What Irked You Today?

[Ace-Garageguy]

4 hours ago, SfanGoch said:

My laptop was out last night due to a 0xc0000022 error (corrupt file(s)) after a Win 10 update. It took me six hours to repair it.

You musta offended the great Lord Tinylimp.

[CabDriver]

Had five hours of extremely heavy rain that started right after I got in to work this morning.  Car got stuck in the mud…actually, it looked like it was stuck before I TRIED gently coaxing it out of the mudpit that is our company ‘parking lot’.  Was not successful.

Then discovered that this generation of Mustang has no obvious spots to hook it up to tow it.

Then, because of the severity of the storm, a lightning strike on our building and subsequent loss of power and internet, the company sent everyone home at lunchtime with pay for the day.  Spent the remainder of my ‘free afternoon’ getting the Mudstang freed and got out of work at basically the same time as usual (but wet and muddy).

Will park elsewhere in future ?

[426 pack]

21 hours ago, peteski said:

That's a lot of sanding!  But why sand bare plastic?  Unless you use water-based paints, the "stinky" paints will stick really well to plastic. No sanding should be required.  And if you really want to scuff the plastic, maybe just use a small brass-bristle brush on the zillion of those little squares. Sometimes those are called "suede brush".

I am using waterborne paint on it and I also have a little paranoia about unsanded things like that, I would much rather spend two hours of frustration sanding it so I know the paint will stick than kick myself a few years down the road when it starts to peal back and have to take it apart and re spray it. 

3 hours ago, Smoke Wagon said:

Maybe by color match he was meaning to say that he wants to paint the cowl body color. Most black plastic cowls are textured, which would not bode ideal for gloss or metallic two stage paint. 

Yeah I am respirating the entire truck Ford Kodiak brown/sunburst gold two tone (they are waterborne metallic paints) and I think that a colour matched cowl will look better than faded black plastic. 

[peteski]

52 minutes ago, 426 pack said:

I am using waterborne paint on it and I also have a little paranoia about unsanded things like that, I would much rather spend two hours of frustration sanding it so I know the paint will stick than kick myself a few years down the road when it starts to peal back and have to take it apart and re spray it. 

When spraying flexible plastic parts with automotive paints shouldn't adhesion promoted be used?  That is how things were done back before waterborne paints.  I have no experience with those.

[89AKurt]

I'm seeing chaos in the construction industry.  Bad enough the building departments are getting worse with overly ridiculous regulations, taking forever to get a permit.  Septic permits are taking 6 months now.  One job was a new house that I drew the plans for, the builder just told me it was twice what they were hoping to be spending.

I just had a client, who was waiting for a loan to close, she wanted to get rolling on a remodel design for a house built in 1900.  So I did a couple of site visits to measure, and consult.  Cut to the chase, it is a dump, really needed a new foundation, for a start.  She told me today that her loan failed, been working on this 5 months.  So that was time wasted, while I have numerous jobs months behind (trying to not complain).  Anyway, while I was doing Facetime with her, opened the garage door and saw this!  Had my hopes up that it was a case of the family not being interested in it, but grandson is taking it.  Needs to get the engine buttoned up first, so who knows.  People with champagne taste and beer budgets, includes me lusting after that pickup.

[stavanzer]

Well, Kurt, I've got Beer Tastes and a Kool-aid Budget, so I can't help.

Where I work we have drilling rigs waiting for the State of California to issue permits. Some permits were approved last August. Rigs are still waiting for the approved permit, to be issued. (Approving & Issuing, are two separate processes here) No work can start until the permit is issued. It is one gigantic furball of fubar.

[iamsuperdan]

9 hours ago, CabDriver said:

 

 

Then discovered that this generation of Mustang has no obvious spots to hook it up to tow it.

 

It has always confused me why the Asian and European brands can include tow hooks or attachment points on their cars, yet the North American brands don't bother. 

[iamsuperdan]

Had some extremely NSFW words yesterday. Wifey calls be around 3pm, says she has a flat. So I leave work a little early and drive into the city. 

Had to find the spare tire on her Volvo, which like a GM truck, is located underneath the rear, and you need to lower it on a cable. Fortunately, Volvo designed this well, and the mechanism was not rusted and seized like on every GM truck I've ever had to remove the spare from. Put the spare on and took it to a tire shop for repair.

 

It happened on one of the major freeways, so she drove a minute or so to the nearest off ramp and pulled into a residential area where it was safe to stop. Safest thing to do, and I would have done the same.

But of course, it was far enough that the massive nail in the tire was no longer an issue. Sidewall damage, so the shop would not repair the tire. I knew they would need replacement before winter anyway, so ended up buying new tires. Which of course were not in stock in the right size. So we get to go pick it up today.

 

Flat repair turns into $1000 bill.

[stitchdup]

6 minutes ago, iamsuperdan said:

It has always confused me why the Asian and European brands can include tow hooks or attachment points on their cars, yet the North American brands don't bother. 

our tow trucks dont lift the cars, we mostly flat tow so the tow eyes are needed here. although most recovery companies use sliding flat decks now

[Ace-Garageguy]

5 minutes ago, iamsuperdan said:

...Flat repair turns into $1000 bill.

Woulda been $1500 if the wheel had been destroyed, which happens a lot in similar run-flat cases.

[iamsuperdan]

2 minutes ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Woulda been $1500 if the wheel had been destroyed, which happens a lot in similar run-flat cases.

 

Yeah, luckily wifey knows the signs of a tire issue and started looking for the exit before it went completely flat. Knew to stop as soon as it was safe to do so. Probably saved the rim a little.

A lot of people would just drive it home or directly to a shop, not knowing the damage they were doing.

[Ace-Garageguy]

5 minutes ago, iamsuperdan said:

...A lot of people would just drive it home or directly to a shop, not knowing the damage they were doing.

Yup. I've seen people, more than one, driving obliviously down the interstate at 70MPH+ on a totally flat front tire, sparks flying, rubber smoking.

Poor vehicle musta been howling in pain and pulling hard to the flat side.

Once I tried to get a woman's attention, pointing to her tire. She sped up, apparently thinking I was some nutcase.

Wait...there was no thinking involved...just irrational fear, and not fear of her actual impending doom.

I always kinda wondered what it might be like to be that completely out of touch with reality.

Seems to be more and more common though.

[Mark]

I once wound up behind a minivan that was dragging one of the rear tires because the suspension mounting points on one side had rotted through, causing the wheel to fall back against the back of the inner wheel well.  

I changed lanes quickly.  The van went about half a mile (after I first saw it) before pulling into a parking lot.

[CabDriver]

4 hours ago, iamsuperdan said:

It has always confused me why the Asian and European brands can include tow hooks or attachment points on their cars, yet the North American brands don't bother. 

Yeah, the conveniently-located tow hooks on my wife's Civic really helped a couple of times this past winter where it got stuck in the snow...there's really not a great spot underneath this Mustang to hook anything on to that I could spot. 

Was ideally trying to hook up to the back somewhere but I really didn't want to crawl under it in that mud puddle to get to the rear axle - and even if I had, I think the exhaust and gas tank would've been in the way somewhat. 

Ended up wrapping straps around the rear wheel and outermost edge of the axle and dragging the poor thing out sideways....luckily the mud was so slippery I don't think I really had to put too much load through anything and I did it REALLY gently but it definitely wasn't ideal.

Ford's recommendation in the manual, for anyone curious is to call a flat-bed and let them handle it...but I'm not sure what they could've done differently to drag it out of there either ?

Edited April 14, 2022 by CabDriver

[Ace-Garageguy]

Lately I'm increasingly irked by midwits.

Along with Karens, they seem to be multiplying like rabbits.

Edited April 14, 2022 by Ace-Garageguy
TYPO

[slusher]

On 4/13/2022 at 11:10 PM, CabDriver said:

Had five hours of extremely heavy rain that started right after I got in to work this morning.  Car got stuck in the mud…actually, it looked like it was stuck before I TRIED gently coaxing it out of the mudpit that is our company ‘parking lot’.  Was not successful.

Then discovered that this generation of Mustang has no obvious spots to hook it up to tow it.

Then, because of the severity of the storm, a lightning strike on our building and subsequent loss of power and internet, the company sent everyone home at lunchtime with pay for the day.  Spent the remainder of my ‘free afternoon’ getting the Mudstang freed and got out of work at basically the same time as usual (but wet and muddy).

Will park elsewhere in future ?

Man I feel for you, I would have spent the rest of the day at a self car wash cleaning the mud from under it  before it dried.  I live in the south now so I would have called a wrecker and let the insurance pay for it. I have free towing.  I don’t like it when they drag mud in the road here. I hope you get your car cleaned up friend!

16 hours ago, iamsuperdan said:

Had some extremely NSFW words yesterday. Wifey calls be around 3pm, says she has a flat. So I leave work a little early and drive into the city. 

Had to find the spare tire on her Volvo, which like a GM truck, is located underneath the rear, and you need to lower it on a cable. Fortunately, Volvo designed this well, and the mechanism was not rusted and seized like on every GM truck I've ever had to remove the spare from. Put the spare on and took it to a tire shop for repair.

 

It happened on one of the major freeways, so she drove a minute or so to the nearest off ramp and pulled into a residential area where it was safe to stop. Safest thing to do, and I would have done the same.

But of course, it was far enough that the massive nail in the tire was no longer an issue. Sidewall damage, so the shop would not repair the tire. I knew they would need replacement before winter anyway, so ended up buying new tires. Which of course were not in stock in the right size. So we get to go pick it up today.

 

Flat repair turns into $1000 bill.

You took care of it the right way and the right way is not cheep buddy..

