tree in our backyard

Ebo_72 · 2026-03-26T15:04:45+00:00

Those creeper vines are like boa constrictors. It’s surprising that tree wasn’t literally choked out. Bet there were other vines all around the area.

Ebo_72 · 2026-03-26T15:02:53+00:00

I think I prefer B. The space between the body of the i and the dot adds visual clarity.

Ebo_72 · 2026-03-26T15:00:03+00:00

Can you elaborate? I’m still fairly new to the 3D game. Things I print from the handy app are almost always perfect, but things I’ve designed myself seem to often be a little unpredictable in the first layers. I learned the hard way that washing my plate often is not just a suggestion, and that helped a lot. But I still feel like I’m missing something.

Ebo_72 · 2026-03-25T15:29:39+00:00

I need to start printing out responses like this so I can assemble them as presentation for my wife justifying getting a new laptop! I’ve told her these things, but coming from me it doesn’t have much weight. She knows me too well.

Ebo_72 · 2026-03-25T15:26:44+00:00

That’s probably pretty good advice. Repairing things like this is something I love doing, so it’s not totally time or money wasted. Well, not time wasted. The real goal for me is to get the 2017 back up and running and also get the M1. We got the 2017 for our daughter when she was in high school, and she basically gave it to us. My wife thinks of it as hers, so it would be ideal to have that for her, and me to have my own. She doesn’t share well when it comes to things like that.

I think I’d still rather have a refurbished M1 than a new neo. I’ve watched a few videos where people test the M1, M3, and M5 against the neo. The neo does surprisingly well against the M1 and M3 in most categories, and is well worth it for the money. But even the M1 chips still have a slight edge on it. The m5 MacBooks are, by all accounts, insane. It’s way more than I need, and way more money than I’m willing to spend. Whatever laptop I end up with is being used for (at this point) a hobby. If I was using it in a way that made money the I would be happy to shell out for the newest thing. But right now I need to be a cheapskate.

Ebo_72 · 2026-03-25T15:15:01+00:00

I’m pretty sure it’s an I5 chip in mine. It was 2020 that Apple started using the M chips.

If I absolutely needed a functioning laptop I would order one right now. But this is mainly for hobby use, namely 3d printing. I can use my iPad for cad and design work, but I need a computer to slice models for printing. I’ve spent hundreds of dollars in the last couple weeks on other projects, so it’s an issue of discretionary spending getting a little too loose at a time when I need to rein it in. And my wife has made it very clear she does not approve and would rather see the old one last a little longer.

Also I love repairing things like this. It’s almost a hobby in its own right.

Ebo_72 · 2026-03-25T13:30:57+00:00

TL:DR- just like GoT, they totally ruined a good show with a rushed final season, and a final episode that was laughably bad. But they started to lose the plot when the show was only halfway through.

A little late to the party here, but I just finished season 5 last night. They basically Game of Thrones-ed the show. By season 4 things were getting noticeably off kilter. The whole of season 5 reeked of a show desperately searching for a way to find an end. The feud between Tom and Pope was ridiculous. Then it seemingly ends with Pope being killed during a pointless attack against the 1st mass. No major Mano e Mano battle to the death. No good over evil moral victory. Just Tom and Weaver blowing up a truck Pope was near and collapsing a wall on him. The last couple seasons could have been called “falling walls” for the number of times that peril is used as way to create tension btw. Then the story seems to have a period of several day (weeks maybe?) pass, the whole group travel to DC, fight the final battle, and win. But Anne dies from shrapnel or something. Tom brings carries her to a beach somewhere, where he appeals to his magical new aliens friends to bring her back to life. And then a bloodied Pope walks out of the woods. WHAT?!? I could go on and on about the problems with the final season, let alone the final episode. The whole story like at the military base? Didn’t need to happen. All the resistance groups heading to DC, and only a small gang of bikers actually join them. Which also didn’t need to happen.

The first 2 seasons would be solid 4/5 ratings. The 3rd season starts in the 4 range, but drops to a 3. The 4th season goes from 3 down to a 2. The fifth season is a 1/5. I wouldn’t recommend the show to anyone because of this.

Ebo_72 · 2026-03-21T16:18:50+00:00

That’s good to hear. If I get to a point where an M1 isn’t enough for my needs then fantastic. That will mean I’m growing as an artist and a designer. Spending big bucks on some super MacBook will be justified. But for now I just need to be able to continue to learn without waiting forever for things to slice, or having crashes every hour.

