Sinusvag - Thoughts on Stuff

So I've been eager to get a HVLP spray system for DIY stuff for a while. All the local outlets (Biltema, Jula, Clas Ohlson) carry one variant or another, typically costing EUR 50. HVLP is basically a technique for applying paint on to a surface using large volumes of air at low pressure to atomize the paint, hence the acronym HVLP,  H igh V olume L ow P ressure. The first HVLP-systems were based on a standard vacuum cleaner with a basic gun attached to the exhaust. Refinements followed, and as states in the US became stricter with allowable VOC emissions, the HVLP-technology boomed. Nowadays, HVLP systems typically are based on a. a compressor setup with standard pressure hosing and a HVLP gun, or b. a turbine with larger hose and a special gun. The latter type is what the Clas Ohlson sprayer is all about. Apart from the lower overspray and reduced VOC emissions, the main advantage of this tech is you don't have to lug a compressor around. In the box The machine

So, we had a travel pack of probiotics lying around. There's a Swedish company, Probi, that have made these capsules, marketed under the name Probi Mage. The probiotic in question is a bacteria, Lacobacillus Plantarum 299v, Lp299v, that can pass the stomach acid and ensure you have a healthy digestive system. So why not use these Lp299v as a starter for sauerkraut? Instead of paying $$$ to Probi, I can generate billions of these critters whilst making some nice food. The recipe I based my work on was this one: http://www.wildfermentation.com/making-sauerkraut-2/ My procedure was as follows: Dismantle a huge head of cabbage (2,5 kg) julienne-style, add some 3 tablespoons of salt and 3 shredded carrots, a spoonful or two of caraway seeds, half a capsule of Probi Mage. Put in container (I used one made from stainless). Cover with a water filled plastic bag (food graded ditto) and wait. Let fermentation begin in room temperature. Will be interesting to

Some projects lined-up to do involve woodworking. So I have been in search of a smallish workbench for woodworking. Most children grown up in the 70s have some memories of the woodworking class in school. Me too. I know exactly what I want - a small no nonsense workbench able to hold the odd job while sawing or planing. Historically, there have been a number of manufacturers of workbenches for woodworking in Sweden. One of the few remaining ones is Sjobergs. These workbenches typically cost a couple of thousand Swedish krona. But I know a secret: Way back before the Internet, people actually made stuff at home. And they bought workbenches in loads. These are all sitting in old cellars waiting for the taking. So I went and published a wanted-to-buy ad in the local paper. Cost me some USD 10. After a couple of days, people started calling. Workbench for sale. Workbench for sale. After having collected some 20+ replies, I made my move. The workbench I finally bought was made by &q

Cambridge Soundworks SW310 from way back in the 90s I am planning a birthday party for my oldest son, and thought I'd let the kids play some old-school arcade games using an old PC, a projector, a DIY joystick setup and some serious sound. The game in question: Truxton by Toaplan. Truxton by Toaplan, arcade version So all components are nearly there but I lacked a cheap dirty sound system for the setup. Fancy me finding one for USD 10 at the local thrift shop today! Way back in the PC history, Cambridge Soundworks made some neat PC sound systems. Cambridge Soundworks were later aquired by Creative. Anyway, what I had found at the store was an neat old 2+1 setup with a huge subwoofer and two satellite speakers. Problem was that when plugging in the wallwart (12V), nothing happened. The led stayed off. Since this kind of electronics in my experience rarely fail without some trace, I decided to open the subwoofer up and have a peek to see if there were any burnt comp