Hobbies: What other Hobbies do you have?

[vancleef]

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No Limey lobsterbacks?  Or have they all been shot already?

Other guys in the group doing Brits. I always take the losing side: WW2 Germans, 18th century French, Confederates. What can I say? I root for the Underdog!

[Kendo 2]

Went fishing yesterday on Lake Somerville.  It's a spring-fed lake so the fish are safe to eat.  Caught a whopper black bass but she was fat with eggs so I tossed her back.  Caught enough white bass (that's sand bass for Yankees like vancleef) to fry up with some hush puppies.  The GF made cole slaw and ice tea.

The lake wasn't crowded but it wasn't a ghost town either; just typical Friday.  There were more game wardens than usual, which was weird.

[ritualclarity]

3 hours ago, Kendo 2 said:

Went fishing yesterday on Lake Somerville.  It's a spring-fed lake so the fish are safe to eat.  Caught a whopper black bass but she was fat with eggs so I tossed her back.  Caught enough white bass (that's sand bass for Yankees like vancleef) to fry up with some hush puppies.  The GF made cole slaw and ice tea.

The lake wasn't crowded but it wasn't a ghost town either; just typical Friday.  There were more game wardens than usual, which was weird.

Social distancing... (for the wardens) that or they wanted to be sure to get the max revenue and make sure some stupid ass didn't fall off the boat into the water.. (proper safety devices) at least that is the way it is when I last went and there were a lot of wardens.

It has been next to forever since I had a decent hush puppy.. I can imagine how delicious they were...  

Not many are responsible enough to toss a whopper back that has eggs. Most would just take it. Kudos to you sir, Kudos indeed!

[Kendo 2]

42 minutes ago, ritualclarity said:

It has been next to forever since I had a decent hush puppy.. I can imagine how delicious they were...  

On the back of Martha White corn meal bag there's a recipe for hush puppies.  That's what I use, but I soak the dehydrated onion in warm water for about an hour to bring it back to life.  I also taste the raw uncooked batter and if it needs help I'll add onion powder or garlic powder.  Pinto beans, with sides hush puppies, spring onions and sliced tomato. 

[ritualclarity]

32 minutes ago, Kendo 2 said:

On the back of Martha White corn meal bag there's a recipe for hush puppies.  That's what I use, but I soak the dehydrated onion in warm water for about an hour to bring it back to life.  I also taste the raw uncooked batter and if it needs help I'll add onion powder or garlic powder.  Pinto beans, with sides hush puppies, spring onions and sliced tomato. 

I've cooked fish ... I had a job a long, long time ago at a place that had fresh fish( well as fresh as a store would get ) in any case, we also cooked it there as well .(I know it was strange that raw and fresh was side by side) so I cooked fish, all sorts of fish but never hush puppies. (nothing fried, only steamed) Never cooked it in my personal life either, come to think of it..  

I am going to be getting a real stove (something you can really cook with not what I had previously) and currently where I am at, with a bit of work, I can actually setup a pretty nice area for real cooking... (from scratch)  Kind of interesting, Wonder how far I will take this new opportunity

[vancleef]

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(that's sand bass for Yankees like vancleef)

Fishing? Shit, we get our fish from grocery stores Up North!
FYI, my Hushpuppies are to die for! Just 'cuz I live in PA doesn't erase my roots: Clinch River Valley, VA. I got The Hills in muh blood!

[Kendo 2]

Gave the garden a good going-over just now and the first tomato of the season has set and fruited.    It's the size of an green pea but it's a tomato.  That means at two of the plants are fertile.  To celebrate we ate the second strawberry of the season.  I know it's only April and I shouldn't have any produce for another month BUT I started the seeds in mushroom compost and I have everything on a tight watering and fertilizing schedule.

Never done this type of 'intensive' gardening before so this year is an experiment.  Normally I just row crop some bullshit so I can have something to show the County Agent for my ag exemption.  IF this garden system works out I'll extend it and grow some Autumn crops using the same methods.

[ritualclarity]

Sounds like you are starting to like this hobby.

Even if the crops fail.. looks like you still make good since you have that exemption! Win, win IMO.

 

[endgameaddiction]

So I have been planning on what my first mods would be, and I'm leaning towards doing some custom interior before I start doing any exterior work.

I'm not in a rush to do a suspension and body lift atm. I want to get the more tedious and complex work done (aka electronic wiring). And figure out exactly where I want to mount extra gauges and a rocker panel switch for the light bar(s) and fog lights. It's a mid-size SUV so it's not very spacious in the Xterra. I don't plan to have anyone in the back seats (or passenger for that matter), so that will be for extra cargo space.

Edited April 22, 2020 by driftscape

[Kendo 2]

4 hours ago, driftscape said:

So I have been planning on what my first mods would be, and I'm leaning towards doing some custom interior before I start doing any exterior work.

Back in my promod hotrod days we always did the interior last unless it was something structural like drag seats or a roll bar.  The interior always gets fucked up first so we saved that for last.  

