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181

General Discussion Area / Decisions decisions

« on: 04 February 2012, 11:35:46 »

I am in a quandry at the moment.  As I have discussed with some of you if I dont convert my commission later this year I am out of a job in Aug '13.  This is looking highly likely.  My initial thoughts were to go in to IT Security Management in the US where salaries are high as well as the stress levels no doubt.  The plan was to build up a nice little fund to eventually find our way to my wife's home in Hawaii (the dream)

Now it's no secret on here I have IBD (crohn's, hence the name 'Guffer') which is fairly well under control with medication.  High stress, poor diet and environmental factors can trigger flare-ups and my worry is that I may find myself in DC or Chicago and be unable to complete my work to a satisfactory level due to my illness.

At the same time I love building, fixing and fitting out boats.  I love it, the challenge, the accomplishment, the therautic nature of the work.  There are no shortages of boats to work on in Hawaii.  But local business can be difficult to break in to.

So now I am wondering if I should miss out the middle phase and go straight to Hawaii and work on boats.  I would need to get US recognised qualifications and certification (about $2k) plus a van and some tools ($?)  My wife has familiy out there who could help with a spare room and the like while I get established and she can transfer to LA or something and work there for a few years commuting for trips.  I have a small amount of cash saved up which can be used to set the business up and there are immigrant business tax breaks for the first 7 years, but I need to check if I qualify.

I would not be earning as much but the quality of life will be much better and I dont want a fortune, enough to live comfortably on in 'da islands' will do.  There is risk in both options and there are so many factors.  I am very tempted to say lets just do it and make the best of it but I am worried about failure.

Like I said, decisions decisions......

182

General Discussion Area / Time to be brave

« on: 02 February 2012, 19:46:04 »

With the missus away I think this is the perfect time to do something I have wanted for a long time....



I have ordered someone to come around to my house and deliver 2 servings of pleasure....



On the phone she said that I could have whatever I wanted........



I will have to pay, unfortunately....but it's worth it for.......................






















GARLIC BREAD!   

Close your windows and get your air (and car) fresheners out, I am going to see if my gut has calmed down and I can start eating garlic again 

183

General Discussion Area / Mahoosive thanks to Shackeng

« on: 02 February 2012, 19:27:40 »

This summer just gone I was contacted by Shackeng who had a mig welder that he was getting shot of as he no longer had any need.  Having a boat trailer to rebuild I was very interested and despite asking several times he would not want any money for it

With all my medical problems recently and with work I have not had a chance to fire it up before now but tonight I sourced a bottle of argon/co2 mix and test welded some metal I had in the garage, it works like a dream.  A colleague at work who is welding a vw camper van back together had a look and commented that he was jealous.  "It's a very good Mig welder that!"

So Shackeng I wish to thank you publicly, and somewhat belatedly, for your generosity and for thinking of me when you had decided to get rid of this fine machine.  My mistress Jenny (the boat) and I will be forever in your debt on this one.

As it was a gift I hope to somehow make it benefit the OOF community in the long term but first I need to get this boat trailer made 

184

General Discussion Area / ANPR and copper fail

« on: 31 January 2012, 14:52:33 »

The wife just called saying she got pulled over by the Police doing an ANPR operation in Surrey.  They said that she flagged up on their system as having no insurance, they also said that she was not allowed to drive on her European license in the UK for more than a year.

Huh?  Was my initial thought.  I know she was insured but I double checked on askmid, came back as insured.  But I was very puzzled about the license question.  I know we had an issue with her US license which was only valid for one year.  I tried to get her through the UK test but getting rid of her bad habits was impossible.  Thus we swapped her license with a german when we lived out there.  As far as I was aware it was valid for life in the UK and I remember checking with the DVLA and they said it was fine.

So I spoke with the policeman on the phone and he said that it looked like an error on the ANPR and that they were unaware that the laws had changed with regard to licenses.  I did say to him that EU licenses have been valid in the UK since at least 1998, I knew that from living in france around that period.

They let her on her way eventually once it all checked out but scary to think that police officers dont know driving license basics or that in their minds we have already left the EU and a European License comes under the 1 Year rule.

185

General Discussion Area / Painting a trailer - box section

« on: 18 January 2012, 18:35:02 »

Tomorrow night I will be taught how to weld by a colleague while we rebuild the trailer for Jenny.  I have a lot of new box section mild steel and my thoughts are now to painting it.  Obviously it will get immersed in salt water several times a year thus a good coating in and out of the box sections is vital.  There seems a lot of info about painting the outside but nothing about the inside of box section mild steel.  Some will be closed off from the welding but some will be open.

