Topic: Life Hacks! (hat tip to screwball)

[smr-nj]

Screwball touched on a great idea for a topic, and posted his tip  re: folding down a 1/4” edge on duct tape so you can have an easier time of getting a piece without wanting to scream the next time when trying to find the starting point. (I still want to claim that discovery as all mine, but I digress 😁)

I know others here must have more to share. Let’s hear ‘em.

- Freeze grapes to use to keep wine chilled.(cubes just water it down!)

 

[Biff Mayhem]

If you have a bunch of screws laying around, find a piece of foam and screw them in to that. Not only is it a satisfying project, it will help you find the exact one you need when you're in too much of a hurry to empty out that mason jar full of screws to sort through and hopefully find your screw.

[Screwball]

****  Disclaimer: IF YOU CAN - depending on what engines you have. ****

Anyone using gas powered yard toys (mowers, weed whackers, blowers, snow blowers), 2 or 4 cycle.

Go to the local airport and buy aviation fuel instead of using this crap they sell at the gas station.  Av gas doesn't have ethanol which helps gum up carburetors and fuel lines.  You can also leave it in the machine and not run it out when done. 

They start easier and run better - by far.

Some gas stations offer "recreational" gas, which is better, but the av gas is the best.

You will thank me later.

[ben9753]

How do you do that? Walk up to the check in counter with your gas can and ask them to fill it for you? lol

[Deleterious]

It will be the smaller/private airports.  Over here there is one in Marshall that sells 100LL and 94 octane ethanol free.  Pump is available 24/7.

If you are around water, a lot of marinas also sell ethanol free fuel.  

[CMRivdogs]

There are synthetic fuels on the market at your big box stores. They’re a bit more expensive but do the job. 
 

At least when I last had to do something like that 6 years or so ago. Especially for the snow blower. It was always a pain to start the first significant snowfall 

[Screwball]

5 hours ago, ben9753 said:

How do you do that? Walk up to the check in counter with your gas can and ask them to fill it for you? lol

Pretty much, yes.

As mentioned below, small airports are your best bet.  I'm in a small town so that's all we have.  I bought 3 gallons a few weeks ago, which they appreciate because it's not a small can.  It is not cheap though.  They have an airplane rate and a walk in rate.  My 3 gallons were a little over $27 bucks.  I gave them 35 and told them to put the extra money in their coffee/donut fund just for being so nice and letting us buy fuel that way.

Worth.every.penny.

I've been doing this for over 5 years (after spending 100 bucks getting my snowblower fixed because of clogged up fuel system) and have tipped them nicely (even though they are charging me a premium) each time.

It might be a good idea to call first just to make sure.

[djhutch]

7 hours ago, Screwball said:

****  Disclaimer: IF YOU CAN - depending on what engines you have. ****

Anyone using gas powered yard toys (mowers, weed whackers, blowers, snow blowers), 2 or 4 cycle.

Go to the local airport and buy aviation fuel instead of using this crap they sell at the gas station.  Av gas doesn't have ethanol which helps gum up carburetors and fuel lines.  You can also leave it in the machine and not run it out when done. 

They start easier and run better - by far.

Some gas stations offer "recreational" gas, which is better, but the av gas is the best.

You will thank me later.

I switched to the Rec Gas in my snowblower & lawnmower.   So much better!

[Screwball]

14 minutes ago, djhutch said:

I switched to the Rec Gas in my snowblower & lawnmower.   So much better!

I have a station that sells that nearby.  I bought some there due to time a while back.  They were maybe a buck or a little more cheaper than the airport - just for some context.

I honestly don't know what took me so long to change.  Everything I have starts on the first pull which is soooooo nice since I'm old and my body is broken.

[Screwball]

This is for the home improvement home hackers. Simple scrap can make your next project easier.

Below is a small shot of a 4ft piece.  1/2 thick plywood used as a fence, Elmer'ed and screwed to a 1/4 thick both side sanded plywood. All scrap.

Leave an inch or so longer than the width of your hand held circular saw of the 1/4 piece. Use that as a fence and cut the excess off. Next time you want to cut something, draw some lines down each side of a sheet of "whatever" with the tape measure, and line up the edge you just cut.

Hole in the top to hang on a wall optional, and the hole is too close to the end.  I used a knot.

