tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88810880122958780162024-02-02T10:45:24.240-08:00Tofuball's WorkingThe construction, repair and modification of anything from a house to a car. With as little money as possible. No, none of this has anything to do with tofu.Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-34592044206679276312011-03-24T19:04:00.001-07:002011-03-25T06:13:47.615-07:00Modification: Lightweight FlywheelA lot of people ask if they should buy a lightweight flywheel for their car. My 2 cents are: If you can get it cheap, when you've already got the car apart for a clutch job, do it. It's been a big plus in every car I've ever done it on, noticeably accelerating faster, but I've always gone from factory, where all the weight is on the outside, to aftermarket aluminum with NO weight on the outside ring. Why does that make such a big difference?<br /><br />First, let's go over why the factory flywheel is so heavy. Manufacturers put weight on the outside (perimeter) of the flywheel to increase the moment of inertia. Check out a picture of a factory flywheel <a id="link_0" href="http://www.jcwhitney.com/jcwhitney/sku/images/large/I_844543_CL_1.jpg" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">here</a>. The higher moment "stores" more energy, so it feels to the driver as if you have more torque when starting from a stop. Another big plus for manufacturers to have heavy flywheels: smoother idle, as it takes more energy to speed up or slow down the wheel, so it "smooths" the dips and peaks of the four-stroke cycle of your engine. Also, shifting becomes a bit easier, with the revs changing more slowly.<br /><br />Those sound like things you wouldn't want to sacrifice, until you realize that you are sacrificing performance for a perception of performance.<br /><br />A lighter wheel (really the perimeter around the wheel, the weight inside the wheel matters much less) allows you to speed up and slow down the engine much faster - that means quicker acceleration (more effective in lower gears where the engine is changing speeds faster) - and it's less overall weight in the car.<br /><br />The downsides are that your idle can be rougher the lighter you go, and you have to rev the engine a bit more on every launch. Lighter flywheels also transmit changes in speed (both from the engine or the tires) with a lot less "smoothing" so it makes for a bit of a rougher ride.<br /><br />The intensity of these factors varies from car to car and flywheel to flywheel. In some cars it is barely noticeable, in others it will amaze you.<br /><br />The effect on MPG is probably very small, you'll drop some MPG if you have to raise your idle, you'll gain some if it causes your driving habits or if the weight makes a big impact.<br /><br />Now that you've learned about heavy or light flywheels, don't forget about <a id="link_1" href="http://petrolsmell.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/planetary_DMF_SACHS_dual-mass-flywheel_-ZF.jpg" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">dual mass flywheels</a>. They use springs to absorb the shocks of driving, giving you a smoother ride then even a very heavy flywheel.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DbvP5EvpUbA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe><br /><br />The downside being added complexity, price, and they can fail.<br /><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="480" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/J5oluT916ho" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-63601860667042395112011-03-22T07:40:00.000-07:002011-03-22T07:53:21.009-07:00A rotary engine story, or, The $200 TIIOnce upon a time, a friend of mine (Theo) said a classmate of his told him his RX-7 Turbo II blew it's engine and for $200 Theo could have it. He didn't want it but he offered the car to me, and I gladly accepted.<br /><br />I paid and Theo brought me the car. Looked decent, except the exhaust rotted from sitting so long. I checked it out, no compression. Squirted some oil in the spark plug holes, rotated the engine, repeat a few times, put plugs in, hooked the car via tow rope up to Theo's 1993 Honda Civic. I popped a battery in, turned it on, and just sat in the car with it in gear and my foot all the way down on the gas while Theo drove in circles at about 10MPH.<br /><br />After a few minutes of this you could hear the exhaust note was changing, smoke started pouring out the back.<br /><br />A few more minutes and I noticed I was catching up to Theo's car at WOT . . . . but if I hit the clutch the car wouldn't run on its own.<br /><br />Around a few more times and you could hear the turbo spooling . . . and it ran . . . .<br /><br />With a bit of cleaning and a few fixes it passed MD inspection and was my daily driver for over a year, then I sold it.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAF9Afh6ArSfUhAoqrcESlOpvJ8QKO0L8gTYPCjhJoxbwH2Vpnpn9vGA5NI2VP_WwH0s927AZjXzUwqm3O5AHFcRKAo4P39TTWdMUPhFC6AFUfFKqMMN8eRl5FBYwQtVlhmKexZwTL1s/s1600/TurboII.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 187px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKAF9Afh6ArSfUhAoqrcESlOpvJ8QKO0L8gTYPCjhJoxbwH2Vpnpn9vGA5NI2VP_WwH0s927AZjXzUwqm3O5AHFcRKAo4P39TTWdMUPhFC6AFUfFKqMMN8eRl5FBYwQtVlhmKexZwTL1s/s400/TurboII.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586917033228575842" border="0" /></a>Thanks, Theo!Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-81225442159220113072010-11-18T08:53:00.001-08:002010-11-18T09:05:12.640-08:00The AbominationSorry I haven't updated in over a year. Been busy with health problems, work, and family. To make it all better, have a picture of what the pipes under my sink looked like when I bought the house.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQEhCz86ENwBDZjmaX2f7Kop5pQiAeJJneXQeWzOZkHjSuMDEoPhIRkGotW6tVX5_lkkymFiNwRscb-qeCbrMafUX2eYr8t_lt5Ej8sQ7elcPw23nTGFJAX2rFq8-fGsc1SdrkoHc58s/s1600/abomination.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 274px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXQEhCz86ENwBDZjmaX2f7Kop5pQiAeJJneXQeWzOZkHjSuMDEoPhIRkGotW6tVX5_lkkymFiNwRscb-qeCbrMafUX2eYr8t_lt5Ej8sQ7elcPw23nTGFJAX2rFq8-fGsc1SdrkoHc58s/s400/abomination.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540934493369850178" border="0" /></a><br />How many things can you find wrong with this picture?<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">BONUS</span>: Here is a Cat5 Ethernet drop that's been hit by lightning!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjI8LyJiIDjCiAdoNE4S4lrgtBGnrUKlDTh4WAw_SXPGbnfyCd_oR0Je-HXZrRkFNWT5a7ZT4aXrRZaZjCVRIQ-SoJVjOt4LS-CeJpF2S4PKMCFHUR9XYsp5aCk2fZ9hf4R2CLOrkTvhY/s1600/Lightning1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjI8LyJiIDjCiAdoNE4S4lrgtBGnrUKlDTh4WAw_SXPGbnfyCd_oR0Je-HXZrRkFNWT5a7ZT4aXrRZaZjCVRIQ-SoJVjOt4LS-CeJpF2S4PKMCFHUR9XYsp5aCk2fZ9hf4R2CLOrkTvhY/s400/Lightning1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540936699282264914" border="0" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg880XIbngtJrGewHHPbe5oWLYa6sdC-6uYPpIkzH9kvghXJ0dIxT-FOxhMhqREbWr-D_yeUzJT7IEUgsFKpmIg5VvuUzvdbOmdfrFaSufbOytYA3OyHg5u-1-umelMftkNlhefKaq0wMw/s1600/Lightning2.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg880XIbngtJrGewHHPbe5oWLYa6sdC-6uYPpIkzH9kvghXJ0dIxT-FOxhMhqREbWr-D_yeUzJT7IEUgsFKpmIg5VvuUzvdbOmdfrFaSufbOytYA3OyHg5u-1-umelMftkNlhefKaq0wMw/s400/Lightning2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5540936719565864322" border="0" /></a><br />Personally, I really like the design left on the walls.Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-57744753744431619392009-09-20T07:39:00.000-07:002009-09-22T05:24:41.811-07:00Irish Cream!350ml decent <a href="http://www.primermagazine.com/2009/live/guide-to-whiskey">whiskey </a>(you can adjust the kind and quantity based on taste, the whiskey does not have to be Irish)<br />1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk<br />1 cup heavy cream<br />2 tall tbls hot coco mix (you can use 2tbls of chocolate syrup, but I like the taste less)<br />2 tsp. instant espresso (you can use instant coffee too)<br />2 tsp. vanilla extract<br />1/2 tsp. almond extract<br /><br />Throw it all in a blender, then a jar, then chill in the fridge.<br />You only need to blend it for a short time, 40 seconds at most on a rather slow setting - if you over blend it you'll churn your milk to butter.<br /><br />It'll last a month or two in there.<br /><br />Shake well before serving. Serve over ice. Or ice cream. Or as I prefer, in <a href="http://workingtofu.blogspot.com/2009/09/cold-brewed-coffee.html">cold brewed, iced coffee</a>, with a shot of mint.<br /><br />I'd love to hear what you think of the recipe, or what variations you use (I've read about people adding raw eggs to make it creamier, or coconut extract for a slightly different taste). So leave a comment :)Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-69089501336930459332009-09-10T06:57:00.000-07:002009-09-20T08:10:30.023-07:00Cold brewed coffeeI guess you can say this coffee is more "eco-friendly" because it doesn't use heat. It's also more "delicious." I like the way coffee tastes when brewed this way, you get a lot more of the subtle flavors and a lot less of the undesirable ones. I've also noticed it really smoothes out the "bitter" taste of some coffees.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">HOW TO DO IT:</span><br /> - Mix 1 cup coffee grounds to 4.5 cups water<br /><br /> - Stir it every so often till the grounds become saturated and sink to the bottom.<br /><br /> - Let it sit for 8 hours (a lot like sun tea)<br /><br /> - Filter it (I stick a wire strainer over a pot and put a paper towel in it)<br /><br /> - Filter it again (I use a regular old coffee filter in the strainer this time, and just like a tea bag, don't squeeze it to speed it up)<br /><br /> - Store it in the fridge for whenever you want coffee.<br /><br /><br />It'll come out more concentrated, so you may have to dilute with water to taste - or if you're like me, don't dilute it at all, and just mix some <a href="http://workingtofu.blogspot.com/2009/09/irish-cream.html">Irish cream</a> and a shot of mint in with it, and pour it over ice.<br /><br />I'd love to hear what you think.Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-91967543364024597042009-06-19T06:38:00.000-07:002009-06-19T08:58:43.979-07:00Attic MayhemSimply put, your roof and attic are the most important parts of your house - anything else is just extra stuff holding the roof and attic up. The whole purpose for a house is to be a place to live in that will protect you and your stuff from the weather, and your attic and roof are what does almost all of the protecting. The roof keeps rain out of your attic, and your attic keeps the house at a reasonable temperature.<br /> The attic keeps the heat in your house during winter, and the heat out during summer. The attic will get extremely hot during the summer, from the sun heating up those dark-colored asphalt based shingles. It will retain that heat long into the night, forcing you to run your A/C a lot longer. There are three solutions to this problem:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1) Vent the attic, get that hot air out of there.</span><br /><br /> There are many ways to vent your attic, and it can get pretty complicated if your roof is a complex shape. If your roof was properly built in the first place, it's designed so that cold air comes in from the soffits (vents under the overhang of your roof) and flows out through a vent at the top of the roof, allowing a constant "wash" of cold air over the underside of the roof. If you have a crappy old house, like I do, you might just need to install vents and an exhaust fan. <a href="http://www.doityourself.com/stry/h2addatticvent">Click here for some pictures and demonstrations about what I am describing.</a> This is also important for keeping moisture out of the attic.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">PROTIP:<br />If you have mold, mildew, and rusting nails in the attic, it's probably not venting moisture well enough.<br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2) Insulate the attic, or separating your living area from the inferno over your head.</span><br /><br /> This is the most important part of your house to insulate. Here is where the heat of the sun is kept out during summer, and the heat from your heater is kept in during winter. Different areas have different standards for how much insulation goes into your attic, for example, in Maryland the standards are:<br /><br />- Attic: (Green: R-49) (Std: R-38)<br />- Floor: (Green: R-30) (Std: R-25)<br />- Exterior walls: (Green: R-18 to R-22) (Std: 13)<br />- Unventilated Crawl spaces: (Green: R-25) (Std: R-19)<br />- Basement walls: (Green: R-25) (Std R-11)<br /><br /> You can see that the attic calls for the highest R-value of insulation in the house.<br /><br />You have a lot of options for how to insulate the attic, If your attic is pretty open and square, like mine, you can use rolls of fiberglass, or you can use blow-in insulation (for those hard to reach areas, or if you're too lazy to roll out the fiberglass). Another option is spray-in insulation, it's expensive but is supposed to be the most effective.