What did you do today?


new2woodwrk

Recommended Posts

What, no one has used a rock from the campsite to carve their own hardwood fire piston, and fueled it with freshly-plucked nose hair as tinder?  :lol:

Personally, I carry a lighter when I go to the bush. But to really hone your survival skills, one should really practice making fire from whatever is lying around, once in a while. Never know when you might be stuck in an unscripted version of "Naked and Afraid"!

  • Haha 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yesterday, I rode around to check on the old houses I look after.  The Cypress shingle roof is starting to look like the old ones, after five years.   No damage anywhere, other than a bunch of limbs down.  This one had a big limb down one chimney, with a bunch of green leaves on it. It looked like there was a tree growing in the chimney. I'm not sure if you can see it in the picture, or not.

Operable shutters are a real comfort during strong storms.

 

IMG_2807.jpg

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I spent the day from 9 to 2:30 getting my wife's electric car towed to BMW. 

We'd been getting some intermittent error messages for a few days so last Friday I made an appointment for today, Monday.  So my wife goes to take the car in at 9, but now it won't switch on all the way to drive mode.  In fact the instrument pod looks like it's trying out for that scene in Apollo 13 right after the explosion where everything that can light up or alarm is lighting up and alarming.  It's the brakes, it's the collision avoidance system, it's the tires, the battery is discharged, it's the drive train, stop driving as soon as possible, restart not possible.  None of which is making any sense, particularly the discharged battery which shows full.  Just the same I try to put the car back on the charger, but it won't connect.  Check the breakers, cycle the charger, etc., etc.  After an hour or so of troubleshooting and phone calls to the dealer I conclude it's dead and needs a tow. 

Great, it's parked in a side loading garage at the end of a long drive, so before I call AAA I want to see about pushing it out of the garage.  Hmmm, I can't get it to shift into neutral.  Multiple tries.  Consult the manual, which literally says that if the electrial system is faulty you may not be able be shift into neutral.  Call to BMW confirms they actually designed and built a car that can't be pushed if dead, not even out of harm's way.  And at this point it's totally dead, the dash display isn't even blthering anymore.  

Called AAA and explained the predicament.  They send out a flatbed truck as per the BMW owner's manual.  But the truck can't negotiate the turn of the drive and in any case the tow company feels that dragging the car is likely to damage it.  So they dispatch a second truck, the kind with a lifting "fork".  Takes more time, but he arrives and in about 30 minutes is able to get a dolly under the front wheels and the back end up on the hook.  Some jockeying back and forth and he's brought the car around the turn and we're leaving for BMW about 1.  Get there do paperwork, get a loaner, and I'm finally back home at 2:30 ready to start the day.  

The dealer called at 4 to say that the problem was not in the drive train batteries, but the 12 volt accessory battery.  "You mean all this was over a car battery?"  "Well it's not an ordinary battery, it is special, in fact it takes a few days to order, and then the vehicle has to be reprogramed, so all up this will be $778".  

So all in all "a day".  I'm looking forward to a drink.  

  • Confused 3
  • Sad 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The unfortunate price we pay for modern convenience and technology. When it fails, rarely is it "just a little", or inexpensive to repair. Not just electics, either. With my first pickup, anything short of a major internal breakdown could be fixed with a tool kit that fit in my hip pocket, and knowledge gained in high school automechanics class. Now, I carry jumper cables and a tire plug kit. Anything more than that is going to require a tow.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Not today, but recently had two house project plans crushed by Covid era pricing. One project was quoted 2-3x what we were expecting and the other (larger one) was 1.7x. Looks like I’ll be doing some framing/construction work in the near future. To permit or not to permit...

  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Mark J said:

Somethings just don't need to be as complicated as they have become.  Thanks for the commiseration, but I actually intended for that to be seen as a funny story.  

I did get a chuckle out of your situation (with sympathies, of course). Talk about having first world problems :rolleyes:

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, JohnG said:

Not today, but recently had two house project plans crushed by Covid era pricing. One project was quoted 2-3x what we were expecting and the other (larger one) was 1.7x. Looks like I’ll be doing some framing/construction work in the near future. To permit or not to permit...

I can't believe the pricing on products right now. I just spent $30 on paper towels for what used to be maybe $20. I saw 2x4s are up 3-4x here.

I'm already planning on what I will pick up used over the winter or spring. We need some bikes and I wouldn't mind a patio heater once everyone who bought them start unloading them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, drzaius said:

Talk about having first world problems :rolleyes:

Yeah, I'm not even too bent out of shape about the money for the special battery.  You had to see that comming when you first wrote a check to BMW.  

But selling a car that cannot be put in neutral when disabled, well that should be a crime.  :)

  • Thanks 1
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 hours ago, Mark J said:

Somethings just don't need to be as complicated as they have become.  Thanks for the commiseration, but I actually intended for that to be seen as a funny story.  

I got a good chuckle out of the neutral part. I drive a manual transmission every day so the thought of not being able to put my vehicle in neutral and move it is humorous. I take advantage of that aspect of manuals often. My garage is sloped just right so that If i need to move my vehicle out i just throw the stick to neutral.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, legenddc said:

I can't believe the pricing on products right now. I just spent $30 on paper towels for what used to be maybe $20.

It's caused me to become more miserly in how I use paper towel and... ah... other paper products generally sold in rolls.  I have found I can do quite well with less.  

Interesting times.  Just imagine the PhD theses that are going to be written.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Mark J said:

Yeah, I'm not even too bent out of shape about the money for the special battery.  You had to see that comming when you first wrote a check to BMW.  

But selling a car that cannot be put in neutral when disabled, well that should be a crime.  :)

Hope it never stalls on a RR crossing! :o

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Chestnut said:

I got a good chuckle out of the neutral part. I drive a manual transmission every day so the thought of not being able to put my vehicle in neutral and move it is humorous. I take advantage of that aspect of manuals often. My garage is sloped just right so that If i need to move my vehicle out i just throw the stick to neutral.

Yeah but who wants to use a key in 2020 :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Who's Online   1 Member, 0 Anonymous, 36 Guests (See full list)

  • Forum Statistics

    31.2k
    Total Topics
    421.8k
    Total Posts
  • Member Statistics

    23,759
    Total Members
    3,644
    Most Online
    R Parekh
    Newest Member
    R Parekh
    Joined