Well I did pull the trigger on some new wheels and tires. I went to an 18" rim with Toyo Open Country M/T 33X12.50R18.

I buy everything via the internet...truck, clothes, tools, etc... so why not wheels and tires. I ordered through rimzoneonline.com and they had no sales tax and free shipping. The price for the package was better than I could find locally even before taxes.

It took about ten days for them to get to MN from NC and when they shipped they didn't have my phone number included so I called the local carrier and picked them up at dock. I then dropped them off new at a local Royal Tire and had them siped. We will see if that was a good move or not but in the past I have siped my BFG AT's and they ran very nice. They also mounted them once done. So far so good.

I can't find any evidence of a lift on front and there is a 1 1/2" block under the leaf in the back so not sure if that is stock. Anyhow they rub when I turned. Not bad but just annoying. So I modified the wheel wells and plastic inner liner and now they are fine unless I am turning and hit a big hole where the front drops heavy.

Sooo the reason for the post. I know have 2600 miles on them. They seem fine so far. They are much more wobbly side to side than my BFG's were but I'm not sure whether that is due to siping or just the tread design.

New they come with 16.7mm of tread depth. After the 2600 miles the fronts now have 15mm and the rears have 13mm. I know new tires will wear faster than older ones but that seems like a lot. I'll keep track but I was hoping to get at least 40K miles out of these. I rotate every 5K miles.

I'll let you know how they wear. It is all daily driver stuff on asphalt. I'm old so I'm not very heavy on the right foot (don't want to waste the money) so I don't think that is it.

I will chime in here as well.

I have been hiring and firing for the past 30+ years. First in construction and trucking then starting in 1993 in the Information Systems world.

As I have told my kids "it's good to have options"! When I was in High School I wanted to be an Architect. Being ignorant as to how that happens I only applied to two colleges and was only accepted to one. The one I didn't necessarily want but it is where my bigger brother went. Good school so I try to slam in all the STEM credits I could and was overwhelmed with the amount of work it takes to handle Chemistry, Calculus, Biology, New Testament, etc... all in one semester. SO long story short I bailed out of college after one year and went to build water towers for Pittsburgh Des Moines Steel all over the Midwest.

Then I got into Transportation (Trucking) and Logistics (Brokers) and haven't looked back. By 1993 I switched over to the Information Systems side of the world and became VP of IS with no college degree of any kind. I have been a CIO or something similar since.

I can say over the years that I have been denied consideration for top I.S. jobs because I haven't had a degree. Any degree. I would get a call from a recruiter and they would be all interested in me due to my background and would even get to the interview stage. Then someone in HR or whatever would finally read my resume and ask the question. Do you have a degree? I would say no and they would tell me that I wasn't a viable candidate any longer. This happened many times. They couldn't believe I got where I was without a degree most of the time. It was basically a filter to take the applicants from 300 down to a manageable interview group. And hey! we can't discriminate! :)

I got to where I was and am now by working harder than my peers. It was at time a sacrifice of relationships and personal life but it worked. I was one of the few that was ready to move any where in the country for the next better job. I normally spent 8 to 10 years in each location.

So the point of all of this is that if you can afford to get a degree then by all means do it. It gives you more options! If you can get your Masters then do it! It gives you more options! I tell my kids all the time you want options in life and then make great decisions. They don't always have to be right but learn from them. If you have a great idea and can start your own company do it! Also try to do it before you have family and kids because your priorities change after that.

I agree that LinkedIn is a very valuable resource for job seekers and employers. You basically have your resume on the web for everyone to see but if you expand on your profile with actual projects, wins, accomplishments, referrals, recommendations, etc... that what recruiters and HR personnel are looking for.

When I have my HR department post a position I tend to cast a generic wide net for applicants to respond. Some of my best hires in I.T. have been people without degree's but they had "wanna". They wanted to learn. They wanted to explore. They wanted to do the very best job possible and they didn't care if they were a 9am to 5pm'er. When I look at resumes if they are a job hopper (a new job every year or two for several years) I will automatically can them. I want commitment. In I.T. the average length of employment at a company in less than three years. So I want to find those that have bucked that trend. It is becoming harder with the younger Millennials coming up but not impossible. I want people with wanna. I also try to give priority to Arm Services personnel. I work around Guard Duty and stuff like that but it is the least we can do.

