What did you do today?

[danlb]

A friend contacted me with questions about padlocks. I gave him some general information; he finally admitted that he had lost the key to a padlock on piece of equipment that he uses to demonstrate a solar powered electrical systems. The system is designed to be used for people living in their RV or large (Transit or Sprinter) van. With no access to the control / battery box he has nothing to show off. Err... I mean demonstrate. He was fishing for information about locks so that he'd be able to determine if a locksmith was ripping him off. Around here a $75 house call charge is not unusual.

He'd been trying to entice me out to his work area for months, but the pandemic quarantine has blocked casual social visits. This seemed like a good excuse to kill two birds with one stone. I warned him that there was only a 70%chance that I could pick it, then jumped in the car and was on my way.

Harry had a Starbucks latte waiting for me. He said I could keep the drink even if I could not open the demo box. The lock was nothing special, just a Master Padlock model 3. The nitrile gloves made it difficult to feel the pins but master locks are not that hard to pick. I finally found the right pick that was just tall enough for me to reach over the tops of the near pins to depress the pins in the back. I used the "lightly tap each of the pins in succession" technique. Repeat as needed. It's only 4 pins. It took less than 5 minutes and made me look like a genius. We spent the rest of the hour swapping BS and looking at his designs.

I love it when a plan comes together. I got a free drink, practice with my picks and some pleasant conversation away from home. Almost like the good old days of 2019.

Dan

[lynnl]

Was this friend unfamiliar with bolt cutters? Certainly cheaper than a locksmith house call. ...and especially when the price of a Starbucks latte is factored in (just guessing, since I don't do the Starbucks routine.)

[Tungsten dipper]

What's wrong using a rechargeable 4" grinder with a cutting wheel on it? I'm glad Dan had the satisfaction of picking the lock and had fun doing so. Good job!!!

[danlb]

Yes, he was familiar with bolt cutters. The lock was not in an area accessible for bolt cutters. The case was also bolted to the floor and could not be shifted. I know because I brought bolt cutters too.

[DennisCA]

Do you make your own handles, Dennis? If so, nice job!

Bit late reply but yeah I kinda enjoy making shafts and handles for tools, it's very rewarding. Have an axe head I want to make a new shaft for as well.

[Baz]

Instead of the latte and you wearing gloves wouldn't it have been more logical to ask him to provide a big bottle of pure acohol, for you to keep the excess. 😁

[danlb]

Instead of the latte and you wearing gloves wouldn't it have been more logical to ask him to provide a big bottle of pure acohol, for you to keep the excess. 😁

LOL. Now that you mention it, he was using grain alcohol to refill his hand sanitizer from a 1/2 gallon bottle of Everclear. I've gotten comfortable with wearing gloves and masks and using a lot of hand sanitizer, so the lock picking was not a difficult task.

Today's plans include a 60 mile drive to use up some gas, and getting an "at home no one's going to see it anyway" haircut from my wife.

Dan

[challenger]

A friend contacted me with questions about padlocks. I gave him some general information; he finally admitted that he had lost the key to a padlock on piece of equipment that he uses to demonstrate a solar powered electrical systems. The system is designed to be used for people living in their RV or large (Transit or Sprinter) van. With no access to the control / battery box he has nothing to show off. Err... I mean demonstrate. He was fishing for information about locks so that he'd be able to determine if a locksmith was ripping him off. Around here a $75 house call charge is not unusual.

He'd been trying to entice me out to his work area for months, but the pandemic quarantine has blocked casual social visits. This seemed like a good excuse to kill two birds with one stone. I warned him that there was only a 70%chance that I could pick it, then jumped in the car and was on my way.

Harry had a Starbucks latte waiting for me. He said I could keep the drink even if I could not open the demo box. The lock was nothing special, just a Master Padlock model 3. The nitrile gloves made it difficult to feel the pins but master locks are not that hard to pick. I finally found the right pick that was just tall enough for me to reach over the tops of the near pins to depress the pins in the back. I used the "lightly tap each of the pins in succession" technique. Repeat as needed. It's only 4 pins. It took less than 5 minutes and made me look like a genius. We spent the rest of the hour swapping BS and looking at his designs.

