Re: [BlindHandyMan] home owner insurance
Hi Jen, Another question I have is if you own or rent the house you currently live in. If you own, is it paid off, and if so, what's the likelihood that you can obtain a renovation loan, or possibly go through HUD, Fanny May or Freddy Mac to see if you qualify for a disbursement. From what Claudia has told me, it seems that HUD has quite a line up for such benefits, so you may have to go without insurance for a few months while the process gets approved, but usually that isn't a problem unless you go more than a few years without insurance. The other question I have is why was there a claim for flooding twice in the last year? Were these two problems related, or were they dealing with two separate issues that may have been foreseen? Not accusing or anything, I'm just curious is all. If we can be of any other help, don't hesitate to ask. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Using Gas Grill!
Hi Claudia, One thing I would recommend is making sure that the grill surface are not the open grill type, meaning it isn't just bars going from one end of the barbeque to the other. There are grills you can purchase that are almost solid, but still have the spaces between the raised parts of the surface, just not as open. I've always had trouble with those because my food will invariably always fall inside, and so I have to life the grill surface, then word my hand in to get what I dropped out, and believe me, it's not as easy to just fish something out of a hot barbeque with the fire raging. LOL. Anyway, I'm sorry if I'm not explaining it right, I really don't know exactly what to call the type of surface. Good luck. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Beware of that noisy hybrid car
Well, they could always use the classic playing card in the spokes thing we used to do on our bicycles when we were kids. Smile. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] the podcasts are awesome.
You can also, instead of entering on the links, tab to them, then press your applications key, which is the first key to the left of your right control key, and arrow down to Save Target As... Press enter on it, and a save as dialog box will pop up asking you where to save the file. If it has a dot MP3 extension, then you're ok. If it has anything other than that, then you'll have to go into the archives to get them, and I'm not familiar where ACB keeps their archives these days on their site. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] My Oreck Upright has Died!
Hi Claudia, There are much better alternatives to what you currently have, and for a lot cheaper than 500 dollars. In any case, what the other person said is true, there may be a reset switch that simply needs to be...well...Reset, for lack of a better term. LOL. This can usually be found near the bottom of the vacuum, where the brush is, and usually on top. Alternatively, you can give the company a call, talk to their tech support, and they can possibly let you know where the reset button is. In most cases, this will usually solve any problems that would cause the vacuum to stop working. If the reset button does not seem to be the problem, your next best solution is to fix the one you have. If a replacement is going to cost you 500 dollars or more, then you're probably better off shipping the vacuum to a repair center near you, if it isn't close by, that is, and have it repaired that way. They usually come back good as new, if not better, and you would only pay a fraction of the cost of a new one anyway. Lastly, if the repair is not a feasible solution for you, you might consider looking online for a better solution, or generating some ideas from list members on various lists where this is an acceptable topic, and find out what people are using. The model or company that gets mentioned most often would be the one you would go with. My wife and I have used a Panasonic canister vacuum for over 10 years now, and it still sucks as well as it did the day we first purchased it. It is, as I said a canister vacuum, with a hose, a bare floor and carpet attachment, as well as a stair attachment which is comprised of a smaller version of the carpet attachment with a brush that spins. It's great for stairs and furnishings, especially if you have pets like cats or dogs. This particular set up only cost my wife and I 199.99 plus tax at sears, and, as I said, it lasted us over 10 years. You do not have to go with the highest priced vacuums to get quality from a vacuum. Just food for thought. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Considering building my own apple drier or dehydrator
I've heard that dehydrators tend to use quite a bit of electricity, and while the dehydration process might be faster and easier, the savings on the electrical bill would more than offset the ease of it all. Mind you, this information was gotten based on the old Popiel dehydrators, so it may be out of date. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Putting in a basement floor
Hi Tom, Since you're only going to be using the area for storage, have you considered paving stones? Granted, you'll have a bit of a workout lugging the various bags of fine sand down there, and carrying the paving stones down there, but the advantage is that there would be plenty of drainage through the stones themselves, and, if you wanted to, you can cover it up later on with three quarter inch plywood, and/or lumber, and place other flooring down there, such as parquet flooring, laminate tiling, or any other type of tiling. You would have to use a tamper machine to tamp down the sand, and to wedge the fine sand in between the paving stones, but again, it would be easier to do than concrete, and the best part is, if you've got pretty good depth perception, it's completely doable by a blind man. Just thinking out loud. Smile. Victor
[BlindHandyMan] Carving the Pig
Hi Dan, Another option that came to mind is maybe cutting it with an angle grinder? I figure, it'll take some time to do it, but maybe coordinate it with your wife so she's at the park with the little baby, that way she won't have to deal with the noise because I'm guessing you haven't made your basement sound proof yet. Anyway, if you take it slow and easy, you should be able to cut right through that thing. True, it'll take some grinding wheels to do it, but I think it's possible to do it. Anyway, just a thought, after all, we pigs have to stick together. Smile. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] purchasing a new washing machine!
Hi Bill, I believe that LG makes a model or two that actually have speech built into them. So you might want to give them a call to see who is currently carrying the speech output models. You might also want to try Sears models, such as Kenmore, Whirlpool and or Sears brand washing machines. I've been told, and have actually confirmed this, that Sears, and the manufacturer have developed Braille overlays for the flat panel and knob models, so a blind person will have the Braille to use with the various controls. The overlays are free of charge, and available upon request when you can Sears customer service and/or the manufacturer. I would personally start by contacting the manufacturer to find out which models actually come wit the Braille overlays, or you may want to do a Google search with the search term of appliances Braille overlays sears and see what that turns up. Hope this helps. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] purchasing a new washing machine!
Hi Betsy, Thanks for setting me straight. Smile. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] purchasing a new washing machine!
Tom, we have the same model. Does yours come with a built in head swatter? I was kind of lucky in that regard, in that the head swatter on mine works all the time, and especially when the white laundry is mixed in with the coloured. I've argued with my washer over and over again, that's just racist, but the darn thing won't have any of it. Mine was made in the Philippines, where most of the stuff is. I hear it's cheap labour over there, and no television, hence the sheer number of them coming into the country. LOL. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] hello need some questions ansers regarding a car hope this is not off topic
Hello Julio, If you do a Google search on the 1996 Geo Metro, you'll get quite a number of hits on your specific car. It seems to be the consensus that the car has transmission problems after 65000 kilometers or miles, don't recall which one, and is very noisy on the highway. It's not made for long trips, however, most of the reviews I found say that the car is great on city roads. In addition, you'll get problems with the brakes ABS system, sticky window gaskets, making it hard to roll down the windows, there seems to be problems with the door locks, and there have been some issues of non-starting in cold weather, but I think if you take good care of it, meaning have it serviced and tuned up every change of weather, I doubt this will be a problem. In any case, like I said, do a Google search on the car, and you'll be able to find what it is you're looking for. Hope this helps. Victor Send any questions regarding list management to: blindhandyman-ow...@yahoogroups.com To listen to the show archives go to link http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemasterPAGE_user_op=view_pagePAGE_id=33MMN_position=47:29 Or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following address: http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/ Visit the archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the following address for more information: http://www.jaws-users.com/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: blindhandyman-h...@yahoogroups.comyahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: blindhandyman-dig...@yahoogroups.com blindhandyman-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: blindhandyman-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Re: [BlindHandyMan] digital recorders
Hi Lenny, Dan misspoke when he cited the new Olympus recorders as being the DM-4 and the DM-5, the recorders are actually called the DM-2 and the DM-4, for the 4 gig and 8 gig models respectively. This particular recorder has several advantages from it's predecessors, namely the DS line of recorders and the DM-420 and 520. Dan mentioned a couple of them, those being the Text to speech capabilities and the DAISY capabilities, but some other great things about the new DM-2 and 4 are as follows: Media card slot for Micro-SD cards, up to 16 gigabytes, Recorders in PCM, also know as Wave format, MP3 format, and WMA format, as opposed to the 420, which only does MP3 and WMA recording, and the DS line of recorders which only record in WMA format. Over 20 hours of battery usage with the lithium ion battery, as opposed to it's predecessors, which used on Nickel Metal Hydride batteries. There is also the recorder's ability to edit files right on the recorder, *Wave format only*, and a file move option to allow you to manage the files within the folder structure of the recorder, up to 200 folders for each of the pre-loaded folders, A through E. Of course, there are other features that the new DM-4 and DM-2 have, some useful to the average blind person, and some not so useful, although the large display and large screen fonts allow for medium to high partials to use the recorder without the voice guidance/text to speech. Having said that, and, in case you are wondering, yes, I do sell them. The anticipated retail price for the DM4 is between 315 and 350 dollars, Canadian, dealers may sell for less, and between 250 and 295 for the DM-2 Canadian, again, dealers may sell for less. The anticipated release of the recorders is in June, although I am hoping to get an advanced demo for the CNIB Technology Conference this year, to demonstrate, which I'm hoping to record and post to everyone. In any case, I've placed some links to the DM-4 and DM--2 below, so have a look at the features and specifications, and decide for yourself. I should also note that the DM-520 and DM-420 are not as capable as the new 4 and 2, however, they are, in their own ways, very exceptional recorders, as I own each of the models, from the DS 61 to the DM-520, and now the DM4. It's just that if you're looking for accessibility, more than the previous recorders have offered, than the wait is well worth it, and the price is the same, possibly a few dollars less if you decide to go with the 520 and 420 models, but again, you're trading off the accessibility you would get with the DM4 and 2. So, you can read more at the below links: Olympus DM-4 Model Page: http://www.olympuscanada.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1508 Olympus DM-2 Model Page: http://www.olympuscanada.com/cpg_section/product.asp?product=1507 Hope this helps, and if you have any further questions, feel free to contact me on or off-list at: victor.gouv...@rogers.com Take care. Victor Send any questions regarding list management to: blindhandyman-ow...@yahoogroups.com To listen to the show archives go to link http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemasterPAGE_user_op=view_pagePAGE_id=33MMN_position=47:29 Or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following address: http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/ Visit the archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the following address for more information: http://www.jaws-users.com/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: blindhandyman-h...@yahoogroups.comyahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: blindhandyman-dig...@yahoogroups.com blindhandyman-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: blindhandyman-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Recall: Gerber Legendary Blades: Machetes Due to Laceration Hazard
Hi Guys, This isn't so far fetched. One must consider what the machete is primarily used for, that being the cutting and chopping up of vegetation and plant life that is undoubtedly going to get moist and soaked with dew, rain and other sap and gunk that would make your hands very slippery, and if a person who's been doing this all day, or even for an hour or two was to encounter a large enough limb to cut, the obvious way to cut that limb is with a sawing motion. Now, if the blade is sharp enough, one should have no trouble slicing into it, however, if the blade is just the slightest bit dull, or serrated, then the blade could very well catch, and, with no guard where the blade meets the hilt, a hand could very well slide forward, and if the edge of the blade is flush with the handle and hilt, there would be nothing to stop the hand from sliding forward, and, like Dale said, cut fingers, tendons, and other sinewy flesh that would cause you to lose your fingers, and/or function in your fingers/hands. Victor
[BlindHandyMan] Labelling Tips
Hi Everyone, I'm labeling a whole bunch of stuff here in the house, and it seems that the daimo tape isn't sticking. I've completely cleaned the surfaces well, and wiped them down with alcohol, but the labels are coming off faster than you can say hot knife through butter. Anyone have any tips they can pass along that will help me get this stuff stuck on well, and that won't come off? I'm literally at my tapes end, so to speak. Just to name a few things I'm labeling are the flat panel on the microwave, my fax machine, which I'm going to try placing the labels on the buttons directly, as opposed to the sides of them as I did when I first tried to lable it, my washing machine, and my dryer. Again, I simply can't understand why the labels are coming off. It's not humid in my house, if anything it's extra dry in here, especially with the winter season and cold temperatures, and these appliances don't come in direct contact with water. I'm always making sure my hands are dry when I touch the labels, and not greasy or anything like that, so, again, I'm at a loss. Thanks all. Victor [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Labelling Tips
Dan, I've said it before, and I'll say it again, you are one big smartass!!! I think that's why I love you so much. LOL. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] electric snowblower
Hi Lenny, While this may not be in your neck of the woods, there's a store up here called Canadian Tire, which sells the snow blowers you're referring to. I'm not telling you this so you can come up here and buy one from them, I'm telling you this because their website is completely accessible, and, they have a good comment and feedback section on each of their products that are equal and unbiased. It' a rating system, and people rate their products and comment on them. One of the comments I saw in regards to electric snow blowers is that you shouldn't get anything under 12 amps, otherwise you risk not having enough power to clear what you want. I can't readily remember where it is you live, but judging from the snow fall you all have gotten down there in the last couple of months, a 6 amp blower won't do you at all. Either way, I would suggest you check out the site below, and check out the comment section for the blowers you're looking for, in addition to the specs for the products, and look for the one most similar to the one you're looking to buy, and see what others say about it. I mean, who would know more about clearing snow than Canadians, right? Smile. In any case, the website is below, and have fun looking. http://www.canadiantire.ca Hope this helps. Victor Send any questions regarding list management to: blindhandyman-ow...@yahoogroups.com To listen to the show archives go to link http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemasterPAGE_user_op=view_pagePAGE_id=33MMN_position=47:29 Or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following address: http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/ Visit the archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the following address for more information: http://www.jaws-users.com/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: blindhandyman-h...@yahoogroups.comyahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: blindhandyman-dig...@yahoogroups.com blindhandyman-fullfeatu...@yahoogroups.com * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: blindhandyman-unsubscr...@yahoogroups.com * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Great idea.
