I like fixing stuff

I like fixing stuff, doesn’t really matter what it is, if its broke, I fix it. Sometimes it’s not broke, but I still fix it and make it better. For instance, other folks have developed some really cool open source software. Works great, does it’s job. But I can’t resist figuring it out and making it do new things, like adding more color to the satellite imagery, or receiving more data.

And it doesn’t have to be radio or satellite related. My wife and I needed a new riding lawnmower. The old one that we bought for $50 10 years ago, (that I fixed and kept running) we gave to our kids for there new house. So one day why out for a drive we saw a mower for sale in a guy’s front yard, looked great and only $200, but I could tell, it needed some fixing. So another $70 for a new front axle and a mower deck mounting plate. it runs great and should last many years.

Recently or gas grill finally started to rust away to the point it really couldn’t be fixed, it needed to be replaced. We had a nice Weber grill, and yes I have fixed it several times, new burners, new plates, but we grill out A Lot, so it was time to say goodbye. I started looking for a new grill…wow the ones I wanted were really expensive! So I hit the Facebook marketplace. The first grill I found that looked really good, was $300 and was closeby. But the seller had already sold it…damn. So I kept looking, then about a week later I saw a grill, not just any grill, but a commercial-grade Vermont Castings 5 burner! Holy crap, new those sell for about $1700! and this was had been reduced from $325 to $175! Pictures looked great, but I knew it might need some fixing, and it was in another state!

So my wife and I made the 1 1/2 drive to go look at it and get it. WOW it was so much bigger and heavier than I thought, But, it looked to be in really good shape, LED back lighting, 5 burners, rotisserie, and burner, extra side burner. Did I mention it was Heavy? I could barely lift my end up with the seller on the other end to get it into the trailer!

Got the beast home and proceeded to take the whole thing apart, hosed it down with degreaser and some oven cleaner, then fired up the pressure washer and blasted it clean. Turns out it only had one bad burner, but I ordered 5 new ones anyway, and am going to replace them all. Turns out the battery pack that supplies power for the LED lights is corroded and a wire is separated form contact, so will have to fix that too. While the parts are on order, I put it all back together and fired it up! Works great! Tonight, it’s steak night!

Yes, the Grid Dish is mounted above my grill! Moon interference!

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