what did you do today? (2008-2015) (closed)

[Dawg52]

Moemg, glad your doing better. Something like that will certainly make you appreciate life a little more.

Pretty warm here today. Took the mutt on a trail we frequent from time to time. Wore shorts and a tee shirt. Got home and finished raking the back yard. Hope I won't be too sore for golf tomorrow. Here's my good buddy on our hike checking out a tree.

 

[Nords]

Multi-generational tax returns. Dad's first, with ours ready to start.

Last week I put up a blog post about Suze Orman's debit card. Now this week I get to participate in the latest spam trend: using Suze Orman's name in a comment on any post that happens to mention Suze Orman.

Oh, I also built her a USB Gumholder to hopefully prevent future mishaps...

She might be afraid to use it for fear it'll reduce her battery life...

 

[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.

 

[redduck]

Al,

Sorry to hear about your nappus interruptus. Anyhow, this last November our garage door spring sprung. Cost: $89 service call + two springs (#3 x 28) at $49.98 each + tax. Total bill was $196. Labor time seemed to be about 12 minutes. Apparently, it's important the installation is done correctly because these springs do snap off with great force (or, so I'm told).

 

[ERD50]

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.

Al,

Sorry to hear about your nappus interruptus. Anyhow, this last November our garage door spring sprung. Cost: $89 service call + two springs (#3 x 28) at $49.98 each + tax. Total bill was $196. Labor time seemed to be about 12 minutes. Apparently, it's important the installation is done correctly because these springs do snap off with great force (or, so I'm told).

In my previous house, the springs were the ones that went from one side of the door to another, and wound up like a screw. When it broke, I called the pros - you need to know what you are doing with these.

My current house, the springs go along the tracks, and stretch out lengthwise when the door is lowered. When the door is fully open, there is almost no tension. They are very simple to replace. There is a safety cable that runs through the center lengthwise, so if/when they snap, they don't go flying. But mine actually stretched out w/o snapping and the door opener groaned trying to work against the load, so no big excitement.

I'm not sure why they use the other type? I guess the installation looks a little 'cleaner', these springs 'hang' a and kind of flop around when the door is open, but it makes no difference to me. Cheap and easy to replace as a DIY. Any big-box store has the springs in stock.

I wonder if it would be worth retrofitting?

-ERD50

 

[NW-Bound]

The first type is a torsional spring, usually a pair that is mounted on a torsion rod that has pulleys mounted on both ends, and helps raise the door by cables. The cables are wound onto the pulleys as the door is rolled up.

The second type is a pair of also coiled springs that stretch as the door is lowered, and connected to the door with some levers. The garage door is not the rolled-up type, but swings up and out.

I have not seen that 2nd type in years. It was used in an earlier home of my parents, that was built in the 50s.

All houses I have seen since then use the 1st type (torsional springs) that are mounted up above the garage door. I guess they are more popular now because they do not use levers that occupy space or interfere with "stuff" that people may store along side the garage door.

PS. ERD50 might have described yet a 3rd type that I have not seen.

PPS. The torsional springs are "scary" because being mounted on the top plate, they must be installed when the door is down, and pretensioned to maximum torque. I once looked to see if I could install them when the garage door was up, where the springs would be at minimum torque, but there was simply not enough clearance to work when the door was up. So, I called the serviceman.

 

[Nords]

The first type is a torsional spring, usually a pair that is mounted on a torsion rod that has pulleys mounted on both ends, and helps raise the door by cables. The cables are wound onto the pulleys as the door is rolled up.
PPS. The torsional springs are "scary" because being mounted on the top plate, they must be installed when the door is down, and pretensioned to maximum torque. I once looked to see if I could install them when the garage door was up, where the springs would be at minimum torque, but there was simply not enough clearance to work when the door was up. So, I called the serviceman.

I wonder if those springs relax and have to be "retorqued" over the years to give them the same lifting force that they had when new. Our garage door motor is barely pulling the door up, but I haven't taken the time yet to call the service guy.

The two metal rods that they use to adjust the spring tension are probably available from any hardware store. One slip, though...

 

[ERD50]

The first type is a torsional spring, usually a pair that is mounted on a torsion rod that has pulleys mounted on both ends, and helps raise the door by cables. The cables are wound onto the pulleys as the door is rolled up.

