So, about a week ago, my car door lock stopped working from the outside. I’d insert the key and turn it, but it wouldn’t lock or unlock the car, and instead would turn a complete 180. After tearing apart my door and looking in there, it turns out that the operating rod had fallen off the end of the tumbler cylinder, and the clip that is supposed to hold it there had gone rogue. Continue reading

Finally got my cheapskate butt to pony up the cash for a phone with a camera good enough to read barcodes. I then created a catalog of all the physical books on my bookshelves. Here it is, for anyone interested, but mostly for me to keep track of what I have and who I’ve loaned it to. This was created using the Book Catalogue Android app. I had to manually add some of the older books without ISBNs, so they will have inaccurate information. Continue reading

I was recently given ownership of a Harbor Freight / One Stop Gardens 6×8′ Greenhouse. Having done a bit of research, I learned that the clear plastic panels will not stand up to ultraviolet radiation from sunlight for more than a few years. I will have to replace them eventually, most likely by creating my own. In anticipation of this, before assembling the greenhouse, I decided to record the measurements of every panel. I am also publishing them here, in case anyone else needs them. Continue reading

Last May, I purchased a Dual XR4115 In-Dash Digital Media Receiver despite its terrible reviews, most which complained about the same issue: after some time, the digital display would go out. However, some people posted that they were able to fix the problem by replacing the backlight LED. With some limited experience replacing soldered components, I bought the stereo at a great price with the expectation that I could fix it if it went bad. After a few months, the light went bad, I fixed it, and I’m going to show you how. Continue reading