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September 7, 2022 – Removing a Pre-Hung Door Properly

September 7, 2022 /

My wife has been hounding me to get new doors for years. I like the look of the front door, but it has never operated the way it should. I have messed around with the lock sets and the screws holding the door in place but it is no use. It is imperative that doors are installed plumb and level for them to operate to expectations. I finally gave in and when I take a level to the exiting door, it is way out of whack. Now it the time to finally get a door that works properly.

Generally speaking, a pre-hung door is simpler to handle than just a door blank. It should be cutting the entire unit out and replacing the entire unit. Getting the entire unit plumb and level should be easier as well because the door should operate within the frame correctly.

Of course, you can always get a door out by destroying the frame. And if your door works properly, you could just replace the door and not the opening. In this case, I am going to put the front door in the back because my wife want’s a little more privacy than the current back door offers. And since it is easier to install as a unit, I am going to talk about the way to get the door out without destroying everything.

Step 1, Cut all caulk and paint lines around the trim, inside and outside the door using a utility knife. Note: in a pre-hung door, the exterior trim is typically part of the unit. Make sure it is all the way free before prying on anything.

Step 2, Carefully remove the interior trim so that it can be reinstalled.

Step 3, Locate the fastening mechanism of the door frame to the structure. Some use screws through the hinges while others are face nailed through the frame itself. If screwed, remove them. Also, consider not just the hinge side but also the strike side. Long screws are often used to secure deadbolts. If the frame is nailed, it is best to cut the nails with a reciprocating saw.

One other tip, if you can see shims in between the door frame and the structure (like the picture above, upper left corner) it is a good bet that there is a nail or screw in that spot. Shims are uses to get a solid backing to nail/screw through so that the frame stays square.

Step 4, If the frame is free on all four sides, then carefully rock the the entire assembly out of the rough opening. I find this easier to do when the door has been removed from the frame because it is a lot lighter

If all goes well, you should have a door and frame that you can use somewhere else or even donate. As an FYI, most contractors do not take a lot of respect or care for re-use. So, if you hire someone to do this job, don’t expect that you will get a re-useable result unless you specifically ask for it. Also, expect that it will cost more because being delicate takes time. I missed my chance at salvaging fence boards because they just cut the panels and threw them away before I could talk about it.

End Your Programming Routine: Sometimes things are easier said than done. For instance, it looks like there was caulk/adhesive added behind the door frame but it somehow missed the installation and therefore the door wasn’t stuck to the structure. What I would have done in that case is sacrifice the outside trim to try and keep the rest of the door frame together. Overall, this took me about two hours. I will talk about installation coming up in the future.

September 6, 2022 – The Modern Consumer

September 6, 2022 /

I hope that everyone had a great Labor Day. Unofficial Fall is here and my kids go to school tomorrow. I have tried a couple of newer mechanisms to get goods for my projects and my experience was less than stellar. Today’s podcast is all about my opinions on what the modern consumer can expect.

End Your Programming Routine: I am coming around to the realization of the statement ‘Ignorance is Bliss’. Before the internet existed, a person would go to a store and whatever they carried is what was possible. In today’s world, we have so many choices, but getting them when you want them makes it very difficult to end up being satisfied by your choice. I feel like this has to get better, but that will be a different podcast.

September 2, 2022 Atlas Shrugged 1:9

September 2, 2022 /

I don’t want to come off sexist, but I will say it anyway. There are some elements of this book that read like a romance novel. It could be that this becomes important later, but it does seem a little dramatic and over the top. This chapter gets into that aspect quite deeply. That is all I am going to say about that.

It is human nature to feel vindicated having success when there were so many doubters. Dabny and Henry are riding high and begin having an affair and end up going go on vacation to Wisconsin. Meanwhile, Jim is low and I don’t think that he really knows why. I think that it is because situations are not really going his way and he knows that he is wrong. These are not really what I want to go into this week.

The real money in this chapter is a conversation between Mr. Mowen on Amalgamated Switch and Signal Company and an unnamed worker. Mr Mowen observed Quinn Ball Bearing Co. moving to Colorado from his office. There is some discussion of the Equalization of Opportunity bill and how they don’t agree with it and then there is this quote.

“I don’t see it. It is a backward, primitive, unenlightened place. They don’t even have a modern government. It’s the worst government in any state. The laziest. It does nothing – except keeping law courts and a police department. It doesn’t do anything for the people. It doesn’t help anybody. I don’t see why all of the best companies want to run there.” – Unnamed worker.

And there is your economics lesson for all time. Money goes where it is treated well. And where the money goes, so do the jobs and consequently so does the wealth. Have you ever observed an un-incorporated area growing rapidly? Who moves there and why is this happening? It is the upwardly mobile moving to a lower cost area. Housing costs and taxes drive the migration.

By the same token, so does industry. I did a job in China back in 2009. This was making epoxy resins for carbon fiber layups (primarily building aerospace parts). The plant operators were Chemical Engineers with Master’s degrees and English almost as good as mine. The company was paying them about $20,000/year. Part of the reason this was being done in China is because the US equivalent would be paying operators $50,000/yr plus benefits, so say $75,000.

Of course not everything is perfect. For instance, a local pipe fitter was hired for the installation. When they finished, all of the piping sloped backward. This caused problems with the line contamination and dosing. So, the pipefitters had to redo the entire installation. That being said, it still cost less than doing it right in the first place.

Businesses are not stupid. If an advantage can be obtained by shifting operations for a better long term outlook then they will do so. It is the same reason the “Anti-Inflation Act of 2022” is going to fail. The government is pretending that putting price controls on pharmaceuticals is somehow going to reduce inflation. How will these companies respond? Move operations to a cheaper location i.e. China, distribute costs to non-listed products or cease production all together. I ask you, is this win-win or even lose-win?

In a free market, if consumers can’t afford an item, then it doesn’t get purchased. When something doesn’t get purchased, it eventually doesn’t get made. If I was pricing something, I would try to keep it at a razors edge of profit and market toleration of cost. Let us not fool ourselves, we do not have a free market. It is highly likely that the drug companies were in on the creation of the list of drugs where these price controls are instituted in the first place. For all I know, the maximum allowed price may be above the current cost and this could all be a sham.

End Your Programming Routine: The quote by the unknown worker resonates something that is so fundamentally wrong with today’s society. The greater society believes the government needs to do something about gun violence, climate change, social justice, inflation or Covid, None of these things drove the Pilgrims to come to America. None of those things are even thought of in the Constitution. My point being, we the people have absolved our self-responsibility and now believe it is the job of the government. Now, if we just elect the right people…

September 1, 2022, ‘Tacticool’ Thursday

September 1, 2022 /

So I found more stuff to test, what are you going to do about it? As I pull my son’s Crossman 760 off of the wall, I saw my Daisy 840 looking all lonely. This was my one and only air rifle until about five years ago.

This was the quintessential air rifle of a country boy. My brother and I had the same model. Many a time, a rope was tied across the barrel and the grip and then off on our bikes or trekking through the fields. Our favorite thing to do was take old catalogs and setup on the deck. We would shoot the catalog for half an hour and then leaf through to laugh at what we had hit on the inside pages. We shot things that we were not supposed to but I think that was a rite of passage and made me the rifle shooter I am today.

Time and kid’s ownership was not good to these things. My brother’s broke where the grip was attached to the action turning it into a stockless rifle. Mine, the spot welds broke on the rear sight leaving it more of a guess than an actual rifle. I was able to super glue it for a couple years but that has long since fallen apart and now lost forever. The forearm is also split where the two plastic halves are joined together. So far, it is still usable.

I first realized that it was time for an upgrade when I had a family of racoons living under our kitchen about five years ago. We were eating dinner on our deck and it was in the tree right next to us. I shot it to try and chase it away. When the BB hit it in the chest, the animal brushed the spot where it was hit and slowly climbed out of the tree and sauntered away. I realized that this was not going to work in a pest elimination capacity. That is when I bought the Crossman Legacy 1000.