Only problem I see with this idea is the amount of water you'd generate, thereby flooding the path of least resistance. In other words, you'd go from walking in 10 feet of snow, to swimming in 10 feet of freezing water. Hmm, not much of a trade off. Better stick with your original plan, that of working from home, and enjoying Teresa and Sofia's company, nes pas, mon ami? Smile. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Changing a CD drive to a DVD.
Hi Max, Typically, there are usually four screws holding the drive in, less than that and you risk unbalancing the drive. Once you've unscrewed it, simply pull it out the front of the computer, making sure you unplug the connections in the back. Once unplugged and pulled out, just slide the other drive in, and plug it in. Once plugged it, align it with the front of the case, so it sits flush with the case, then screw one of the screws in tightly, to hold it in place while you screw in the other screws. You will need to remove both side panels, if it's one of those models, or remove the entire case to get at the screws. After that, it should be a simple process of booting up the computer, and following the found new hardware prompts. If the drive came with it's own drivers, it might be a good idea to use the drivers Windows has already on board, then install what ever drivers the drive came with. Also make sure to get any firmware updates from the manufacturer's website, otherwise you may find it doesn't work properly. Hope this helps. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Washing Machine Hose Problem
I do think that if you're going to place anything over the end of the output hose, that you will have to check and clear it every so often, because, if I'm not mistaken, lint and other particulate matter comes through that hose, along with the water. Just something to watch out for, lest you write into the list in a few months that your washer isn't draining as well as it used to. Smile. Victor
[BlindHandyMan] Speaking of Dealing With People
Ok folks, so I'm mourning the premature death of my snow blower, and in that mourning and grief, my wife and I decide we're going to buy another one. I found a great one at a Canadian big box store called Canadian Tire, who sell everything from toasters to brake pads, and have auto body shops. I have to admit that I do most of my shopping there, as the other big box store's sites aren't as accessible as Canadian Tire's. Suffice it to say, it was a nice puppy, with a 24 inch shoot, both electric and manual pull start, something I've been dying to get for my wife, in case I'm not around to start it up, and a bit more horsepower than we had the last time around. We had decided to check out the competition, as the Canadian Tire snow blower was selling theirs for around 499, and buying something that large and expensive, I didn't want to do it blindly. I know, some might say that I should, if only because they make their site so accessible, but the fact is, if I had money o'plenty, I'd be on their doorstep everyday patronizing their store, especially since their version was an MTD, a make I know to be very reliable. Regardless of the site and it's great navigations, we decided to check out the competition in the area. There really are only two places that are any sort of competition to Canadian Tire. One being Home Depot, whom I don't have to tell you is everywhere nowadays, and the Home Depot clone that is Rona. It might sound like I'm putting Rona down, but the fact is, they are my big box store of choice, even more so now, and I'll get to that explanation in a second, but they really are cheaper than Home Depot for a great many things. I should also point out that Rona used to be much smaller, until they merged with Lansing Build All, then became a serious threat to Home Depot's customer base. And now, with Lowe's making an appearance up there, I think Home Depot will seriously have to start thinking about their pricing scheme. So, we decide to stop at Rona, since it's on the way to Canadian Tire, and we head straight for the snow blower section. Well, just as I had suspected earlier that day, the minute people see snow flakes fall to the ground, it's a mad rush to the stores to get a snow blower, and today's snow fall was no exception. In fact, Rona was pretty much sold out of most of their snow blowers, and only had a few left over. All of them were around the 1000 mark, and pretty much clones of each other, and we were ready to walk out to head over to Home Depot, until we met the seasonal associate who was handling that section this afternoon. He started right in on the features of the particular one we were looking at, and the fact that it had both electrical and manual pull start options, and that it was a 28 inch shoot, as opposed to the one I was talking about, which was only 24 inches. He also pointed out that the one I wanted had less horsepower than the one I was looking at on the show room floor, as I had the print out of the model we wanted from Canadian Tire. Eventually, Punday advised that the best thing to do was to check out Canadian Tire's stock, and see what they had, and if I didn't like what they had, he was going to be there until 6:30, so we could come back. We were about to take him up on his offer to check out Canadian Tire, until a woman eavesdropping spoke up and said not to bother, as they had already sold out of snow blowers, and had nothing there to even look at, let alone buy, and apparently, Home Depot's selection was limited to snow blowers well worth 1500 and above, and that was much more than I wanted to spend. So, at this point, I told Punday that we had no choice, and we had to get something from Rona, but we weren't ready to shell out 1000 dollars for this one, not when my budget was only about 500, maybe 700 with taxes. Then he said something I never thought he would say. Keep in mind, I have always preferred the service at Rona, as they would invariably always speak to me, and not my wife, like I was a second class citizen, and whether this had anything to do with the class of sales men at the store, or the fact that my wife always said, ok Victor, here's the person, I'm going over there to do this or that, I don't know, but like I said, they've always spoken to me, and not her, like so many other's have experienced. Having said that, hearing what I heard today, just made me want to buy stock in Rona, if only for it's sales people. Punday didn't direct me to any lower priced blower, he didn't tell me that I had no choice but to buy the 1000 model and that was it. No folks, he stood there, and actually asked us, not my wife, he asked *us*, which one of you two will be doing the snow blowing, because it will depend on what model you will want to get. I stood there for what seemed like hours, although it might have been a few minutes, until finally saying, I don't care how much the damn thing is,
Re: [BlindHandyMan] homme entertainment center
Hi Max, I used to have a Cd of that sort, and it actually had brush bristles sticking out of the disc surface, at various places on the disc so it covered the entire lens at one point or another. There was always a cleaning solution that could be used with the CD, but I really never had to use it. Mind you, this was for a compact disc player, and not for DVD players, however, I would imagine that the process is the same for both, as both use lenses to operate. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Re: [T-P] Hamilton Beach Talking Microwave!
Hi Claudia, You should be able to use the Credit card statement as proof of purchase, and you should have received several e-mails as official receipts. I should also note that they cannot deny you the repair if the unit is still under warranty, that is against the law, so please call them on their bluff. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] How to Get Rid of Crickets - How to Get Rid of Stuff
Just need some clarification here. The person who wrote this article claimed that crickets can eat through walls. Uhm, I'm assuming they're talking about walls that are composed of siding? I doubt a cricket could do much damage on a wall made of brick. Granted, if the brick work has several punctures that have not been sealed, or if the mortise is heavily damaged or deteriorated, then I could understand them getting through there, or even crickets building nests in those places, but I just can't see them eating through it. Can anyone clarify this statement? Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List Send any questions regarding list management to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To listen to the show archives go to link http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemasterPAGE_user_op=view_pagePAGE_id=33MMN_position=47:29 Or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following address: http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/ Visit the archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the following address for more information: http://www.jaws-users.com/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Update on Our House!