And before the design cops rip me a new one because the screws shroud really be going the other way (thin into thick), I knew that, but turned it over and got rid of the end of the screws. I didn't need much - I had Elmer.  Some of the best stuff ever.

 

[djhutch]

22 hours ago, Screwball said:

I have a station that sells that nearby.  I bought some there due to time a while back.  They were maybe a buck or a little more cheaper than the airport - just for some context.

I honestly don't know what took me so long to change.  Everything I have starts on the first pull which is soooooo nice since I'm old and my body is broken.

I honestly never even thought about it.  Last fall I bought a used Ariens snowblower on FB Marketplace & the guy said his dad had maintained it very well - & only used Rec Gas.  I didn't want to shock it's system, so I stayed with it!  🙂

[CMRivdogs]

I was having those issues with the snowblower several years ago. It was especially frustrating after being diligent about servicing it each Spring. I talked to one of the counter guys at the place I bought it and had it serviced. They pointed out the special small engine blend to me. I think I may have started using it on the mower about the same time. 
 

 

[Screwball]

Ok, let's wade into the pot hacks.  Michigan is a rec state.  I live in Cornhole, Ohio, we are med. So I'm guessing many here already know this one, but I'm gonna anyway.  I was turned on (pun intended) to this last Saturday.

It doesn't matter your outlook on the herb, but this is one of the most incredibly clever inventions ever.  And I worked for a company that was named after the guy who invented the u-joint.

Coincidence????

I'll bet the dude was stoned when he figured it out.

[pfife]

If you're an oaf like me and can't iron clothing very well, or often make wrinkles worse with an iron.... a clothing steamer is awesome.    I've spent years begging my wife to iron my shirts before an important event.... NO MORE.  We got one of those mofos and even my disheveled ass can get rid of wrinkles from my clothes. 

[Deleterious]

Pretty well known by now but probably still worth a mention.

Keep two email accounts.  The first one goes to friends and family only.  Use a second email to sign up for sites/accounts or anything else that is likely to generate spam.

Take it even further and set up filters on the second account.  All of my banks, credit cards, and retirement accounts are signed up via the second account.  I then set filters that any emails from those organizations are forwarded to my friends and family account.

[ben9753]

4 hours ago, Deleterious said:

Pretty well known by now but probably still worth a mention.

Keep two email accounts.  The first one goes to friends and family only.  Use a second email to sign up for sites/accounts or anything else that is likely to generate spam.

Take it even further and set up filters on the second account.  All of my banks, credit cards, and retirement accounts are signed up via the second account.  I then set filters that any emails from those organizations are forwarded to my friends and family account.

I use iClouds feature that generates an email address and forwards it. I can view all my generated addresses, which site its associated with and delete it if I want. Super convenient. 
https://support.apple.com/guide/icloud/what-you-can-do-with-icloud-and-hide-my-email-mme38e1602db/icloud

Edited September 4, 2022 by ben9753

[Screwball]

I have a few. First, just so it's on the docket, back somewhere @Biff Mayhem tuned me on to the mesh wireless (think Donald Sutherland playing officer in The Dirty Dozen - never heard of it). To the Paul Harvey rest of the story, I have passed that along when I can. A good buddy had the same issues. Fixed. He's happier than a pig in the mud. As am I.

The next two are probably well known, but I'll go anyway. Because, like above, you never know.

In today's world we deal with many cables, cords, whatever.  Fold and stuff them into the cardboard sleeve that comes with the toilet paper and paper towels.  You can take a marker and label them.

Vinegar is on the Mt. Rushmore of home necessities, especially cleaning.

[Screwball]

To expand on the above...

To make a long story short some of us here in Cornhole (rural Ohio - not a buckeye fan) figured out that our internet provider which used to be Time Warner, now Spectrum, has upgraded their service. The same guy who went "mesh" above, got a sales pitch email from Spectrum but mentioned his 300Mps service...What?

We didn't know that. Of course they didn't tell us either, and us old guys watch that stuff.  Or maybe not...

We also find out there is also a deal where you can get some help if you qualify.  I will add the link below. This was sent to me from Spectrum, and has a .gov extension, so I'm confident it is legit.

The Affordable Connectivity Program This can save you $30 a month if you qualify.

Technology is like getting on a train going 300 miles an hour, and if you get off, you get left behind. By design.

But I love the new speed. Digital horsepower. Too bad you can't smell it.

***

Next time at the home store get a little tube of plumbers putty.