eccc whippet

Its been a while ...i should be able to get through till next summer without eating...weighing in at a massive 112 kg. managed to do a whole 10 rides last year... and one this year so far...still battling to get my mind right...did a ride in the middle of last year on the marshmallow .. went over the bars ...slid down the road on my face and arms ...put the bike away and still havent ridden since... took the rattlin red rocket down last week ...had to pump up the wheels ...charged the battery and had to wipe off all the dust...had a really awesome ride ...only 55 km but it was enough.

Just a tip when using a router...no matter what router you use DIY or industrial...always buy the more expensive bits...it will make a better routing experience. A handful of decent bits will cost more than the router...but worth it in the long run.

When i started out after my accident which resulted in me loosing everything including my tools and machines (had to sell everything that wasnt taken by the banks)...after a couple of years I got to use my right hand and arm again...i started buying new tools...Ryobi was all i could afford...as i upgraded...i gave my Dad the Ryobi machines (doing DIY projects) When he passed away...i got all the machines back ...which i donated to his life long friend...he still uses them. Ryobi has its place in the market...as do all the other brands.

It all boils down to how much you are prepared to spend and the application. You want an all round tool to last forever...get industrial grade makita (just be careful makita now has a DIY range) and choose the battery wisely...if you gona use the machine to drill big holes or use a long bit...get a big battery and a small one for the light stuff...these machines get heavy with the big batteries...especially after 8 hours of use. Other wise buy the tool specific to the application...for example i wanted a light weight impact driver for general screw fixing...so a small battery on the most powerful makita impact driver works for me...some people ask me why i dont use the 5 amp/hr ...because i dont want a bulky heavy machine...thats why i have a fast charger and spare batteries. If you are using tools like the grinder to sand for example... as i do on occasion...its better to use the 5 amp/hr battery. just be careful of the older makita machines that are not star rated...they will F^&* up your battery if you dont stop when the battery is low...i learnt the hard way... @around R 1000 per battery it gets expensive...the new batteries and machine do cut out when the battery gets low...to protect them.

Been selling a lot of stuff on market place...my favourite response ... "is this still available" ...just too easy to click and send...i delete a lot of crap...the people who are really interested will try message you again requesting your number ...you learn quickly who is interested. like road rage...i just smile and look out the sunny side of my vehicle...there is just too much negativity in general in SA to allow silly things like this upset you.

scroll saw is for very light stuff ...a band saw can cut most things...wood...plastic...metal and i even use it to shape foam...i use templates and a router to shape most things. buy the bandsaw quick before you get married

I cant afford (dont really want to spend buying) expensive wood...what i do is take off cut and make stuff with the pieces...mix it up and even throw in a bit of plywood or what ever to add character. strip it make something you need using the wood...that way it keeps the sentimental value...even if it is a simple thing like a window planter for the office or kitchen. I have a facebook page called "the cranky woodworker"...check out the pics...if the wood is too small to use on projects...i collect it then make planters or fairy boxes ...i think my daughter and grand children are old enough now to know that the fairy boxes are make in my garage and not in special place ...or tinker bell

Got a call from Discovery to inform me that "all" consent forms signed have been cancelled due to the fact that there was no documentation available at the time i signed the electronic signature pad thingy mabob on the hospital counter...and the fact they they cannot be held responsible for information they share once it has been shared with whoever uses it (just another clause in the T&C's) Should we just be signing all these things people put in front of us regardless if the inform is there or not...would it even make a difference if you ended up in court over some information...maybe if you got ill and tried to claim for something maybe...who knows...who cares.

I had to visit the doc on Monday...from popping the odd disprin ...to 16 pills day...i was asked to sign a document...no document to read just a computerised signing pad...feeling the way i did on monday (was feeling really crap) just signed it. Today i get an email with the document i was suppose to read before signing...like most things in SA ...i can only laugh...maybe they should send the document to you so that you can first read it then respond. "We have received your consent on the HealthID application on 2019/07/29" The T&C's are rather interesting...as it points out in no 7 ...i had the opportunity to read or had it read to me ...there was no document ...how ignorant are we to just sign these documents...and what rights i have i signed away. I wouldnt wish whatever it was that i have had for the past 5 days on anyone...today i woke up coughing...nose running and sweating ...but feeling much better...on Monday i slept on off for almost 48 hours.

