Good morning

[meanstreak]

Good morning. I hope the best for those that are sickly and their loved ones. These are definitely strange times we are living in. I keep doing my best imitation of ground hog day and am pretty happy with it for now.

You all have a great day and stay safe.

 

[CaddmannQ]

Good morning Mossberg Owners

Well no news on my brother-in-law. That probably means he made it through the night.

I spent most of yesterday building a chain tensioner from an old derailleur. I was amazed that it actually worked on the first try.



I literally ripped the bracket from around this bushing that I needed.


I spun it In the drill press, to remove the outer flange with a file, and pressed it into this Shimano adapter bracket.

I drilled that little hole for the torsion spring to hook in.

Here it is on the bench.







This could use some improvements, particularly in the styling department, but as a prototype it works OK.

 

[Ernst]

A very early good morning everyone. I found this picture online the other day and after staring at it forever I wondered what tales the many objects in the picture have experienced and the stories they could tell. Every once in a while you see something that you would almost give anything to have. For me this is one. Everytime I look at it I find a new object of interest.

Enjoy and tell me what you think.

Regards

 

[Bobster]

Everytime I look at it I find a new object of interest.

I'd like to know the title of the books. Lately, reading paper is VERY underrated...

 

[CaddmannQ]

Good morning Mossberg Owners.

Well my brother-in-law went through some stress tests in the hospital and survived them and they sent him home.

Indigestion, heartburn, angina, nobody knows what really happened, but when those things get bad enough you can die from it when your condition is old and weak.

His mental condition is poor after the last stroke, and he is not taking well to all of the action. He was definitely happy to go home.

I don’t blame him either. I sure as hell wouldn’t wanna die at Kaiser.

Let me die at home surrounded by things that I’ve collected my whole life, and people I love, instead of in some institution like a lab rat.

It’s a beautiful day here in California and I went to go take advantage of it this morning and ride around on my bike.

Later I’m gonna take the motorcycle and go see a retired friend who just turned 65 and is now officially a senior citizen.

I’ve been griping about the arthritis and my fingers from all this bench work; but this poor fellow’s got pounds of titanium and over a dozen screws holding him together, so I can’t imagine what his bones feel like.

He had some accidents racing motocross as a kid and then he got run over by a pallet jack at work couple years ago. Back in 1976 We were dragging drums and amplifiers around to various bars, playing country western music.

Nowadays he sits home at the loading bench making ammunition & we go fishing on random occasions. I think it’s time to go blow off some of that ammunition.

You all have a great day now!

 

[Ernst]

Last week after exhaustive lab tests, I had my annual visit with my doctor, who said I was doing fairly well for my age.

A little concerned about that comment, I couldn't resist asking him, 'Do you think I'll live to be 85?'
Note: At my age I tend to only focus on short term goals.

He ask: 'Do you smoke tobacco, or drink beer, wine or hard liquor?'
'Oh no, other than an occasional single malt scotch' I replied. 'I'm not doing drugs either!'

Then he asked, 'Do you eat rib-eye steaks and barbecued ribs?'
'I said, 'Not much... My former doctor said that all red meat is very unhealthy!'

'Do you spend a lot of time in the sun, like playing golf, boating, sailing, hiking, or bicycling?'
'No, I don't,' I said.

He asked, 'Do you gamble, drive fast cars, or have a lot of sex?'
'No,' I said.........

He looked at me and said, 'Then, why do you even give a shit?

Well, guess I should quit buying green bananas!

 

[MikeD]

Good Morning MO's!!

I feel like I've hit a small turning point in my life. I have always loved working cars, atv's etc. I just like tinkering. Well my truck broke down last week, blew a trans cooler line. After several days of laying under my truck trying to remove then install the new lines I realized that I'm over it and no longer enjoy doing this type of work. For the first time I wish I had just paid to have the work done. That I am doing this purely becuse I'm cheap rather than actually enjoying the work. The truck has been sitting there for over a week and I have to force myself to work on it and finish the job.

A short time back my daily driver died. I kept it going for 450k miles and probably could keep it going to 500+ but I'm just not motivated to do major work in this on either.

 

[Bobster]

Well, guess I should quit buying green bananas!

A banana a day keeps the doctor away... I eat a slightly green banana every day, usually on the smaller side. They are reasonably priced, about $.25 each. They are more starchy and fibrous when green, although more bitter and harder to peel...

 

[Bobster]

I have always loved working cars, atv's etc...I kept it going for 450k miles and probably could keep it going to 500+ but I'm just not motivated to do major work in this on either.

I've always been mechanically-inclined. Bicycles, then mini-bikes, then motorcycles, then cars, trucks and boats. Fixed up many shitbox cars when young, drove until they wouldn't pass vehicle inspection. I enjoyed it so much I made a career out of repairing cars but eventually became disillusioned with the auto repair industry. Was also in auto sales (too honest) and management (too nice). I still enjoy flipping an occasional car but not lately as there is no money to be made. I currently maintain a family "fleet" of 5 vehicles, 4 of which are VW and stickshift. I have a VW-specific scan tool (VCDS) and many specialty tool sets so I can work on them easier.

As I become more vintage, the prospect of major work on any of the fleet becomes undesirable. I have a car with over $500 of maintenance items waiting to be installed (timing belt, w-pump, t-stat, etc.)--I've had the parts sitting on the shelf about a year now... The reason I don't sublet the work is that I have a trust issue with "mechanics" out there nowadays--most are complete hacks with no attention to detail. My kids have learned it is better to work on their cars themselves than to be inconvenienced and have to endure a shoddy repair.

Example: about 6 months ago I had a couple cheap tires mounted/balanced that I bought online from WM. I bought a set and had used 2 previously and this was the other 2. Since they were bought from WM, they have a "deal" on mount/balance. Dropped my spare wheels off so they could mount at their leisure, wheels are cleaned and ready for stick-on weights. I get there to pick them up and apparently wasn't charged for the balance so the guy says "just take them". OK, they had new weights on them so I'm OK with a free balance--I spend too much at WM as it is... I get them on my car and the first time on the highway they are vibrating over 60mph---FARK! I can't bring them back for a re-balance not that I would want to, but I still have to take the time to bring them somewhere to have it done. I actually had my own tire balancer for a few years, but it just took up too much room for too little value...

 

[CaddmannQ]

. . . . I have always loved working cars, atv's etc. I just like tinkering. Well my truck broke down last week, blew a trans cooler line. After several days of laying under my truck trying to remove then install the new lines I realized that I'm over it and no longer enjoy doing this type of work. . . . .

As I get older I choose my battles more wisely.
Rebuild a hobby car? No huge prob.

Major diddling with my daily driver: big prob.

Some jobs I must hire out,and some I hire because I just don't want to struggle.
(I hired guys to polish my bike.)

In general I consider that:
Trucks are heavy work.
Cars are easier than trucks.
Motorcycles are easier than cars.
Bicycles . . . easier yet.
The skateboard. (only 14 bolts.)
And finally, The scooter . . .
Just 3 bolts.
____________________
Oh yeah, the Mossberg?
Too Easy.

 

[MikeD]

In general I consider that:
Trucks are heavy work.

Yes, and mine is a 1 ton so everything is bigger and heavier.

 

[CaddmannQ]

Even when I was 20, I appreciated the fact that bigger guys than me made good truck mechanics.

I was building Volkswagens.

 

[meanstreak]

Good morning all. The triple digits are almost a thing of the past. Now maybe one or two days a week. This morning we had a very pleasant 67 to start the day.

Have a great day and be safe.

 

[CaddmannQ]

Good morning Mossberg Owners.

The weather has turned milder here as well and we are in the high 90s now; but we will usually have a serious burst of 100s in mid-August. What with climate change, who knows? We might actually get more rain!

