The Advice Thread

[chasfh]

19 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

Does the backup program copy by file or by sector? and if by sector, are the sector sizes on the disks the same ( 512 vs 4096)?

I’m not sure abut how the backup program copies. It looks like by file to me on the interface but I don’t know what it is under the hood. The program app is called Fileback, and I’ve been using the same copy of it since the 2000s. It hasn’t even been updated since 2009 and the guy who created it might even be dead. But I know it like the back of my hand, it’s awesome, and I’m gonna use it til I die.

Anyhoo: The sector sizes are different. I am moving the files from a disk that’s NTFS 4096 to one that’s ex-FAT 1024. Is that the difference right there? Should I reformat the SSD to sx-FAT 4096 to match? I probably should keep it ex-FAT because it’s an external SSD, right? Or should I change it to NTFS?

Or: is there any way for me to change it without formatting so that current files are there under ex-FAT 1024 and all new files after that come in under ex-FAT 4096?

[Deleterious]

Do not pay money to fill your tires at a gas station.  Any reputable tire shop (Discount, Belle, RnR) will have a free air pump for your to use.  Each one here in town has one and it is outside so you can even use it when the place is closed.  

[Biff Mayhem]

Or buy one of these

 

20V Cordless 0-160 PSI Inflator - Tool Only (harborfreight.com)

[Deleterious]

Ours takes too long.  Easier to just turn the compressor on.

Nice to have in her vehicle for emergencies tho.

[gehringer_2]

6 hours ago, Biff Mayhem said:

Or buy one of these

 

20V Cordless 0-160 PSI Inflator - Tool Only (harborfreight.com)

There is a downside to using portable inflators, which is that you can end up with wet air in your tires - especially if you use one in a humid climate like MI in the summer. A commercial compressor with a holding tank lets the water that condenses out of air as the pressure goes up fall out in the tank. While aluminum/magnesium wheels don't rust per se, they still build up surface oxidation that can lead to leaky rims. You do what you have to do to keep rolling, but dry air is best if you can get it.

[chasfh]

I use a bike pump to top up tires if I'm down by just a couple of PSI. Yeah, it takes a bit of effort but I also get to keep my quarters in my pocket.

[Motor City Sonics]

So, we did our food drive where we broadcast outside for 5 days to raise a million meals (financial equivalent) for Food Gatherers  (by the end of broadcast we were at 1,016,690 - and there is still counting going on) and our Promotions Director Madison was out there guiding all the young promotions folks.  She does mornings on W4, yet was there most days helping us out until it was dark.   Her husband works for W4 and helped us out by board oping too.      I know they drink bourbon and wanted to get them a bottle as a thank you.   Nothing too expensive, maybe $40 range. 

Any suggestions?    Not a drinker much myself, not until the cannabis-infused sodas come out anyway.   

 

Seriously, any suggestions.    I was gonna go Coppercraft, since it's a Michigan thing.  

Edited December 3, 2023 by Motor City Sonics

[Deleterious]

Evan Williams Single Barrel 

Four Roses Small Batch

Four Roses Single Barrel

Anything from Buffalo Trace.  Including Eagle Rare 10 year.  Old Weller Antique.  Colonel E.H. Taylor Small Batch.  W.L. Weller 12 year.  

Bernheim Original

Any of those are solid at your price point or below.  I would go with one of the Four Roses or the Eagle Rare 10 year.

[Dan Gilmore]

I would second the Eagle Rare/Four Roses. Del had done. 👍

[MIguy]

Russell's Reserve 10 Year

[LaceyLou]

Can anybody recommend a good present/tip for concierge and maintenance staff? How much is appropriate? 

[Deleterious]

7 hours ago, LaceyLou said:

Can anybody recommend a good present/tip for concierge and maintenance staff? How much is appropriate? 

No clue. But those are two groups of people I would want to keep in my good graces.  I would go overboard.

[Tigeraholic1]

Visa gift cards are great because you can basically use it anywhere. 

[LaceyLou]

20 hours ago, Deleterious said:

No clue. But those are two groups of people I would want to keep in my good graces.  I would go overboard.

Agree, they help my building run smoothly for sure.

[Motor City Sonics]

I bought them a nice bottle of Coppercraft, because it's a Michigan thing.  

[Deleterious]

1 hour ago, Motor City Sonics said:

I bought them a nice bottle of Coppercraft, because it's a Michigan thing.  

Nice.  I will have to try it sometime.

[Motor City Sonics]

11 hours ago, Deleterious said:

Nice.  I will have to try it sometime.

the bottle was cool itself.  Heavy as a brick. 

[Motor City Sonics]

I have a terrible leak in my kitchen faucet.   It's probably just in need of a couple $1 O-Rings.   But I can't budge the hot water shut off valve.   I've tried several things, but I can't get ti to budge at all and I can't fix the faucet.    

