RichC | December 7, 2015
After fastening aluminum angle to the floor and leveling the corner with sand, I packed and filled the base with brick to continue adding our old catalytic woodstove to the shop. Then it was time to start the dry-stack walls … until I ran out of spare brick. Thankfully the brick is available so should be […]
RichC | December 6, 2015
Slowly but surely I'm rebuilding the archives and associated linked images from my old back ups for MyDesultoryBlog. There may be a reason to keep things in multiple locations BUT it does make upgrading servers a bit more difficult. The long story is that through Consolidated Printing and Publishing, I have worked with the same […]
RichC | November 24, 2015
After cleaning out the garage workshop to prepare for my woodstove addition, I removed the drawing table/desk area that I added when I was building the Sonex airplane (no longer needed since selling my project). The desktop was almost a perfect fit for the corner area in my basement workshop so I put it in […]
RichC | November 21, 2015
What a duffus! I don’t want to admit, but I made a MAJOR airport security mistake on Friday morning … and am thankfully a free man to tell the tale. KUDOS to the much maligned Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for doing their job and doing it well. Neglectful Rich left an extended round full 9mm […]
RichC | November 16, 2015
Several of the homes in our neighborhood had some hail damage this summer … ours included. We had damage to the sky light area of our mud room and water has been seeping in when the wind is just right. Unfortunately our insurance would not pay the entire roof OR the entire repairs that we […]
RichC | November 15, 2015
I’m continuing to make progress on the woodstove project for my “man space” in the workshop/poolhouse. Since I’m overloaded with firewood, it will be great to be able to add a little heat to the workshop area when it is cold … and have a place to hangout where a man can keep his boots […]
RichC | November 12, 2015
Unfortunately distraction is way too normal for me … and while in the middle of cleaning out the garage/ workshop, I started working on a “man-corner” that I planned well before the term “man cave.” The initial goal was to clean up my variety of “junk” after finalizing Brenda’s mom and dad’s farmhouse … and […]
RichC | November 9, 2015
In November 2012, Salvador Alvarenga went fishing off the coast of Mexico. Two days later, a storm hit and he made a desperate SOS. It was the last anyone heard from him – for 438 days. This is his story Source: Lost at sea: the man who vanished for 14 months
RichC | November 5, 2015
RichC | November 2, 2015
This should have been a weekend working on autumn chores like raking leaves or closing the pool, but instead I tinkered around in the garage (and “on” the garage) on Saturday while the weather was “so-so” and then watched football on Sunday when the weather was nice. The excuse I'm using is that the Cincinnati […]
RichC | November 1, 2015
I don't recall why I used the phrase “pay through the nose” this past week, but this sounds about right … Instead of fighting the invaders, some English kings preferred to pay the Vikings to leave them in peace. These payments were called 'Danegeld' (meaning 'Dane debt' or Dane payment). The Vikings collected tribute in […]
RichC | October 20, 2015
Very ingenious …
RichC | October 17, 2015
We waited long enough in deciding what to do with our 20+ year old KitchenAid refrigerator as the cheap paint fix can only do so much in extending the life of our old refrigerator. We opted for the Samsung that I’ve been sitting on the fence about for over a year and realized that we […]
RichC | October 5, 2015
According to my records, we call October 5th Tootsie’s birthday … so Happy Birthday to “this man’s” best friend. It is possible to be off a few days when knowing a dogs birthday, but unfortunately I’ve had her age off for several years now – she is 17 (again)! Whoops … I added a […]
RichC | October 3, 2015
Wouldn’t you know … ours! On October 1, 2015 BSH Home Appliances Corporation, the manufacturer of Bosch® dishwashers, voluntarily agreed, in cooperation with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) and Health Canada to conduct a recall to replace the power cords on certain models of Bosch brand dishwashers. The Bosch brand dishwashers were manufactured […]
RichC | September 19, 2015
It’s probably being marveled by all things engineering that has me gravitating daily to the Interesting Engineering website and I probably browse longer than I should through the educational and “interesting” posts. Image Courtesy of Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat Architecture, skyscrapers and buildings around the world are a monumental undertakings and amazing […]
RichC | September 5, 2015
The origins of these idioms are interesting (even if untrue). I didn’t bother looking any of them up, just posted the saying from a forwarded email … although probably pulled from a magazine or an archived site? “In the old days,” a big kettle hung over the fire and was used to make a stew. […]
RichC | September 2, 2015
Let me start off that I have been abundantly blessed and thankfully to this point I haven’t faced the need for “therapy,” as the many versions of the below tee-shirt make light of. In my case was fortunate to be born to loving parents who emulated what it was to be a great mother and […]
RichC | September 1, 2015
Three small Ohio cities made Money Magazine’s list of Best Places to Live in 2015. Having lived in neighboring communities to Mason (currently Liberty Township) and both Solon and Twinsburg, Ohio (previously Hudson), I agree that both areas are great places to live and raise a family. Commonalities are that they are growing upscale small […]
RichC | August 27, 2015
In 2008 the TDIClub gifted me a VW travel thermos and I’ve used it everyday since then. I use it primarily an insulated water bottle, but it does did a great job with coffee too. It doesn’t sweat when things are cold and with just 2 ice cubes this little stainless steel Alfi Vacuum Bottle […]
RichC | July 26, 2015
How old is this utility lawn and garden trailer? If you haven't been reading along, it's 40 years old. Of course close inspection would indicated that their was rust, but all in all, my father-in-law's old trailer came back to life nicely … and the green is much more in keeping with our old John […]
RichC | July 26, 2015
One of the projects coming together this past weekend was the disassembly, wire-brushing the rust (a lot), and painting of my late father-in-law’s old red Jackson lawn trailer. As mentioned previously, it was about 40 years old, well used, and had quite a bit of rust. Nevertheless, it was well made with quality steel – […]
RichC | July 25, 2015
After spending a lifetime working on cars and 30 years dealing with printing press wash-up chemicals and hand scrubs, one would think I would know a little bit about cleaning my hands? Well I do know a “little bit” but still haven’t figured out how to clean dried paint off my hands (in particular Miracle […]
RichC | July 21, 2015
The weekend project is coming together in the back of the “new to me” low-mile 2002 Honda Odyssey minivan I bought for $3700 from my dad. I wanted a shelf/workbench that can serve a couple of purposes. It doubles the storage use of the area behind the rear seat and enables me to fold all […]
RichC | July 19, 2015
I “know better” than to wear shorts and non-leather shoes when welding … but with the shop temperatures in the 90’s I ignored the safety rules and ruined my pair of good Keen shoes. Thankfully, after burning through my sock (don’t normally even wear them) the hot slag didn’t seriously burn my toe, but did […]
RichC | July 16, 2015
IF … a big IF … I learn a little more about sail repair and “sewing,” I would like to have a few projects to practice on before wasting too much material (or time and money!) We still don’t have the proper sewing machine (perhaps a Sailrite?) BUT KNOW will not try using Brenda’s old […]
RichC | July 12, 2015
After a week or so away, it was time for a weekend of long overdue household chores. The grass was long (and a bit wet), the pool a bit green and the kitchen sink continued to drip … despite my ignoring it for weeks. The last one should have been relatively easy except I initially […]
RichC | July 5, 2015
More than 40% of Americans surveyed said they fight over how to load the dishwasher, according to appliance maker Bosch. (see WSJ) -More than 70% of users choose the ‘normal’ cycle every time, even though dishwashers now have specialized settings. -Stainless-steel pans get cleaner in the dishwasher but never wash cast-iron or nonstick pans there. […]
RichC | June 30, 2015
This might be a big deal for someone doing computerized “flash trading” but for most of us it would have gone unnoticed for the bulletin. So as a service to you, be warned … you’ll probably get “one-second” less sleep tonight.
RichC | June 18, 2015
Needed a filler post for Thursday
RichC | June 14, 2015
With a sound like this, who would think the Rhinoceros was so dangerous? The Rhinoceros has long been concerned one of the most dangerous animals in the world.LINK
RichC | June 13, 2015
If you have already traveled by airplane, chances are you’ve noticed a tiny hole on the lower portion of all airplane windows The hole is designed to balance out the pressure between the last two layers of a typical pressurized-cabin window. For more images and a more detailed explaination see the article at Interesting Engineering.
RichC | June 8, 2015
Just because it can be fixed (Jury/ Jerry Rigged) doesn’t mean it should be repaired? The “old-ish” paper shredder in my home office is often over-fed with too many sheets of paper or plastic credit cards. It usually keeps right on chugging until it overheats, but last week it sputtered, ground the gears and stopped. […]
RichC | June 4, 2015
A flatter is a tool used to make other tools. Make your own flatter and never buy a tool again! Source: Blacksmithing Basics: Forge Your Own Flatter | Make:
RichC | May 30, 2015
My good friend Mark replaced his old Racor 500FG fuel filter on his boat last year with one of the newer versions with a heat shield around the bowl (although Mark and Dar recently sold Zola). From what I can tell the heat shield” was about the only change Parker Hannnifin has made to […]
RichC | May 21, 2015
My wife and I have been preoccupied this week with helping our son Taylor get settled into his East Walnut Hills (Cincinnati) apartment after his move back from Williston, North Dakota. Each time “I” think we are getting closer to finishing, the “mama-bear” (aka: Brenda) adds a few more items to the list … but […]
RichC | May 20, 2015
I'm remembering the tight entries and snake like departures from Bermuda a few years ago … it was just a matter of time. In this photo provided by the Royal Gazette, the Norwegian cruise ship Norwegian Dawn, lies aground near Bermuda's North Channel Tuesday, May 19, 2015. The Norwegian cruise ship Norwegian Dawn, lies aground […]
RichC | May 18, 2015
Just a little archiving after working in the yard this past weekend … that BESIDES cleaning the swimming pool and repairing the tiles (past repairs). Mulching this year is not going to be inexpensive since we really didn’t add any last year … but it does really improve the look of our “less than […]
RichC | May 17, 2015
Here are instructions for a simple, but effective carpenter bee trapLINK
RichC | May 13, 2015
Hmm … I learned something new today. Q: Have you wondered about those extra lacing holes were for that seem out of place on athletic shoes? A: They are used to prevent blisters on your feet when running by keeping your shoe tightly on your foot. (Illumiseen)
RichC | May 9, 2015
Those who know my wife’s family heritage, KNOW she has the firebug in her DNA. Spring clean up around the yard this year is no exception. Once again … the bonfire is blazing (click for larger image). While Brenda has her issues with fire, I have mine with coffee. I know I’m getting extreme when […]
RichC | May 6, 2015
Millions of people damage their knees. Scientists are testing implanting an artificial meniscus or inducing the body to grow a new one. Source: New Fixes for Worn Knees
RichC | May 5, 2015
This is the kind of story that has has one appreciating the the focus on design and safety going into the cars and SUVs being built today. Amazing … the driver, David Grimes, walked away with only a slight burn from the SUV’s air bag. A man’s SUV was pinned between two tractor-trailers, yet he […]
RichC | May 4, 2015
With the piles of new firewood in the woods after the latest “big expense,” what’s a few more dollars? So I bought a wood splitter. Instead of borrowing my dad’s small electric splitter as usual, I “had” decided to rent a larger gasoline powered splitter so I could haul to where the logs […]
RichC | April 21, 2015
If by fate, your last name begins with a letter in the second half of the alphabet, you may be at a disadvantage when it comes to being elected to public office? A unscientific look at a list of past U.S. Presidents one think that there might be more than just a legacy advantage to […]
RichC | April 18, 2015
If you’ve been around our house much, you will notice that we always have Dawn Dishwashing Liquid around. It has become our go to product for things other than dishes (use it for that too) as a hand wash, a degreaser and as a way to remove poison ivy oils after working in the yard. […]
RichC | April 14, 2015
How cool is this project and design? Check out Manifattura Italiana Design or for more images look at DesignBoom.com’s post.
RichC | April 10, 2015
Jared Keller’s article in The Atlantic last month focused on the observation that “outside the U.S., fewer people in rich countries describe their day as a good day.” For the most part, Americans are hopeful and optimistic as compared to their peer in other first world countries. (the graphic below is interesting on several levels) […]
RichC | April 5, 2015
The advantage of having a “desultory” blog is that I can archive any and everything without guilt. This post includes a collection of photos from last weekends’ projects aboard Encore. First, I added a small semi-permanent shelf to the galley for our Sodastream device. Although I haven’t convinced Brenda to give up her cans of […]
RichC | March 25, 2015
Nationally the pay for babysitters is up in 2015 according to care.com as reported on CNBC this morning. When the reports indicate that wage growth is stagnent and inflation is at bay, they obviously don't have kids to take care of … [adinserter block=”5″]
RichC | March 25, 2015
My magazine reading has slipped in recent years and after 35 years of nary a missed issue of Cruising World magazine, I’m considering canceling my paper issue. Actually with all the information available on the Internet I may not even want a digital copy? I’ve posted numerous tips and comments associated with the publication, but […]
RichC | March 10, 2015
When regular leaded gasoline gets old, a thin layer of varnish coats the inside of fuel lines and the jets of the carburetor. This can plug or narrow jets that meter fuel into the carburetor and with cause the engine to either run lean or not run (start) at all. For fuel efficient and environment […]
RichC | February 23, 2015
While getting sidetracked from the Whale Gusher Mk3 pump rebuild (soaking and cleaning), I started working on Encore’s hatch screen idea since it will soon be bug season on the sailboat in Florida. I’ve been mulling around a few way to “frame” the fiberglass screen material and ending up forgoing the stainless steel for […]
RichC | February 19, 2015
As mentioned previously, I returned my “out of production” (Europe only) Victorinox SwissFlame knife in for warranty service, and although they could not repair it, they honored the lifetime warranty. Not only did they sent me the new SwissTool™ Spirit X as a replacement, but they return the defective knife – superb customer service. As […]
RichC | February 7, 2015
Those spending much time around me know that I’m a pocket knife (and tool) kind of guy. I’ve carried a knife ever since I was 5 years old … yes FIVE. I actually still have that “little tiny” inch and a quarter bladed souvenir pocket knife that was given to me by my grandfather. He […]
RichC | January 8, 2015
The answer is YES if ProMedica’s President and CEO Randy Oostra has anything to say about it (video below). The company plans to move their corporate headquarters to the abandoned historic Toledo Edison Steam Plant property on the Maumee riverfront in a bold move which will play a significant role in boosting the local Toledo […]
RichC | January 6, 2015
Back in November I mentioned that I was “backpedaling” before buying a new refrigerator for our kitchen. We decided not to do anything before the holidays and so I figured rather than live with our ugly looking broken refrigerator that I could at least touch up the paint and put in a new light bulb. […]
RichC | January 5, 2015
Posting both a test post to update MyDesultoryBlog in order to set up the 2015 photo directories and because this is a cute yoga “bunny” photo for my daughter (and because of her rabbit Pumpy Umpy). Katelyn enjoys Yoga and during our Christmas exchange and visit with them we talked about her new “hot Yoga” […]
RichC | January 3, 2015
In keeping with tradition this time of year, Lake Superior State University (LSSU) has released their “banished words” for the 40th year. The nominees totals “tens of thousands” but were narrowed down to 800 of the most annoying words and phrases in 2014 before giving them to the committee. Yes a few were appropriate for […]
RichC | December 28, 2014
On a previous sailboat and in my backpacking gear I use an alcohol stove for cooking, but the other day I saw a video clip expanding an idea for emergency or “bugout bag” use. (video below) The concept is pretty simple: Use a roll or partial roll of toilet paper as a wick to absorb […]