I love it when a plan comes together. I got a free drink, practice with my picks and some pleasant conversation away from home. Almost like the good old days of 2019.

Dan

I've had luck just taking these cheap master locks.

[mattthemuppet]

went on an unpaid leave of absence today due to my work (and USCIS to a lesser extent) screwing up my green card application. Work visa expired yesterday (no renewals left) and work permit has not arrived. So we're down to zero income minus $2100 a month for continuing our health insurance, for who knows how long. On the plus side, I now have much more free time, so I'm going to start on a drill press table counterweight system a la Challenger (I think it was him).

[plunger]

went on an unpaid leave of absence today due to my work (and USCIS to a lesser extent) screwing up my green card application. Work visa expired yesterday (no renewals left) and work permit has not arrived. So we're down to zero income minus $2100 a month for continuing our health insurance, for who knows how long. On the plus side, I now have much more free time, so I'm going to start on a drill press table counterweight system a la Challenger (I think it was him).

Not knowing your countries systems if you are applying for a green card where are you originally from.?

[reggie_obe]

went on an unpaid leave of absence today due to my work (and USCIS to a lesser extent) screwing up my green card application. Work visa expired yesterday (no renewals left) and work permit has not arrived. So we're down to zero income minus $2100 a month for continuing our health insurance, for who knows how long. On the plus side, I now have much more free time, so I'm going to start on a drill press table counterweight system a la Challenger (I think it was him).

You weren't teaching via distance learning since the shut down?
How did the university manage to drop the ball on your paperwork?

[Tim The Grim]

Yesterday I ran a 6x12 manual surface grinder finishing up A-2 form punches in a die shop.
Lots of old muscle memory there and no mistakes.
Today I made twin stripper rails and a punch block back up plate in a vari-speed Bridgeport with no riser and only one X table lock. I felt really clumsy for the first hour or so being so used to my machine at home. Once I got through that I finished up on time and came home.

I agreed to do 20 hours this week to help my old boss get his new shop up to speed.

I haven’t worked as a paid Tool Maker in 16 years. It never gets old.

[swatkins]

I screwed up and went to look at machines today

[Jim Stewart]

Wife (this afternoon): Jim, there are BIRDS on the front lawn.
Me: Yeah? (not much interest).
Wife: Big birds!
Me: Like Sesame Street?
Wife: TURKEYS!
Me: Where?
Wife: Coming up the driveway.
Me: (getting up and looking out the window) Big ones!
Me: How many are there?
Wife: I count eight so far.
Me: Hmmm. Nine, ten, now eleven.
Me: I don't think the cats are going to attack them...
Ginger: WHAT IS THAT??? (staring out the window).
Wife: They seem to be leaving.
Me: Just passing through? Where did they go?
Wife: Down the driveway.

...and then they were gone. Never seen wild turkeys here before, and we've been here for 49 years. Big birds, all right.

-js

[mattthemuppet]

Not knowing your countries systems if you are applying for a green card where are you originally from.?

Originally from the UK, but came to the US 11 years ago from Australia.

You weren't teaching via distance learning since the shut down?
How did the university manage to drop the ball on your paperwork?

I was, had to fill in my replacement over Zoom, which was even weirder. Hopefully the students aren't going to be too disadvantaged by all this. Texas A&M San Antonio dropped the ball on this about 2 1/2 years ago because they're a giant collection of preening incompetents. The Office of Immigration Affairs spent a year arguing back and forth with main campus about whether or not the job description was sufficient in the job ad, by which point my grace period (18 mths after initial job offer) had expired. I then had to reapply and interview for my own job so I could be re-offered my own job and start the clock again. They dragged their heels on that too, so that the Green Card application formally started (it's in 3 parts, we're in the last part now) in May '19, which was cutting it fine given that it usually takes 18mths to two years to go through the process. Too fine as it turns out. Didn't help that USCIS arbritarily returned my application as they wanted it off their desk (nothing wrong with it) which cost us at least another month. It is what it is unfortunately. We'll just have to rely on savings and the generosity of others until my work permit arrives.

I did get 4 pulley/ bearing holders made up for my drill press counterweight system and fixed the ceiling fan upstairs though