[MrMiles]

i am so mad. so mad.

i kept reading that target would have the ps5 in stock this week at 7am. i kept waking up early and checking. finally today it shows in stock, i add it to my cart and check out and my card was declined. 

i get a text that says fraud alert, did you try to spend 500 dollars at target, reply yes. i replied yes. it says ok, you can use your card again in 3 minutes and make your purchase again

 

3 minutes later. sold out.

 

ugg TDBANK. they did this when i tried to buy a computer too last year. i am so sick of their fraud garbage

Edited April 15, 2022 by MrMiles

[89AKurt]

I'm on a water district board, had a meeting last night.  Our Manager told us that getting brass fittings such as valves, especially water main valves, water meter sets, etc. are becoming impossible.  I think every water company, and municipality, is dealing with this.  Getting the raw materials to cast brass is messed up.  It's not in the news, because if it doesn't bleed it doesn't lead.  So think of this, when you can't get a model or paint, there are more important things to be worried about.  I better stop before I get into trouble. ?

[Ace-Garageguy]

3 hours ago, 89AKurt said:

...getting brass fittings such as valves, especially water main valves, water meter sets, etc. are becoming impossible...Getting the raw materials to cast brass is messed up...

Well that sure bites.

Perhaps interestingly, when I moved here decades ago, there was a foundry called Glover Machine Works that cast and finish-machined brass fittings. They made narrow-gauge steam locomotives there up until about 1925 or '30 too (the last running Glover locomotive will be on display the first of August over in Kennesaw, at the museum housing the Civil War "General" locomotive).

Of course Glover Machine Works is long gone, and the property was redeveloped to locate the Marietta Board of Lights and Water, among other govt. facilities.

Ironic that what was once locally manufactured equipment necessary for distributing water is now nothing but a lost-in-the-past memory, as clean-hands business dwerbles have outsourced the icky making of things we need to other lands...leaving us no longer independent, but helpless and reliant...and the water company occupies the land where the factory once stood.

I was fortunate to have toured the old facility many times before it was bulldozed in 1995.

https://railfanning.org/2015/07/glover-machine-works-played-important-role-in-shaping-post-civil-war-south/

EDIT: Brass is, of course, an alloy of copper and zinc. Arizona still produces copper, and there's reason to believe there are still untapped commercially viable deposits of zinc in the state as well.

Maybe it's time for some enterprising Arizonians to look into doing something worthwhile with these resources.

Edited April 16, 2022 by Ace-Garageguy

[BlackSheep214]

14 hours ago, MrMiles said:

i am so mad. so mad.

i kept reading that target would have the ps5 in stock this week at 7am. i kept waking up early and checking. finally today it shows in stock, i add it to my cart and check out and my card was declined. 

i get a text that says fraud alert, did you try to spend 500 dollars at target, reply yes. i replied yes. it says ok, you can use your card again in 3 minutes and make your purchase again

 

3 minutes later. sold out.

 

ugg TDBANK. they did this when i tried to buy a computer too last year. i am so sick of their fraud garbage

I don’t understand the hype of the PS5. I get it that it’s better than it’s previous PlayStation platform and will play most older games. Heck, it’s even the newest XBox console. But you have to ask yourself.... is it really worth the hype? No. Read this...

https://www.oratoryprepomega.org/2021/01/29/ps5-is-it-worth-the-hype/

[CabDriver]

20 hours ago, slusher said:

Man I feel for you, I would have spent the rest of the day at a self car wash cleaning the mud from under it  before it dried

That’s exactly what I did too! ?

Not certain I got ALL of it, but I sure got a lot on the floor of the car wash ?

[Rodent]

3 minutes ago, CabDriver said:

That’s exactly what I did too! ?

Not certain I got ALL of it, but I sure got a lot on the floor of the car wash ?

Jim, since you got that through a used car dealer and its history is probably unknown, it's worth the peace of mind to run the VIN to make sure the Takata airbag recall has been taken care of, as well as any others.

 

https://www.ford.com/support/category/service-maintenance/frequently-asked-questions-regarding-takata-airbag-inflator-recalls/

 

[CabDriver]

19 minutes ago, Rodent said:

Jim, since you got that through a used car dealer and its history is probably unknown, it's worth the peace of mind to run the VIN to make sure the Takata airbag recall has been taken care of, as well as any others.

 

https://www.ford.com/support/category/service-maintenance/frequently-asked-questions-regarding-takata-airbag-inflator-recalls/

 

That’s a great tip, thank you!  I had been meaning to register with the local dealer to see what history they had on file for it (or do a Carfax or similar if not) but I hadn’t read about that particular issue.

Will look into that this weekend - thank you!

[slusher]

18 hours ago, CabDriver said:

That’s exactly what I did too! ?

Not certain I got ALL of it, but I sure got a lot on the floor of the car wash ?

She looks great, Jim!

[CabDriver]

37 minutes ago, slusher said:

She looks great, Jim!

Thanks buddy!  I’m having a blast with it!