I have been trying to buy sights for my bow for a few weeks now, with a $20 budget. We were at an April Wine concert, in Chipman last night, totally random. Chipman has a population of less than 300 people, but they sold out 1200 tickets. We got the 3rd and 4rth to last tickets at 4pm for the 8pm show. So we were there at 8pm when my Iphone alarm goes off. I had set the alarm for an ebay auction ending at 8:15 that looked like a very promising and inexpensive bow sight. Well I had a very small panic attack thinking I am at a concert, no where near a computer, and my $5 bid was outbid for $6. Then I realized there is an ebay app. Like nothing I got the high bid of $7, w 5 min left, and the high bid of $14 in the last 20 seconds. That was awesome. Plus I also got some video of April Wine, from rite against the rail.
The TV Show they filmed at Daves House is called "Canadian Pickers", it will be on the History channel in the spring. It is so TV. Constant retakes, " make better TV if you say this" blah blah blah. What really got me was The motorbike they wanted to buy. "Lets bargan down to $250, but I'll still give you the $600 for it". I can't believe they still use film, and they only have about 60 min of battery in their big cameras. The day was constant battery replacement, film change over, retakes etc. TV shows must cost a lot, since there are 8 guys traveling in 3 rented vans, flat out all day. They were buying lunch at the local bar. The local bar made a 10 person buffet. We waited for everyone to get there, the last van, w the head guy, says, "We can't stay, we'r too far behind schedule". They paid for the buffet, and left, without touching it, leaving it for Dave an I.
A Plumber stopped to talk to me in town the other day. "Possum Electric, Love It" he says. We were talking about the different areas, and how that part of town is really quite cheap, not a lot of money to be made. He suggested I go to North Battleford Saskatchewan, and hit up cottages out there. After explaining that my Masters is no good to pull permits out there, and I don't want to commute that far, he said to hit up cottage country in Lac Labiche, Alberta. That happens to be the same distance from us, as Edmonton is, so I am going to check it out. For our wedding anniversary, I got motorbike tie downs in the trailer, we will trailer the bikes out to Lac Labiche, and bike around to explore. Michelle has her road test Sept 21.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
Arrows vs VW
Powers out, ten at night, no internet, no lights, no TV. I am
pretty well set up with cordless flashlights, for work, but
still pretty hard to be doing stuff.
I was talking with someone, a little more in the know than I,
about our power situation, cause its crapolla. we get
constant brown outs, almost daily. They were saying that they
are upgrading rural alberta, but so far we are all on dead
ended lines, where they should be on loops, fed from two ends.
So every time one of the big natural gas compressors in a
field, out this way, fires up, our power drops off to nothing
for 2 seconds, and who knows what kind of surges result from
that. A Ted Energy Detective would be great to find out the
if there is any potentially harmful peaks. I have to invest
in a uninteruptable power suply if I want the tower to stay
on. Then the internet routers are always unhappy to be shut
down for just 1-2 seconds, and they then all need a 10 second
reboot after the brown outs. Plus all the motion detectors stay on.
pretty well set up with cordless flashlights, for work, but
still pretty hard to be doing stuff.
I was talking with someone, a little more in the know than I,
about our power situation, cause its crapolla. we get
constant brown outs, almost daily. They were saying that they
are upgrading rural alberta, but so far we are all on dead
ended lines, where they should be on loops, fed from two ends.
So every time one of the big natural gas compressors in a
field, out this way, fires up, our power drops off to nothing
for 2 seconds, and who knows what kind of surges result from
that. A Ted Energy Detective would be great to find out the
if there is any potentially harmful peaks. I have to invest
in a uninteruptable power suply if I want the tower to stay
on. Then the internet routers are always unhappy to be shut
down for just 1-2 seconds, and they then all need a 10 second
reboot after the brown outs. Plus all the motion detectors stay on.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
On TV
My YouTube Video, of "Vintage Sleds For Sale At Daves Farm" got attention back east, from a TV producer. The video was originally made for 2 reasons, one to gain vewership from the popularity of the popular London Ontario YouTuber, "Davids Farm", and secondly, my buddy Dave will give me a 10% commission on anything I can sell.
I could make Dave a lot of money, but it really isn't worth my time to sell everything he has at a 10% profit. We have been through it many times, and its too bad, cause I would have a website, an ebay store, and booming business for a 50% cut. But instead he would rather die with his million possessions than think someone is getting half his profit from his lifetime collection. The sleds are just a fraction of his stuff.