The second type is a pair of also coiled springs that stretch as the door is lowered, and connected to the door with some levers. The garage door is not the rolled-up type, but swings up and out.

I have not seen that 2nd type in years. It was used in an earlier home of my parents, that was built in the 50s.

All houses I have seen since then use the 1st type (torsional springs) that are mounted up above the garage door. I guess they are more popular now because they do not use levers that occupy space or interfere with "stuff" that people may store along side the garage door.

PS. ERD50 might have described yet a 3rd type that I have not seen.

PPS. The torsional springs are "scary" because being mounted on the top plate, they must be installed when the door is down, and pretensioned to maximum torque. I once looked to see if I could install them when the garage door is up, where the springs would be at minimum torque, but there was simply not enough clearance to work when the door was up. So, I called the service man.

Torsional - that's the word I was looking for. Glad I caught your edits. Yes, mine is a sectional, that just slides up in the track - not out. And the coil (extension) springs are connected with cables to the door, similar to the torsional.

Replace Garage Door Extension Springs

Replacing Extension Springs

This style spring was used often for the do it yourselfer, they are not as common today, however some doors still have them and they work great, these springs are mounted next to the garage door track, and extend/stretch to do their job, they are called extension springs. Extension springs are not as difficult of a home repair.

Ah - your PPS clicked with me - you are right, the torsional are scary dangerous because they have to be tight to get to them. When I open my door, and then disconnect from the opener and slide it even further back, it's totally horizontal, and there is no downward force, and the springs are relaxed. Piece of cake.

So it's not clear to me why the torsional are more popular - just aesthetics? In a garage (I'm not Jay Leno)?

-ERD50

 

[TromboneAl]

IIIRC in 2001 the serviceman recommended replacing both springs, but I declined. So I got 11 years out of it. For a while I'd spray the springs to delay the rust, but here the rust always wins.

 

[redduck]

... For a while I'd spray the springs to delay the rust, but here the rust always wins.

Al, it's "Rust Never Sleeps" (Neil Young)

 

[davemartin88]

Finished clearing (left the best trees for shade) about 2/3 acre for the 5 alpacas we've bought. Fencing was delivered yesterday so hoping to get some post holes dug today and some posts set on the level areas. Had some ice/snow over the weekend so too wet to try to take the Bobcat with the post hill digger too far down the sides. The portion where is start is a long slope so if I make it down but can't get back up, I won't at least tip over and can just leave the Bobcat till it dries out a bit.

Framing material for the run in shed will be here next week so hope to have most of the fence and gates in place by then. Target is to be ready by middle of March if the weather cooperates.

We spent a quiet weekend here and stayed in for the most part out of the ice and snow, spent a lot of time reading in front of the woodstove. The dogs didn't feel like reading but plenty happy to hang out.

 

[Oddjobdth]

Tuesday - got up made breakfast and coffee for DW, got her off to w**k and then loaded the boat and went fishing, it was so- so nice outside the inlet we decided to go to one of the artifical reefs. On our way out we watched a film crew in a helicopter film a "Everglades" boat and crew. Picked up some trash (balloons). A NO - NO here because of sea turtles. Fished a while, came back to the inlet and caught a mess of blue fish, and watched a film crew in a boat film a sleek boat named "Nighthawk". Got tired of catching fish so we came in. Had lunch and home to clean the boat. Fixed dinner for DW. Will watch a little TV, blog on PC then to bed.

 

[freebird5825]

I had a scary moment or two this week . I got the flu last week . Chills ,fever ,body aches and complete loss of appetite . Suddenly It went into my chest and caused a severe flare up in my asthma . I spent my birthday in the ER with the Physicians trying to get my lungs to work at better capacity . After several breathing treatments, massive steroids , heavy duty antibiotics I was able to go home with a nebulizer , more steroids ,more antibiotics and assigned to rest .This has really made me see how precious life is and how your health can change in a moment . It also made me appreciate my SO who has been my rock through this .

So glad to hear you're OK.