Hi Claudia, I think you should contact the nearest FHA and HUD office to see what sort of benefits you're entitled to, as I know that there are programs you can access to help you with the funding of such major home renovations and repairs. I would also imagine that the state department has implemented additional programs through FHA and HUD to offer relief to home owners in the wake of the damage suffered to structures and the like because of the current weather woes. In any case, I think you should start at these offices, after you apply for the FEMA relief funding, or, maybe do it at the same time, so you can piggy back the funding if one fails so you're not left in the lurch. Good luck and I hope you get it worked out. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] tread mill incline
Dan, I didn't think it was possible for you to confuse me more, but it seems that you have. So was I right in my supposition of the arc? Can you effectively raise one end of the treadmill the 60 inches and have it hit a 90 degree angle at it's pinnacle? I don't think so, as the one end of the treadmill would act as the center of a circle, and the other end of the treadmill would effectively be travelling around the circumference of the circle, which would make it longer. That is why you can't calculate the circumference of a circle simply by calculating the length of the radius, you must bring Pi into the equation, otherwise you're calculation will be off. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] tread mill incline
Hi Dan, I beg to differ with you on there not being any arc. Think about a treadmill. You have two ends of a treadmill. One that stays stationary, in other words, in one position, and the second end, which is the end that will be moving up and down. If you raise the one end, and keep the other end in the same place, by raising the one end, you are essentially drawing a circle with the treadmill. I guess you can do the same thing with a string. If you hold one end of the string in each hand, keep the one hand in one place, and move the other hand around the stationary hand, you will be travelling in a circle, and so you will not be able to form any angles, except from the stationary position of the still hand. I understand that people want to create three angles out of this treadmill, but the fact is, you can only create one angle, and that is from the stationary end to the floor. Sure, you can create two more angles when the front end is lifted, but again, you are not creating a third angle to make a triangle, you are just making a slice of pie, not a triangle. I hope this makes what I'm saying a bit more clearer. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] tread mill incline
Hi Dan, Sufficiently beaten, thanks. Grins. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] tread mill incline
Hi Tom, I don't think your formula is true, in the sense that the 60 inches up it must travel is in an arc, therefore it won't be exactly a 100% angle, as 60 inches around an arc will not cause the 60 inch long platform to go up to a 90 degree angle. I may be wrong, but I don't think I am. What say you others on this? Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] modifying connect four
Hi Lenny, The standard connect four game looks like a grid containing so many columns and rows. Access to each row is through an opening at the top of the grid. The object of the game is to make a single line, horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, of four round coloured pieces of the same colour. There are two colours to work with, black and red, unless you get into the more fancy versions, in which case you could get ebony and ivory. Each person gets the same number of pieces, in other words, enough to fill the entire grid with pieces of both colours, and again, each person gets their turn to drop a piece in one of the slots at the top. The piece then falls down to the bottom where it rests waiting for the next person to drop their piece. You move accordingly to where your opponent drops his or her piece. Again, the object of the game is to obtain four pieces in a row of the same colour. So I would keep dropping pieces from the top, until I tricked my opponent into placing his piece down the wrong column to allow me to drop my piece to get four in a row. In other words, my friend, this is a glorified version of Tic, Tac, Toe, except on a grander scale. Smile. I have seen games fill up the entire grid, which is quite the feat, as there are quite a number of columns and rows on the vertical grid, but the higher you go on the grid, the harder it is to maintain any sense of coordination with your pieces. What stood out for me was that this version my friend spoke about was made with wooden rods stuck to the wooden flat board, and the pieces would fit on the rods. I will get a detailed description of it for you, and post it. Either way, this game brings back lots of memories of when I was younger. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List Send any questions regarding list management to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To listen to the show archives go to link http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemasterPAGE_user_op=view_pagePAGE_id=33MMN_position=47:29 Or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following address: http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/ Visit the archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the following address for more information: http://www.jaws-users.com/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Re: [BlindHandyMan] White Cane Question
I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned this or not, as I haven't been keeping up with this thread, but of the few messages I have read, I didn't seem to notice anyone talking about how to string up this animal. When I replaced my line in an old cane I had, I found I wasn't nearly as prepared to replace it myself as I thought I was. For one was the various knots in the line that must accompany the re-stringing. Secondly was the tension, and how much to utilize when re-stringing up a cane, as the wrong tension could, either make it too tight, or not tight enough to extend on it's own, so you're left with a limp stick, so to speak. Smile. Lastly was the threading of the string through the various lengths. I had to create a stringer out of an old wire hanger that was long enough to extend past the end of each section, and had a hook on one end, small enough to hook the string, but small enough to fit through the end of the section, as the openings on the end can get pretty small. If you have it, most blind rehabs will have someone on hand who knows how to string up these puppies, so I would really recommend you take it to that person. Unless you've got instructions on how to do it, including where exactly to place the knots and the like, in which case, go for it, but if you don't, then I would say don't. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] wheelchair ramp
Hi Robert, The required length is one foot for every inch of rise. So, if the height you have to rise is 39 inches, then your ramp has to be 39 feet long. I would assume that you would cut that in half, and create a 20 foot ramp, then place a landing half way down, and turn the ramp 180 degrees to come down the other 19 or so feet. Alternatively, you could ramp it down for 13 feet, turn it around for another 13 feet, and finish it off at the final 13 feet. Just keep in mind that the landings have to be wide enough that the wheelchair will be able to manoeuvre freely without getting caught, and that, at least, one hand rail follow the entire length of the ramp, save for the landings, although this may be different for your building codes down there. In any case, here are a few options for you. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Video Cable
Hi Larry, What kind of video cable is this? If it's just a feed from your cable supplier, then you shouldn't get very much signal degradation, however, you should know, that cable feeds operate just like water supply pipes, the more faucets you have turned on, the less water pressure you get from any one tap. The same goes for cable feed. The more televisions you have hooked up to that cable line, the more degradation you get in the feed. If you are only adding to an existing feed that already hooked up to your television, then it should be no problem, and there's shouldn't be any degradation in signal. As for the nail problem, have you considered a brad or staple gun that uses 9 millimetre staples or brads? An even better solution are the staplers that have the trigger reversed, and you can apply pressure to the front of the stapler, as opposed to the back, which causes the staple not to go in properly. In any case, I think this would be your best bet for holding down that cable. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Color me pink.
Dan, have you considered using a dolly or hand truck to lug those things up the stairs? I'm just thinking that it would take a lot less energy to lug it up using your arms, then your entire body. I remember when I had to cart fridges and stoves up stairs for some people, and remember thinking that it would have been so much easier to use the hand truck to lug the stuff up, then it did to carry it. Just a thought, in case you get those feelings of being a girlie man again. Grins. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Stair climbing handtrucks.
Hi Dan, Those treads on the back come in handy when you have to lay the truck down on it's back, and pull the truck up with ropes and such, which make for an easier climb up the stairs with what ever you are lifting. Having said that, I understand the problem you face with the bags falling over, but if you get a good truck with air wheels, that should minimize the bouncing effect, if you find that the stairs are uneven, but if that isn't a concern, the harder wheels would be the better bet, as they allow for better control of the truck as you're climbing, so you can compensate for the unbalancing effect of the bags. In any case, see if you can get straps to come along with the truck, that you can use to secure the load onto the truck. If you can't get it from the dealer, U-Haul sells a good set for a relatively cheap price. Come to think of it, you can probably get the truck at U-Haul, albeit, at a slightly inflated price, but I do know that they're good quality. I would also check with moving supply companies in your area, as they often have sales on trucks, as packages that would include a smaller dolly and straps. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Drilling Porcelin Tiles
Hi Guy, Your best bet is to score the point where you have to drill with a hammer and nail, hitting it just enough to gouge an indentation, and possibly remove some of the glaze off the tile to reduce sliding of the drill bit. I would also suggest you use a good quality bit, if you have the wherewithal, get yourself a diamond drill bit, that will make mince meat out of that porcelain tile, you'll find it goes much smoother. Oh, and I don't think I need to remind you not to use a hammer drill for this, and if you need to, make sure you turn off the hammer function. Smile. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Drilling Porcelin Tiles
I would also add that masonry bits will also do a good job, so you don't always need to get the diamond bits. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
[BlindHandyMan] Bicycle Repair 101 Questions
Hi Folks, We just got a hand me down mountain bike from one of my wife's patients. It's a mini mountain bike. The size is perfect for her, except that the seat needs to be lowered as low as it will go. Right now it's about six inches up from the frame, and it has to come down all the way. Now, before everyone floods my inbox with answers on how to do this, I just need to say that I know how to lower the seat, the problem is that it's rusted so much that it won't budge. I've tried pounding the seat down with my fist, tried a board with a hammer, and yet nothing. I've tried to widen the piece of metal clamping onto the seat bar, and it won't budge, but then again, that may be because I'm not using the proper set of tools. I remember my father having a pair of, well, anti-pliers, for lack of a better term, that would open out instead of in. In other words, instead of tightening around an object, it would let it go when you squeezed it. I've tried high and low to find a set like that, but to no avail, so I'm left to work with what I have. Can anyone suggest a way of loosening this seat so I can clean the rust off, do something to it so it won't rust anymore, and replace it back on the bike so it looks relatively new? Any ideas would be very much appreciated, by both me and my daughter, and remember, if this list fails to answer this question, you'll be disappointing a 6 year-old little girl. Smile. Naw folks, I'm just kidding, she doesn't even know I'm writing this letter. LOL. In any case, any suggestions are better than none. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[BlindHandyMan] Some Mortgage Assistance for People with Disabilities
Hi Folks, I receive a disability newsletter, and the newsletter featured an American company that offered a guide to purchasing a home for people with disabilities. There are three versions available on the site below, the first version is a flash movie version, along with an MP3 file of the guide, and the text version of the guide. It is pretty well informed, and covers the steps in the looking and purchasing of a home and special financial offerings for people with disabilities from state and federal governments. You can get this guide at the following link: http://www.mortgageloan.com/disabilities/ Maybe this would be the first step in getting that home we all want to be Blind Handy Men in. Smile. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Some Mortgage Assistance for People with Disabilities
Hi Folks, Apparently, the site I included in the previous posting leads you to a live search and all that stuff. I guess these people don't want the information to leak out. Suffice it to say, you'll have to accomplish the below steps to get to the guide: 1. type in the following address into your browser's address bar: http://www.mortgageloan.com 2. navigate to the search this site edit field at the very top of the page. 3. Enter the word disabilities in the search criteria and press enter. 4. arrow down to the first choice on the list, which will take you to the guide. I apologize for this, I just simply assumed that copying the address from the address bar would be sufficient to grab the address. They do give you the address as a link you can place on your web page, but there's this whole thing about a ref, and a title, and I haven't played basketball in a long time, so I just figured it would be easier to outline the steps than learn html code in one day. Smile. I have already downloaded the MP3 version of the guide, so if anyone wants me to send space it for them, just e-mail me off-list at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Just make sure you place the terms loan guide in the subject line, otherwise I'll delete you as spam. Sorry for all the confusion. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
[BlindHandyMan] Mortgage Loan for Persons with disabilities MP3 File
Hi Folks, It appears some people had trouble with the site, so I figured I'd post the MP3 file on send space for those who can't find it on their site, or who just are having problems getting there. The file is about 27 megabytes in size, and can be had at the following link: http://www.sendspace.com/file/yo6pkl Enjoy. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Mortgage Loan for Persons with disabilities MP3 File
