PN:
Joe’s Comment
This is the companion complimentary corollary statement to offset the above idiocy – “There is no value in being good at that which you should not be doing at all.”
Political Humor Video o’ the Week
Donald Trump pitches to Ralph Kramden. Result predictable. Alice is uncomfortable but in accord (with Ralph for a change). The greatest force in human life is humor:
Rogue Male (Middle East Version)
An unidentified sniper has been making the lives of ISIS leaders shorter. Or should I have said snipers? While the asshats representing the “major” powers blather, pontificate, and generally pull their wieners, somebodies have been busy.
The article at this link details the recent activity aimed at cutting the head off the snake (an old often used much translated expression well known in the Middle East).
The vigilante (or vigilantes) has/have been elevated to “hero” status by the locals. He (they) has been dubbed the “Daesh Hunter”.
Essentially, Daesh is another word for ISIS – but apparently one that ISIS militants do not favour.
Why?
Because it is similar to the Arabic words ‘Daes’, ‘one who crushes something underfoot’ and ‘Dahes’, translated as ‘one who sows discord.
Joe wonders if this isn’t a coordinated effort by one or more state entities to settle the problem without the possibility of World War III.
Israel would have the know-how, the connections, the materiel, and the balls.
The Saudi’s wouldn’t have any of the above, but they do have lots of cash.
Russia ditto the Israelis, and with a lot less moral argument and baggage.
Obambi’s “coalition”?
The U.S. has the know-how and the materiel, but has proven itself to be inept at getting into the mindset. They have also burned so many contacts and allies in the region under Obumble that they are truly on the outside.
Joe would like to set up a “big game hunters” consortium.
Send teams of rogue males into the area with a bounty for all ISIS bagged – bigger the ISIS bigshot bigger the reward.
Fuck all those middle east assholes who manage to bother my otherwise stellar thoughts and days with their insanity.
They really don’t want to play “Muslims and Cowboys”, do they?
A giant can of Raid! on order.
Pie Chart a la Joe
Joe’s Garage
A lot of distractions have kept Joe away from finishing the re-build of the E4OD automatic transmission he disassembled in December. This week was re-assemble time. Automatic transmissions are more complicated than standard transmissions if only due to the much larger number of components involved. They are more expensive to rebuild for the same reason – lots and lots of parts.
Some of the overhaul requires special tools to complete the process. Joe’s life-long attitude about tools has been if it is cheaper to buy the tool and do the work than to have someone else do the work, buy the tool.
For this job, the special tools required were very pricey. If purchased from Ford, the total would exceed $1,000 Cdn. A lot of cabbage.
The after market sources (in the States) were cheaper if available, but weeks away in time if ordered.
Joe decided to not buy. Nor rent or borrow. Joe decided to build his own tools, or fake it if a functional tool couldn’t be built.
Looking around the shop, we found bits and pieces of various materials to hobble-cobble appropriate tools together with the aid of our old Miller “buzz box” AC welder.
Here are some pictures of Rube Goldberg contraptions that got the job done.
These two rods are a bent coat hanger. The “T” shape on the end fits into the front planetary shell (in the background) in slots provided. The Ford tool for this job clamps the entire assembly (front planetary – forward clutch – one way clutch) together. Ford price > $400.00 Cdn. –
The two coat hanger “special tools” would not stay in the slots without some “black magic” to hold them in place. The entire assembly weighs over 40 pounds, and must be lowered as a unit into the transmission case –
Here is the unit in the transmission case. The black magic was strategically wound to allow the release of the special tools without the need to reach down in the case to peel the tape away –
Total cost? The coat hanger was “sunk funds” (snagged it from the front hall closet in the house). Although it will never be a coat hanger again, Joe will probably keep them for the next transmission rebuild. As for the black magic, about 8 feet was used. The entire roll of tape cost 89¢. –
This transmission has three clutches that have pre-load springs. The tool to do this work is expensive. What to do?
