Grumpy old buggers thread

[Tins]

Grumpy? Dunno. I'll put it here anyway.
I'm currently suffering from a lack of mobility ( timing sucks, I have a deadline to get the Disco ready for its RWC ), so I'm stuck indoors.
Things to do when bored: Wordle. Stupid game, usually takes me about a minute.
YT: Hmm, I have a few different channels I watch YT on. I have been trying to train the algorithm to suggest certain vids of interest on each, so I can watch things like electronics repair one one, and something else on another. Forget it, it's like herding cats. It's utterly astonishing how much crap there is on the platform, and they have far more uninteresting vids on there than I have mouse clicks. Everyone, it seems, dreams of $millions to be made as a creator.
TV. Well, I have said a few times on here that I don't have one. Not strictly true. When Jan was still here we had one, but no aerial. We used ThefTel. Once I was alone I wasn't paying any more for that rubbish for the one thing I want to watch. And, the TV died and I wasn't buying a new one. Anyway, this week I decided to fix it. It's one of the very last Pioneer Kuro Plasmas. These things were regarded as the best TVs ever, back then. So, fix it I have, and I'm still astonished at the picture quality. Couple of ICs for less than $30 and it's back.... So, what to watch? well, nothing of course. I have an  streamer, which gives me all the services, and I have login creds for them all, and what's on? My sister is trying to convince me to watch something called "Alone". Sure, like I don't know what that is. There are a couple of free streamers, like Tubi and Plex. Might do some delving into those. Otherwise I might as well watch 's quite impressive screensavers.

That Kuro though....

[RANDLOVER]

Hire car companies charge around $60 a day fee to avoid a $5000 insurance excess, only later did I find out one can arrange one's own less expensive insurance excess cover.

[RANDLOVER]

This tale now verified....

True tale.

It was about 0200 hours, 70~80 kilometres south of Wycliffe Well. I had loaded three trailers with
Opal petrol, at Birkenhead, for delivery and storage in the Queensland Gulf.
I noticed flashing, amber lights in the distance and prepared to stop, not knowing what happening, roadworks, prang, hijack??
As I approached the fiasco a saw a large Mercedes van with headlights and hazard lights ablaze and an old XD Falcon with caravan, in darkness.
Once stopped, I was asked if I would swap batteries with the Falcon, as his was flat. Apart from the physical impossibility of that, my truck was mere months old, IT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN!
Making enquiries I established that the young couple and toddler were German tourists, on the way to Adelaide airport, where they intended to abandon car and caravan, to fly back to Europe. The older fellow in the van had stopped to help the broken down family.
I had jump leads and offered to jump start the Ford. Then it was revealed that the alternator had failed and the car driven until the battery died.
I explained that even with a new battery, without an alternator they wouldn't make Adelaide and the best option would be for me to tow them to Wycliffe Well, where a second hand alternator would be easily sourced.
The van man and I turned the Falcon and caravan around with the Benz and I tied it to the back of my last trailer. The German bloke seemed to be totally lacking in any practical skills.
Doing a final check to make sure everything was as safe s possible, the German chap approached me,asking if his wife and daughter could ride in the cab with me, as he had just noticed the petrol placard on the trailer and was concerned that if he crashed into the trailer, it might explode with his car. I agreed without telling him that if he took out the back trailer, the other two, the prime mover and everything for a few hundred metres would be toast.
I got him safely, to as close as possible to the workshop and had a short conversation with him, as I untied his car. He opened his wallet, revealing the biggest wad of cash I'd seen for quite some time and asked how much I wanted. Tempting as it was, I told him we didn't work like that in Australia. Just doing my bit for Australia's reputation and tourism industry.
He also revealed that he was an electrical engineer!

Electrical engineers must be the worst.......

