Replaced an upper ball joint with the control arm still on the car.

The ball separated from the socket about two miles from the house, I was able to limp it home. Popped the ball joint out of the knuckle using a jaw puller, then pressed that into the socket and popped the socket out of the control arm.

That was the easy part. YouTube had a handful of tricks to get the new one in..

Pro Tip 1: Ball Joint Press
- Get a free loaner ball joint press from the parts store. You basically buy it, use it, and return it for full price. Nothing sketchy about it, most big box parts stores do this.

Pro Tip 2: Thermal Expansion
- Stick the new ball joint in the freezer the night before, and have a torch for the control arm. Yeah, the difference is minimal, but from this experience I learned that even that little bit of extra space helps get the ball joint into the control arm flush.

Total cost: $25 for the ball joint, versus upwards of $300 for a shop to replace.

Just skinned, guted, and butchered a deer.

You are a hunter?

took my son backpacking; hiked 7 miles with an 1800' elevation change on the Appalachian Trail.

Occasionally.

Painted a small portion of my parent's house that was renovated recently. Had patches of paint on me but job done

(05-08-2017 03:51 PM)Hypno Wrote:  took my son backpacking; hiked 7 miles with an 1800' elevation change on the Appalachian Trail.

Which section?

Took my parents grocery shopping, since they fucked up, never made a plan, and are perpetually broke, but given how they were always there for me, I try to give back, especially since no one else will.

Women have infiltrated the upper management positions in the company I've been working for. Needless to say, they've gotten drunk with their newfound power and have since become complete crusading cunts about everything. On Monday, a surprise visit from our district manager resulted in my immediate supervisor being fired on the spot. This man had been a loyal employee of the company for the past ten years and for them to swoop in and unceremoniously let him go was inexcusable to me. So I did what I felt in my heart was the right thing to do...

I quit my job.

Up 'til this point, I'd be hoping to move up in my company and viewed my boss as a mentor. In fact, my boss had told me he enjoyed working with me and if I wanted to rise up through the ranks in the company he'd do everything in his power to help make that happen...only for him to get fired a week later. When he was terminated, I felt my chances at being able to ascend up the corporate ladder (at least at this company) were terminated right along with him.

As I mentioned previously, my boss had been with the company a decade. This would've made him my age when he started work for them. The thought of my potentially slaving away for the next ten years only to be let go as soon as some cunt decides she doesn't want me around anymore was enough to light the fire under my ass to throw caution to the wind and see what better opportunities await me elsewhere. Perhaps I'll look back on this moment and think, "God that was fucking stupid! I never should've done that," or perhaps I'm about to begin an exciting new chapter in my life. Time will tell.

I'm reminded of a line from "Risky Business"...

Quote:"Sometimes you gotta say 'what the fuck.' 'What the fuck' brings you freedom. Freedom creates opportunity; opportunity makes your future. Say 'what the fuck.' If you can't say it, you can't do it."

Good on you for walking.
Not many people have the guts.

Or the foresight to structure their lives in such a way that if they need to walk, they can.

Excellent.

Bah! Went to rep Leon for sacrifice above and beyond the call of duty but found out I'd already repped him for services above and beyond the call of duty stumping for Trump.

Just got back from a night out.

It's late, was walking with my buddy to the next bar. Two girls walk by, one of them talking loudly complaining about some bullshit. I playfully mock what she said as I walk by. I was obviously kidding. She follows me, gets in my face, makes a big scene and shoves me. So I shove her back in her face. She acts all paralyzed and yells that no man has ever "hit" her before. Her friend yells and screeches "HIT HER AGAIN, HIT HER AGAIN, I DARE YOU, SEE WHAT HAPPENS." I tell them to stop making a scene and calmly walk with my friend to the next bar.

Next bar's female bartender even tells me that one of her friends always tells her she gets away with hitting and slapping men all the time because she knows men are told to never hit back.

I really hope men are waking up. If you believe in equality, you should hit women that hit you.

