What's made you smile today?

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Had our first snow of the year yesterday. It wasn't much for accumulation, but the high winds caused blizzard conditions and the north/south roads were dicey. It was a day for 4wd. That said, I took Buster dog for his walk in the snowy woods in the morning.

Walking into the wind back to the Jeep, and me wearing a wool coat, I looked like the Michelin Man. (Wool is my fabric of choice during the crappy months.) Well, B-dog usually doesn't want to stop at the Jeep, He wants to keep exploring. Yesterday he dragged me to the Jeep and kept looking at me like I wasn't moving fast enough to get the door open.

On the way back to Chez Cheest, I opted for a less traveled route. As I crested a hill I saw four vehicles stopped in the road, four ways flashing. A Porsche Panmerica, or whatever it's called, slid into a ditch. Proving once again that if you can't properly drive in snow, 4wd will only make things worse. Anyway, someone in a Wrangler hooked a strap to the Porsche and pulled while the folks in the other cars got out to push. Things had wrapped things up by the time I got there but everyone was still blocking the road. While waiting for all the 'heros' to clear the road, the radio station I listen to chose to play Dean Martins 'Let It Snow'. I busted out laughing because it was so apropos.

Aye, driving skills, but also low profile wide tyres are a killer in snow.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Only been in this house a year, thought it was about time I reset my Flight Tracking Raspberry Pi. What a headache that turned out to be, various issues from Network connection issue, to duff SD cards, thankfully got it all sorted eventually.
I thought while I was at it, I would use one of my spare Pis to make a NAS as I had a spare SSD laying about as well, so that is all set up and working too.

Then the Boiler decided it wouldn't light. Turns out it had just tripped the lock out, reset this and we have warmth again, Must get the boiler serviced.

I have another 6 raspberry Pis to utilise, I used to run them in a cluster, but there is little point in this at the moment, so looking for some new uses for them.

 

[Cheest]

Only been in this house a year, thought it was about time I reset my Flight Tracking Raspberry Pi. What a headache that turned out to be, various issues from Network connection issue, to duff SD cards, thankfully got it all sorted eventually.
I thought while I was at it, I would use one of my spare Pis to make a NAS as I had a spare SSD laying about as well, so that is all set up and working too.

Other than SD cards and SSD, I have know idea what you are talking about. But if you made you smile, it’s all good.

 

[porta]

Nearly all gone now, but still bitterly cold

 

[bugsymike]

@Cheest Re your earlier comments about the Porsche driving reminded me of the cause of many motoring problems "it's the nut loose behind the steering wheel sir!"
On the SS and SSD bit the raspberry Pis are the little DIY computers that are now finding there way into Russian drones in Ukraine according to TV last night.

 

[bugsymike]

Nearly all gone now, but still bitterly cold

I know what the animals are, but what is the white stuff?
Not really familiar with that down here.

 

[The Panda Nut]

I know what the animals are, but what is the white stuff?
Not really familiar with that down here.

Dont talk it up!!

 

[Cheest]

@Cheest Re your earlier comments about the Porsche driving reminded me of the cause of many motoring problems "it's the nut loose behind the steering wheel sir!"
On the SS and SSD bit the raspberry Pis are the little DIY computers that are now finding there way into Russian drones in Ukraine according to TV last night.

We used to say the problem was in the seat.

I've read reports of western circuitry and hardware ending up in Russian weapons. I also recently read where Putin claims his new 'Hazel' missile cannot be intercepted. His hubris aside, if it can be sent up, it can be brought down.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

I've read reports of western circuitry and hardware ending up in Russian weapons.

a lot of rotax aircraft engines kept appearing in Iranian built drones, also in the news this side of the pond today, some Russian influencer managed to buy some highly Specialist British optical equipment and shipped via various companies and countries to Russia.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

a lot of rotax aircraft engines kept appearing in Iranian built drones, also in the news this side of the pond today, some Russian influencer managed to buy some highly Specialist British optical equipment and shipped via various companies and countries to Russia.

Where there's money there's always a way?

 

[StevenRB45]

That and if a big chunk of your economy relies on selling armaments and selling them abroad...well once abroad what happens on tour stays on tour.

If you sell these things....you shouldn't be too surprised if people buy them.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

boiler had been an arse this afternoon so once the little-un was in bed I set about removing the burner to see if it was dirty and if it would benefit from a clean…..

Pictures speak for themselves

Also set the gap on the electrodes and cleaned all the internal baffles (there were a lot of them) afterwards it fired into life and and has been running beautifully since

 

[portland_bill]

Aye, driving skills, but also low profile wide tyres are a killer in snow.