The picture shows the spring on the intermediate / overdrive piston. This one is held in place with a snap ring. The spring must be compressed in order to remove or install the spring. The spring must be removed in order to renew the seals on the piston / sleeve surfaces –
Joe cut a few pieces of 1″ X 1″ steel tube and drilled a hole in the center. Another hole in the makeshift bench top (a piece of 3/4″ plywood). An 8″ bolt, a nut, and a few washers fit through the bench top and tubes. The compression ring (rusty thing in the picture) was fabricated from 22″ of 1″ X 1/8″ steel flat bar, bent into a circle and welded. Not as elegant as the factory tool, but functional. All materials on hand in the shop. Total cost? If we had to buy the materials, less than $20.00Cdn. Saving $$$ so far –
This picture is of the coast clutch. Joe used some of the previous pieces, the bench top, and a 4″ PVC coupler that was in our plumbing supply. More sunk funds.
This last picture shows the arrangement to compress the overdrive clutch piston return spring in order to install the retaining snap ring. A short piece of 1″ X 1″ tubing drilled appropriately, and a short piece of 2″ X 4″ stud with bolts and a nut made this work easy. Once again, sunk funds. –
The correct tools would have saved Joe some head scratching, shop searching, and fabricating time. We are happy to have saved some $$$ as a trade off.
POLITICS, POLITICIANS, WACKJOBBERY, HUMOROUS, STUPID
GUNS, GUNNERS, GUNNERY
Big Gun
Watch how the air / dust around this cannon behaves in the animated gif below.Joe says the shell is leaving the barrel exceeding the speed of sound.
Outstanding……
Before Guns
The weaponry of long distant times is an interesting study closely related to history. This link is to the Christie’s Auction website – featuring a video of a 600 year old Italian built broadsword. The delight of curator / historian people handling a 600 year old broad sword of historic notice is evident: Here’s a picture of Howard Dixon, a Christie’s arms and armour specialist, handling the Alexandria broadsword (Harriet) brought in to auction:
Another article about the sword here.
This piece of history fetched £386,500, the equivalent of $576,658 USD at auction.
Politicians and Their Big Mouths
The idea of politicians representing the people who elect them is noble.
The assumption that those elected are the best possible representatives of the people is preposterous.
Every time there is a public uproar about a killing with a handgun or rifle, there is a knee-jerk reaction by some of the political class that is so off base, so misguided, so uninformed, so stupid as to belie credibility. At a more innocent age, I thought them to be gullible and overly credulous. Joe disabused me of this belief. He says politicians mostly suck because they can’t stop scheming and weaseling for control.
Jerry Miculek is a professional shooter of 30+ years. He makes his living shooting, handling, talking, and developing firearms.
Here is his response to one specific politician (among a large field vying for the honor of most ignorant), a politician who did not know what he was talking about but didn’t let that interfere with his passionate declaration:
Joe respects the technology. His credo is – a gun never killed anyone; the person operating the gun is the doer.
THE RELIGION OF PEACE (ALL OVER US)
Wonder Woman
Brigitte Gabriel is an inconvenient truth to the Muslim world.
This presentation is from 2011. The facts she exposes are still valid facts. The information contained is still valid. Have things stood still? Not a chance. This presentation is more pertinent today for the simple reason that it establishes a history of correct untarnished information. Whether or not you have watched her before take the time to watch, again. Survival of the West will rely on brave women and men like her who have lived the truth. Here is Brigitte Gabriel with her story – “Radical Islam: The Plan to Destroy America from Within; Infiltration”:
Brigitte Gabriel’s website is called “Act for America”. Join up. Another more recent presentation from September, 2015 to the Family Research Council Action Summit. She mirrors the history lessons about Islam that Dr. Bill Warner has spent so much time and energy documenting. Here is Brigitte Gabriel giving a passionate knowledgeable non politically correct chronology of 1400 years of Islamic madness:
The Islamic caliphate was ended in 1924. The current struggle for the re-establishment of the Islamic Caliphate will be the struggle of our children and grandchildren.
SUNDAY SERMON
What a time February is for Joe and I. Cabin fever, winter madness, overcast weather (here in Vernon), short days. Sluggish and moribund activity. Border hibernation is what it resembles.
Where is the silver lining?
That would be more time for reflection than normal.
This short video by David Christian is an amazing condensation of the history of the universe.
The Big History Project is the educational creation Mr. Christian mentions in his TED talk.
Joe and I have explored the website. We will return to it again.
Can’t learn too much about big.
WEATHER (OR NOT)
This has been an excellent February, as February goes.
Today, Valentine’s Day, is mild, foggy, still. Above zero!!!
The snow continues to melt.
February is half done!
Joe (Happy) Mekanic
p.s. Ramirez is best in any season – from Investor’s Business Daily –
