Month: February 2020

February 13, 2020 – ‘Tacticool’ Thursday

February 13, 2020 /

I feel really lucky that I have a shooting range membership. It could be considered a little pricey at $150/year but it makes me want to get out there and get my money’s worth. Before I got the membership as a gift, it was pretty hit and miss getting any sort of trigger time – in some cases years in between time.

As a natural planner one thing I like to do is set some annual goals. One of those came from an idea that I first heard of from Bob Mayne https://www.handgunworld.com/about/ called the ‘1,000 round trigger job’. The idea is that you need to spend some quality time with your firearm to get familiar with its intricacies.

This trigger has gotten the test

So what does that really mean? In my interpretation it means testing the durability of your firearm, how it functions with many brands and types of ammunition, what is best for accuracy, how your clothing and the season hinder motion and felt recoil, practice reloading and off hand use and so on.

My tastes can be eclectic and it can be expensive to perform the ‘1000 round trigger job’ so for that reason, it usually plan to shoot 100 rounds per range visit per firearm. I also try to get to the range once a month. So, it can take nearly a year to to do accomplish this if you do it with intention on a new firearm. If it was a used firearm, I would tend to treat the round counter as zero because I haven’t learned the intricacies of the particular weapon yet. Yes, I do keep track (roughly) of the total round count for each firearm.

One side benefiit is that I reload, so saving all of my brass gets me a great stockpile of material to reload and cuts down on future costs. What I have learned over the years is that 1) it is fun 2) it motivates me to keep my shooting skills fresh 3) I am not a great handgun shot 4) devising tests is part of the fun. If you like to shoot, try the ‘1000 round trigger job’.

February 12, 2020 – It is almost Valentines, it’s time to talk about six inches of wood

February 12, 2020 /

I thought that I would make a video how to make lumber from a rough sawn board. I did some experimentation this time by merging two video streams: one from the phone and one from a Go-Pro. I can say that I probably need a little more work on the Go-Pro side of things because it is hard to see what you are actually filming and the lens has quite a bit of curvature too.

The process of making boards

As you can see from the volume of my posts, I am enjoying this project and this process. Hopefully tomorrow I will be installing the bandsaw blade guide upgrades and I will be in the business of wrapping this project up. Probably two weeks more of solid work.

February 11, 2020 – The case for changing your own oil

February 11, 2020 /

The warning light had been illuminated for over a week now. Then, last Saturday, my son ran into the house yelling ‘the car is on fire!’ I immediately dropped everything and went outside to look at it, maybe use the fire extinguisher. Fortunately, it was a coolant hose that was dripping onto the hot engine causing steam and stink. I said ‘shut it down, this car is going nowhere’. We all had to pile into the old pickup to get to our scheduled family function.

I keep supplies on hand for doing maintenence

Today I spent a some time doing maintenance including replacing the heater inlet hose. The following is a time line for the oil change.

  • 3:05pm – Pull into the garage
  • 3:10pm – Remove the oil plug
  • 3:20pm – Replace the oil plug and remove the old oil filter
  • 3:30pm – Replace the oil filter and start filling oil
  • 3:40pm – Complete

Now, I normally do not spend thirty five straight minutes changing the oil. It usually takes me much longer because instead of pushing through all of the steps, I drain the oil and go do something else. So, I really don’t calculate the time it takes at all. The only real impact is that you must be around and that particular vehicle is not moving during the process.

In between the steps that I listed, I refilled the washer fluid eliminating that warning. I topped up the coolant that was lost during the hose change and I did a quick visual inspection of the other systems and fluid. I hardly know anyone that changes their own oil and I think that is a shame. Below are some reasons why I think changing your own oil is a good thing.

