my Scooters and the Options they afford me..

[orangetom1999]

By Tugaloo...

Lock picking takes a lot longer than brute force bolt cutters.

Oh...quite right here Tugaloo....quite right.

However, There are times when one does not want to leave tell tales that one has been around...or damage equipment.


As long as I have worked at this shipyard...a number of people know I have these tools and skills.

The Security people, earlier this year, when making their rounds broke off a key in a door. I was called up because of this certain skill and tools...to try to get the broken key out of the door. I just happen to have a broken Key extractor in this kit..and used it to retrieve this broken key to the relief of the guard force.

I have also locked my keys in both my car and truck ...and gotten them open. Also in my home....

That is where this skill verily paid off as we know what are a locksmith's rates.


Nonetheless....this is a skill which has come in handy from time to time...

I have a locker out back of our field office...in this locker is my Baofeng 2 meter/70 CM radio and Abree 42.5 inch antenna and near this a 40 foot rolled up long wire receiving antenna for my Tecsun PL 660 short wave receiver. I never carry my keys for this locker and use my lockpick tools.


Oh...and out on the street...I will almost never help people in particular opening their homes when they forget their keys....for too many people have a television and or movie education....and should something get missing....they will blame anyone.

Most thieves will not bother to learn such skills...it takes too much work and committment....which is why they are thieves....easier to steal...and or rob others.

Oh..and yes...Tugaloo..I"ve seen that tool you have linked and almost bought one for myself but refrained.


Orangetom
Not an Ishmaelite.

[Tugaloo]

However, There are times when one does not want to leave tell tales that one has been around...or damage equipment.

As I can't honestly think of such a circumstance; that almost sounds criminal. If I was you, I wouldn't want to run into an over zealous cop.
I ran into an over zealous cop once when carrying concealed. His answer was to handcuff time. When the duty sergeant arrived; the idiot wasn't happy to hear his sergeant already knew me and I had a permit in my wallet.
The bolt cutter came in handy when I had packages in the Fed-Ex, UPS and USPS parcel box. Someone somehow managed to screw up the combination. Or they left the lock in the open mode and someone changed it??

I have a 15.6" Nagoya NA-771 dual band. I was very surprised when it outperformed a base loaded 5/8 wave. As usual, our Chinese friends are selling knockoffs. The difference is the Chinese don't supply the O-Ring Nagoya does.

I'm interested in purchasing a Zero 5 33' 10-80 meter vertical. The reviews are good; so why not.

[Armyjimbo]

I have a Nagoya dual band too! It's what I have on too listen to the ISS when in range.

[Armyjimbo]

Horrible steering geometry, combined with narrow bars and small wheels = Needing to have reflexes of a cat. I'm more like a sloth, but I did about 8 km (5 miles?) That was my takeaway, I'd like to stretch it out a few degrees by cutting the frame and doing some welding...... damn my welder is non-serviceable due to lack of parts.. They are now leaving NORTH HOUSTON TX DISTRIBUTION.
Yay!

[Tugaloo]

Based on your personal height and comfort needs, I'd consider stretching the fame. Changing the rake or angle of the front end will add wheelbase and also softer/slower or not so squirrely steering.

https://www.motorcycle.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/042417-ask-mo-rake-trail-2.jpg

https://mechanicalsphere.blogspot.com/2018/04/why-cruiser-bikes-have-high-rake-angle_8.html

The original frame geometry will make changing the rake angle a real challenge as the handlebars will be closer to the seat.

[Armyjimbo]

That I've considered, l did it to my old stingray bike my dad dit the fork extension and welding! We went to the dump steel pile and got a extra set of forks to cut and weld. We brought the shop truck with the gas axe, my dad was a legend! Showed me all the good stuff to know. Bush fix mechainicing, distill alcohol, hunt fish shoot, etc etc.

The Engwe does have a steel frame, l think/know l could manage the stretch job BUT for what real gain? I bought it for the weekend get away/ Vancouver/states /bop about, so l can just have aux transport. So it's not my prime/back up mover. I have a fleet of 2 wheel motorized putt putts!

[Tugaloo]

I've done things because at the time, they were fun and I learned something.. Senseless, but enjoyable.
Two areas where most people need someone else was electrical due to lack of attention to the schematic and/or wire colors and carburetors because they adjust the "screws."

[Armyjimbo]

Carbs don't scare me, releasing the magic blue smoke does. Mainly because part xxxx is toast.

[Tugaloo]

Carburetors shouldn't scare anyone unless they can't keep their fingers off. Once I had a customer who kept messing with his Linkert. Finally, I showed him how to adjust it. My partner said hey that cost us $25 every season. I answered he'll be back. When the weather changed and he was back.

The blue smoke can be as simple as a ceramic ball hone and rings or worst case a bore with new pistons and rings. OTOH, it could be valves requiring a head rebuild. It depends on if the engine smokes on acceleration or deacceleration.

Engines "talk" and it is up to us to learn to listen. Some can be real sneaky tricky sons of a gun. I've learned it was because I paying close enough attention. It's a weakness we all share.

[orangetom1999]

By Tugaloo....

Engines "talk" and it is up to us to learn to listen. Some can be real sneaky tricky sons of a gun. I've learned it was because I paying close enough attention. It's a weakness we all share.

Indeed they do. Years ago ..I rebuilt the head on an olde 6 cylinder 250 Chevy engine. She started smoking quickly when i put it back on.

Learned then....you need to rebuild the whole things....the pistons could not handle the tighter compression with so many miles on them and not being rebuilt.
]
Lessons learned.

I finally rebuilt the lower end as well and all was well.

Orangetom
Not an Ishmaelite.