<br /><br />You don't want to compress the insulation once it is in, the air inside the insulation is one of the things that gives it such great insulating properties.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">PROTIP:<br />Use a mask when laying fiberglass, and rub all exposed skin with baby powder before starting work, it makes the glass much less likely to stick to you and saves you tons of itching. I tried this, it works.</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">3)Reject heat before it even gets into the attic.</span><br /><br /> Don't use black shingles, they soak up the sun. If you already have them, many companies offer a aluminum-based silver paint that not only protects your roof, but helps reflect heat away from your house. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; color: rgb(153, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">PROTIP:<br />If your roof is the right shape, it will reflect and focus the heat onto your neighbors house, causing it to explode. Wear eye protection.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><br /> Now, if you're one of those idiots who bought a really small house with no space to store anything (like myself), then you probably want to turn your unfinished attic into storage space. That is what I chose to do, because the roof is so low you can't even stand up in the middle of the attic - turning it into living space would be pointless, wasteful, and cruel to your guests if you turn it into a guest room. I went to Home Depot (<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&safe=active&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=Home+Depot&near=Rockville,+MD&fb=1&split=1&gl=us&view=text&latlng=40019410755226066&dtab=2&ei=_647Su-BHYONtgfbwaUg&sa=X&oi=local_result&ct=result&resnum=5">boo</a>) and grabbed the cheapest flat wood I could find that would still hold my weight - half inch OSB (chip board) at $5.22 per 4x8 sheet. I had them chop it in half into 2x8 sheets to make it easier to transport and manage (it's free to have them cut your wood).<br /> My house is divided into two sections, the addition, and the old house. The addition has proper 2x6 supports and is very sturdy. I simply put the OSB down and nailed it in place, sometimes notching the edges to allow a wire through. The old house has 3x3 beams, and is not even remotely sturdy. There are many solutions, but I just wanted storage space. So I made supports by cutting a 2x4 to fit and screwed one end into the joist (the 3x3 beam I was going to be standing on) and screwed the other end into a rafter (the slanted beams holding up the roof deck). Then I notched the OSB to fit around the new supports.<br /><br />Now I have a floor I can walk on and store stuff on in the attic.<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">PROTIP:</span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><span style="color: rgb(204, 0, 0);">My friend Mark did most of the measuring and cutting for me, everyone needs a Mark. They may be out of stock of Mark at Harbor Freight, check back in the future. </span></span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"></span></div></div></div>Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-16889017959082617822009-04-29T08:47:00.000-07:002009-04-30T15:25:34.795-07:00Ceiling Fans: The Hanging MenaceHere in Maryland it was dry, windy and freezing only a few weeks ago, now the mercury has climbed above 90 degrees, the wind stopped, and the humidity hit the point where you only have to inhale if you want a drink of water.<br /><br />As the local power company knows, Montgomery County, Maryland usually welcomes in the weather with the cacophony of a couple hundred thousand air conditioners turning on at once, converting piles of money into pure Colombian uncut cold air. One of the multitude of roaring air conditioners was attached to my house, it's metal tentacles reaching out and taking money out of my wallet and beating up the occasional kid for his lunch money.<br /><br />I was alarmed, and not just because my air conditioning unit was mugging people - I was alarmed at the fact that the air conditioner took a very large amount of energy to make the house a bearable temperature, and due to the lousy insulation in my old house, it had to keep using a lot of energy. I calculated it out to an extra $100 to $120 a month to keep our house cool.<br /><br />I needed a solution, so I turned to the best model I could think of for saving money, an industrial revolution era sweat shop. Looming far over the heads of the hapless and overworked rabble below, powered by their rage and their deep-rooted hatred of humanity, the ceiling fans loom.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/937053/the_history_of_ceiling_fans.html?cat=6">The history of the ceiling fan</a> goes back a long way, and with modern fans the concept is the same, move air around. In a modern home, the ceiling fan is usually only noticed when really dirty or unbalanced - or if it is mounted too low and some unsuspecting fool tries to take off their coat and accidentally hits the fan, sending the dust that's been sitting on it for twenty years flying everywhere, but I wouldn't know anything about that. When functioning properly, the fan gets a nice breeze going in the room, just enough to be comfortable without being obnoxious. It makes higher temperatures bearable without actually dropping the temperature.<br /><br />Unlike an air conditioner, fans take very little energy, usually around 80 watts on their highest setting, around the power use of one of your ancient Edison-era earth-destroying incandescent light-bulbs. That is why they became very popular in the 70's energy crisis. In fact, they liked ceiling fans so much in the 70's that they had to invent platform shoes so everyone could be closer to them.<br /><br />In the winter you can set the fans on reverse to push the hot air that collects on the ceiling back down to to you. I haven't tried this myself yet.<br /><br />There is a huge selection of fans to choose from, though the newer fans actually tend to be much lower quality then the older fans (for example, older fans tended to come with solid wood blades instead of particle board). I read a bunch of articles going on about blade pitch and shape and motor quality, but for my price range I just wanted a fan that worked well and was cheap. I got three from Home Depot, made by Hampton Bay. $40, $50, and $60. If you want to spend a lot more, you can get nicer fans, but for me to spend more money on a money saving device, it better deliver more value - such as allowing me to travel through time or get along with my mother-in-law.<br /><br />Fans come in a lot of different sizes, but almost all of the ones for sale at Home Depot were 52 inches (a measure of the diameter of the whole unit, not just the blade). To find the proper size for your fan, check out the handy chart <a href="http://www.ceiling-fans.biz/products/Ceiling-Fans-Sizing/347.html">here</a>. I have low ceilings so I got "flush mount" fans (most fans have a "flush mount" feature). The theory behind the number of blades a fan has is more blades, more air moved at a slower speed, so less noise and bearing wear.<br /><br />Installation of these fans is pretty easy, despite the massive instruction novel included with them. Installation is made even easier if you have a great friend like Mark helping you install them. For all three of the fans I had to install, I was replacing an existing light fixture, so the wires were already there. Also, they were strong enough that I did not have to reinforce the receptacle. If you do have to reinforce yours, it's not that difficult, and a lot of fans come with kits to help you do just that (not that you really need them, a 2x4 and some screws will do the job nicely)<br /><br />The first fan I got went over the kitchen table, it's a 52 inch that did 4000 CFM (Cubic feet of air Per Minute) on high. Unless you were sitting directly under it you didnt feel much air at all. In the bedroom I installed a 52 inch fan that featured 5000 CFM on high and it was perfect. Just a warning to you, don't expect hurricane force winds from a regular cheap-o store bought ceiling fan, you don't really want that, you just want the air moving so that you'll feel a lot cooler and the humidity wont drown you. They look nice too.<br /><br />It's nice falling asleep knowing that you're comfortable and the A/C isn't on all the time, sucking up money and small children, and the breeze is nice too.<br /><br />If you are considering getting a ceiling fan, Wikipedia, despite it's obvious biases, actually has a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceiling_fan">really nice article</a> on them.Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-62594589249316866532009-01-22T08:55:00.000-08:002009-01-26T09:04:45.731-08:00Working on the basement walls, part 2Well, it was time to replace the left wall of the house. It's the same as what we did in <a href="http://workingtofu.blogspot.com/2008/06/working-on-basement-walls.html">part 1</a> except one of the walls had to come really close to the original foundation of the house. Because of that I shall be brief with the comments.<br /><br />Thanks to all who helped, The Fredericksons, Arcands, Mark, Josh, Conrad, Stephen, and Mark again.<br /><br />I've taken off the lose dirt and poured mortar over what was left to help hold it in place till we have the new wall in. Also note the smashed up wall to the right, as well as the wooden support that will be removed once the wall has cured.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHh7cmuGeOMSw20A6FftABYwW5C2X3fjT88vN1TaU5YSvEfL1tHkrH77aYNKo2YigYBKkALjJL4QM4r1I-Snot9DTFwfQXJkfPt85kSlARYR1TlnpN0BKkRcuIMhp5DTkIzUa9vY-w8No/s1600-h/P1010119.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHh7cmuGeOMSw20A6FftABYwW5C2X3fjT88vN1TaU5YSvEfL1tHkrH77aYNKo2YigYBKkALjJL4QM4r1I-Snot9DTFwfQXJkfPt85kSlARYR1TlnpN0BKkRcuIMhp5DTkIzUa9vY-w8No/s400/P1010119.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294164628224872354" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Another picture of the same, different angle.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhKihZXnEvDkYawYkO2mZ1-jgI09RTnp2uGvZ_eEhny1bqO5JtKEeWURuthQzwxDrW3TTktVkgsPPNaztLfUKs7BD7R0-7FCutbKYp-7NYaVErk-IP4DtlzaMVuxYMWnXHpm63opAvcE/s1600-h/P1010121.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDhKihZXnEvDkYawYkO2mZ1-jgI09RTnp2uGvZ_eEhny1bqO5JtKEeWURuthQzwxDrW3TTktVkgsPPNaztLfUKs7BD7R0-7FCutbKYp-7NYaVErk-IP4DtlzaMVuxYMWnXHpm63opAvcE/s400/P1010121.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294165361407898802" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Stephen, our very competent mason, standing next to the dirt that the old wall was previously holding up.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGo034rY22UrWyPgJRlwhiD2pf4CPmR7745-fMxBIab092ADm9xlrTOX4MH8A2GXWhiKvqMdcOv5q2tX4PT94QON5LNZpXK6eGI96fFK8J90AGxKuUQGZFxglp_9-QXQSdOEbATHN7yA/s1600-h/P1010124.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGGo034rY22UrWyPgJRlwhiD2pf4CPmR7745-fMxBIab092ADm9xlrTOX4MH8A2GXWhiKvqMdcOv5q2tX4PT94QON5LNZpXK6eGI96fFK8J90AGxKuUQGZFxglp_9-QXQSdOEbATHN7yA/s400/P1010124.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294165879398143458" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The new wall going up<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQYo86Mr5HyC1eAQs_CMvvtf8ZLRVictoTXKQjgCGmiQaYmwJJtw3wS94XSY4qZ8INvgdPTD8j_pRI95dgyPPFRjxqvHde8mDKT4JAxhGs-y9GZpsQqRb9KVoZQxHcfjeejr9Zwpjgb0/s1600-h/P1010125.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHQYo86Mr5HyC1eAQs_CMvvtf8ZLRVictoTXKQjgCGmiQaYmwJJtw3wS94XSY4qZ8INvgdPTD8j_pRI95dgyPPFRjxqvHde8mDKT4JAxhGs-y9GZpsQqRb9KVoZQxHcfjeejr9Zwpjgb0/s400/P1010125.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294166227499798338" border="0" /></a><br /><br />We extended the footer a little under the existing foundation to make it stronger. You can see the lines we drew on the foundation wall here to check for shifting at any point in the construction process - a process that, thanks to the 2 week cure times for the mortar and concrete, took over a month.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaS7xZwMR5BDy8shspYWTarDX1kbpOik9EtjU1WwvLzmSzpz1CaJlA4oacV3SaJwWbFWjr0PURIHJuiMQp-EzLMYUg3bGvuXYFdW6-ed24gcKhBTmbnrcdg0fSgJI1AYLi5ifogaYXGq8/s1600-h/P1010126.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaS7xZwMR5BDy8shspYWTarDX1kbpOik9EtjU1WwvLzmSzpz1CaJlA4oacV3SaJwWbFWjr0PURIHJuiMQp-EzLMYUg3bGvuXYFdW6-ed24gcKhBTmbnrcdg0fSgJI1AYLi5ifogaYXGq8/s400/P1010126.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294173586292864914" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Conrad pouring concrete into the new hole<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjSaqE5ov5NPR6LHFrxiiF-g9uGSHNmK-TfMnVqdVhcNC0ZvKnfZImuCPi27Rcnr7TZmLGJl6uSt_DX5Z0AF88F8F4wI_GKxIrFCR1pZdET94uPLcEc7aKYoxjqrQ-VOO6qsNgPQONc8/s1600-h/P1010128.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAjSaqE5ov5NPR6LHFrxiiF-g9uGSHNmK-TfMnVqdVhcNC0ZvKnfZImuCPi27Rcnr7TZmLGJl6uSt_DX5Z0AF88F8F4wI_GKxIrFCR1pZdET94uPLcEc7aKYoxjqrQ-VOO6qsNgPQONc8/s400/P1010128.