New muffler

June 24, 2013

I finally got around to replacing my rusted out muffler with a new one.  I don’t like exhaust clamps so I welded in the new one myself with my 50amp 110v stick welder using 1/16″ 7014 rods.  It worked pretty well even though most folks will tell you to use a MIG setup and that you can’t stick weld exhaust pipes – I beg to differ and am happy with the results I achieved.

I decided to do it as a side exit exhaust because I like the way it looks and it was easy to do.  Doing it as a side exit removed about 10 lbs of extra pipe as well as keep the tailpipe from getting crunched if you back into something like a snowbank.

Here is the old rusty muffler from my 2000 Ford Ranger...it looks like it has gills and all the exhaust comes out the side instead of the tailpipe.

Here is the old rusty muffler from my 2000 Ford Ranger…it looks like it has gills and all the exhaust comes out the side instead of the tailpipe.

Here is the new muffler, Jones ATT12S-3, installed on the tail pipe section. I added a 2.5" tail piece because I like the look a lot more than the wimpy 2".

Here is the new muffler, Jones ATT12S-3 Turbo Tube (not a glass pack), installed on the tail pipe section. I added a 2.5″ tail piece because I like the look a lot more than the wimpy 2″.

Here it is all installed. Sounds pretty good too.

Here it is all installed. Sounds pretty good too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXf7QXFCY30

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A few more companies still making things here in the USA

June 21, 2013

Rolair
If you want to get a top-notch air compressor, Rolair is the way to go.  All of their heavy duty units are made right here in the USA.  Please note that their hand-carry portable units are made in China except for the venerable D2002 units which are made here in the USA like their larger brethren.

Nyle Heat Pymps
Made in Brewer, ME!  Nyle heat pumps make commercial and home owner sized heat pump units.  I’d like to eventually get one of their domestic hot water pumps and hook it up to a large electric water heater tank for some cheap and environmentally friendly hot water.  The neat thing with that is it is a seperate unit and you could have the pump in the house and the tank in the basement.  This would provide some slight a/c in the summer months.  I suppose in the winter that might not be desirable, but it could vent to the living room near the wood stove and then that is a moot point.

Jones Exhaust
Lots of exhaust companies make their stuff here in the States, but Jones stands out with one of the best turbo mufflers I’ve seen.  Inexpensive but still quality product and one of the most compact designs I’ve seen for a quiet high flow muffler.  I purchased an ATT12S-3, a 12″ long turbo tube aluminized muffler.  I’ll be installing it on my Ford Ranger this weekend, no doubt I’ll have a post about it soon.

Cleveland CycleWerks (Honerable mention)
CCW gets an honorable mention because they attempted to have their bikes made here, but given their small size and limited startup funds, CCW was forced to have production done overseas in China.  They do, however, design and test them here as well as handle quality control here.

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Welcome Diamond

June 18, 2013

We have a new dog on the homestead, Diamond.  She is a stray that was picked up and sent to the Waterville Humane Society.  They estimated she is 8 years old and is a Black Labrador Retriever.  She is wonderful.  She loves us and gets along fine with Vaughn, Ashes and even Christine.  She does have an affinity (read, hunger) for chickens though so we will need to keep her on a leash outside.

We love our new family member and hopefully we can keep her for a good long time.

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Belle

June 11, 2013

You always let us know
When someone appeared,
You always showed us
The leaf that you feared.

Though we had you for
Four full years,
It feels as if you had
Just come here.

We miss you, Belle.

Every morning I step over
The spot on the floor where you slept.
Every night I reach for the door
To let you out for your bedtime bathroom break.

We still start to reach down at the table
To give you those scraps you really weren’t suppose to have.
We still look behind the chair at night when the house is quiet,
Expecting to see you there sleeping and content.

We miss you, Belle.

The “new normal” is never “normal”,
Which fits since things here never are.
I know we will find another dog for our home,
To be our friend and protector.

I know that with time
All things heal.
Our pain will lessen
And our lives will be “ok”.

But we still miss you.

Joseph Raymond – 2013

Posted in Home and Homestead, Personal, Poetry | Comments Off on Belle

Interesting website – Geoguessr

May 28, 2013

GeoGuessr.com is a google map-based online game that shows you a location and then you have to guess where it is on the planet.  It will then give you points based on how close you were to the target.  It’s harder than it looks, but kinda fun.  Careful, this could easily turn into a huge time-suck.

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