 

Any tips?    

 

I really dread having to hire someone to just turn a valve.     Not calling a plumber, they'll charge $200 just to walk in the door. 

 

All over a couple of ****ing o-rings.  

[oblong]

shut off the main water.  Or look for another shutoff upstream to the kitchen faucets.  I do that now rather than mess with those individual valves. I got burned once when swapping out a dishwasher where my shutoff valve wouldn't close back up and it was a Sunday... 

Of course that is dependent upon you being able to fix it or be in a position to turn it back on without any issues. 

 

 

[Deleterious]

Technically, the main valve shut off will work.  But being the hot water valve you would have to drain the entire hot water heater before you could fix the leak.  Hopefully you have a shut off valve coming out of the hot water heater or further up stream to the faucet.  If not, the main valve will work (Or one on the cold water inlet into the hot water tank).  You will just have to shut it and then let the hot water run long enough to empty the tank or empty it at the base of the tank.

You could throw some channel locks on the valve handle and try to close it.  But be very careful, don't put a ton of pressure on it.  Once it starts to move stop and use your hands instead.  Close it as far as it can without forcing it, open it back up, close it again, keep going back and forth until it closes.  You have corrosion built up on the stem and rocking it back and forth might knock it off and allow you to close it.

If that doesn't work.  See if you have a shut off valve coming out of your hot water heater or something further up stream to the sink in question.  Shut that off, fix the sink but also fix the shut off valve at this time.  A replacement kit is a couple of bucks and fairly easy to do.

Replacement kit: https://www.homedepot.com/p/BrassCraft-Multi-Turn-Valve-Stem-Repair-Kit-BCSR01/204845385

Video showing how to fix it:

 

[gehringer_2]

4 hours ago, Deleterious said:

Technically, the main valve shut off will work.  But being the hot water valve you would have to drain the entire hot water heater before you could fix the leak.  Hopefully you have a shut off valve coming out of the hot water heater or further up stream to the faucet.  If not, the main valve will work (Or one on the cold water inlet into the hot water tank).  You will just have to shut it and then let the hot water run long enough to empty the tank or empty it at the base of the tank.

You could throw some channel locks on the valve handle and try to close it.  But be very careful, don't put a ton of pressure on it.  Once it starts to move stop and use your hands instead.  Close it as far as it can without forcing it, open it back up, close it again, keep going back and forth until it closes.  You have corrosion built up on the stem and rocking it back and forth might knock it off and allow you to close it.

If that doesn't work.  See if you have a shut off valve coming out of your hot water heater or something further up stream to the sink in question.  Shut that off, fix the sink but also fix the shut off valve at this time.  A replacement kit is a couple of bucks and fairly easy to do.

Replacement kit: https://www.homedepot.com/p/BrassCraft-Multi-Turn-Valve-Stem-Repair-Kit-BCSR01/204845385

Video showing how to fix it:

A conventional hot water tank will not drain once the pressure is out of the system - they exit from the top. It will just sit there full of water. The only water that will drain once the main is closed is whatever is in the pipes above whatever point he opens. I will usually open a basement faucet and that will let out most of what I don't want running out on me when I open the point I have to work on. This will also keep water from still flowing where you are working in case your main doesn't seal tightly, which is not uncommon in an old house.

Best piece of advice is any sink or fixture you do work on, while you are at it get rid of any 'gate' (multiple turn) valves used as local shut offs (like the one you can't turn) and replace with 1/4 turn ball valves. They will still work years later when you need them to.

As for the valve you can't turn, Del's advice is good. Use a pair of channel locks and slowly try working it back and forth, slowly breaking up the scale that is binding it.  Once you do get it to move, don't expect to get a good shut off until you get it to rotate through it's full range of motion several times. If you can get it move fairly freely you might get a good enough turn off to work on the faucet. But I would still turn off the main and get rid of the old valve when you service the faucet.

Edited December 12, 2023 by gehringer_2

[Deleterious]

Good point. I didn't even think of that.

[oblong]

I keep meaning to have my plumber replace all my valves with the 1/4 turn ball valves.  He told me to turn those every few months to keep fresh.  Like when you change furnace filters or shut off outside faucets.  He also said to get rid of your garbage disposal.  Or at least don’t use it. Dump all your food. 
 

are those 1/4 turn valves up to code for toilets?  

[gehringer_2]

Has anyone tried using UV cure epoxy to stabilize cracks on the back glass of an iPhone?

[Edman85]

Can I solicit advice?

RSS... I'm trying to ditch social media and (gulp) forums as means for news aggregation. Reason being: election year upcoming, trying to focus on news instead of hysteria around it. Does anybody have any tips for using RSS or specific apps? Just kind of curious.

I've started by trying to set up Tigers RSS's (which I know is what MWG does here), but Gannett (Detroit News and Free Press) and MLive don't work with RSS.