The end of a Rookie Season--a retrospective.

[Anonymous]

Chip 1 post away from 4000 ,congrats

[SpaceMouse]

`

QUOTE: Originally posted by BR60103

Chip: I've been off the forum since Christmas. Right now, you're 2 posts short of 4000.
We certainly started you going. Now I think there are a few topics I could get answers from you on.
I'm still waiting for your model of Kings + station.

Well, the the kids decided thay had no interest in trains and so I am no longer under the obligation to model Hogwarts. I'm back to running the Redwoods without a Kings Cross connection.

[BR60103]

Chip: I've been off the forum since Christmas. Right now, you're 2 posts short of 4000.
We certainly started you going. Now I think there are a few topics I could get answers from you on.
I'm still waiting for your model of Kings + station.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse

Ray,

I don't know if it is true or not, but I overheard a Wally World employee saying that Wally World pushes manufactures to make compromises. He used the example of a Sony TV. He said that WW would tell Sony that they wanted such and such a model for $X price. Sony siad that they could not do it. WW said that all they cared about was that it looked the same on the outside.

I second that thought also. The Company I work for (think Yellow Film Boxes!) has had to make some special consessions with Wally World to get product in the Stores. It's like pulling teeth and it always pushes our resources to the limit.

Chris

[howmus]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse

Ray,

I don't know if it is true or not, but I overheard a Wally World employee saying that Wally World pushes manufactures to make compromises. He used the example of a Sony TV. He said that WW would tell Sony that they wanted such and such a model for $X price. Sony siad that they could not do it. WW said that all they cared about was that it looked the same on the outside.

Right you are! They sit down with companies and tell them what they will pay for their product. Often it is less than what the cost of manufacturing is. Vlassic Pickles is the classic example. Remember the Gallon of Pickes for under $3. It helped to throw Vlassic into bankruptcy even as their sales grew. This is the world we live in today. A good part of the answer is public awareness and a code of personal ethics that can be used when we shop. I aspire to the law of the Iroquoise Nation - "To consider the effect of a decision to the seventh generation" and then try to act accordingly.

Have a Happy New Year! And may you have just as many great posts in the coming year.[:)]

[SpaceMouse]

Ray,

I don't know if it is true or not, but I overheard a Wally World employee saying that Wally World pushes manufactures to make compromises. He used the example of a Sony TV. He said that WW would tell Sony that they wanted such and such a model for $X price. Sony siad that they could not do it. WW said that all they cared about was that it looked the same on the outside.

[howmus]

Sheesh! I just looked at my calendar, and I am two days away from being here one whole year myself. I have only posted about 1050 times......[:o)] I guess some people are just.... uhm....... more..... verbose ......... er...... mouthy ..... uh .... more prolific! That's it. More prolific than others. [:)][;)][:D]

Mouse, when I taught in Waverly, NY years ago, teachers had gone over a year without a contract. When the Board of Education hedged on giving the Superintendant a raise before settling the Teacher's contract, he said a very quotable thing. "If you buy it cheap, you get cheap goods!" That is one of many reasons why I don't shop Mall Wart and other similar stores. If you check out many products side by side from different stores you will see that by and large the quality does go up even for the same brand name as the price does. I would much rather pay a bit more and get a product that will last for many years rather than one that adds to the overload at the landfill soon after being purchased. BTW, our contract got finalized soon after we began quoting the Superintendant...... [:D]

[icmr]

Congrats on a great year SpaceMouse.



ICMR

Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by NYC56

3800 POSTS? Oh my! SpaceMOuse, we started about the same time, but I guess you have more to say than I do. Chris

You should be a diplomat.

[Anonymous]

3800 POSTS? Oh my! SpaceMOuse, we started about the same time, but I guess you have more to say than I do. Glad to have you here because some of the things "I" needed to know, you asked before I got to it.

So, here I am back in the basement working on the Engines!

Chris

[SpaceMouse]

When I first started in business, I needed to rip some 2 x 4's for a fence.

I bought a Craftsman Circular Saw on sale for $19.95 from $29.95. It burn up within about 10 minutes so I took it back. They didn't have any of the same model and it was no longer on sale anyway. But they had a $49.99 saw on sale for $29.99 and they gave me that. Well, that saw didn't fare any better and I took it back.

