What Did You Do Today (2016)

[ChrisHParticipant @chrish]

My original chainsaw is a JCB and is here in England (the other is a Stihl and superb but in France) but the JCB was not working – just would not start. Checking found no spark at plug. Found a shop open (on a Sunday) which sold not absolutely the right spark plug but near enough and away the wee beastie went, so well pleased, as I had a tree stump leaning across a boundary I wanted out.

Pleased to say stump out no worries, and the wee beastie went better than it ever had before. Always had trouble starting it when hot before, now no probs, so a double result!

Chris

[Sam Longley 1Participant @samlongley1]

Posted by ChrisH on 01/05/2016 23:06:04:

Dod – "future ex-wife" – are you planning a divorce or one of you expecting to peg it some time soon? Odd phrase, I couldn't get away with that – not in one piece anyway, my present wife would kill me!

Chris

I tend to agree with that. I find subtle introductory comments like – "this is my first wife"- is enough to keep them on their toes

[Nigel McBurney 1Participant @nigelmcburney1]

Yesterday when mowing the lawn I spotted a hedgehog,going across our paddock first one I have seen for 10 years despite living out in the Hampshire sticks,unusual to see one in daylight,this morning heard the first cuckoo,not one but two,the swallows returned 2 weeks ago . Nearly 40 years ago we bought a run down smallholding with colonial bungalow ,timber frame covered with heavy corrugated sheets ,we lived there for over three years until we finished our new bungalow,when the new footings were dug I had to go out every morning to rescue numerous hedgehogs. Also there were lots of starlings in the area and many nested under the tin sheets on the roof,when we knocked down the old" tinny" there were dozens of old nests,the following spring the starlings came back wondering where their nesting site went, never see a starling now, numerous jackdaws are in the area,earlier this year they could be seen in large flocks off well over a hundred flying cross country in the morning and returning in the late afternoon possibly going to feed like the pigeons do.Seemed to have stopped now and theres just the local jackdaws looking for nesting sites. By the way the bio petrol seems to have attacked the rubber filler cap sealing ring on the John Deere ride on mower the ring disintegrated and some rubber dropped into the tank, causing intermitting fuel starvation, Never liked working on mowers,fuel tank had to come off,bits of rubber had got into the fuel pipe,though the modern inline filters do keep the carb free of debris,shortened the suction pipe by a half inch to keep it out of future muck and find the filler cap seals ok without the washer.

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Nigel McBurney 1 on 02/05/2016 09:45:58:

… By the way the bio petrol seems to have attacked the rubber filler cap sealing ring on the John Deere ride on mower the ring disintegrated and some rubber dropped into the tank, causing intermitting fuel starvation …

.

Q1 … [for the Greens] … Is this evidence of 'the Planet' protecting itself ?

Q2 … [[for the Accountants] … discuss 'Total Cost of Ownership'

.

MichaelG.

[NJHParticipant @njh]

"I tend to agree with that. I find subtle introductory comments like – "this is my first wife"- is enough to keep them on their toes "

It is this sort of attitude that puts a strain on the NHS and costs all of us money.

​  Sam  … Please consider this when you need visit your GP about the ringing in your ears!

Norman

Edited By NJH on 02/05/2016 10:14:17

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

I just sent £129 to the UK for some goodies.

My bank charged me an extra $Au 30 for the 'telegraphic' transaction as I deposited direct to the recipients account.

Apart from the fact that the telegraph is no longer in fashion and nowadays it takes just a few keystrokes to transfer the funds I was astounded when the recipient informed me that I was £15 short.

Investigation revealed that the receiving bank also took their cut – greedy bastards imho, I already paid to send the funds.

Not impressed!

* Danny M *

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

Could you not have used Paypal? Would have saved you $30 + £15 by the sounds of it.

[Roger Provins 2Participant @rogerprovins2]

PayPal charge nothing for a "Gift" transfer and about 4% otherwise.

