patches

Blessings from Amazon arrived yesterday... Milwaukee 12V Installation Driver with the 4 different heads, 2x 2Ah batteries and a useless US 110V charger (fortunately I have a charger already). Here's how it stacks up next to the its 18V "big" brothers. Weight wise it nice and light. Power wise it's pretty impressive for 12V. The 34Nm of torque is in the same ballpark as some entry level 18V tools, and more than enough for most jobs. The quick-release 14/" hex (impact driver style) collet makes it super handy. And the hand-guard is magnetic for storing bits or fasteners while one works. Only gripe so far is the un-intuitive forward-reverse button. Don't know why they went with a digital push button on the top in stead of the traditional sliding/push-through toggle by the trigger. But yeah, this will likely be my go-to for most odds and ends, with the 18V variants only coming out for the heavy lifting.

That's what I like to hear! ...as it helps me justify my own budgetary blowouts. (I'm not alone). Congrats on the purchase and great job on making them pay for themselves right away! Hope they serve you well!

Anyone here had the unwanted pleasure of a pre-departure covid test? Planning a trip over the ditch for Easter, and it seems there's no getting around forking out over $200 for a pre-departure PCR test. Anyone know of places offering the supervised RAT tests? Ironically I currently have RAT tests 4x a week for work and you'd think one administered by a health board, surveillance testing it's staff would count. But no. It's seems the travel tests are all privatised and it's become another money-making racket!

Such a pity that Alta went bust. I remember their Redbull Straight Rythm exploits and when Lyndon Poskit sadly got his one stolen on the way to compete in Erzberg. Damn you Harley Davidson for playing part in tanking them! Ps. I know the purists will say that motorcycles have no business being powered by anything but hydrocarbons, haha

Yeah, loads of insurance write-offs here in NZ on bikes with pretty minor damage. As you say, the cost of parts relative to the vehicle is exorbitant. The insurers sell the bike (or what remains of it) on the $1 auctions. Additional to comprehensive cover, another factor to consider is the value insured. Bikes like mine (European enduro bikes) drop MASSIVELY in market value in a very short space of time. So I have insured mine for replacement value. I also add insurance of any custom parts (like my rally kit) and my gear (good helmets are pricey. So in total I pay equiv of about R600pm for my 450 and gear which is insured for about R230,000 (R180,000 bike, R30,000 custom parts, R20,000 gear).

Haha no my bad. I used my don't-read-too-good eyes and the word "impact" had me jump straight to "driver". As for tool heaven, it's not too bad all round, but we get reamed on the Milwaukee stuff when compared to the US. There's a kiwi YouTuber called "Tools and Stuff", who is probably the biggest Makita reviewer out there. He also posts links to ebay as he gets some of his tools direct from Japan. May be worth a look. Also Project Farm and Toolbox Buzz are pretty good for some head-to-head reviews.

After about 2 years of procrastinating I finally listed my Husky FE350 to sell. In a moment of bravado (or stupidity) I figured I would list it as a $1 reserve auction on TradeMe (NZ's equivalent of Gumtree/Bid-or-Buy). https://www.trademe.co.nz/a/motors/motorbikes/motorbikes/dirt-bikes/listing/3480215838?bof=F26QHqAU Slightly horrified, my wife asked what would I do if the auction is a flop and it only gets to a few hundred dollars (as I'm legally obligated to sell for any bid over $1). Fortunately it seems to be going all right and my gamble may pay off... whew 😅 Kiwis are suckers for the $1 auction frenzy!😈

+1 on the Makita LXT (18V) front. Their DTD153 impact driver is a no-frills workhorse. Sadly though, a quick search on Strand Hardware indicates that they're around R3500 (skin only). https://www.strandhardware.co.za/makita-cless-impact-driver-bl-dtd153zj-18v Seems Bosch is a lot more popular in SA, whereas here Makita has the majority of the market. I guess that plays into the big price fluctuation from country to country of sorts. A month or so ago I bought a Makita kit with a brushless hammer drill, brushless impact driver (the DTD153), 1x 5Ah battery and charger for about R3400 equiv. So yeah, prices may differ, but keep an eye out for combo kits. Another option I saw on Strand Hardware that looked pretty cool was the Bosh Impact driver/wrench. The collet/anvil is a 2-in-1 (1/4" hex and 1/2" square). Sadly also over that R3000 mark. Still cool though https://www.strandhardware.co.za/bosch-gdx-18v-li-impact-driver-south-africa

hahaha! I remember being busy at work and seeing the Disney+ notification flash on my Garmin watch with something about Pam & Tommy. I had to do a double take, hahaha!

Loved Firefly, however I recall getting confused by the episode order. You probably know this, but I remember findng out that the network messing up and airing them out of order, so there are actually 2 ways to watch it. The way it was aired, and chronologically The Aired Order: Chronologically:

Started watching Yellowstone about a week ago. Last night I found myself binge watching until about 4am and I'm feeling it at work today, haha! For those who haven't seen it and like shows like Succession, I can highly recommend.

