No, you're not going to quickly teach yourself enough about cars to effectively inspect it yourself. Neither is flying your own mechanic up there a great option, because many parts of the car are difficult to inspect unless the car is on a lift. Sports cars are too low to the ground to crawl under.

The website for NPR's Car Talk show has a mechanic finder, complete with reviews. Start dialing.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 4:02 AM on October 5, 2008

It the hole in the plaster is only 1/4" then you're not dealing with spring-loaded toggle bolts, which typically require a hole closer to 1/2" in diameter. My guess would be that these are the ones that mushroom out on the far side of the drywall and can't be un-mushroomed. You might be able to unscrew the screws from whatever is back there, but only if you can keep the anchors from turning. The only thing you can use to keep the anchors from rotating with the screw is friction with... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 12:45 PM on October 3, 2008

I don't have a degree in any of these fields, but I've worked with people who have most of them. I used to be a prototype model maker, and my biggest account was with a major faucet and bathroom accessory company. I worked most directly with the industrial designers, who were in charge of the (surprise) design of the products. They established the shape and functionality of the products. The engineers only got involved downstream of the design phase. Their role was to figure out how to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 4:23 AM on October 2, 2008

Disagree with Inspector Gadget on this one; latex paint is water based, but it's not water soluble after it's dried. Flabdablet's got it -- perfectly safe, but don't expect them to last very long.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 2:46 AM on October 1, 2008

Wax won't bother your clothes. Silicone lubricants are a bad idea for this (and even worse for windows) because they are very difficult to completely remove and will make future repaintings a nightmare.

I agree with dhartung that surfaces that slide against each other should not be painted. If you painted the sides of the drawers, that was a bad move. I'm not sure what you mean when you say "If I sand the inside of the frame clean, you will be able to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 5:01 AM on September 30, 2008

I'd do my best to find the company that made that one and buy more from the source.

I used to work in a prototyping shop and had to regularly duplicate odd parts. Fixing imperfections in such a detailed part is especially difficult, and any shortcuts you take in making the parts will be obvious. You can make a nice mold from silicone rubber, if you have a vacuum chamber to degas the liquid rubber before pouring it over the parts. You can then use a two-part... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 4:48 PM on September 28, 2008

I admire you're ambition, but an Etch-A-Sketch does sound very unlikely. FWIW, though...

How does an Etch-A-Sketch work?
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 4:52 AM on September 28, 2008

I'd generally recommend against it. It's likely the existing finish was done with two different products: a stain to create the color, then a clear protective topcoat. Stain is applied, allowed to soak in, and then whatever hasn't been absorbed is wiped off. More of it soaks into the most porous areas of the wood, and less soaks into the less-porous ares, so it accentuates the natural graphic patterns of the wood. Now that your furniture has a topcoat that seals the wood away and makes it... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 9:18 AM on September 26, 2008 marked best answer

Many companies offer very similar breathable waterproof nylon jackets and pants that are similar to Gore-Tex. I wore one of these outfits (Red Ledge brand) for a winter in coastal northern California several years ago. I was a student, and did all my commuting, shopping and laundry by bicycle. I was really impressed with how comfortable it was. Spring for the models that have a mesh lining; without it the plasticy inner face of the nylon clings to you and feels clammy.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 4:14 AM on September 24, 2008

This is a dumb idea, for Connecticut. No heat in that latitude means no running water, because the pipes freeze. No running water means no flushing the toilet. It's not going to be livable.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 5:49 AM on September 23, 2008

Been there. Married that, because I couldn't face the prospect of breaking up, because at that point the dysfunctional relationship had pushed everything else out of my life and breaking up seemed impossible. So I witnessed the suicide attempts. Watched the near-death experience and its aftermath. Visited her in intensive care. Finally she did start taking better care of herself, at which point she decided she didn't need me anymore, and left. Two weeks after the divorce she called me in... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 1:51 AM on September 22, 2008

Might be a bit too time consuming, but Pipestone National Monument is only an hour away, just across the MN border.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 3:50 AM on September 21, 2008

I'd check the connection where the gauge sending unit is plugged into the wiring harness. Loose, or perhaps corroded?
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 6:02 AM on September 20, 2008

Beating a dead horse, perhaps, but not only does it not matter what order you turn them off, it doesn't matter whether you turn off the AC at all. The AC compressor is powered directly by the engine, so when the engine isn't running the AC isn't either; unless the engine is running, the AC switch doesn't do anything at all. Neither does the fan keep running after the key is withdrawn, in any car I've ever owned.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 5:58 AM on September 20, 2008

Your worries about crime and the idea of carrying a bat both come off as rather silly. Your stopover cities are all fairly large and I'm sure they have their unsavory neighborhoods, but you'll know them when you see them and you won't stay there if you're uncomfortable. If your car has been well maintained then it should be fine too. A snowstorm is conceivable, though it would be (as you suggest) freakish in most of those areas. Your biggest problem will probably be your schedule. Doing... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 5:02 PM on September 17, 2008

I've had similar situations where vinegar didn't do the trick. A cup of ammonia, however, worked very well.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 10:24 AM on September 17, 2008