Hi Claudia, I don't know why the site does some of the things it does. It would seem that the people responsible for this site are not keeping it up, however the site does say it's been updated recently, so I don't know what gives. I have e-mailed the webmaster to see if he knows what's going on. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Removing grout from cement
Hi Betsy, There is also an ice scraper you can purchase from any big box hardware store, like Lowes or Home Depot, called an edger. basically what it is is a long pole, looking like a long handled shovel, with a large five or six inch scraper made of steel on the end of it. These types of tools are generally used to slice off the edges of lawns and such, however the blade on the end of it is fairly sharp enough to use as a scraper. This way you don't have to stoop over or kneel down to use the hammer and chisel. You basically keep it at a 45 or 22 and 1/2 inch angle, and scrape forward. Either way, it would be in the garden section of those stores, and they're pretty cheap. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Removing grout from cement
Hi Dale, I did misspeak the scraper part of it. I use it to scrape ice off my driveway in the winter, which is why I referred to it as an ice scraper. Having said that, I did say that it would be located in the gardening department, and that it was used to edge lawns and the like. As this is located in the gardening center of Home Depot or Lowes, and since it's considered an edger, it would be sold in Hawaii, especially since there's a shit load of grass there, and I ain't talking the smokin' kind. Smile. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] cutting straight lines
Hi Bob, While I agree that the thin piece of metal wouldn't stand up to a circular saw blade, one could use the thin piece of metal as a straight line to run the circular saw fence along. One would simply need to off set the t-square to accommodate for the couple of inches required for the width of the saw fence, and there you have it. At no time would the blade actually make contact with the t-square, and you would get a straight line each and every time. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] cutting straight lines
Hi Scott, I bought a four foot T-square, made of steel, and it serves that same purpose, as a straight edge guide to cut material with. It makes for an excellent straight edge to score the work with also. The good thing is, as a cutting guide, and because it's made of steel, the saw would rather go through any wood, as it's softer to cut through than the steel, so it makes for an ideal cutting guide. I got the suggestion from Don Patterson on the Blind Handy Man Show. He was reading a letter I had sent into the show, and Don suggested the steel straight edge. Granted, I use old elbow grease to cut any wood I need to saw through, not a power tool, so I don't know how the straight edge would handle a power saw of some kind. In any case, I believe that the T-squares will go up to lengths of around five or six feet, depending on where you get it, but, once clamped to the stock that needs to be cut, it's a great tool. Even for cutting dry wall, and making sure you score it straight. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Zoom Text
Hi Lenny, I think that the phrase taken from the post you just sent about computer hardware being on topic is a bit of a grey area, since the hardware will invariably involve installing drivers and other software related to that hardware. Add to that the fact that we, as blind and visually impaired members of the community will require software designed to help us interact with that hardware and additional software would bring the ZoomText thread on-topic for this list. I guess we should have some type of clarification on this. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Replacing a roof
Hi, Just to add to what Dale has offered, in terms of shovels, there are roofing shovels you can buy that are squared off at the ends, however, they possess notches, similar to the notches found on claw hammers, that one can use to pull off shingles and nails alike. They are relatively the same price as the standard shovels, but with only that difference. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] 'replacement railings for a 3 hole pre cast stair setup
Hi Lee, You can get a variation on a theme, so to speak, from Lowes or Home Depot. They are basically strong aluminum railings that fasten onto existing concrete steps by the use of concrete screws. I installed a set on my front steps and they are every bit as sturdy as the rot iron ones. They're also easy to assemble, as they only use screws to assemble. You can order them to the length you want, taking into consideration the length of the rise, any landings you want to encircle, and any corner joints you wish to add to it. They're very cheap in cost, and, as I said, very easy to install, assuming you've got a good hammer drill. Smile. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] 'replacement railings for a 3 hole pre cast stair setup
Hi Larry, No reason whatsoever. The fact that the screws are made for both, concrete and wood make it an easier job when fastening it to a wooden structure. I do believe they can be switched to carriage bolts if you're not too sure about it's safety, but seeing how it's stood the test of time with weather and stuff these last few months, I see that they're pretty hard weathered and long lasting. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] 'replacement railings for a 3 hole pre cast stair setup
Hi Rob, If you're thinking of using these types of railings that I referred to, you really don't have to calculate anything short of the distance between the end post and the top post. Since the bars between posts are all the same length, it's fairly simple to just measure out the distance you need to go between the post, then buying what you need to assemble it. I should also note that the cross bar will adjust to any slope, as the ends of the crossbar is hinged, so you can swivel it up and down to adjust for the degree of slope you need. I think this is great, especially if you're dealing with some uneven steps, as is the case on most older homes. Since I was pouring new concrete steps in the front, I was able to slope it just right, but aside from that, no muss, no fuss. You might want to check with Lowes and Home Depot and see if they can advise you on how to measure it. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] home depo contractor services.
Hi Angel, I have used their services and have found them to be pretty good in the contractor department. A secret the person told me was that the contractor has to do a good job, as their position is on the line. You see, if they don't do a good job, it's Home Depot who has to foot the bill for repairing it, and then the job isn't worth doing. Even if you come back to them and say you don't like the colour on a paint job, they will try to accommodate you on the follow up job. It's their customer service policy, as the company can't afford the bad press. In any case, they are pretty good at doing the job, and really professional. The only down side is that you don't know how much the job is going to cost until after you've shelled out the 45 or so dollars for the estimate cost, although they don't call it that, as that would be illegal in most states, as most consumer protection laws say you can't charge for giving an estimate, and if you do, you must give the cost up front. In any case, they call it a measurement cost. In other words, you're paying for some guy to come out and measure the job out so they can give you a proper quote on the job. If, and, only if, you agree to go with the price, they will discount the measuring cost from the original price, but if you think the job is too outlandish, you lose the measuring money. One thing I would recommend is that you get a couple of quotes. Don't just get a quote from Home Depot, get one from Lowes also, and from a private contractor. One thing you will find is that the private contractor will always give you the cheaper price, as Lowes and Home Depot have to charge you retail prices, where as the contractor has connections to suppliers that will only charge him wholesale prices, allowing him to provide for a lesser quote. The biggest benefit to going with the big box stores is their reputation, and their assurances that the job will get done. With a contractor, you have to get references and the like, and there's always the time problem, as the contractor is small, and therefore has other projects on the go, so you never know how far in the pecking order you are. Either way, you should mention to the contractor that time is of the essence, and, for God sakes, get a contract with a clause mentioning what will happen if you're not happy with the job, warranty conditions, how long it will take to complete the project, and what happens if the job isn't completed in the time allotted. Oh, and don't forget to make sure there's a clause for what happens with unexpected working conditions, as they may tear up your floors, only to find that they have to completely remove the sub-floor and re-do it, something that will up the price completely. Hope this helps. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Gutter guard was Robotic vacuums
What does gutter guard have to do with robotic vacuums? Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] tools and electricity
Hi Robert, There are audible levels that will beep or sound if the level is out of balance, so that's how you know whether the the bubble is out of the center or not. As for the circuit breaker, you should be able to notice when the particular breaker has flipped or not, as it will be off from the center compared to the others. Most breakers are flipped to the center of the panel when in the on position, and so, when the breaker trips, it will trip to the left or right of center, which could give you some indication, upon feeling for the tripped breaker, which one is tripped. Another way I have found, is to press the breaker to the center of the panel. Breakers that have not tripped will not have too much give to them, whereas, breakers that have tripped will have a bit of give to them. Once you find that breaker with the give, slip it to the off position, then flip it back to the on position to reset it. If it trips again, I would say that you have a problem that should be checked by an electrician, or someone who knows what they're doing with electricity. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Re: microwave fixable?
Hi Jennifer, Look for a panel, usually held to the microwave by a single screw, possibly two, either on the outside, closest to the controls, or, inside. Either way, this panel will screw up and provide you access to the microwave fuse to facilitate easy removal and replacement of the fuse when it blows. Worse case scenario, you'll have to remove the entire housing cover, which, obviously, has more screws involved, but still easy nonetheless. Remember to unplug the thing, as you can get a nasty surprise if you touch anywhere within that microwave where current flows, I know, I've done it. Smile. Look for a cylindrical object, about an inch long, and I guess you can describe it as a capital I. The ends will have metal caps to them, and the middle will be made of some type of clear substance, possibly glass, or fibre glass. This will be the fuse, and it's the only one in there, so pull it out, and, if you have the manual, take it and the fuse along with you to the hardware store, or where ever you intend on purchasing the microwave fuse from, and let them look for the fuse number so they can give you the right fuse. I can't remember whether you said your husband was sighted or not, but if he is, he can look up that information in the manual. If he's blind, like I said, unless you've got the manual in digital format, you'll have to take it along with you to the store. Once back with the new fuse, it really doesn't matter which end is up with the fuse, you just snap it into place, place and screw the cover back on, and plug it in. If I'm not mistaken you should be able to see whether you've installed the fuse properly or not, as the microwave will not talk otherwise. Hope you get it fixed. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Cordless Phone Recommendations?
Hi Claudia, I guess it would depend on how much you wanted to spend and what type of features you were looking for in a phone aside from the answering machine. There is a couple of models that Panasonic makes that offers you talking caller I.D., however this talking caller I.D. isn't relegated to call waiting, meaning if you're on the phone and your second line goes, it won't tell you who's calling on the other line. Having said that, if the phone is charging on the cradle, it does tell you who is calling using a female voice. There are various models, and, I believe they all begin with the letter K in the model number. These phones are cordless models, and you can get them with as many handsets as you would like. Radio Shack currently has a sale on them, and each additional handset costs 20 dollars. You basically have the main unit sitting somewhere in the house, and the other handsets sitting anywhere else you want to place it, with only a little charger as it's base. Some come with large screens and some come with a digital answering machine. They will run you anywhere between 79 and 175 dollars U. S. depending on the model and the number of handsets you get. Obviously, I don't have to tell you that it comes with the one handset with the main unit, and some are sold as sets containing about three handsets in total. They are speaker phones, although the less expensive models may not be. In any case, hope this helps, and if you need more information, I can look up the model number, as I have the model manual I downloaded for a friend of mine who bought that model at Radio Shack in Cleveland. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] VOIP Phones
Hi Larry, there are a few considerations you may want to take into account when wanting to switch to VOIP phones. First and foremost is the 911 service it's attached to and whether it's registered. We had a death attributed directly to a VOIP phone not being registered with 911, and instead of the ambulance going to the proper address, it went clear across town, so you may want to check on this. Another concern is the fact that it's mainly electrically driven, meaning if the power goes out, or even just the cable that the high speed internet is connected to goes out, so does your phone service, so God forbid you ever get a fire or another emergency during one of those black outs, or cable outage. Lastly is the amount you're paying for high speed internet because if you're not getting the full service, meaning you're at the highest connection speed, you may have to upgrade to a higher speed connection, which will end up bumping up your price overall, not a very nice prospect. Of course, there's the other factor of having to buy additional handsets, additional services like call waiting and call answering services like voicemail, that sort of thing, as those will cost extra, unless you're going to be getting software that will handle all of that, and is it going to be accessible? Anyway, hope I've given you a few things to think about. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] I am back and have a sewer line problem.