Any thoughts?  I was thinking of using a wad of cloth dragged up vertically through it with some string which has been soaked in the necessary paint. 

Also, I assume hammerite is ok for this type of application?

P.S. Mega thanks to Shackeng for the welding equipment, I shall no doubt pass it on myself one day once done with it

186

General Discussion Area / A major Telecoms Provider = Useless

« on: 17 January 2012, 16:35:33 »

Having reported a major issue on Friday with our internal phone lines it turned out the local exchange was buggered affecting around 7 buildings.  Imagine my suprise on Monday when I came in to find the problem had not been resolved over the weekend.  I would have thought a problem this large would have warranted a high priority, it seems not.

On Monday the engineers wrote off the card in the exchange and ordered a new one - why dont they have spares?!  A temp fix was made on the faulty one which broke again today.  Finally the situation was escalated to a Major Incident 0- why was it not in the first place?! End result is a total of 2 of my days wasted sorting out problems with a product that they get paid millions to deliver when I need to be doing other important stuff for single mums and other family people who need to get ready to go away for 6 months.

Tossers 

(Note: Company name removed so as to avoid any libel exposure to the forum or myself)

187

Omega General Help / Center console conversion - US style with cup holders

« on: 17 January 2012, 09:27:26 »

Getting sick of the missus complaining about the lack of cup holders so I said that she needs to help me get a center console from the US shipped over (not an issue)

Does anyone know if these are a like for like replacement?  ie no bodging?

188

General Car Chat / Well that's just rather marvelous.....

« on: 10 January 2012, 15:30:49 »

Was driving along the dual carrageway when I heard a noise, like grinding so I slowed down to a more appropriate speed and decided that I would have a ganders when I got to my destination which was a mile away.  Then all of a sudden the noise went away and I thought nothing of it until I went to brake for the exit.

Holy turd of satan, I hadn't lost all braking but it was significantly reduced and I nearly kacked myself as I down shifted through the autobox and used a bit of handbrake.

Just got her home and on the ramps to find that somehow the brake line had shifted down onto the driveshaft and had almost come away at the union into the caliper.  Brake fluid was coming out like a fountain when you pressed the brake pedal.

Bits ordered from the stealers but I have to bend and flare the pipe myself.  Luckily I have ze tools (and a new set of trousers)

I can only think that I did this last night while dropping the diff, which is wierd because I cant see how dropping it could have caused the brake lines on the suspension arm to drop

189

Omega Electrical and Audio Help / HID Problem

« on: 09 January 2012, 09:00:15 »

After changing the bulbs on my HIDs they were working ok.  Yesterday after switching them on one (the one that was pink before) did not light up, I switched them off and on again and it was fine.

This morning it wont work at all.  When I switch the HIDs on it lights up for a second and then goes out.

Is this the ballast or is the bulb fubar?

190

General Discussion Area / London Boat Show

« on: 06 January 2012, 20:41:22 »

Anyone going to be there by any chance?  I wont be able to make Southampton this year so I am getting my boat fix in early this year.  Time to drool over the latest yachts and kit which I could never afford

191

Omega General Help / Rear spring change

« on: 05 January 2012, 16:59:48 »

Not having done this earlier  I need to get it done now as the back is sagging a little with the lpg tank in the boot.  I dont want to upset the back as much as possible nor mess about with removing plates and dropping the diff etc.

I have some spring compressors and was wondering if anyone had managed to change the springs using these and not disturbing the big nasty stuff?

192

Car Parts, bits For Sale & Wanted / Wanted - Bonnet spruts

« on: 05 January 2012, 08:56:36 »

For MFL, must be in excellent working order.  Mine are buggered 

193

General Discussion Area / What has Jimbob done now?

« on: 04 January 2012, 10:26:46 »

It seems there are more shenanigans with the smileys 

 

194

General Car Chat / Xenon light has gone to the dark (pink) side

« on: 03 January 2012, 16:55:58 »

It seems that my car want to join the Darth Lorraine Kelly club as one of the xenon lights went pink.  The car must have known it was the MOT today as well as it was okay yesterday (grr)

It starts off white and then turns pink after a few seconds, so is this the bulb or the ballast?

Also where is best to get replacements from?

195

General Discussion Area / Purely for TB's satisfaction....

« on: 31 December 2011, 18:34:15 »

Because TB loves youtube links, here is one especially for him

Clicky

It was nice knowing you all