I care more about what the police and the judiciary still believe, and I care in direct proportion to the number of security cameras, witnesses and iPhones in the vicinity.

(05-10-2017 11:21 PM)LeoneVolpe Wrote:  Women have infiltrated the upper management positions in the company I've been working for. Needless to say, they've gotten drunk with their newfound power and have since become complete crusading cunts about everything. On Monday, a surprise visit from our district manager resulted in my immediate supervisor being fired on the spot. This man had been a loyal employee of the company for the past ten years and for them to swoop in and unceremoniously let him go was inexcusable to me. So I did what I felt in my heart was the right thing to do...

I quit my job.

Up 'til this point, I'd be hoping to move up in my company and viewed my boss as a mentor. In fact, my boss had told me he enjoyed working with me and if I wanted to rise up through the ranks in the company he'd do everything in his power to help make that happen...only for him to get fired a week later. When he was terminated, I felt my chances at being able to ascend up the corporate ladder (at least at this company) were terminated right along with him.

As I mentioned previously, my boss had been with the company a decade. This would've made him my age when he started work for them. The thought of my potentially slaving away for the next ten years only to be let go as soon as some cunt decides she doesn't want me around anymore was enough to light the fire under my ass to throw caution to the wind and see what better opportunities await me elsewhere. Perhaps I'll look back on this moment and think, "God that was fucking stupid! I never should've done that," or perhaps I'm about to begin an exciting new chapter in my life. Time will tell.

I'm reminded of a line from "Risky Business"...

Quote:"Sometimes you gotta say 'what the fuck.' 'What the fuck' brings you freedom. Freedom creates opportunity; opportunity makes your future. Say 'what the fuck.' If you can't say it, you can't do it."

LV, I'm in the same boat. Working on a new place to land right now. As Scott Adams says, there is a diversity cieling.

I flew a helicopter to the middle of the North Sea to join the oil and gas platform.

Makes me feel like a man...

A man who will not bang for four weeks...

(05-12-2017 11:50 AM)Vinny Wrote:  I flew a helicopter to the middle of the North Sea to join the oil and gas platform.

Makes me feel like a man...

A man who will not bang for four weeks...

Will be interesting to hear your thoughts on those four weeks. Seeing much if any of Scotland?

Does pulling two messed up teeth after hacking away at the jaw bone and having blood fly all over on a scared female cop who I kept calm and who felt not a thing while I drilled away count as anything manly?

Worked yesterday on my two swords and suddenly remember why I loathe angle grinder so much. I must make belt sanders with these evil ceramic belts as soon as possible as I don't have hours and hours to grind just a one angle on one sword!

Regarding datasheet, its about 70% done and I will release it next month. Today I realized that wood I am working with to show you whole process is actually semi dry and it needs at least 3 weeks to become fully ready for the tillering process. As I said, never work with green wood.

P.S. Datasheet will have close to a 3000 words, loads of pictures detailing every step and of course no TL;DR version, honestly nothing could be made to shorten it while retaining good instructions. Not for the fainthearted hahaha.

(05-12-2017 04:43 PM)doc holliday Wrote:  Does pulling two messed up teeth after hacking away at the jaw bone and having blood fly all over on a scared female cop who I kept calm and who felt not a thing while I drilled away count as anything manly?

I'm a little scared to ask for context here...

I'm thinking "dentist" but "serial killer" is a close second.

(05-16-2017 08:14 PM)Leonard D Neubache Wrote:  

(05-12-2017 04:43 PM)doc holliday Wrote:  Does pulling two messed up teeth after hacking away at the jaw bone and having blood fly all over on a scared female cop who I kept calm and who felt not a thing while I drilled away count as anything manly?

I'm a little scared to ask for context here...

I'm thinking "dentist" but "serial killer" is a close second.

Well a lot of people think that those two things are one and the same. But for the record, no I'm not a serial killer.

Edit of the post above: seems I used wrong technique for grinding and that is why it was so slow. I am going to attempt again next week.