The Daisy 840 was a single pump BB/pellet rifle. I did some research on this rifle to see if I could learn anything about it. Apparently, it was made between 1978-1986. It advertised 300 fps. My brother’s came with a scope which was broken within a six months, mine did not. I tested it to see how it was going to compare the the 760 and at first, I was only going to use BBs since the magazine was full. I quickly found out that this thing shot all over the place and my trap was not holding BB’s (when it hit where I was aiming).

840 BB840 pellet7601000Optimus
1263180579775944
2307248544781942
3285239540779968
4282265542781936
5264257549771938
6200248541772965
7180223529774940
8242223539773906
9189263552777964
10132230554777953
234 +/- 169238 +/- 76547 +/-40776 +/-11946 +/- 55
All values in fps

All values were measured at the muzzle and each rifle was pumped to the maximum (1 or 10 pumps) using the Crossman 7.4 grain wadcutter pellet. This was an attempt to compare the maximum performance across the spectrum. The thing that struck me was the inconsistency of the the 840.

Before I get too down on the 840, it needs to be said that this rifle is almost 40 years old and hasn’t been well treated. I am considering trying to do some minor seal maintenance by adding some lubricating oil. There has literally nothing ever done in that manner to the rifle.

Despite that, I was a little shocked when I missed the target multiple times standing five feet away. In all of this testing, this is the only occasion where this has occurred. The difference between BBs and pellets is that only pellets are stabilized (and therefore accurate). But, I was capable of hitting targets fifty feet away in one shot as a youth with a BB. My operating assumption is that the wildly varying velocity is causing the accuracy problems, so we will see.

I also had to double cock the action each time I shot a pellet. I am not sure what that problem is. I didn’t seem to have that problem with BB’s and I don’t understand what the different types of ammunition would have to do with the problem. That is a wait and see problem.

End Your Programming Routine: If my relubrication efforts fail, it may be time to end the run of the Daisy 840. There are no serviceable parts, it is missing a rear sight and I can’t trust the accuracy or performance. A single pump is pretty nice for shooting a lot, even if it is not the most powerful tool. But, if you cant keep the shots within the backstop, it is not safe.

August 31, 2022 – Shop Siding, Before and After

August 31, 2022 /

It is a good thing that I am done because summer is almost over. I ended up finding more rot in the facias and I debated leaving it. Ultimately, I decided that I had everything setup and I was in the mode, so I ended up spending a full day taking care of the unexpected damage. But, it is done.

As I like to do, I thought that I would provide some project accounting. What did this project really cost?

Hardware$111
Paint$45
Siding$555
Lumber$34
$746

I did spend more than this, but they were unrelated costs to the project. They were expenses for my home and apartment that I picked up because I was already at the store. It is possible to argue that I may not spent the money if I wasn’t already purchasing project supplies.

I wish that I had kept better track of my actual hours. I should know that I am going to write about it by now. I am just going to have to make an guess at this point.

SidingDemo12
SidingSheathing/underlayment10
SidingPainting26
SidingInstallation12
SidingFinish5
SidingMaterials Purchase15
Siding Subtotal80 hrs
FaciaAll work20
Total100 hrs

My biggest labor expense was in painting. I did paint everything by hand and every exposed surface got a primer coat and two topcoats before installation with touch-up afterward. Had I installed everything then shot it with a sprayer, I am sure that I would have driven that cost down to 8 hours. I also feel like some of my trips for materials were wasteful. I had to replace the Hardi boards that broke as I was unloading and I made one trip to purchase a 15 degree finish nailer plus caulk (more on that some other day).

I am giving myself a raise on this project because of inflation. If I estimate my rate at $35/hour then my labor is $3500 and my overall cost is $4246. A smart contractor is going to add some contingency to the job, like 20%. I would estimate the overall value of the project to be $5000.

End Your Programming Routine: The project actually totaled more time than I expected. It was the painting phase that seemed to really drag on. Of course, most weekends I spent some time but not really sun up to sun down or even a straight eight hour day. The truth is, I didn’t really feel like I needed to work that way. But now, I need to move onto other things while the weather is still good. It feels good to finish however.

August 30, 2022 – Rodeo Season is Winding Down

August 30, 2022 /

I don’t think that I have ever talked about Rodeo before. Before I get started, I don’t want to leave the impression that I am some kind of poser. I have never attempted to ride bulls or broncos and I don’t know how to rope or steel wrestle. Despite that, I do have respect for the people that do this.

The origins of American rodeo come from cowboys and working the ranches. But, the truth is is goes way back to Rome. This is the modern day form of animals and humans in the colosseum together. American rodeo has it’s set of events but there are other countries that have theirs. Ours tend to focus on buckles and prize money while others bring a focus on horsemanship with fancy stepping horses marching in unison.

This particular rodeo we went to was called a rough stock rodeo. This means that it was an abbreviated event. A full rodeo would include steer wresting, calf and team roping which the winners are based on the quickest time to complete the events. A rough stock rodeo is the bull and bronco riding (for some reason this one also has barrel racing as well).

The object to riding an animal is to hang on for eight seconds. If that happens, then the two are scored up to 50 points for the animal and 50 points for the rider. The nastier the animal is with bucking and twisting, the higher the score. For the rider, spurring front to back and keeping one hand in the air lead to points deductions for technique. With that, the best score wins. This means that there is some luck in this as well as skill.

When I was a youth, the Fourth of July was unofficially called Cowboy Christmas because there were so many concurrent rodeos happening. In my area, there were three big ones which would draw bigger names because the could compete in all three and therefore enhancing chances with a bigger payday.

Most venues are outside making summer the primary season for rodeo. The biggest one to my knowledge is the Calgary Stampede which runs for two weeks in September. That is one that I would like to see. The official commencement of the year is the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in February. That is an organization like the PGA that requires membership and has it’s own rules for participation and qualification.

The one that we attended was at the Oregon State Fair. We specifically went to the fair to watch the rodeo and the concert by Ned LeDoux afterward. We are planning to go back to see anything else at the fair since this took our entire evening. It is pretty common to see food, games and a carnival atmosphere associated with rodeos. It is an entire entertainment experience, not just a spectator event.

With TV series like Heartland and Yellowstone, I think that there is a resurgence or new awareness of rodeo. This is one of those pursuits that can be very dangerous. And you don’t see old rodeo cowboys. It is just too physically damaging to ride bulls and horses for long. Actually, I think the roping sports tend to be older guys because it takes a lot more skill to do it and it is not nearly as physically damaging.

End Your Programming Routine: I like putting on my boots and hat to go out and watch the rodeo with my wife or family. Stick and ball athletes may be strong or fast but cowboys are tough. The whole process requires desire. The desire to travel and live on the road, the desire for a chance to complete for mostly peanuts as wages, the desire to be the best at a life threatening pursuit. It is a culture and a lifestyle that I enjoy participating.

August 29, 2022 – Back To School… Drama

August 29, 2022 /

My kids are a little over a week away from starting school again. You can listen about the drama that I am talking about. I was going to use this slot to tear a new one into the school system but as I was writing the outline, I thought that I could turn that around into something more constructive. So, that is what I did.

End Your Programming Routine: I think sometimes that if we don’t think critically about a situation, we can forget our power and role in the situation. Change your mindset so that it is not what the world is doing to you but how you respond to the world. That is mastery of yourself.

August 26, 2022 – Atlas Shrugged 1:8

August 26, 2022 /

This book is rapidly earning a spot on the reading list. I suppose you could say that I enjoy a story with a bunch of subversive subplots going on. I also appreciate a long and intricate story. If a book is going to be short like Animal Farm, it very well better get to the point and quickly. Animal Farm is going on the review list too, I have a couple others ahead of it first.

There is a lot going on in this chapter that is relevant to the current story lines in the plot. In fact, it is probably an end to the most controversial issues to date. I didn’t recognize that there were a lot of new concepts however. I am not sure where things are going from this chapter other than there is sure to be more interaction between Frank D’aconia, Jim Taggert, Dabny Taggert and Henry Reardon.

In the first, third of the chapter, we have the Equalization of Opportunity bill in action. Reardon ends up selling his different business interests to individual industrialists. Some of them are consolidating operations and others seem to be friends. It is clear that many industrialist are not happy with the status quo, but we get a glimpse into Reardon’s character. He will fight for his business in management and the marketplace but not in the political arena.

