Cool and damp, possibly overcast.\u00a0 Maybe rain?\u00a0 We’re right on the edge of the national forecast, so probably not, but no one really knows.\u00a0\u00a0 It stayed overcast most of yesterday, and got kinda warm in the afternoon.\u00a0\u00a0 I was a bit sweaty working outside.<\/p>\n
And I did eventually work.\u00a0\u00a0 I had to clean up and move some stuff in the garage to make room for the hamfest stuff that was going back in there.\u00a0\u00a0 I pulled out some stuff I wanted for the BOL, and I threw out almost all the boxes I was keeping for ebay shipping.\u00a0\u00a0 I wasn’t using them and they take a lot of room.\u00a0\u00a0 A full pickup bed worth of room, as it turned out.\u00a0 Re-stacking and moving some stuff to close up gaps got me some more space too.\u00a0 All the hamfest stuff, and a couple of black and yellow bins went back in the garage.<\/p>\n
One of the things I wanted to dig out is my drain camera.\u00a0\u00a0 Years ago I bought a drain camera to look under my concrete patio, and under my slab.\u00a0 Still have the camera.\u00a0\u00a0 There is the mystery drain for the RV pad at the BOL that I want to snake and see where it goes… and the cam should do that no problem.\u00a0\u00a0 I have to find the display (or add a connector for an analog video display- like one of the portable flat TVs I have stacked.)\u00a0\u00a0 The display was some kind of Creative labs recorder with a built in screen, but all I really need is a way to see the composite video output.\u00a0 There is a lesson in there.\u00a0\u00a0 The camera and snake were fine, but the proprietary display\/recorder wasn’t made in enough quantity so when it went EOL, the drain cam did too.\u00a0\u00a0 IF the maker had provided a composite video connection, and let people use any old analog tv device, it would have had a longer life.\u00a0 Standards people, use them.\u00a0 And preppers, if you want the gear to last, make sure you can get stuff to work with it for a long time, especially standard stuff that is widely available.<\/p>\n
It’s worth repeating, custom connectors and breakout cables are a point of failure.\u00a0\u00a0 Even if the companies are still around, the cable probably won’t be.\u00a0 Remember all the custom and unique cables that pcmcia card devices used?\u00a0\u00a0 Those modem cards are landfill without the cable, but the ones with the x jack built in are still in service.\u00a0 Ditto for the Dell dual head video card that needed a special Y cable.\u00a0\u00a0 You can still get a DVI cable.\u00a0 Very hard to get that high density plug to 2 DVI cable splitter.\u00a0 I get it\u00a0 that the manufacturer doesn’t care if you still want to use the device, but YOU should care.\u00a0 Power cords are an issue for everything.\u00a0 Don’t buy devices with uncommon plugs or jacks.<\/p>\n
I mentioned recently that I was able to find a new cutter for my manual meat grinder.\u00a0\u00a0 Widely used, simple design, durable, and industry standard.\u00a0\u00a0 100 years later, you can order a new part to fit.\u00a0\u00a0 Ditto for Mokapot coffee makers, the filter and sealing rings are easily available.\u00a0\u00a0 There is a good reason to buy what everyone else uses and not the thing with a unique aspect, that might not last.<\/p>\n
Today I’ve got a steel cabinet to pick up, so I’ll combine trips and do other pickups too.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 I’ll dump my pickup load of cardboard and trash.\u00a0\u00a0 I might even use the cardboard recycle dumpster at the school if I have time.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Then it’s off to the auction houses.\u00a0 Besides my pickups, I’ve got an item for consignment at a house I haven’t used before.\u00a0\u00a0 They’ve been getting great money for it in past auctions, so since I’m going there anyway, I’ll try consigning it with them.\u00a0\u00a0 Hope it does well…<\/p>\n
All the rest of you, stack it up, but stack things you can get parts for…<\/p>\n
nick<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Cool and damp, possibly overcast.\u00a0 Maybe rain?\u00a0 We’re right on the edge of the national forecast, so probably not, but no one really knows.\u00a0\u00a0 It stayed overcast most of yesterday, and got kinda warm in the afternoon.\u00a0\u00a0 I was a bit sweaty working outside.<\/p>\n
And I did eventually work.\u00a0\u00a0 I had to clean up and move some stuff in the garage to make room for the hamfest stuff that was going back in there.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n