BILBO TOOLBAGINS

Finally, he's getting to that tool bag post he's talked about...

Here it is. I finally decided to pull out my tool bags and take some pictures.
I have many tools, most located in my tool chest/drawers. However, I keep some of my tools in tool bags, ready to grab and go when and if the call is made. This all started with my time with Brethren Disaster Ministries, and has spiraled out of control.

The bags. I keep the Tool Box in my car, as it is my on the go auto repair box.

It all started with my tool belt, so we will start there.

I headed down to Lorida with just tool belt containing a hammer, and a cast paw. I picked up some tools down there, and added a pouch when I came back.

The belt will be replaced eventually, but it really suits me now.

The Hammer and Claw: Eastwing 16oz and Cast Paw

A general purpose hammer with a smooth face. I swung this hammer almost nonstop for 5 days from sun up to sun down. Never really fatigued me. The cats (cast) paw is invaluable for ripping nails out.

Tool Belt Accessories: Knife, Punch, Screw, and Tape

I added these when I picked up the pouch. It contains a basic screw driver with changeable bits, your standard Stanely 99e knife with extra blades (including roofing blades), finishing punches, and a tape measure I was given when I was down there.

Multipurpose Pliers: Linemans 369

Just a multipurpose pair of Lineman's pliers. I use them to pull nails and staples, snip wire and cords, and hold nails to hammer when I hit my thumb.

The Tool Bag: Cave of Wonders

This is where it starts to spiral out of control. I started buying these things as needed, for around the house, but always kept in mind the need for travel should I need too.

This guy is packed

The Power Tools: Milwaukee M12 Sawzall, Hammer Drill, Impact Driver, and Flashlight

Started with just the Impact driver and went on from there. I'm really impressed with the M12 line. the smaller sized tools are great for travel, and the power is just as good as the bigger M18's we use at work. The only reason I can see using the larger M18 would be for a portable 1/2 inch drive impact gun. The impact driver is a beast, and I have used it a ton.

Milwaukee Accessories

Just bits and pieces for the drill and driver. Those multi-step bits are the bomb. The drill bits dont do so well in the impact driver. Once the impact part kicks in, they chatter to much and stop drilling.

The Other Guys: Estwing 28 oz waffle, Ball Peen, and Wonder Bar, as well as a Nail Pouch, Files, and Air Shim.

The 28 ounce hammer has yet to be used, but was bought with the intention of framing and driving larger nails. The Ball Peen is for smaller trim work, as well as shaping and flattening tin when making roof patches. The wonder bar is for making those old shingles fly. Also used for shimming and adjusting. I picked up the nail pouch down in Lorida, and it was worn in conjunction with the basic tool belt.

The bar file is for reshaping the cast paw and hammer claws, as well as knocking down nail heads and other pokey bits of metal. The Rat Tail file has yet to find a purpose, but enlarging holes is probably what will happen. The Air Shim is awesome. Its a little air bladder that you can use to shim, adjust, and lift things. Comes in real handy when putting shelves on Ikea furniture.

Other Things: Wiss Aviation Shears and Torpedo Level

The first thing I bought when I got back from Lorida was the shears. We were installing metal roofing, and they would have really come in handy. I used some down there to make brackets out of scrap metal to rehang gutters as well as cut the metal roof pieces. The Torpedo level is just a level. I bought one with a magnet and pipe grove for setting fence posts. It also comes in handy with Ikea furniture.

Not pictured is my Ryobi laser level cube. I forgot to take a pic, but it's just a laser level. I use it for marking studs. Also not pictured is my Studdy Buddy. Its a hand held magnet that you use to locate studs in the wall.

Tape Measures

The Fat Max is and awesome tape measure, and the other is my cheater tape. It has the fractions written out on it.

THE SAW BAG: It's a bag with a circular saw in it.

Milwaukee M12 Circular Saw

All this bag has in it is the saw. It's a smaller saw, using a 5 3/8 inch blade, but it will cut a 2x4 in one pass. Very torquey, and the battery life is pretty decent with one of the larger M12 batteries.

The Plumbing Bag

There isn't too much in here. I am just starting to build it. I also use some of my work tools if I am around the house.

