NotCigs refugee thread

[markfm]

Staying busy in CNY.

My home miter saw had a whoops around year end, messed up the blade guard. The guard was supposedly no longer available, but jb toon a chance on an after market, no joy.

I have a project at home, it was time to pick up a new one (no way do you use a compound miter saw without the blade guard). Harbor freight had a good sale on a 10" sliding arm model. First task is using it to build a new saw table, since the old one was a hack job, not really good for larger lumber. The main table is built and stained, casters coming in tomorrow, all that's left are the outriggers for long boards (pretty simple).

It's nice to have a saw that can take up to 12" wide boards [emoji5] I'll use it here, then swap it with the one at camp in the spring.

 

[El Dee]

Yeah a miter saw with no blade guard is a no go....Years back I'd only purchase Makita....They've since lowered quality but my miter saw is from the good days...Got the first folding stand made for mitre saws and made by Ryobi....Steel construction and heavy with 10,000 points just ready to shear a finger during set up or take down....Got the stand stored in Mom's garage by the steps going up into the breezeway....Mom knocked over a bottle of plant food sitting on the steps and it promptly gualded that stand.....Still in use though....Cuzzo has an aluminum DeWalt stand and I've been meaning to upgrade to that.....I'm not purchasing jimmy jack until I've found that elusive Dodge though....

 

[Bovinia]

That saw taunts me every time I get the email sales circular from Harbor Freight

 

[markfm]

Yes, the one I picked up is the 10" sliding saw. Alignment was clean out of the box, best I can see, doing a test cut on a piece of scrap 1x12. You need to buy a blade, but even the "good" saws generally come with a pretty mediocre blade, so that was a non-issue. I like the laser -- powered by AA batteries, independent on/off switch, mounted on the saw frame instead of a rotating unit mounted with the blade.

The miter saw table I'm building should work nicely. 18" x 42" x 37" high (including casters), made from 2x3s with 1x decking. The extensions I'm adding are from 2x4 (the saw deck level is 3-1/2" above the base -- convenient), easily removable, so I'll have support extending 52" on one side of the blade, 40" on the other, plenty for the boards I normally use. I'll probably add one shelf below the table, to hold my circular saw and misc. stuff.

On the vaping front I now have the large positive nut I needed to rework a mech squonker, hopefully do that tonight. I'll also be interested in seeing what the new Vandy Vape Pulse 80W regulated squonker is like; I'm used to mechs now, very happy, but regulated is always fun to look at

 

[Bovinia]

I was happy to find we have a local Harbor Freight here. Always a handy place, loved having one near me in Ct.

I have my eye on the new Uwell Nuncha 80w tube mod coming out next month. I miss the form factor of the tube mods.

 

[markfm]

The mech squonker work was fast, came out well. The mm510 works nicely, as does the new copper negative contact. I used a piece of a composite shim from home depot to shorten the fire button throw to about 1/8", the way I like it [emoji5]

 

[El Dee]

Bov Harbor Freight has a huge warehouse on I-95 just North of Florence....

I built a table with a lift out center for my steel cutting aka "chop saw".....I think the tables are set at 3.5 so if in a pinch you can use 2x4s to support long stuff...I got some short 2x4s screwed together for when I cut long steel on the floor....Been eyeballing a steel miter saw with a steel blade....they were astronomically high....now @ 400 for a good one....No sparks.....no nasty fibers from the blade floating in the air.....

Bull City Flavor has no brick and mortar....Said use there address in the shipping address and they would email when ready for pickup....Think I'll stick with the postman but plan on hitting them up soon....Cinnamon Bun juice calls for around 24 ml of cinnamon bun flavor....Had about half that the other night so I improvised and added the closest thing I had....cookie....Not half bad at all.....480 MLs calls for some flavor for sure....Got a 250ml graduated cylinder and I still gotta measure twice for PG......273 or somewhere in that range...

The Spring is upon us and we've been near 80* for a while now....Stuck in the shop until next week I've been taking time each day to let Spike enjoy some sunshine and fresh air....

Talking with an older gentleman from Tampa,Fla. about his truck....1996 Dodge dually....That bad boy has a Suncoast auto tranny that cost 6500 minus installation....I've long been a fan of SC transmissions....If I can get old boy to see things my way I may just ride down there....meaning.....He's eventually gonna see reality and lower the dang price....

 

[Bovinia]

I looked at a house up around Florence, not too far a drive from here

Good luck on the Tampa deal!