I also need to hire a lot of specific talent. Engineers, Programmers, Technicians, etc... I always look for a balance of education, certificates, and hands on experience with similar technologies and scope of systems. I have seen engineers that had tons of certificates and education but couldn't set up a real world network. I have also had all experience individuals that could set something up and it worked but couldn't be supported because they followed no industry standards. So it is nice to have a little of both.

My daughter entered the work force a year or two back and I told her a couple of things. Always communicate! Always be early for the shift! Always volunteer! Always work harder than anyone else! Always ask what more you can do to help out! She seems to be doing very well with the two jobs she has. Options!

As RN and others state, one of the best things you can have are great references. People you have worked with that will attest to all of the above. The best hires are referrals. Our company pays referral bonuses for specific positions like drivers and mechanics. So back to the LinkedIn thing, you can have people post referrals on your profile that explains the job or project and how you made it better. That works very well.

I have looked a 1000's of resumes and would also be happy to review any that you would want to send my way. Sadly with the really large companies, like Nate said, they do use key word filters and other software tools to filter out applications.

One final word of advice (this was a lot of chiming in...sorry) it is always easier to find a better job when you have a job. Any job. For some reason across the spectrum if you are not working they tend to slide over you in favor of someone that is currently working.

DOT out! Hope this helps!

Great to hear he is feeling better. Will keep him on the list.. !!

I will hold judgement until the Red Dog chimes in... if they are tasty they are a go!  ;D

Just curious but how do you explain this?

http://thehill.com/policy/finance/247225-anonymous-issued-cryptic-tweet-on-eve-of-nyse-suspension

It was the day before the issues.  ::)

So sorry to hear the news.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends.

Now that is a validated rant! We don't have many skunks, other that what I occasionally smell off the side of the hwy, but moles are militant up here. One goes down, 3 spring up in their place. I used this little gem for years, http://www.ebay.com/itm/Victor-Plunger-Style-Mole-Trap-0645/111612806131?_trksid=p2141725.c100338.m3726&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20141212152715%26meid%3D748427a08dc8411091cb310667557764%26pid%3D100338%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D29%26sd%3D230454881674 and it is effective as all get out when used properly. Wonder if they make something along those lines to upgrade your trap to dispatch your nemesis thoroughly so you're not blasted like that next time. Or you could go all Tim the Tool Man on it and combine the two; "Mikey's Maniacal Mechanical Machination" or the M4 Death Trap for short. You could get Don and Duane involved in the build; it'll take 2 years, but the end result will be a machine polished, gasket matched, balanced and blueprinted 1 ton masterpiece.  :D

Tate, You can always get or make one of these. I will have to break mine out again this summer since the little rascals seem to be making a come back.

http://varmitgetter.com/products

Plus you get to blow stuff up!  8) 8) 8)

HC and all great points!

I have a 17 year old ditzy daughter and have tried to install all of the points you guys have discussed.

I also made her read Gaven De Becker's book "The Gift of Fear" and then we discussed afterwards. Too many people try to be polite or PC correct when their Spidey Sense is tingling. Be rude and get the heck out of there.

When we are out I always ask her questions about people or situations. I get a kick of of some of her responses but it's always a learning moment for me and her.

http://www.amazon.com/Other-Survival-Signals-Protect-Violence/dp/0440508835/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434738976&sr=8-1&keywords=the+gift+of+fear+book

Good stuff   :)

Quote from: JR on June 05, 2015, 12:25:09 AM

Knew you get the hoist involved with this.

How much media did you use up? Thinking bout using walnut on mine. I did a frame once with sand and I wasn't clean for a week.

Yea, that hoist was necessary!

No lifting that monstrosity

Has to come near a sb chevy block assembly in weight!

I have a HF 110 lb pressurized sand blaster. It was about a forth full, to which I added another 50 lb bag. I sprayed until A. I had no skin left, and B. the goggles I was wearing were so opaque I couldn't see anymore, and C. My hearing went away with ears clogged with sand, and D. my teeth partially eroded away, and E. I ran out of sand.

Most of that happened concurrently!