Some useless information. A comparison between people who do and dont qualify for free electricity (residential tariffs) If you qualify for free electricity (scale 12)...you get 65 kWh free then with the new price increase (13.07 % effective the 1/07/2019 in Durban) your new rate will increase to R1.11 per kWh For those who dont qualify for free electricity (scale 3/4/8/9/13)...you can also expect an increase of 13.07 % to R1.71 per kWh So how does this look when working on 500 kw consumed. 500 kw x R1.71 = R 855.00 free 65 kw 500 - 65 = 435 kw x R1.11 = R482.85 Business and general is a little more complicated...some of the tarrifs have been discontinued... but just to give you an idea the general tariff (scale 10/11) will also get a 13.07 % increase taking it to R2.15 per kWh 500 kw x R 2.15 = R 1075.00 just imagine if you run a business and your bill is around R150 000 per month...this 13.07 % increase is going to hurt.

Technology is moving so fast ...but more important ...becoming so user friendly and affordable...even for us old technically challenged ballies. I think back...when i started my business...there wasnt even a cellphone...now i run my entire business from a cellphone...the older fellas will remember having to go into the bank to deposit cheques...now my phone does everything...i dont even need cash anymore...no pin required if you still use a card to pay for stuff...just tap and go...if you leave your wallet at home...just use your phone to pay using zapper etc...and if nobody takes a card or zapper etc...send cash to your phone go tho an atm...shop etc and get cash using cardless withdrawl. Of all the technology...being able to communicate with family around the world all on one platform...is what i enjoy the most...who knows what we can expect in 5 -10 years time.

An ad on the hub...the advertiser told me the bike was in mint condition...if it wasnt he would give me the bike for free...i left Durban at midday...arrived in JHB just before dark...saw the bike paid the man and drove back to Durban...i have had the bike for a couple years...it is still in mint condition. saw an add for Di2 levers (to good to be true) "like new"...collected the cash...met the person at his house...they even had packaging...lucky i opened and checked the levers...seems the fella had claimed from insurance after a small ooops...put new lever on the bike and the damaged one in the box....gave him a bad rating...a damaged part in the replacement parts packaging doesnt qualify as like new.

I have just entered a new world of technology...was tinkering with occupation sensors and home automation...then decided to do a course on alarm systems... cctv and remote viewing apps...man did it open my eyes...the best part is being a certified electrician...i have the correct qualifications to setup up a system in my house which will link my alarm...cctv and house electrics together...to work using the apps and or the remote...one remote... not one for the gate... one for the lights...one for the garage...one for the panic button ...one to arm and disarm the alarm ...you get the idea Smart home automation has been around for longer than i can recall...just not affordable for most of us...the systems available in this day and age are making it more affordable ...in fact all new alarm or cctv system installed today will automatically have the facility to remote control and view. which brings us to a few new challenges...one being reliable power to what wasnt regarded as a critical power requirement in the past...however with the new technology...the router... home network and NVR ...all require a reliable power supply and a reliable adsl/fibre connection.

Looking at these pics above... i ask has anyone had any issues with storing the bikes at this angle...with regards to fluid in the brakes...suspnesion etc...considering the suspension and brakes should be sealed...there shouldnt be a problem. I do know you cannot store a bike with fluid brakes upside down (hanging form the garage rafters) ...i saw the results on the levers...it wasnt pretty.

From my experience ...we do group rides ... end off with a breakfast and or coffee...i would highly recommend this combination (not the supplier...just using the link to identify the lights) i have made a point of taking note of how many other bicycles in the group still have lights flashing when we finish (4-5 hrs) ...i am yet to see other lights still flashing. what i like about this combo ...the front lights provides enough light to view the road until it gets light enough to switch over to flashing mode...the back light has 5 flashing LED's. what i also enjoy about these lights...the there are no cables required for charging or separate battery backs etc...you just pop off the rubber piece at the back/bottom and plug the light into the charger...i use the rubber which i remove from the light to support it in the charge. the only one thing that you need to take note of ...the strap must be secured properly when fitting to the bike ...ie make sure you stretch it and check it is secure in the slot...other wise you gona cry long tears when it falls off in the parking lot..and some else scores a huge luck finding it. https://www.probikekit.co.uk/cycling-accessories/lezyne-hecto-400-strip-150-light-set/11509377.html?affil=thggpsad&switchcurrency=ZAR&shippingcountry=ZA&shoppingpid=top_10_1903&gclid=CjwKEAjwue3nBRCCyrqY0c7bw2wSJACSlmGZJzlaQQ2VNt-vRurNOv-QGX_unxwdJDn86mWVZNYFhxoCj__w_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds