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fm2176

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Posts posted by fm2176

  1. Interesting concept.  As I've transitioned from my military career into private retail, I've often thought of getting a more stable post-retirement job.  I get my 40 hours, but the schedule might find me working any of the seven days between 7 AM and 10 PM.  The Gregorian calendar is somewhat flawed, but it's what many of us grew up with.  Having a more symmetric calendar, with common sense weeks and particularly work schedules would be nice.  I also like the concept of having a designated holiday period at the end of the year, when many Westerners celebrate their religious holiday (Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, etc.) and the New Year.  

     

    Having my background, though, I will say that the work schedule would only work for white-collar and maybe some blue-collar jobs.  As a former mechanic, I would be on call one week a month to work at Philip Morris in case of an equipment issue.  Being a road tech, with a take-home vehicle, the company had substantial investment in me, and would be unable to afford to hire two three-day employees and outfit us with the necessary equipment.  Monday through Friday, 0730-1600, was typical for our fleet of some 15 trucks, so we'd either have to share trucks or the company would have to double the fleet.  Later, in the military, and especially as a Drill Sergeant, I learned that 168 hours in a week is not enough.  Early in each cycle, I'd find myself working 0300-2200 daily, before grabbing some plain McDoubles for me and the Lab and getting a few hours of rest.  Some weeks I'd average 17 hours a day for seven days straight.  Twenty-four-hour duty was a break of sorts, as we'd do our 24 hours, then go home and get 18-21 hours off.  

     

    I'll definitely keep monitoring this and provide feedback and input.  I think it would be difficult to establish a new calendar, but if it garners enough support, your Altanic calendar has a lot of good concepts that could make life easier for many of us.

    • Like 2
  2. On 1/29/2024 at 1:08 PM, Eric - TIA said:

    All I know is that you have one of the best collections I have seen.  I am jelous.

     

    Well, it keeps growing for some reason.  I pulled my transfer records a couple of days ago, and in 15 months of working here, I've bought 21 guns.  Right now, I need to stop buying, pay off a little debt, and then get another vehicle.  But, if something is the right price or unique enough, I'm calling it for myself and doing paperwork ASAP! 😄

  3. 17 minutes ago, Jronman said:

    I don't know what premium tool brands Walmart carries but I have seen they carry Little Giant ladders which is one of the better ladder brands. Seems like a lot of the tools are more value focused.

    They are more value focused.  Their "premium" brand is Hart, made of course by TTI.

     

     

  4. I got another cheap shotgun, a Tristar Cobra in 12 gauge for my son.  It was around $80 out the door, so despite it being a Tristar, I think I got a deal.  Besides, it's a pump gun.  I wouldn't necessarily trust any of the cheaper Turkish semi-autos (Tristar, Citadel, etc.), but so long as it goes through the cycles of function, you can generally force it to feed, chamber, and fire.  I have no idea if the extractor is up to snuff... that could be a problem.  

     

    A couple of weeks ago I was back to work after the previous day's 4-H, where I let my daughter shoot her P22Q.  That worked less than stellar, though I think it was her grip.  We each dumped a mag into the burn pit when we got home, and it worked fine.  Regardless, she shoots the loaner Ruger Mark IIIs great, so I might buy her a Mark IV, or if she takes it serious enough and want to try for the Nationals, a Volquartsen Black Mamba.  I was itching to buy something, then I stumbled across this practical monstrosity in the Vault: Mossberg 464 SPX.

     

    The thing takes some getting used to, but it met one key criteria for me: it's a .30-30.  My Winchester 94 .30-30 was stolen over 11 years ago now, leaving me with only the 94 in .45 Colt.  Since retiring, I've added the aforementioned 1892 and a .22 LR Rossi Rio Bravo lever gun, and I think one of my Dad's old guns is a single shot lever action 12 gauge.  Anyway, I figured that for under $400, I'd give the Mossberg a new home.  To be extra funny, I bought a iProtec RM230LSG.  I've got one of the red versions for other weapon's systems, and like having some illumination.  The laser is an afterthought, but probably not too impractical for a short-range cartridge like the .30-30.

     

    As for "practical monstrosity", this is one of those guns that traditional gun owners quickly look away from in fear of being overtaken by some evil force.  It's a "tactical lever gun", only if you look beyond the AR-style furniture, it makes some sense.  As the above article mentions, it's pretty practical for the modern hunter.  Why risk taking granddad's old pre-'64 Model 94 into the swamps when you can take this plastic furniture and all?  It's relatively inexpensive, seems rugged, and has some good sights and mounting options.  All told, I think it's a decent addition to the safes.

  5. I haven't been on much of a buying spree lately but have gradually gotten some gunsmithing tools.  Nothing fancy... I need to finish the cleanup/downsizing and figure out where I want my gunsmithing and reloading stations to go.  Speaking of which, reloading tools are on the short list.

     

    Oddly enough, I've moved on from the Big Box home improvement stores to Walmart as my tool Mecca.  Not really, but I do wander down the tool aisle now after scoring some deals.  The local Home Depot is close to my work, while the Lowes is across the river.  Walmart is less than four miles away and a regular stop these days.  They have a habit of marking stuff down by 50%, so I got a pick set for cheap that was missing one, and then saw that a lady restocking the clearance aisle had a heavy Hart mechanics tool set on her cart.  The handle had broken off, all tools were present and unblemished, and it was marked down from $130 to $65, so I took it.  About a week later an employee came up to me with a 36" prybar that was missing it's packaging for 50% off.  I guess he recognized me as the local weirdo that buys tool deals?  I don't know...

  6. On 10/30/2023 at 1:00 PM, Jronman said:

    I decided to order the new EGO commercial 17.5 inch string trimmer STX4500 and the commercial articulating hedge trimmer HTX5300-PA. I got $20 off but still pricey. The place I buy replacement parts had them in stock. I have been waiting for them for over a year. Next spring I will probably pickup the commercial edger and if it is out maybe the commercial PGX charging setup.

     

    Sounds nice.  I have no need for EGO's commercial equipment, and the only thing I really use nowadays is the string trimmer.  The Bad Boy mower handles the acre fine, but that trimmer does an excellent job.  To be honest, though, if/when that craps out, I'll look into a professional gas trimmer.  I like the instant start of the EGO, though, so I may consider replacing it.  It should have years more given its relatively light use.

     

    It's hard to believe it's been nearly six years since I got my EGO tools.  At least one of the 5Ah batteries is on its last legs--it started showing signs a few years back.  I have no hedges, rarely use the backpack blower, and the push mower sees use once or twice a year in the little enclosed area I have for my dogs.  So, the cost of replacement batteries may do in my little experiment with battery powered OPE.  It was great in Northern Virginia, with relatively close neighbors and a smallish 1/4-acre lot.  South Louisiana is much less friendly.  Using the trimmer in the sun mid-summer, the battery heats up like crazy.  

     

    Bass Pro Shops/Cabelas now carries a couple of EGO saws: Search Results (basspro.com).  Employees get 15% off of national brands, with 25% off a few times throughout the year, so if I need a fresh battery, I may go that route despite them being only 2.5Ah.  It makes sense, I guess, to offer hunters a relatively quick and quiet way to clear out a shooting lane or do some pre-season cleanup.  The stores I've checked all show "Limited Stock", meaning one available, and I know the ones we have are in the overhead in the back, so you may have to order online, but if anyone has BPS/Cabelas gift cards they have no use for and needs a chainsaw and/or pole saw, there you go!

  7. On 12/30/2023 at 10:06 AM, Altan said:

     

    Mechanics power tools like wrenches, polisher and ratchets  or mechanics hand tools?! Old Craftsman hand tools are not comparable with DeWALT or Milwaukee's which are now mainly produced in Taiwan or China. They were the lowest quality of USA made of the time (at that time USA made was quality, now maybe 50% less, but still better than Taiwanese made and Taiwanese made better than Chinese made)    

     

    Perhaps I shouldn't have stated "easily as good".  A more accurate thing to state about Milwaukee and DeWalt's mechanics tools (namely ratchets, sockets, and wrenches) is that they are the closest approximation that can be found.  They are fairly ergonomic, well-polished, and can be relatively easily found at places like Tractor Supply and Home Depot.  

     

    The classic raised panel "Made in USA" Craftsman wrenches were rugged and could take a lot of abuse.  If I had to break out a 4-lb hammer to help convince a nut to turn, you could bet it was a Craftsman wrench getting beaten, while the Snap-On tools rested safely in the box.  The warranty was excellent back when you could just walk into a store and replace an individual wrench or ratchet.  Some stores were less scrupulous than others, though, and there were a few times where I walked in with a single broken punch and was given an entire set to replace it, or a raised panel rachet was out-of-stock, so a polished round head ratchet was given in exchange.  Later, they started rebuilding the ratchets, so it was possible that you might take a fairly new tool in and get a beat up 30-year-old tool back with new internals.