This TV producer contacted me, wants to buy some Antiques from Dave, and have him on TV. The TV crew is showing up next Saturday to his house, which will be very exciting. It will be a Canadian version of an American show, where they visit old farms, and pick garbage old junk cheap, then restore it to new condition and sell it for a million dollars, basically.
The producer really wants to help, but Dave doesn't even have a cell phone, let alone internet access, or a website to promote. Dave is actually being really difficult about the whole thing, he doesn't even want to be on TV. They were disappointed that Dave has nothing to promote, except his land line phone number. They were wishing, and kept asking if I had any old sleds they could buy, or a website they could promote. Anyway, it all happens this Saturday. I expect to make $40 on a $400 sled sale, woo hoo. You can see how 10% commission doesn't cut it. Especially when he really needs to market every little piece off his machines online, for $10 ish, so that shipping is reasonable. Alberta is not a big enough market, especially for vintage crap.
I could make Dave a lot of money, but it really isn't worth my time to sell everything he has at a 10% profit. We have been through it many times, and its too bad, cause I would have a website, an ebay store, and booming business for a 50% cut. But instead he would rather die with his million possessions than think someone is getting half his profit from his lifetime collection. The sleds are just a fraction of his stuff.
This TV producer contacted me, wants to buy some Antiques from Dave, and have him on TV. The TV crew is showing up next Saturday to his house, which will be very exciting. It will be a Canadian version of an American show, where they visit old farms, and pick garbage old junk cheap, then restore it to new condition and sell it for a million dollars, basically.
The producer really wants to help, but Dave doesn't even have a cell phone, let alone internet access, or a website to promote. Dave is actually being really difficult about the whole thing, he doesn't even want to be on TV. They were disappointed that Dave has nothing to promote, except his land line phone number. They were wishing, and kept asking if I had any old sleds they could buy, or a website they could promote. Anyway, it all happens this Saturday. I expect to make $40 on a $400 sled sale, woo hoo. You can see how 10% commission doesn't cut it. Especially when he really needs to market every little piece off his machines online, for $10 ish, so that shipping is reasonable. Alberta is not a big enough market, especially for vintage crap.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Which Makes A Better Chicken Coop
Click here to take survey
I am going to try something new. Because it is such a conflict, I am going to put the survey out to youtube, and Blogger to see what the rest of the world thinks. There was also the 12'x12' grain shed. Either way, the coop will be raised off the ground, so chickens can hang out under it.
Click here to take survey
The new coop will get a prototype automatic chicken door I'm working on. The new coop will get a 5 gallon feeder and a 5 gallon waterer. It will be equipped with a live coop cam, which will be dialed up with a website. Though I can't imagine much more boring than watching the chickens all day, it will be fun and nice to check up on them anytime from anywhere.
Click here to take survey
Click here to take survey
In case you didn't figure it out, take the 5 seconds and click on one of the many survey links, to let us know which coop is the best. And don't worry, I won't tell the wife what everyone thinks to prove her wrong, unless everybody likes my idea best.
Click here to take survey
I am going to try something new. Because it is such a conflict, I am going to put the survey out to youtube, and Blogger to see what the rest of the world thinks. There was also the 12'x12' grain shed. Either way, the coop will be raised off the ground, so chickens can hang out under it.
Click here to take survey
The new coop will get a prototype automatic chicken door I'm working on. The new coop will get a 5 gallon feeder and a 5 gallon waterer. It will be equipped with a live coop cam, which will be dialed up with a website. Though I can't imagine much more boring than watching the chickens all day, it will be fun and nice to check up on them anytime from anywhere.
Click here to take survey
Click here to take survey
In case you didn't figure it out, take the 5 seconds and click on one of the many survey links, to let us know which coop is the best. And don't worry, I won't tell the wife what everyone thinks to prove her wrong, unless everybody likes my idea best.
Click here to take survey
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Update pictures
Picture is of Michelle holding some of the spinich and letus out of our garden. We had an amazing harvest this year, because there was so much rain and all.
-Next week, I will do the carbon fiber, and wood arrow vs the VW video. The shop says their carbon fiber arrows will go through a car. Nobody sells wood arrows any more, I think they are quite suitable for target practice, but curious how they will hold up against the vw.
