Stampie's Grosh Mahal

MrJoshua said:

There has been some pretty heavy trimming of trees away from power lines around here lately. I've noticed it in two counties.

That could be it.  I noticed that they I guess face cut it?  Meaning it was like a saw blade ran vertical and anything over that line was cut.

In reply to MrJoshua :

Im in volusia, deland specifically, but they have been putting a ton of work into "hardening" the lines and poles. We got new poles and they are spec'd i think 2-3 notches higher in strength than the old poles. That comes with all new power line, all new hardware and some healthy trimming back of trees. After they did that work, we had the 2 hurricanes come through and our part of the grid NEVER lost power! Usually it was a given that we would lose power for at least a few days.  

Stampie said:

MrJoshua said:

There has been some pretty heavy trimming of trees away from power lines around here lately. I've noticed it in two counties.

That could be it.  I noticed that they I guess face cut it?  Meaning it was like a saw blade ran vertical and anything over that line was cut.

Yeah-the one I saw in Alachua County used a big boom with saw blades on it.

TJL (Forum Supporter) said:

In reply to MrJoshua :

Im in volusia, deland specifically, but they have been putting a ton of work into "hardening" the lines and poles. We got new poles and they are spec'd i think 2-3 notches higher in strength than the old poles. That comes with all new power line, all new hardware and some healthy trimming back of trees. After they did that work, we had the 2 hurricanes come through and our part of the grid NEVER lost power! Usually it was a given that we would lose power for at least a few days.  

They're still at it here in my DeLand neighborhood. We got new poles a few months ago.

Trimming of power lines here is on a three-year cycle.  The power company is a member-owned cooperative, and perhaps because of that, they are more sensitive to landowners needs; they routinely send out a notice that they will be surveying upcoming trimming, and you can ask to meet with their certified arborist.  Which is good; the only thing the trimming crews know is how to operate the machinery, they know nothing about trees.  Hell, one year, there were three 3-man crews out here at the same time, and only ONE man spoke any English.

Why does this matter?  If they were just pruning back wild woods, I wouldn't care, but thirty-some years ago I planted magnolias alongside one edge of my road, and crepe myrtles along the other side.  Neither are into the power lines, but the dummies operating the boom saw (I hate those things) will insist on cutting them, absent other direction. 

I tell the arborist that it isn't anything that I've planted that is going to take down the power lines, but some 80 ft. tall hickory back in the woods that uproots in a storm will.  And he always agrees with me.

The Rain Forest gods brought me presents today. Think things will get started soon. 

In reply to Stampie :

Looking forward to solar progress.  I'm sure you already know this, but Youtube will take you down a deep, deep rabbit hole regarding off-grid solar. 

In reply to Scotty Con Queso :

I've gotten lost and out of that rabbit hole many times. 

One issue I had before was getting strong cell service. My plan is to put a phone 20 feet in the air as a hot spot. Kinda sucks answering calls and sending text if that's my phone. So for $25 a month and using an old phone with a cracked screen I have a hotspot phone. Plus I got a 352 area code because that's what all the cool kids have. 

Are you going to raise and lower it with some sort of pulley arrangement?

OBTW, for the record, 850 is the cool area code.   

In reply to Purple Frog (Forum Supporter) :

I'm thinking I'll just run USB cord up to it and kinda leave it sitting there in a zip lock bag or something.

Purple Frog (Forum Supporter) said:

Are you going to raise and lower it with some sort of pulley arrangement?

OBTW, for the record, 850 is the cool area code.   

You just wish it was still 904. Only 25+ years ago.

Purple Frog (Forum Supporter) said:

Are you going to raise and lower it with some sort of pulley arrangement?

OBTW, for the record, 850 is the cool area code.   

Disagree.  The cool area code is 321.

where's Darth Nader???

759NRNG said:

where's Darth Nader???

EDIT to include quote because history of deleting post.

sigh   rip 904

352 represent!

(unknowingly throws offensive signs because I'm old and white and trying to remain relevant)

Ow. I pulled something. Does anybody have some Bactine?

I got into town yesterday around noon. Found a pretty flower in the drive.

Spent the afternoon running around gathering supplies and picking up my stock feeder from Rural King. 100 gallons is much bigger in person than it is online.

Went over to a_flordia_man's neck of the woods to pick up some totes to store water. 

Got back and had an accident with the cheap cooler but transferred everything to my Lowe's buckets which lasted the night. 

Hotspot version 1.0 didn't go so well. Going to revisit that today. 

I'm downtown now waiting for a architectural salvage place to open. Then Lowe's and back out to the property. 

I grabbed two doors and a pane of glass there for $40. 

Edit later for picture. 

Currently at the Lowe's on 13th St NW. Might I say that their bathrooms are not only infinitely better than digging a hole but also are some of the nicest public bathrooms I've seen. I discovered this on closing day so I might have held it in longer than is healthy. 

Do you need a proper cooler? LMK, they seem to be breeding in my shop attic.

In reply to hobiercr :

Thanks but I already got one. Plus I have plenty in Jacksonville. 

Pictures of the doors. Too lazy to get one of the glass but imagine 10x40 and it looks like glass. 

Loaded up the first building supplies. That 3/4 pressure treated plywood is heavy. 

Leaving Lowe's I got rear ended. Nothing major. Dude just rolled into me at a light. From the smell that's not the only thing he's rolled today. Berked up his bumper from the bolts that supposed to hold my trailers spare tire. Only damaged to me was my trailer lights wiring. Honestly this will be the third time today I've BS fixed them saying "just one last trip" each time. 

In reply to Stampie :

From the looks of it, your wiring and lights aren't the only thing that needs attention on that trailer.

In reply to Indy - Guy :

Don't hate. Three of those pieces of plywood are intended for the trailer. 

Tested. Not like real world testing but more like practice testing. Stable enough to get me by. 

An actual Thetford Porta Potti is worth the $100 you can get one for, both in use and when it comes time to empty it.

In reply to matthewmcl :

Hell next you'll be wanting me to eat at Applebee's. 

Stampie said:

In reply to matthewmcl :

Hell next you'll be wanting me to eat at Applebee's. 

I wouldn't eat at Applebee's until you get a MUCH better toilet.