Don't waste the food you've got. A common consequence of buying for specific recipes and buying packages with optimum per-unit prices is that you'll often find yourself buying more of a given ingredient than the recipe calls for. Put that extra stuff to use - don't let it languish in the pantry or go bad in the fridge. Instead of buying for seven dinners a week, buy for four and improvise the other three with whatever is sitting around.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 4:20 PM on September 15, 2008 marked best answer

Chiming in in support of bonobothegreat - a venting problem sounds very plausible. That said, it could easily be that the toilet is poorly designed. Some of the early water-saver toilets never worked well even when the installation was fine and they were brand new. I replaced one of those lemons with a Kohler Wellworth three years ago, and it has performed very well.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 4:01 PM on September 15, 2008

Wouldn't motorizing a bicycle create the need for brake lights, turn signals and such to make it street legal?
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 3:19 AM on September 15, 2008

TV is really not my department, but I remember a vaguely similar scene in a miniseries I think might've been called "V," in which lizard-like aliens disguised as humans infiltrated society...
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 3:17 AM on September 15, 2008

Besides spinning it, which would require symmetry, there is hydroforming, in which a fluid can be used to force the walls of a tube out against the walls of a mold to form asymmetrical parts. I know about this only because I used to do some prototyping work for a major faucet manufacturer that uses this process to form faucet spouts. There would have to be an orifice somewhere, but it could be small and easily repairable.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 8:46 AM on September 14, 2008 marked best answer

If by "square" you mean that you need to flatten it to remove cupping or warpage, then no, the tablesaw won't do it. No way, no how. If power tools aren't in the budget, you might consider learning to sharpen and use a hand plane. Very serviceable ones are available on ebay every day.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 11:43 AM on September 12, 2008 marked best answer

IANAD, but I wouldn't worry about the absence of sugars so much as I'd worry about the presence of artificial sweeteners you may or may not be using. The near-absence of simple sugars is almost certainly a good thing, but swilling diet coke all the time could be problematic.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 3:21 AM on September 12, 2008

You might want to outline what you want to do with this software. Quickbooks is designed for business accounting, not personal finance.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 4:01 PM on September 9, 2008

Carefully buying one item at a time and reselling sounds like a losing game because of the time invested in making all those little decisions. Even if you sell higher than you buy, you may rarely make enough to justify your time unless you're dealing in high-dollar items. If you're aiming at small sales, you have to make the process of buying and selling efficient. Buy a bunch of stuff very cheaply, without inspecting each and every little item beforehand. Buy out a whole houseful of old... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 10:43 AM on September 9, 2008

I don't give a damn about the bank, but I do value relationships with people. I live in a small town, and the local branch of my bank is four blocks away. At the desk just inside the front door the same woman has been sitting for the last 10 years or so, addressing me by my first name, getting stupid charges waived, notarizing titles when I sell a car and otherwise helping me out on the rare occasions when I have a banking issue the ATM doesn't solve for me. She knows me enough to take my... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 8:27 AM on September 9, 2008

Agree with everything above. If the situation were different -- if you had some flash of insight and knew what his business should do, and if he were to admit his inability to manage the situation and was willing to let you take over, with him working for you, and if it didn't involve wrecking your existing personal life, then maybe such heroics would have a chance at being worthwhile. None of those conditions seem to be true. As it is, it sounds as if you're thinking you've got some... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 4:49 AM on September 9, 2008

This seems like a difficult thing to measure meaningfully. I mean, what area is the force thought to be spread over? The points of the longest teeth? The roof of the mouth?
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 5:51 PM on September 8, 2008

Cold duck isn't a single varietal, it's a mixture of wines. Perhaps they felt they felt the need to say that theirs is a mixture of grape wines, but needed it to sound sophisticated?
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 1:31 AM on September 6, 2008

Yes, you'd have to actually get electric appliances; that much seems obvious. You'd have to get electricity to the house, which means stringing cables on overhead poles or burying them a couple of feet underground, but you'll be doing that when you move the house, regardless of whether you change over the water heater. If everything is running of electricity then you'll need a lot of electricity, which means fatter, more expensive cables bringing the power in, and maybe a new, higher-amperage... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 7:56 AM on September 5, 2008

FWIW, I've seen plumbers on another forum regularly refer to on-demand water heaters as t(h)ankless.

I agree with ssg. I'm not a solar energy expert but I have lived in the Pacific (sort of) Northwest, in Northern California, and I can't see a solar array big enough to satisfy an entire household's energy needs during those perpetually rainy winter months as anything but a pipe dream, unless you're quite wealthy.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 1:46 PM on September 5, 2008

I feel the same way, though I'm now fortunate to live in a small college town where professional sports rarely dominate conversations. That said, my best strategy is to admit ignorance rather than express disinterest. If someone brings up some sports-related current event, I ask questions about why that event is important, what it means for the team, the league, etc. I get to learn something, the person who educates me feels engaged and appreciated, and it's all relatively painless.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 3:59 AM on September 5, 2008

If you want a rural hostel-like setting, Jughandle Creek Farm is just a few miles north of Mendocino.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 3:05 AM on September 4, 2008

The instructions don't say anything about windows.