[ritualclarity]

3 hours ago, Kendo 2 said:

Back in my promod hotrod days we always did the interior last unless it was something structural like drag seats or a roll bar.  The interior always gets fucked up first so we saved that for last.  

Yes, even one of my crazy friends did their interior last. (except of course cleaning) 

 

you are doing lots of work. Switches, (wench?) and replacing old wiring among perhaps other things. Lots of stuff being done that effects or can effect the interior.  My suggestion is give it a good cleaning. keep it in good shape as you work and then like @Kendo 2 stated, do the heavy interior work last.  Not to mention you might come up with more ideas on how to utilize the interior as you work the other required repairs and new upgrades

 

[endgameaddiction]

I forgot to mention the first thing I did when I bought this Xterra. Day 1 after I brought it, I ripped out the fronts seats and hand washed them down and left them out in the sun to dry for a few days. Day 2 I started cleaning the interior with dish washer soap and water in a spray bottle and scrubbed down the carpet with the same with a brush to remove all the dirt and soda stains it had. Holy shit was it a filth. I managed to find just about 8 dollars worth of change mostly where the passenger seat is. The carpets took about 5 days to fully dry with all four windows down throughout the day and cracked a bit during at night. From the looks of it, it didn't look like the previous owners ever washed those carpets. They could very well be dirt and stains for about 19 years. Yeah, I'd say that's the first time she's probably had her interior washed. The dashboard and infotainment are in excellent condition. For some stupid reason which ever of the previous owners decided to put some red wrap around the infotainment bezel and it looks really shitty. Had to pop that out, remove the wrap and scrub the adhesive gunk that remained on it. Looks much better matching the rest of the interior now. Oh, I removed the carpet from the cabin and hand washed that sucker too. It's got some tough stains that may or may not come off. However, I want to gut that out and the rug material on the back sets and replace it with durable plastic like what the 2nd gen Xterras have so when I flip down those back sets I can side in things with ease. If I can't find any after market replacements, I'll have to make my own.

Now, as far as my previous post, and the advice that was given to me, after some long thinking, it is probably best to do the exterior work first. I'll probably go with a body lift for starters and work my way from there. I'll in due time.

Also, I would like to trim the front and rear quarter panel for more clearance and better fitment for bigger tires in the future. I know for sure that I do want some positive negative offset rims, which will be a benefit for tire rotation, or wider rims/tires.

 

Edited April 28, 2020 by driftscape

[ritualclarity]

as for the  back of the truck.. I've seen where people used that spray on bed-liner to help protect it. Stronger than plastic and from what i know, not quite as expensive as custom fab plastic pieces.

Some ideas

 

There is an example

https://linex.com/specialty-automotive

Interior spray. Lots of work but .. it would be TOUGH and UNIQUE!  

[vancleef]

Finished up a giant pile of Star Wars minis this past week. 12-year old me was very excited  about this job!

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[ritualclarity]

All in time for May the 4th...

[vancleef]

19 hours ago, ritualclarity said:

All in time for May the 4th...

Did not even think of that! You're right!

[Kendo 2]

The solar minimum we're currently in is seriously fucking with the weather...and my garden.  These 60°F nights are stunting my late Spring plantings, but shit like the potatoes and turnips are thriving.  I didn't plant for this weather, I planted for 70°F nights.  If this doesn't turn around soon my Summer harvest will suffer.

[ritualclarity]

At least it seems as if you will be doing good on some of the items... Glass half full shit and such.

Sorry for the troubles. It sucks.  The weather seems to be off everywhere and not doing what it really should. At least where I am living. One day .. nice 50s, the next day 20's... WTF...  My mom has these giant tree planters she keeps inside in the winter... (she has like 13~14 ft ceilings for christ sake.. lol)  I went there to help her get them out to the porch only for us to find out it will be freezing again this weekend... This is the latest I can remember pulling those out of the house. The weather is fucked!

[Kendo 2]

Me and my garden....boring to everyone but me.

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Blossoms on my potato plants have set and the lower leaves are turning yellow.  That means there's little tatters hiding in the ground.  Turnips and radishes have nice leafy greens so I'll be cutting some of them back and eating the tops (cooked like spinach).  Cucumbers making fruit but that's a no-brainer; dirt, water and sun light is all it takes.  One of the Tabasco pepper plants has blossom buds so maybe it will fruit before the 100°F weather hits.  I have garlic planted in almost every bed and they're doing their thing, along with the five white onions I started from grocery store green onions.

The lemon grass I got from my sister's friend is growing like crazy.  I got one stalk that was worth a fuck and it's formed rhizomes and is filling a 3 gallon pot.  OH!  And the store-bought ginger I planted has finally sent up green shoots.  I dug one up and it has true roots, so all of them are actually fucking growing!

The Cherokee Purple heirloom tomatoes seedlings I bought SUCK and the grown plants can't handle single stemming and forced fruit production.  The one I left as a control plant is doing better than the ones I'm trying to crop out.  I have that one and a clone I started from a cutting so maybe by first frost I can get some tomatoes.  I'll never grow Cherokee Purples again.  Next year I'm growing nothing but San Marzanos.