Hi Jennifer, I understand what it's like when you need to do something but can't afford it. Not sure about where you live, but when a home in Toronto has issues of the type you're describing, and the owner can't afford to get it repaired, there are programs available, municipally, provincially or federally that assist the homeowner with the cost of these repairs. In some cases it might be a low interest loan or an all out grant, or even a combination of both. I would suggest you give the FHA a call, and see if they can help you with the cost of this, especially since it requires a major repair involving digging in or around your property. If that doesn't yield any results, try your state government for such things, and finally, your municipal or country offices may have programs which will allow you to take advantage of volunteer services for such repairs. Another option you could try is Habitat for Humanity, as they may have a program or two that might help with the cost or even the repair. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] CNIB launches web store.
Hi Lenny, Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but this is pretty much old news, as it's been around for about a year now, possibly more. They did away with their actual physical store, and have switched to a demo center that one can go and try before you buy type deal. Just thought I'd point that out. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] CNIB launches web store.
Hi Lenny, Yeah, you would think, huh? Tell the truth, as bad as they are, Maxiaids has more of a choice in terms of stock then the CNIB does, which is kind of stupid considering they're the only game in town. It's so stupid that everyone I know buys from the states. Places like Independent Living Aids, Maxiaids, and our very own Blind Mice Mart. Like I said, they're choices are very slim, and it's like they don't think us blinks have any business doing home improvements, as they don't sell the talking tape measures, talking or audible levels or stud finders, or anything like that. In fact, if you're looking to diet, you have to get your food scale, or even talking weight scale from somewhere else. Last I heard, you could only get talking food scales in Montreal, but that may have changed since last I looked for them. In any case, it's pitiful. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] CNIB launches web store.
Hi Cy, I believe I misspoke when I mentioned talking levels and stud finders. What I meant to say was simply audible stud finders and levels. Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression. I guess the CNIB draws out some strong emotion in me, which translates to my fingers. Victor Co-moderator Blind Movie Buffs List Guidedogs List
Re: [BlindHandyMan] are you sure you want to be a plumber?
Hi Shane, I do know that some on this list have done some plumbing successfully, even with the soldering involved. I would also think that because of compression fittings being available, soldering isn't always needed as much as before. Lastly, apprentices here in Canada earn quite a bit of money above minimum wage, and, in fact, earn about three or four times as much, and we're talking kids fresh out of high school. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Handy Tip for Grout Application
The only problem I see with this method is the amount of grout being pushed into the crevices, and it not applying a strong enough presence and seal against any spills that may occur from time to time. I thought the whole reason for applying grout in the first place was to create a seal between the tiles, and to give the tile more stability around the sides to prevent them from moving from side to side. Using a caulk gun would only place the grout in the gap, not fill it with enough pressure to completely fill any air pockets around the tile. I would also point out that grout is pretty thick, and pushing back that metal plunger on a caulk tube can be very difficult, and once refilled, would be a bit difficult to push on with that thick grout in there. Am I wrong here? Victor Gouveia
[BlindHandyMan] Attention all Tech Geeks
Hi Folks, While browsing around for the service manual for my laptop, I found a great site that seems to be pretty much accessible using Jaws, which is what I'm using, so I can't speak to other screen readers or magnifiers. Apparently, this site houses tons of free service manuals for a large number of electronics, computers and more, and it's all free for the download. I haven't completely gone through the site, so I'm not sure what registration entails, nor what advantages there are to it, but as soon as I know, I'll report back. If anyone decides to investigate on their own, I would appreciate them letting the list and I know what's involved and what advantages it brings. I should also point out that I did manage to locate the manual for my Toshiba Laptop Satellite A100, and, incredible as it might seem, the darn PDF is accessible, describing where the screws on it are, and how to get at them. The images are not accessible, but I would imagine that a person using a magnifier will be able to view them ok. Just so you know, the service manual covers the following models: *Toshiba Satellite A100 *Toshiba Satellite A100 Pro *Toshiba Satellite A105 *Toshiba Tecra A7 I have uploaded the zip file containing several RAR files up to send space, don't blame me, blame the original uploader, as he did it that way, and I have placed the link below the website address. Enjoy. Website Address: http://www.eserviceinfo.com/index.php?what=search2searchstring=Satellite+Pro+A100+%2F+A105+-+Tecra+A7 Download link for the ZIP file: http://www.sendspace.com/file/64nl60 Victor [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Question about a shopvac
Hi Matt, The shop vac does require a filter, which usually looks like an accordion style round tube that fits over the cage with the ball in it, otherwise the dust and sand will pop right out the exhaust hole on top of the unit. There are different types of filters you can buy, depending on the level of dust you are planning on sucking up. There's the normal one, but there's also a denser one for picking up find particulate matter like drywall dust and other fine stuff like that. You should get the one according to the type of stuff you'll pick up. Usually I would go with the fine particulate matter filter, as those can be used in most applications. Just remember that you have to clean that filter up once in a while, as it can get plugged up with too much dust. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Cell Phone
Hi Tom, There are several models you might want to go with, depending on what you are looking for in a cell phone. If you're not looking to pay an arm and a leg for cell phones, and aren't looking for major text to speech functions, there are the LG line of phones, most notably, the 5300 and the 8300, although the latter, from what I hear, is a bit more difficult to use. Both these phones come with speech built in, meaning you don't have to install any third party screen readers, and will perform the same functions your current phone provides. The menus provide speech to about 2 to 3 levels into the menus, but that's as far as it goes. You do not get speech to read incoming text messages or e-mail, but you do have speech when adding a contact and stuff like that. The next step up from that, is to go with a screen reader called Mobile Speaks. They have a list and range of cell phones that their product will install on, and for now, there are three types of cell phones on the market that this software will work with, those being the Symbiant series of cell phones, cell phones running the Windows Mobile operating system, and yet other cell phones classed as smart phones. A T T does offer a package that will have them install the software on the phone before it gets to your house, so you don't have to do anything, you just pick up the phone, possibly install the sim card and you can use your phone right out of the box. The next level up is a screen reader called Talks, made by the same people who make OmniPage Pro and the Real Speak voices for Jaws, Nuance. Talks will run you about 200 dollars, and I'm not sure if A T Y T will install it for you or not so you can use the phone right out of the box. Talks mainly runs on Symbiant series phones, and sounds exactly like Jaws, as they both use the same synthesizer, Eloquence. Both Mobile Speaks and Talks provide you full functionality with the phones, meaning you can edit and read the contact lists, you can send and receive text messages, even create single and multiple messages, you can create, send and read e-mail messages, most phones that will run talks have calendars and extra software that comes with the phone, like calculators and such, and both screen readers give you access to these applications, so, in essence, they give you complete accessibility to the cell phone. Both Mobile Speaks and Talks both also have a screen magnifier, which will enlarge the text on the phone giving you equal accessibility. I should note that all three of these options can be purchased with or without a contract, you're just looking at purchasing a more expensive phone for your buck. As always whether you buy these phones with a contract or not will heavily depend on how much you will pay for the phone and the software. For example, in most cases, the LG line of phones are free with a contract, and I do believe that certain phone companies do not lock their phones on their networks. Others do, which means that after the contract is over, and should you wish to take your phone with you to another provider, you will have to pay to have your phone unlocked, which can run you anywhere between 7 to 60 bucks. All three of the options above have their own e-mail lists where you can obtain help on how they work, and I can probably get you the subscription information on all three, just let me know which one you want and I'll go look for it. I should also let you know that A T T does have a disability department, which sometimes know what the heck they're talking about, depending on the agent you get, and I have included the number below. Hope this helps you. The number for A T T disability department is: 1-866-241-6568 Victor Gouveia
RE: [BlindHandyMan] Cell Phone
Hi Alan, The KNFB Reader is only available for certain models of the N82, as I understand it. I may be wrong though. Victor Gouveia Alan Terrie Robbins [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Tom The Nokia N-82 is a nice phone and if you like you can have the KNFB reader installed on it too Al -Original Message- From: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Tom Hodges Sent: Saturday, April 12, 2008 10:45 PM To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com Subject: [BlindHandyMan] Cell Phone Does anyone know of a good cell phone for the visually impaired. My current phone is a Sony Ericsson Z520a and is due to be replaced. What I like about is it has voice dailing (I just say the name and it dails the number that I've pre-programmed) and it also has a raised keypad so I can feel where the numbers are as opposed to a lot of new phones that have a smooth keypad and you can't feel the numbers. Can anyone recommend a new phone for me? I'm with ATT if that makes a difference. Thanks so much, Tom [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] To listen to the show archives go to link http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemasterPAGE_user_op=view_pagePAGE_id=33MMN_position=47:29 Or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following address: http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/ Visit the archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the following address for more information: http://www.jaws-users.com/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Groups Links [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[BlindHandyMan] Update on the Storm Door Handle
Hi Folks, We finally did it today, and managed to drive the screw driver straight into my wife's finger in the process. Smile. In any case, the suggestion to cut off the stem worked just fine, and now the door handle is opening and closing like a charm. Thanks to all who gave their suggestions. I guess the hardest part was trying to get the screws into that hollow area between the two pieces of the handle, so the screw would drive into the other part of the handle, but once my wife was done throwing pieces of cooking ware at me for trying to screw her finger, and I don't mean in the biblical way, she was able to find those holes with a bit of poking around. All said, my wife and I did a lot of screwing around, and believe me, none of it was pleasurable. God, I feel like Phil Parr. Evil Grin. Victor Gouveia [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
[BlindHandyMan] Regarding Storm Door Handles
Hi Folks, My wife and I are having a bit of trouble installing a handle for a storm door. For those not familiar with these handles, there are two parts to them. The first part, the exterior handle, has a button at the top, followed by an elongated handle that one would use to pull the door open. The button at the top depresses the latch, which frees the door to be opened. The inside part of the handle, is basically a lever, at a ninety degree angle to the handle, usually to the one side or the other, depending on which side your storm door opens up. When you press the lever forward, it releases the latch, which keeps the door closed via a two to three inch rounded flap that mounts to the door frame. When the door is closed, and the handles are left alone, there is a triangular latch, which catches on the long piece of rounded metal attached to the door frame, , that keeps the door from opening. This latch looks like if you placed your hands together, palms together, then opened out your fingers to the right. If you keep your fingers open, this is what the latch looks like. Sorry if I'm not explaining it right. In any case, aside from taking us eighty-five years to find the holes in the exterior part of the handle with the mounting screws, our problem is after we've found and screwed in the mounting screws. You see, as long as we keep the two sides of the handle loose, the handle works properly, in other words, you press the button on the outside of the door, or push the lever on the inside of the door, the latch releases the door, and we can open it just fine. The problem is when we go to tighten the screws, the latch pretty much freezes up on us. You can't press the button outside, nor push the lever inside. There is a latch lock, which is essentially a little flange, about two or three eighths of an inch wide, which is at the top of the inside lever, and this can be used to lock up the door so it can't be opened from the outside. Well, this locking mechanism is frozen, and it won't move from side to side like it's supposed to, however, if you loosen up the screws, the whole works function properly. I just don't get it. My wife is convinced that the hardware needs a spacer between the inside lever part, and the door proper, so there is some space between the two parts of the handle, but I'm afraid that the screws won't reach the other side of the handle if we place too much space between the two parts of the handle. I should also point out that as we screw in to tighten the screws, we can see, or should I say, I can feel the latch start to close with every turn of the screw driver. The more we tighten, the more the latch tightens. I have installed a number of these suckers, and have never had any trouble like this. I have also never had to place a spacer between the two parts of the handle, hence my confusion. Does anyone have any ideas? I've faced this problem with regular door knobs, and all it took was a turn of the inside pin, which then released the mechanism enough to allow the door knob to turn, but this handle won't allow me to do that. Any help on this would surely be appreciated. Victor Gouveia [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Regarding Storm Door Handles
Dale, you are an amazing man. I did notice those notches on the one side, but never thought to do that. It now occurs to me that is exactly what I should do. As ever, I am indebted to you. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Regarding Storm Door Handles
Thanks to all that responded. I will let everyone know how it goes tomorrow when I resume the attempt. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan]
Hi Tim, Good post here, definitely a keeper. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] What is That Furniture Called
Hi Tim, This one was even better. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] terms
Hi Tune Collector, In terms of a sedan, it is a car with four doors or more, likewise, a coupe has only two doors to it. Just for FYI, a hatchback is a car with two or four doors, but with a door that opens up in the rear of the car, either up, like a dove's wing, or out, like a regular door. Most mini-vans these days have an open dove's wing type door in the back, similar to a hatchback, just to give you an idea of what a hatchback door looks like. IN terms of a sofa, couch, settee and such, a lot depends on where you live. Each of those are types of couches you can buy. Just like a Chesterfield, or a lay-Z-Boy, it all has to do with the way they're made, and the country you live in. Some couches are available in various parts of the world, like a sofa is mainly European, and a settee is mainly French, and again, it has to do with the way they're made in those countries. That's not to say you can't get these in North America, you just end up paying through the nose to get them. I guess it's the price of being chic. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Central Vac System
Hi Dan, I can describe the one we use at work. First and foremost, as I said in my previous post, the wall outlet consists of a standard wall plate, with a two and a half inch hole in the center, topped by an electrical receptacle, with two holes to accept two nipple style prongs. The whole works is covered by a spring loaded flap, which swings down to cover the outlet when not in use. The flap also has a lip at the end, which is supposed to latch onto the back of the end of the hose that connects to the outlet, keeping it pretty stable from being yanked out of the wall. As I said previously, this can be a blessing and a curse. In terms of the hose, the one end that plugs into the outlet is fairly round, with a squared end that houses the two nipple style prongs that plug into the electrical receptacle. The nipples are at the top of the end of the hose, so you always know which end is up when you plug it in. That's basically that end, until you move about 50 feet down to the other end, which has a gun type handle, albeit a space age gun type handle, which encircles your hand. On top of the handle, right where the thumb can access it, there is the power switch that turns the system on and off, and which feeds the carpet attachment power. One flick of the switch, and you simply get suction. Two flicks of the switch forward, and you provide power to the carpet attachment. This is done for two reasons, primarily since you don't always just do carpets with the carpet attachment, and secondly, because there is a plain floor attachment that can be used with the unit, and is what we use here at work. Further down the handle, or, at the site where one would find the gun barrel, is exactly that, a gun barrel. Smile. The pipe if made of chrome, and is about an inch, to an inch and a half wide, and extends about three or four inches out of the handle. Recessed underneath and back to where the pipe protrudes out of the handle, are two nipple style prongs that will plug into the carpet attachment to provide electrical power to the unit. This is also the primary delivery source for any power that the attachments use. I can't rightly remember if the central vacuum is a wet/dry vacuum system, but it is powerful, nonetheless. Hope this describes it ok. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Central Vac System
Hi Larry, I'm not sure if you could set the main unit outside, as these puppies produce a large amount of noise, as you would imagine it would. The other side of the coin is that you want it close enough that it doesn't lose too much suction by having the unit too far away from the main ducting system. Just like a regular vacuum, if the hose is too long on the vacuum, you lose a great deal of suction power. I have seen units that are installed in garages, but the garages are typically attached to the main house. Central vacuum systems are also typically installed in or around the furnace or boiler room in the basement, which tends to dilute the noise somewhat. Either way, most places that install central vacuum systems provide quotes for such a retrofit, so you may want to enquire as to the price. Another question I would pose is what happens if they need to create access points in the walls to install such a unit, and whether they will refinish what they have damaged. You might also want to find out how they would deal with such a circumstance where the house is already finished. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Re: central vacuum system
Hi All, I work in a home with such a system, and I have found one important, but otherwise trivial problem that one might not look for. The outlets where you connect the vacuum hose. In the one house I work in, if you place repeated pressure on the outlet, meaning if you pull too much on the hose, since the hose has little give in terms of stretching capability, it can, and in my case, did pull out the outlet to the point where the wires were hanging out of the wall, and the outlet housing was stuck to the hose end. You might be wondering how and why the outlet came along with the hose end when it was pulled, and/or why the hose simply didn't come off the wall outlet when the hose was pulled. Well, the simple explanation is that the outlet looks like a pet door on a regular home door. It consists of a flap that covers the outlet when not in use. This flap has a lip that slides over the end of the hose when it is connected to the outlet, not allowing it to come off so easily. I guess this is done as a safety precaution, and as a feature, as those hoses would come off quite easily given the pressure with which you apply it when vacuuming. The owner has had to replace several outlets because of this, and, as you can imagine, it's not easy to do with wires connecting the outlet to the hose. Just something to think about in terms of future maintenance on such units. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Central Vac System
Hi Larry, Judging from what I've seen of other's installations,the vacuum ducts are housed in the walls, so I can't see you installing a central vacuum system without tearing out some walls, or, at least some sections of walls. You also have to think about the type of flooring you have, as this will decide the type of hose you are dealing with. If you have only bare flooring, that being tile, parquet or hardwood, the electrical need isn't as great, as you will not need an attachment with a beater bar attached for carpeting. If you do have carpeting scattered throughout the house, or completely covering the flooring, then you're looking at a more powerful unit. What this essentially means is that along with the ducting needed, you will also have to run wiring along that ducting to power the system, while being controlled by the hose nozzle. Again, depending on whether you'll be attaching a carpet attachment to that nozzle, will depend on what kind of electrical requirements you get. Also, the power required will depend on the amount of floor space you'll have to cover with the ducting and wiring. This will all have to be covered by the technician, as the bigger the floor coverage you're looking for, the more power required by the unit to produce the sucking power to travel 100 feet, if your house is that long, let's say, to the end of the house, if the unit is located at the opposite end of the house. In any case, I don't think you'll be looking at a weekend project, and I do believe this would involve a major retrofit. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] I'm About To Scream!!!
Now Pastor Donny, Doesn't God say, Patience is a virtue. Bless them father, and they shall heal. Just ribbin' you old fella' Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Toilet Leak Advice
Hi Rick, Did you remember to use Teflon tape on the threads connecting the line to the toilet? Just something that will sometimes escape me when I do things of that nature. Victor Gouveia To listen to the show archives go to link http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemasterPAGE_user_op=view_pagePAGE_id=33MMN_position=47:29 Or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following address: http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/ Visit the archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the following address for more information: http://www.jaws-users.com/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Re: [BlindHandyMan] acetone as an additive
I was just watching a program on the History channel, called Modern Marvels. This episode was entitled Fast Food Tech. Although they were talking about general fast food, they spoke about McDonalds, and how they are going green in this new age of environmental friendliness. They apparently recycle their cooking oil, and use it in their truck fleets, mixed in with their diesel. I forget the technical term for the diesel cooking oil mix, but I think they called it hybrid diesel, or something to that affect. Anyway, I thought it fascinating that they could mix cooking oil with diesel, and it apparently creates a cleaner burning fuel, and their trucks put out less pollutants then the regular semi-trucks. Interesting, to say the least. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Fw: Phone Filters!