I found a used compound bow on Kijiji. I really like it, turns out it was hand made, its all wood, with some hand painted camouflage on the front. Shops say its not worth anything, but I think I got a great deal at $60. Its not as fast as newer bows, coming in at under 200' per second. I am happy about that because they tell me you have to use the "triggers" with the new fast bows. I kinda like shooting with 2 fingers, and find the triggers irritating. I did buy Michelle a trigger, so she doesn't need to strain her delicate little fingers. I will try and get a video of the trigger next week, cause I don't expect anyone to know what it is.
Its been crazy hazy smokey out here the last 3 days, totally weird, apparently from BC fires. Supposed to clear up today. It amazed me how it doesn't really get in the "drafty" house. Its quite apperent when you walk outside, that the air is much better in the house.
Michelle got a hamster, not really sure why. Gus is determined to eat it. I want to catch a mouse to give him some company. Maybe we can bread some miceters?
For a chicken coop I was going to get a cute little garden shed with a barn style roof, about 7'x7' but it was old, osb, hard to move, needed insulation, a new roof, a window, siding, and all the stuff any chicken coop was going to need. The cost was $300, about the same as the new materials to build the same shed. The day I went to pick it up, a trailer came up, for $50, same as the one we left in mexico. I love having the chickens on wheels. Michelle hates the insulated well windowed camper chicken coop. So ultimately I will likely tow it to the dump, have em knock the camper off and then spend lots of money and time building a "cute" chicken coop on the trailer frame, next fall.
I got excited hearing about video security cameras, the other day. I made the decision then and there to get into installing them. The technology advances so quickly, and at this point I have no idea what I am doing, but you can buy little wireless cameras, the size of a bullet. You can call them up on your Iphone, pan them around from your phone, even talk through your camera from your iphone. I am ordering a couple of cheap cameras from Hongkong, just to figure out the video interface, then I'll find a supplier in AB. I really want to do the 24 hour surveillance of my street, you won't believe the stuff that drives by.
Monday, August 16, 2010
I brought my old bow back from Victoria, been having fun with it. I went to buy a bow string, and they told me to go buy another $60 bow, and I will have my string. That doesn't sit well with my anti-consumerism attitude. Sure enough there is a video on youtube, how to make bow strings. Then my old bow is weak, so I started looking at stronger ones. But I think I will make a bigger bow, for fun. I already have like 2 life times of projects, whats another one. I did start making arrows. You can really only buy expensive carbon fiber arrows now, and get this... If I ever get a high power hunting bow, I have to have the more expensive carbon fiber arrows rated for they high power or they will shatter, and go through your fore arm. Wood doesn't do that :) plus cost of making my own, $1 each, compared to $6 each for "cheap" carbon fiber arrows.
Funny thing was, I asked if my carbon fiber arrows would shatter if they hit a tree. He said "no, they will go rite into a car, and not shatter". That was my first target, the VW door. Having NEVER shot the bow before, I missed the door, and hit the car window, which shattered my arrow, and not the window, may have been a different outcome with a more powerful bow. I will try a wood arrow on the window, when they are done.
I installed ceiling fans in just about every room in the house lately. My office is going to get 2 ceiling fans. It has been so so hot, and 10 deg hotter than Victoria. But I did just notice on my weather app, that Victoria was 10 deg warmer this weekend.
The chickens are huge. 12 pound roosters! Those barbecue chickens you buy for $7, are one pound. So they need a bigger house. I am looking for an old grainery shed to make into a chicken house. Otherwise I will build a 4x8 coop, on wheels, a trailer.
The old CRT TV from Victoria worked out great. Michelle feels more at home w a big old TV.
Here is a video of the rooster trying to get out of the chicken coop. Roosters have about 3 pounds on the chickens, and don't fit through the door. I have since opened the door up for them. But you have to understand how much they love french fries. They would come running from anywhere for cooked potato.
Funny thing was, I asked if my carbon fiber arrows would shatter if they hit a tree. He said "no, they will go rite into a car, and not shatter". That was my first target, the VW door. Having NEVER shot the bow before, I missed the door, and hit the car window, which shattered my arrow, and not the window, may have been a different outcome with a more powerful bow. I will try a wood arrow on the window, when they are done.
I installed ceiling fans in just about every room in the house lately. My office is going to get 2 ceiling fans. It has been so so hot, and 10 deg hotter than Victoria. But I did just notice on my weather app, that Victoria was 10 deg warmer this weekend.
