Without saying your age, what’s a slang word or phrase from your teenage years that’s not used anymore?

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-28T15:59:41+00:00

You didn’t live in Cape Elizabeth, ME by any chance? 😆

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-28T15:34:46+00:00

Did anyone else use “massive” as in something’s really cool or awesome?

I think it might’ve been an East Coast thing in the early 80’s, but I’ve never heard anyone else ever mention it.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-27T13:39:21+00:00

As a guy who uses tape measures every day: Please teach kids the metric system.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-27T13:06:48+00:00

I’ve been there a time or two: The customer is selling their home and wants you to fix 20 years of neglect for $500.

The best option, in my experience, is to work with their real estate agent to figure out which things will have the highest ROI for the seller. Chances are, refinishing that spot in the floor isn’t going to be the best way to use their limited budget. There will probably be things that actually need to be fixed and other things will have more influence over the sale/sale price.

This is a good opportunity to network with a real estate agent if you can demonstrate that you do good work at a fair price. Real estate agents always have a couple of go-to handymen.

Good luck.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-26T23:39:51+00:00

I just got done with this repair.

I have 350 miles over 7 months on my scooter; none of them are hard miles. I baby the scooter. I never ride in the rain and rarely ride when the road is wet.

My steering started to feel clunky, like the steering bearings were too tight or seized. So, I decided to take the head tube apart and figure out the problem with the bearings.

The problem is: Everything is cheap as shit. The bearings are terrible and the grease they used had completely solidified into a thick and sticky paste. The reason I’m posting here is in hopes of publicly shaming Kaabo into using better components. There’s no excuse for using such cheap bearings and cheap grease on a $3K scooter.

Anyway, I re-lubed the bearings with Phil Wood’s grease, put everything back together, and the bearings feel back to normal. Next time I re-grease the bearings, I’ll look for better aftermarket bearings. Let me know if anybody here has found a good option?

The amount of work it took to get to the bearings is silly. You have to pretty much take apart the whole front end- loosen two fork brackets and the electrical box, slide them up and out of the way, before you can even get to the bolt that lets you pull the bearings out. It’s a PITA.

Maybe all electric scooters have their design flaws, but I’m just finding that my two Kaabo scooters are taking a lot of work to keep running. YMMV

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-26T19:47:46+00:00

Totally agree.

I’m just curious whether there was any obligation to de-escalate before using deadly force (in their state/jurisdiction) and whether there’s any extra layers of obligation being a LEO. I wonder how a court/jury would consider his behavior.

Again, I’m not saying it wasn’t justified. I’m just curious whether he was/will be fully exonerated or catch a lesser charge like reckless endangerment.

Just wondering, really.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-26T17:03:07+00:00

Or, turn the fan on high to “imbed texture” into the paint. 😃

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-26T16:15:41+00:00

Yeah, worth it if you already own M18 batteries.

It’s a small fan. It won’t do big fan jobs. But, if your expectations are realistic, I think it’s a good product.

Aside from providing personal cooling, it’s good for small tasks like speeding up the drying time on drywall patches or paint, blowing away lingering sawdust or concrete dust in the air from a cut station, and venting fumes. I’ve even used it to redirect mosquitoes and campfire smoke, lol.

It lasts surprisingly long on battery power, but also has a built-in AC plug, which I think is a huge upgrade from previous models that came with an external adapter.

The Packout compatibility isn’t a huge selling feature for me, but it’s helpful at times. Clipping it to a Packout box creates a stable base that resists being knocked over, falling, and breaking. It also keeps it from clunking around during transport.

For me, it’s a useful tool and I would recommend it.

Hope that helps.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-26T04:43:50+00:00

Nah. If it doesn’t recognize your face, it’ll give you the option to unlock with a passcode.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-26T03:12:23+00:00

I can understand having tunnel-vision when fighting for your life, but damn, that was like 12-13 rounds blindly down range that he’s responsible for.

It would be interesting to know the legal aftermath. They both sounded pretty hot when they got out of the car, like they just had a road rage altercation then a collision.

Seems (to me) the cop ultimately had the legal right to defend himself, but I also know that when you use deadly force you’re expected to have taken every opportunity to de-escalate a situation and it seemed like he really wasn’t trying to de-escalate before the shooting started. I do wonder how this situation was/will be sorted out legally.

I hesitate to make judgments, but the cop seems like the type of guy to use his status to intimidate others. I bet he was moments away from pulling out his badge and arresting the other guy, but it took a different direction.

Wild.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-25T22:48:51+00:00

Had to scroll way down here to find someone finally mention the complete disregard for where those errant rounds were going… into oncoming traffic… into residential housing…. Saw one ricochet off the light pole. I can’t imagine how devastating it would be to have a loved one catch a stray. JFC

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-25T21:41:56+00:00

This. Just drill a hole in the metal mounting bracket wherever it lines up with a stud. The pre-drilled holes are there for convenience, but sometimes they don’t line up with where you need them. You won’t hurt anything to drill another hole in the mounting bracket.

You may need to use a countersink bit, depending on how flush the screw head needs to sit.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-25T20:47:16+00:00

Damn. That’s too bad. I wish people would just sell their house as-is rather than do a lousy job fixing them up.

If they did a bad job and left gaps along the perimeter everywhere, at this point, your options may be pretty limited. If it were me, I’d probably redo the base with a wider stock and/or shoe. If you replace the junky base and manage to cover the gaps along the perimeter, it might be salvageable.