 

[El Dee]

99.9% of my trips into S.C. have been too Darlington or Myrtle Beach....So 95 or farther east though the swamps of the Carolinas....Hartsville/Darlington/Florence all seems connected to me and from what I saw there were some really nice areas along with some I'd wanna be packing if there past dark...Personally I like the area around the Waccamaw River....There's a settlement on the Waccamaw up in N.C. where the people have never had electricity or been connected by roads of any kind....I wouldn't suggest there....From what little I've seen the housing market has some deals....With everything going on in DC I suspect the housing market will weaken but any savings initially will be eaten up by higher interest rates....I paid my payments on a variable and very thankful that interest rates remained stable....My line of thinking is buy when you find a deal and refinance later if interest rates are more favorable....Mine could only rise or fall .25% a quarter....

 

[Bovinia]

Steph and I have driven all through that area, and I agree there are spots I would stay away from, especially inside city limits of most towns. And being the swamps, I've also made sure I eyeball any potential property for probable flooding. We looked at a really nice house farther south near Mayesville, and the swamp was right up in the back yard. The right deal will come along

 

[Bovinia]

Thinking about you and Hubs, Fran

 

[El Dee]

I've checked in for Fran's posts every day.....A little worried....Hope all is well.....

Well after flipping every rock under the sun finally there was a 1997 Dodge Ram dually....extended cab...two wheel drive....5-speed....99 thousand miles....that's way low mileage and the truck looks it....Other side of Hell in Pickens, S.C. . I've been eying the map and there just isn't any good way to get there....Going tomorrow....If I'm not heard from send Wharf and Five with that jet of their's....Wharf bring that guitar you promised so long ago....might need it to beat back some banjo pickers.....

 

[FranC]

Sorry I haven't checked in Life has been been rather hectic. Hubs had his first chemo treatment yesterday and it was a long one,6 1/2 hours. Next week will be a 2 hour treatment.Nothing the third week and then repeat. A total of 6 rounds of treatment (18 weeks).Still in a lot of stomach pain plus his back pain has kicked in also. Bad timing on that. He hasn't got sick yet and so hoping he doesn't.

 

[FranC]

I hope you find the truck of your dreams,Dee

 

[Bovinia]

Glad to hear Hubs got that first, long treatment done and hasn't gotten sick from it. I can imagine you both are worn to a frazzle

Good luck on the truck, Dee! Now I have to look and see where Pickens is

Was looking at a house the other day, can't remember which little town...Manning or might have been Darlington. The house was on Breedin Street, right off Huggins. I'm not kidding, you can't make this stuff up! I enjoy "Huggins" but glad I'm past the age of "Breedin!"

 

[908Tracy]

Apologies from me for lack of posting, but ecf has shown the last post ending with “the right deal will come along”....from Friday until just now. Grrrrrr ecf!

Fran add my happy to hear hubs has received his first treatment without getting sick to the rest of the gangs. Hugs!

ElDee hope the truck is THE ONE!!!

Lol at breedin Street Bov! Can’t wait to hear what your next address will be. Best of luck!

 

[Bovinia]

Looks like there is one credit card blip standing between me and a mortgage. I'm gonna check with my mortgage lady tomorrow and make double sure she's talking pre approval and not just pre qualification. If it's going to clear the way for approval, then I'll say a few more cuss words towards my ex and then pay off the $1400 debt. I called the credit card company today to let them know the debt is past it's statute of limitations on legal collection, but they refused to issue a zero balance to the credit reporting agencies...hey, it was worth a try

Dee, Moon made me promise I'd at least brush up on my gun skills, and get myself a snake killing weapon, be they belly crawling or two-legged snakes

 

[Wharf Rat]

Fran I hope and pray that Hubs has it as easy as possible (((Hugs)))

GOT the Jet on the tarmac and waiting.... As far as the guitar, Jerry gave his daughter Trixie the '57 Strat instead of me

There's no perfect house Bov... but I know you'll find the perfect "Home"

Kia is tired but having a blast and already thinking about re-upping for another year

 

[Wharf Rat]

Interesting story about that Strat Dee. Jerry met the guys from los lobos early on And made a connection with the lead guitar player, David Hildago? And they talked about playing together. So Jerry shows up one night with a beat up guitar case. He asked Jerry if he wanted to come out and play with them and Jerry said he was just going to hang out backstage but he wanted to give him something. He opened the case and handed David the Strat. Latter on he said that Strat was worth more than all the equipment they had and he still has it to this day.

 

[Bovinia]

Wharf, I'm so glad Kia is loving Japan! I'm sure it would be easier for Mom and Dad if she was happy and successful a little closer to home tho

Cool story behind the Strat!