The chickens are huge. 12 pound roosters! Those barbecue chickens you buy for $7, are one pound. So they need a bigger house. I am looking for an old grainery shed to make into a chicken house. Otherwise I will build a 4x8 coop, on wheels, a trailer.
The old CRT TV from Victoria worked out great. Michelle feels more at home w a big old TV.
Here is a video of the rooster trying to get out of the chicken coop. Roosters have about 3 pounds on the chickens, and don't fit through the door. I have since opened the door up for them. But you have to understand how much they love french fries. They would come running from anywhere for cooked potato.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Sweet Pot Belly Coal Stove
My high roller Toro (name brand) hydrostatic lawn tractor, has been undercutting the lawn with one side of the deck. It made the lawn look terrible. I was thinking I had a bent blade, no. Thought I bent some deck lifting control arm, no. The spare tire I put on the front of the tractor, was just the tiniest bit smaller than the original. The spare had a tube, so I just popped the tube out and put it in the Toro wheel, problem solved.
Work has been a little more fun lately. One house demo, moving a modular home in. Here I scored the pot belly wood stove that I have been looking for, for my shop. It was really interesting to me to hear the woman accept that "it can't be fixed", "it needs new grates, and you can't buy them". Are you kidding me? The stove already had a hand made grate in it I see, as I took it apart, obviously there when she got it. And sure enough it had 2 broken grates, but an easy fix.
Then another estimate I did late last night. I got hooked up with bank repossessions. This is not only great work, sure money, but they accept offers if I like a place, and they r all cheap. So this Condo I looked at was awesome. In the owners defense, there really isn't any way of wiring ceiling fans and extra lights without destroying the drywall. So the whole place has lumex house wire run on the surface of the ceiling, to surface mounted octagon boxes, for 3 ceiling fans, and a couple of light fixtures, a sub panel, feeding most likely grow lights that are long since gone. They had some interesting tie ins to the toilet vent, and the bathroom fan. But my fav was the "to do" list on the wall, and the "days sober", looked like over 30 hash marks for sober days. I put in kind of a high quote for that job, but its the 15th floor, down town parking, far from any suppliers, and I have to cover myself there. Even though its only a half day of work, it could easily turn into another half day if they want me to come out for something unexpected.
Did I mention that I went to Honda, and they were willing to fix the factory recall in the Camshaft, from 1983, on my Shadow? But their records stated that my bike was fixed in 1984. And I sort of noticed that the top end knocking has stopped, since I have been riding the bike around lots. Sort like the free van, if you watch the first video, "how I got the free van" the thing had a nasty tick in the video, thats gone now. Then yesterday I got a letter from Ford They wanted me to bring my Windstar in to have the shift computer fixed. It definitely had shifting issues, that made me hate automatics more than Ford. But I see maybe it was a Ford issue. That Van is long gone, they should have found me sooner.
Here is a quick vid of the SWEET pot belly coal stove
Work has been a little more fun lately. One house demo, moving a modular home in. Here I scored the pot belly wood stove that I have been looking for, for my shop. It was really interesting to me to hear the woman accept that "it can't be fixed", "it needs new grates, and you can't buy them". Are you kidding me? The stove already had a hand made grate in it I see, as I took it apart, obviously there when she got it. And sure enough it had 2 broken grates, but an easy fix.
Then another estimate I did late last night. I got hooked up with bank repossessions. This is not only great work, sure money, but they accept offers if I like a place, and they r all cheap. So this Condo I looked at was awesome. In the owners defense, there really isn't any way of wiring ceiling fans and extra lights without destroying the drywall. So the whole place has lumex house wire run on the surface of the ceiling, to surface mounted octagon boxes, for 3 ceiling fans, and a couple of light fixtures, a sub panel, feeding most likely grow lights that are long since gone. They had some interesting tie ins to the toilet vent, and the bathroom fan. But my fav was the "to do" list on the wall, and the "days sober", looked like over 30 hash marks for sober days. I put in kind of a high quote for that job, but its the 15th floor, down town parking, far from any suppliers, and I have to cover myself there. Even though its only a half day of work, it could easily turn into another half day if they want me to come out for something unexpected.
Did I mention that I went to Honda, and they were willing to fix the factory recall in the Camshaft, from 1983, on my Shadow? But their records stated that my bike was fixed in 1984. And I sort of noticed that the top end knocking has stopped, since I have been riding the bike around lots. Sort like the free van, if you watch the first video, "how I got the free van" the thing had a nasty tick in the video, thats gone now. Then yesterday I got a letter from Ford They wanted me to bring my Windstar in to have the shift computer fixed. It definitely had shifting issues, that made me hate automatics more than Ford. But I see maybe it was a Ford issue. That Van is long gone, they should have found me sooner.
