If you're a bunch older than I am, you're not going to need ANY money much longer. 😐

Somewhat difficult to predict, but I've had to raise my EOL predictions recently, what with medical science improving at a shocking rate. But our financial goal is to die at exactly the point that our money ...

Me: tired of false economies that I can spend my way out of in my waning years -- saving time for more fun things to do and better ways to enjoy them.

But I understand. You're still young.

Seriously, in the past year or two I've switched focus from "Do it myself" to "Pay for it if I can find ...

There's a lot of talking in circles here.
The advantage to hard airless tires is not having to fill them up, and the advantage to pneumatic tires is that they are more gentle on delicate musical instruments and delicate electronics (which are what I'm going to be pulling around - often over ...

I don't lack equipment to do it. My primary compressor is a Porter Cable 135 PSI, 4.15 HP, 15 Gal. Jetstream (I bought it new and have had it for a VERY long time). It has a long hose attached to it so I can either bring things to it or bring it to the things. Not exactly major shop strength, but a ...

That said, were I to go to Harbor Freight and spent about 20 bucks for a pair of pneumatic 8-in tires or might get away (fit-wise) with a pair of 10 inch pneumatic tires, either of those would (I'd have to measure for 10 inch) clear the top of the the deck.

I'm tired of pneumatic tires for ...

While I admire your tenacity and commitment to re-use, and to Harbor Freight as a supplier of needed parts (I've done a lot of that myself, including recently in reconstructing the wheels/tires on a little pneumatic lift cart my wife uses), ...

In terms of instrument carts, I've had good success ...

I have pretty much given up ordering from McMaster for this reason. It was never exactly cheap, but not truly prohibitive.

bloke wrote: Fri Sep 25, 2026 2:48 pm ... maybe aluminum wasn't the best choice (??)

I don't know. If you can avoid more weight and retain the necessary rigidity, it's a win.

Is that handle actually a spark plug wrench that you welded a long rod on and installed for dynamic main tuning slide adjustment? That's a great feature. Much more effective than using the 1st valve slide (and venting that valve -- as I had done on the Cerveny 781 I had). 👍🏻

(Just kidding ... but ...

.

If it's coming from China AND coming via the US Post Office, then there is no knowing where it may be and where it may or may not be going.

I recently ordered a digital page turner device from a provider in Mexico. It got out of Mexico in about 3 days and then went into a death spiral, 'round and ...

It seems to be Latin (Sol Germaniae) but Daniel helpfully linked it above in the fourth post of this thread.

Yeah, it was obviously Latin, and I couldn't see a connection to any German march -- or figure why it would have a Latin title.

I finally just found this full description of the ...

I've been reading this thread and just scratching my head about it ... What is this "Sun of Germany" March? What is the German title of the march that has "Sun of Germany" as its translation into English? I can't make any sense of that.

... so even five were two more than the taxpayers really should have been asked to subsidize, even though -in my view - 60% is a remarkably high percentage.

Taxpayers may not be subsidizing those students (or at least all of them), but someone is. They may think of themselves as self-subsidizing ...

the elephant wrote: Sat Sep 12, 2026 1:14 pm They claimed departures and deliveries at the same time in two locations 100 miles apart. Pretty amazing, if you ask me.

To be fair, "delivery" and "departure" both begin with "de" and are easy to conflate.

That's right. The USPS has cracked quantum entanglement.

Ummm ... I'm skeptical. I don't think you actually achieve any advance in quantum physics by delaying the report of reception of an item until you can simultaneously announce its departure. (I.e., more generally reporting an observation of ...

My experience was with the USPS.

My most recent experience with USPS involved a delay of several weeks in getting an item (page turner) from a Mexican supplier. It got out of Mexico in a couple of days and went into limbo in the new USPS dual tier tracking and logistics system. After I finally ...

the elephant wrote: Wed Sep 09, 2026 2:56 pm Tri-Star tubas are in the Eee Bee key.

Is that picture a "How not to orient your Sousaphone bell if you have someone beside"you " illustration? The guy who's the target doesn't look real happy.

tubaing wrote: Wed Sep 09, 2026 12:11 pm The update is that it is marked as delivered but... nope. Amazon says to give it 48 hours more in case it shows up before disputing.

That probably doesn't matter. As soon as you dispute it, it will show up at your door.

arpthark wrote: Tue Sep 08, 2026 11:48 am Votaw has some relatively inexpensive solder:

I believe that's what I've been using since Dan Schultz recommended the 60/40 mix to me. I got a spool of the 1/16" stuff and still have a bunch left -- but the label has lost legibility at this point.