Foray Into Etsy

I’ve been playing with 3D printer for a about a year now and it’s been great! I’ve printed lots of cute trinkets, articulated dragons, Pokemon and all the other neat stuff you can download and just press PRINT. I think it’s a law for all new 3D printer owners to go through that phase. My real interest, however, is using CAD to design and functional things. These are designs that solve problems, fix broken things or improve stuff I have.

I created a 12″ piece of baseboard molding that matched a corner section that was damaged during a bathroom remodel.

There is a failure point on the Lotus Elise marker light where it clips into the body. Rather than replace the whole housing which are getting harder to find I created a clip that wrapped around the broken stub and used epoxy to attach it. 10 track days later and it is holding strong!

My Roomba couldn’t clear the threshold between the living room and the kitchen so I designed and printed a ramp to smooth the transition.

The latch on the passthrough from the cab to the back of my ambulance converted to an RV broke and the replacement was $150, so I created a new design that work great.

Too many others to list, but just examples of things that were fun to design and solved a problem. None of these items were of any use to anyone but me with a few exceptions. These exceptions are what drove me to open an Etsy shop. It is very low cost to do and I was curious if anyone would actual buy some of the items that I found useful.

I am somewhat obsessed with storage and everything having a proper place. Let’s not even start the trauma I go through when it’s time to replace a laptop bag. This need for organization is what lead to the shop name of A Spot for Everything. We’ll see if that name continues to fit as more items are added.

Items for far:

Trac-Com Intercom Hard Case
Viture One and Pro XR Glass’s Cable Organizer

(Also adding external links to your store and items helps with Google SEO)

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Desiccant Recharge

Oven: .5-2 hours at 250 degrees
Microwave: 10min on defrost

Desiccant Label

This is the item I use: https://amzn.to/3xgGh8H

Noting this so I can throw away the empty container.

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Bambu Lab Spool Weights

Weight of the spools I’m using so I can calculate remaining filament and hopefully not run out in the last 5% of a print.

ComponentDescriptionWeight
Bambu Lab White SpoolBambu Lab White Empty Spool~210g
Bambu Lab Transparent SpoolBambu Lab Transparent Empty Spool~219g
Cardboard CoreCardboard Spool Core or Spool Adapter~37g
Filament HoldersFilament Clips~1g each

For the white spool with clips subtract 251g from the weight to get the remaining filament.

For the transparent spool with clips subtract 264g from the weight to get the remaining filament.

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TEIN EnduraPro Plus Strut VBS84-11746

TL;DR Summary

Part # on StrutPart # to Order
VBS84-11746-RVSS84-B1MS2-R
VBS84-11746-LVSS84-B1MS2-L

Whole Story

I started replacing damaged suspension parts and the front left side strut was aftermarket. The undamaged one on the right was labeled TEIN EnduraPro Plus VBS84-11746-R. Easy enough I’ll order part # VBS84-11746-L and be on my way…Nope. VBS84-11746 doesn’t exist on the TEIN web site and Google didn’t come up with a single reference to it.

This seemed odd so I emailed TEIN support saying a needed the left where VBS84-11746-R was on the right. After a few days they responded that I should contact an authorized TEIN dealer and order part # VBS84-11746-L. So I did and the dealer contacted TEIN and placed the order.

I week later I get a message that the strut is in and I drive 30min to pick it up. They hand me a box labeled part # VSS84-B1MS2-L. After letting them know it’s the wrong part number which they confirmed they called the TEIN. TEIN said open the box and the strut will be labeled VBS84-11746-L and sure enough it was.

No idea why the part itself is labeled differently from the web site and their packaging but there you go. If your strut is labeled VBS84-11746-(R|L) then you need to order part # VSS84-B1MS2-(R|L).

Hope this saves someone the time I spend chasing the right part.

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2013 WRX Track Build

Totaled 2013 WRX

A friend and I purchased at auction his 2013 Subaru Impreza WRX that insurance totaled after he was t-boned at the front driver’s side wheel. He had already done significant modifications of a built engine, 6-speed STI transmission and a bunch of STI suspension and brake components.