#2: Northbound at 02:00 hrs, on the Stuart Highway with 100,000 litres of petrol (1203). I came across a stalled XD Falcon towing an old 16~18' caravan. I stopped to render assistance, as you do. The Ford occupants were a young German couple with a three year old daughter. The car battery was as dead as a doornail as the alternator had given up the ghost. They were Adelaide bound, where they intended to abandon the car and van, and fly back to Germany. It was suggested, not by me I hasten to add, that we swap batteries! A snowball's in Hades, my truck was two months old, besides an N70 will not fit into a Falcon.
I convinced them, not that they really had any other options, that l could tow them the 70k to Wycliffe Well, where they would have no trouble getting a secondhand alternator. This bloke had no practical skills. If it wasn't for another fellow who stopped to help, I would not have been able to turn around the car and caravan, to attach them to the back of my back trailer. I explained to the fellow that he needed to keep the rope taut and I would activate the stop lights before applying the brakes. He looked at the back of the truck and suddenly noticed the DG placard that clearly stated PETROL.
He then asked if I would let his wife and daughter ride in the truck with me. He was concerned that if he crashed into the back trailer, it would blow up. I agreed to let the females ride with me, but didn't have the heart to tell him, that if he managed to blow the back trailer up, the middle one would follow, as would the front one with the prime mover. They'd be picking up our body parts from every corner of Central Australia.
Once we'd got to WW, we had a brief conversation, with him revealing that he was an electrical engineer. He couldn't work out that even a new N70 battery wasn't going to get him back to Adelaide.

[Tins]

Needed to update my vehicle details on one of our friendly toll companies here. Haven't visited their website for some time. Now, all logins require TFA. OK, I guess that's fine.. Except the options are a; use Microsoft, b; use Google, or c; one time code to my mobile. That's it. As if I'm going to trust those two mobs with my details. Not a chance. And, mobile service here is poor, and I changed numbers a while back, and they may not have had it. Sure, I should have told them but I can't remember everyone, particularly someone I rarely interact with.
I recently, out of the blue, got issued with a new DL from Vicroads as my details had been compromised by a data breach by one of these tech mobs. Why would I trust them now? And, if rumours are to be believed, it seems our Federal Overlord's much hyped Digital ID system has already been hacked. Good thing it's voluntary, right?

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

I am currently refinishing a kitchen hutch that I bought from the local auction place. A previous owner must spilled something adhesive-based over the bench top. Or some form of heat was applied that made the surface tacky. Anyway, the best course of action was a tin of paint stripper. The hutch is made out of pine that someone either used a cedar or mahogany or an oak stain on to make it look 'pretty'.

The next problem becomes what stain did the previous owner or the manufacturer use? Then if you do identify the hue, different manufacturer's of the same wood stain colour use different ingredients and ratios. Invariably the correctly matched timber stain colour looks different to the original finish when the 'matching' stain is applied and dried. Yes, it might age and one day it may look the same and blend in.

Well, no more. If the timber that was originally stained was pine then I am either going to use something like Danish oil or clear satin varnish. I have been using stains on furniture for decades. Nope, no more. I am not going to be drawn into the 'oh stain it so it looks like a more expensive timber,' malarkey any more. Pine is pine. I do not care if pine is considered to be a cheaper timber. Pine is pine. Yes, I am sure that there will be reverberations through the whole furniture finishing industry and I will be solely responsible for an economic collapse. Nope - I am not going to be drawn into this whole stain to pretend scenario any more.

Yes, I am emulating the movie Network's Howard Beale. I am going out to my window and yelling, "Pine is Pine, and I'm not going to stain it anymore!"

Kind regards
Lionel

[4bee]

Hello All,

I am currently refinishing a kitchen hutch that I bought from the local auction place. A previous owner must spilled something adhesive-based over the bench top. Or some form of heat was applied that made the surface tacky. Anyway, the best course of action was a tin of paint stripper. The hutch is made out of pine that someone either used a cedar or mahogany stain on to make it look 'pretty'.

The next problem becomes what stain did the previous owner or the manufacturer use? Then if you do identify the hue, different manufacturer's of the same wood stain colour use different ingredients and ratios. Invariably the correctly matched timber stain colour looks different to the original finish when the 'matching' stain is applied and dried. Yes, it might age and one day it may look the same and blend in.