Sterling, what are you using on the angle grinder? I'd say a decent ceramic fibre disc with a quality vented backing pad would be just the ticket. Anything is slow compared to ceramic when you need to grind metal quick.

Belt grinders are popular amongst knife makers not least because you can run them a little slack for doing funny grinds. Convex or concave, can't remember which. But a sword is perhaps a little unwieldy to pass back and forth accurately over a belt grinder, so you might be better with the angle grinder

Actually belt sanders are really popular with sword makers. Most popular example are Men at Arms Reforged youtube series where expert blacksmiths make weapons from games and films. They use belt sander for both establishing the cross section geometry and for cleaning and polishing. Even Albion (professional sword making company) uses them after forging. Lot of guys also on Swords Buyers Guide forum use them.

Regarding angle grinder, I use regular grinding disc like this: http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-grindi...pack/53187

Could you tell me what ceramic fiber disc is, is that these self sharpening ones? Everything is really expensive here, especially this "special" discs so I use cheaper solutions and what my dad can basically get for free.

(03-20-2017 10:40 AM)DJ-Matt Wrote:  There is something manly and satisfying about taking a shit so big you clog the toilet.

add some psylium husk to your diet. Start with one tablespoon, then work up to two.

I add it to my morning smoothie.

I have one or TWO solid BMs every morning.

The psyllium husk is non-soluble fibre so your body doesn't digest it. It does make you regular, and it does make you feel full so you eat less.

It is thought to act as a prebiotic, meaning it benefits your good gut bacteria. It also lowers cholesterol and blood sugar.

(05-17-2017 07:36 AM)sterling_archer Wrote:  Actually belt sanders are really popular with sword makers. Most popular example are Men at Arms Reforged youtube series where expert blacksmiths make weapons from games and films. They use belt sander for both establishing the cross section geometry and for cleaning and polishing. Even Albion (professional sword making company) uses them after forging. Lot of guys also on Swords Buyers Guide forum use them.

Regarding angle grinder, I use regular grinding disc like this: http://www.screwfix.com/p/erbauer-grindi...pack/53187

Could you tell me what ceramic fiber disc is, is that these self sharpening ones? Everything is really expensive here, especially this "special" discs so I use cheaper solutions and what my dad can basically get for free.

Using a grinding disc like that is hopeless. They are the crappest of the crap. Especially for a blade. They take too much pressure and heat the workpiece up way too much whilst not removing much material.

You need to look at sanding type discs. Only because you will be using it on an angle grinder on metal, it's grinding, not sanding. The difference is in the surface feet per minute (SFM). As the grinder spins much faster than a sander the SFM is far greater. This is also the difference between a belt sander/linisher and a belt grinder.

You can get stick on sanding discs, velcro sanding discs and fibre sanding discs. I like the fibre type. They mount to a special backing pad. They are much easier to get a decent result with as they cut quicker and depending upon how firm a backing pad you use, can follow contours better. You can apply pressure and it won't just start cutting a
slot like a solid grinding disc.

https://www.abrasivesformetal.co.uk/Fibr...Discs.aspx

These are the guys I use. Your next choice is which abrasive. All will work, but ceramic really eats metal whilst not imparting too much heat. As you correctly stated, this is because they are self sharpening, in that as the abrasive fractures it exposes a new sharp edge. I bought tons of zirconium plus ceramic for special occasions- in reality I only ever use ceramic unless the workpiece is full of rust and millscale which clogs discs quickly.

The FX discs in the link above are the best ceramic discs I have ever used. Better than Norton, better than SIA. They only do them in 50s though, so you might see what you can find on eBay?

I could put a rough edge on a 50cm sword in about five minutes with one, maybe two ceramic discs, that's how good they are. If you're really desperate then PM me, I can probably send you a few if you cover the postage.

The other things you will notice are what are called flap discs. The idea is that as it wears it exposes fresh abrasive. In reality they just clog and you end up with a buffing pad before you're used even a quarter of the abrasive.