Recent comments in /f/BuyItForLife

brielem t1_iyulie5 wrote

Reply to Looking for a pair of good walkie talkies by -DePaul-

Not sure about the US, but here in Europe you need a licence for any radio equipment that emits more than half a watt. With less than that, you're not going to cover that distance for sure. And even if you don't need a license, it's unlikely that mobile devices are going to form a reliable connection over such distance in a large city. Usually to get those types of coverage, relays on the tall buildings in between are required.

Most logical and reliable option to me seems some kind of Push-to-talk over Cellular (POC) solution. You have mobile radios (walkie talkies) that have them but they would require a subscription for their cellular connection. There are also phone apps that offer this functionality, and I suppose you already have a cellular subscription for your phone. I'd try that.

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icysandstone OP t1_iytqpsu wrote

Reply to comment by frogdujour in Help me buy my first snow blower! What am I going to regret in 2 months? by icysandstone

This is really great information, I appreciate your thoughtful reply.

Good call on the ethanol... I've rebuilt carburetors before, and it's not a task I particularly enjoy doing.

And thanks for the time estimates! It really gives me a sense of what to expect. So much of this is being a rookie. After two good snowfalls, I'm sure everything makes much more sense. :)

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rpmerf t1_iytp3lq wrote

Reply to comment by tflynn09 in Help me buy my first snow blower! What am I going to regret in 2 months? by icysandstone

A couple years back, I got an old Craftsman snowblower off Craigslist for $250. Forget the exact stats. It's from the mid 90s, 8hp, electric start, 26" wide, 24" tall. Fired up on the first pull. Bought it in November while it was still warm outside. Fixed a handful of small stuff on it, lubed up every joint, tossed some paint on the rust spots. Runs great.

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frogdujour t1_iyto7dy wrote

Reply to Help me buy my first snow blower! What am I going to regret in 2 months? by icysandstone

You can still do well with a used unit sold as fully refurbished, for waaay less than a new one.

A number of years ago I made the switch to a snowblower from hours of shoveling, but started inexpensively with a used refurbished unit advertised from a motor repair shop - $200 for a 24" Simplicity 2-stage, 8hp I think, with electric start (highly recommend!), probably late 90s vintage.

Well, it's about 7-8 years on, and it has worked flawlessly every season with plenty of use (upper midwest), starts right up every time, and I haven't had to do anything to it since I got it. I have about ~2000sqft to clear. A "little" snowfall of 2-4 inches I can do in 15-20min, a 12" snowfall maybe an hour, going at the slowest speed. For your place maybe a 28" would be optimal for weight and ease of maneuvering it around vs cleaning speed.

You don't necessarily need to drop $2k+ on something brand new, unless your budget makes it not an issue of course.

Edit: one more note... I start mine once about every 1-2 months in the off season, and let it run a few minutes till it gets hot. I run it dry at the end of winter, and then to start it in summer, I just add a very tiny bit of gas, and run it dry again. Best to not let ethanol fuel sit in the carb for months, or it WILL gum up and corrode things.

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diab0lus t1_iytm40b wrote

Reply to Womens Cold Weather Leggings with a pocket by splitsleeve

I’m actually in the market for these as well and I’m just starting my search. So far, I’ve found these a Duluth Trading (in no particular order):

There are a few others on the site that are made from the same materials, but different cuts, and there are some that are similar but not as well-suited for colder weather.

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nozelt t1_iytk5lc wrote

Reply to Help me buy my first snow blower! What am I going to regret in 2 months? by icysandstone

My dad just spent about an hour bragging about his Honda snowblower that no one else in town could get their hands on. Old ones sell within the hour they’re posted and for thousands still.

Tbh I don’t know much about it but my dad definitely does and he would laugh out loud at your question. I live in Alaska and used the Honda one he was bragging about recently and it was pretty sweet. If it’s not going to destroy your finances, I know he would recommend it.

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