They were out of the $49.99 saw, but they had a $79.99 saw marked down to $49.99.
The $79.99 fared no better so I took it back. They didn't have a $79.99 saw but they had one for $129.99 marked down to $79.99/

Of course this one broke. They didn't have a replacement, but they had a $149.99 Router marked to $129.

The router worked for a couple years.

I got it for $19.99 and a few trips to the store.

[Anonymous]

Similar to the shovel shipping story,

I had a coffee maker that stopped working. The company told me to chop off the plug as proof of purchase, and mail it to them.

Then sent me a new model for free - too hard to fix the old one - new model was missing one part that was required for operation.

I called them and said, "just send me this one little part, and I'll be all set". Nope - couldn't do it - "they're made in china, and we don't inventory single parts...".

So they sent me a third brand new coffee maker.

So, two nearly perfectly good coffee makers in the ladfill and one on the counter after that. Crazy, huh?

[rrandb]

QUOTE: Originally posted by andrechapelon


5) It's hard to screw anything up so bad it can't be fixed.

But not impossible. I managed to buy a brand new shovel with a lifetime warranty. Two hours later, I had to to return the thing to the store because I had busted the handle clean in two. Either I'm incredibly strong or shovels have a life expectancy of 45 minutes.[:D] My vote is for the latter.

I too bought a life time shovel from _mart. When it broke a year later they said we're sorry we don't have that brand anymore so call the maker. They sent a shovel with a 15 year warranty. I called and said where's my life time shovel. They said that's the replacement. I said you make a better one now you sell at H___ D____. Send me the real shovel as the last one only made it a year. They did and said to keep the other one as it cost more to ship back than to make it. This one is still intact. Fiberglass over steel over wood handle.There is nothing easy than can not be made hard. Its up to us to try and make the hard things easier. ENJOY

[KenMattern]

Chip,

You were one of the first people I began to recognize as I returned to the forums after a year's absence. You are one of the reasons that I come back. That and Zoe's ginger ale in the Coffee Shop. Your words of wisdom are right on and I appreciate every one of them.

We only really learn when we are willing to actually pay attention to those who do have some knowledge. You have taught us that.

For that I say, "Thank You"

KJ

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by bukwrm

Cucumber & Onion sautéed in butter.

Don't forget Matco Tools. As a former distributer I could be biased but I think they are the best. Working as a full time mechanic for 15 years I have broken and worn out all manufacturers tools but Craftsman does wear out first. The only chrome sockets I owned were 1/4 inch drive.

I didn't run into MATCO until I got out here in PA. Back in CA, everything was MAC or SnapON. Of course when I got to PA I was done with contracting. The whole trip out here in the U-Haul I kept seeing signs, "END CONSTRUCTION" and I haven't pounded a nail since.

[ereimer]

congratz chip , it's been fun following your progress . maybe soon you'll slow down and i can catch up [:)]

[Anonymous]

Cucumber & Onion sautéed in butter.

Don't forget Matco Tools. As a former distributer I could be biased but I think they are the best. Working as a full time mechanic for 15 years I have broken and worn out all manufacturers tools but Craftsman does wear out first. The only chrome sockets I owned were 1/4 inch drive.

[jwar]

Thanks...been a rotten day...needed a good chuckle.

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by andrechapelon


CONstruction game? Sounds like you were in the DEstruction game.[;)]

And really good at it to boot.

Andre

I like knocking things down. 12 pound sledge is my friend. Although a Macho II Impact Drill with a point is a lot of fun too. Bring it to the edge, let it teeter and deliver the crumbling blow.

Not like dynamiting a stadium, but fun all the same.

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by jwar

Perhaps one should have invested in impack sockets, [%-)]

I had a set, but every once in a while we ran into a socket we didn't have. Like I said, never had a problem with Mac or SnapOn

[jwar]

Perhaps one should have invested in impack sockets, [%-)]

[andrechapelon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse

QUOTE: Originally posted by TA462

Spacemouse, how in the heck did you break your Craftsman tools? I've broken one socket in 15 years and I use my tools 8 to 10 hours a day.[%-)]

I was in the construction game. Breaker bars, Impact wrenches, you name it. Mostly broke on the thinpart of the socket. The power tools were the worst. With the exception of a router, most didn't last a day.

