet are suffering from having to be crammed into size 12 normal width work boots, ouch.

First Google hit. UK and all.

I did some research on my favourite brand, Arbesko, but they don't go above Euro size 48, which is less than UK 14. More like 12.5 or so. Which is enough; I draw Euro 46. Need to get me a new pair. The old ones have had their soles worn out and the upper has split from the sole on one of them, because duck feet... 

[mnementh]

ohh OMG.

@work boss told me there is a concrete opportunity for me in the USA. Maybe I move there first quartal next year.
THIS CHANGE A LOT OF THINGS.

PS: mnem how to change home in a painless way?

I would suggest that you make sure that you use both current and locality-specific data when you do your calculations on whether this will be a net gain to you. Figures can be deceiving.
What I was offered once was fine only at the surface - it would definitely not pay for the same style and quality of life.

For starters... figure another US$800-1800 for health insurance that isn't total shite, depending on your age and pre-existing conditions. Per month. Saskia, add another 6-8k to that figure for you and hubby. If you're lucky.

Add another US$800-4k per year for extended warranty on your common household purchases. What most of the rest of the civilized world considers to be basic "fit for purpose" warranty, over in the US is considered "Concierge Coverage". 

Can't say on transportation... your costs in the US will probably be lower; cars and trucks are a fucking free-for-all regulation-wise. A car has to have hundreds of fatalities due to a confirmed design flaw before they even consider engineering it out in the next model year; recalls are a horror show.

That's all I can think of right now... time to go fill up the Weedeater and see how my work turned out.

mnem
 

[mnementh]

By the way, is all the bruising gone on your toe?  If the bone has set, the bruising should be all gone by now and you should be walking, albeit with a slight bit of pain.  If it is still bruised, get yourself to a doctor to get the bone properly set.  How do I know?  I did battle with the sheet metal side of my new used above ground pool in a wind storm about a month ago; the wind won and my toe lost.

It is a bit uncanny how we find ourselves in similar situations.

Well Mnem's got an excuse, he was walking downstairs indoors. You haven't. Please folks, wear safety boots/shoes/trainers if you're working with things heavy enough to break toes - they're so cheap there's no excuse not to own a pair and use them.

In size 14, extra wide?

Well obviously this is advice for humans, not proto-simian throwbacks or clowns. If you do have size 14 feet (Or is that flippers, you're not originally from Norfolk or the fens are you?) it would seem that safety boots are even more important - bigger target.

mnem
 

[Saskia]

By the way, is all the bruising gone on your toe?  If the bone has set, the bruising should be all gone by now and you should be walking, albeit with a slight bit of pain.  If it is still bruised, get yourself to a doctor to get the bone properly set.  How do I know?  I did battle with the sheet metal side of my new used above ground pool in a wind storm about a month ago; the wind won and my toe lost.

It is a bit uncanny how we find ourselves in similar situations.

Well Mnem's got an excuse, he was walking downstairs indoors. You haven't. Please folks, wear safety boots/shoes/trainers if you're working with things heavy enough to break toes - they're so cheap there's no excuse not to own a pair and use them.

In size 14, extra wide?

Well obviously this is advice for humans, not proto-simian throwbacks or clowns. If you do have size 14 feet (Or is that flippers, you're not originally from Norfolk or the fens are you?) it would seem that safety boots are even more important - bigger target.

Precisely my point, apart from it seems that such things are not available, my feet are suffering from having to be crammed into size 12 normal width work boots, ouch.

I can recommend the shoes from Haix. (Link to the UK store)
For example this one, available up to UK size 15 (sorry, but I wasn't able to get the product details of this shoe from the UK site because of my crappy old PC (12 years, need a new one ...))

Oysters, fresh Oysters, PCs, Monitors ....
Oysters, fresh Oysters, PCs, Monitors ...

[Saskia]

ohh OMG.

@work boss told me there is a concrete opportunity for me in the USA. Maybe I move there first quartal next year.
THIS CHANGE A LOT OF THINGS.

PS: mnem how to change home in a painless way?

I would suggest that you make sure that you use both current and locality-specific data when you do your calculations on whether this will be a net gain to you. Figures can be deceiving.
What I was offered once was fine only at the surface - it would definitely not pay for the same style and quality of life.

For starters... figure another US$800-1800 for health insurance that isn't total shite, depending on your age and pre-existing conditions. Per month. Saskia, add another 6-8k to that figure for you and hubby. If you're lucky.

Add another US$800-4k per year for extended warranty on your common household purchases. What most of the rest of the civilized world considers to be basic "fit for purpose" warranty, over in the US is considered "Concierge Coverage". 

Can't say on transportation... your costs in the US will probably be lower; cars and trucks are a fucking free-for-all regulation-wise. A car has to have hundreds of fatalities due to a confirmed design flaw before they even consider engineering it out in the next model year; recalls are a horror show.

That's all I can think of right now... time to go fill up the Weedeater and see how my work turned out.

mnem
 

Plus depending on where they want to send you, housing. It's a huge pain in the SFO or NYC area. Trust me, been there, done that.