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294174224915250434" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Josh, giving the wall a stern talking-to, and placing rebar<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8p5hcUm5_ciTrpXu3QQ4ZgAYpWKHO67sSnuEaDJhVoufg2UwNbnqrqlL1VhcE2vqJNwDOkVz9NtVvPH0XAGOO0L95_G9bzojZd3hzotPoAXgID1Q0TW0UWl63aGrw2tQL6sWHh-Fm-pY/s1600-h/P1010129.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8p5hcUm5_ciTrpXu3QQ4ZgAYpWKHO67sSnuEaDJhVoufg2UwNbnqrqlL1VhcE2vqJNwDOkVz9NtVvPH0XAGOO0L95_G9bzojZd3hzotPoAXgID1Q0TW0UWl63aGrw2tQL6sWHh-Fm-pY/s400/P1010129.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294174459361922546" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Block going up!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoCgQck67fiNwfX3eYE37hPdfiQXasWmRBao2hc-yk7f1Kz8g00jR_K6KS9Y3ZKAzYLqJDGD7XEbO9Aezqj6nwPMrv5FmseK_sQkpACr-GDxn5cKAM2vaH5hnWpbaL6gHTnrOlLc6ijL4/s1600-h/P1010130.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoCgQck67fiNwfX3eYE37hPdfiQXasWmRBao2hc-yk7f1Kz8g00jR_K6KS9Y3ZKAzYLqJDGD7XEbO9Aezqj6nwPMrv5FmseK_sQkpACr-GDxn5cKAM2vaH5hnWpbaL6gHTnrOlLc6ijL4/s400/P1010130.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294174662265784994" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />See that happy new corner?<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPB4KT5dmZnBJRC3dHy8WOP5b1J9zL3RbNqKWOp21DTLDIKwYZ5xvifBwf0W2duyEmbPZ47uNnIT-Iy-5xeGL7RHZXfRw5fV9Rd12TL9mObGfNj-XVwaX4JvYwSBtbZCw4QLuuLnqNWE/s1600-h/P1010131.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRPB4KT5dmZnBJRC3dHy8WOP5b1J9zL3RbNqKWOp21DTLDIKwYZ5xvifBwf0W2duyEmbPZ47uNnIT-Iy-5xeGL7RHZXfRw5fV9Rd12TL9mObGfNj-XVwaX4JvYwSBtbZCw4QLuuLnqNWE/s400/P1010131.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294174813346174610" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />Here is what the basement looks like now . . . bit of a mess, but at least that rear wall is looking better.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVB7SZNf5IyaBeKqQAyComj3HI-bbdPMp4F4JD1T8vbeeslDiEeAOIggKk_-20oixb4RnldTokDpFNFdceNg1hKXamQ2uiKTpS5lOxYahv8FxqhIzev243GGtD69YgG99hece_ITci4ls/s1600-h/P1010133.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVB7SZNf5IyaBeKqQAyComj3HI-bbdPMp4F4JD1T8vbeeslDiEeAOIggKk_-20oixb4RnldTokDpFNFdceNg1hKXamQ2uiKTpS5lOxYahv8FxqhIzev243GGtD69YgG99hece_ITci4ls/s400/P1010133.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294174999868079602" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOqhqT7tEAWt7T_5Ha0pHcX8yuL65gw4fweEpbpJ_a2sL5a4YyrGlILJYfaNhVPgF8053cPomaR-4RDc_ei1nYMgrKJyOUKDMbCoQp0uwHf1iXEFmy8G_e56cFcDelfejFod0CwfjqGY/s1600-h/P1010132.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOOqhqT7tEAWt7T_5Ha0pHcX8yuL65gw4fweEpbpJ_a2sL5a4YyrGlILJYfaNhVPgF8053cPomaR-4RDc_ei1nYMgrKJyOUKDMbCoQp0uwHf1iXEFmy8G_e56cFcDelfejFod0CwfjqGY/s400/P1010132.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5294174991030836802" border="0" /></a><br /><br />The basement IS clean now, I just didn't take that picture yet :)Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-16709154815629374852008-08-13T06:17:00.000-07:002009-05-01T08:33:35.481-07:00My CommuterI have a Honda Nighthawk (CB250) as my daily driver. It is the only vehicle I own that does not have "Historic" tags. I read it would get 70MPG on average., though on the <a href="http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/CB250_Nighthawk/">Yahoo Nighthawk group</a>, some guy in GB said he got 90MPG highway, I didn't believe him.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfm-mjW1yaNJbiNnnVsdaTW6weNAynt0OomyyHoIMphTadG9L2tTu__6OhGFBU0NHYQ9ffTt2nuPi_hVy_gGkBevyRt42CULJShVfwrmF08U4aPwLr2Ck15mS99s9rJkcepS0mqPRogfM/s1600-h/Nighthawk2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfm-mjW1yaNJbiNnnVsdaTW6weNAynt0OomyyHoIMphTadG9L2tTu__6OhGFBU0NHYQ9ffTt2nuPi_hVy_gGkBevyRt42CULJShVfwrmF08U4aPwLr2Ck15mS99s9rJkcepS0mqPRogfM/s400/Nighthawk2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5233991528755310018" border="0" /></a><br />When I drive it, I have fun. Because the engine is so small (Two cylinder 250cc, you know, 0.25 Liters) , I really feel no guilt in just pouring on the throttle. I'd been driving it hard, always topping out gears before shifting, especially to stay away from people driving cars. When I checked at the pump I was getting 50MPG.<br /><br />After seeing that, I decided to drive conservatively just to see the MPG I could get. I was not driving super conservative, I was just driving like a car, accelerating calmly, turning the engine off at long lights, and still speeding up quickly to avoid people crazy enough to be driving cars.<br /><br />I checked again at the pump . . . 200 miles . . . 2 gallons of gas . . .<br /><br />Yay four stroke engines~!Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-46971555014106002002008-08-07T17:24:00.000-07:002008-08-11T18:28:08.915-07:00RX-7 Convertible Headrest ModificationAll RX-7 convertibles, came with headrests speakers, two to each headrest, with volume controls for the passenger and the driver. I've heard other cars, such as the Miata, also came with these. After upgrading the audio equipment everywhere else, I noticed that the sound from these headrest speakers is pretty bad. The crapiness of the speakers was especially potent because they were right next to my head, and that's not really acceptable.<br /><br />After disassembling the headrest, you'll get to see this weird oval/rectangle speaker<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqV1-t0b71ppDMTrO2u7QEJgB6E4Fwww9wX9XgIXlPb-mFPWVbebwhhlQxTRoCESt_vPgfEkvQ0Vc-Rnr-J2a98yj4yJs9qCp7kwLKgq-utjQPH2Xp6aNEmOx8q2EXGox_wB-hILzOQi8/s1600-h/Headrest1-StartingSpeeker.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqV1-t0b71ppDMTrO2u7QEJgB6E4Fwww9wX9XgIXlPb-mFPWVbebwhhlQxTRoCESt_vPgfEkvQ0Vc-Rnr-J2a98yj4yJs9qCp7kwLKgq-utjQPH2Xp6aNEmOx8q2EXGox_wB-hILzOQi8/s400/Headrest1-StartingSpeeker.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231936903097827666" border="0" /></a><br />Yeah, pretty sad. Compare it with these Infinity Reference 3002CF speakers in the picture below. I picked these 3.5" speakers because I liked the high and mid-high range sound. Headrest speakers only need to carry that range, as the lows are for your larger speakers behind you or in the doors.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsfKBrO_-192gTXcl_l8Bl-ci10gygKaAQw7Sdxap_J1ZYoNMxbIPc3YoQ-9ArFrDc3OSds1YiI64rX0s2-xmCLHURoTHEbof_CI0ZudmsM5h3gk0s_J2wUMlbEcbO92rh4hR47Yztk9w/s1600-h/Headrest5-Compare2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsfKBrO_-192gTXcl_l8Bl-ci10gygKaAQw7Sdxap_J1ZYoNMxbIPc3YoQ-9ArFrDc3OSds1YiI64rX0s2-xmCLHURoTHEbof_CI0ZudmsM5h3gk0s_J2wUMlbEcbO92rh4hR47Yztk9w/s400/Headrest5-Compare2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231937058472213618" border="0" /></a><br />Here the speakers are side by side so that you can see and compare the backs.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jxax7KNGtl4cgCQ60GRSkM4UYz0MC3YRDKT3anhJ8CEFF9CapYD8AOF4U3Q8VIqvxY-5q1lC6iDlYZDd3gj3eIqRwol-F_C_JNnoAQ8z-kwVse3RxdrmRxzb0ieTB9pe0GBHxK_LOcY/s1600-h/Headrest5-Compare.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-jxax7KNGtl4cgCQ60GRSkM4UYz0MC3YRDKT3anhJ8CEFF9CapYD8AOF4U3Q8VIqvxY-5q1lC6iDlYZDd3gj3eIqRwol-F_C_JNnoAQ8z-kwVse3RxdrmRxzb0ieTB9pe0GBHxK_LOcY/s400/Headrest5-Compare.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231937057036328482" border="0" /></a><br />Since I'm not a hardcore audiophile like Dan is, I decided to re-use the stock speaker mounts instead of fabricating a custom box. They are made out of a rather thick hard plastic, and that's a good thing. However, they are prone to cracking because of the way they are fastened to the headrest, and of course their age. Make sure you have some superglue handy.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfRthtmrZwNGNVZeYoiiSQKcQpfV0TKBkG9wqk4JR1NqCIoZlp2-j8PwGPPGWpSLSyQW_J13jWbNPeLp15CusPnK23Yc0pglBl2OSd2ZepS-R83OGv-ShuCWiXffreu57TBRz9hRrbiSI/s1600-h/Headrest2-Modified2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfRthtmrZwNGNVZeYoiiSQKcQpfV0TKBkG9wqk4JR1NqCIoZlp2-j8PwGPPGWpSLSyQW_J13jWbNPeLp15CusPnK23Yc0pglBl2OSd2ZepS-R83OGv-ShuCWiXffreu57TBRz9hRrbiSI/s400/Headrest2-Modified2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231936903550785730" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDm6nwms-CnTn4xQyTrwqzq3uA1oQckaqcYN-Ne-wxMIw1xlakj57e-c5SFf9ycwuABA5apKHo1hBV7Z00icYSzbiFGg8SMXNHk9-qSbKLPXmM1Hewovz2X2zQYU0UoxwUD2vaLrk3SLo/s1600-h/Headrest2-Modified.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDm6nwms-CnTn4xQyTrwqzq3uA1oQckaqcYN-Ne-wxMIw1xlakj57e-c5SFf9ycwuABA5apKHo1hBV7Z00icYSzbiFGg8SMXNHk9-qSbKLPXmM1Hewovz2X2zQYU0UoxwUD2vaLrk3SLo/s400/Headrest2-Modified.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231936903233819986" border="0" /></a>Here it is! Modded next to un-modded. Make sure the box does not touch the cone of the speaker at any range of its movement.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTocmqw3SfhQeVvjm1O2ojCsAYExj8upxa2TKKFs5LNHd8_a8uFhHH-nyjQhoMGQf0bOvEcqUsxOPe76lIXvu9E47wubsnV5VZlel3-0Iw596w9n1sykq4D2qfEzkNFJ1mKbGV7tHVrA/s1600-h/Headrest4-Compare.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpTocmqw3SfhQeVvjm1O2ojCsAYExj8upxa2TKKFs5LNHd8_a8uFhHH-nyjQhoMGQf0bOvEcqUsxOPe76lIXvu9E47wubsnV5VZlel3-0Iw596w9n1sykq4D2qfEzkNFJ1mKbGV7tHVrA/s400/Headrest4-Compare.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231937055696029922" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPES2F2BYzD1h46lEN6FiR2uDSDuPji2_UIET6VAfU5l2HGHY2S25OH5x68gFIPN710vEDZVzOUVSJ41DVPE3Fv8fnDxCiDUUJYzfgMIXjjoH1X3yXrySXsinK2NFMAUJGcGVlyFu888/s1600-h/Headrest6-Compare2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMPES2F2BYzD1h46lEN6FiR2uDSDuPji2_UIET6VAfU5l2HGHY2S25OH5x68gFIPN710vEDZVzOUVSJ41DVPE3Fv8fnDxCiDUUJYzfgMIXjjoH1X3yXrySXsinK2NFMAUJGcGVlyFu888/s400/Headrest6-Compare2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231937062878193362" border="0" /></a>Here is a picture of the modified unit dissasembled in front of the headrest mounting bracket.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuj0l9n38j1rewY3HJUjOrOn0_txyLx4H8Cc6Xm89gRhlhHDz9liQzo2dhNmIQHfJLq-YxaPu6MgOI2yhZ8CgOHDwztVLXTs_Mdxf-TLfyHyK_9CCctZ7nP_Nri29Jg95DYkVfNMpv0iI/s1600-h/Headrest2-Working.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuj0l9n38j1rewY3HJUjOrOn0_txyLx4H8Cc6Xm89gRhlhHDz9liQzo2dhNmIQHfJLq-YxaPu6MgOI2yhZ8CgOHDwztVLXTs_Mdxf-TLfyHyK_9CCctZ7nP_Nri29Jg95DYkVfNMpv0iI/s400/Headrest2-Working.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231936906423978274" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSrdZiOOBwisGKMCo9Dkv8C7tyKAKYddyympdVaVJbVHwqkxhNqw7pIE84t_-S5D2EjD6iFxx-N3o8PX6F6jPjpD8b-6ypQl5izccPMW-rwHoJ1NRC4SmwamzdZAluJKz6WjSEmacnfo/s1600-h/Headrest3-StillWorking.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSrdZiOOBwisGKMCo9Dkv8C7tyKAKYddyympdVaVJbVHwqkxhNqw7pIE84t_-S5D2EjD6iFxx-N3o8PX6F6jPjpD8b-6ypQl5izccPMW-rwHoJ1NRC4SmwamzdZAluJKz6WjSEmacnfo/s400/Headrest3-StillWorking.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231936907280126450" border="0" /></a><br />Here you go! All done! You don't need to put Dynamat on the headrest, I just put it there as a joke for Trevor. It's a really thick piece of metal already.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje3c7o8zZu-EC1DfffcF0U-Rq8kiAMaf-s4xYgBTyCTtT5_lqtFrShpcMpa-xBOliVnt6bBgWQSJmzHD_Q6OyWPaVaVeHsc-12KdVjJ6OOrKbRXtZg60SJud69CjMZcCd5B9Ad8qk2AAg/s1600-h/Headrest5-AllDone.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje3c7o8zZu-EC1DfffcF0U-Rq8kiAMaf-s4xYgBTyCTtT5_lqtFrShpcMpa-xBOliVnt6bBgWQSJmzHD_Q6OyWPaVaVeHsc-12KdVjJ6OOrKbRXtZg60SJud69CjMZcCd5B9Ad8qk2AAg/s400/Headrest5-AllDone.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231937055730580882" border="0" /></a>Final results: the sound is awesome! It does not take over the super highs (as those are handled by separate tweeters in front of me) but it handles the high and high middle very well. It's really fantastic for when the top is down and it's really noisy outside, I can still have my music coming in nice and clear.Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-2711582532277507252008-08-07T14:43:00.000-07:002009-05-01T08:34:09.362-07:00The Magic is GonePicture I took outside of Mustang Magic, after the wall fell.<br />For the story, <a href="http://readingtofu.blogspot.com/2008/08/mustang-magic.html">click here.</a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Igc0IR9OdMbGknQ_fkp1p3DaKBaoPHyTnXcmozWuPybJoAerwJe6SH6uKlNdZxqv91cHQ4mLSLQ-UHr8fZ7xabu_TzdY5RoHX7otO4O5IP_FeiBt5YeyScOmEjPprc6LveF-CqmjdwE/s1600-h/CrunchedStangs1280x1024.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5Igc0IR9OdMbGknQ_fkp1p3DaKBaoPHyTnXcmozWuPybJoAerwJe6SH6uKlNdZxqv91cHQ4mLSLQ-UHr8fZ7xabu_TzdY5RoHX7otO4O5IP_FeiBt5YeyScOmEjPprc6LveF-CqmjdwE/s400/CrunchedStangs1280x1024.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231891964867419970" border="0" /></a>(Click for a larger image)<br /></div>Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-62659931693527282922008-08-06T06:43:00.000-07:002008-08-06T06:44:43.599-07:00Tofuball's ReadingI removed all the unrelated stories from the site, because, well, they were unrelated. I moved them over to <a href="http://readingtofu.blogspot.com/">Tofuball's Reading.<br /><br />ReadingTofu.Blogspot.Com</a>Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-6094258240208935542008-08-05T05:34:00.000-07:002008-08-06T09:12:10.048-07:00How not to remove a tree.My friend Theo from RX-7Club had a tree problem; in the back of his yard, looming over his tool shed, a dead tree was about to fall on his house. The tree was about about a foot and a half in diameter.<br /><br />To keep it from falling and breaking things, he wrapped a logging chain around the trunk and used a come-a-long to secure it to a larger tree nearby.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSk7p46vaRcwy5ReETdIdjCpg4h0xBwDBRWlk0r_Ot1HPNlCbnHy4x9NSIbKHVjIs8SIlFjyCH8mBBRF7ufXGUvwr0CZk6L2NPDvUk2EDeS1_FpRzR9hOjf8fRG4Etp9c9H_160paPqI8/s1600-h/first.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSk7p46vaRcwy5ReETdIdjCpg4h0xBwDBRWlk0r_Ot1HPNlCbnHy4x9NSIbKHVjIs8SIlFjyCH8mBBRF7ufXGUvwr0CZk6L2NPDvUk2EDeS1_FpRzR9hOjf8fRG4Etp9c9H_160paPqI8/s400/first.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231013734365099090" border="0" /></a><br />He asked the forum what he should do next:<br /><br /><blockquote>I have already cut a small wedge out of the tree in the direction of the come-a-long... But not enough to get the tree leaning that way. Once it does start leaning or falling, it'll release the tension on the chain/cable... Then it won't pull anymore. How do I pull it down when the tension is off the cable?<br /><br />Any other bright ideas before I go killing or breaking something?</blockquote><br /><br />He then went out and notched the tree in the direction of the shed:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQfVjpkTdmK2oFJo_A06nlayZRNAnl89HUXJB4evClgAb5RPYnp6tu871kSBgEmc5qwqBONncrYHD252lLG29x84MYRXchevyGvE3ybTn8azROMdbRyV33wBlR_bIzAPNoY5Dd90Glw8/s1600-h/second.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQfVjpkTdmK2oFJo_A06nlayZRNAnl89HUXJB4evClgAb5RPYnp6tu871kSBgEmc5qwqBONncrYHD252lLG29x84MYRXchevyGvE3ybTn8azROMdbRyV33wBlR_bIzAPNoY5Dd90Glw8/s400/second.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231014100267249042" border="0" /></a><br />And the next time he posted, we were graced with the following pictures:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh43ApgZMixpR7tTWxSmdf9qCcYUzyg1fEdmbXFfk8CVArKrV6msEpg9VQLrUB4p735rtqbFc643S8Ax62VgNdleC5KS3k-FfNP6aY868L6R0GRRxQ8_617DQf_oC50a01nLob_6TfEZOs/s1600-h/0802081046a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh43ApgZMixpR7tTWxSmdf9qCcYUzyg1fEdmbXFfk8CVArKrV6msEpg9VQLrUB4p735rtqbFc643S8Ax62VgNdleC5KS3k-FfNP6aY868L6R0GRRxQ8_617DQf_oC50a01nLob_6TfEZOs/s400/0802081046a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231014976207767538" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0HG2Hktw4T-oiPwRmIwEkxtqCIAjO5aVZXFhfVYQkw7oaNQoMscR51S_aA76Kj_ydO-HSRQGZOSTsQ3sb0PKdbsU41O3jEP7KzrQg2SNtQqQpOuLlrhz1s6CXFbGpbg5XEpzLwMFKrM/s1600-h/0802081046b.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0HG2Hktw4T-oiPwRmIwEkxtqCIAjO5aVZXFhfVYQkw7oaNQoMscR51S_aA76Kj_ydO-HSRQGZOSTsQ3sb0PKdbsU41O3jEP7KzrQg2SNtQqQpOuLlrhz1s6CXFbGpbg5XEpzLwMFKrM/s400/0802081046b.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231014978020270546" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiySZPrifhJjWtgp5ViJhdnce6hCeSXQsumsL1MEcjsxGpWDcYXiIqmC20C_dKqwKp7L0pCtc0AxaaJcyF-KfGVNWYNmsRVbhc77FyTnE54oL60h5PokoTmAyU_PTR3V6HM5zEnQ3A3zI/s1600-h/0802081046c.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiySZPrifhJjWtgp5ViJhdnce6hCeSXQsumsL1MEcjsxGpWDcYXiIqmC20C_dKqwKp7L0pCtc0AxaaJcyF-KfGVNWYNmsRVbhc77FyTnE54oL60h5PokoTmAyU_PTR3V6HM5zEnQ3A3zI/s400/0802081046c.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5231014982060972994" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Luckily the shed was crappy and he didn't care much, and the gutters aren't THAT bad ;)<br /><br />You can read the thread for all the details, and the nom nom shedz tree, <a href="http://www.rx7club.com/showthread.php?t=774580">here</a>.Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-17793627599646876462008-07-30T10:22:00.000-07:002008-08-06T09:11:42.668-07:00Installing a Reinforced Ceiling Electrical Box Gone Wrong.<p class="MsoNormal">Hey everyone, Dan here from the <a href="http://mocoeats.blogspot.com/">MoCo Eats blog</a>. I don’t know if Tofuball has ever had this problem before, but I have personally found that sometimes your home improvement projects just don’t want to go exactly as planned. From the experience I had last night you might never want to take my advice on any how-to projects again, but trust me when I say this is NOT normal for me.</p><p class="MsoNormal">The mission was simple: install a reinforced ceiling fan electrical box in my bedroom ceiling, run a wire to it, and then connect that wire to a wall switch.<span style=""> </span>Sounds simple right?<span style=""> </span>Well as I’m about to explain, the "simple" tasks aren’t always as easy as they should be.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">The Planning Process…<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">My entire attic is filled with blown-in fiberglass insulation so I knew I would have to suit-up as much as possible to avoid itching for the rest of my life.<span style=""> </span>My <i style="">brilliant</i> idea was to purchase a full body tyvek suit <span dir="ltr" id=":ai">which would keep the fiberglass off my skin, and it worked great . . . Except it also kept out air and kept IN sweat! If you've ever been in an attic in the middle of summer, you know how terrible that is</span>! <span dir="ltr" id=":ai">So, picture this, I am suited up like a HAZMAT cleanup worker, crawling army style through a tiny little opening in the mounds of fiberglass. At this point I realized that the beams there were only 8 inches apart and the reinforced ceiling box is 16 inches wide. Unfortunately the brace has to span across the beams so it can hold the maximum amount of weight, but since the beams are so close together this setup is now impossible. I retreat for now, I must come up with a new attack plan.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Once I reach the temperatures downstairs I tend to take my time planning my next strategy because the attic is so hot. Yesterday it was hovering around 90 degrees, but last week I put a thermometer up there and it read 113.4 degrees. <span style=""></span> So bottom line, if you want to lose weight this is a PERFECT opportunity!<span style=""> </span>Put on that Tyvek suit and get to work. <span style=""> </span>After a few short minutes you’ve magically lost 10 lbs!<br /><!--[endif]--></p> <p class="MsoNormal">At this point I have confirmed that the electrical box I have won’t work, so I have to find an alternative.<span style=""> </span>I could put a wooden brace above that one and nail it into the beams, but that would involve two trips into the attic, climb up to measure, come down to cut, and return to nail it in place.<span style=""> </span>That alone was reason enough to rule it out.<span style=""> </span>So my idea was to find a box that has a metal brace on the side that can be screwed into the stud on one side only.<span style=""> </span>I don’t recommend this method to anyone else as it’s not quite as strong as the full length braced box.<span style=""> </span>But for my particular situation it should suffice.</p><p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">The Installation…<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">So I climbed into the attic and held the box in place long enough to trace it with a pencil.<span style=""> </span>Then I moved the box out of the way and cut the hole with a drywall saw.<span style=""> </span>All I had to do after that was put the box in place, call for my lovely wife to help me get the height right so it’s flush with the drywall, and drive in the screws.<span style=""> </span>After yelling for several minutes I realized she was in the basement and so I just waited patiently as 5lbs magically burned from my body.<span style=""> </span>Eventually she came and I was able to get everything fastened properly and get the heck out of that part of the attic permanently!</p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">Installing the Wire in the Wall…<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">All I have to do now to finish the job is run the wire down the wall and hook it into the switchbox.<span style=""> </span>This part is super easy, just drill the hole, drop the wire and pull it into the box.<span style=""> </span>Well not so fast, this too can be complicated!<span style=""> </span>I measured the distance from the walls so I could drill in the right place and I marked the location.<span style=""> </span>Have you ever started drilling into an enclosed wall when suddenly light appears through the very hole you’re drilling?<span style=""> </span>Well I have!<span style=""> </span>The distance from the trim to the wall is different in the attic and my measurements were about one inch off.<span style=""> </span>So lucky me, I drilled right into the bathroom ceiling.<span style=""> </span>True this is easily fixed with a bit of drywall mud, but the hole just so happened to be directly above my wife’s and my own brand new toothbrushes.<span style=""> </span>Literally we had used them twice.<span style=""> </span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><b style="">The Final Hookup…<o:p></o:p></b></p> <p class="MsoNormal">Finally with my wife’s help we were able to get the wire into the electrical box and are ready to do the final hookup and install the fan.<span style=""> </span>I wasn’t able to get that done last night, but I’m sure hoping the next parts of the install will be easier than the last.<span style=""> </span>As a final kick in the gut, when I went to put the screw back in the switchbox I made the unfortunate realization that I had left my best screwdriver somewhere in the depths of the second attic… maybe someone else will find it in 50 years or so.</p>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15128651246943653165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-51103718860416251522008-07-28T07:31:00.000-07:002008-07-28T15:03:04.267-07:00How does a PCV valve work? What is it?More then once I've had people ask me "Why do I even need a PCV valve? Can't I just cap it off?" Unlike most other things that are classified as "Emissions Controls Devices," the PCV valve is not useless. PCV stands for "Positive Crankcase Ventilation." What in the world does that mean? To get to the bottom of this, first we'll have to go over some basics:<br /><br /><b>You should vent the crankcase</b>: We all know about the top of the pistons going through the 4 stroke cycle, but some of us forget about what is going on under the piston, in the crankcase. The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crankcase">crankcase</a> is basically the entire "bottom half" of your engine, containing, you guessed it, the crank. Under the crank is usually a sea of oil, and above that, oil is being squirted or secreted out of many different holes and openings. As each piston drops, the pressure increases, and as each piston rises, the pressure decreases. If you pressurized the crankcase, the pistons would have to fight the pressure to move, so you have to vent the crankcase. <br /><br />Ok, just cut a hole in the valve cover and put in a filter, that’s your vent, right? Well, it would work for that purpose, however, there are still two more concerns:<br /><br /><b>Blowby, and her ugly friend, Emissions</b>: Because the seal of the piston rings is not perfect, during combustion, some of the unexploded or even burnt intake charge gets into the crankcase. This is called "blowby" and it gets worse as the car ages and the piston rings wear down. Blowby is a problem because it is acidic, possibly corrosive and<i> explosive</i>. You wouldn't want those gasses igniting outside the combustion chamber, would you? The water vapor in blowby gasses can condense when you turn off the car and cause rust. If left alone, blowby can cause viscosity breakdown (thinning) of your oil, and to top it off, these unburned hydrocarbons are bad for the environment. So you shouldn't just stick a vacuum on your crankcase and suck everything out into the atmosphere. Besides, there is a cheaper solution then going out and buying a vacuum; because your engine's intake is already a vacuum!<br /><br />So what the manufacturers did is they put a hole in one side of the crankcase and connected it to your air filter, so that it can take in fresh air. This is usually called a "Crankcase breather." On a "V" engine this is usually done on one valve cover, and then the other valve cover is connected to your intake manifold. That way, when you're driving, the engine will suck up all the hydrocarbons and burn them, and keep your crankcase under a vacuum.<br /><br />Sounds great, right? "But Jason," I hear you saying "It's called a PCV <b><i>valve</i></b>, why is there a valve there?" "Silence!" I'll yell, because you're interrupting me, you jerk.<br /><b><br />So why use a valve?</b> Your engine vacuum is not a constant. At idle, and at low engine loads and cruising, your engine produces lots of vacuum. However, at more aggressive driving (You know, like in DC?) the engine vacuum is much lower. To keep the vacuum in the crankcase high, they put a valve in that closes at low engine vacuum.