Don, Why not just start up SquareD and back it out, turn around and use the John Deere to lift it into place...??  Oh wait... I'm ahead of myself. Nevermind...  8) 8)

I'm in for Hondo.  ;D

Nate, I'm glad to hear the service went well. Very sorry for the loss and thankful that he lived so well.

I gotta be different. Ever since I was a kid....

Browning HiPower 9mm
 ;D

Thanks! It is funny how the little things mess you up. When I was setting it up I hooked up the regulator and hose to unit. Turned on the CO2 and was trying to set the pressure. I thought I had a bad regulator because I wasn't getting any flow. I just got the righty tighty thing messed up and I hadn't screwed the regulator adjustment in far enough. It had to go way past what I thought. Once I did pressure popped up and I was ready to roll.

Now that the daughters prom is past and Dad duties are for the most part done. Tree falling and firewood splitting is done for now... I can get back to playing with the sparking toys.

Quote from: JR on April 25, 2015, 08:49:46 PM

Just bolt that big ol thing back on and set the winch on it get a feel for it. With the grill on, fenders cut, tires and rack your head may start spinning with ideas and we get to see pitchers!!!!!

That's crazy talk

Looking great as usual! I'm kinda missin that big fat lip front bumper too... Gave it a Gump look.  :)

And since I now have 220V in the shop I decided to pull the trigger on a plasma torch as well. I had also been looking for months and months for a decent used Hypertherm 45 unit.

I found this come up at a great price and it was only about 10 miles away! I snatched it up after work a few days ago. I haven't put it to the test yet but did try it out before I bought it.

So all I need now is welding table....or just a couple of card board boxes and a wet towel... Let the SPARKs Fly!

So I got it home and assembled everything and got the CO2 bottle attached. Got the first roll of wire fed through and adjusted. Ready to roll. Plugged in the 110v plug and proceeded to try and weld 3/8" steel for a receiver hitch I was making.

It would weld for about 15 seconds and POP goes the breaker. Tried a couple more times on a lower setting and still popped. Plus the weld looked like a Pigeon had welded it. That definitely put a wet towel on my enthusiasm.  Bummer. So I shut it all down and resign myself that I need to wire for 220V out in the shop/garage.

Ordered a sub panel, wire, breakers, conduit, clamps, etc.... $350.00+ at Homedepot online and picked it up the next week. The following weekend I had 220V in the shop/garage at the far stall near the door so now with my 220V extension cord I should be able to reach anywhere in the shop and also anywhere out on the asphalt pad in front. I also set up a 30amp circuit to plug in the gen set and also two spare 110V breakers for lights or outlets if needed.

I was pretty happy how it turned out. Ready to WELD again! ;D

Quote from: cruizng on April 16, 2015, 08:21:03 AM

Finally took a pic of my Dmax... Also a pic of the frame rail that is above the driver side rear tire. That what Minnesota does to metal. 3 years ago it was perfect. No rust in site. Will have to attack the bad spots when I have time.

You going to take the bed off? I've got a similar issue... not horrible, but want to treat it all. Going to take the bed off and grind/treat/paint.

I'm not sure yet if I will take the bed off. I probably should. I have a small Kubota tractor so I might be able to lift it. I will give it a more thorough inspection and see how wide spread it is but I assume it will all be covered. The odd thing is the front half or engine bay area is fine.

Finally took a pic of my Dmax... Also a pic of the frame rail that is above the driver side rear tire. That what Minnesota does to metal. 3 years ago it was perfect. No rust in site. Will have to attack the bad spots when I have time.

Hey. For what it's worth. Here are some pics of the 21" light bars I put on my tractor. I'm not planning high speed so I just wanted enough to light up the night for plowing. I have one pointing forward and one reverse. They fill the bill.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D8RYGOI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Don,

So sorry to hear that Bev has passed but thankful she is now with the Lord.

Can I ask a dumb question about using Night Vision scope since I have never been around them?

Why do they have the eye cup on them like a video camera? If you had it on a 308 cal and your eye was that close, wouldn't you pop your eye?

I had a Trijicon ACOG scope that had a cup on it as well. The eye relief was never that close.

And wow... $10K for the Pinnacle Night Vision Sight Gen. 3 MVP-PVS22P. That would be fun to have though.

Is it possible to purchase ex military night vision on surplus?

Thanks for letting the noob ask questions!  ::)

Quote from: BobbyB on March 11, 2015, 10:36:57 AM

Quote from: Flyin6 on March 11, 2015, 09:36:03 AM

I have to admit, I have a real soft spot for these trucks as well, the F350's that is.  Sitting up a few inches with that big brawny D60 sitting there for all to see, they look great.

Well then lookie at this beasty:

http://greenbay.craigslist.org/cto/4923475114.html

Holy rust batman, Green bay...what do you expect i guess.  That's the exact amount I paid for mine.  I kind of want that bumper. Husker... be careful what you wish for. Big D has a fat lip front bumper from his Square D that looks pretty close to that front bumper that he might part with!  :o

Bobby are you around GB?  My dad lives in Escanaba, MI and I lived up there for about 6 years.  That is the frigid location I was referring to a couple posts up.

My wife and I went to see it on Valentine’s Day. She is a good woman.  The theater was packed which was surprising for VDay. 

I thought it was a great movie. I am also glad it was Clint Eastwood that directed it because he just doesn’t give a crap what anyone says.

Like Tex I have not been in the armed forces and have no relative reference for 90% of what you guys talk about. I can’t imagine the full breadth of hardships and challenges serving the country both while active or with post active service. At the end of the movie while the credits were rolling and they were showing his funeral procession, the service at Dallas Stadium, and with the people lining the freeways you could have heard a pin drop. Once the credits finished everyone stood up and walked out without saying a word. It was emotional for so many. I wondered what each of their stories was. I’m not sure why but I was wiping away tears through many scenes. Must be getting old and soft.

I tend to look at the positives. He was a true representative of the desire to be a sheepdog. I had seen that reference in a Higher Caliber post a while back but wasn’t familiar with it until after the movie I looked it up and read it. Hopefully I won’t be the only one wanting to know what drove Chris Kyle to duty. By looking at the revenue and attendance numbers of the movie so many good things are coming out of it. Hopefully the Kyle family is taken care of and also might able to help other families in similar situations. There are many. It also shows that there is a silent majority that does support exceptionalism and patriotism and just possibly enough of a kick in the pants to evaluate if they want to be a sheep or not. How many Dads will now have the Sheepdog talk with their kids because of the movie? I hope many. Maybe the movie will help discussing the current crisis of suicide within the military? How can they be helped so they see positive long term options? It really breaks my heart that 20 a day would feel that is the way out.

We are currently living under the dark cloud of Obama and his associates but maybe this movie might highlight what this Republic needs. Not socialism. Nor Theocracy. We need a republic constitutionalists. Ready for Hillary makes me gag.

If the movie will help people drive towards holding the VA responsible for care and driving out the corrupt administrators then it is a positive. If it will drive fair pay it is positive. If it will drive companies to hire vets before others it is a positive. If it will push our military leaders to fight against the neutering of the greatest fighting force on the planet it is a positive. I could go on and on….. terrible

I think people are sick of the Jesse Ventura’s, Michael Moore’s, Sean Penn’s, and Seth Rogan’s, of the world. Hopefully the Sniper will stick if the back of everyone’s brain when evaluating decisions.

Thank you all that lived and breathed it.

Ok.  I will post so everyone can get a chuckle.

From what I understand of the question it is your favorite gun you currently own. Not your fav you would like to have. So here go's. Ruger Mini 14. Never seems to jam with whatever ammo I have at the time and I can actually hit a barn at 50 yards... So see ya set the bar low.  :) Oh and the scope.. I have old fartest eyes so I need all the help I can get even at 50 yards.

I'll chime in on this one...

Favorite brand is Yuban from the can. Now they are plastic though.

Favorite memory is when I was a teen just starting Elk Hunting in Colorado. We had a big walled tent with a wood stove inside. It was my job to get up early, knock the frost off everything, get the wood stove going and fire up the percolated drip coffee on top of the wood stove. It was in the zero degree's area every morning and I can remember shivering my tail off just waiting the the wood stove to fire up and the coffee to be ready.

Once done I would have a steel cup full of hot coffee that would warm my hands and get me going. I didn't really like the taste but man... it felt good getting warm! :)