CONstruction game? Sounds like you were in the DEstruction game.[;)]

And really good at it to boot.

Andre

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TA462

Spacemouse, how in the heck did you break your Craftsman tools? I've broken one socket in 15 years and I use my tools 8 to 10 hours a day.[%-)]

I was in the construction game. Breaker bars, Impact wrenches, you name it. Mostly broke on the thinpart of the socket. The power tools were the worst. With the exception of a router, most didn't last a day.

[Bill H.]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TA462

Spacemouse, how in the heck did you break your Craftsman tools? I've broken one socket in 15 years and I use my tools 8 to 10 hours a day.[%-)]

I'm wondering that myself. I've never had one fail. [?][?][?]

[cmrproducts]

Its called a 10ft piece of pipe on the handle!

Been there!

BOB H - Clarion, PA

[andrechapelon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse

QUOTE: Originally posted by andrechapelon

I managed to buy a brand new shovel with a lifetime warranty. Two hours later, I had to to return the thing to the store because I had busted the handle clean in two. Either I'm incredibly strong or shovels have a life expectancy of 45 minutes.[:D] My vote is for the latter.

Home owner tools with lifetime warrantee's are made with the assumption that the home owner will not use the tool that much. They then charge 2-3 times what its worth and therefore can afford to replace one out of 10 that gets used.

Craftsman tools are like that--yes even their mechanics tools. I've broken so many of those it's not funny and when I go to get them replaced (with the crew waiting on them) they never have the replacement. I now only buy Mac or Snap On.

Judging from my experience with that shovel, I would opine that home owner tools are made with the assumption that the home owner will NEVER use them. OTOH, most other tools have given me no problems. The one exception is weed whackers, at least the electrical kind. After going through several, I finally broke down and bought a gas powered one. I've had no problem whatsoever with it. What's more, it actually does what it is advertised to do. It whacks the bejeezus out of them pesky weeds and just missed decapitating a gopher (he was too fast).

Andre

[jwar]

Gads...another year down the track...BTW kinda disapointeddd ya aint going for 4000 posts, theres rumors that MR was going to give a BLI engine to the first person that did it[:D]

Wye (pun's intended) is it we have time to do things twice...but never have enought time to do it wonce.......Perhaps we get to soon old and to late smart.

Take care...John

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by andrechapelon

I managed to buy a brand new shovel with a lifetime warranty. Two hours later, I had to to return the thing to the store because I had busted the handle clean in two. Either I'm incredibly strong or shovels have a life expectancy of 45 minutes.[:D] My vote is for the latter.

Home owner tools with lifetime warrantee's are made with the assumption that the home owner will not use the tool that much. They then charge 2-3 times what its worth and therefore can afford to replace one out of 10 that gets used.

Craftsman tools are like that--yes even their mechanics tools. I've broken so many of those it's not funny and when I go to get them replaced (with the crew waiting on them) they never have the replacement. I now only buy Mac or Snap On.

[andrechapelon]

Chip sez:

5) It's hard to screw anything up so bad it can't be fixed.

But not impossible. I managed to buy a brand new shovel with a lifetime warranty. Two hours later, I had to to return the thing to the store because I had busted the handle clean in two. Either I'm incredibly strong or shovels have a life expectancy of 45 minutes.[:D] My vote is for the latter.

6) You can't get a bargain on eBay until you understand what separates quality from junk.

Corollaries:
a) If it says "Vintage", it isn't
b) If it says "Rare", the majority of items offered in that category will be copies of the same thing.
c) If it says "Like New", it will look as if it came from an archeological dig.
d) If it's a steam locomotive model with any or all of the 3 above descriptions, the tender will be oriented the wrong way and several critical parts will be missing.

7) No matter how much you may dislike pickles, it is after all, the only thing you can do with cucumbers.

Well, actually, you can cut cucumbers up into slices and use 'em to garnish sandwiches. Quite tasty too. It's just than when they repeat on you, make sure that nobody's standing within 20 feet of you. And then only upwind.

12) MTH holds the patents on all Leonardo DiVinci's inventions.

And Union Pacific owns the trademark on the wheel, not to mention the copyright on the Code of Hammurabi.

Andre