Random Thoughts - Part III The Search for Spark (No Politics)

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

That engine sitting in your driveway reminds me of the time, back in CT, when I was mowing an area of lawn between me and the neighbor's property that hadn't been mowed before.

I found out why. My almost new Toro lawn mower hit a piece of diamond plate metal and guess what - the diamond plate won!

Since the engine wouldn't turn over, I took it apart, cleaned up the parts and took it into a Toro dealer to find out what parts I needed. After making the determination that I needed a new crank and a couple of valves, the cost came to almost as much as a new mower.

So, I bought a new mower and learned I could have saved all that time by doing that in the first place -

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by humfrz

So, I bought a new mower and learned I could have saved all that time by doing that in the first place -

[humfrz]

That brings to mind another story about mowing in that rough area along side my lawn in CT. So, I inspect the area for any metal foreign objects then fired up my new Tory mower.

As I mowed over this large hole in the ground, I heard a very loud humming/buzzing sound. That is when TIL about ground bees. They swarmed out of that hole, maybe thinking that mower sound was a bunch of wasps attacking -

What I do know is that the swarm could fly as quick as I could run (dressed in shorts and no shirt). I made it to the garage and slammed the door closed. Not to lose my new mower to a swarm of ground bees, I mixed up a concoction of a half gallon of premixed 2 cycle engine gas and two large glugs from a jug of methyl parathion.

I then divebombed the bees home base and hit the hole with the whole load. On the next pass I tossed in a cigarette lighter. -

BOOM! - no more bees!

THE END

(yes, it's a slow day on Puyallup - )

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by humfrz

That brings to mind another story about mowing in that rough area along side my lawn in CT. So, I inspect the area for any metal foreign objects then fired up my new Tory mower.

As I mowed over this large hole in the ground, I heard a very loud humming/buzzing sound. That is when TIL about ground bees. They swarmed out of that hole, maybe thinking that mower sound was a bunch of wasps attacking -

What I do know is that the swarm could fly as quick as I could run (dressed in shorts and no shirt). I made it to the garage and slammed the door closed. Not to lose my new mower to a swarm of ground bees, I mixed up a concoction of a half gallon of premixed 2 cycle engine gas and two large glugs from a jug of methyl parathion.

I then divebombed the bees home base and hit the hole with the whole load. On the next pass I tossed in a cigarette lighter. -

BOOM! - no more bees!

THE END

(yes, it's a slow day on Puyallup - )

[soundman98]

Originally Posted by humfrz

That brings to mind another story about mowing in that rough area along side my lawn in CT. So, I inspect the area for any metal foreign objects then fired up my new Tory mower.

As I mowed over this large hole in the ground, I heard a very loud humming/buzzing sound. That is when TIL about ground bees. They swarmed out of that hole, maybe thinking that mower sound was a bunch of wasps attacking -

What I do know is that the swarm could fly as quick as I could run (dressed in shorts and no shirt). I made it to the garage and slammed the door closed. Not to lose my new mower to a swarm of ground bees, I mixed up a concoction of a half gallon of premixed 2 cycle engine gas and two large glugs from a jug of methyl parathion.

I then divebombed the bees home base and hit the hole with the whole load. On the next pass I tossed in a cigarette lighter. -

BOOM! - no more bees!

THE END

(yes, it's a slow day on Puyallup - )

[Capt Spaulding]

Originally Posted by humfrz

That brings to mind another story about mowing in that rough area along side my lawn in CT. So, I inspect the area for any metal foreign objects then fired up my new Tory mower.

As I mowed over this large hole in the ground, I heard a very loud humming/buzzing sound. That is when TIL about ground bees. They swarmed out of that hole, maybe thinking that mower sound was a bunch of wasps attacking -

What I do know is that the swarm could fly as quick as I could run (dressed in shorts and no shirt). I made it to the garage and slammed the door closed. Not to lose my new mower to a swarm of ground bees, I mixed up a concoction of a half gallon of premixed 2 cycle engine gas and two large glugs from a jug of methyl parathion.

I then divebombed the bees home base and hit the hole with the whole load. On the next pass I tossed in a cigarette lighter. -

BOOM! - no more bees!

THE END

(yes, it's a slow day on Puyallup - )

A fellow firebug I see. My first house had two T poles in the backyard supporting clothes lines. The top/horizontal pole was open all the way through and these vicious red wasps loved setting up shop in them. If you tapped the pole 20 or thirty would come boiling out and sting everything in sight.

I’d make a small cap out of aluminum window screen and put it over one end of the pole. I’d go around to the other end with a propane torch and a can of spray contact cleaner. Shot through the torch flame the contact cleaner created an afterburning jet engine out of the pole. Bad day to be a wasp.

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by Capt Spaulding

I’d make a small cap out of aluminum window screen and put it over one end of the pole. I’d go around to the other end with a propane torch and a can of spray contact cleaner. Shot through the torch flame the contact cleaner created an afterburning jet engine out of the pole. Bad day to be a wasp.

The fire isn't necessary. A little gasoline doused in the tube would have taken care of them, no fire required, although you can always light it later if you want.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

The fire isn't necessary. A little gasoline doused in the tube would have taken care of them, no fire required, although you can always light it later if you want.

While true, there's no better satisfaction than smelling those fuckers burn.

[Capt Spaulding]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

While true, there's no better satisfaction than smelling those fuckers burn.

I imagine it was kinda like being in a cage in front of an aircraft carrier blast deflector as the pilot spun up the engines in an F-18. I hope so. I did (and still do) hate those fuking red wasps.

It wasn’t just about killing them.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

The fire isn't necessary. A little gasoline doused in the tube would have taken care of them, no fire required, although you can always light it later if you want.

That be true.

Reminds me of another "adventure" as a young boy back on the farm.

When it came time to paint the large, main barn, I was the one that was put on the top of a rickety, old, wooden, double ladder, extended way past the recommended extension. Why me? Because I was light and wouldn't break the ladder.

Now, waay up in the gables of the barn were several wasps nests. My grandfather would give me a tin cup of gasoline and instruct me to climb up the ladder and throw the gasoline on the wasps nests.

Sure enough, when that gas hit the wasps, they would instantly drop like lead shot. However, every now and then a wasp would be out of town and not get the memo. So, I had in my pocket a squirt gun filled with gasoline to shoot it down with. -

Yep, it was 90 degrees with 95% humidity and I was hanging on a fully extended wooden ladder, with one hand, onto a rung that was wound up with baling wire because it was split and it would rotate because it was wore out.

My other hand was holding a paint brush. Here comes a totally pissed off wasp. So I had to juggle the paint brush and reach for my squirt gun, fire and hope I hit the wasp before it hit me -

THE END

[NoHaveMSG]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

While true, there's no better satisfaction than smelling those fuckers burn.

I just got stung yesterday so I am all about the scorched earth policy.

[Ultramaroon]

Originally Posted by humfrz

My other hand was holding a paint brush. Here comes a totally pissed off wasp. So I had to juggle the paint brush and reach for my squirt gun, fire and hope I hit the wasp before it hit me -

THE END

Brush? Were you using that to apply the gasoline? I used the oil can version of your squirt gun. Made for a great flame thrower too.

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

I just got stung yesterday so I am all about the scorched earth policy.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Ultramaroon

Brush? Were you using that to apply the gasoline? I used the oil can version of your squirt gun. Made for a great flame thrower too.

Your reading comprehension is slipping, old man. Maybe it's the heat?

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by NoHaveMSG

I just got stung yesterday so I am all about the scorched earth policy.

Like the old farmer said:

"A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor."