Tech Friday: Ridgid 9Ah lithium battery claim for failing latch

| July 7, 2023

One of the TWO reasons that I’ve opted for the Ridgid brand of cordless power tools is their LSA … which I’ve used once before on a couple of early batteries. Besides the minor hassle in registering and filing a claim, it seems to be the right way to go considering the problems with tools […]

New Electric Edger and Ember Mug coaster warranty

| May 31, 2023

One would think after twenty some years of pool ownership, I would have invested in a cement sidewalk (pool decking) edger. Nope … it was not something familiar to me since we have never lived on a city lot or had sidewalks. Now after 40 years of homeownership, I’ve finally broken down and spent $79.20 […]

Angel Food Cake, Strawberries and Whipped Cream Leftovers

| May 9, 2023

Although few of us getting older really want to spend too much time highlighting “yet another” birthday, last weekend was mine … so I celebrated by hauling 68 pounds of aluminum cans to the recycler (above). Since we were with KDAE the previous weekend … and Taylor stops in regularly (twice this past week) and […]

Hopefully Peak Design will still repair my aging messenger bag?

| May 4, 2023

Several years ago Drew and Katelyn gave me a premium everyday carry messenger bag for Christmas (2016). It has been a fantastic bag  or briefcase like bag for my notebook computer, iPad, books, etc and a lot of tech gear (originally used for my Lumix camera). Unfortunately after years of travel and admitted overloading, it […]

Tech Friday: Fitbit Versa smartwatch battery issue

| February 4, 2022

Let me start off with the positives. I really like my original Fitbit Versa watch. I wear it everyday and it offers me nearly everything I want in a fitness tracking smart watch. That said, I have always been hard on watches … to the point I stopped wearing watches for years – for decades […]

Lithium Ion battery replaced under Ridgid LSA warranty

| July 18, 2021

Good news and bad news. First, my relatively new (2018) smaller Ridgid tool battery will not hold a charge for very long … which has been my gripe with all previous battery powered “cordless” tools, especially those prior to Lithium Ion. Actually my complaint was not with the batteries, but the pricing of replacement batteries. […]

Adding and storing cordless power tools and lithium batteries

| January 17, 2021

In keeping up with lithium battery powered tools, those of us who have married into a brand have our reasons (battery warranty in my case).In reading most of the comparison literature and write-up websites, Price and warranty aside, I would probably choose Milwaukee (and have for a couple 110 volt wired tools) as a rechargeable […]

Are rechargeable wearable tech devices like the Fitbit Versa and the Apple Watch doomed to prematurely fail?

| June 3, 2020

It is starting to look like early gadget failure going to become the ‘norm’ now that we’re wearing tech gadgets everyday. My Fitbit Versa watch is not even a year old and has failed. For a while it started to blink and flip through it’s screens, then surged with colorful vertical lines (photo)and a vibrate […]

New smaller and lighter SubCompact Ridgid 18V cordless tools

| April 28, 2020

My wife and kids think I should be working for Ridgid Tools as I have been extremely happy with their cordless tools of late. I have updated my old NiCad driver and drills with newer Lithium based brushless tools and they are so much better. A big thank you continues to go out to Katelyn […]

Volkswagen is winning us back and easing bounteous warranty

| August 1, 2019

CinciTDI GTG at our house August 20, 2008 – Throwback Thursday #TBT It has been a while since posting anything on Volkswagen or to the TDIClub forums; I’m likely I’m still sore over their “dieselgate” failure and the company giving up on diesel cars in North America. Still, I’m drawn to VWs and their excellent […]

Battery replaced in my aging iPhone7plus under Apple program

| January 9, 2019

It was a somewhat frustrating end of year scrabble to get my iPhone 7 battery replaced under the Apple “program” after their throttling older iPhones was disclosed in 2017. My battery was still holding up, but who wants a phone with only 85% “Maximum Capacity” or hidden software artificially slowing down my now older iPhone […]

Volkswagen will be keeping one customer and making new ones

| September 23, 2018

According to my very pleased Volkswagen driving daughter, she’ll likely stay committed to the VW brand IF they continue to appreciate her as a customer. She was one of the first owners of the new 2018 Tiguan last year and has been very pleased with the first year vehicle. The performance, including regular 30+ mpg […]

Tool talk: A little bit more regarding my Ridgid tool choices

| September 18, 2018

In recent years, I’ve added a few corded Ridgid tools to my workshop or traveling trunk. I’ve owned a favorite reciprocating saw for about 10 years now and still find it my absolute favorite (also have an old Makita). Because I’m so fond of it, I’ve added an orbital sander which gets use very often […]

Disappointed in the thin Totallee cover for my iPhone 7 plus

| February 24, 2018

  I probably spoke too soon in praise of the Totallee super thin and lightweight case or more appropriately "cover" for my iPhone 7plus last year. Last week. While out of town traveling the thin skin just "slid" off the plastic case. It was as if the bonding method they used to attach the skin […]

Sheering a router bit has me wondering about the quality?

| November 22, 2017

Last summer I bought a 50-piece set of router bits to use in my woodshop and so far they have been great … that was up until I may have push the limits on a 3/16" straight cut bit a little too hard (possibly???).  I only say "may" because the bit was mounted in my […]

AGM Automotive Batteries and what one can learn on hold

| February 11, 2017

The BMW X5 35d has been having issues starting when cold which seems likely due to a new Exide FP-AGML5/49 Edge Group L-5/49 Flat Plate AGM battery. I’ve gone great lengths to rule out almost everything other than the battery, and decided it must be a weak cell or defect in the new battery itself. […]

Customer service, car covers, warranties and cheap wire

| October 2, 2016

This past week I’ve made a few frustrating online transactions and purchases. First, in dealing with NewEgg, I attempted to use a credit on my business account and decided to handled it on the phone with customer service rather than risk it online. I explained that I was using a "store credit" and wanted to […]

A test of patience: Sears Craftsman tools – Guaranteed Forever

| June 23, 2016

Follow up to previous post: Here’s the beef (long-ish winded) — I have a bunch of Craftsman tools and have always appreciated their "fair" quality and knowing that Sears stood behind them (and "use to be" in every town). As times change, Sears is no longer what it once was and the convenience factor as […]

Victorinox Swiss Army knives/tools and customer service

| 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 […]

The Ram Mount for the iPad has a weak point

| November 20, 2012

My Ram Mount iPad car mount has a weak point and I am wondering if I’m alone or if this is a design problem? From what I can tell, the weak point is where the latch makes a 90-degree turn (see photo). Initially it was very tight to snap the roller-latch mechanism to hold the […]

Desultory - des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee

  1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
  2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.
My Desultory Blog