Slim Pickings: Just a pliers and a wrench

As of right now, this is it. A 14" Pipe Wrench and a set of Channel Locks. Again, when I am around the house, I use some of my work tools. I'll be ordering some offsets and speed wrenches here soon, as well as some other plumbing related things.

Well, there you have it. My tool bags. I hope to put them all in use soon, as the trip with BDM to Lorida was truly an amazing time. I would do it again in a heart beat.

I am going to make my tool box a separate post as it's not home related, more auto. It' will come soon enough.


Ok, enough is enough. This was a large post, and I am tired of typing.

These are a few of my favorite things...

Every once in a while, I get down in the dumps (for what ever reason). When it gets to be a little too much, I make lists. Lists of things that I like.

I take this list and use it for two reasons. First and foremost, to remind myself that things really aren't that bad and to snap out of it, and second, to use the list as sort of a snapshot of where I am in life. Something I can look back on and smile at.

I just make a list, with no description. Generally I keep them to myself, but I figured what the heck.

So, here is a list.

New socks
Canvas tool bags
Hammers
New Balance shoes
Old hardback books
Wooden pews
Blue ink pens
Worn hand tools
Old dogs
New dogs
All dogs
Laserdisc
North West North Carolina
A smile
Little kid's "Why?"
Box fans
A handshake
Ponytails
SeaQuest
Wintergreen Life Savers
Old kitchens
Obsolete technology
Shortbread cookies
9V Batteries
NASA
80s SciFi/Fantasy movies
Boston Terriers
Mint Chocolate chip ice cream
The Golden Girls
Summer Storms

YouTube Discovery

I enjoy YouTube

I watch it a lot. Ask my wife.


I think, at it's core, YouTube is a great place. As with anything there are goods and bads, but I want to focus on the good. There are a few channels I really enjoy, and I though I'd share a few of them.

Ill break them down into categories for you, however a few of the channels bleed into one another. There are other channels I watch, but these are my favorite.

Give them a look.

People/Life/Vlogs

Casey Neistat - I have followed him for years. Very creative person, who shares his daily life in New York, as a creator. Beautifully put together videos. Well filmed and edited. Almost daily uploads. Semi inspirational. Very random, and I like it.

AvE - A Canadian with a horrible mouth. He has an incredible amount of knowledge. He tears all kinds of things apart, tells you why they work (or don't), and then puts them back together and tests them to see if they can do what they say they can. Performs other tests as well. Very mechanical/shop oriented channel. Skookem.

Hamish Patterson - This guy is a wonder. Kind of an inspirational/good vibes guy. Californian who tries to stay with the high frequencies. Also can teach you proper bowl cut maintenance. Channel is more of a personal vlog.

Wranglerstar - Homesteading Vlog. I originally stated watching this guy for his review and usage of old tools. He does some woodworking, and other homestead like things. While he still does this, he has slowly turned his channel into a semi inspirational/life coachy/opinion vlog. He mimics Casey Neistat's form a lot, and it drives me crazy. He also has starting using click bait titles, which annoy me as well.

Makers/Repairs/Tinkerers

Cooking with Shotgun Red - Random cooking channel I stumbled across. I think I've seen this guy before, but cant place it. Cooks food you want to eat. Full recipes.

Jimmy Diresta - This guys is awesome. He makes things. All kinds of things.

Primitive Technology - Very interesting channel. Young man builds huts and homes, and all the things primitive man would. He does not use anything but what nature gives him. He has built forges, weapons, tools, all kinds of things. He only posts once or twice a month. Also, he never talks. Turn Closed Captions on because that's where he does his commentary. Real life Minecraft.

Project Farm - Just subscribed to this channel. This guys tests a lot of myths car/mechanical guys toss around. He test things like the effects of certain motor oils and additives, whether or not Seafoam works, and other things like that.

This Old House - It's This Old House. Lots of videos on home repair and home improvement.

Cars/Automotive/Motorsports

84hachi - Guys has an 1984 Toyota Corolla SR5 (Non 4AGE) He works on it. I like him because he did not go the typical 4AGE route, but instead decided to work with what he had. He is currently doing a side draft carb build. He kinda sounds like Strong Sad.

Cars and Cameras - a karting channel. "It'll be fine". Where I get a lot of inspiration from with my go karts.

