so waht ya doin today?

L Ross

Well-Known Member
We use the cheeks to test when the oil is hot enough, then consume as appetizer, while frying the rest. I even take the cheeks off Stripers. Never scaled a fish, always skinned them.

Were I to smoke fish, the skin would be left on.............only head and entrails removed. Cindy has a friend that smokes a lot of fish. She spear fishes Bull Shoals Lake...........twin to Norfork Lake. Bull Shoals is not noted as a Striper fishery, as is Norfork. Cindy and I are out fishing and catching too many Stripers. We call Diana, from the lake, asks if she wants any Stripers. She will drive over to our place and pick them up to smoke. She does them whole. Benefit of smoking Stripers is you don't need to remove all the red flesh meat, like I do for frying/baking.
When I smoke fish I leave the skin a scales on. When they are done the skin peels off like cellophane. I then scrape the red stuff off only now it is an unappetizing grey. That stuff still tastes fishy and off to me. But it comes off so easily it's not much of an issue.
 

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
Probably 90% of our seasonal catch is Stripers. Other 10% being walleye, small & largemouth bass. I remove all the red flesh from the Stripers, Cindy fries or grills it up, to add to Bella's kibble. She loves it.
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
We use the cheeks to test when the oil is hot enough, then consume as appetizer, while frying the rest. I even take the cheeks off Stripers. Never scaled a fish, always skinned them.

Were I to smoke fish, the skin would be left on.............only head and entrails removed. Cindy has a friend that smokes a lot of fish. She spear fishes Bull Shoals Lake...........twin to Norfork Lake. Bull Shoals is not noted as a Striper fishery, as is Norfork. Cindy and I are out fishing and catching too many Stripers. We call Diana, from the lake, asks if she wants any Stripers. She will drive over to our place and pick them up to smoke. She does them whole. Benefit of smoking Stripers is you don't need to remove all the red flesh meat, like I do for frying/baking.
100%. When I plan on smoking ALWAYS with skin ON!!!! HUGE difference a d thats why mine was a little dry last night. But as I say, I didnt plan on smoking it when I cleaned it...
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
When I smoke fish I leave the skin a scales on. When they are done the skin peels off like cellophane. I then scrape the red stuff off only now it is an unappetizing grey. That stuff still tastes fishy and off to me. But it comes off so easily it's not much of an issue.
Also that blood line stays ON. YA JUST EAT AROUND it ifin it bothers ya!!
 

Glaciers

Alaska Land of the Midnight Sun
Well I’m a Milwaukee tool guy. I use the 18 volt battery tools and a lot of the corded tools. I have had better longevity and power the from other brands. This is not to say that other brands out there aren’t quality, but I simply went down the Milwaukee road probably because my Father was a Milwaukee fan.
But I have been using a B&D weed wacker which has been great. My only complaint is dragging the 100 foot cord all of creation. Plug in at the shop, the front of the house then the back. A bit of a pain. Saw some TV ads for battery powered Yard tools and that got me thinking, well better look into battery powered trimmers. Looked at a few think that would certainly make life easier. But I’d have to get a different brand from what I use already. So I looked for Milwaukee battery trimmer’s, but figured they would be 40 volt or some other voltage from the rest of my tools, chargers, and batteries I already own. Nice surprise 18 volt, comes with a battery and charger. Wish I could buy the tool with the battery but without the charger. Well just tossed the new charger into the pile of other new unused chargers as I have two constantly plugged in for charging.
Boy, that trimmer works great. Good purchase.
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
I really like Milwaukee's 18-Volt cordless tools. Two weeks ago, I came oh so close to buying their cordless string trimmer, to replace another brand that had its battery go weird. E-mailed the company asking what it meant when the charged battery measures 18-Volts, but its charge level indicator lights keep flashing and the trimmer doesn't work. There was no reply for over a week. Hmmm, not a good sign. Then a new battery magically showed up. All's well for now.

A Milwaukee 18-Volt reciprocating saw is on the wish list, too.
 

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
Use to use a corded B&D string trimmer when I lived in the city. Cord wasn't a problem. Need it for the edger too. No lawn, per se in Arkansas. I have a Echo string trimmer I purchased from a dedicated Lawnmower dealer, when I moved here. Only thing I've had to replace is the bottom part of the string head.............wears out almost yearly from all the rocks in Rock-in-saw. It get 50-1 sober gas. Starts up without issue........... leave treated gas in it all year round. Hasn't needed a spark plug, yet. Mostly, used on my UTV trails, where I can't use the mower.
 

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
Milwaukee battery drills were given to all tradesmen, when I worked at the GM Building, in the early 2000's. Tool crib stocked spare batteries and chargers. They were nothing special, IMO. Didn't last more than a couple years of moderate use. They also furnished Milwaukee corded drill motors with 1/2" drive. Reciprocating saws were Super Sawzall's. I still have the Sawzall. My battery one is a Dewalt as well as my drill and impact driver.

I have an old B&D lithium ion drill motor I use in the reloading shop. It's still going strong after at least ten years. I use it primarily for cleaning primer pockets.
 

Rick

Moderator
Staff member
I've got a couple of areas to steep for a gas engine with a splash oil system, went through two engines (about 2 years each) and broke down and bought an 80v rear wheel drive Kobalt mower. Starting into it's third year now and no problems. I don't mow nearly the whole place with it, just the steep parts and a few places too small to get the zero turn into, I only charge the battery after every third mowing and it's still at half charge. A corded weed whacker is out of the question, would need 400-500 feet of extension cord :eek: so I use an Echo like John's. Sober gas only in any and all of my outdoor equipment.
 

Jeff H

NW Ohio
Well durn it, the rabbits ate off my second attempt ar sunflower plants... ill try once more before I make rabbit pie..
.......................

CW

YESTERDAY, first day of summer, was FULL-ON SUMMER, at a couple degrees shy of 100F. THIS, just after having had to wear a coat in the evening to water flowers the last few days.

So, I "called off," hid inside. I've done my time in that weather, sweating in foxholes I'd just dug and in shipping containers in the high desert. I won't elaborate on that except to say that it wasn't a self-imposed masochistic endeavor, but a requirement for certain military credentialing. Someone else's turn now. I'm out.

In lieu of actual work around the place, I played with a concept dear to @Outpost75 's heart and started playing with the 800+ (I'd miscounted the first time) LEE TL358148WCs in t he "garden-pest" bracket of pressure/velocity from the 18" carbine and 3" revolver - 357s, of course. This is something I've messed with extensively over the years, mainly in the 357s, but in the 38, 30/30, 222, 7.62x39 too. The 357s (and 38s) just seem to be especially adaptable to this role.

Somewhere in the past, I'd read the term "Partizan Hand-loading," and have applied that concept to casting as well, the idea being to be able to shoot, even under dire circumstances, by making do and using minimal components and tooling. I'll spare you the vast amount of detail, but I put these together cheaply (safely) and without a lot of tooling.

I've not goofed off like that in a long while and had a great time loading and shooting all of 20 rounds, which worked out to be dirt-cheap, but highly effective "lettuce-protectors" (that's bunnies, @CWLONGSHOT ;)) for my main revolver/carbine combo. I only shot at ten yards, but that's right about the length of shots I usually get, but I do intend to shoot at 25 and 50 some time soon. Maybe today I'll work my load down (from "light 38 Special-level") to "cat-sneeze"-level. I usually use 180s or 190s for that, but am having fun with this new 148 gr. WC.

Very enjoyable and rewarding expenditure of an otherwise miserable day.

While I'm on a run here, regarding positive thoughts, the humidity yesterday was unusually low for that kind of heat here, so it was HOT, but it wasn't the oppressive WET-HOT that envelopes you and suffocates you, even in the shade.

OH! Also built a camp fire for the first time in two years (the old flint and steel still works) and my Missus sat by it with me as we ate our supper and watched the stars. Heck of a good day, even in spite of the weather.
 

Bret4207

At the casting bench in the sky. RIP Bret.
Sheesh! Well, summer is surely here. I was wearing a wool coat and gloves a couple days back. Today I moved some fence and had to come in an take a heat break! Humid as all get out and just under 90F, hot for here. Rain scheduled for the afternoon.

Have to go look at a home my oldest girl and SWMBO are looking at. Kinda steams me that with the vast numbers of multi-generational welfare mutts we have in taxpayer subsidized housing, a single, working mother with a 4.0 GPA in college that just got into the Master program is going to have to move out of her apt because she makes too much money as a part time student teacher. Wrong time to be buying a house of course, but what can you do? Quite a backwards system we've let develop here.
 

oscarflytyer

Well-Known Member
Is this finally your "forever" shop?

I moved a gun safe and a 20-ton hydraulic press into my shop recently, and this weekend should be moving in a second lathe. Hopefully I'll never have to move from this here Empire of Rusty Treasure because it would take an Army batallion to move all my crap.
Def NOT the forever shop. Just getting them all out of the old place where they were when bought the business and into our own shop. It is a make do to get up and running.
 

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
Just finished changing antifreeze and the radiator and heater hoses on the 72 Chevelle, before noon. Cindy's off (playing) kayaking for the day. I get to work. Such a deal! :sigh:


The last time it was driven, by Cindy, I noticed a pinhole leak in one of the heater hoses. Checking the maintenance schedule...........last changed in 2005. :eek: The odometer reads 53,350 miles. All driven by our household.

whooped-smallest.jpgWas 90 degrees with 50% humidity at noon. Little less degrees but a lot more humidity, when I was working in the garage. This is probably the last time I'll tackle this kind of project. Getting too damn old for this type of projects. Sure gonna feel it tomorrow.

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Finished, except for starting it up tomorrow and checking for leaks. Yellow Prestone antifreeze recovery jug is my custom addition...............don't want my dogs getting into any overflow. Didn't have them as standard equipment back then. Always was a big hit at the GM sponsored car shows.
 
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Snakeoil

Well-Known Member
Press move and in the new shop. Forklift move is tonight.
All those punch presses is impressive. What do you make?

There was a time at the GE Plant in Schenectady when big punch presses ran 7x24 making generator stackings and other stuff. The ground almost shook. There was not a quiet place outdoors. All gone now.
 

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
Those are small part presses. We use to stamp out crossmembers for GM front axles. Those presses were two stories high and literally shook the ground.
 

RBHarter

West Central AR
Been here ten years and my Honda self propelled is still finding rocks. The 25 year plus comercial Honda (cast aluminum deck), I brought with me from Michigan.................was converted over to a side discharge, unexpectedly from mowing rocks. o_O I have a newer model with a steel deck, now. Hydrostatic transmission, gave up the ghost, few years ago.
This one has 3 yr and a 3 yr extension warranty if it lasts that long then it's a break even on the cost . Over the "almost made it" and "popped a rod 3 weeks into the 2nd season" mowers we've been running the last few years .