  • Time – Unless you have an appointment somewhere, you aren’t going to get a much faster oil change (consider the drive). I run my supplies like a pantry and pick them up when they are low, eliminating that emergency or specific shopping trip.
  • Peace of Mind – looking under the hood gives you a view of how your car is doing. You can see wear, leaks, battery health and other observations that indicate your car’s condition.
  • Tools and Skills – I mentioned this on a previous entry but tackling some of the easier jobs gives you the confidence and the ability to take on more complicated tasks. I was able to identify the hose leak, order the part, and replace it in about an hours worth of time. I don’t even want to consider what a hassle it would have been to get it to a mechanic, let alone cost.
  • Cost – Filter $4, 6qts Motorcraft 5/20 synthetic blend $24 for a total cost of $28 (minus labor). That is an OEM oil change, see what Ford charges.
  • Better Service – Almost every used car that I have purchased has a stripped or dripping plug because oil change businesses don’t care. They don’t use premium products and they don’t treat the vehicle as their own. I also don’t try to up-sell myself on BS services or scare tactics like ‘air’ in my differential fluid.

I suppose the counter arguments are 1) there is no place to do an oil change like an apartment 2) the car is a lease and you don’t care about longevity 3) you are physically unable to do the work. Those are the only real objections that I can think of. Don’t be one of those people that cant be bothered, buy some tools, read a manual or watch YouTube, get to it and good luck.

February 10, 2020 – First Change Order

February 10, 2020 /

I got the base cabinets in place last week. My first motivator was to get them out of my way, but I wanted to see how they fit.

Base cabinets put into place

The first thing my ‘customer’ said was that she wanted the cabinets white (along with asking some questions about some minor flaws). Now, I have spent quite a bit of time on the finish already and I was trying to match the other cabinets in the house at least in look. But, after some sharp disagreement from me… I will be painting them white tomorrow.

I don’t know if you can see the first major design mistake I made, but I am not going to disclose it now. I will talk about it when I get done, I think that I have figured out a solution.

I have almost all of the lumber milled up for the upper cabinets, but I ran into a serious snag today. The thrust bearing on the upper guide is seized up. So, to replace it, I ordered a Carter guide bearing setup. I am hoping for a significant improvement in performance. That will probably get a review this week after I get it installed.

Finally, I have some auto maintenance to do this week, which I will also talk about later this week.

February 7, 2020 – Cook like a Caveman

February 7, 2020 /

We received a nice gift the other day. It was a whole salmon, filleted. It had just arrived from Alaska frozen, so both halves needed to be defrosted at the same time. This was a treat that needed a special preparation.

I looked for inspiration from Raichlen and though about cooking it on a shovel, but then I thought of Mallmann and the ‘Seven Fires’. I thought perfect, I have a lot of wood piling up from my cabinet project. The weather was dry, and nobody was home.

Christmas salmon on the fire

The preparation actually came out of a book “Plank Cooking: The Essence of Natural Wood” by Scott and Tiffany Haugen and the recipe was called ‘Christmas Salmon’. One fillet was a traditional green pesto and the other was a sun dried tomato pesto.

Finished Christmas Salmon

The combination of Salmon and pesto is a winner, not one I have tried before. The one thing I would have done differently would be to cook longer with a fire that wasn’t so hot. It came out a little dry. I am sure it was me and not the technique since I was in and out of the kitchen and trying to get the other aspects of dinner done.

There will be other entries cooking over fire since I have multiple cookbooks oriented toward that idea. Have fun experimenting and good luck with yours.

February 6, 2020 – ‘Tacticool’ Thursday

February 6, 2020 /

Maybe I am obsessive/compulsive but some things I just cant let go. I like to think that there is a good reason for it, but maybe I am just trying to justify my behavior.

I am talking about cleaning firearms after each use. I just cant put them away dirty. My reasons are

  • My storage environment is less than ideal. So getting the crud off and getting a layer of protective oil on helps prevent corrosion.
  • A clean firearm is likely a better running firearm as long as you are not gumming it up with excessive solvents or oils.
  • Cleaning each time eliminates the heavy duty cleaning sessions that are sometimes required.
  • It builds familiarity with your firearms, how to take them apart and keeps an eye on wear items.
  • I like to do it.
Have a dedicated cleaning space

I have heard the various points to justify less cleaning. These include causing excessive wear on your barrel or cleaning can change a bullets point of impact. But, I have been a victim of dirty firearm function and corrosion in the past so I don’t buy into those arguments.