1987 I was running a Morris Marina 1.7 Auto, on 155/80 13 tyres. RWD, light at the back, but would drive on snow if treated carefully.
Early 1988, swapped it for a Fiat 131, 1600 ohv, auto. Almost same size, weight very close, and also RWD and light on the rear. But this one ran 165/80 13 tyres. Tiniest bit of snow, it stopped. That wider tyre, spreading the load, was enough to let the tyres slip gently, just on tickover with the gearbox in D. Luckily, during the three years I had it, we didn't have much snow.
Next car was a Fiat Argenta. Heavy for a Fiat, at 1300kg, but despite 185 tyres, was manageable on snow.
After that, the first Panda, a 750, skinny 145 tyres, just ignored snow and drove normally. Embarrassed many large cars in bad weather.

 

[Cheest]

I had a 1979 Fox bodied Mustang. 2.3 with a 4 speed. Basic transportation. It was a cow on ice in the winter. To get up my driveway, I had to back the SOB into my neighbors driveway across the street and get a running start.

 

[StevenRB45]

Well our bit of storm Bert was meant to be heavy rain.

But it's falling as snow.

Of course my wife being my wife..turned up having gone over the fell.

People are now trying and failing that hill...but C3 on it's all seasons no bother.

 

[bugsymike]

boiler had been an arse this afternoon so once the little-un was in bed I set about removing the burner to see if it was dirty and if it would benefit from a clean…..

Pictures speak for themselves

View attachment 455736

Also set the gap on the electrodes and cleaned all the internal baffles (there were a lot of them) afterwards it fired into life and and has been running beautifully since

Looks like the sort of work I have done on my old steam cleaners.
When it is running well, is the outlet clean of smoke? Sometimes the air control can be adjusted.

 

[bugsymike]

1987 I was running a Morris Marina 1.7 Auto, on 155/80 13 tyres. RWD, light at the back, but would drive on snow if treated carefully.
Early 1988, swapped it for a Fiat 131, 1600 ohv, auto. Almost same size, weight very close, and also RWD and light on the rear. But this one ran 165/80 13 tyres. Tiniest bit of snow, it stopped. That wider tyre, spreading the load, was enough to let the tyres slip gently, just on tickover with the gearbox in D. Luckily, during the three years I had it, we didn't have much snow.
Next car was a Fiat Argenta. Heavy for a Fiat, at 1300kg, but despite 185 tyres, was manageable on snow.
After that, the first Panda, a 750, skinny 145 tyres, just ignored snow and drove normally. Embarrassed many large cars in bad weather.

I agree about the Marinas and Fiat 131s etc. very light on the rear end, also BMWs.
I had one customer with a sporty Opel coupe who couldn't even get out of my workshop yard on a very thin dusting of snow.
Like you the little front wheel drive cars on skinny tyres had no issue, the 1974 Citroen Dyanne 435cc on 125x15s had no trouble climbing the snow covered hills.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I agree about the Marinas and Fiat 131s etc. very light on the rear end, also BMWs.
I had one customer with a sporty Opel coupe who couldn't even get out of my workshop yard on a very thin dusting of snow.
Like you the little front wheel drive cars on skinny tyres had no issue, the 1974 Citroen Dyanne 435cc on 125x15s had no trouble climbing the snow covered hills.

When we first moved back to Scotland I had a Citroen Dyane 6 (602cc) - She was on the optional 135x15 tyres. We lived in a village south of Edinburgh up in the hills and both of the roads in were up steep hills. When it snowed there was an unwritten agreement with the local quarry (at the bottom of the hill) that residents could leave their cars in the quarry car park. Other than 4WD vehicles, mostly Land Rovers in those days, the Dyane was the only car which would go up the hill when there was lying snow. Combination of narrow tyres and a "gutless" engine.

 

[StevenRB45]

Sledging!

Although the rain has started now and it's warming up so it'll all be gone by tonight.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Looks like the sort of work I have done on my old steam cleaners.
When it is running well, is the outlet clean of smoke? Sometimes the air control can be adjusted.

When I did work in the motor trade last (which will 20 years, next year) I was the only person who could properly fix the pressure washer we had. To get a company to come in and fix it would take weeks so I just set about doing it myself, which is why I was not to worried about sorting out this boiler, if anything it’s even less complex than a pressure washer. There is a screw for setting the air and another for setting the fuel pressure, I’ve got it running pretty sweet using the colour of the smoke out the exhaust as my guide but going to get a professional in to make sure it is running properly, the service guide has a very specific way of doing it using a CO meter