Hmm, I think some journo's originally thought this was the Husqvarna Vitpilen 1301 concept. That said, the headlight does resemble one of the pilens. The point features of the tail are definitely very KTM though. This guy created what he thought the Husky 1301 could look like. Pretty impressive skills (and personally I think the end result looks better than the Brabus). https://www.behance.net/gallery/102958497/Husqvarna-1301-Vitpilen-The-Icy-Twin But yeah, 51,000EU for the Brabus is insane, even if numbers are limited to 154. Wonder if Husky will progress with a counterpart?!

Speaking of the motion. and the heft behind the thrusts... last night I was fixing a bracket on the garage door with some self tappers. So as not to drive them into oblivion (or make enemies of my neighbours with the reverberating noise off the steel sheeting) I decided the impact driver was not the tool for the job, but rather the drill. It was soon discovered that between working overhead at a funny angle, my laziness to use the clutch properly and curb the 135Nm of torque, and the hefty 700g 5Ah battery dangling on the end, I just about broke my wrist/hooked myself in the jaw when the short fasteners suddenly bit down. I do have some 2 or 3Ah compact batteries on the wish-list And along with that is one of the Milwaukee multi-head 12V Brushless Installation Drivers, for work that requires a lighter touch. Based on the reviews. this little guy will do about 80% of what I generally use a drill or impact driver for.

Prior to acquiring the compact yet beastly Milwaukee 18V drill and impact driver, my 12V AEG set was my go to. Like you say, most stuff doesn't require an 18V, unless they're large diameter bits or big lag bolts. (Here you can see the the Milwaukee 18V tools are more compact, bar battery, than the AEG 12V options). And I've already got my eye on the Milwaukee 12V brushless kit to replace my AEG brushed one This will likely be my "everyday" go-to with the 18V variants being brought out for the heavier lifting. As for Makita or Bosch... I have always like the aesthetic of the Bosch professional range, but I would probably go with Makita 18V (or 40V if you're feeling rich). Makita has a huge tool range (probably the biggest 18V range out there), and they're every expanding. Not to mention they do outdoor/garden tools too. The only place I have found them lacking is on nailers (which Bosch doesn't do at all). Keep it real, go teal!

On the Makita battery front I have 4x 3Ah and 1x 5Ah, and the only ones I "bought" were 2 of the 3Ah. All others I got as part of kits which I ended up splitting and selling to recover pretty much all my cost. It also sounds like Makita has the free battery redemption deals in SA, so there's another way to expand the battery collection. As for performance (not duration) I haven't noticed too much of a difference between the 3Ah and the 5Ah, in my Trim Router or small blower. My other 2 Makita tools (Track saw and dust extractor) are 2x 18V so until I get another 5Ah I'll have to mix and match. That said, 5Ah seems to be the standard used in tool reviews and shootouts. Recently I added yet another Milwaukee tool to the collection. The Fuel 18V Impact Driver Not sure why I got it as my AEG one was a beast and I have a ton of batteries for it, but I figured a change is as good as a holiday, plus it just looks better to have matchy-matchy drill and impact driver sets. The downside... I only have 1x 5Ah Milwaukee battery, and retail on one of those is about double the price of a new Makita 5Ah. No idea why they're so pricey... seriously, nearly R2800 equivalent for 1 battery!! Madness!

That rehashes one of my old pet peeves with the NZ retail industry. Fluctuating prices advertised as "HOT DEALS!" About 6 months ago Noel Leeming, Torpedo and Harvey Morman had the Fenix 6X Pro for around $680. Decent deal and had me super tempted to upgrade. Even 1 month ago one could pick it up for $775 Fast forward to now with the Fenix 7 now out and suddenly the very same retailers have advents like this... "HOT PRICE!" "LIMITED TIME!" The words of wisdom for those looking to move here... ALWAYS research what something is actually worth, as the retailers here love to use the word "Sale" and other associated terms for just about everything.

Damn! I wish! I still have a Fenix 3 (non-HR version), and about a week ago I accidentally left it trail-side while doing the walk at Tarwharanui (took it off to reapply sunscreen, and forgot to put it back on). About 30min down the trail when I realised it was missing, my wife (not wanting to turn back) said "that watch is 7 years old and you've been eyeing out a new one for a while, so I'll get you one for your birthday", hahaha! Me (being a cheapskate) decided to "run" back to find it and then "run" to try catch up with the group. Short story long, the old Fenix 3 lives on, and whilst it does, I toil with justifying the purchase of a replacement 😅 EDIT: Side story... My wife's affinity for not returning to collect lost items was first noted when she visited SA for the first time. On the country-wide tour we had a stop in the Drakensburg at a National Parks campsite. The drive there and back was tricky in the tiny little Toyota Etios rental car. After our stay there and once we were about 1hr down the road going through a local settlement (with local kids bombarding the car for "SWEETS!!" when she realised she had left her pretty new iPhone at the chalet. Overwhelmed by the swarming kids and the dread of repeating the bundu-bashing in the tiny-car, she wrote it off. But thanks to a lovely staff member at the camp and creative relaying between friends visiting that camp weeks after us, and friends of those friends visiting NZ a month after that, the phone made its way back.