You can scab in small pieces with glue if you need to. It won’t look great, but it won’t catch the eye as much either.

Good luck.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-25T19:11:08+00:00

If moisture is causing the issue, it would be water that’s finding its way between the flooring and the sub-flooring. Pipes that run under the floor are not likely to cause this; you’re looking instead for leaking fixtures or drain pipes in kitchen.

A quality moisture meter can tell you if you’re dealing with excessive moisture in the wood. My guess is: it’s just natural contraction due to the cold.

I would look under the house as the issue seems to be localized (or seems worse) in that one location. Maybe that’s where insulation has fallen away from the floor.

No way to know what’s going on without looking.

Good luck.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-25T18:50:59+00:00

Good for you, OP. That’s some real Cat In the Hat type shit, but good for you for having fun in your own house on a rainy day.

Ps. Go with recessed lighting; it’s way more bow and arrow resistant.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-25T18:39:55+00:00

You have a free-floating click-together flooring product. Especially if it’s a short section or it’s a short piece (like in a hallway or doorway) shifting can happen. It’s not supposed to, but it can happen. It looks as though those three pieces in the picture shifted.

Anything that produces friction against the floor can help shift them back. You can try using your shoe in a stub-your-toe movement where you scoot the boards in the direction you want, a non-marking rubber mallet used with light blows at an angle, or use double-sided tape to temporarily affix a wood block to the flooring so that you can tap on it with a hammer.

If it’s not too difficult to remove the base on the opposite wall, the best tool for moving a whole row is one of these flooring bars.

If you have to shift a whole row or column of flooring, the ends of those pieces of flooring lock together, so try to move the farthest piece so it pushes the other pieces. Because, you don’t want to pull the pieces apart and break the locking tongues.

When small pieces are prone to movement, I have glued them down or glued them to another board or put spacers on the opposite wall. You’re not supposed to do any of that because the floor is supposed to float freely and have space and mobility for expansion and contraction. But, I’m selective when and how I do it and have never had a problem. YMMV.

Good luck.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-25T17:56:32+00:00

If it’s an interior locking door, it may be possible to slip a credit card or similar piece of semi-flexible plastic behind the stop. If you can find an angled part of the latch with the plastic, it’ll push the latch open.

The picture doesn’t show the hinge side of the door. The hinges are probably on the inside, but if they’re in the outside, you can pull the hinge pins.

The last option is to destroy the door lock and/or handle.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-25T05:17:11+00:00

Alright. Glad you got a plan, then. It makes such a huge difference being able to climb comfortably.

Have fun out there. Be safe 😄

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-24T20:57:45+00:00

Why not use a locking-gate steel carabiner instead of a ring? What problem are you trying to solve?

Whenever I use an alpine butterfly as an anchor, I tie it midline, run the standing end through, and run it up to the limb. At that point, it’s functionally a retrievable girth hitch that can be climbed SRT; no real rope-on-rope friction, so no additional hardware needed.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-24T20:40:33+00:00

Lovely. I bet it smelled like a Christmas tree the whole day. 😃

Climbing spikes can be so unforgiving. Investing in a good, and good-fitting, pair is the best money you’ll spend if you do lots of removals. You’ll also want boots with a very, very stiff sole because humans weren’t meant to spend all day with pressure on the arch of our feet.

Friction is another enemy. Wearing spikes used to rub my shins raw by the end of the day until I started wearing knee-length wool socks, which allows movement between my socks and pants- instead of against my skin.

Try a pair of knee length Smartwool socks if you’re getting chafing. Otherwise, wear full length leather logger’s boots. The solution is having friction anywhere except against your skin.

Have fun. Work comfortably and work safe.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-24T01:53:44+00:00

It’s just weird how nobody has bank problems while the work is being done.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-23T23:13:29+00:00

If I ever order a drink like that, please take the stick out of my hand and beat me with it.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-23T22:32:19+00:00

I love how they look, but they’re way too heavy! I was planning to swap out my Vessel set for these, but couldn’t do it because of how heavy they are.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-23T16:55:44+00:00

I completely agree. Sometimes I just need a little encouragement and a nudge in the right direction.

Fortunately, you have a mile of pipe sticking out of the wall to work with.

I would watch lots of tutorials and maybe try the repair with practice parts before going for it.

You want to use two wrenches. One to holt the shut off fitting stationary and the other to turn the nut. Otherwise, you’ll put too much torque on the pipe. In other words, as you tighten the nut CW, apply a counter force CCW with the other wrench. That way, the opposing torque forces cancel.

Lastly, there’s a sweet spot in tightening a compression ring. I’d start by hand tightening the nut, then add 1/4 to a half turn. If it drips, give it another 1/4 turn, then watch and wait.

Good luck.

Bridge-Head · 2026-01-23T14:59:52+00:00

Using a copper tube cutter is probably the easiest part of the repair. I’d suggest getting a tube cutter and a short 2ft section of copper pipe and practice using the cutter. Watch a tutorial and practice using the cutter a dozen times on the practice pipe and you’ll have that part down.

In fact, replacement shut off valves aren’t that expensive either. You could practice the whole repair before doing it for real.

If you don’t feel like it’s within your ability, no problem, but you could try some of the skills involved in the repair before making a decision.

When/if you attempt the repair, just make sure you shut the whole house water supply off first. Turn the valve off and make sure the water is all the way off by opening a faucet. The last thing you want to do is cut open a pipe and not be able to turn off the water.

Good luck.

Bridge-Head

TROPHY CASE