How'd it go today?

[Al Smith]

I had to unclog by mother's bath tub drain yesterday.While I was there I took home a chest of my father's machinests tools that had been in the attic for over 50 years.

It was interesting ,my dad's journeyman card was in the top drawer,would you believe 1941.He was 21 at the time.

Some of the tools were actually made by my great grandfather,Fred Smith who worked for Thomas Edison. Another interesting thing was a set of Starrett 1" to 2" micrometers that the old boy purchsed in England before he took the boat ride over.With them in my hot little hands they have passed through 4 generations and are still as accurate as the day they were made some time in the 1890's.

 

[vharrison]

Wow Al, that is cool.

 

[Frans]

Wow Al, that is cool.

Sure is Al. A bit of living history. Make sure you dont lose that card!

 

[Chisel Tooth]

That's really neat, Al is there anyway to get a pic posted so we can see them?

 

[SkwerI]

Neat stuff, Al. At one time I was hoping to eventually get some of my grandfather's old tools (he worked at Pratt & Whitney in Glastonbury, Connecticut), but they aren't around any more. What my father didn't sell with his service station got lost a few years ago when his lawn service shop burned down.

Frans, I feel your pain, brother. As a freelance we don't always have a lot of choices when picking our ground crew. Since over 90% of the local tree guys are dishonest crooks, drug addicts, hacks and/or just lousy businessmen, it doesn't leave a lot of choices for clients. Many times I have to choose between closing my eyes, holding my nose and working for scum or else staying home and not working at all. I do my best to pass along good working knowledge and info whenever I can, but many of them simply don't care.

 

[MasterBlaster]

I have my father's drill and skillsaw. They're solid steel and at least 40 years old.

 

[SkwerI]

I got a call this morning asking if I could go take down a '20 minute pine'. I agreed and went over to the shop where my truck is getting worked on in order to get my gear. While I was getting my stuff, the mechanic told me I had 4-5 bad fuel injectors on the truck. I spoke with the service manager and he's getting a full set of 8 new (remanufactured) fuel injectors overnighted from Ohio at a cost of $110 each plus shipping charges. With labor ($80 per hour) and a few other parts and various charges, I'm looking at another $2500 in this damn truck. I'm really starting to wish I was dumping money into a truck less than 19 years old.

Anyway, I went on to the pine removal job. I showed up and the tree was in the front yard, had been dead for waaaay too long, was leaning over the front door and was about 28"-30" diameter. But it was sound enough to climb (sorta) so I knocked it out in about 20 minutes and collected a few $$$ for the day.

 

[Stumper]

My Dad had a few tools stolen 3-4 years ago. Probably not $200 in replacement cost but he was most angered and grieved (so am I ) by the theft of my Grandfather's pruning loppers. Superb quality loppers that were used by 3 generations of tree care professionals and some punklet stole them and either pawned 'em for 2 dollars or threw them in the bushes to rust and ruin. Thieves should be hung by the genitals until dead.

Brian, Those truck expenses hurt...but you should be about set to run it for several more years.

 

[Frans]

he's getting a full set of 8 new (remanufactured) fuel injectors overnighted from Ohio at a cost of $110 each plus shipping charges.

Hummm, not hard at all to replace fuel injectors. I bet you could easily halve that per unit price by buying on-line

 

[Stumper]

Frans-thta is nothing to sneeze at but there is something to be said for just letting a pro do his thing...we like it when customers let us determine needed materials and pay us to get things done.

 

[sawinredneck]

My day started off so well to!! 1:30am, getting kicked in the head by a three year old "Wan some choclat milk!!", "No, you can have some water!" That went on until 3, when my alarm went off.
Work, well, it was crazy again!!! My boss and I both came in at 4 and took out the old saw and move the new one in place. Ran around trying to help the setup guys and do my part for the install so they wouldn't be waiting on us.
Got ready to leave, here comes the boss on the golf cart "Hope on, we've got two saws down!!" YAY!!! It's 12:15 now. finally got out of there at 2pm. I've been fighting this flue crap that wont go away, it was all I could do not to leave at 7am, I am really beat!!!
Went to buy some OJ today, talk about a racket!!! $4.75 a gallon!!!!! Brian, you need to buy an orchard I'm telling you!!!!

 

[Paul B]

4.75 a gallon? We pay about 3.69 for half that.

 

[sawinredneck]

4.75 a gallon? We pay about 3.69 for half that.

Do you get a kiss with that? Or at least a small jar of vaseline?

 

[Paul B]

nope, just 2 liters of not from concentrate florida OJ. with a kid on the way I am starting to pay attention to some of the stuff in the store that we dont normally consume which I expect junior to consume, OJ has crept back into our fridge of late.

 

[sawinredneck]

Wait until you are buying milk buy the gallons like we are!!! But milk will seem cheap after the formula
Diapers, the diaper geni, the changing table, the crib, the playpen, the bassonet, the wipes, the wipes warmer, bottles, bottles and more bottles, the bottle warmer........

Oh Grasshopper, you'd better just hang on and shut up in a while!!!!!!

 

[Paul B]

we are currently making the order list up for any baby showers that occur, I am hoping for the sweet diaper genie I saw at babies r us a few weeks ago.
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2437622

 

[MasterBlaster]

I'm having my last meal until sometimes thursday. Lordy! Imma gunna be hongry!

 

[sawinredneck]

I'm having my last meal until sometimes thursday. Lordy! Imma gunna be hongry!

More tests Butch?

 

[SkwerI]

Just hope you get a doctor with small hands, Butch.

 

[sawinredneck]

we are currently making the order list up for any baby showers that occur, I am hoping for the sweet diaper genie I saw at babies r us a few weeks ago.
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2437622

It's too small Paul!!! Trust me on this!!! You will be emptying that one three times a day in a flash!!!

 

[MasterBlaster]

It's the scope I'm hoping that's small.

 

[Paul B]

Sawinredneck:
hm, the ones I saw all seemed about the same size, holds 30 diapers or so. is there a bigger unit? Does Binford make one?

 

[squisher]

It's the scope I'm hoping that's small.

I refer to it as the roto-rooter, sorry I figure I can joke around a bit seeing how I've been violated as well.

 

[SkwerI]

Paul, upon reading the reviews of the product you linked, I found it rather interesting that all of the negative reviews had lots of grammar and spelling mistakes. If that makes me elitist or judgemental then so be it.

 

[Paul B]

the ignorant apparently shall remain so. Spelling is something I have been pretty good at and I can spot little errors that other people browse over, my wife likes it (not) when I read a book and point out spelling errors I find. I am sure the fact that I read tons of books whilest growing up that helped. My friends that 'hated reading' are the same ones that still have limited vocab and can't spell worth a poop. Their loss.