The instructions don't say anything about corners, either. They say something about trim, and don't distinguish between corner trim, window trim, door trim or any other sort of trim. Your installation doesn't follow the directions. It''s debatable whether this will cause a problem, but I would call that installation incorrect.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 5:45 AM on September 3, 2008

IANAL and I don't live in CA, but this pdf appears to answer the question in your favor.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 2:39 PM on September 2, 2008 marked best answer

Google something along the lines of "refrigerator repair" or "refrigerator too warm" and you'll find that many companies selling appliance parts also have parts of their sites dedicated to helping you diagnose problems. Here's one; scroll down to where it says "Cooling is poor."
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 11:25 AM on September 1, 2008

I'm not clear about exactly what you're trying to do, or which properties of concrete are important to you, but the usual way do do something like this would be to set glazed ceramic tiles on a concrete substrate.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 3:07 AM on August 30, 2008

Maybe not as fancy as you'd like, but very tasty....

Inside-Out Lamb Cheeseburgers
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 10:40 AM on August 28, 2008

Read the first part of this.

CH is just covering their corporate ass by insisting that the compressor you bought isn't designed for use with drinking water systems. Is there significant risk? No. Is CH willing to be liable? No.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 6:49 AM on August 28, 2008

Our beagle mix does this once in a while, especially when he's around other dogs. It seems to have a lot to do with his sense of where he is in the pecking order; higher in the order means more marking of territory. If my wife and I have a fight and seem like poor pack leaders, he sometimes starts peeing on our stuff. The best way we've found to address it is to consistently act like we're the boss. (I know, vague and difficult) When we're at other people's houses he stays on the leash,... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 5:57 AM on August 28, 2008

Ditto everyone else. A swimsuit isn't a magic forcefield. Either the pond is clean enough to swim in or it isn't.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 3:34 PM on August 27, 2008

You don't necessarily need lots of gears, you just need gears that are low enough, i.e. gears that make the bike go forward a relatively short distance for each crank of the pedals, since the extra weight will make cranking them more difficult. On three speed bikes, none of the gears is likely to be low enough because bikes aren't engineered with trailers in mind. A many-speeded bike will have some gears that were intended for climbing steep hills without a trailer, which will also work for... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 9:14 AM on August 25, 2008

It sounds as if casting materials are only half of your problem. If the piece you have to cast from is a mirror of the piece you need, you're still stuck; a mold taken from it will just allow you to reproduce more pieces like the one you already have.

As far as materials go, I'd poke around Smooth-On's Website. I used to use their 300-series Smooth-cast plastics quite a bit. They're quick and easy to work with.

Another issue you may have to... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 12:14 PM on August 24, 2008

I wouldn't worry too much. According to the 'search by vehicle' feature on TireRack.com, 265/70 was the original equipment size for an '01 4WD Tacoma, so while the one tire they put on was different from the three they left, it was the "right" size for the vehicle. A quick google search on these tires turns up more craigslist ads for used tires than it does retailers of new ones, so I suspect Dayton/Bridgestone may be phasing them out of production, which makes sense of the shop's... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 4:02 AM on August 23, 2008

Probably goes without saying, but get the witnesses' names and contact info.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 8:04 AM on August 21, 2008

I'd be combing Craigslist and the like, for a used but better-quality item. I once bought a cheap sofa and chair from World Market. Never again.
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 6:52 AM on August 20, 2008

After reading consistently solid reviews of them on Tire Rack's site, I've put Kumho (quite cheap) all-season tires on three vehicles (a VW Jetta and two Volvo wagons) over the last several years, and been very happy with them. I'm right across the lake, in northern Ohio. We haven't had a single problem with these tires -- they do well in snow and resist hydroplaning nicely. The Kumhos have been on the Jetta for about 35K miles, and my wife prefers them to the much more expensive Goodyears... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 4:17 AM on August 20, 2008

Run timer for one day: 1.4X24=33.6 watt hours

Not using router at night: 9.3*8=74.4 watt hours

savings per day: 74.4-33.6=40.8 watt hours, or about half a cent per day.

All of which has been said.

I know you're not worried about saving pennies, so I'll assume you're trying to be environmentally friendly. I'd guess that the effect of the switching on and off on the life of the router itself, and... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 8:10 AM on August 15, 2008

Just to clarify, he's already got a lawyer -- the best he could find in the somewhat economically depressed, smallish-town area. Also, he agreed informally a while back that his wife could retain primary custody if she could get the kids into the particular school system that she got them into. He agreed to this because he never thought she'd be able to make it happen. Now that she's succeeded, fighting for custody would mean he'd be going back on his word to her, which he feels bad about... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 11:04 AM on August 12, 2008

I really appreciate all of the thoughtful responses so far. I'm not going to try to pick out which ones are best, because the chorus seems more important than any one voice.

To clarify further, I don't think there's much chance he'd be completely cut out of his girls' lives. Rather, the immediate question seems to be which parent has primary custody, which is directly tied to which school they go to. The secondary parent, it seems, is likely to get the girls every... [more]
posted to Ask Metafilter by jon1270 at 1:03 PM on August 12, 2008