so waht ya doin today?

[Joshua]

Two days later and I’m still walking a little bit funny. We only saw a doe and a fawn the whole day.

Pretty country though!

The steepest “Officially Maintained” by the National Forest Service trail I’ve ever been on. Also the poorest maintained, we stopped and turned back about halfway up the mountain side, the ridge that the trail runs up was covered by subalpine blow downs. Also we were super pooped and it was time to go home. Next year, we will scout before the High Buck season, plan on camping for a few days once we get up high, and just generally be better prepared.

And in other news, I went and stepped in another pile of project!
I go down tomorrow to pick up a M98 in 8mm that Bubba made into a deer rifle. It’s got an old Weaver 4F on it. I’ll see how it shoots as is, and then make some choices. This ugly duckling cost me $165 at auction.

 

[fiver]

I bet that cleans up just fine.

took the Bronco out hunting today instead of the 4 wheeler.
glad I did, I hit hail and snow at about 8500' then went up to about 9500' to a parking place me and Littlegirl hiked up to the Wyoming border from a few years back.
it looks like none [or very few] of the bow hunters are going up there, I don't know if I wanna go up that high to hunt though.
I dropped back down to one of the little canyons I like to bird hunt in, and got three Grouse out of there before it got cold and dark.
I shoulda known enough to load some 6's for the forest grouse in there but I didn't and had to let two different birds fly off at 35 yds. even though I had a clean shot at one and a so-so shot at the other.

there is so many service berry trees up there that the birds don't have to come off the ridges yet to feed and it's too damn thick and steep to go up after them.
think I will try my main canyon tomorrow or the day after, the cold weather we are having the next few days will maybe push some of them down making them a bit easier to get after.

 

[CZ93X62]

If there is a "problem" with the 8 x 57 cartridge, it is the same problem the 9mm Luger cartridge has--American ammo company loading levels. The 8 x57 has always been underloaded here, though some reloading manuals do carry data that give it full safe potential in JS-bore 8mm barrels (.323" groove dia.). It will keep right up with the 30-06 150 grain bullet velocities--in fact, the .30 1906 version of the 30-03 was intended to match the 1898 8 x 57 JS ballistics.

 

[L Ross]

I think I've settled on a St. Croix Triumph Med-Hvy/Fast 7' rod and because Mrs. smokeywolf absolutely adored her off-brand (might have been an Okuma) baitfeeder reel that was stolen, I'm replacing with a Shimano BTR6000D.
Not sure if I'm going overboard with a "Med-Hvy". Should I opt for the "Medium"?

How heavy depends on your targeted species. I think you earlier mentioned stripers of 18 lbs. med/heavy would be a good option. Judging from the size of the reel specified I think you are assembling a good combo.

 

[Bret4207]

Did I tell the chain saw story?

Last week, I needed to start my small 024 Stihl. Almost no compression, barely fired...but since it did fire, I knew it had spark.
After playing with it for an hour...trying all my tricks, Seafoam in gas, starting fluid in carb, starting fluid in cylinder...BTW the spark plug was extremely carboned up, I don't think anymore corbon could get in there. I "think" I have only swapped plugs one time in 20 years with this saw? This saw doesn't get the majority of use. I did try a new plug that day, no luck.

I get my "backup" 024 out (that I bought out of a junk pile and got it running 2 decades ago), I know it hadn't been started for 15 years, put fresh gas/mix and it fired right up and got my small logs cut. As I used it, I remembered it leaked gas and bar oil. Hairline crack in gas tank, rough finish on bar oil fill hole. That's why it's a backup and never gets used. I do recall setting it up with a safety chain, in case I ever had a friend want to borrow a saw. also that day, I made a couple slab cuts (rip) in the sugar maple log with crotch, dang that safety chain works well for that, I will bank that knowledge for future use.

Back to the 024 with little compression. I'm thinking it's junk. I tell the story above to all my friends. They all mentioned gas...we all know what gas to use, I said, LOL. My friend with the most experience with saws and engines asked about my use of the saw previous to last week. I told him I was slabbing a bunch of logs for turning on the lathe. He asked how long does it take to make the cut? I said about 4 or 5 minutes. He asked if I give the saw a break? I said, of course not. So he says, it's probably shot, you ran it too hard, too long, probably got too hot. BUT, he said, maybe, since the plug was so full of crud/carbon, maybe the ring was full of crud/carbon also, then the hot running cooked that crud and "stuck" the ring.

So, I take his advice of pouring some seafoam into the cylinder and let it sit overnight. Well dang, the next morning, the saw had good compression, I guess the ring became unstuck? I didn't try to start it, I just pulled the cord to check, as I didn't have time give it a good cleanup.

Sunday morning (3 days later), I remove the muffler, clean the muffler screen and inspect the cylinder/ring via the exhaust port as another buddy suggested. Dang, the piston and ring looked fine, no scratches and no carbon along the ring, or anything. After the cleanup, I put some fresh gas in, and it fired right up, ran as good as ever, maybe even better.

What works even better than Seafoam in this application is plain old ATF, any type, cut with some thinner- Acetone is okay, but not around plastic sometimes, so mineral spirits or diesel might be better if it's a newer Stihl with more plastic. Cleaning the saw is important. get the cooling fins and fan area (that's the flywheel) clean. And it's a fantastic idea to pull the muffler once or twice a year and clean the carbon out of the exhaust port. All it takes is a little carbon building on the edge to score a piston and jug.

If the plug is that carboned up, you are running it too rich. That can be either the mix or carb settings. You need to change carb setting to suit the weather/temps if you want to avoid that. It's often a case of 1/4 turn of a screw between 95F and -35F.

The cracked spare saw- good used tank assys aren't hard to find for a popular saw like that.

 

[Mitty38]

Not one for miracle snake oil stuff. But my bucket of genuine vice grips, Channel Locke's, Utica electrical snip set, and Stanley Proto Monkey wrenches. Got filled with water somehow. AT least 6 months ago and sat since.
So bought some VapoRust.
A lot of people swear by the stuff, by god and mother. So spent the 25 bucks, cried all the way home.
If it can save just 3 of my do not make em like that any more tools, then we'll worth it.Then I can dry my tears.LOL
Well the soak is on.

 

[Ian]

Soak, scrub with wire brush, rinse with water, soak some more. I think it's just a heavily-hyped weak hydrochloric acid (much weaker than muriatic) judging by the smell when it's working and how it feels on the skin. Anyway it works well enough that I spend money on it, in fact just last weekend I used it to rescue a Japanese mortise chisel, a medium pair of needle-nose Irwin vise-grips, and a rasp that had been together in a box when a mouse peed on them sometime over the winter.

 

[462]

Time to get away, but too hot (still) and smokey in the Sierra foothills, so we drove the motorhome all of the seven miles to the campgrounds adjacent to the world famous race track and the local range.

There was lots of noise coming from the police range and the Walter Mitty crowd on the track.

 

[bruce381]

Soak, scrub with wire brush, rinse with water, soak some more. I think it's just a heavily-hyped weak hydrochloric acid (much weaker than muriatic) judging by the smell when it's working and how it feels on the skin. Anyway it works well enough that I spend money on it, in fact just last weekend I used it to rescue a Japanese mortise chisel, a medium pair of needle-nose Irwin vise-grips, and a rasp that had been together in a box when a mouse peed on them sometime over the winter.

Its Glycolic acid as I remember

 

[Mitty38]

Well got 1 pair of needle nose pliers saved so far. So got them in a nitride blueing bath.
The other stuff is coming around, did a good scrub and wash. Now re soaking. Probably just going to blue them all, including the stuff with bare spots in the chrome. Then soak down with Rem oil when done.
No list of ingredients on the stuff must still be patient protected. It does work. Not magic but close enough.

 

[L Ross]

More seeding of the new trails. We noticed the borrowed seeder was putting out less and less seed as we went along. Came down by the shop to what could be done about it. Managed to get the sliders to open up almost all the way, but......Every device, tool, machine, should have to be used and maintained by the designers, engineers, bean counters, wholesalers, and retailers before being released on the unsuspecting public. What kind of a mouth breathing, half witted, flop eared. son of a jackalope puts slot headed screw head bolts in a seeder with the nuts in the tub and the screw heads in an inaccessible location? To really properly repair this unit it needs to be completely disassembled, cleaned, and lubricated. I got the sliders to open with the judicious use of a plastic headed hammer, but it is a half assed, temporary repair.

I repurposed the old utility room cabinets out on a pole shed by mounting them very securely on a wall where they will house all of my trolling gear, keeping them clean and relatively dust free.

Then when the work was done we drove the Olds to a local winery we favor and were stunned when the bill for a case of wine went up by 40 bucks! Came home and looked at their web site where all of the old prices are still posted. I believe we will require an explanation.

 

[Bret4207]

Sitting on the edge of my seat and drumming my fingers waiting for a response from a guy with a 14 1/2" South Bend lathe nearby. Why people put up ads and don't respond to inquiries baffles me! Hate that.

Finally got the majority of the lawn mowed. Some of the grass was a good 8" high. The old John Deere did the job pretty good. Also managed to remember to pick up a new fan belt for SWMBO Wrangler. Took me longer to figure out how the tension system worked than it did to change the belt. No more "squeaky-squeaky".

Gordy is tiptoeing around asking about the equipment next door. He's going to miss it. Oh well, better to learn life's lessons now I suppose.

5 days of rainy weather forecast. We have about enough hay, but I like to have what amounts to clearly an excess. Winter is usually a 7 month ordeal here, but it could start 6 weeks early or run 6 weeks late.

Updated an old hard hat welding helmet to an electronic lens. It's out of a cheapy "Weld It" helmet and isn't adjustable, but it works for stick. Also added the magnifiers that came with Gords new helmet kit. He doesn't need them but I sure do! Works slick.

Ian, I have several ancient files that just aren't made anymore soaking in solvent now. Been soaking for a good year actually. I need to clean them up and then soak in strong acid to chemically "sharpen" them.

 

[Glaciers]

Well I have hit my goal of weight loss. Not a big deal to anyone but me, but it’s a goal nonetheless. I started dieting on July 8th and as of this morning I have lost 32 pounds. Just tipped over into 174 pounds. It’s been 30 years since I’ve been at this weight.
Tried all kinds of diets over the years but I hate feeling hungry all the time. This diet was different, no starving feelings after the first week, lots of cravings, but even those desires lessened in short order.
Anyway I think I will set a new goal at 170, then maybe 165, but first a celebration with a pizza.

 

[popper]

Changed out the garage door opener yesterday plus a roll top desk for her computer. Today is recovery mode. Meds didn't help the back and knees much last nite

 

[JonB]

What works even better than Seafoam in this application is plain old ATF, any type, cut with some thinner- Acetone is okay, but not around plastic sometimes, so mineral spirits or diesel might be better if it's a newer Stihl with more plastic.

You are probably right. The local auto-talk guy on the radio (who advertises seafoam), says the regular seafoam contains about 1/3 high temp light petrol oil, 1/3 stoddard solvent (AKA: MS), 1/3 Isopropyl. and MSDS kind of backs that up.
So basically the same as ATF/MS, but with some isopropyl...which would likely do nothing to engine carbon.

 

[RBHarter]

Induced low speed idle ping to shatter carbon deposits one the valves or create fracture lines ...... In theory based on leaning mixture by adding more alcohol and oil sealing the cylinder . That's not really possible in modern autos but the effect is really obvious with a carb and a high idle ignition shut down going to WOT . IE flood stalling a gas engine that diesels from low octane fuel ....... We're old enough to have seen it .......

 

[JonB]

The cracked spare saw- good used tank assys aren't hard to find for a popular saw like that.

So I looked for tank assy's...plenty of them available, but not as cheap as I hoped...tough to spend $35 or more on a $50 saw.
BUT, I also found this. Anybody ever heard of the super glue baking soda trick?

 

[Bret4207]

Well I have hit my goal of weight loss. Not a big deal to anyone but me, but it’s a goal nonetheless. I started dieting on July 8th and as of this morning I have lost 32 pounds. Just tipped over into 174 pounds. It’s been 30 years since I’ve been at this weight.
Tried all kinds of diets over the years but I hate feeling hungry all the time. This diet was different, no starving feelings after the first week, lots of cravings, but even those desires lessened in short order.
Anyway I think I will set a new goal at 170, then maybe 165, but first a celebration with a pizza.

Good for you! Congratulations!

 

[462]

Yesterday's panoramic campsite view



0700 this morning

 

[Kevin Stenberg]

I misplaced one of my two pair of reading glasses 2 weeks ago. And i have been searching every nook and cranny of every building and room since the glasses vanished. Today on the way home from a Dr. visit, the wife turned to me and said "look what i just found" There in her hand were my glasses in a glass case, that just came out of her purse. AAAAHHHHAAAA I lost them!