(Oh, I can dream, can’t I?)

There was a podcast that I wanted to listen to this morning and I rode my bicycle until it was over. By that time I had done almost 9 miles. That comes to 12 mph average over about 45 minutes.

I spotted a couple kiddie bikes being tossed out and I snagged them.

Modern Chinese bicycles use a weird nut that is 3/8-26 TPI. Maybe that originally came from a Schwinn, because Giant bicycles (of China) bought out the Schwinn rights about 1986.

Just for the record, the last Chicago Schwinn’s were made in 1985 but parts and tooling was shipped overseas and they continue to be made in Taiwan for a while. I only think that lasted a few years before it all went to China.

If it has rusty American looking screws holding the Schwinn badge to the head stock, it’s a Chicago bike. Rivets indicate Asian manufacture. Later bikes just have double-sided tape holding a flimsy aluminum badge.

So, it was worth it to grab those bicycles, just for those nuts, if nothing else. Now these wheels should make themselves useful in some way…

Y’all have a nice day, and get out to ride if the weather is good.

 

[CaddmannQ]

Good morning Mossberg Owners.

Is it gorgeous day here in Clovis and the weather promises to be slightly less than 100° and very close to 10% humidity. Drrry!

I picked up a couple more little kiddie bikes yesterday for parts. It’s amazingly hard to get parts.

I went to the local Schwinn dealer who also sells Elektra bicycles and I wanted to buy some Elektra bicycle axle nuts.

You can’t get them. I played 20 questions with him about parts availability on those bicycles and I believe one of the reasons they are so inexpensive, aside from being made in China, is that parts availability is almost Zero.

Any part you wanna buy for that bicycle is going to be an aftermarket part because there are no OEM parts available except on the used market.

We’re not talking about a 40 year old gun here. We’re talking about a bicycle that was built six months ago.

Anyhow, my point is, even though I don’t need these bicycles, I’m picking them up just for the nuts and axle bolts, which you cannot otherwise get.

Chinese axle nuts follow (I believe) the old Schwinn pattern, which is 3/8”–26 TPI.

Otherwise I have been busy trying to build a custom shifter for my bicycle that will allow me to use some parts I already have.

Also, I have to mention that when you look at children’s bicycles you will find out where they put the worlds worst welders.


I spent a lot of time waiting at the bicycle shop yesterday, and I was looking at the welding on various brands of bicycles. It’s amazing how much it varies from brand to brand, the design of the welds and the quality of the welds and the talent of the welders.

The mongo shrimp seems to have some excellent welding and I think it was all done by robots.


Have a nice day guys and remember that if a robot asks you to prove that you are a human, you are perfectly within your rights to make it prove that it is a robot.

 

[Ernst]

Thought for the Day

 

[meanstreak]

Good morning to each and every one of you. We are headed back home today. Today and tomorrow are forecast to be 102 and 104, then 81 on Wednesday. That will be nice, albeit brief.

Have a great day.

 

[John A.]

Good morning men. My family seems to (*finally) start seeing the end of this covid junk. We're all feeling much better. Quarantine is over. Still a little congestion in my head, but much better than it has been.

I don't want to jinx myself, and tempt fate, but I've had worse colds. My wife had it set up into pnuemonia though. It's going to take her much longer to get over it. But, her oxygen levels aren't bottoming out anymore with the slightest movements and today is her last day of antibiotics. She's able to cough a lot of it up, so that's great to be able to get rid of it.

 

[MikeD]

@John A.

Glat you are feeling better. My coworker that got it several weeks back is still hacking away

Anyone ever mess around with blowguns? Picked onee up just to play with and its pretty nice. Impressive power at short range. I got the Cold Steel 48" Big Bore model

 

[John A.]

I do still have a cough. I expect that I'll probably have it for a couple of weeks yet.

I have gotten my sense of taste back. And my throat isn't sore/hurting anymore. And my sinus congestion is a lot better now too.

So, I think I'm on the mend.