what did you do today?

[TromboneAl]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl My nap was interrupted by a large bang from the garage area. Couldn't find anything wrong until I tried to open the garage door. The spring had snapped. The other one snapped in 2001, and it cost $164 to fix. But this is something I don't want to do myself -- someone will come tomorrow to fix it.

It was only $140 to replace this time. The guy who did it is really into garage doors, and took a lot of time to talk about the different types.

He said that the older type springs that go in the tracks are complicated, and require cables inside so that when the snap, they don't fly all over the place.

He said it's not rust that causes the springs to break, it's just metal fatigue -- they are usually good for 10,000 cycles.

The best type to buy is the jackshaft type that goes on the side of the doors. They are quieter and can be easily installed.

[Brdofpray]

Avalon, what part of the country are you located? I haven't seen a harlans hawk in ages. We are seeing wintering bald eagles, Red tails, red shouldered, and peregrines. The peregrines just started nesting last year on the cliffs above the lake. We are hoping for a repeat performance this year.

[ERD50]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl The guy who did it is really into garage doors, and took a lot of time to talk about the different types. He said that the older type springs that go in the tracks are complicated, and require cables inside so that when the snap, they don't fly all over the place.

I don't understand how they are more complex? It's just a spring along the rail attached to a cable (just like the cable on the drum of torsion systems). Yes, a wire cable runs through the center to just contain any flailing about if it snaps, but that isn't complex or expensive and requires no maintenance or adjustment. It just loops through one end and bolts down on the other end.

Our house is 25 YO, I've only replaced two springs (3 doors, so 6 springs total, only two doors are opened daily), and they didn't snap, you could see a stretched out part and the tension was less than it should be, so I replaced it (before it broke).

Quote:

The best type to buy is the jackshaft type that goes on the side of the doors. They are quieter and can be easily installed.

I like that, looks a lot 'cleaner' than the drive motor hanging on a bracket over the car (but I would have to run power there). But I would still prefer to use it with the extension springs so I could fix it cheap myself.

I am suspicious that the installer has a bias when he says the ones that require you to call him to fix them are 'better'. Better for him, no doubt.

-ERD50

[Avalon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brdofpray Avalon, what part of the country are you located? I haven't seen a harlans hawk in ages. We are seeing wintering bald eagles, Red tails, red shouldered, and peregrines. The peregrines just started nesting last year on the cliffs above the lake. We are hoping for a repeat performance this year.

PM sent. I've never seen a peregrine that I know of. That would be high point for me though. I've watched eagles working over flocks of geese in western Iowa. They have a way of keeping things stirred up.

[Brdofpray]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avalon PM sent. I've never seen a peregrine that I know of. That would be high point for me though. I've watched eagles working over flocks of geese in western Iowa. They have a way of keeping things stirred up.

Were you at DeSoto Bend? If so, I know it well. I spent many a fall weekend in my youth there tracking the migration of snow and blue geese. What an awesome spectacle!

[Avalon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brdofpray Were you at DeSoto Bend? If so, I know it well. I spent many a fall weekend in my youth there tracking the migration of snow and blue geese. What an awesome spectacle!

Wow, very good!! Yes, I've been to DeSoto many times. I own a small farm just a few miles north. I recall one Desoto count at over 500,000. That would have been in a mid November as I recall.

[Avalon]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brdofpray Were you at DeSoto Bend?

Btw, don't know if you're aware, but DeSoto sustained heavy damage from the past summer's river flood.

[Brdofpray]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avalon DeSoto sustained heavy damage from the past summer's river flood.

Sorry to hear that, I haven't been back for years. Hope it will recover.

[Oddjobdth]

Thursday- Got up fixed coffee and breakfast for DW, sent her off to w**k. Finished packing and drove to our daugther's apt, about 2.5 hrs away. Took down some drapies, fixed a few door jams (sanding, wood filler, sanding, painting) vacumned, took down some light fixtures, Went to lunch and dinner (at two of Guy Fieri 3D recommended places). On the way home from dinner we stopped and got some frozen yogart. Good day got it all done. Hope the apt folks feel the same way and return all her deposit.