[bd139]

Well my tinySA didn’t land today as expected. I get the feeling this drop shipper is a shit one 

[BU508A]

By the way, is all the bruising gone on your toe?  If the bone has set, the bruising should be all gone by now and you should be walking, albeit with a slight bit of pain.  If it is still bruised, get yourself to a doctor to get the bone properly set.  How do I know?  I did battle with the sheet metal side of my new used above ground pool in a wind storm about a month ago; the wind won and my toe lost.

It is a bit uncanny how we find ourselves in similar situations.

Well Mnem's got an excuse, he was walking downstairs indoors. You haven't. Please folks, wear safety boots/shoes/trainers if you're working with things heavy enough to break toes - they're so cheap there's no excuse not to own a pair and use them.

In size 14, extra wide?

Well obviously this is advice for humans, not proto-simian throwbacks or clowns. If you do have size 14 feet (Or is that flippers, you're not originally from Norfolk or the fens are you?) it would seem that safety boots are even more important - bigger target.

Precisely my point, apart from it seems that such things are not available, my feet are suffering from having to be crammed into size 12 normal width work boots, ouch.

I can recommend the shoes from Haix. (Link to the UK store)
For example this one, available up to UK size 15 (sorry, but I wasn't able to get the product details of this shoe from the UK site because of my crappy old PC (12 years, need a new one ...))

Oysters, fresh Oysters, PCs, Monitors ....
Oysters, fresh Oysters, PCs, Monitors ...

* BU508A is waggling with all holy symbols he can grab at one time.... 

No, seriously, I'm thinking about something like this: a Lenovo P300 SFF workstation (used)

If you like, we can discuss this on discord 

My current config:

[mnementh]

Gee, I wonder why it didn't want to run with all these flakes of rotten fuel line in the filter screen... New fuel lines, primer bulb and fuel filter, a little cleaning of the carb with my trusty spray bottle of alcohol and we are go; started and ran on 3rd pull. Now it starts with just a pull at idle.  I WAS tempted to try running it after just replacing the fuel lines & filter... glad I told bd139 Luci whispering in my ear to piss off. Was much less of a PITA to work with NOT full of gasoline.



Only thing left is to find a exploded view and see if this model has a clutch or not, as it acts like direct-drive.

Then next victim!

mnem
*tinker-tinker... putter-putter...*

[shakalnokturn]

https://www.youtube.com/embed/l8q2ejKAsHg

[Saskia]

Oysters, fresh Oysters, PCs, Monitors ....
Oysters, fresh Oysters, PCs, Monitors ...

* BU508A is waggling with all holy symbols he can grab at one time.... 

No, seriously, I'm thinking about something like this: a Lenovo P300 SFF workstation (used)

If you like, we can discuss this on discord 

My current config:

yarp, let's do that. I have several really useful spare computers that I'll gladly part with, up to Ryzen 3700x, at reasonable prices.

[Neomys Sapiens]

Say, are we done with the agricultural implements now?

[tautech]

Only thing left is to find a exploded view and see if this model has a clutch or not, as it acts like direct-drive.
mnem
*tinker-tinker... putter-putter...*

Most likely a busted clutch spring.
Sometimes at idle you can jam the head into the dirt and stop it which proves either the idle is a touch high or clutch spring broke.

[mnementh]

Nope, direct-drive; no clutch anywhere in the exploded view.

Say, are we done with the agricultural implements now?

Still have a leaf blower in the repair queue. Pretty much deja vu'; a 200MPH 2-stroke BlowJob.

mnem
Yes, you may touch it.

[tautech]

Say, are we done with the agricultural implements now?

Ain't even started on real ag stuff only mnem's latest toy acquisitions.

Just done an hr on the tractor as the boi is away and someone needs feed his livestock.

[Brumby]

Hey Hoser....this will work. 

WTF is that?  Seems nice to scratch your back but still... What is it? 

It's a hand weed wacker.

I worked that out from the context of the discussion and it seemed like a good thing for practicing your golf swing - but my mind went to the original (well, one of the variations thereof):


On second thoughts - maybe not a good idea with the stories here about toe abuse.........

[mnementh]

Wore a couple o' them out too. 

mnem
 

[mnementh]

Say, are we done with the agricultural implements now?

Ain't even started on real ag stuff only mnem's latest toy acquisitions. Just done an hr on the tractor as the boi is away and someone needs feed his livestock.

Oh, donchoo get me started on diesel tractors... ya hain't live't untills ya re-time the injection on a Allis-Chalmers... 

mnem
Oh, Miss Allis... it's allright; I'll be gentle. Just need to to touch you here... and here... and heeeeeere... *siiiigh*

[vk6zgo]

(sore after a 7m long tumble off my mountain bike down a 30degree slope and 5 sutures to my lower lip - where the f****g bike hit me)

I hope the injuries were minor and that you bounce back quickly.  Get back on the bike as soon as you can!!!
(I did a similar thing once; the handlebar snapped due to metal fatigue on a steep descent)

That sounds like a cartoon plot! But not funny if you are the one sitting on the bike seat!
I am back riding again - I think it actually helps some of the milder bruises. Stitches out - he did a good job 👍
I had a friend whose ex bike mechanic forgot to tighten the stem attachment to the front forks, during a descent the handlebars lifted off in his hands, fortunately the brake cables were not effected, and he was able to lean-steer until he could stop.