[JohnFParticipant @johnf59703]

Danny M2Z over the years I purchased a lot of goods from Europe, NZ, USA etc and providing the vendor has the facility by far the best way is Credit Card for amounts under say £1500. This was my cut off point but it's a while ago now.Sure you will take a small hit on the exchange rate, that's how that CC Co make their bit plus the vendor pays a percentage to the CC Co but it will be less expansive for both parties.

For larger amounts I used a currency exchange/ forwarding company in London typical charges are £10 per transaction against banks charging £20-25 per transaction and as you rightly say the receiving bank takes a cut as well !

John

Paypal is much more expensive than CC they vary by the vendors deal or turnover with them but most will or should if they are switched on be paying no more than 1.5% and a fixed fee if it's a debit card usually less than 30p

Edited By JohnF on 02/05/2016 11:22:18

[Gordon TarlingParticipant @gordontarling37126]

Posted by Roger Provins 2 on 02/05/2016 10:34:46:

PayPal charge nothing for a "Gift" transfer and about 4% otherwise.

I beg to differ, Paypal ALWAYS make a charge for handling your money, what changes is WHO they charge. Fees for a normal Paypal payment are borne by the recipient, whilst the sender pays the fees for Paypal gift.

[MuzzerParticipant @muzzer]

From PP website: Pay for goods or services > no fee for you unless a currency conversion is involved. Send money to friends and family > no fee if you use your PP balance, bank account or debit card to send money in GBP to frriends or family in the UK. Certainly when I pay family and private transactions etc, there is no deduction.

So not quite true that they always make a charge. And for commercial transactions I guess the charge is something the seller is happy to pay as a means of facilitating the sale, rather like any other payment service.

Murray

[Michael GilliganParticipant @michaelgilligan61133]

Posted by Muzzer on 02/05/2016 13:49:40:

From PP website: Pay for goods or services > no fee for you unless a currency conversion is involved. Send money to friends and family > no fee if you use your PP balance, bank account or debit card to send money in GBP to frriends or family in the UK. Certainly when I pay family and private transactions etc, there is no deduction.

.

Quite right, Murray

One caveat being that, since there is [by definition] no 'purchase' involved … one does not have any protection against [say] non-delivery, or defective goods.

MichaelG.

[Roger Provins 2Participant @rogerprovins2]

Posted by Gordon Tarling 1 on 02/05/2016 13:17:50:

Posted by Roger Provins 2 on 02/05/2016 10:34:46:

PayPal charge nothing for a "Gift" transfer and about 4% otherwise.

I beg to differ, Paypal ALWAYS make a charge for handling your money, what changes is WHO they charge. Fees for a normal Paypal payment are borne by the recipient, whilst the sender pays the fees for Paypal gift.

Twice I have sent money to a relative in Australia as a "Gift" and no charges were made to me or the recipient.

Roger

[DodParticipant @dod]

Posted by ChrisH on 01/05/2016 23:06:04:

Dod – "future ex-wife" – are you planning a divorce or one of you expecting to peg it some time soon? Odd phrase, I couldn't get away with that – not in one piece anyway, my present wife would kill me!

Chris

Keeps her on her toes

[michael howarth 1Participant @michaelhowarth1]

Not exactly today, but over the Bank Holiday weekend, took a trip to the Lincolnshire Wolds Railway at Ludborough and had a footplate ride to Thoresby and back …..different loco each way…..for the princely sum of £25. Not bad for a "taster". The sad part is that the track….which was once part of the LNER route to Grimsby….. is now only about 2 miles long though they are working on a southern extension of the line.

Mick

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

Posted by ChrisH on 01/05/2016 23:06:04:

Dod – "future ex-wife" – are you planning a divorce or one of you expecting to peg it some time soon? Odd phrase, I couldn't get away with that – not in one piece anyway, my present wife would kill me!

Chris

Try telling the beloved that you like her mother-in-law better than you like your's!