In this article, I am not going to tell you how to do this or what products to use. The reason is I just don’t know. I have been using one solvent for my whole life, and I don’t think it works that well. I have tried other products and sort of feel the same way. Internet warriors will swear by one company or another and I guess that I am just skeptical based on my own experiences.

Here are some things that work for me

  • I have three rods so that I don’t have to switch tips for the various parts of the process
  • I have a dedicated space and tools that allow me to take my time, not run around and find supplies and spread out.
  • I have an inventory of cleaning supplies so that I don’t feel like I don’t have what I need to do the job when I want to do it.
  • The more I age, the more I value adequate lighting. I have a shoplight over my bench, a bore light for inspection and flashlight for small things that may get dropped.
  • Do you have old cotton around? I makes the best rags for cleaning and wipe down. I hate to throw away old towels, t-shirts when they can have one more life as a rag (as long as it is 100% cotton).

There are lots of YouTube videos out there on how to do this if you need an idea. Most of the ones I have seen I would categorize as OK and the information is reasonably accurate. Some firearms are easier to take apart than others, so refer to your manual or a video. Be careful with springs and small parts, especially if it is your first time. Most of all, be safe. Triple check chambers and magazines and keep your ammunition away from your firearms while handling.

February 5, 2020 – Book Report: Amacord

February 5, 2020 /

A few days ago, I finished reading “Amacord: Marcella Remembers” by Marcella Hazan. This book was selected by the Left Coast Culinary Club to read for January 2020.

I have to admit that I had never heard of Marcella Hazan, probably because of my age. She was a contemporary to James Beard, Julia Child and Robert Mondavi (think 1960s through the 90s). This is a biography about her life and an ode to Italian cooking, culture and living through food.

Preparing Masala Carrots

It is interesting to read a biography when you have no context or even a particular interest in the author or subject. It is probably a ‘You had to be there’ moment because we live in an era where not many things are exotic or unavailable. At the very least items or spices can be ordered on Amazon and the instruction is on Youtube. But during Marcella’s heyday, Italian cuisine and techniques were foreign to most Americans and northern Europeans.

The book jumps around a bit when it comes to a strict timeline, but it is organized in a way that the chapters are broken into phases in life and career which are presented mutually exclusive to the overlap in years. Even though I have been to Italy, I suspect that Italian cooking is much deeper and richer than pasta. Since this is not a cookbook, she alludes to that varied cuisine, but never really gets into recipes.

The chapter that I found most interesting was titled “How to Not get Rich: 1972-1993”. This talks about her various attempts to build branding outside of her cookbooks and teaching, think food products or manufacturing. I will summarize the outcome as she was unwilling to compromise on overall quality to meet the price thresholds to bring products to market. But, I got the feel from reading the book that her life was extremely fulfilling in living in the United States and Italy, pursuing her passion of teaching an building deep friendships with like minded people.

What I would say to that is that we are all in our journey of validation and fulfillment. From where I sit, that sounds pretty rich to me. When I get to my twillight, I think that I would rather be in Marcella’s seat than wealthy.

If you like culinary history or Italian food, you will probably like this book. I enjoyed the peak at a different era and I definitely like to read about success stories. It has inspired me to look a little deeper into Italian food in the future.

February 4, 2020 – Three down, two to go (plus a lot of work)

February 4, 2020 /

I finished the third cabinet on Monday. So the whole set of bottom cabinets are complete.

The biggest cabinet, with an adjustable shelf

Today, I ripped out the old pantry. With it, there was some hole patching and it got a paint job. Part of my motivation to do this at this time is I am starting to run out of room for the new cabinets and working at the same time. I am also anxious to check my measurements before I start building the uppers.

Ready for paint
Watching paint dry

I didn’t know that there was an outlet hidden behind the exiting cabinetry. I am going to test rearranging the bottom cabinets to see if I can take advantage of the outlet placement for the refrigerator. That will only work if the rifrigerator door will open properly in that position.

I also noticed that tile was placed over the existing floor so there will have to be a small amount of chiseling to do to remove some grout that is in the way for final cabinet placement.

Aside from building the final two cabinets and shelves, I need to build a counter top, a face frame for all of the cabinets to lock them together and a toe kick. So, while I am making good progress overall there is still a lot of work to do.