OT Neighbor (rant)

[Ralph Mowery]

Ok on the $ 7,000. I did a quick lookup on them before I said $ 5 K and up. Think they start around $ 5 K and then go up.

I used to live on a lot about that size. He should be able to cut the stuff in notime with that mower. I had a 36 inch cut Murry and hated it because it only had 3 speeds. Top gear was too fast and middle gear was too slow. No use at all for the 1st gear. It did hold up for a good number of years. When I moved to a place with 3 acres (mowing about 1.5 ) I bought a John Deere with the hydrostatic drive. Much beter. Would like the zero turn,but did not want to put out the price.

[Oren]

If the neighbor has thirteen personalities, yes!

I've three standard answers for folks.

1) NO! (it won't happen, no way no how) 2) MAYBE! I'll look into it and get back to you ) 3) YES! (means I keep my word)

People just cannot except NO for an answer.

[Ralph Mowery]

Yes you are. Do not get the used stuff, buy new and help the economy. Just kidding...

I have done the same myself in the past. Bought a $ 500 truck as an extra vehicle (wanted a truck, but had 2 cars). Kept the last car from 1991 to

2007. In my case it is a ballance of what I need and what I want. That car got me to work and back and I did have another car with low milage to take on trips. I have several hobbies that can cost a good bit and I don't need the $ 7K law mower to show off with. Some people just don't have anything beter to spend money on and want to show off.

[SteveB]

You just did what any good person would do. But you did it for a person who doesn't have a clue.

I'm a retired welder. I have equipment, and do a lot of stuff for myself, and "friends". I don't broadcast it around. When the question comes up, I give a price, take it or leave it. None of this, "I'll do this for you later." I could be napping or fishing. When you get these new little yuppie creeps, they don't know how to do it, or they wouldn't be asking you. You just got in too far, too deep, and too soon. I can tell you're a right guy, you just hit a "taker" who took advantage of you.

Now for the payoff. You gonna let it happen again?

Steve

[trader4]

I disagree. Loaning a guy who just moved into the neighborhood a hand tool or giving him a ride to pick up his car is reasonable. Getting involved in an open ended project to build a whole new deck and install french doors because other neighbors sent them over is nuts. For all anyone knows, the new guy could have spent the last 10 years in jail.

In the situation discussed, I would have been willing to go over, take a look, spend an hour or so and give them some ideas and advice on how to proceed, but that's it. You start out small and see how and if they respond and how the relationship grows over time.

Far more likely, he does have a clue. He's figured out how to use people to get what he wants.

Exactly.

[norminn]

clipped

Well, there is "cheap" and there is economical. I furnished much of my first home with second-hand....country auctions and one delightful dive of an auction barn. Could buy a box of "junk" for fifty cents, and it might have ten dollars worth of cookie sheets and cake pans. A few slightly scarred but sturdy antiques....stayed at the auction barn until

4 am one night to buy a $2 library table. Cheap entertainment.

[RicodJour]

I was at a garage sale this weekend, several in fact, and one had a box with kitchen odds and ends - anything it was 10 cents. I picked up one thing that caught my eye, the lady asked me if I had a dime since she didn't have any change, and I didn't. "Just take it", she says. So I did. Got home a quick Google to see what I had, and was surprised to find this:

Other places have it cheaper, $70 or so, but who would pay that much for a very small pepper mill?!

Anyway, I'm not arguing and the thing is pretty cool looking.

R

[Stormin Mormon]

Change you can believe in. Fast track to government take over.

[jtees4]

Don't ge over IT, just get over THEM. Not good people. Steer clear.

[N8N]

well, I probably would search out a contractor-grade table saw... USED...

I loves me some good tools.

Same as my car choices... would rather drive a 20 year old Porsche than a new Hyundai. Some people may prefer something with a warranty. Diff'rent strokes...

nate

[K]

Tag/Garage/Yard/Barn sales are great fun, and a good source for things you just can't buy anymore, at least not of the good quality they used to make things.

My best story happened over 20 years ago. I found an electric guitar, a Fender Jaguar, at a yard sale. I had one of those back in the sixties and always liked it, but mine was stolen. I bought the one at the yard sale for $10, and not in half-bad condition. At the time, we were paying an art student to do a portrait of the kids, and had agreed on a price of $300. When he saw that guitar, he said he'd take that instead of the money.

That portrait is now one of our most-loved possessions, but I don't have the final bragging rights. That artist put a psychedelic paint job on the guitar and sold it to a professional musician for $700. The going rate for an old 60's Jaguar like that is now well over 1K, so there are a lot of winners in this little remembrance.

Going back to the OP, I have a big mower because I have 5 mowable acres, but i got my Scag ZT used from a landscaper for $800, and that was many years ago.

[Bob F]

My neighbor's kid used to mow wearing a respirator just for that problem.

[cshenk]

"benick" wrote

Grin, seen that one! I'll often reply to a thread after I've seen many replies, where the person said right at the start they didnt have much money and literally couldnt afford the 'true fix' but needed something fairly quick (due to working 2 jobs sometimes) and cheap but protective enough to not cause damage.

I got the same sort of stuff when asking what sealants were best for a cement slab that would be overlayed with outdoor type carpet in a sunroom. Very fine spiderweb cracking, minimal amounts of it on a 40year old slab extension.

Although well meaning, I got a chuckle at the number who couldnt stop themselves from wanting to suggest I break out the slab and repour, or pour a 2 inch layer over it, or 'deal with the damp then add wood underlayment and carpet' etc.

The one person who actually responded with a product he thought well of, we used his advice and it's done perfect for the scope of the job. We check annually and re-apply another layer if it seems needed (wasnt last year).

[Jim Yanik]

"cshenk" wrote in news:PkhVl.23$ [e-mail]:

Heh,these days,$800 is NOT a "top of the line" table saw. also,a $99 table saws will not give an accurate cut.

[HeyBub]

Maybe. My definition or "accurate" is "good enough for its intended purpose."

A $99 saw WILL give an accurate cut. Precision is, however, another matter. Here's the difference:

"The moon is 240,000 miles from the earth" is an accurate statement, though not very precise.

"The moon is, at this instant, 238,857.7002 miles from the earth" is a precise statement - and also accurate.

Now I bought a $99 table saw for the express purpose of ripping laminate to make the stuff fit the width of the floor. The saw was accurate to at least

1/4", which was all the precision I required.

I've since used the saw for all manner of worthwhile projects: Cutting junk into pieces big enough to fit in the garbage can, putting points on tomato stakes, trimming fence boards to fit around a tree, etc. I assure you, it was accurate enough for all those endeavors.

[benick]

Well said...Some don't understand the difference between homeowner use and cabinette making....LOL...

[RicodJour]

Cheap saws often have fences that are impossible to align. If the fence is not parallel to the saw blade the cut will be neither precise nor accurate. You example is also neither accurate nor precise.

R

[AZ Nomad]

That is a lousy explaination of precision vs. accuracy.

I shoot some arrows into a target:

situation 1) they are all over the place: neither accurate or precise. situation 2) they are all within an inch of each other, but 10" from the bullseye: the shots are precise, but not accurate situation 3) they are scattered around the bullseye: accurate, not precise situation 4) they are all in the bullseye: accurate and precise.

[norminn]

My dictionary says they mean the same thing. Pretty much. Kinda'.

[dgk]

I believe in my government - I own part of it. I have no faith in corporations that exist only to enrich themselves. Given the choice, and that is the choice, I'll take the government.

Sorry you don't believe in our government. Perhaps you'd be happier somewhere else.