A bloke just can't win

* Danny M *

[Sam Longley 1Participant @samlongley1]

Posted by Danny M2Z on 03/05/2016 08:46:02:

Posted by ChrisH on 01/05/2016 23:06:04:

Dod – "future ex-wife" – are you planning a divorce or one of you expecting to peg it some time soon? Odd phrase, I couldn't get away with that – not in one piece anyway, my present wife would kill me!

Chris

Try telling the beloved that you like her mother-in-law better than you like your's!

A bloke just can't win

* Danny M *

Throwing in a few "there is something sexy about your sister " comments can that stir the emotions too

[Mark P.Participant @markp]

Mick H, I live close to Ludborough I believe they own the trackbed back to Louth and they are hoping to bring the line back to here oneday. It was the worst thing that happened to Louth losing the railway.
Mark P.

[DodParticipant @dod]

Posted by Sam Longley 1 on 03/05/2016 15:58:09:

Posted by Danny M2Z on 03/05/2016 08:46:02:

Posted by ChrisH on 01/05/2016 23:06:04:

Dod – "future ex-wife" – are you planning a divorce or one of you expecting to peg it some time soon? Odd phrase, I couldn't get away with that – not in one piece anyway, my present wife would kill me!

Chris

Try telling the beloved that you like her mother-in-law better than you like your's!

A bloke just can't win

* Danny M *

Throwing in a few "there is something sexy about your sister " comments can that stir the emotions too

Trouble really starts when a comment about your mother and sister liked it that way.

( I'm talking about my way of cooking chicken – obviously)

[Clive HartlandParticipant @clivehartland94829]

Now that the temperature is rising I have had a chance to look at the bees, it was apparent that one main hive was not working as no bees were issuing from the entrance so that was my first job. I started to dismantle it and found 4 boxes full of honey, then the brood box was also well filled. Two gaps in the frames were full of dead bees. I can recover the honey and in fact it is in the bee shop being melted out. I will have the honey and they can have the wax.

Maybe late last year the last Queen came out with a swarm and the virgin Queen left failed to mate due to all the bad weather so it went through the winter Queenless.. All the swarms I took have overwintered fine and are now quite busy. I have 2 more hives to look at to take boxes off to see what is going on. I hear of one swarm being taken but it will not be viable as there are no Drones for mating.

Clive

[Ed DuffnerParticipant @edduffner79357]

Tried some new cutters today. SCMT Indexable Shreddies. …these things are blinkin' hard!

Ed.

PS. Milk's no good as a coolant!

[John HaineParticipant @johnhaine32865]

Went to the Saffron Walden Crank Up – lots of traction engines, steam lorries, vintage cars etc, Quite good fun, found 4 Dickson toolholders which fit my Myford, asked how much, stoll holder said a fiver – slightly shocked I asked, is that for the lot? (expecting the answer each) – yes! Three of them are standard type, 4th is for parting tool (complete with blade. Needless to say I paid my fiver and made a quick exit before he changed his mind…

[martin perman 1Participant @martinperman1]

The Airshow season started locally for me today, I have been hearing radials and Merlin's buzzing around then twenty minutes ago the Red Arrows passed over the village at about 500 feet in "V" formation straight into their display over Old Warden, about four miles away, I caught the occasional glimpse of their routines then as I type this a solo Red Arrow passed over low heading North West followed a few minutes later by another as they regroup for their trip home or another show.

Martin P

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

Saw an AA motorcycle combination on the road, the full bright yellow job from my youth. Interesting that someone managed to get one into preservation.

[Danny M2ZParticipant @dannym2z]

Today examined a new model engine that just arrived from Ukraine via the U.K.

It's a 0.54 cc (60% linear) Oliver Tiger MkIII clone.

Well, what lovely workmanship, perfect compression and a very accurate clone of it's bigger brother.

I took a photo alongside an original Oliver Tiger MkIII (Mod) that is in a C/L model (non-original needle/venturi).

I reckon that it might be capable to fly another project on the building board, a PK Apex that is destined for a competition in August at Cowra, NSW although it is probably going to end up in a Mercury Magna now that I have a plan.

Happiness is a cute model diesel engine.

* Danny M *

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