I know a guy whose ex-mechanic forgot to tighten the bolts in his car's front suspension!  -  he discovered it when the car changed lanes by itself at 70mph on the motorway...   

(sore after a 7m long tumble off my mountain bike down a 30degree slope and 5 sutures to my lower lip - where the f****g bike hit me)

I hope the injuries were minor and that you bounce back quickly.  Get back on the bike as soon as you can!!!
(I did a similar thing once; the handlebar snapped due to metal fatigue on a steep descent)

That sounds like a cartoon plot! But not funny if you are the one sitting on the bike seat!
I am back riding again - I think it actually helps some of the milder bruises. Stitches out - he did a good job 👍
I had a friend whose ex bike mechanic forgot to tighten the stem attachment to the front forks, during a descent the handlebars lifted off in his hands, fortunately the brake cables were not effected, and he was able to lean-steer until he could stop.

I know a guy whose ex-mechanic forgot to tighten the bolts in his car's front suspension!  -  he discovered it when the car changed lanes by itself at 70mph on the motorway...   

Not quite as horrendous, but I had the front balljoints replaced in my car years ago.
As luck would have it, I was feeling "sick as a dog" at the time, & drove from the car repair place to the Doctor  after picking it up.
After a short distance, I noticed the steering was becoming stiffer & stiffer, but I perservered to the Doc's place.
After picking up my medicine at the chemist, I fought the bloody thing all the way home, got down on the
driveway, coughing &  snotting all the while, unscrewed the grease nipples on the joints, & poked a blade of grease up the holes.
Out came the grass, without a skerrick of grease!

It turned out there were two types of balljoints, one type was pre-lubricated & sealed, the other had grease nipples which needed to be greased after fitting.
The "mechanic" doing the job forgot which one he had fitted!

[cyclin_al]

Say, are we done with the agricultural implements now?

Ain't even started on real ag stuff only mnem's latest toy acquisitions. Just done an hr on the tractor as the boi is away and someone needs feed his livestock.

Oh, donchoo get me started on diesel tractors... ya hain't live't untills ya re-time the injection on a Allis-Chalmers... 

mnem
Oh, Miss Allis... it's allright; I'll be gentle. Just need to to touch you here... and here... and heeeeeere... *siiiigh*

That reminds me, I have ag equipment to sell or trade for TE. 
The diesel New Holland TN75D is gone, so I really should sell off the forklift.  The quick connect is sized for a Quicke 710 loader.

In other ag news  , my 7 year old is now tall enough to reach the pedals on the John Deere D160, which means he is capable of starting and driving it.  Still too young though, but he is taller than some kids twice his age.

 

[cyclin_al]

The beginning of the end or a sure sign the end's already underway.  You mentioned Yonge & Eglinton.  My family used to live not far from there when I was a kid.  North Toronto hadn't been named Midtown yet.  I dig my heels in at that one and remind people that the high school's named North Toronto Collegiate Institute, not Midtown.

I mentioned not knowing how long old style businesses like Electronic Surplus Industries hanging on with gentrification going crazy after seeing places like Active Surplus and Supremetronic and others either fold outright or move but then find out they couldn't make it in their new location.  Active Surplus moved twice that I know of, from the original store to the one upstairs on Queen St. and then up to Steeles West, and then shut down completely not long after from what I remember.  If you need electronics parts immediately and need to go to a brick and mortar store to get them and you live in Toronto, you're looking at a trip into the 905 area code to get them except or maybe Creatron or the Sayal on Victoria Park in the northeast corner of the city.

I never knew that area as Midtown.  My buddy grew up around there, and is still not far from there.  I actually grew up further north, well up Hwy 11 (aka Yonge Street, but not called that).  Far enough that as a kid I would visit my grandmother on Eglinton near the Credit River 4 or 5 times a year.  It turns out I lived across the street from where her house had stood for a couple of years in the 90s.  I never recognized it for the gentrification, and the house was gone by then.   I remember stories of people jumping off the Eglinton bridge into the Credit River to go swimming; I did see the bridge with my own eyes as a kid and the drop to the water was about 3 metres.  Oh, as a very young child, Eglinton was a gravel road!  The current bridge is now a 6-lane road traversing the whole valley; the drop to the water is more like 33 metres.

Edit: forgot to finish.  I am surprised that Active Surplus is gone.  I remember them being on Queen St.  When they were first there, didn't they occupy both the ground and second floors?  The Ottawa location is still going; it was associated but had different ownership.  Likewise, they have moved a few times over the years, but not far.  Nowadays, they cater more to the Maker and 3DP crowd and no longer carry any surplus type items.  They are still a good place to pick up chemicals and the like, that other companies refuse to ship by mail or courier.