<br /><br />Another reason for the valve: inside the crankcase, oil is flying all over the place creating a mist, or just a splashing such a way that can get sucked into the engine through the PCV. That's mostly OK, as the engine can happily burn such a small amount of oil. However, it needs to be quite hot to burn the oil, and lean fuel mixtures from cruising are a lot more "oil burning friendly" then colder, rich fuel mixtures from hard driving.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Back in the 60s and earlier</span>, cars used to just be equipped with a draft tube, which would just come straight out of the crankcase and out into the atmosphere. The "road draft tube" would use the air passing by to induce a vacuum. It would also randomly dump oil on the road, and just vent unburned hydrocarbons.<br /><br />Some companies claim to have special PCV valves that make your car get 30% more fuel economy and the like, and like fuel line magnets, you should just ignore those.<br /><br />A lot of people put "Oil Catchcans" on their PCV line, to catch the oil coming out before it gets into the engine. This keeps the inside of your intake manifold cleaner, and is a matter of personal preference for most vehicles. You can either make one yourself or just buy one pre-made online.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">If your PCV valve goes bad</span>, it will either fail "open" and always lets everything through, and that can lead to problems like oil-fouled spark plugs. The PCV can also fail closed, causing problems such as oil coming out your breather tube and soiling your air filter. If your system doesn't incorporate a breather tube, or it's clogged, your dipstick may pop off from the pressure, and your engine will run a little worse, possibly burning more oil.Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-57858430211536840642008-07-08T07:34:00.000-07:002008-07-08T08:27:34.690-07:00Electric fan conversion for $20<span style="font-weight: bold;">Why electric fans?</span><br /><br />A lot of people want to convert to an electric fan for their cars, either because their stock "clutch-type fan" is dead, to save energy, or to free up space in the engine bay.<br /><br />Some people say that electric fans do not save energy, the reason being that you lose energy by converting it from kinetic energy into electricity, then back into kinetic energy, unlike the stock fan that is just belt driven without the conversions. This would be true, but only if the electric fan ran at all times. It saves energy by only turning on when it is needed. This is why most modern cars have electric fans. The engine does less work, so you get a little more power and slightly better fuel economy.<br /><br />I removed my stock clutch fan in my Mazda RX-7 and replaced it with the stock twin fans out of a first gen (Mark I, from the eighties) Toyota MR2, and I did it for about $20. The reasons were simple. The most important reason I did this was that the stock clutch was dead, and a new one costs more then the MR2 fans at a junkyard. I also like having all that room in the engine bay, making it easier to change belts and observe engine operating conditions.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />What electric fan should I use?</span><br /><br />You can use almost any electric fan you'd like, I would recommend grabbing the twin fans out of a Mark II MR2 if you can, because they are less likely to be rusted out then the Mark I fans, and they look much nicer. The parts are interchangeable, and the motors have been upgraded. In fact, if you have dead Mark I fans, you can get rebuilt motors for the Mark II and turn the old motors in for the core charge.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Installation</span><br /><br />This install is on a 1990 Mazda RX-7 Convertible with A/C. Your setup will vary, and you can find a different set of fans (or fan) from another junkyard car, just make sure it covers the radiator well and works with your shrouding.<br /><br />The dual MR2 fan shrouds are made of metal and fit almost perfectly with a little bending. As anyone who has ever owned an Mark I MR2 knows, everything metal on the car rusts out, so I had to wire wheel and then paint these fans (I did too quick a job on the shrouds, in my opinion). Then I painted the (previously off white) fans black with some KRYLON PlastiCote. I really like the way they came out (scroll down for pictures).<br /><br />I put regular house weather stripping along the edge of the fan and then set it on my radiator. I cut a few lengths of coat hanger up and then bent them in to create the brackets to hold the fans in place. If you want it to look nicer, you can use zip ties through the top of the radiator. Next, I bent the metal of the fan shroud flat around where the coolant hoses are run (I don't like the idea of my soft rubber hoses touching a vibrating metal fan shroud)<br /><br />I tested each fan for polarity by applying battery voltage, and then set them to pull air through the radiator. This is important, you don't want the fans fighting incoming air. I then ran the ground wire to the chassis right next to the fans. I used all 8 gauge wire, this is important, you don't want to use too small a wire or it will heat up, and might even cause major issues. The positive wire went to <a href="http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/electrical-and-computer-systems/1666-info-how-a-relay-works/">a relay</a>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Controlling the Fan</span><br /><br />Now, you can have the relay powered by a switch that you manually flip (that's no fun, and kinda dangerous if you forget to flip the switch), a thermoswitch (sounds good to me) or an aftermarket ECU (thats what I did). If you don't use an ECU, you can use <a href="http://www.jegs.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/KeywordSearchCmd?storeId=10001&catalogId=10002&langId=-1&N=0&Ntt=Electric+Fan+Switch&Ntk=all&Nty=1&D=Electric+Fan+Switch&Ntx=mode%2Bmatchallany&Dx=mode%2Bmatchallany&searchTerm=Electric+Fan+Switch">an aftermarket temperature switch</a>, or just <a href="http://autospeed.com/cms/A_2477/article.html">build your own</a>.<br /><br />I have the The MegaSquirt ECU set to switch on the relay on whenever it sees the engine temperature go OVER 200F (210F is the maximum acceptable operating temperature) and switch it off around 184F.<br /><br />The temperatures you set will be dependant on what car you install your fans on, and what thermostat you are running. If you're in doubt, just set it to 200F.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Results</span><br /><br />When the fans come on, it's insane how fast they cool down the radiator. You can put your hand behind the airstream and FEEL the temperature drop in the air coming off. The coolant sensor input to my ECU hesitates a little, (The waterpump has to circulate the cool water, then the sensor has to catch up) then the display shows the temperature drops 20 degrees almost instantly!<br /><br />These fans are much quieter then the Black Magic or Flex-a-Lite fans that I have heard. The fans do not over tax my stock alternator either.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Test fitting the fans:</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwbBc1b8vMS8o-L4cFq0qx4VQTnqP-XMEC5GLOCGDgjT3dQzm3gE3IzUnV19gTBbo2udVjMRR2NmCKw-LBphPFrM0rcFagyun-ayHoxEBJHiahwUh3bEuvWDpDJaLAUxOs1E8pyhCTYA/s1600-h/TestFit.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnwbBc1b8vMS8o-L4cFq0qx4VQTnqP-XMEC5GLOCGDgjT3dQzm3gE3IzUnV19gTBbo2udVjMRR2NmCKw-LBphPFrM0rcFagyun-ayHoxEBJHiahwUh3bEuvWDpDJaLAUxOs1E8pyhCTYA/s400/TestFit.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220656206833246930" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Bending to clear the lower radiator hose:</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDaQ0rFkuSA8O-2SF4qJOP-R2-F2RR0T7zLIbytfB55o_-Z8DFweL48gS10fw_gPt5sxhhNA8eLK0sn4x62-PEno6CBhiWHqy73yfmsgFSSfb9MJh7VOg8f4EyKGlnaJwAjjZl0LGNUs/s1600-h/Bend1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNDaQ0rFkuSA8O-2SF4qJOP-R2-F2RR0T7zLIbytfB55o_-Z8DFweL48gS10fw_gPt5sxhhNA8eLK0sn4x62-PEno6CBhiWHqy73yfmsgFSSfb9MJh7VOg8f4EyKGlnaJwAjjZl0LGNUs/s400/Bend1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220656198842250130" border="0" /></a><br />You will have to bend it on top for the upper radiator hose too.<br /><br />I would post better pictures, but a bit after I installed these fans, the car was stolen! I hope this writeup has been helpful for you, feel free to ask questions in the comments section!Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-78481367793231872932008-07-07T07:25:00.000-07:002008-07-07T08:21:11.253-07:00Plastic on demandI was reading <a href="http://www.xrobots.co.uk/android10.htm">this fascinating page</a> on a fellow making an android, and I saw he was using this stuff for mounting the engines that he only called "Polymorph." When I looked it up I found out what amazing stuff it really is.<br /><br />Friendly plastic. Shapelock, Polymorph. It has many names, but it's all the same wonderful stuff. You can buy it either plain (white) or in a vast assortment of colors. It's non toxic and biodegradable, safe and fun to play with, and has an untold number of uses.<br /><br />When you buy it, it comes in the form of small white pellets that you drop into hot water (90F to 150F based on how malleable you want it, it only takes a few seconds) pull it out, squeeze out the excess water and shape to your hearts content. You can use tools or your bare hands, it shapes a lot like clay. When it cools down it will be as hard as nylon. If you ever get tired of its current shape, just drop it back into hot water and it will return to a malleable mush, it's totally reusable.<br /><br />It is great for use in making molds, orthopedics, models,<a href="http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-New-Tools-From-Shapelock--Friendly-Plastic/"> impromptu tools</a>, and much more.<br /><br />It can be painted, and when hot it sticks to whatever you want, but if that is not the desired effect, just splash the surface with a little cool water and it will no longer be sticky.<br /><br />Want some? It's not really that expensive, as a little goes a long way. Here are some places you can go to buy some of this wonderful stuff:<br /><br /><a href="http://shapelock.com/page2.html">Shapelock.com</a> - Before shipping (About $8), sells for around $23 a lb ($25 for 500 grams)<br /><a href="http://www.sculpt.com/catalog_98/craft/craft.htm#friend">Sculpt.com</a> - 28oz for US$42 is about $23.3 a lb for "Friendly Plastic"<br /><a href="http://www.amaco.com/prod-friendly-plastic-pellets-430.html">Amaco.com</a> - If you buy the 25lb bucket for US$540, you're looking at $21.60 a lb of "Friendly Plastic"<br /><a href="http://www.rapidonline.com/productinfo.aspx?tier1URL=Educational-Products&tier2URL=Graphics-Art-Design&tier3URL=Materials&tier4URL=Polymorph&moduleno=34444&kw=polymorph">RapidOnline.com</a> - For 1KG of "Polymorph," you'll be set back US$30 + VAT for $16 a lb.Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-67474921475434387122008-07-07T05:41:00.001-07:002008-07-07T11:42:39.870-07:00Rotary Teardown #1 - Vax's EngineThis weekend I finished tearing down a customer's rotary engine (13B) from an RX-7, and I figure I'll post the results here, and clarify what the pictures mean. This engine is out of a Series 4 Mazda RX-7, it is the Naturally Aspirated version of the engine, meaning it did not come with a turbo. This engine (I believe) has over 150,000 miles on it.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5FRsTNhdzA-FGdwhWwbpuRc_5tmOOcsq-4NR3FO4yclDNm4lNfPmItoWCO6xzUoWLhBhq4w91BK2zarknE4Ft_yvPcy6_XvkhEle6bRo9tqxUWL_oE3XHIAWsT-cRBZTM3U4kZ67aew/s1600-h/Engine1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO5FRsTNhdzA-FGdwhWwbpuRc_5tmOOcsq-4NR3FO4yclDNm4lNfPmItoWCO6xzUoWLhBhq4w91BK2zarknE4Ft_yvPcy6_XvkhEle6bRo9tqxUWL_oE3XHIAWsT-cRBZTM3U4kZ67aew/s400/Engine1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220257017570163890" border="0" /></a><br />This is the engine with the front cover first removed. You can see the oil pump with the chain around it, and the CAS (Crank Angle Sensor) worm gear on the nose of the eccentric shaft. Everything here looks normal for an engine with high miles except for that counterweight . . . .<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7f_qOYNwek-DKf_4YCVLxI-CLJoJhREyV0eUwpJJznSBDFblvL7-WBop2faSTQ68GIy_dCvQI9vbl0sY01GTzT0g-B0IFCp4E5sXs22L5vm8jzOp9dvXcfsBWfM9M_dYZ_tIqwptI-M/s1600-h/Engine2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB7f_qOYNwek-DKf_4YCVLxI-CLJoJhREyV0eUwpJJznSBDFblvL7-WBop2faSTQ68GIy_dCvQI9vbl0sY01GTzT0g-B0IFCp4E5sXs22L5vm8jzOp9dvXcfsBWfM9M_dYZ_tIqwptI-M/s400/Engine2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220257020673428466" border="0" /></a><br />The front counterweight is usually coated in oil. This coating drips off if the car sits for a long time. With the protective coating of oil gone, combined with moisture from some short distance driving (where the engine did not have time to warm up and steam off the water) probably caused this rust. The oil pump also had some small scratches on the aluminum internal arm, indicating that old or crappy oil had been used, as even high mileage 13B engines tend to have very little wear on the oil pump.