The five pinto bean bushes that survived are setting blossoms but I'm growing them for seed only.  The two grocery store onion bottoms I rooted and planted have made scape stalks so hopefully they'll bloom and set seed in time for August planting.

 

[ritualclarity]

19 minutes ago, Kendo 2 said:

Me and my garden....boring to everyone but me.

  Hide contents

Blossoms on my potato plants have set and the lower leaves are turning yellow.  That means there's little tatters hiding in the ground.  Turnips and radishes have nice leafy greens so I'll be cutting some of them back and eating the tops (cooked like spinach).  Cucumbers making fruit but that's a no-brainer; dirt, water and sun light is all it takes.  One of the Tabasco pepper plants has blossom buds so maybe it will fruit before the 100°F weather hits.  I have garlic planted in almost every bed and they're doing their thing, along with the five white onions I started from grocery store green onions.

The lemon grass I got from my sister's friend is growing like crazy.  I got one stalk that was worth a fuck and it's formed rhizomes and is filling a 3 gallon pot.  OH!  And the store-bought ginger I planted has finally sent up green shoots.  I dug one up and it has true roots, so all of them are actually fucking growing!

The Cherokee Purple heirloom tomatoes seedlings I bought SUCK and the grown plants can't handle single stemming and forced fruit production.  The one I left as a control plant is doing better than the ones I'm trying to crop out.  I have that one and a clone I started from a cutting so maybe by first frost I can get some tomatoes.  I'll never grow Cherokee Purples again.  Next year I'm growing nothing but San Marzanos.

The five pinto bean bushes that survived are setting blossoms but I'm growing them for seed only.  The two grocery store onion bottoms I rooted and planted have made scape stalks so hopefully they'll bloom and set seed in time for August planting.

 

In the end.. that is all that really matters

[endgameaddiction]

Agree. As long as you love doing it, all that matter. I'd have to have a green house to garden. Too dry and hot here to grow crops.

 

I can almost get some suspension work done. I ordered sway bar end links, inner and outer tie rods, and upper and lower ball joints for the control arms. Last thing I need, for now, are the control arm bushings which I haven't ordered yet. Been searching around for a bargain because the ones I want from the online parts store I ordered the other stuff don't have enough in stock. I found some great deals on bushings, but it's off a 4x4 parts store online. I'll have to contact them and ask them if those will work on stock suspension. If so, they are the cheapest and good quality I found so far. If not, odds are I'll go on Ebay and pick up some OEM ones.

[ritualclarity]

15 hours ago, driftscape said:

Agree. As long as you love doing it, all that matter. I'd have to have a green house to garden. Too dry and hot here to grow crops.

 

I can almost get some suspension work done. I ordered sway bar end links, inner and outer tie rods, and upper and lower ball joints for the control arms. Last thing I need, for now, are the control arm bushings which I haven't ordered yet. Been searching around for a bargain because the ones I want from the online parts store I ordered the other stuff don't have enough in stock. I found some great deals on bushings, but it's off a 4x4 parts store online. I'll have to contact them and ask them if those will work on stock suspension. If so, they are the cheapest and good quality I found so far. If not, odds are I'll go on Ebay and pick up some OEM ones.

They have done crops in areas that are very hot and dry.. just need lots more water.. provided the soil is good. AS far as I know. However ,lots more work and effort from what I understand.

Where I am the weather is good enough or should be. about 50~100 miles around there are some form of farm and crops. I believe mostly what I have seen was wheat and corn .. and cows.. from time to time if I travel out of the city. However, the space is so limited any real productive grown is impossible. The closest thing I know of people doing is growing their seasons. that alone is pretty cool and nice IMO

Your not increasing the clearance or doing other suspension work?

[endgameaddiction]

5 hours ago, ritualclarity said:

Your not increasing the clearance or doing other suspension work?

I will raise it. But right now just replacing worn out parts to get it back on the road. This project will be slow right now. Once we get over this pandemic jibberish and I can bring in more money, I'll be able to pick up the pace.

[ritualclarity]

So this is or intended to be your primary mode of transportation for now? 

[endgameaddiction]

11 minutes ago, ritualclarity said:

So this is or intended to be your primary mode of transportation for now? 

Correct. But right now it's not registered. I bought it and just brought it home. Not like I can register it anyways because the DMV is closed. But I drove it around the neighborhood to get a feel for it and that's when I noticed the front suspension doesn't seem so good and I inspected it trying to see if the CV axles were bad, but they were fine. Then noticed that the other parts (control arm bushings, tie rods ball joints, sway bar end links) were all in bad shape. Probably never been replaced since it left the dealership. I haven't checked the rear suspension, but I haven't noticed any problems back there. Once I get the front done, I'll go ahead and check the back. Then I will proceed to do a complete fluid change for the transmission, brakes, motor (oil), and the front and rear differential.

 

Edited May 17, 2020 by driftscape