[Tugaloo]

OT,
Well, the morale of the story is you learned how and you also learned how much less it cost to DIY instead of paying someone else to do it all. As an example, I can't bore an engine; so I pay to have it bored. The cost of having it bored is relatively inexpensive than to pay to have is disassembled and reassembled. Gunk cleaner and a late night visit to a car wash does wonders.. LOL

The way I learned to buy or borrow the necessary tools to do my own work was with a 58 Harley that needed some serious engine work. As I lacked the reamers and Kwik Way seat cutters, I paid to have the "best" local shop do the work. After I fired it up, it went less than 100 yards and only one cylinder was running. I took it apart and a valve was frozen open. It may have been the best shop, but for water-cooled engines.
As I was working a lot of OT, I could afford to buy the reamers and seat cutters. Luckily, the other 3 guides and valves didn't seize, I reamed them and I only had to buy one valve and guide.
Some things are easy if you've seen them done. To set the correct clearance on a generator, a sheet of the correct thickness paper is wrapped around the armature to setup the clearance between it and the field coils. To remove the brush's carbon from the commutator's grooves grind all the teeth off a hacksaw blade except one and clean the grooves one by one.

[orangetom1999]

LOL lol lol Tugaloo.....exactly correct...

OT,
Well, the morale of the story is you learned how and you also learned how much less it cost to DIY instead of paying someone else to do it all.

I'm thinking that our parents must have come out of the same stable of experiences.


As long as I am able ...I too do not like to pay someone else to do what I can do myself.....and will often put it off for awhile rather than pay someone...as was the case of recently changing out my power steering pump in my truck. I put it of for close to two years rather than pay someone else. But...i am glad to get her back on the road.

Good thing I have scooters and another car.

I too will take my disassembled motor parts to a local machine shop to have them machined true before re assembly. That kind of machining I cannot do and will gladly pay someone to do it for me.

I have the stones to do engine cylinders as well as brake cylinders but engine cylinders...I will pay to have them done...along with the cranks et al. Those shops will gladly sell you the new bearings and rings...et al...and I prefer it that way.

I don't really do increased racing power on my cars and trucks but just need them to work for me when needed....nonetheless..it saves me a lot of monies over the long run..as I already have an engine hoist and also an engine stand.

I am ever grateful to my Dad for teaching me....these skills....and they have paid off or me.....though in my younger years I had no clue and just wanted to play with the younger kids. I had no clue back in those days ...how it would pay dividends for me.

My Dad was one of those Air Force Non Coms who made the transition from piston engines for aircraft to jet engines and had worked on those 3,000 Horsepower radial engines on those early K'C 97 propellor tankers. Those planes needed every bit of horsepower to get off the ground so heavily ladened with jet fuel. My Dad knew his way around piston engines.
I am ever grateful to him for teaching me what he did....may he and Mom rest in Peace.


Orangetom
Not an Ishmaelite

[Tugaloo]

OT,
I can remember my father emptying the gas filter on the firewall because it had water in it. Back then, water in gas was a common thing.

We have a Colorado ZR2, an Equinox, a motorcycle and the street car.
Today's vehicles are too complex and they are 12 pounds stuffed into an 8 pound bag. I'm not a fan.

As I've had too many problems with offshore knockoffs, I prefer buying American auto parts. Don't me wrong, all manufacturers have components made off shore. However, they enforce quality controls while the knockoffs don't at the same level.

I enjoy getting my hands dirty. Plus, how many times have you vented about I can't work on the $## thing?? IMO, there are too many book smart people today.

My father was not a mechanical type. I learned everything myself because I wanted to race cars. LOL

My favorite uncle was career AF and crewed on puff the magic dragon. He flew out of Udon, Thailand.

[orangetom1999]

Agree here Tugaloo....

Today's vehicles are too complex and they are 12 pounds stuffed into an 8 pound bag. I'm not a fan.

I have in my garage my Dad's olde 1967 Chevy Biscayne...250 CID six cylinder..three on the tree... which I overhauled some years back. When you open the hood....you can still see the ground underneath the engine. You do not do that in todays cars...even in small engine cars..too much wiring and plumbing...


Also todays cars....too much frustrating computer controls for me. Todays cara electrically do not follow the KISS principle...Keep It Simple Stupid. It can get frustrating.

One of these days i am going to have to open a book on vehicle computer controls and how they work.



Orangetom
Not an Ishmaelite.

[Tugaloo]

I also miss the old easy to work on cars or trucks.

Anyone can get into a late models programming; however it's not a cheap date.

From vehicle diagnostics, data logging, scanning, and calibration, we cover all the bases with our flagship MPVI3 device and VCM software suite — the only tuning and diagnostics solutions you'll ever need for your OBDII equipped import and domestic vehicles. Built for tuning professionals and enthusiasts of any caliber.

https://www.hptuners.com

The inexpensive ones have a lot of things they can't do. The least expensive way is find an old dealership scan tool. At the local dealership, their master tech's scan tool is old and stills works on today's vehicles.

My 2010 Sierra was bitten by a mouse who chewed the cable from #5 cylinder. A scan tool pointed it out as no signal from #5 fuel injector. I removed the thermoplastic cover and followed the wires until I found the bare ones. The fix was $85 with no labor costs and dealership cost.


As you enjoy my silly little tidbits I find; here's one

https://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2023/01/the-real-january-6.php

It's informative about what they don't want us to know.. As we know, that is a given..
When you kick the link; first you'll see a screen roughly stating checking if the site connection is secure. There is no danger from it.

https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/cop-city-atlanta-protest-chaos

The rioters shot a cop and and were shot as a result. Does that mean they can shoot you, but you dare not shoot them?