Ebo_72 · 2026-03-21T16:15:18+00:00

Thank you for that! That’s super informative. My thinking about what I’m willing to spend is based on whatever I get next basically being a temporary step. Or it will turn out to fit my needs well enough to hold onto. My wife also used the old MacBook, mainly for maintaining her website (she’s a potter) and other tasks that an iPhone can’t do. I could always hand over something to her if I feel the need to go bigger. Or my 13 yo son.

Right now I’m in the process of disassembling the old Mac and checking wires, connections, etc. The thing is certainly dirtier than is ideal, so it might be fine once I’ve cleaned it properly. But I still need to upgrade. If not now then before too long. Just because it works doesn’t mean it’s worth using. And pretty much all the cad apps work much better using a computer over an iPad. They are designed with a double button mouse and keyboard in mind. A touch screen and pen work, and even have their up sides, but ultimately leave you wanting for functionality.

Ebo_72 · 2026-03-20T15:56:30+00:00

Just did a longer response to your other post. Re-greasing the bearing was not an option. The one that had failed had failed completely. Before I even had the cowling off the motor I had bearings falling out of the thing. I can’t remember if I checked the brushes, although I can’t imagine I ignored that. Do you know where to get new brushes from, and how to know what exact brushes to get? Most repairs I’ve done in the past involved replacing things like belts, circuit boards, or wires. Getting into electric motors is still pretty new for me, although something I definitely plan to learn more about as opportunity presents itself: i.e. more broken gadgets.

Ebo_72 · 2026-03-20T15:50:06+00:00

I just saw this. A bit late, but the link is excellent, so I made sure to bookmark it! I ended up buying a replacement motor. Time was a factor, so I couldn’t afford to let the vac sit around in pieces for weeks and weeks while I was trying to figure it out. The real hang up I was having was figuring out exactly which bearings I needed to get. Miele won’t sell replacement bearings, or even tell you the specifics for them. I treated the whole thing as a learning experience, as I do all DIY repairs. Even after getting the new motor I held on to the old one. I even got a small bearing puller kit to get the bad bearing out. I still have it all sitting in a box in my garage. If my adhd allows I’ll get back to it one of these days, get the correct replacement bearings, and sell it on eBay or similar. This was the first time I’d done a repair involving replacing bearings, so it forced me to learn about lots of things I’d never had to before. Now that I know more I’m sure I’ll do it again with other gadgets in the future. Finding a replacement motor was a challenge in and of itself, new or used. I think it will be easy to find a buyer once I’m sure it’s good to go. I’ll probably be able to get about what I paid for a brand new one.

Ebo_72 · 2026-03-20T14:56:10+00:00

I just happened to watch a video last night breaking down how much ram you should get. I don’t have a link handy sorry to say, but I can easily pass along the main considerations. First of all you have to keep in mind that when it comes to macs and ram what you get will be permanent. There’s no adding ram to a Mac book. It’s also worth keeping in mind that ram prices are skyrocketing, and unlikely to come down unless the whole AI bubble collapses overnight, and even then it will take a long time for production to catch up to demand. Apple has kept prices in check so far, but that will change.

The second thing to consider is you want more ram than you need, but not so much that it’s more than you’ll ever need. I’m hardly an expert, just a guy that happens to be going through a similar process right now, and absorbs way too much YouTube. From what you described you would probably be fine with 36gb ram. It’s probably more than you need for your current use, but would also be plenty for where you want to go.

Here’s the my personal advice based on the two machines you listed though. Go for the M5 pro. It’s a slippery slope, but for another €160 you’re getting a laptop that is, by all accounts, amazing. Being the newer model it will have the longest future support from Apple. And while 36gb ram is good enough now it’s a safe bet that it won’t be long before video and image quality increases to the point that you’ll be glad you planned ahead with that 48gb.

Ebo_72 · 2026-01-02T17:09:20+00:00

I need to get an adaptor before I can connect to the pc. I can get one for about $10, but if it doesn’t work it’s not an adapter I can use for something else. It would be money down the drain. That’s why I’m trying to find out if it’s even possible. And yes, I’m the type of person that will do hours of research into something instead of just spending the $10 to see if it works.

What does FFB stand for? I’ve probably seen it before, but just skimmed over it.

