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May 31,2012- A/C PRO FirstUse... |
Yesterday we took a FirstLook at the A/C PRO recharger from IDQ. After consulting Bentley's Boxster Service Manual and Wayne Dempsey's 101 Projects for the Porsche Boxster , we felt we could easily tackle this project. Today, we are going to see if recharging the A/C system of our Porsche Boxster will bring back the chill.
The various air conditioning components (compressor, temperature sensor, evaporator, etc) are distributed throughout the car. Some of the components, such as the blower and the compressor, can be difficult to get at. Fortunately, the refrigerant connections are... [more]- A/C PRO FirstUse
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May 30,2012- A/C Pro Refrigerant... |
Now that the Summer tires are on and the brake-wear light is off, the Boxster is almost ready for the top-down weather. We say "almost" because back in March when we had that mini heat wave, we noticed that the car's A/C was not really performing up to par. Apparently, to prevent the seals from drying out, we were supposed to run the A/C system once in a while if the temperature got above 50º. Never knew or ever did that. After 10 years, it was not surprising that enough refrigerant had leaked out of the A/C system to render it ineffective.
Going to an auto shop to have the A/C system recharged typicallys cost between $100-$200. However, we were curious as to whether we could do ourselves at the RainyDayGarage. According to Bentley's Boxster Service Manual, the access ports for recharging the system are on the passenger front side of the car. While the manual has detailed diagrams on how to... [more]- Boxster A/C recharge: A/C Pro refrigerant
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May 29,2012- Boxster Summer Prep... |
The weather was kooky this Spring. With the temperature almost hitting 90º in March and then cooling and raining much of April (and most of May), we weren't sure when was the right time to swap out the Blizzaks: it was Memorial Day Weekend and the Winter tires were still on the Boxster. As the chances of 40º nights are pretty low, given that the earth still revolves around the sun and that whole axis thing, we thought we should have the interns throw on the Summer tires. We got them the Tire Totes to make it clean and easy to haul out the tires from storage, how much easier could we make it?
We have been doing this seasonal swapping of the tires ever since we got the Boxster. Having the right tires for both Summers and Winters gives the car better handling characteristics. This was especially true during Winter times: we got up hills slick with ice and snow when even SUVs had problems. Also, taking the tires off twice a year gives us an opportunity to... [more]- Boxster Summer Prep
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May 25,2012- TEC Igniter repair... |
When we purchased the TEC Cherokee grill, we knew that the igniter did not work. We didn't really care as we typically use a long-nose butane lighter to light all our other grills. However, the Cherokee looked so nice after we cleaned it that we thought it would be a shame not to fix the dead igniter. We also knew that not knowing why it didn't work would bug us to no end. Besides, the project gave us a reason to take apart the grill and clean some of the places we never would have bothered with otherwise.
Most gas grills' electronic igniters work using the same principle: an electrically-generated spark ignites the gas. The spark is usually generated by taking advantage of a property call piezoelectricity. "Piezo," in Greek, means "pressure." Quartz and some ceramics exhibit piezoelectric behavior when pressure is applied to them. When under pressure, a charge separation within the material takes place and a... [more]- TEC Igniter repair
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May 24,2012- iPod nano watch faces... |
Wristwatches appeal to people for a variety of reasons. One of those reasons is that a well-designed watch is the perfect expression of both form and function. The trouble is that when you want a different look you have to get a different watch. Before long, you end up with a drawer full. Don't get us wrong, we are not saying that that is a bad thing. However, no matter how many watches one has one can only wear one at a time.
When the 6th-generation touchscreen iPod nano came out, more than a few folks immediately saw its potential as a really cool wristwatch. The first one to do something about it was Scott Wilson. He proposed a project on KickStarter and got a phenomenal response. Scott raised $1 million (way more than he had requested) in record time and created the awesome LunaTik. We took a FirstLook at the LunaTik last year and... [more]- iPod nano: watch faces
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May 23,2012- Get-A-Grip Install... |
The Meade 10" LX200 GPS SCT is a pretty hefty piece of gear. It is a LOT heavier than the Celestron C8 SCT it replaced. We are not exactly sure why that is, but it is what it is. Moving the Meade around can be quite the workout, especially since there are no convenient places on its body to get a good grip. There are handles on the fork mount, but they are skinny and clearly not intended as grip points for picking up the unit.
When we were at NEAF last year and met up with Pete of Peterson Engineering. Pete is an avid astronomer and has created a series of products specifically for the Meade SCT. One of those product is the Get-A-Grip handles. We took a FirstLook of the grips a year ago. We were waiting for a stretch of time where we could... [more]- Get-A-Grip Install
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May 22,2012- Staying Current... |
Writing software is simple, but it is not easy. It is simple because the computer will do what you tell it to do. The difficulty comes from needing to make the instructions very precise. There is no tolerance for ambiguity, neither when writing the software nor when the software instructions are executed, be they on a cell phone, tablet, or whatever. To do it well, it takes both creativity and discipline, qualities which are often in conflict with each other. However, that is not the half of it.
One of the challenging aspects of software development is staying current with the changes in the API and libraries provided by vendors like Apple, Microsoft, and others. The software writing tools get over-hauled. Sometimes, even the... [more]- iOS Programming: Staying Current
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May 21,2012- Brillo Pads: Cleaning the grills... |
The TEC Cherokee portable grill we acquired last week via a trade came to us in pretty good condition. All we needed to do to get the grill was ready for use was to scrub the stainless steel grate and wipe the sides. However, as we want it to look really nice for FirstGrill, we decided to give the TEC a complete detailing.
When we were growing up, Brillo pads were what we used to clean pots and pans. They are little steel wool pads infused with grease-cutting soap. The fine steel wool cleans without scratching and the soap cuts through even baked-on grease like nobody's business. We have not used Brillo pads for years, but did... [more]- Brillo Pads: Grill Cleaning
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May 18,2012- EDC Gadgets... |
We spend a lot of time at the RainyDayMagazine office. The chairs are comfortable, the coffee is free, and napping is encouraged. Why would we leave? However reluctant we are to venture out, we do try to make ourselves do it at least once a day. When we do go out into the world, we like to travel light. But traveling light does not mean we go out unprepared. Besides the obvious stuff (cell phone, wallet, keys), there are a couple of gadgets which we always try to remember to grab on our way out: a decent camera, a pen, and a notebook.
Cell phone photos and videos are fine for emailing, Facebook updates, and other such activities, but the photos are quite bad compared to a modern point-n-shoot digital camera. We try to have a decent camera with us at all times. Our lightweight camera of choice for the past year has been the Nikon P7000. We like the P7000 because it is one of the few point-n-shoot cameras with a manual mode. It does not get used often, but we like knowing... [more]- EDC Gadgets
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May 17,2012- Mind Mapping: Knowledge Graph... |
We have been extolling the virtues of mind-mapping for a long time. This technique of linking personally relevant information can be done manually or with special purpose software. Regardless of method used, building a good personal mind-map can take years. We have been using The Brain software for over 10 years and have built up a fairly useful map. It contains the projects we have done at various companies, things we have found to be interesting on the web, and miscellaneous thoughts we didn't want to forget.
One of the problems with using The Brain or any of the other mind-mapping software is the program still ran best on "real" computers (laptops, desktops) and not on tablets or cell phones. So we were pretty excited when Google announced and rolled out Knowledge Graph yesterday. Knowledge Graph is an enhancement to Google's search engine. While the Knowledge Graph is not... [more]- Mind Map: Google Knowledge Graph
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May 16,2012- Shobu Aikido: Children Classes... |
The study of Aikido is a life-long pursuit. Some have the good fortune to start the journey when they are young. Others do not begin until they are in their forties. To encourage and promote this non-competitive martial art to the young, Shobu Aikido of Boston introduced the Children/Family Program in 2011. This year, for a limited time, they are offering the program at a reduced price of $50/month. Siblings may join at 1/2 price and parents may attend for FREE! This is an incredible deal.
Regardless of when one starts, Aikido is practiced in a way which students help each other to learn and improve in the study of this incredible martial art. We urge all who are interested to go watch a class, feel the vibe, and talk to the students. Shobu Aikido of Boston is a wonderful place to begin the journey. [Permalink] - Shobu Aikido: Children Classes
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May 15,2012- TEC Infrared Grill... |
One of the many anticipated events at RainyDayMagazine is FirstGrill. The first one was back in 2006. It proved so popular that we have been doing it annually ever since. We usually hold it in May, but we are holding off until the beginning of June this year for a reason we'll make clear in a few weeks.
One of our editors got an infrared grill last year and has been extolling its virtues. According to Jay, "There is no question that infrared or radiant cooking is the wave of the future. Radiant cooking has no airflow so the meat is much juicier and more tender. Microwave cooking is a problem because the radiant heat is at a wavelength that tends to heat unevenly and is not 'tuned' to the best wavelength for food. Infrared is considered to be at just the right wavelength for getting juicy red meat and fowl. Browning and carmelization (the Mallard effect) is also... [more]- TEC Infrared Grill
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May 14,2012- Mid-May update... |
Spring this year started out warmer but drier than usual (7" less than average). While the higher temperature gave everything a head start, some plants slowed due to the lack of rain. Some of the allium and quite a few of the tulips did not bloom this year. The precipitation finally came in the latter part of April and the beginning of May and are beginning to make up for some of the early deficit. When the rain came, everything "popped" at once.
One of the goals we have for the RainyDayGarden is to have something blooming at any given time. We have been doing pretty well. The ferns have already unfurled, the peonies have hundreds of... [more]- RDG Mid-May Update
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May 11,2012- Brimfield Antique Show... |
The Brimfield Antique Show got off to another wet start this year. The weather, while awesome for the plants in our garden, put quite a damper on the show's attendance. We had planned to check out the show on the first day, but the rain kept us away until today.
Having attended the Brimfield show for the past several years, we have found that getting to the show can be as much of a challenge as trying to see everything once you are at the show. The reason is that Brimfield is a small town and there is only one road into and out of it, so during the Antique Show, there can quite a backup at the Brimfield exit. After sitting in traffic last year, we thought it might be faster to go past Brimfield to Palmer and to get to... [more]- Brimfield Antique Show
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May 10,2012- Workout Mats... |
The floors in the space where we hung the heavy bag are maple. Maple is strong, wears well, and is a great surface to work out on. Some of us like to workout barefooted and the hardwood feels nice against the skin. However, the floor surface has a coat of polyurethane and can get slippery if sweat gets on it. Also, sometimes it is nice to have a bit of a cushion. To satisfy the safety issue and the occasional desire for a more gentle surface, we did some research, tested some options, and found two types of padding which addressed our needs.
Exercise and workout mats come in different configurations (interlocking, roll-up, panels), are made from various types of materials (foam, rubber), and in a variety of thicknesses. We wanted mats which could be put away quickly and did not take up a lot of room. After a bit of consideration, we settled on the... [more]- Workout Mats
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May 9,2012- Keyboard-size Folio: M-Edge... |
Our post last month on using the Apple wireless keyboard with the iPad brought in both comments and questions from readers. Some were not convinced that carrying two cases was worth the effort. Others asked why bother with a case at all? Why not just toss the keyboard into a laptop bag? Surprisingly, quite a few wanted to know if there was a folio large enough to carry both.
Answers to the many of the questions are subjective, but we do have a comment regarding the last one. A few years ago we had looked at a leather folio from M-Edge which was designed to carry both the iPad and the Apple wireless keyboard. However, we had not planned on mentioning... [more]- Keyboard-size Folio: M-Edge
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May 8,2012- True Value: Swift Driver ... |
Just when we thought there couldn't possibly be anything new in the world of screwdriver technology, the Swift Driver from Master Mechanics showed up at the RainyDayMagazine office. The screwdriver is one of the most basic tools in the toolbox, and one of the most-often used. Because of its utility, the screwdriver has been a favorite item for those looking to create a "better mousetrap." There are at least two reasons for the pursuit: there are a lot of different types of screws, which implies the need for a lot of different screwdrivers; and the desire to improve the physical act of driving the screw. The first reason led to the development of interchangeable tips, the second to the development of various types of driving mechanisms, both electric and manual.
The Swift Driver is of the latter type. It is a ratchet-based manual screwdriver which uses a patent-pending dual-drive gearing technology. It is both faster and more precise than what's used by... [more]- True Value: Master Mechanic Swift Driver FirstLook
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May 7,2012- Hitting a Heavy Bag... |
Working out on a heavy bag is a great way to get exercise and relieve stress. Punching a bag may seem simple, and if you are in reasonable shape you can put some power behind a punch. However, if you do not have the proper punching mechanics, all that power will not be properly transferred to the target (ie: the bag). In fact, all that power may just end up breaking your wrist.
There are a few details involved in throwing an effective punch—stance, rotation, distance—but today we will focus on the point of contact. Start with making a fist. As per Bruce Lee one way to make a strong fist is to "...from an outspread position of your fingers and thumb, as in Photo A, roll your finger tips into your palm, as in Photos B and C. Then... [more] - Hitting a Heavy Bag
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May 3,2012- Heavy Bag... |
Working on a computer all day long and then watching TV in the evening are fairly sedentary activities, which, if practiced in immoderation, can lead to a fairly sedentary life. We at RainyDayMagazine have solved that potential/probable outcome by installing a heavy punching bag in the office for anyone interested in a quick workout whilst on duty. We've had the bag for a while (it is an Everlast commemorating the 1986 Olympics), but are not entirely certain when it came into our possession.
At 80 pounds, the bag is one of the heavier models. Hanging it securely required us to mount the hardware directly into the studs in the ceiling. Everlast has mounting hardware designed for hanging these types of bags, but we opted to roll our own with a few dollars of hooks and springs from... [more] - Heavy Bag In The Office
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May 2,2012- SEM in 3D... |
While 3D TV programming and movies have not caught on as widely as the studios have hoped (OK...not at all), 3D itself has always been popular in areas where having the third dimension is helpful in one way or another. One area in which depth information can impart significant insight is in science.
When we hacked our Superfocus glasses so we could see Anna Kournikova in 3D, we did not anticipate that they would also be perfect for looking at all of the really cool 3D science stuff available on the Web, stuff like... [more] - SEM in 3D
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May 1,2012- Gold Box Deals: Kindle Fire... |
We have been using the 7" Kindle Fire tablet for almost six months and have been very impressed with both the quality of the product and the overall experience. So when we saw that Amazon was having a Gold Box Sale on the tablet, we thought it would be a great way to let you know. At $140, it one of the best deals we have seen in quite a while. Yes, the tablets are refurbished, but if Amazon is selling them, you can be pretty sure they are as good as new.
If you want one, don't wait. There is only 17 hours left...or until they are all gone. BTW, RainyDayDeals is a new addition to RainyDayMagazine. Like the products we review, we will only bring you deals that we would go for ourselves. [Permalink] - Gold Box Deals: Kindle Fire
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