Hi Claudia, The phone filters are to prevent extraneous noise from penetrating into the telephone conversations. If you don't place the filters on the line, when ever you use the telephone for anything, you may be subject to computer noises, or static on the line. While it does not happen in all instances, it does happen frequently. The ISP figures it's cheaper to just send out phone filters, instead of paying someone to answer customer support questions when they get this noise on the line. If you received the filter from your ISP, ask if they can provide extra ones for the other phones you have in the house, and if they can't, find out how much they'll charge you for them, as it may be cheaper going to them, and better quality of filter also. Mind you, this isn't always true, so be careful, and make sure to shop around. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] To idle, or not to idle
This brings up a very good question. I constantly warm up my wife's car, especially in the winter. According to this article, this is not a good thing to do. The problem I see is that if I don't warm up my wife's car, the kickback when the car goes from park to drive is pretty hard. At to that, the car actually stalls if it isn't warmed up by the time she switches gears. Granted, I've always driven domestic cars all my life, and this is the first import, being a Honda Accord from 86, but I have to wonder, am I doing what's best for the car by letting it warm up, or am I harming the engine like the article says. I mean, I'm not going out to spend money on a block heater, which will, not only up my energy bills, but I'll also have to install an exterior wall mounted plug just to plug the damn thing in. So car guys, how do I handle this puppy? As it seems to me, I'm damned if I do, and damned if I don't. Victor Gouveia
[BlindHandyMan] Flooding Engines
Hi All, Speaking of vapour locks and the like. One question I've always had, and still have to this day is, how the hell does one flood an engine if one pumps the gas too many times before starting it? I mean, doesn't the damn thing run on the stuff, and yet it won't start if you give it too much gas. Wonder if you car guys could explain what flooding the engine is, what it does, why it happens, how one can prevent doing it in the future, and what one can do if you have a flooded engine. In case anyone needs a car to base their instructions on how to start up a flooded engine, we can use my wife's car, a 1986 Honda Accord, four door four cylinder engine, automatic transmission, and no fuel injection. I'm asking this question for two reasons. 1. we actually have a car now that may get flooded at some point in the future, and this is a real concern for me. Granted, I have roadside assistance should we ever have major car trouble, but if there's a real bad storm out there, and the auto service isn't expected to get there for hours, it might be a good idea if, either I or my wife were able to start that car on our own. I'm also thinking about the fact that my wife is often on the road being that she's a nurse doing home visits all the time, and my daughter is always with her on a daily basis, going on shopping trips, going to daycare or school, or just going to church. The thought of my wife being out there alone scares me, and the thought of my wife and 5 year-old daughter being there with her, scares me even more. Any help would be appreciated. Victor Gouveia [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [BlindHandyMan] modifying a step stool
Hi Lenny, I think that any modification you make to that stool will only weaken it. Would you consider adding to it instead? Instead of trying to modify the stool, why not add an extra step to it, about half the height of the other step, making her take two steps instead of the one. If you wanted to, make it a fold-out type of step, so it can fold into the original step to keep it out of the way. I've seen this type of model out there, albeit without the handle and rail, but I don't see why it can't be done. Yes, in fact I can see it now, if you placed a couple of brackets on each side, with hinges, then add the other step in there, it might just work. Victor Gouveia
[BlindHandyMan] 30 Greatest Movie Cars
Hi All, I just watched a 2 hour special with audio description from England which detailed the 30 greatest movie cars of all time, as voted online by people in the U. K. I have written out the choices below, along with their rank in the show. In some cases, I simply listed the movie title, as there were too many cars in the movie to note, although I did mention one or two of the cars that were in the movie in a few instances. In any case, check out the rank and choices below, and it would be interesting to see what some of you think. Having had sight just under 6 years ago, I know each and everyone of these cars, as I have watched each and everyone of these movies they speak of with sight, so I had a chance to watch the cars they are talking about in action. I do have to say, I question some of the choices they made, especially the Mini-coops in the Italian Job, but hey, the Brits always had a quirky sense of humour, right? Anyway, without further ado, here are the 30 top movie cars of all time. 30. Vanishing Point - 1970 - Dodge Challenger 29. Grease 1978 - Grease Lightning 28. Ronin Peugeot 406 27. Pretty Woman Lotus Esprit 26. The Car - 1969 Mark 3 Lincoln 25. The Rock - Ferrari versus Hummer on the Streets of San Francisco 24. Ghostbusters 1959 Cadillac Ambulance 23. Triple X Starring Vin Diesel 22. American Graffiti 1956 White Ford Thunderbird and the 1932 Ford 21. The Fast and The Furious 20. The Living Daylights - Timothy Dalton - Aston Martin V8 with Skis and Rocket Booster 19. Stephen King's Christine - 1958 Dodge Fury 18. Ferris Beuller's Day Off - Ferrari 250 GT California Spider 17. Chitti Chitti Bang Bang 16. Thelma and Louise - Ford Thunderbird 15. Blues Brothers -Bluesmobile - 'Nuff Said!!! 14. Austen Powers: International Man of Mystery - The Shaguar 13. The Spy Who Loved Me - Lotus Esprit Submarine Car Driven by Roger Moore 12. Starsky and Hutch - Grand Torino 11. Mad Max - 1973 Ford Falcon XBGT Coupe Also Known As The Interceptor 10. Walt Disney's Herbie - Volkswagen Beetle 9. Cannonball Run - Lamborghini Countach Driven by Adrienne Barbeau in a leather jump suit...Can't say enough about it 8. Batman - 1989 Batmobile, as envisioned by Tim Burton 7. Smokey and the Bandit - Pontiac Firebird Trans-am 6. Too Fast Too Furious 1970 Dodge Charger with 426 Hemi and Honda S 2000 with Nitrous Oxide 5. The Italian Job - Mini-cooper S Driven by a then Michael Caine without a license at the time 4. Gone in 60 Seconds - Eleanor 1967 Ford Shelby Mustang GT 500 with 7 Litre Engine, 390 horsepower, 420 cubic Inch Engine and gun metal paint job 3. Goldfinger - 1965 Aston Martin DB5 with Ejector Seat...Bond: Ejector Seat?...You're Joking... Q: I never joke about my work double-O seven 2. Back to the Future - The Delorean Time Machine...Need I say More? And the number one Movie car to be voted on by people in the United Kingdom? 1. Bullit - Steve McQueen in a 1968 Ford Mustang Fastback, 390 GT Victor Gouveia [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Re: [BlindHandyMan] modifying a step stool
Hi Lenny, She may not have to bend to get at the stool. If you've ever been in a church pew, people usually just use their feet to pull out those kneelers, but thinking on it though, your mother may not have the strength to pull out the extra step, especially since she had the hip replacement. Oh well, Wyle E. Coyote, back to the drawing board. Smile. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Cleaning and Fixing Scratched Cd's with the Blind In Mind
Sorry folks, The other copy was supposed to go to the Blind Like Me list. Victor
[BlindHandyMan] Cleaning and Fixing Scratched Cd's with the Blind In Mind
How to Fix a Scratched CD or DVD While compact discs (CDs) are remarkably durable, it's nearly impossible to prevent scratches and scuffs from occurring from time to time. The resulting damage can be either a skip in your favorite Bob Marley track or, in the case of data CDs, the loss of that spreadsheet you worked on for two weeks. Don't despair-repair! While commercial CD repair kits and CD refinishing machines are available, you may be able to repair the damage on your own with products you already have. Here's how. 1. Clean the disc. Even if a CD isn't actually scratched or scuffed, dust, oil, and other surface contaminants can prevent it from playing properly. Thus cleaning the disc should always be your first move. Run warm water over the damaged disc to remove dust. If there is stubborn dirt or grease on the disc, gently rub it with your finger while you are washing it, and use a gentle detergent (with the water) or rubbing alcohol (in place of water.) Anytime you rub or wipe a CD, you should do so by starting at or near the center of the disc and rubbing straight outward toward the edge to prevent further scratching. Shake the water off and let the disc air-dry (do not dry it with a towel or cloth). 2. Try to play the disc. Many times a good cleaning is all that is needed. If, however, problems persist after cleaning, try to play the disc in a different CD player. Some players handle scratches better than others; computer CD drives tend to be best. 3. Burn a new disc. If you can get the CD to work in one CD player-especially your computer's-but not in others, try burning a new disc. The CD burning utility on your computer may be able to read the CD well enough to produce a perfect copy. You may wish to try this even if the CD doesn't play correctly on the computer. 4. If you have some vision, locate the scratch. Actually repairing the disc will be easier if you can figure out where the offending scratch is. Visually inspect the CD's playing surface for scratches or scuffs. Scratches that run perpendicular to the CD's spiral-that is, those that run generally from the center to the rim-may not affect playing at all, and in any case are generally less damaging than those that roughly follow the direction of the spiral. If there are several scratches, but the CD only skips in one or two places, you may be able to approximate the location of the offending scratches based on which track skips. Keep in mind that the first track of a CD begins near the center, and the direction of play proceeds outward to the edge. 5. Polish the CD. Though counterintuitive, polishing a disc can repair a scratched CD by removing some of the outer plastic coating and thus making existing scratches shallower. A number of common household products can be used to polish the CD, but toothpaste-especially baking soda toothpaste-and Brasso are probably the most tried-and-true. Apply a small amount toothpaste (must be paste, not gel) or Brasso to a soft, clean, lint-free cloth: an eyeglass-cleaning cloth works well. Gently rub the cloth on the scratch or scuff in a radial motion (from inside to outside). Try to focus your efforts solely on the scratch or scratches you've identified (if possible). Polish in this manner for a couple minutes, reapplying Brasso or toothpaste to the cloth as necessary. Be careful not to apply much pressure, although you will still be able to feel the cloth gently scratching the CD as it polishes. 6. Remove polishing product from disc. If you used toothpaste, rinse the disc thoroughly with warm water and let dry. Make sure to remove all of the toothpaste and let the disc dry completely before trying to play it. With Brasso, wipe off excess product and let the rest dry. Then, using a clean cloth, gently wipe disc again. If you are using Brasso, make sure to do so in a well-ventilated area, and avoid breathing in the fumes. Always read the safety instructions and warnings on any chemical product as many (such as rubbing alcohol) are flammable and / or can cause skin, eye, or respiratory irritation. Keep in mind that it is possible to further damage a CD if you do this incorrectly (i.e. if you apply too much pressure while polishing or rub the CD in a circular motion). Make sure the surface upon which the disc is laid is flat and firm but not hard or abrasive. Data is stored on the foil or dye layers on the top of the disc (label side) and the proective top layer is very thin by comparison to the polycarbonate plastic bottom layer you will polish. The thin top layer can easily be scratched or perforated. If this happens the data is lost forever as it is not repairable by any means. Pressing on disc upon too soft a surface may crack it or cause it to delaminate. 7. Test the disc. If the problem persists, polish again for up to 15 minutes or until the scratch is almost completely buffed out. The surface around the scratch should begin to look shiny with many tiny scratches. If you still
[BlindHandyMan] Cleaning and Fixing Scratched CD's with the Blind in Mind