The Plan (in Stages)

  1. Make mobile and water tight (to get it off the lift and out of the garage)
    • Replace wheel, strut, door, other stuff?
  2. Maryland Inspection (one time before we start the conversion)
    • Fender, other stuff?
  3. Track Ready for High Performance Drivers Ed
    • Shake out suspension issues from accident
    • Brake pads, rotors and high temp fluid
  4. Dedicated track car
    • Determine race series to build for
    • Remove interior
    • Roll cage
    • Race seat/harness

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Attempts at B&W

First attempt a photography and photo editing.  Not really a hobby for me, I just want to create a couple of large format prints from Catonsville for my house.

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Jeep Links / Diagrams

Links I want to keep handy:

For bypassing the ECU:

Starter Wiring (I apologize for not knowing the source!)

Round Headlight Conversion (yeah, yeah, I’m terrible)

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New Project 1987 Jeep Wrangler (YJ)

New project vehicle, body and frame are in great shape from the prior owner’s restoration. Looks like it was a fuel injected 4-cylinder swapped to a 1983 6-cylinder carb motor as best I can tell. It isn’t currently running (no spark), but I brought it assuming it would need a motor and hoping it doesn’t. Prior owner (body shop owner) says it was running before he took it off the road for a few years for the restoration, but I’m suspicious about that claim.

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Life Hack: Lost Credit Cards

This isn’t about financial management, just organization for when you lose your wallet. I carry a pretty minimal wallet; a little cash for tipping, 2 credit cards for personal and business expenses, driver’s licenses and medical insurance card.

Recently I lost my wallet, ugh! What now?

  • Locking and replacing the credit cards took all of 5 minutes on the bank web sites, new cards to arrive in 2 days
  • Print a new insurance card from the company’s web site
  • Driver’s licence could have been done online, but my picture was too old so I standing in line at Motor Vehicles

The biggest nuisance was one I realized could have been entirely avoided! Tracking down all of the recurring charges that drew from the lost credit cards and pointing them to a different one before charges started getting declined.

Finding the monthly charges wasn’t too terrible, just skim through the last month’s credit card statements, find the charges, log on to each vendor website and setup a new card. Cell phone, internet, car insurance, utilities and any other monthly subscriptions. The bigger head ache was trying to figure out those non-monthly charges. I think I got them all, we’ll see over the next year!

The solution? Get a credit card and dedicate it to those recurring charges…and then never carry it with you. If you can, set it up for automatic payment and put it away. Now if you happen to lose your wallet (again) it’s still a pain, but what I found to be the worst part is now a non-issue.

If I’m stating the obvious you can hate me in the comments, but I wanted to share what was a forehead slapping moment for me.

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Pool Closing Instructions

Pool Filter System
This is for my old Sylvan pool yours likely differs.

  1. Balance and 2x Shock Pool (and Algaecide if it isn’t in the shock)
  2. Lower water below skimmer and inlets
  3. Pressurize with compressor at pump (25psi).  1/4″ compressor fitting into pump drain opening.
  4. Close valve on suction side
  5. Clear pressure side (after pump side)
    1. Cap shallow end inlet (doesn’t really match which)
    2. Once one deep end  inlet blows only air uncap the shallow end and cap the deepend
    3. Once shallow end  inlet only blows air detach compressor and cap it.
    4. Now the pressure side is capped shut
    5. To clear the inlet it helps to cover the inlet with the cap for a few seconds to let pressure build and remove to blow out water.  Repeat until only air comes out.
  6. Clear deep end suction side
    1. Set the suction side valve to close the deep end
    2. Attach compressor
    3. Once skimmer blows air in deep end cap it
    4. When main drain bubbles turn valve to shallow end
    5. Deep end main drain is air locked
  7. Clear shallow end suction side (before pump)
    1. Once skimmer blows air cap it
    2. When main drain bubbles turn valve to shallow end and detach compressor at the same time
    3. Deep end main drain is air locked
    4. Close suction side valve and open filter side valve
  8. Cover pool
  9. Drain pump
    1. Remove compressor fitting and remaining drain plug
    2. Store plugs in pump basket
  10. Drain and clean filter
    1. Remove DE filter panels and clean
    2. Clean DE left in bottom
    3. Store regulator in a place it won’t freeze
    4. Leave relief vale open
  11. Drain heater (leave connections loose)
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