[REWahoo]

Discovered this stone tool near the old trail running across our property.

Wonder what rate of return the owner used in his/her retirement model?

[Major Tom]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Discovered this stone tool near the old trail running across our property. Wonder what rate of return the owner used in his/her retirement model?

Hopefully he did really well trading animal hide futures.

[happy2bretired]

Yesterday I had a new furness/AC installed...bye, bye $$.

I've had to call for repairs 3 or 4 times over the last two years and enough is enough. It scares me when new, odd smells come thru the heating vents, not knowing if your house is going to burn down or something.

Anyway, I'm now the proud owner of a Trane 95% efficiency furness with a variable speed blower and an add-on humidifier along with a really nifty programable thermostat.

One thing I did learn with the last repair (bad circuit board) was the tech had to hard wire my blower/fan and by-pass the circuit board, for one day, until they could install the new furness. The blower was running all the time and that bothered me, since, I don't understand the workings of a furness. So, I did some snooping on the internet and found that some techs run their blowers all the time. So, I felt better after I found that (didn't worry any more).

That night, the air in my house felt so much better with that blower running all the time. So, that's the reason I bought the variable-speed blower. Anyway, I'm very happy with my new system and hopefully no more repairs for awhile.

[Nords]

I've been filling out the "American Community Survey", which the U.S. Dept of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration U.S. Census Bureau has assured me is required by federal law. I'm an hour into it and now I need to research the Quicken data.

I'm not concerned about the accuracy of my answers. I'm more concerned that any inaccuracies will be held against us for the rest of our lives.

21 multi-part questions on housing followed by 48 more multi-part questions for "Person1" and "Person2". I've been informed that "Person3" is no longer considered a resident, although the IRS may grant me the privilege of claiming her as a dependent.

I look forward to the day when Google's bots will complete this survey for us. Probably more quickly and more accurately, too...

Quote:

Originally Posted by TromboneAl The best type to buy is the jackshaft type that goes on the side of the doors. They are quieter and can be easily installed.

Looks like those have come a long way. They get rid of that long chain & motor in the middle of the ceiling, too, as well as a tedious lubrication problem...

[Gumby]

(actually yesterday) Introduction to the joy and exhilaration of cystoscopy

[REWahoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gumby (actually yesterday) Introduction to the joy and exhilaration of cystoscopy

Yikes!

I sure hope this was as an observer, or if not, under the influence of a general anesthetic....

[Gumby]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Yikes! I sure hope this was as an observer, or if not, under the influence of a general anesthetic....

Awake for every single second of it, baby. I'm pretty sure it was the size of telephone pole and coated in sandpaper.

[Nodak]

Quote:

Originally Posted by REWahoo Discovered this stone tool near the old trail running across our property.

Here's one I found about 10 years ago:

[bbbamI]

Cleaned out the cabinet in my laundry room. I had a bunch of plastic bags that were taking up too much room in there, so I stuffed an empty upright tissue box with some of the bags. Much neater and takes up very little space.

Yeppers, that's what I've done today.

[M Paquette]

*SIGH*

I dealt with an outbreak of politics on a message board I moderate. I really, really hate these new eternal campaigns. It's so calm here, relatively speaking. Thank you, neighborhood moderator persons.

Gumby, it could be worse. I'll see your cystoscope and raise you a box of catheters. I've got a prostate biopsy lined up for Monday. Local anesthetic only. :-( Oy. They couldn't spare maybe a little happy juice?

[bbbamI]

Quote:

Originally Posted by M Paquette <snip> I've got a prostate biopsy lined up for Monday. Local anesthetic only. :-( Oy. They couldn't spare maybe a little happy juice?

Here's wishing you the best on a good biopsy report....