What are you doing today?

[Alice B]

how about a secret kill switch? no never mind, they can't pick my truck up but 2 big guys could probably lift the trike

 

[GaryE]

It's a Sunday morning on a Canadian long weekend, and I just realized that for the first time in I don't know how long, the day is 100% to be decided. I don't have a single looming deadline for freelance work, not an appointment or meeting, not a family event, not a plan. I don't even have to water the veggie garden, as it's raining like I should be putting the fish in pairs and waiting for Noah to bring a boat around. It's all wet seagulls and dripping trees.

I'll head for the fishroom when this strong, rich dark roasted Mexican coffee is done, crank up the music out there, and re-imagine some tank set ups. I've been toying with a very old technology and building old school undergravel filters for my shallow tanks. I've developed a taste for tanks where the plants emerge above the surface. Yesterday, while battling off hordes of deer flies, I kayaked along a favourite river looking at the plant growth. It got me thinking about where I'd caught some of my fish last summer. Some of the harder to breed species seem to need shallow habitats, and the stand pipe for an undergravel can be shorter than any other filter I have access to.

I bred some very delicate species in UG filtered tanks when they were still a thing, and I know they could be very effective. So today, I think I'll build one for a 3 foot tank that has been working badly.

 

[Boundava]

So today I'm going to finalize the 120 to get ready for the a. crassipinnis. Just means finishing the decor.
Also have some errands to do and some things to do around the house. Nothing too fun.

 

[Oldspartan]

Been a bit interesting... I've been doing a little research for the best locks for my new electric trike. Learning some things that I had never considered. For instance a chain link lock is better than a braided cable as the chain takes two cuts while the cable only takes one. Also it seems to be that you should have more than just one lock. And the type of lock is important in more than just chain versus cable.

Actually theft of these things are a pretty big business. I can probably have less concern being in a small town but the theft of these things is rampant in larger cities such as Chicago and warm southern states. Even being in a small town does not mean that the trike won't need protection as anywhere that has people is likely to have a thief. A small town just means that the number is likely lower. Shoot, it is known that thieves on these things actually carry battery powered angle grinders to cut through locks.

I will probably go with a U-Lock to bind a rear wheel to the frame and a pretty heavy chain lock. Not sure if I'll buy an actual bike chain lock or make my own by going to Home Depot and getting some fairly heavy chain and a Master Lock. If I do it myself I'd also get some soft plastic tubing to run the chain through to protect the bike frame from getting damaged by a naked chain.

Bottom line is that there is not a lock made that a thief can't bust. The real goal is to make take as long as possible. For instance the U-Lock I mentioned would be an alloy steel core with a ceramic outer layer. I don't mean the type of ceramic that ends up as clay pots. This type is actually harder than steel and is, in fact, used in metal cutting industries and is much more harder to get a grinder to go through.

My friend had a holster made at the local leather shop. It fits his battery and he simply takes it with him when he parks. He also locks the rear wheel with a case hardened steel lock. Case hardened steel is difficult to cut with anything less than an industrial grinder.

 

[jaylach]

Off and on assembling my new electric trike which showed up a day early.

Actually the ads for the thing lied in saying it has a 20 MPH top speed. Turns out that that is just the factory preset. It turns out it can be adjusted to a top speed of 28 MPH but I don't know if I'll bother. Don't really know that I need the extra speed and I'm sure it would lessen battery life.

Just about have it assembled, just have to mount the rear fenders which mount on the rear basket. I think it is going to be easier to take the basket back off to attach the fenders then put the basket back on as an assembled component.

 

[jaylach]

Oh, I had posted, I believe, about getting a key lock for the electronics but no need as one is already on the trike.

 

[jaylach]

Had to take it out! Almost killed myself and almost ran into cars in my parking lot but I like it. I just need to get used to it. I had my problems due to trying to ride it like a bike but, being a trike, can’t do that. Have to get used to riding it like a car. I DID manage to go down the road about a ¼ mile and turn around in a parking lot and got back home. Mayhaps tomorrow I'll take it to the walking path in the nature reserve to practice. The path is concrete and wide enough to allow for minor goofs.

Close fit but I was also able to get it in and out of my apartment without folding the frame. It will be much easier with the frame folded but I wanted to try getting it in and out full frame without folding and it worked.

This beast is REALLY cool! Pardon all the packaging stuff around but here it is in my apartment. Looks like it takes my whole apartment but it is fully unfolded. Folded the length is a lot less. Still need to mount the back fenders but here it is...

 

[WhistlingBadger]

Had to take it out! Almost killed myself and almost ran into cars in my parking lot but I like it. I just need to get used to it. I had my problems due to trying to ride it like a bike but, being a trike, can’t do that. Have to get used to riding it like a car. I DID manage to go down the road about a ¼ mile and turn around in a parking lot and got back home. Mayhaps tomorrow I'll take it to the walking path in the nature reserve to practice. The path is concrete and wide enough to allow for minor goofs.

Close fit but I was also able to get it in and out of my apartment without folding the frame. It will be much easier with the frame folded but I wanted to try getting it in and out full frame without folding and it worked.

This beast is REALLY cool! Pardon all the packaging stuff around but here it is in my apartment. Looks like it takes my whole apartment but it is fully unfolded. Folded the length is a lot less. Still need to mount the back fenders but here it is...
View attachment 344493

Sweet ride, man. Needs some flame decals and a skull handlebar ornament.

 

[jaylach]

Sweet ride, man. Needs some flame decals and a skull handlebar ornament.

Sigh I have some Harley stickers I pretty much have to put on that a member on my computer help forums sent me. He has become an on-line friend and donates $100.00 every year to help with my hosting costs. I'll put on a few stickers but it isn't something I would do on my own. It isn't about the money he donates to my sites but more that he has become a friend and I don't want to disappoint him...

 

[gwand]

We are having the first perfect weather day in a long time. The sky is blue, there is a gentle breeze, the temperature is about 75° and the birds abound. I am taking a long walk with my puppy listening to the mass in B minor by Bach. What an addition to an already lovely day

 

[jaylach]

Contacted the Amazon seller this morning to try to get a manual for the e-trike I bought as none was included. All there is a Q-code to scan to get the manual and, since I don't use a cell phone or tablet I couldn't scan the Q-code. About 90 minutes after sending the request I had a PDF of the manual, not bad service.

 

[Essjay]

I've been making covers for my husband's hifi speakers. He doesn't like them getting dusty, hence the covers. We bought the fabric weeks ago but it took until two days ago for him to help me create the pattern.

These speakers are not nice rectangular boxes. The tops are rectangular as are the fronts and backs but the sides are rhombuses. I needed someone to hold the pattern making paper so I could draw round the sides to get the angles right. And of course he chose fabric which frays if I so much as look at it let alone cut it It took me ages to pick up all the bits from the carpet. The first is almost finished - the bottom isn't hemmed yet as I want to make the second so I can get them both the same length.

 

[Fishmanic]

I'm having a molar tooth pulled today. Not looking forward to it.

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[Oldspartan]

I'm having a molar tooth pulled today. Not looking forward to it.

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Ouch

 

[Fishmanic]

Well tooth has been extracted and I'm still alive