Always buy one or two generations back for huge savings. As soon as the S6 came out, prices on S4 plummeted. I haven't sacrificed much to save $400 on my phone.

 

So, you paid about $300 for a new S4?

The Moto X Pure is every bit as good of a phone as the S6, is the difference. It's the same cutting-edge tech that's in the newest iPhone and Galaxy phones, but at a much lower cost. My girlfriend has an S5, and the Moto X outperforms it handily in every way, ESPECIALLY in photo quality. Like, it's not even sortof close.

 

I paid less than $100 for my S3. I bought a second charger, soft case and screen protector and the total was just shy of 100 bucks.
Ebay, from a NYC dealer that takes trade-ins and puts in a new battery. S4 were still around $160-180, and I decided I didn't really want to spend that much.

I have been considering upgrading, so will look into the moto X.

 

I just got finished messing with the aftermarket POS alarm that my Miata's probably had since new. Given that I have a current draw issue, and the alarm is useless anyway - it goes off every few minutes for literally no reason - I wanted to yank the whole thing out of the car, so I went online in attempts to educate myself in how to do so.

What I learned is that all you have to do is pull the fuse(s), which is/are sticking right out of the unit, and the alarm is disabled completely. I now have new respect for how useless these things really are. It doesn't even have an ignition disabling feature; only a starter circuit interrupt, and it's apparently a normally-closed circuit.

I still want to do a complete uninstall, but think I'll wait until I have time/tools/materials to splice and solder any cut connections. For now I'll revel in the fact that I've deprived the thing of life-giving electricity, and see if I can go longer than a week or two without my battery going flat.

 

I have two older shop vacs. One is a small wall mount and the other is bigger contractor series. Both use the cartridge type filter for dry use.

I got a medium sized vac as a work anniversary award. I noticed the new one has a fabric "sheet" filter that is reusable. (Not sure if water cleanable)

I am thinking about getting new filters for the old ones. Get the fabric sheets or the reusable/washable cartridge type? The currently installed cartridge type are not water cleanable but can be tapped to get the dirt out. It isnt real effective

 

Reusable filters suck. You end up cleaning them way beyond when you should toss them and get new ones. It is my experience that they don't last much longer than the cartridge types anyway.

 

One thing to bear in mind is that the sheet-type filters have a much smaller effective surface area than the pleated filters.

 

Yeah and from what i have read, the sheet filters are for general use. They dont filter out the small stuff.

Since i have 3 vacs now, i will probably set them up for a specified use. The blue "ultra" cartridge filters do have some appeal. I may try one on the older vacs.

 

I recently bought one of the larger Craftsman (16 gallon?) shop vacs. Due to my own stupidity (vacuuming water), I ruined the cartridge that came with it. I bought the blue filter for replacement, and have been very happy with it. No dust out, even using it on drywall dust. The suction power of the new vac is amazing. It will pick up anything that can fit down the 3" hose.

 

And you have tested this properly, we are to assume?

 

Gonna pick up a blue filter on the way home today.

I used the medium vac to clean the fridge condenser and dryer vent yesterday. It has the sheet filter and was easy to clean up after i finished.

 

 

One of us has a very dirty mind...

 

One of us?

 

can someone link me to doppelganger's write up about hood spacers? I really need it to shut my friend up and I can't find it here, and the one from his atlanta forum doesnt work anymore (pictures missing)

 

Good price on these at da walmart

 

I just spent the last hour and a half helping one of our owners get his iRacing rig set up in his garage. This isn't exactly a Logitech G27 bolted to a coffee table, I think we went to the Fanatec site and bought a "basic" setup (Fanatec ClubSport Wheel Base V2 w/ClubSport Steering Wheel Formula Black, ClubSport Pedals V3 w/dampers & load cells, ClubSport Shifter SQ V 1.5) but **** me if iRacing isn't some badass ****. I don't have $1,400 to drop on this stuff right now but I could totally see this as a really deep hole to fall down. He says "I'm just getting my feet wet to see if this is something I want to get into, and I really like what I see. This is only Phase 1."

 

I helped my son build a 3 monitor chassis/rig for that same whole Fanatec setup last year. He used it for the summer on his break from college and then sold it all on CL for more than he had put in it (i.e. my labor was free). Now, he's got a new plan for this summer to build a serious aluminum rig with some crazy *** parts. The servo motor on the steering is so powerful, I've been told the steering wheel could break your thumbs if you crash with your hands left in the wheel spokes. The brake actually has a hydraulic master and slave cylinder setup with a transducer tapped into it. (not sure how I feel about brake fluid over the carpet in his room). The best part by far, it that this won't use any monitors. Instead, he's already got an Oculous Rift to run the video. Anyway, the parts keep coming in piece by piece while he's still away at school. I can't wait to see what this thing is going to turn into. He's clearly moving beyond Phase 1, and yes, it looks like quite the rabbit hole.

 

You could use water in the system; it's never going to be in danger of boiling. No need for actual brake fluid.

At least, if I were designing the system, I'd use parts compatible with something less nasty than brake fluid.

 

I like the idea, but what about seal compatibility and corrosion and such?