My wife is a quilter. Every year a group charters buses so a bunch of women and a few men can go on a ‘Shop Hop’ of quilts shops across central North Carolina. So I was left at home to my own devices today. (more…)
In The Club
Written By: richardwcraver
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Sep•
30•17
When I was growing up we lived next to my grandparent’s farm with hills, woods and gullies. Those who didn’t grow up rural may only know of Fern Gully. Basically a gully is just a washed out spot on a hillside. (more…)
The Shop Is Coming Together
Written By: richardwcraver
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Sep•
15•17
For all my mechanical abilities there is one thing I’ve never been able to enjoy, a home shop.
The first house I owned had a rickety shed with a gravel floor big enough for a mower and a few yard tools. The next house had a full basement with a work bench that I put to use with various bits of computer pieces and parts. Things were looking up and I started acquiring a few tools, until the former Mrs decided she ‘didn’t want to be married’ and we didn’t live there anymore.
An apartment and a rental place followed with no proper facilities. In fact I have been known to build computers on the bathroom counter because the best light was there. And I have been known to clean guns and build rifles on the dining room table. I put towels down of course; I had to chase curious cats out of my mess as well.
A couple years ago the beloved and I bought a house. Somehow she has a ‘creative room’ for quilting, but my creativity has been frustrated by boxes of ‘stuff’ from the previous moves. Believing anything not missed during 10 years of marriage and moving is not needed I had a burn pile and started making space.
Last weekend the work bench went in along with 120 watt equivalent LED lighting.
Tonight green felt was taped down to the bench top and my gun hobby tools have started filling drawers.
Cleaning and lubrication products arranged,
A bit of gun and racing memorabilia put up
now to finalize my reloading equipment wants and needs and this place will start to see activity.
People Are So Irresponsible
Written By: richardwcraver
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Sep•
13•17
So Monday I parked a customer’s Odyssey van in the Ready lot, next to the 7 ft tall chain link fence. Well it seems that the owner, who bought it new 200,000+ miles ago drives out and scrapes the entire left side of the vehicle. After 200,000 miles she hasn’t figured out that her minivan doesn’t bend in the middle. And somehow it’s my fault for BACKING INTO a tight parking space.
Now this morning,
A Pilot that I worked on Tuesday late, I parked it outside the fenced lot to be picked up after hours. I set the park brake like I always do.
The customer dropped off his grand-daughter at 9:00 last night and drove off. She drove away and heard noises from the back, beeping noises and the Brake warning light was on. So she sat in the parking lot for an hour until her family came back to pick her up. Apparently she has never used a park brake before, and it’s my fault.
I suppose I’m responsible for everyone else’s obliviousness. Come on people!
Idle Hands, Shiny Brass
Written By: richardwcraver
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Aug•
22•17
It’s that time of year that the garage business gets weird. Last week we had college students dropping in out of the sky because they were leaving for University of Missouri the next morning and ‘I’ve been meaning to get my car looked at…’. So we bust butt making a car worthy of a four state drive. Now, well it’s crickets.
How A Geek Builds A Computer – Part 3
Written By: richardwcraver
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Aug•
03•17
So my wife’s computer is up and running, now to building MY computer. Her computer was for practice, now I get serious. (more…)
How A Geek Builds A Computer – Part 2
Written By: richardwcraver
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Jul•
31•17
So it took 3 days for SpinRite to do it’s magic. No bad sectors reported, only a bunch of ECC (Error Correcting Cache) errors which unfortunately are the norm for today’s high density hard drives.
How A Geek Builds A Computer – Part 1
Written By: richardwcraver
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Jul•
27•17
So the last new computer I bought was in 2007. I normally build my own, but I was teaching a class at the time my old computer abruptly popped a capacitor on it’s motherboard. So I went to Walmart and ‘mastered the moment’.
I Hate Cars, And People Are A Close Second
Written By: richardwcraver
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Jul•
27•17
OK, so I really don’t HATE cars or people, but some days it seems an eventuality.