Donut Media - Videos on the history of certain cars (Always funny and over the top). Also take the time to explain how certain things on cars work.

Jafromobile - This guy builds DSMs. While he sticks to the 4G63 engine, his approach to building and modding is amazing, and can be applied to any engine build. Very detail oriented. He hand builds all his engines, and has an old school way of doing them.

Mighty Car Mods - It's MCM. I have been with them since episode 1. An Australian car show, that originally started with basic DIY car mods, they have since moved to bigger builds. They still throw in a DIY episode here or there. They occasionally make short movies as well. I love them so much I have purchased DVDs of their free YouTube videos.

Regular Cars - an interesting car review show. As the title suggests, they review cars. Mostly regular cars. However, sometimes the episodes can get... perverted/weird. Think a "Ren and Stimpy" car review show.
 
Sloppy Mechanics - Take a 100+ k mile GM 6.0 out of a Van in a junkyard, reuse every part you can, and add a Chinese turbo. Get 1000 WHEEL horsepower. That's pretty much it. This guy takes the most homebrew DIY cheap methods he can to make as much HP as he can, and shows you how you can too.

Tom's Turbo Garage - another car building show. This guy's attention to detail is OCD like. It actually annoys me quite a bit. BUT. He builds some awesome cars. V8 Miata, Galant VR4, and others. He hasn't posted in awhile, but there are plenty of videos to watch.

Other/Entertainment

Air Force Proud 95 - a pilot in real life who plays Microsoft Flight Simulator. He messes with people. It's funny. Sometimes he vlogs while flying to local airports.

Bill Wurtz - he makes weird music videos. Very catchy, amazing, weird music videos.

First We Feast - Food oriented. They make other videos, but the main thing I watch is the "Hot Ones" videos. They make hot wings that range from mild to insane heat, and sit down with notable people and interview them while eating them. It's a pretty great show.

Hydraulic Press Channel - this channel takes things an squishes them with an industrial press. If you fold paper more than 7 times it EXPLODES.

Seth Everman - pretty funny guy that plays the piano.

Skippy62able (LA Beast) - a nonsense channel where the LA BEAST trys to eat  and drink things you shouldn't, or in quantities you shouldn't. Food challenges and other things. Pure gold entertainment.

Videogame Dunkey - hilarious reviews and opinions on videogames.

Musical Monday 2

COUNTRY (AND COUNTRY-ISH)

Not going to waste any time here. Here are some of my favorite country songs.
Don't hate. Country is good.

Here are some of my favorite county/fringe country songs

Junk Post?

Same old same.

It's that time again, oncall. (EDIT: I wrote this before I went oncall. It's over now, and I dont want to rewrite the whole thing.)
So far so good, but we are just 2 days into. Anything good happens I'll let you know.

Day to day life has been average, random at best.

Been tinkering around the garage. Going to use this week to tidy up my side, and start working on the go karts. I need to tighten down the Jegs kart, and get some wheels on it. The neighbor bought some weird looking off road kart, and now the oldest son really wants to get on a kart. KART BATTLE.

I'm going to start working on my second 212 engine, get all the "Stage 3" parts in it, and get that on the other kart frame.

Trying to keep the Passat clean now that its in the garage, and I'm remembering why I hate black cars. They only look good from 20 feet.

In preparation for next hurricane season, I purchased a generator from Harbor Freight. Their 8750/7500W Predator.

My in-laws let me borrow their generator last year, when the power was out for a day or two. It was a great help, so I figured we'd get one ourselves.  It's sized decently, and I think it will power pretty much what ever we need. I plan on hooking it up to the home through a interconnect breaker.

I need to do some electrical math and add up what I think the demand will be for us. I don't plan on having the generator run everything in the house, but all bedrooms and the refrigerator should be fine.
Eventually I am going to see if it can handle the HVAC system solo, but worst case I'll buy a window unit for one of the bedrooms, and we will hunker down in their as a family on hot nights.

Oncall Catch Up

Had a couple of main breaks, and a lot of little stuff. Nothing too bad. As I type it's 8PM on Sunday, just a few more hours to go.

Main break in Lake Asbury

This one was in OP. 

So... That's it. More to follow. I guess.