     

     

    • Like 1
  8. In the US, I'd [mostly] agree that both Bostitch and Porter Cable are dead in the water.  The exceptions being pneumatic fastening tools for the former and standalone or bench tools for the latter.  Bostitch, like Stanley FatMax, cordless tools were store exclusives over here.  You could get Bostitch 18v tools at Walmart or their incompatible 20v nailers and staplers at Lowe's.  I believe Walmart briefly carried the FatMax cordless tools, which were later found at Costco.   

     

    Porter Cable was a much more ingrained brand when it came to both corded and cordless tools.  Their 18v system seemed to have potential but came at the wrong time, and when they introduced the 20v Max system, they had already lost their place in the SBD hierarchy.  When Craftsman was acquired, the death knoll for PC was all but sounded.  

     

    As for mechanics tools, I'd say that both DeWalt and Milwaukee have decent ones that are easily as good as what the Craftsman Professional line used to offer, minus the "Made in the USA" thing, if that matters to those outside of America.  I have some of each, and they are ergonomic, well-polished, and simply work.

  9. Home Depot has the Klein Electrician's Leveling Kit for $6 and change, down from over $24.  So, 75% off of a magnetic torpedo level and folding lockback utility knife.  These tools are made in China, but the Husky brand lockback knife by itself was on a sidecap for over $8, so I think it's a good deal.  I bought the last three at my store and already gave away two, with plans to keep the remaining one.

  10. What are your opinions?  I noticed that Bing has AI search results, my Edge browser updated this morning, closing the 20 or so tabs I had open, and AI imagery is all over.  Heck, I've been accused of being AI in YouTube comments 🤓 due to my long-winded and semi-researched responses.

     

    Hope all is well with everyone as we enter the holiday season.

     

     

  11. I have the DHS780.  It is a bulky saw and more or less a cordless version of the popular DWS780.  Bulk and weight aside, you'll see the corded DeWalt saws on jobsides all over the US.  

     

    As production costs continue to rise, I suspect we'll see fewer and fewer tools made in the US and Europe.  I know there's a rabid fanbase for domestically produced products, and I suspect (but don't know, as I haven't been to Europe for years) that many Europeans are just glad to have anything produced in an EU country. 

  12. Frying is fast (about 3.5 minutes a pound at 350 degrees) and with injectable marinades and a good coating of Tony Chachere's it's all but foolproof.  I'll try my hand at smoking one alongside a fried turkey here in a week or two.  Should be good.  Might have to pick up a store-brand meat slicer with my 50% discount while I'm at it for post-Thanksgiving lunches.

    • Like 1
  13. All this turkey talk has me thinking about our upcoming holiday.  I have the Big Easy oilless turkey fryer...in storage hundreds of miles away.  So, given my employee discount, it's a no-brainer to buy another turkey fryer this year and fry one or three.  I may try my hand at smoking one and frying another.  Six or more mouths to feed, plus three dogs and a cat, and 30 pounds of turkey will disappear quick.  

     

    I've found that any slow and low method just requires steady basting and such.  Injectable marinades help out a lot, and it's a trick to keep steady heat when you're opening the grill every 30-60 minutes, but the end result is usually pretty good.  The chickens I smoked/roasted were flipped over for about 15 minutes halfway through to soak up some of the butter and drippings.  

  14. Despite not having time to brine them, I smoked/roasted a couple of whole chickens on the pellet grill last night.  A little cheap beer to keep them moist, half a stick of butter on each, and one got the Chicka Licka Bam Bam while the other got Onion Butter seasoning, both from Fire and Smoke Society.  Speaking of that company, I've got their Potato Slayer seasoning too.  I'm definitely a fan of their products, though I've used to primarily use Old Bay, Tony Chachere's, or Slap Ya Mama.