Mr B had a very similar episode back in November. His bronchial function completely went downhill from a flu bug and the accompanying congestion. He went into respiratory distress (just like a severe asthma attack) and also was sent to the ER and thankfully was released after 4 hours after the same treatment you were given.

 

[freebird5825]

I helped Mr B with algebra today. He understands how to set up the equations from the given word problem of solving for profit, with fixed cost (constant) and variable cost and revenue written as 2 separate functions of x units, but has trouble with the basic mechanics of +, -, and ( ) order of operations in solving for x.

So I grabbed a handful of quarters (fixed cost), dimes (revenue) and nickels (variable cost) and showed him how it was done in 3D.
Berry bowls served as the equivalent of the parentheses, adding/pulling coins to show the functions of x and arithmetic operations, etc etc.
Then I did one problem for him on paper showing ALL steps in precise mathematical form, and he is right on track.

I shoulda been a teacher.

I'm playing SuperStardust on my PS3 while he is in class today.

 

[FIYes]

I went to the mall to walk today. It has been gloomy and threatening rain all day. Mostly I have stayed in and done some household chores today.

 

[Nodak]

I helped Mr B with algebra today. He understands how to set up the equations from the given word problem of solving for profit, with fixed cost (constant) and variable cost and revenue written as 2 separate functions of x units, but has trouble with the basic mechanics of +, -, and ( ) order of operations in solving for x.

So I grabbed a handful of quarters (fixed cost), dimes (revenue) and nickels (variable cost) and showed him how it was done in 3D.
Berry bowls served as the equivalent of the parentheses, adding/pulling coins to show the functions of x and arithmetic operations, etc etc.
Then I did one problem for him on paper showing ALL steps in precise mathematical form, and he is right on track.

I shoulda been a teacher.

I'm playing SuperStardust on my PS3 while he is in class today.

My high school math teacher had a memory prompt for the order of operations; it was "My Dear Aunt Sally" for multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction.

 

[MBAustin]

Woke up early to the welcome sound of thunder and heavy rain on the roof. Scheduled for annual mammogram first thing but they called to reschedule as the machine was down for repair, fortunately they called just as I was headed to the car. Went to yoga class and then to the rescheduled mammogram. DH and I just got back from visiting a friend with very advanced cancer. I'm working on some volunteer paperwork and tax stuff now, heading downtown shortly for a charity event and then back out here for choir practice. DH will be stuck with frozen pizza for dinner.

 

[Brdofpray]

Went to GA today to talk to our Granite guy about counters for the wet bar. The Cabinet guy is two weeks away. The Tile guy (me) is done with his part.

I will finally have a place to display my ouzo collection. It all is coming together.

 

[Brdofpray]

As I am finishing my day, reflecting on the progress made to date, I am sitting on the back deck, sipping a very nice libation. To my surprise, I hear a commotion in the trees just outside my view. A flapping, fluttering and squawking is taking place. I get up, peer up into the trees. I see no less than 26 turkey vultures taking roost for the night!

I hope this is not a portent of things to come.

 

[Gumby]

Typed a business letter on my old Smith Corona manual portable typewriter. My printer has been non-functional since New Year's Day and I just couldn't put off sending the letter any longer, so I typed it.

 

[Nords]

Wrote pretty much all day: blog posts, e-mail, Facebook, a couple letters.

I can't wait to take a break and pay some bills. Oboy.

 

[bbbamI]

Went to my dental appointment at 9 a.m. Yack...I hate appointments and early mornings.

Anyway, had an upper back molar drilled and filled because I had a small cavity. I have a small mouth (yeah..really I do) and it never ceases to amaze me how two hands, three or four pieces of dental equipment and cotton swabs can fit in my mouth at the same time.

Of course that's when they ask me if I'm doing ok.

 

[NW-Bound]

You probably miscounted an elbow.

I could swear that was what my dentist managed to fit in.

 

[TromboneAl]

Typed a business letter on my old Smith Corona manual portable typewriter. My printer has been non-functional since New Year's Day and I just couldn't put off sending the letter any longer, so I typed it.

The security camera footage:

 

[TromboneAl]

Tonight we are going to drink a $1,000 bottle of wine!

That is, our car mechanic gives customers a free bottle of wine whenever the bill is over $1,000, and I'd forgotten all about this bottle.