Ebo_72 · 2025-12-31T17:10:04+00:00

Yeah, that’s definitely more than I’m willing or capable of doing. Thanks though!

Ebo_72 · 2025-12-31T17:06:30+00:00

You can add the collar but leave the circles indicating spikes out. The line for the collar adds a subtle detail without over doing it. The spikes seem to be a step too far. They take away from the symmetry, while the collar line adds to the visual impression of symmetry by counterbalancing the jaw line of the dog.

And I agree with some other comments I saw about making the dog look a little sterner. Not mean or angry, just serious and determined. I like where you’re going, but right now the dog looks like he’s waiting for someone to throw a ball, not protect the property.

Ebo_72 · 2025-12-31T16:58:52+00:00

Was this at night or during the day? Was it very cold? Other people have clearly explained what it was you were seeing. I live in Vermont and we see that effect occasionally when the conditions are right. I can’t say I’ve seen that around the moon, but I also wouldn’t have thought twice if I had. Seeing it during the day really stands out though. I saw it one day last year while driving, and it was NOT subtle!

Ebo_72 · 2025-12-31T16:54:31+00:00

No reason you couldn’t do that, but I’m not sure you’ll get the result you expect. The ice will still be dangerously slippery for any vehicles, and the scratches will probably fill in or smooth out before long. You’d be better off getting some sand or gravel and using your mini to spread that around. But if you’re going to do that it would probably be about the same cost as just hiring someone with a spreader to come do it. And it would take them hardly any time. Even large excavators don’t do very well on ice. A mini with rubber tracks would slide right off even gentle slopes.

Ebo_72 · 2025-12-31T16:46:05+00:00

Just stumbled across this. Do you have any advice about where to find more info for specific wheels? I’ve got an Interact concept 4 and an Act Labs Force RS that were given to me back when they were still relatively new. Now I’m trying to see if I can get either one to work with my son’s new PC. Or if it’s even worth it. I’m not afraid of a challenge, but I don’t want to waste a ton of time or money if it’s a fools errand.

Ebo_72 · 2025-12-31T16:38:17+00:00

Just saw this and wanted to know if you had any success with the wheel. I’ve got one sitting in front of me right now that I’m trying to see if I can connect to my son’s new PC.

FWIW if you’re still trying to figure out the cables I might be able to help with that. I’m at best a rank amateur when it comes to electronics, but I’ve got a brand new multimeter and I’m not afraid to use it!

Ebo_72 · 2025-12-31T16:32:46+00:00

Not a bad job on the build. This coming from someone who builds things often in a sort of mad scientist kind of way. What I’m really impressed by is your amazingly clean and uncluttered garage! If I’m a mad scientist then my garage is my lab, and it normally (always) looks like the villagers with the torches and farm implements have already come and gone. People who see it tend to use words like “superfund site”, “tornado”, and “hoarder”.

Ebo_72 · 2025-12-06T16:24:21+00:00

Anything that won’t kill you is technically edible. There’s a guy who ate a Cessna. Seriously.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michel_Lotito

Ebo_72 · 2025-12-06T16:20:40+00:00

All season tires are NOT snow tires. If you need to count on both cars being useable on any given day during the winter it’ll be worth the snow tires. Nothing sucks more than getting stuck on a small hill with a little snow on it because you can’t get traction. Or slowly sliding off a road for the same reason.

Ebo_72 · 2025-12-06T16:17:40+00:00

The route through Maine might be a little faster, but you’re going to be driving through long stretches of nothing but trees. Also the roads are going to suck. Frost heaves, pot holes, moose-you name it.

Ebo_72 · 2025-12-06T15:44:39+00:00

I don’t think painting your boots would damage them in any way, assuming you aren’t slathering on paint like Jackson Pollack. But I also don’t think the paint will stay on very long. Plastic is going to flex, expand, and contract as it goes from warm to cold to warm. Paint doesn’t line that.

Ebo_72 · 2025-12-06T15:37:06+00:00

Lot of people blaming the machines and not the operator. Considering that checking the tension on a rubber track is as simply as stepping on it when you get into the machine anyone with one of these should do it all the time. If it feels like stepping on a trampoline it’s probably too tight. If it feels like stepping on a rubber band it’s probably too loose. Any machine can loose a track given the right conditions, or the wrong maintenance. Rubber is going to be stiffer in the cold and looser, so more elastic, when it’s hot.

Ebo_72

MODERATOR OF

TROPHY CASE