The scooter repair was another $52. It is still a lot cheaper than trying to keep a car on the road. I saw a 650cc one-piston motorcycle today that a guy got for $50. Ever heard the sound of a single piston that size? That’s what I want. It looks like it could cruise at 80 mph all day. Singapore took a look at my experiments since January and e-mailed saying I should become a firmware programmer. I wrote back asking them what was firmware, and how would it benefit me to learn it. The reply is that I would be able to design my own microcontrollers and use the one I have (Arduino) much more effectively. Didn’t I tell you we have an honorary member in Singapore? Who is impressed by our built-it-from-scratch approach to robotics.
Agt. M showed me how to spot bad capacitors, the kind in the can. Sure enough, within five minutes I saw why my computer speakers were distorting at high volume. I can fix that. E24 is placing an order for electronics parts and I am going to kick in $50 for connectors and such. These lack of connectors is holding up my bench tester because I am hesitant to solder anything permanent or use screw connectors. I hate having to go find my mini-screwdriver every time I have to move a jumper.
The weather remains uncooperative, either too hot or raining. That’s why I’m reporting so many small projects getting done. Can’t start anything big. I bought a book published in 1974 titled “The Complete Guide to House-Boating”. I got to thinking about building a raft in the Dakotas and drifting down the entire navigable Mississippi River. At night, I could pole over to riverside and throw overboard a boat anchor or a MicroSoft executive, but I repeat myself. Seriously, I’ll go on line to see if anybody else wants to do the Mississippi.
Yes, quite a few people actually. I didn’t really know it could be done, or if it was allowed. There’s a nice project for next summer. Floating down the river on a shit-house door. There may even be people looking for others to join a trip. I wonder how long it takes? Do they need a good cook? Let’s see, 2,348 miles long with 1,701 navigable. Locks and dams: 27 (no toll). Warnings about mosquitoes and wild animals. Four hundred mile stretches of nothing, no fuel, no food.
Why fuel? Because the river locks so severely control the current that you won’t get anywhere for long stretches. De Soto or somebody made it in 1541 without a motor, but you won’t be so lucky today. Let me think on this idea a while. I found one site that advertised the trip, but it was also full of posts about whether Michael Jackson died instantaneously or not. I would not want to spend a day, much less a month, cooped up with people who waste precious brain-power on baloney like that.
Okay, the mystery device. Nope, not a waffle maker or a fancy iron. It is a refrigerator defroster. For those of you old enough to remember when fridges were not self-defrosting, this is how you did it. Pan of water in the bottom, and shut the door with this puppy on the inside. Now you know.