    • Like 1
  15. They look interesting, but I'm curious as to exactly how much of a market is left for yet another modular storage system.  I'm not in the trades anymore, but during my forklift road tech days, it would have been great having just about any of these.  I used to hand carry in a toolbox and make multiple trips out to the truck if I needed something other than basic screwdrivers, adjustable wrenches, sockets, and multimeter.  I like the concept of a first aid kit, as I was always cutting or burning myself somehow or another (e.g., cutting off a load wheel support on an electric pallet jack, smelling burning flesh, and seeing my pants were on fire from a piece of slag).  Something like this system would have allowed me to have carried more tools inside whichever large warehouse I was dispatched to, organize my small parts (like contacts and motor brushes) by truck series (Crown RC5000, etc.) in separate boxes to grab and go as needed, and wheel everything to the piece of equipment.  Some places, like Hewlitt-Packard, had a warehouse we could drive into, with a dedicated tech working full-time on site, so if I was dispatched to provide a little extra help it wasn't an issue.  Other places, like Supervalu (formerly Richfood) and Walmart distribution centers, required me to park well outside of the warehouses and check in through security, while still other places let me back up to a loading dock and work out of the back of my truck.

     

    I need to get my current modular storage organized; before landing my retail job I was looking at applying to be an "In-Store Hybrid Field Technician", or whatever they're calling the position now.  Had I done so, or if I decide to apply for that job or a similar position in the future, modular storage will be my go-to.  Admittedly, though, if working for Home Depot, I'd be sure to use the brands they sell.

    • Like 1
  16. I've nearly won the internet, with 2/5ths of the kids fully on-board with guns and the oldest acknowledging that she could use one in her high-crime apartment complex (she's getting the aforementioned Stevens shotgun for home defense).  My 15-year-old starts shooting with 4-H later this month, and my sister's kid, whom I've temporarily taken custody of, is interested in shooting despite her insisting that he's scared of guns (he's only four and has a lot of growing to do to become a man...wait, am I allowed to say that in 2023?).  

     

    I found that the training facility I took my NRA Range Safety Officer courses at offers a combined training package called the "Sentinel Program" for $1150.  I'm thinking about enrolling myself and the 15-year-old in it before long, as it's self-paced and we can complete it at our leisure.  The NRA Instructor courses and other certifications can come later.

  17. Tonight's Blackstone night...

     

    After a few months of neglect, I've cleaned and reseasoned the griddle, and tonight only the finest Great Value brand bacon and sausage will taint its surface, along with eggs, pancakes, and who knows what else.

     

    With my freshly cleaned back patio area, coupled with cooler weather down this way, the fall cooking season is about to begin in earnest.  Hard to believe it's already nearly time to look at peanut oil and turkey fryers (again).  I think that this year I'll repeat my 2014 trailer park cooking adventure for Thanksgiving, where the entire meal was cooked outside.  Thinking fried turkey, ham, green bean casserole, corn pudding, pies, and a bunch of other stuff.  Time to check the status of my injectable marinades when I get home!

  18. The price of these modular boxes has skyrocketed, but the Husky looks promising.  Do I buy some of these?  Maybe the Flex?  Or just stay content with my disorganized Packout, TS 1.0 and 2.0, Ridgid, VersaStak, and TradeStak systems?  The practical side of me says I need to organize what I have.  The impulse "gotta have 'em all" sadist in me says to just buy and eventually do a torture test or beat them all to heck.

     

    Back to prices...I got at least two of my Ridgid combos when they were $99, and I think at least one of the ToughSystem 1.0 combos for the same price (or $129, I forget).  Of course, TS was marketed as a higher-end system, but DeWalt wisely chose to release the DS450 roller box to compete with Ridgid.  Packout changed the game a bit, forcing DeWalt's hand in redesigning the TS to accommodate bags and half-width boxes and accessories.  

     

    I like having a choice and--one day--will get my stuff organized, but for the money, I've gotten more use and abused out of the Ridgid Pro modular system than I have anything else.

  19. Looks interesting.  I wonder how many people are willing to go out and buy the "latest and greatest" just because it exists.  Having been a mechanic, it wasn't uncommon to see my peers continually trade up because Snap-On, Matco, or Mac came out with a new toolbox that had that little bit extra.  Of course, with modular boxes we're talking low hundreds as opposed to 4-5 figures for a roller cab setup, but I'm sure there are some who would buy into a TS 3.0 (if real) regardless of how many other boxes they have.  

    • Like 1
  20. I finally started using the pellet smoker, and have to admit, it's all but dummy proof and makes me wish I'd have gotten one sooner.  I did a couple of racks of ribs last Thursday, followed by a 20-pound brisket on Friday.  Both turned out excellent.  Monday was Italian sausage and roasted peppers.  

     

    The grill assembled a lot easier than I thought it would.  The last few grills I assembled came in flat boxes requiring every panel to be bolted together.  This one was mostly assembled, just requiring the legs and interior parts to be assembled.

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