This heat is driving me Stir Crazy

Off-topic Chatter
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When I was young, I lived in the NE and Winter was the time to make me stir crazy. After hunting seasons and after the cold really set in, it was so boring to be cooped up thru the long winter nights. Now it’s the opposite, only worse. TX gets hot and I know not as hot as some places, but these summer months drag out for so long and it’s just too derned hot to work on any mods! I’ve got ideas and plans, but I can’t do any of them, till possibly September, but more likely October/November. I haven’t done a real mod since about April (I think), so I’m going nuts! (of course that’s a lifetime state of mind).

So I’ve been trying to do little things to make the “shop” easier to work in. I already had my drill press, but I ended up making it wider, as it was too narrow to accommodate what I wanted to drill. Here’s a photo now.

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I’ve also been making other jigs that will help me to work on these Maglites, like this Vise jig, for boring the tubes.

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And this one for cutting the tubes straighter, so I don’t have to file so much. I never was good at cutting those tubes straight with a hacksaw.

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I’ve got lots of ideas for mods this winter, like this Tail Cap switch mod, using various materials for the switch button.

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I think using Copper, Brass, Nickel Silver, or even Cabochons will make the tail cap unique. Lots of other ideas in my head too, but the waiting is boring.

For builds, I think most will be the “1D” style. I do love the shorty’s. I will be doing at least two lights in the 2D or 3D size though. The SST-90 Aspheric will require at least a 2D and the XM-L with an outer ring of 3mm LEDs may end up being a 2D.

I do not plan on doing any multiple XM-L this year. I see tons of multiples out there and they are dirt cheap. Besides, I just don’t care about mega lumens as much any more. Just not useful to me.

I have been stocking up on materials, so that when the time comes, I can just dive right in! I will hopefully be able to offer some LEDs for sale at cost, since I am ordering about 30 of them and I only plan on a dozen builds this year.

I’m just rambling and bored.

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It may be hot, but at least it’s humid… :weary:

I’m glad it’s has been so much milder than last year’s summer. This year, it’s almost pleasant to go outside in the evenings. Of course, once it gets dark, it gets still and the stillness, heat, and humidity make it feel worse than it does while the sun’s still up. I get drenched in sweat while scorpion-hunting after dark now…

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I think you should be saving them. With a couple more years of drought, you might just find they are about the only food to live on! Even Chocolate covered for dessert. :smiley: Field dress ’em and freeze ’em.

I don’t envy you, with all those guys around. I once had a mess with Black Widow spiders and it wasn’t fun. Couldn’t hardly kill them all off, even with poison.

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I almost forgot why I really posted. I made a light stand, finally, so I can see what I'm doing this year.

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Ok, so it's just a little, well.... , uhhh.... cheap, rinky dink, southern engineered, but the wood cost $10, versus $45 for doing it with black pipe, which is what I wanted.

But, it sure makes it bright now. I already had the lights hanging around and gathering dust, so I decided to use them for once.

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Very nice! You have inspired me to do something similar over my workbench. Mine won’t look nearly as nice, but then, neither does my workbench… :wink:

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Glad to inspire. :wink:

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Reading about what other people are doing is how I pass the time when I can’t work on my own current projects. That and following my fingers around the net.

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Bugger. Old-Lumens, you have a heap of fans here including me but apparently were not enough to keep you cool! Oh well. Keep up the good work anyway. Lots of cold amber liquid works for me. Cheers.

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Next project post? - window air conditioner adapted for garage door with innovative rolling cart and folding seals

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Sounds like a golf cart with reclining cooled seats and a flat screen tv instead of a windscreen. Even has cup holders.

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LOL, I think Justin would want even a moving golf cart to have a cab and air conditioner but I’m sure the cup holders would stay (maybe get chilling added).

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If I had the money….
We have a 2-1/2 car garage and if I had the bucks, it would have already been a 1-1/2 car garage and a “1 car” enclosed work shop with good lighting, plenty of power outlets and AC/Heat.

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Like me, it looks like you’re working one small step at a time. Our garage started out as a carport, so it’s been a long process with lots more to go.

I have no idea how a cheap room AC will do in large garage, but I do have one wanting to find out. We have a too small window in an enclosed workroom in half of the half portion of the garage, and it opens into the garage - maybe a fan will help circulation, but it is way undersized.

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If I had the money, I’d be a crackpot inventor spending my time and money indulging an over active imagination trying to turn what ifs into what is. With AC and cup holders. How’s the humidity? Would a swamp cooler help?

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It’s high enough that a swamp cooler will not work well.

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My condolences. I’m a cool weather egg myself( favorite temp is 65F). When it gets over 100F I have to sleep with a freezer pack on my chest. Sometimes I throw my tee under some water and put it on wet but that only works with low H.

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Well if it makes you happier, I always need to sleep with an airconditioner set to 26 deg C every night.

Also have a HEPA air-cleaner. (else might be a bit bad for the health in the long run).

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A/C baby checking in.

The house is a chill 63F, summer or winter. I can’t stand being hot while sleeping.

Some houseguests request a space heater for their room, even in July. :slight_smile:

My canine companions are snow dogs, so no argument from them.

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Ha, nothing makes me happy, y’all ought to know that by now :stuck_out_tongue:

We have a HEPA air cleaner for my wife’s bedroom, due to her health.

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The Ice Man!

Our house is at 78 degrees in the summer and 72 in the winter, but it’s more due to energy bills, than personal preference.