Well, no more. If the timber that was originally stained was pine then I am either going to use something like Danish oil or clear satin varnish. I have been using stains on furniture for decades. Nope, no more. I am not going to be drawn into the 'oh stain it so it looks like a more expensive timber,' malarkey any more. Pine is pine. I do not care if pine is considered to be a cheaper timber. Pine is pine. Yes, I am sure that there will be reverberations through the whole furniture finishing industry and I will be solely responsible for an economic collapse. Nope - I am not going to be drawn into this whole stain to pretend scenario any more.

Yes, I am emulating the movie Network's Howard Beale. I am going out to my window and yelling, "Pine is Pine, and I'm not going to stain it anymore!"

Kind regards
Lionel

One assumes that you tested it for spilt Honey. No kid, has happened. Grips like **** to a Blanket on counter tops.
Don't ask me how I know.

[Lionelgee]

One assumes that you tested it for spilt Honey. No kid, has happened. Grips like **** to a Blanket on counter tops.
Don't ask me how I know.

Hello 4bee,

Thank you for your considered reply, 4Bee. Well, I did not try and lick the marred surface and give it a taste test. Therefore, it will remain one of life's mysteries. 4Bee, so that is how they get the 'honey' look to imitate aged pine... tee-hee!

Kind regards

[Lionelgee]

Hello All,

I suppose I could be defined as a bit of a traditionalist. Yes, would be not much of a shock to many. I was taught furniture refinishing back in the 1980s. The final coatings of the finished timber were always done with paint brushes, specialist cloth and other 'hand tools'. No mention was ever made or considered about those 'modern-types', who shock horror, used spray guns.

Back in the late 1990s I bought an air compressor and a 'mechanics set'. This included what is now considered the old 'pot' style of spray paint gun. Where the pot is located below the spray gun. This gun has sat on the shelf and never been used. I knew it was there however I did not associate spray guns with furniture refinishing.You know the 'traditionalist' part I mentioned previously.

Well, after decided I was not going to get sucked into the whole staining pine routine I paint brush finished a coat of satin clear varnish over the sanded down hutch top. My shed lights are pretty good and I could just about see every single brush stroke. It annoyed me. Nope, not going to do this brush finishing caper anymore either.

I walked up to the spray gun that was still in its original packaging - as it was never opened. Read the label on the satin varnish and it said it could be sprayed and did not need any thinners. I blew and wiped off any trace of sanding dust and hooked up the spray gun. Its finish was just great. I would be hard pressed to identify something to compare it with while pursuing a hobby as being so satisfying. Just seeing that nice damp layer of varnish going onto the timber and seeing the colour of the grain come out was very rewarding. Yes, I have emptied the pot out and run some thinners through the gun. I suppose that was an element that dissuaded me from adopting spray guns was the need for thinners.To either mix with the varnish or the paint and then thinners is needed to clean up. Whereas, all I needed for the oil base varnish was a jug of turps.

Anyway, my first foray into spray painting furniture will mean retirement for my paint brushes. Happy days!

Oh - have a look at the nice knots and the whirls in the pine that I should have obscured with some dark mahogany stain. Pine is pine and I am not going to stain it anymore ... tee-hee!

Plus, not a paint brush stroke in sight

Kind regards
Lionel

[NavyDiver]

I know its a swear word and don't care RUNNERS

A Bloody Big walk was on yesterday in Maroochydore. Some gent missed the memo and ran it in 2 hours 50 something

They walked and ran past some traffic light which I had walked or run to over the last two weeks. Some of them got me across six lanes of traffic in one pass. TWO of note gets you over a Single lane to a pedestrian island to a RED pedestrian light for the other side! Two lanes took several minutes

Another place made me go around three sides of a four-way crossroad to go the direction I was moving.

Not only pedestrian traffic issues - Some spots held through traffic will green pedestrian crossing parallel to the walkers? A few other bits I thought WHY?



Have to say a LOT of Walkers, runners, stand up paddle board, surfskis and fishing types along the very nice Maroochydore river and Maroochydore beach front. Only crazy Victorian swimmers spotted!

[V8Ian]

I'm grumpy that we didn't get to meet, again.