eccc whippet

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.

I have been using weller products for years... my gas unit packed up... sent it in for repairs... was told they cant fix them. shopped around to replace it ...bought a major tech gas unit... it broke the second time i tried to refill it...a real piece of junk... so i shopped around again for a new weller gas unit... just not prepared to pay R2000 for something they cant repair ...i ended up buying a dremel gas soldering iron kit for R400... i thought for that price it would be a piece of junk... I use it literally everyday for both soldering and heat shrink...money well spent. I also decided to get a soldering station for the workshop... bought a magnum model 2002 ... also money well spent.

dont you live in crime town? there is a pipe servitude that runs a behind all the properties ...with a foot path...has some nice hills and drops...if you keen to explore let me know...i also have a few hood loops...just watch out for cars reversing out of driveways when you are using the verges foot paths...and the re-entry back onto the road...i got so bust by the other half (what are the chances that the wife will be driving down the road at the same time you land back on the tar )

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

Wake up an hour earlier...everyday.

from a big fella ...down to a not so big (but still big) fella...bike fit...saddles ...a$$ cream ...bibs...more saddle experiments...more bib experiments...it still hurts. for me...the most significant pain relief over time...and boy have I tried a few things...the stronger my legs got the more comfortable the ride got in every respect...it sounds silly but when i think back to when i was sitting "heavy" on the saddle not only because of my weight but also because of my weak legs...as i got stronger in my legs i started to lean forward more and spent less time "resting" on the saddle...which resulted in less chaffing ...less numbness in the crack...overall... less pain. My mtb has the standard anthem saddle...tried others but went back to the orginal and found it to be the most comfortable. my one road bike has a saddle with a gap in the middle and the other doesnt ...i find the wider one with the gap is more comfortable on longer rides....but then again ...i tend to "rest" more on longer rides....more rubbing...more numbness...more weight on the sit bones...if the saddle is too narrow for you...it just means more rubbing and numbness on the crack instead of the sit bone.

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 stress...i eat...........i stress a lot Looks like i might have a new goal...so i will have another excuse ...this time to loose weight rather than make excuses why i can't...it involves 90's...just gona leave it at that for now.

i need to get the virus i have had since last week thursday...dropped almost 5 kg in a week...sadly it only takes me to 105

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.

look at it this way...what is the worse thing that can happen...it goes flat and you have to walk back to the car...patch the thing and be done...maybe you are a lucky person and that is all that happens. but if you are not and you ride on the road at times...look at it this way...what the worse that can happen it blows out at 40 km/hr on a down hill or corner...you slide down the road...dont hit anything or get hit by anything ...couple roasties and a couple days off work and a few sleepless night...its not that bad. I have seen a few accident lately...and had one recently due to a bad decision ...the guy riding behind me couldnt believe i got up back on the bike and rode home. I wish you luck...personally i would replace the tyre and if it is due to lack of funds...send me a pm and i will see if i have a spare tyre for you...it would make me feel better that you are safe.

Something i learnt the other day...my back tyre kept going flat...it turns out the rim tape wasnt holding the tyre on the rim tight enough...apparently it is called burping...when the tyre releases air between the rim and tyre....which could have resulted in another bad accident. After the last flying incident...which resulted in R8500 worth of ER visits...xrays and doctors bills...my advice... replace the tyre with a reputable brand like maxxis ...it is not worth the risk of a blow out....especially if it is a front wheel tyre...and that goes for all old worn/damaged parts...my last accident was from a stretched chain which apparently caught up on the chain ring (called chain suck) you live and learn.

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.

The scale tells lies as we know...even though my weight is around the same at the moment...as someone mentioned...the snoring starts again...the roll gets a little thicker around the pants...the skin starts to hang around the chin...the 508 levis can only button to the second last hole. when the the wife tells you you need a longer shirt as you are about to leave the house and head to a public place. All that muscle i have built since 2016 ...must be turning to fat...i cant keep up with our B group anymore...in fact i am back to riding in the jets group (the social group) when i actually make the effort to join the group ride. it just seems such a waste...my arms have healed...then a 50x50 x 5 mm thick steel bracket slips and whacks my on the elbow...no i didnt cry because there was someone on the ladder next to me.

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.

Someone comments the other day about me being scared to get back on my bike... chatting to my accountant ...2 years in hospital from a back injury ...over the bars...his company took a beating of note...it has taken years to recover. Working with an engineer on site...over the bars...broke his back,,,had to be airlifted from accident. group ride...2 killed 1.5 seconds behind me. group ride...a monkey runs across the road...one person over the bars ... ICU with a few broken bones...still not riding. group ride...front rider clips the pavement ...goes down slides across my path. group ride...young girl off the road hits a cliff face and rolls a few times. group ride...i hear that sound behind me as the rider goes down ...i see a vehicle coming at us...cyclist stops less than a metre from the bumper on the wrong side of the road. and many more........ today i can finally rest my arm on my desk...i thank my guardian angels that most of the impact was on my left arm ...helmet...knees and shoes ...and not my damaged right arm again...i already have restricted movement due to pieces missing from the elbow...and a hand full of pins holding my hand together. no i wouldnt say scared but i would say a little nervous to ride...i did put my kit out last weekend ...and got up half an hour before my alarm. being self employed and hands on doesnt make it easy after an accident...i cant lay in bed for 3 weeks off sick...while recovering ...being self employed means...strapping the wounds...popping pain killers and getting on with it. i must say... it seems getting old you also become a bit of a wussy ...peeling off those gauze strips in the evening everyday after soaking them had me biting on a piece of leather.

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

been loading stuff on facebook market place...stuff is selling faster than i can keep up...only problem is you have to learn to read the time wasters and keep deleting their "is this still available" quick replies......it took 2 days to clear out 50 % of the stuff i listed. I find the people who spend 5 seconds or longer actually responding in a more detailed manner are worth responding to...and generally buy the product...i also just delete the "will you accepted R200 for a R5000 item" I have been selling rod racks for many years...sold a few but not like after i posted an ad on facebook market place ...i couldnt manufacture the racks fast enough to keep up with the demand.,,saturated market place so now the sales have eased and still get the odd sale ...need to figue out another place to promote the product or as someone mentioned buy coupons which will boost the views. it certainly has been a leaning experience...now i just need to figue out how t boost sales of other products i manufacture.

Craft markets are a good place to look...second hand shops or try faceboook market place...search stanley hand planes...there are plenty of them. I have a few which i am going to add to market place...i have a pile of power tools and stuff advertised at the moment. Makita planer bosch go 3.6 v 10- 100 nm torque wrench jigsaw 4350 FCT 720 w bosch 10.8 v drill gx 120 hilti gas gun to mention a few...i keep adding as i am cleaning out my store room. I am also clearing out electrical testers i dont use anymore...loop impendance testers ...insulation resistance testers ...and even a power quality analyser.

I got my walking stuff ready last night...off all the medication...arms are still feeling a bit tender ...the scabs are holding on for dear life...so tempted to just pull them off...this morning i woke up and just couldnt get my dressed...rolled over and canned the walk. wanted to go ride this weekend...it seems my brass balls have gone soft...i am allowing myself to think too much about what could go wrong...at least the weight is hanging in there for now...thought i would be over 110 by now...decided to weigh myself this morning...106 is better than i expected.

well done to everyone who is sticking to it...i lost about 30 grams (skin left on the road ) otherwise nothing has changed...at least i am not piling on the weight anymore...it seems to have eased for now.