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQvtjgGN30ldyl_r45OmuN_PBA9Cvsw6Qu9TgMfA55FuMrejItvU4PpCjKQDWx6e14HbhnVmCE_ln7EOmgHwvVlyJLFNcf9jtyfD66sosLQ4Uki6ozW29tCbo3Qw7zBt9ocJH_oYE9Vo/s1600-h/Engine3BlownRotor.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKQvtjgGN30ldyl_r45OmuN_PBA9Cvsw6Qu9TgMfA55FuMrejItvU4PpCjKQDWx6e14HbhnVmCE_ln7EOmgHwvVlyJLFNcf9jtyfD66sosLQ4Uki6ozW29tCbo3Qw7zBt9ocJH_oYE9Vo/s400/Engine3BlownRotor.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220257025058906610" border="0" /></a><br /><br />With the rear iron removed, you can see the rear rotor. I could immediately tell that it was blown because two of the apex seals were retracted into the rotor. Normally they are pressed firmly against the housing, it's not easy to tell in this small version of the picture, check out the larger version <a href="http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j252/Tofuball/VAX%20Engine/Engine3BlownRotor.jpg?t=1215436285">here</a> and look at the topmost seal. Note the distance between the seal and the housing.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HBkI5eAvyugNZzDopyDUYrzsuyQg-f6LnC_ANgaje3fqnzVP3vQaa5udogNy4q7RaWPOXoL0LiMDFPGSQfVEN-9Nv-WTMOt13w8lSMSkpGjFA7E6LKPlyaVZPJohQj3WVKT0PgFYvJI/s1600-h/Engine4ChunkMissing.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6HBkI5eAvyugNZzDopyDUYrzsuyQg-f6LnC_ANgaje3fqnzVP3vQaa5udogNy4q7RaWPOXoL0LiMDFPGSQfVEN-9Nv-WTMOt13w8lSMSkpGjFA7E6LKPlyaVZPJohQj3WVKT0PgFYvJI/s400/Engine4ChunkMissing.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220257025387456546" border="0" /></a><br />Here, we can see that when the apex seal blew, it took a chunk of the rotor with it. Those parts flying around in the combustion chamber took out the housing. All would have to be replaced if the customer desired to have this engine rebuilt.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKaMwq3obI3Egl_vyqNovW5s-gWxJ8Il74nKXoyT4kXUsy4NTktcEGDAgqFck0Wl2unsWz3qcu266BC_98fA6ewf1aT8gwIZon0ppRLW6iX70MU7bwCMTxo2vzuZA6pDvWZsciaNH9LHc/s1600-h/Engine5RotorDamage.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKaMwq3obI3Egl_vyqNovW5s-gWxJ8Il74nKXoyT4kXUsy4NTktcEGDAgqFck0Wl2unsWz3qcu266BC_98fA6ewf1aT8gwIZon0ppRLW6iX70MU7bwCMTxo2vzuZA6pDvWZsciaNH9LHc/s400/Engine5RotorDamage.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220257026197893266" border="0" /></a>This is one of the many scratches on the rotor face left by the apex seal.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZOqHwfYoQJVEYXPfTIuqV1zSAqC_Z4Xq6cpZ-j-im2vz4CfhuSzWuPw_Z_3hMmLu-egAfkcFkT1pkiS90TevjYQmWnbCiv4K4-sIPDJK3weQpDXkqMV0wiuZN9k-UKEyXfs20_D53dc/s1600-h/Engine6Gunk.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOZOqHwfYoQJVEYXPfTIuqV1zSAqC_Z4Xq6cpZ-j-im2vz4CfhuSzWuPw_Z_3hMmLu-egAfkcFkT1pkiS90TevjYQmWnbCiv4K4-sIPDJK3weQpDXkqMV0wiuZN9k-UKEyXfs20_D53dc/s400/Engine6Gunk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220261112352694274" border="0" /></a>Here, I'm cleaning out the coolant passage of the front rotor housing. This is the better of the two, in that it's not completely blown by having a metal seal smashed into it repeatedly.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivDIzBHGZfpc6EFFEZuMLmo7EP2pk0LcjtHQIDTplmiJ9hikaTMmzA3FHIi4ZpSfK9Wel7MBwNLD8SeLwFEmuz_ie4JJ_ndbLAJOWmbZ0QA89TwF7O8Z39pqxE7yCJqdSvJOCc08aOtMo/s1600-h/Engine7Ewww.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivDIzBHGZfpc6EFFEZuMLmo7EP2pk0LcjtHQIDTplmiJ9hikaTMmzA3FHIi4ZpSfK9Wel7MBwNLD8SeLwFEmuz_ie4JJ_ndbLAJOWmbZ0QA89TwF7O8Z39pqxE7yCJqdSvJOCc08aOtMo/s400/Engine7Ewww.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220261110755382114" border="0" /></a><br />My guess is that this is the result of mixing Dexcool with the regular green coolant. Some people think that it's the result of too much tap water and stop leak. Personally I've seen the results of using "Bar's leak," and it's not this bad.<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sN1zy4DvMFuEnd1Aincx-BUdY9HiMzg7pUaEpB_Kzk5R6jSs1kTOEpLsPcXLyBCXfpnhnUqZ2rRnt9mEl81PgwsWgfOVym591QXkQzCf3eOsydmpCT5v7kLHgtHWoXTijLCNCbJhllI/s1600-h/Engine8Chatter.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7sN1zy4DvMFuEnd1Aincx-BUdY9HiMzg7pUaEpB_Kzk5R6jSs1kTOEpLsPcXLyBCXfpnhnUqZ2rRnt9mEl81PgwsWgfOVym591QXkQzCf3eOsydmpCT5v7kLHgtHWoXTijLCNCbJhllI/s400/Engine8Chatter.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220261116782806754" border="0" /></a><br />Again, the better of the two rotor housings. You can see the gouge left by the corner seal in the surface of the housing. Also you should note that the housing is shiny, it's not supposed to be, it should have a whitish matte finish over the metal, it's a special oil retaining coating to prevent stuff like this from happening. High miles and crap oil is my guess for what happened here.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47MQ7PKPcD9VErrzYKGago5-uc1VHp27nLJkBS3c52mV_z0b5x2xGblWjYBRXwgKs2VsJGdBS2Zp9D8cTsbzUotlQaH6ERb-Uq9gnqp8LLDJbVZfrUmzghSlk7dOQn8u00pi-LipxY2c/s1600-h/Engine9TheGoodRotor.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi47MQ7PKPcD9VErrzYKGago5-uc1VHp27nLJkBS3c52mV_z0b5x2xGblWjYBRXwgKs2VsJGdBS2Zp9D8cTsbzUotlQaH6ERb-Uq9gnqp8LLDJbVZfrUmzghSlk7dOQn8u00pi-LipxY2c/s400/Engine9TheGoodRotor.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5220261114427709506" border="0" /></a><br />The one perfectly decent internal part recovered (not counting the obvious stuff like the eccentric shaft). The front rotor. It is a "C" weighted rotor, so it will need a similarly weighted rotor to replace it's brother that was lost in the line of duty. This rotor can be cleaned up and returned to service.<br /><br />For larger versions of all these pictures, check out <a href="http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j252/Tofuball/VAX%20Engine/">my photobucket album</a>. Feel free to ask any questions in the comments section.Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-43483337894571321642008-07-03T07:17:00.000-07:002008-07-29T23:26:35.255-07:00Why are Some People so Terrible with Money?<span style="font-style: italic;">"If you can't afford it, you don't buy it."</span><br /><br />Sounds logical, right? Yet it seems quite a few people have gotten into big trouble with that concept.<br /><br />Maybe because they don't have a concept of how much money is really coming and going. That is why it is important to at least have an idea of a budget. It doesn't take that much time, and there are tons of tools to make it easier. A major cause of marital strife is money, so even if you're not married, at least get some practice putting your finances in order. If you are married, I'm sure your wife will be impressed when you have a pretty looking spreadsheet for her the next time she asks where all the money is going.<br /><br />Think that is too much work? Check out <a href="http://www.mint.com/">Mint</a>; "Mint connects to over 5,000 US banks and credit unions, credit card, brokerage, and mutual fund companies to keep your <strong>transactions and account balances automatically up-to-date</strong>. Mint even <strong>auto-balances</strong> your checkbook and <strong>auto-categorizes</strong> your transactions. <u>Set it up once and you’re done.</u>" Best of all, it's free!<br /><br />Once you have a budget set up, you can sit down and make logical decisions about where to cut back without making much sacrifice. My favorite thing about helping people set up budgets is watching their faces when they find out how much their diet coke costs per month. One fellow I helped was spending over $2000 on diet coke per year (He drank a lot per day)<br /><br />That's . . . almost the price of a car . . . every few years.<br /><br />Why save money? I don't make a lot of money compared to everyone else in the area I live in, and my wife is a stay at home mom, but I still live a whole lot more comfortably then people who make more then me, because as soon as they get money they just spend it. Some people I know, after a week or so, have no idea why they don't have money and are living paycheck to paycheck, and after a while they end up maxing out a few credit cards.<br /><br />Then some people even turn around and blame the credit card/lending companies. I can understand complaining about predatory lending, but it wouldn't work in the first place if people just paid back what they owed in the first place.<br /><br />Don't spend more then you make. If you can't handle that, <a href="http://frugalliving.about.com/od/moneymanagement/tp/Get_Out_of_Debt.htm">get rid of your credit cards</a>.<br /><br />Personally, I like credit cards for the convenience, and for the rewards. I put everything on my credit card that I possibly can. I get reward points that I redeem for gas cards. I pay off the balance in full every 2 weeks. It's free gas, about $1 worth for every $60 to $100 spent.<br /><br />Though the MoneyAnswerGuy disagrees with me there, and says that <a href="http://www.moneyanswerguy.com/2008/06/29/editorial-no-one-uses-credit-cards-responsably/">no one can use a credit card responsibly</a>.<br /><br />Check out what different credit cards have to offer at the <a href="http://www.creditcardguide.com/">CreditCartGuide </a>or <a href="http://www.cardoffers.com/">CardOffers</a><br /><br />Or you can read some other guy on the topic of "<a href="http://moneysmartlife.com/why-are-some-people-so-ignorant-about-money/">Why Are Some People so Ignorant About Money?"</a>Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-56130253530240220322008-07-03T07:16:00.000-07:002008-07-08T13:49:33.985-07:00Why Deaden? Who says you need serious beats to benefit from it?<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Hello everyone! Dan here from the <a href="http://mocoeats.blogspot.com/">MoCo Eats blog</a>! I'm here to ask you if you're tired of being forced to crank your radio up every time you go past 45 mph just to hear what song is playing? Does your car sound like a thin metal can when you slam the door? There is a simple solution to that, it doesn't cost that much at all, and when you're done, your car will have that luxurious feel that much more expensive cars do. </span><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">There are many places in your car or truck that have nothing but a very thin layer of sheet metal separating you from the road.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">The trick to making your ride quieter is to drop the "resonance frequency" of these thin pieces of metal by making them thicker; and t</span><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="1er0">he more road noise and metal vibration you can stop, the better everything in your car will sound.</span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="1er0">There are many many places to buy sound deadener for your car, and there are literally dozens of different types, grades, thicknesses and even colors. There is roll on, stick on, and glue on, and even spray on. So where do you start?<br /></span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="1er0"> My journey started with a place that sells some of the best sound deadener that I know of. It's the thickest, and not the most expensive. www.edesignaudio.com . Not only do they have the kind you paint on with a brush, but they also have three different kinds of self-adhesive materials. Their prices are significantly lower than Dynamat and most deadener you can buy in retail stores, but I kept digging and found some stuff that was even cheaper. Do a google search for R-blox, or Fat Mat, and Brown Bread.. I bought 100 square feet of R-blox for $89.00 plus shipping. Here is the key: <span style="font-weight: bold;">you want the most <span style="font-style: italic;">mil</span> for the buck! </span>While the stuff I bought (r-blox) is a lot cheaper than e-dead, it is also quite a bit thinner. For example the <a href="http://www.edesignaudio.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_24&products_id=572">eDead UE</a> is 120 mils, and the R-blox is 50 mils. That means I would have to put three layers down to exceed the thickness of the eDead UE. Fortunately what I bought came out to less than $1 per sq-ft and the eDead is $3.50/sq-ft. So to me it seemed worth having to do a couple layers.<br /></span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><span id="1er0">The kind that comes in a can is also quite important to mention because it is the only kind that can go ANYWHERE! You typically won't want to use the sticky roll material on anything that takes extreme heat and is upside down. For example you wouldn't want to use it on the inside of your roof. However, if you were to buy the liquid, you could paint it on the roof and never have to worry about it falling down in the heat. For the sake of simplification, today I'm just going to be talking about the self-adhesive type of sound deadener since that's what I bought. Obviously the technique is going to be different for the kind that is painted on.<br /></span></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_fQilIrDjt5o/SGzjzRuSapI/AAAAAAAAA7E/1ZbhluBL0G0/s1600-h/IMG_0681+%28Large%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_fQilIrDjt5o/SGzjzRuSapI/AAAAAAAAA7E/1ZbhluBL0G0/s320/IMG_0681+%28Large%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218796538285943442" border="0" /></a></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">The first step is to remove as much covering as you can.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">The car’s covering… not yours…</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">This involves door panels, carpet, and any plastic that you can remove.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Be careful not to break anything, and if you do break anything, I’m sorry for your loss.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Please don’t call me.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">ANYWAY, at this point your door should look something like the picture on the right.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Perhaps yours doesn’t have a plastic covering,</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">regardless, this plastic covering needs to come off because you need to release the invisable noise gremlins that live inside the door. Also because you will be reaching your hands inside the door to apply the sound deadening agent.</span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal">The reason we are starting with the door is <span style="font-size:100%;">because the entire panel on the outside of the car is most likely just a single thin sheet of metal.</span> <span style="font-size:100%;">This is a good time to clean the door panel with Windex or some other grease-fighting spray to help the sound deadening adhere properly to the panels.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Just for fun when you’re done cleaning the dust and dirt off, knock on the outside of your door panel just to hear what it sounds like "Before" you apply the sound deadening… You’ll thank me later when you hear the "After."<br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"> </p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_fQilIrDjt5o/SGzlimxAsOI/AAAAAAAAA7s/9zCNtkTbCvg/s1600-h/IMG_0687+%28Large%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_fQilIrDjt5o/SGzlimxAsOI/AAAAAAAAA7s/9zCNtkTbCvg/s320/IMG_0687+%28Large%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218798450899988706" border="0" /></a>Now, cut pieces that are small enough to fit through the holes in the door panel, so you can apply them from the inside.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Once you cut them, peel one corner and press that to the<br />place you want it then peel the protective layer until the whole piece is stuck.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Repeat as necessary until the whole skin is covered inside. Just to warn you, I ended up with a lot of cuts and scrapes on my hands from this step, so be careful! </span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">Then be sure to use a roller (or, failing that a metal spoon works fine) to really press it down onto the panel.</span></p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Next step is to apply it to the outer part of the door (the part that will be<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp2.blogger.com/_fQilIrDjt5o/SGzkoLIoDXI/AAAAAAAAA7c/EXU6da7zwHY/s1600-h/IMG_0683+%28Large%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp2.blogger.com/_fQilIrDjt5o/SGzkoLIoDXI/AAAAAAAAA7c/EXU6da7zwHY/s200/IMG_0683+%28Large%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218797447050431858" border="0" /></a> covered by the door panel.) Cut a large, but manageable sized piece off of the roll. A good rule of thumb is the bigger the better for the pieces.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >The more seams you have, the less effective it becomes.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >My door has a metal arm rest in the middle that is riveted in place, so I opted to do two pieces instead of one and just work around that piece.<br /><br /></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >You have to be very careful to not stick the deadener over top of any moving parts!</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >One solution is to cover them all with aluminum foil, but I have found this to cause rattles later.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >What I do is line the piece up over top of the moving parts, then cut the backing paper around them. This keeps the adhesive from touching any moving parts and you don’t have to worry. </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Here’s a picture to show how I did it.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp0.blogger.com/_fQilIrDjt5o/SGzl_dCpLbI/AAAAAAAAA70/Exojav5CQbY/s1600-h/IMG_0690+%28Large%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp0.blogger.com/_fQilIrDjt5o/SGzl_dCpLbI/AAAAAAAAA70/Exojav5CQbY/s320/IMG_0690+%28Large%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218798946505797042" border="0" /></a></span><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Now back to the outside of the door . . . </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Here’s a shot of the first piece on.</span></p><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_fQilIrDjt5o/SGzmOdXCVNI/AAAAAAAAA78/UCpPoHuRXr4/s1600-h/IMG_0692+%28Large%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_fQilIrDjt5o/SGzmOdXCVNI/AAAAAAAAA78/UCpPoHuRXr4/s320/IMG_0692+%28Large%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218799204289369298" border="0" /></a></span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Just like the inside of the door panels, start at one side and peel back a couple inches of the backing paper.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Stick that to the door and then slowly with one hand pushing and the other hand pulling off the backing paper, work in one direction until the whole piece is applied.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" > </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Now take a roller and work it into the contours of the door.</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" ><br /><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Here's a quick before picture showing how it looks after you work it into the contours using your roller (and/or spoon).</span><br /></div><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_fQilIrDjt5o/SGzm901ghGI/AAAAAAAAA8U/WvQAJtOaH3M/s1600-h/IMG_0693+%28Large%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_fQilIrDjt5o/SGzm901ghGI/AAAAAAAAA8U/WvQAJtOaH3M/s320/IMG_0693+%28Large%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218800018045043810" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br /></span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center;font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">And this is after! </span><br /></p><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_fQilIrDjt5o/SGznOy5QFrI/AAAAAAAAA8c/rFVySkuMHFo/s1600-h/IMG_0695+%28Large%29.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer;" src="http://bp1.blogger.com/_fQilIrDjt5o/SGznOy5QFrI/AAAAAAAAA8c/rFVySkuMHFo/s320/IMG_0695+%28Large%29.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218800309581649586" border="0" /></a></div><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">A good way to tell if you’re using enough is to knock on parts of the door. If it still rattles you can add another layer and press it down harder. This really makes a huge difference.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">I had to cut a couple holes in the deadener to let wires through, but when I got the wire through, I put a small square of deadener over the opening so the door panel remained air tight.</span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Now the only step left is to re-attach your door panel and go for a ride!</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span></p><p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">This mod makes such a huge difference on how my car sounds on the road.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">It dramatically reduced the road noise and tire noise.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">My stereo sounds better, and I don’t even have to turn it up when I hit 70mph!</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">In fact, I even have a fun story from my experience.</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">On my way to work the morning after I finished this project, I called my wife and asked her how it sounded and it went something like this…</span></p> <p style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: georgia;" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">Me: “Hi honey!</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">How do I sound?”</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Her: “You sound great, are you in your car?”<br />Me: “I am… so you don’t hear any road noise or anything?”</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Her: “Nope, it’s silent.”<br />Me:</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">“Cool!</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">I’m doing 80!”<br />Her:</span><span style="font-size:100%;"> </span><span style="font-size:100%;">“WHAT?!”</span></p><p face="georgia" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);" class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:100%;">The doors make the most difference, but you can do this modification anywhere there is thin metal or insufficient deadening material on the car. Some places to look are transmission tunnels and the firewall in the engine bay.<br /></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);font-family:georgia;font-size:100%;" >Please be sure to share your experiences! We'd love to hear from you.</span><br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"></p>Danhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15128651246943653165noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-77828128036828653342008-07-02T10:12:00.000-07:002008-07-03T07:43:50.316-07:00Seven useful websites for help with the high price of gasSure, there's tons of news about how high energy costs are, and how that's driving up the price of food and other goods, but these sites stood out to me, and I'd like to share them with you.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1819594_1819592_1819591,00.html">1) Ten things you can like about $4 a gallon gas</a> - "But it's also true that Americans are finding options where there seemed to be none. They're ready to change — and waiting for their infrastructure to catch up. They are driving to commuter-rail lines only to find there are no parking spots left. They are running fewer errands and dumping their SUVs. Public-transit use is at a 50-year high. Gas purchases are down 2% to 3%. And all those changes bring secondary, hard-earned benefits. "<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/AheadoftheCurve/WireStory?id=5280732&page=1">2) Website lets drivers lock in gas prices</a> - "A recently introduced service called <a href="http://www.mygallons.com/" target="_blank">MyGallons.com</a> allows drivers to fill up their tanks sometime in the future but at current prices, using a debit-like card which banks gallons rather than dollars."<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.gassavers.org/">3) Gas Savers</a> - "A community of fuel economy enthusiasts. Our typical member does not own a hybrid. Our typical member is like you: With a normal vehicle and a desire to increase the fuel economy of that vehicle. Whether you want to save money, save the environment, or just reduce our dependency on foreign oil, there is a place for you here! Perhaps you just wish to have a way to track your fuel consumption. Using our garage you can create a profile for your vehicle and start tracking your fuel consumption. You can even <a href="http://www.gassavers.org/garage">compare gas mileage</a> with other members in the Garage. Join GasSavers, do your part, and start associating with people like you. You don't have to be a mechanic or a gear head in order to change your fuel economy, you just have to know what to do."<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://ecomodder.com/">4) EcoModder</a> - "An automotive community where performance is judged by fuel economy rather than power and speed. EcoModders employ a combination of vehicle mods, driving techniques, and common sense to squeeze every penny out of the pumps. Reasons for <a href="http://ecomodder.com/forum/register.php">becoming a member</a> range from the economical to the ecological. More info <a href="http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthread.php/what-ecomodding-256.html">about where EcoModding came from</a>."<br /><br /><a href="http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_gastemperaturemap.aspx"><span style="font-weight: bold;">5) Gas Buddy</span></a> - "Now you can see what gas prices are around the country at a glance. Areas are color coded according to their price for the average price for regular unleaded gasoline. Click here for the <a href="http://www.gasbuddy.com/gb_can_gastemperaturemap.aspx">Canada National Gas Temperature Map</a>."<br /><br /><a href="http://totalmotorcycle.com/MotorcycleFuelEconomyGuide.htm"><span style="font-weight: bold;">6) Motorcycle Fuel Economy Guide</span></a> - As oil prices rise across the world, gas prices just keep rocketing up too. Cheap gas seems to be a memory of the past as we all look to save money on fuel, and saving is never all that fun. Why not do both? Save your money and have fun at the same time; on a motorcycle! . . . Motorcycles are some of the best vehicles to give you the best economy, efficiency, and gas mileage. See and compare all different models from the major manufacturers all in one spot."<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://gasedge.com/">7) Gas Edge</a><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>- "Find out if it's worth the trip for cheaper gas! Sure, the gas station across town has a lower price on gasoline, but is it really worth the trip? Will you save more money on the gas then it costs to drive to the cheaper gas station? Use this free calculator to find out"Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-67759633165620302542008-06-30T10:13:00.000-07:002008-07-02T08:17:54.019-07:00Working on the basement walls . . .<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"> So, I don't have a lot of coin on hand, so I bought a house that was foreclosed. One of the reasons the house could not sell was because the basement constantly flooded for the last 60 some years, finally causing one of the retaining walls to collapse, as you can see in these pictures. (Click to make it larger)<br /></div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgQl-zM7LT1kdsp0AyP4aTWzlmkuf2eIUN67pF2yPLH3Mkw5GEU-izJmbvW1xpTBBJFELDUt6Ma4YB2Uv2wsk8CCgwdSC7Wf6BLairPdb7_BoLD5Tx92I0x1IVb51WzLOnyj_LuGA6A8/s1600-h/1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizgQl-zM7LT1kdsp0AyP4aTWzlmkuf2eIUN67pF2yPLH3Mkw5GEU-izJmbvW1xpTBBJFELDUt6Ma4YB2Uv2wsk8CCgwdSC7Wf6BLairPdb7_BoLD5Tx92I0x1IVb51WzLOnyj_LuGA6A8/s320/1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217725994374412002" border="0" /></a><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /><br />Here, you can see that the strength of the wall was entirely compromised, the cinder blocks were crumbling and useless. They never had re bar or concrete in them, so when the blocks had pressure put on them, they just went, and the dirt that was holding the foundation up just kept up the pressure . . .<br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0Ck9zCKPm8NeKlFRKZ9fJSsBlCW2bRYRq-G-VI15_LDPvizJJLduDM-bvOk8bWdMreLiIBYrmpgzfBpvIuTzkAywIA0zbQldcDHC8MGhWmWVERRDEAQMwVUh488Mzntb44CWCbb3jJA/s1600-h/2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0Ck9zCKPm8NeKlFRKZ9fJSsBlCW2bRYRq-G-VI15_LDPvizJJLduDM-bvOk8bWdMreLiIBYrmpgzfBpvIuTzkAywIA0zbQldcDHC8MGhWmWVERRDEAQMwVUh488Mzntb44CWCbb3jJA/s400/2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217727052584130770" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">The old wall definitely had to come down. First we dug the loose dirt out from behind it, and covered the packed dirt with cement to hold it in place while we were working.<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;">The cinder block wall you see on the upper half of the above picture is the actual foundation for the house.<br /></div></div><div style="text-align: right;"><br /></div><br /><br /><br />The next step is to remove the old cinder blocks . . .<br /></div><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0KLdqm9wW-m2VoUwRbQ__FHV26VNE9kWXYLEWuxz_vOrqG5H3BKyLlwraNyy8wUSl74ycOG-JmCKlb0BFgBNAF4fbt5Eu1MDJiT8CR1I5V3aRMkz_bqcIh7Osg4XPojadMBqxZ9NF2g/s1600-h/3.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiv0KLdqm9wW-m2VoUwRbQ__FHV26VNE9kWXYLEWuxz_vOrqG5H3BKyLlwraNyy8wUSl74ycOG-JmCKlb0BFgBNAF4fbt5Eu1MDJiT8CR1I5V3aRMkz_bqcIh7Osg4XPojadMBqxZ9NF2g/s400/3.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217727058888810578" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br />You can see what the wall of dirt looks like, now that the cinder blocks (more like cinder mush) have been removed. We had to cut a hole to accommodate the water main for the house. You can see that the dirt is really packed in there to stay standing like that! I guess having a house's weight resting on it for 67 years got it nice and compressed . . .<br /><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br />And now, putting up the wall . . .<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-EK1rTwTQIsJ1sTtLS_S8XlZKr4b5KhyphenhyphenVgHmVBmgAW2qazMfs2PCXbdUUgfpwjCZMCQLzULXya4HuMxnHt9s_Q8McvyWvEKRgLN9FS4t64rmajJ50n3ujaMZXXQrxWCM8rRkTDrWiPQ/s1600-h/4.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv-EK1rTwTQIsJ1sTtLS_S8XlZKr4b5KhyphenhyphenVgHmVBmgAW2qazMfs2PCXbdUUgfpwjCZMCQLzULXya4HuMxnHt9s_Q8McvyWvEKRgLN9FS4t64rmajJ50n3ujaMZXXQrxWCM8rRkTDrWiPQ/s400/4.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217727067428140610" border="0" /></a>Wow! That was quick! The new wall is up! Looks a bit better, I'd say. You can see the rebar sticking up from the blocks, it goes all the way through to the floor and is surrounded in cement.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHqR0JtEtmXJCz7M2XkuKQ4v_uGRBFphf9KCt2fr9cbbGlEYH1e7rnG0qqtleKl8TkuekPxDrs77E85C5r_akjQKw963NN5q8dSpH1sHKpY5g2D42OlId8n5-b4eQWaigtK-0kUNOabg/s1600-h/5.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmHqR0JtEtmXJCz7M2XkuKQ4v_uGRBFphf9KCt2fr9cbbGlEYH1e7rnG0qqtleKl8TkuekPxDrs77E85C5r_akjQKw963NN5q8dSpH1sHKpY5g2D42OlId8n5-b4eQWaigtK-0kUNOabg/s400/5.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217727072394124082" border="0" /></a>Here you can kinda see the back of David's head, but you should be looking above the wall, where we filled in above the dirt with gravel so it would not pack in like dirt. There, we also have a lattice of re bar tied in to the bars sticking out of the cinder blocks. This will help make everything stronger when we cap it with cement.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVKg1nwFlkuIHosOKjA7mPnqyckR2_0fYwLAolNjJf_ZB2Vt-fyhpliopDxKAd-xlKAGlvBUC-SEOyIlB641Z_hNVqsHQzFZ08PS257ZVMBn9qzEl2uBNrb4KtGPSxFJKSbDI2u8nXu0/s1600-h/6.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxVKg1nwFlkuIHosOKjA7mPnqyckR2_0fYwLAolNjJf_ZB2Vt-fyhpliopDxKAd-xlKAGlvBUC-SEOyIlB641Z_hNVqsHQzFZ08PS257ZVMBn9qzEl2uBNrb4KtGPSxFJKSbDI2u8nXu0/s400/6.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217727074738310962" border="0" /></a>And here's the cap! It took a lot of people helping, so a few carved their initials into the wet cement (most of that is off camera though). Remember, for larger versions, click the pictures!<br /></div>Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-18457092523827352182008-06-30T09:59:00.001-07:002008-06-30T18:18:28.265-07:00Had some fun with the exhaust . . .We were playing around with some extra pipe and got a bit carried away . . .<br /><br /><a href="http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j252/Tofuball/My%20Cars/?action=view&current=Uglyvan8-screwingaround.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j252/Tofuball/My%20Cars/Uglyvan8-screwingaround.jpg" alt="Awesome exhaust, man!" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a href="http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j252/Tofuball/My%20Cars/?action=view&current=Uglyvan7-screwingaround.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j252/Tofuball/My%20Cars/Uglyvan7-screwingaround.jpg" alt="You wish your car looked half this cool." border="0" /></a>Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-53149856531632637242008-06-30T09:16:00.000-07:002009-05-01T08:44:07.683-07:00Nickel Titanium: "Shape Memory" wire. AKA, Nitinol.Nickel Titanium Alloy (55% Ni 45% Ti) is a member of a group of metal alloys known as "Shape Memory" alloys. These are alloys that "remember" the shape that they once were.<br /><br />Manufacturers also make glasses out of such metals, to allow them to bend like normal when you sit on them by accident because your kid put them on the chair instead of the table! Wait, that's not the special part, it's when you get up out of the chair, the glasses pop right back into the shape they're supposed to be instead of remaining a mangled mess.<br /><br />Could you imagine valve springs made out of this stuff? (I know, pricey)<br /><br />Anyway, on to the videos!<br /><br />Video 1:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y7jjqXh7bB4&hl=en"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Y7jjqXh7bB4&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Video 2:<br /><br /><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/t7bvg6s1ST0&hl=en"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/t7bvg6s1ST0&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br />Links:<br /><br />Want to buy some? It doesn't cost that much: <a href="http://www.smallparts.com/s?searchNodeID=16310161%7C468240&searchKeywords=superelastic+nitinol+wire">Small Parts, Inc.</a>Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8881088012295878016.post-68972919602085006482008-06-30T03:34:00.000-07:002008-09-25T19:15:48.711-07:00How to Drive for the Best Fuel Economy: Debunking the Myths, Part 1In today's article about saving that precious clear liquid that almost all of us world-wide are addicted to, you're going to learn a fun trick: <span style="font-weight: bold;">Don't drive slow, accelerate slow</span> (but not too slow, I'll explain)<br /><br /> Driving super slow doesn't save gas, in fact, it wastes it. If your car is not in the highest gear possible, you're most likely not getting the best fuel economy possible. I'm sure you've seen those people in economy cars, driving around at some insanely slow speed, thinking about all the fuel they're saving, but in reality their engines are working harder then they need to, spinning faster and sucking down more gas then the fellow who speeds past them.<br /><br />It all has to do with the gearing of your car's transmission. When you're in first gear, your engine is spinning rather fast, and the faster it spins, the more air it sucks in. The more air your engine sucks in, the more fuel it needs to balance out the mixture (at least on gasoline engines). So, you shift into second (or your car does it for you, if you're one of those unfortunates with an automatic transmission), and now the engine is doing less work to keep the car going the same speed, or the same work to go a higher speed. Each time you go fast enough to shift up a gear (and do so), the engine spins slower, using less gas and wearing out slower.<br /><br />So, the first reason going too slow wastes gas: <span style="font-weight: bold;">If our car is not in its top gear, your engine is doing more work for less distance.</span><br /><br />Now, once your car is in its top gear, going faster and faster will lose you fuel economy once you exit the point that your engine is efficient. This point is different for different cars. For example, my 91 RX-7 got it's best fuel economy at an average of 72MPH on a long highway trip. After that point, if I go any faster, the MPG drops. On regular cars, that spot is a bit lower, around the low 60mph range, depending. On vans and SUVs, the fuel economy "happy zone" is a bit lower, (probably around 50 to 60, depending on your car) because wind resistance is such a factor at higher speeds.<br /><br />So how can you apply this?<br /><br />First off, the faster you're in the next gear, the better. The longer you're in a low gear, the more gas is being wasted on going less distance. Though, if you shift too soon, the engine will lug (in older cars your engine might even knock and ping!) and you'll end up having to put your foot down more and more just to get up the tiniest of hills with your fuel economy dropping the whole way.<br /><br />So, since shifting too soon doesn't work, how about flooring it to get up to speed so you can shift faster? That won't work either, as jackrabbit starts are a huge waste of gas. Ideally, you want the engine to be doing as little total work over the entire course of getting up to speed as possible. A good rule of thumb if you don't know how fast to accelerate, is try to keep the engine relatively quiet. If that doesn't sound scientific enough for you, you can buy a decent vacuum gauge for $36 from Summit Racing (dot com!), so that you can tell how hard your engine is working. If you go that route, try and keep that needle above ~9.<br /><br />Mentioning "Top Gear" so much makes me think of the TV show, so by all means, have a read about what they have to say about fuel economy at <a href="http://www.topgear.com/blogs/planettopgear/129-jeremy-top-fuel-tips/">Clarkson's top fuel saving tips</a>, the fellows who brought you this video:<br /><br /><br /><center><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/wq9ilgw1plc&hl=en"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/wq9ilgw1plc&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="344" width="425"></embed></object></center><br /><br />If that isn't interesting to you, you can always read about the fellow pulling <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2007/01/king_of_the_hypermilers.html">59mpg in a plain old Honda Accord.</a><br /><br />I hope this article has been helpful to you, feel free to share what tricks have worked for you in the comments.Jason Viwhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08136366628040311910noreply@blogger.com0