How to Fix a Scratched CD or DVD While compact discs (CDs) are remarkably durable, it's nearly impossible to prevent scratches and scuffs from occurring from time to time. The resulting damage can be either a skip in your favorite Bob Marley track or, in the case of data CDs, the loss of that spreadsheet you worked on for two weeks. Don't despair-repair! While commercial CD repair kits and CD refinishing machines are available, you may be able to repair the damage on your own with products you already have. Here's how. 1. Clean the disc. Even if a CD isn't actually scratched or scuffed, dust, oil, and other surface contaminants can prevent it from playing properly. Thus cleaning the disc should always be your first move. Run warm water over the damaged disc to remove dust. If there is stubborn dirt or grease on the disc, gently rub it with your finger while you are washing it, and use a gentle detergent (with the water) or rubbing alcohol (in place of water.) Anytime you rub or wipe a CD, you should do so by starting at or near the center of the disc and rubbing straight outward toward the edge to prevent further scratching. Shake the water off and let the disc air-dry (do not dry it with a towel or cloth). 2. Try to play the disc. Many times a good cleaning is all that is needed. If, however, problems persist after cleaning, try to play the disc in a different CD player. Some players handle scratches better than others; computer CD drives tend to be best. 3. Burn a new disc. If you can get the CD to work in one CD player-especially your computer's-but not in others, try burning a new disc. The CD burning utility on your computer may be able to read the CD well enough to produce a perfect copy. You may wish to try this even if the CD doesn't play correctly on the computer. 4. If you have some vision, locate the scratch. Actually repairing the disc will be easier if you can figure out where the offending scratch is. Visually inspect the CD's playing surface for scratches or scuffs. Scratches that run perpendicular to the CD's spiral-that is, those that run generally from the center to the rim-may not affect playing at all, and in any case are generally less damaging than those that roughly follow the direction of the spiral. If there are several scratches, but the CD only skips in one or two places, you may be able to approximate the location of the offending scratches based on which track skips. Keep in mind that the first track of a CD begins near the center, and the direction of play proceeds outward to the edge. 5. Polish the CD. Though counterintuitive, polishing a disc can repair a scratched CD by removing some of the outer plastic coating and thus making existing scratches shallower. A number of common household products can be used to polish the CD, but toothpaste-especially baking soda toothpaste-and Brasso are probably the most tried-and-true. Apply a small amount toothpaste (must be paste, not gel) or Brasso to a soft, clean, lint-free cloth: an eyeglass-cleaning cloth works well. Gently rub the cloth on the scratch or scuff in a radial motion (from inside to outside). Try to focus your efforts solely on the scratch or scratches you've identified (if possible). Polish in this manner for a couple minutes, reapplying Brasso or toothpaste to the cloth as necessary. Be careful not to apply much pressure, although you will still be able to feel the cloth gently scratching the CD as it polishes. 6. Remove polishing product from disc. If you used toothpaste, rinse the disc thoroughly with warm water and let dry. Make sure to remove all of the toothpaste and let the disc dry completely before trying to play it. With Brasso, wipe off excess product and let the rest dry. Then, using a clean cloth, gently wipe disc again. If you are using Brasso, make sure to do so in a well-ventilated area, and avoid breathing in the fumes. Always read the safety instructions and warnings on any chemical product as many (such as rubbing alcohol) are flammable and / or can cause skin, eye, or respiratory irritation. Keep in mind that it is possible to further damage a CD if you do this incorrectly (i.e. if you apply too much pressure while polishing or rub the CD in a circular motion). Make sure the surface upon which the disc is laid is flat and firm but not hard or abrasive. Data is stored on the foil or dye layers on the top of the disc (label side) and the proective top layer is very thin by comparison to the polycarbonate plastic bottom layer you will polish. The thin top layer can easily be scratched or perforated. If this happens the data is lost forever as it is not repairable by any means. Pressing on disc upon too soft a surface may crack it or cause it to delaminate. 7. Test the disc. If the problem persists, polish again for up to 15 minutes or until the scratch is almost completely buffed out. The surface around the scratch should begin to look shiny with many tiny scratches. If you still
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Speaker wiring
I believe what is needed here is a wireless set of speakers, that you can connect to the computer, while having the receiver tuned to the other source. If you can find a wireless set of speakers, then you should be fine, and will be able to listen to the two different sounds at the same time. Alternatively, you can also purchase an FM transmitter, have one source coming from one stereo, while the receiver broadcasts it's own source. Obviously, the FM transmitter would be connected to the computer, and your secondary stereo would be set to what ever FM channel you set on the transmitter. Would that work for you? I know that Rad Shack sells both the FM transmitter, and the wireless speaker systems, but I'm just not sure how much power you are looking at getting from this entire set up. I guess, depending on what kind of stereo you have sourcing the FM transmissions from the computer, you may be able to get the sound to a respectable level, while the receiver is broadcasting at the same time, it just depends on how much you're willing to spend, and how often you plan on listening to two sources at the same time. We have actually discussed this sort of thing on a Blind Movie Buffs list I help to run. The discussion centered around a list member who wanted to watch the described movies, which were solely audio files in MP3 or OGG format, while his sighted family was watching the movie with video. A great many of the members suggested the member listen to the movie at the same time as his family was watching it on an MP3 player, that way they could be listening to the movie with the video, while coinciding with the sound of the described movie coming through the member's MP3 player. Another suggestion was to place a CD with the MP3 file into an MP3 capable stereo sourcing the same audio of the movie, while muting the sound source from the video movie, that way all would here the entire thing at once. Like I said, there are many ways of doing this, but I think the FM transmitter, and/or the wireless speaker system coming from the computer are your best bet. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] leak in my roof
Hi Bryce, I'm not sure, but I doubt that your homeowner's insurance would cover something like that. Even the most comprehensive insurance will not cover what appears to be caused by normal wear and tear. Besides, I doubt you would want to claim for something that may cost you only a couple of hundred bucks to repair, causing your premium to possibly double as a result of your claim history getting ruined. I would first get an estimate and reason as to why this happened, then find out if your insurance would cover it. Also remember, your deductible may be higher than the price to repair the roof, so you may end up footing the entire bill anyway. Victor Gouveia To listen to the show archives go to link http://acbradio.org/handyman.html or ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From Various List Members At The Following address: http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/ Visit the archives page at the following address http://www.mail-archive.com/blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com/ If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the following address for more information: http://www.jaws-users.com/ For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy Man list just send a blank message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Yahoo! Groups Links * To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/ * Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional * To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/blindhandyman/join (Yahoo! ID required) * To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
Re: [BlindHandyMan] I have a seeler question.
Hi Dan, It sounds like it would have been easier just to tear the damn walls down and drywall it all back up again. Grin. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] roof leak
Hi RJ, Are you referring to flashing? If not, what is slashing? Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] shour heads
Hi Rob, Although these puppies are pretty pricy, they do exist. Basically, they are shower heads with the label of temperature control shower heads. I have seen them at Home Depot, but can't remember the price off hand at the moment. If you call your local big box hardware store, like Home Depot or Lowes, or even Rona, if you're located in Canada, get them to connect you to plumbing, and they'll be able to tell you exactly what they are called and how much they cost. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Request for Ray.
Hi Dan, Couldn't you place a self-levelling concrete mix on the floor to level it out? I've heard it works pretty well. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Brainstorming Design for Computer Desk
HI Max, I would agree if you were building a pre-fab desk purchased at Wal-Mart, IKEA or the Pottery Barn, but if he's going to build it himself, he could install easily removable latches that he could simply unlatch should he ever need to move the beast. Something similar to the leaflet on a dining room table, you know, those classic kinds where you would just extend the table if you had extra guests, insert the leaflet, and lock it in place. When your guests were gone, you just unlocked it and removed it and stuck it back in your daughter's closet. Grin. Anyway, that's what I was thinking of. Victor
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Brainstorming Design for Computer Desk
Hi David and Dan, you forgot the one thing that no blind person should be caught without. The partition for the microwave and hot plate. Evil Grin. Victor Gouveia
Re: [BlindHandyMan] Brainstorming Design for Computer Desk
Actually Max, it doesn't have to be. With today's screens being what they are, flat panels would fit in nicely in those corner leaflets. I've always like the keyboard trays being in that corner, sliding out, so you're facing the corner instead of the sides, leaving you plenty of room for peripherals and writing space. It would also depend on who else is using the desk. For example, if it's just you, you don't need to accommodate room for writing notes on paper or anything like that, however, you may want to leave room on the desk surface for a Brailler, or Notetaker, or other implement that you can take away from the desk when you need to. If you have a sighted individual that will use the desk along with you, not necessarily at the same time though, that person may resent the fact that you didn't make enough room for them to write notes and the like to take with them. I'm not sure I'm explaining this right, so forgive me for not doing a better job of explaining my point. In any case, you could place a leaflet in the corner so it doesn't form an exact 90 degree angle, and create a sort of forty-five degree angle in the corner. Granted, this will take up a bit more space, but not in terms of space utilization with your desk. Victor
[BlindHandyMan] Help with Re-Wiring a Switch
Hi all, I have two switches in my upstairs bathroom that I need to re-wire. This message is going to be a long one, so if you don't want to read any further, feel free to delete at this point. The reason it's going to be a long one is because I need to describe the layout of my bathroom that I may get some advice on how to tackle this. First my house and bathroom description. As some of you may or may not remember, I have a back split home, meaning that the front of my house looks like any other bungalow, and the second/back part of my house looks like a two level home with no basement, save for a crawl space underneath that portion of the house. The bathroom, and indeed both my bathrooms, are located on the back split portion of the house, right over each other. As you walk up the stairs to the uppermost level, at the very top of the stairs, you make a 180 degree turn to the right, and you are staring right at the doorway to the bathroom. As you walk in the door way, you can only move straight ahead and to the left of the door, as the right most wall extends to the doorway. As you've no doubt deduced, behind that wall is the stairway leading downstairs. Straight ahead of the doorway, is the linen closet to the right up against the right wall, and to the left of that, the bathtub/shower combination, with a standard 5 foot tub. That particular wall is the front wall of the back split part of the house. If you continue turning your head to the left of the tub, is the toilet, which sits up against the outer wall of the house, with a window right over the toilet. Now we have come to the wall that houses the actual problem, that being the wall with the sink and counter top. As you walk in the door, one would make a 90 degree turn to the left, take a step or two straight ahead, then make another 90 degree turn to the left to face the sink/counter/vanity, which all sits recessed against that inside wall and behind the doorway. I should note here that the door opens to the stairway wall, not to the sink wall which I have to work on. If I can take you back to the doorway? If you are standing directly in front of the doorway facing the way out, directly to the right of the doorway is the light switch, which sits on a portion of wall equal to six inches, and which comes to an outside corner. If you continue to feel with your hand around the outside corner, level with the light switch, the wall recesses in for about two and a half to three feet to the inner wall of the bathroom. About nine to twelve inches from that outside corner is another light switch for the fan and an electrical outlet for plugging in shavers or electric toothbrushes and the like. I should also note that on either side of the counter, sitting at about five and a half feet up on the inside wall and outside walls are two light sconces which are the only lights to the bathroom. So now the problem... My problem is that switch/outlet combination. that switch is for the bathroom fan, and both are on the same electrical power as the light switch, which means that neither the fan nor the electrical outlet will work unless the light switch is turned to the on position. I want to give this fan switch and electrical outlet it's own independent power so that I don't have to have the light switch turned on all night so I can recharge my toothbrush. First question is the obvious one, is there a way to do this without opening up the wall between the switches, or around the switches? If so, how would I re-wire the switches? Another question I have is if you think the fan and electrical outlet are wired directly to the light switch, or wired to the sconces? I'm hoping the former, as I would think that re-wiring the switch would be easier than re-wiring the sconces. Anyway, that's my problem. If anyone has a solution to this, it would be much appreciated, and extra points go to the person who can tell me how to do this without opening up the wall. Smile. Victor Gouveia [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