I run a 1x12 GX Eagle (clutch RD and NW chainring) with a top guide only (MRP). This came stock standard on my Trek Remedy In the 4 years I've had the bike, riding fast bumpy local trails, DH trails in Rotorua and Christchurch, and my attempt at getting back into some dirt jumping (self preservation > remaining shred of former skills), it still hasn't dropped a chain. (here you can see the discrete little MRP top guide) My recommendation is that unless you're going full DH and also want the protection of a bash-guard, a top-only chain guide will be fine. In terms of your options, that depends on a few things... Does your bike have ISCG tabs? If not, does it have a direct-mount front derailleur bracket? If no to both, are your running an external cup threaded bottom bracket (SRAM or Shimano)?

Our contractors on site opt for cordless power tools as much as possible. Not only is there the convenience of no dangling cord, no reliance on mains power, but another one is that our sites require a 3-monthly tagging and testing (for electrical safety) of any tools utilised, and that becomes a lot simpler when it's just a charger or 2 and maybe a dust-extractor (the Festool ones are the most popular and haven't gone cordless quite yet). Also, once one is on a battery platform for a contractor grade tool, often the tool skins themselves are the same price (or sometimes cheaper) than the corded equivalents. The battery platforms being the catch, and as mentioned before, it can get out of hand. A quick tally of cordless contraptions in the garage and shed indicates some 18 power tools, 3 powered garden tools, 15 batteries, 6 chargers, and 5 different battery platforms. The only corded varieties I have are a table saw, mitre saw and drywall sander. I do have plans to replace the mitre saw with a cordless, but that means going on to yet another battery platform and the associated charger! Damn you Makita for making the XGT 40V so desirable!

It's been some time (about 6 years) since I lived in JHB, but when I did the DH spots we rode were those mentioned above: Helderkruin, 139, Klapperkop, Thaba, Hakahana, Haarties, etc. Most of them have a few commonalities... rocky, dusty and fairly flat. However, when it comes to "UCI DH Trails", some of these were suitable for nationals, but nothing really UCI World Cup standard (like PMB). Keep an eye out of the DRI (Dustin Rudman Invitational) FB page or website. Although some of the events may be outside of GP, they often have shuttle days at some of the local trails. Also, a road-trips to the KZN provincials are well worth it! Enduro and DH on the same weekend, plenty of riding and great trails.

I may be slow to the party, but eventually I get there... I recently discovered these: Bosch dual head, double sided impact bit. Dual head does Phillips 2 and Robinson 2 (square) in 1 tip. Also double sided so double the longevity. I tested it on phillips and square and it works pretty well. Sure it'll likely cam-out on higher torque applications, but for 90% of the time it's great, and handy not to have to keep swapping bits.

A mixture of boredom and frustration with all the little router bit containers cluttering my router case led me to whip up quick and nasty solution 12mm ply. 30 deg angle. rubber on underside to grip bits. ghetto labelling. Key slots on back to make it easily removable from Makpac case. If it does the job well, I may put some effort into making a neater one, haha!

You think those are bad... look at the names of some of the dirt-bike events here in New Zealand Kiwis don't take themselves very seriously at all, and it shows. This first one is an awesome event though. Did it 5yrs ago and am keen to do it again. And yes, it lives up to it's name! https://www.motomapped.co.nz/event-details/2022-dusty-butt That said, this next one takes the naming a little too far! https://www.silverbullet.co.nz/event.php?id=16001

Whilst I haven't done an Epic or a Dakar, I have done a Sani2C and a Dusty Butt (a 1400km, 3 day adventure rally through the NZ high-country), And although I had jippo-guts for days 2 & 3 of the Sani (which made it even more challenging), I think the dirt-bike rally was way more exhausting (12-15hrs/day on the bike, then having to setup my own tent after each day, haha). Plus, like you say, definitely more concentration needed. Navigation was by GPS and way points, so far easier than a road book, but even so, it's a far cry from the voice prompts and colourful blue line of Google Maps. And when trying to bomb down tricky terrain while watching the waypoint distance close in and make sure the arrow doesn't swing (meaning you missed the waypoint), can be challenging at the best of times. (there were a number of emergency stops, 180 donuts, and corrections made during that event) So huge respect to the Dakar dudes and dudettes who go twice as fast and rely on colouring-in books to avoid getting lost!

Been a little too trigger-happy with the drill purchases of late. Found the Makita brushless hammer drill and impact driver kit for a great price (338 NZD, by playing the 2 main big-box hardware stores off each other). I didn't neeeed it, as they were similar spec to my AEG ones. I just gave in to the temptation of a sweet deal. So I sold the charger, drill and driver, but kept the battery. In the end the 5Ah battery only cost me about 9 NZD. But my addiction didn't stop there. I had a hankering for a new drill and decided if I was going to get one, it should at least be a significant upgrade on my AEG brushless. Enter the Milwaukee Fuel 18V. Nice and compact and at 135Nm it has more than double the torque of the Makita. This thing is a beast. Hard to believe how they cram that much power into such a compact tool! The AEG brushless with 5Ah battery compared to the (nearly twice as torquey) Milwaukee with same size battery.