Here is a quick vid of the SWEET pot belly coal stove
Sunday, August 8, 2010
1920 Cat Vid
I am back on fence construction, since Gus has found a way out of the crappy old fence. I was going to take the roosters back yesterday, but its a bit of a drive, and I didn't bother. Then I was glad I didn't get any new chickens, because they were crossing into the neighbors field wile I was working on the fence. All I had to do is yell "chickens" and they come running back. They think I am going to give them some french fries. As they were pestering me all day for some potato, one of the roosters got under my fence boards as I painted, and got covered in white paint. Maybe I am committed to the roosters now. But chasing chickens in the neighbors big open field wouldn't be any fun.
I have been noticing on my new weather app, that it is pretty consistently 10 deg c hotter in Andrew, than in Victoria, BC, over the summer. This summer we have gotten a lot of rain in Andrew, the grass is still very green.
Here is a quick vid o my neighbors 1920 cat. He is trying to construct a crazy mechanical hand crank, so he can start it without hand cranking.
I have been noticing on my new weather app, that it is pretty consistently 10 deg c hotter in Andrew, than in Victoria, BC, over the summer. This summer we have gotten a lot of rain in Andrew, the grass is still very green.
Here is a quick vid o my neighbors 1920 cat. He is trying to construct a crazy mechanical hand crank, so he can start it without hand cranking.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Neighbors
Weird, my neighbor, Metro, from the back came over yesterday. He is the one that made the great but useless home made tractor. He has to be 90. Metro was looking for a transmission to make a gear reduction to start his 1920 2ton Cat Dozer. He is fed up with the hand crank. I went over there to see if I could offer up any help. Since I last saw Metro he made himself a metal lathe. He made it last winter. I love seeing that stuff.
Metro also has a camper the same as the one we left in Mexico, that he will never use again. I had talked to him about buying it before, but his 90 year old mind doesn't remember me at all. He wanted a ridiculous $3000 for it, but I bet if I go over there, hang out, help him crank his ol Cat, I can talk him out of it for less than $1000
I will go over there w my Iphone and get some video of the metal lathe and tractor. My phone had just died yesterday. I can see how the iphone could last several days on a charge, but I use it so much, it hasn't lasted a full day yet. I did order 4 more chargers from china, for $0.99 - $2 each. All won on ebay auctions. One by the bed for the alarmclock app, one in the car, computer bag, office, and I'm good. Then I also ordered a couple of $0.99 cases and bumpers, so I can switch it up a little. Plus I think china will be faster than apples "8 weeks to delivery" on their free bumper app.
I have got a steady stream of work coming in since I got home. I am thinking of getting into some hot tub repairing for the fall, just for something new, to keep it interesting. Hot tubs seem troublesome to a lot of people.
Here is a vid of my attempting to cut a grove for 100' plus of heated floor wire to fit in. My idea worked but not very well. Double click it to see the full size so you can read the print and all, double clicking the video will pop it out.
Metro also has a camper the same as the one we left in Mexico, that he will never use again. I had talked to him about buying it before, but his 90 year old mind doesn't remember me at all. He wanted a ridiculous $3000 for it, but I bet if I go over there, hang out, help him crank his ol Cat, I can talk him out of it for less than $1000
I will go over there w my Iphone and get some video of the metal lathe and tractor. My phone had just died yesterday. I can see how the iphone could last several days on a charge, but I use it so much, it hasn't lasted a full day yet. I did order 4 more chargers from china, for $0.99 - $2 each. All won on ebay auctions. One by the bed for the alarmclock app, one in the car, computer bag, office, and I'm good. Then I also ordered a couple of $0.99 cases and bumpers, so I can switch it up a little. Plus I think china will be faster than apples "8 weeks to delivery" on their free bumper app.
I have got a steady stream of work coming in since I got home. I am thinking of getting into some hot tub repairing for the fall, just for something new, to keep it interesting. Hot tubs seem troublesome to a lot of people.
Here is a vid of my attempting to cut a grove for 100' plus of heated floor wire to fit in. My idea worked but not very well. Double click it to see the full size so you can read the print and all, double clicking the video will pop it out.
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