In the second, third we have more doubt on the John Galt Line. Dabny holds a press conference, concerning the near completion of the line. We have the same battle lines with the media saying it is going to be a disaster and the normal folks betting on success. The third, third of this chapter had the first run on the John Galt line. Of course it was successful, what did you think was going to happen?

So, lets talk about the media and misdirection or agenda pushing. Did anyone hear about the Inflation Reduction Act 2022? If you see the title, you would think that this is an attempt to actually reduce inflation. Despite the fact that the government is claiming there is no recession and inflation is minimal, why would we need to reduce inflation?

You can follow the link above to see what is actually in the bill (on a summary level). But, if you ignore the actual details and just look at the cost summary, you will see that this is touted as a deficit reduction. How is this actually done? Primarily there are some rebates that are terminated and taxes are raised on corporations.

Let us look into the bill for a minute. The ‘benefits’ of the bill are targeted toward climate change and health care rebates and changes. Now, if we take the name of the bill at it’s face value, how in the world are these things related to inflation reduction? I really don’t have the time and/or space to discuss how inflation works. But, simplifying inflation for a quick bite: inflation is driven by the federal reserve (non-governmental entity of member banks) increasing the money supply and this is done through fractional reserve banking. I hate to break this to you readers, but inflation is actually desired by the government because this is how the federal debt is financed. Older (more valuable) debt is payed with less valuable money.

Circling back to the media now. We have the useful idiots parroting all the great inflation reduction that we are going to see just like the media is publishing false information sourced by the State Science Institute in Atlas Shrugged . We are going to do that by raising taxes on the rich and giving money to people to buy electric cars, all the while the national debt is reduced. Huh, I can’t make the connection.

End Your Programming Routine: Pick your issue here. Trump has nuclear secrets at his home, the election was stolen, there is no inflation, stay home and save lives, two weeks to flatten the curve, get your vaccination to do your part… lies. I don’t like to talk about politics this definitively but if you are wrapped up in the BS that is being fed, then you are a drone. The government is going to do what they are going to do. We the people need to focus on things that matter to us. The political circus is still happening every day, don’t go.

August 25, 2022 – ‘Tacticool’ Thursday

August 25, 2022 /

Bonus! I know that I said only one more in this line but I wanted to know something else while I started testing. My son has a Crossman 760 that I was curious how it compared to what I was doing.

The 760 is to prototypical first air rifle. It is affordable and ubiquitous. Most people I knew had one growing up. It can fire BBs or pellets and pumps from 1 to 10 pumps for variable power. Think of it as a value proposition, it is the most bang for the buck.

As all youth’s air rifles do, this particular one has a history. My wife and son bought it at an auction for the private school my kids were attending years ago. They paid probably double what it was worth but they won. My son was very excited at the time. However, it has mostly sat in the corner since the initial outing at the range. Here is the data that I found.

7601000
1579775
2544781
3540779
4542781
5549771
6541772
7529774
8539773
9552777
10554777
Average546 +/- 40776 +/-11
All data in fps

I was surprised to see that the 760 is significantly less powerful than the 1000. This was a new pellet, the Crossman 7.4 grain wadcutter, ten pumps each measuring the muzzle velocity. The data for the 1000 is part of the new data set I am doing in my number of pumps vs. velocity analysis coming next week.

The boxes are long gone. I really don’t know what the published velocity is supposed to be. According to today’s literature the velocity is 350-700 fps for the 760 and 750-1000 fps for the 1000. Those numbers are going to be subject to the weight of the pellet as you have seen from my previous data.

I actually have one more BB gun to look at which I will do in a couple weeks. I haven’t done any testing with BBs but since I was checking the catalog of performance, I was curious. I will talk all about that then.

End Your Programming Routine: I have to say, the 760 is much easier to pump than the 1000. I have a feeling that the longer forearm on the 1000 is an indicator that the air chamber is bigger, hence how to get more velocity. I am much preferring my break barrel spring air rifle to pumping 10 times to get similar velocity. But, for a kid this is a fantasy come true.