Author: Dave Farquhar

How much does a blogger make?

Dave Farquhar Writing
How much does a blogger make?

How much does a blogger make? It depends on how much traffic you get. But it’s certainly possible to estimate how much you can make as a blogger and plan accordingly. Some people even manage to make a full-time living off it, though that’s certainly not a guarantee. Nor is it a necessity, in some cases.

A blog that gets 3,300 pageviews per day should generate $30/day in revenue, if not a bit more. A blog that gets less traffic than that only makes a few dollars a day. Over the years I’ve devised a formula that can get you into the $10 per 1,000 pageviews territory.

Read more

Coffee maker leaks? Try this.

Dave Farquhar DIY
Coffee maker leaks? Try this.

I fixed a strange problem with my coffee maker this week. If your coffee maker leaks and nothing anyone else says helps, try this.

In my case, it was my filter. Yes, my filter.

Read more

Should I roll over my 401(K)?

Dave Farquhar Investing
Should I roll over my 401(K)?

Should I roll over my 401(K)? Good question. While there may be reason not to do so, in most cases, you would be better off if you did. Here’s how to decide if you should, and where you should roll it over to.

Rolling over your 401(K) helps you keep all your retirement money in one place and can offer you additional control. In some cases, it also saves you money.

Read more

401(K) asset allocation

Dave Farquhar Investing, Saving money
401(K) asset allocation

When you’re enrolling in your employer’s 401(K) plan, one of the most difficult questions is your 401(K) asset allocation. They’re limited in what advice they can give you, so I’ll share what’s worked for me.

The key to 401(K) asset allocation is to get a good mix of stocks of large companies, medium-sized companies, growth stocks, international stocks, and bonds. This helps you to do well over the long term, even when the market has bad years.

Read more

What can damage a Lionel train?

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
What can damage a Lionel train?

What can damage a Lionel train? Neglect and abuse, basically. When well cared for, they’re pretty bulletproof.

There’s not a lot that can damage a Lionel train, as long as you store it in conditions that wouldn’t make you terribly uncomfortable, run it within spec and maintain it occasionally.

Read more

How to disassemble an Atari 2600 VCS

Dave Farquhar Retro Gaming
How to disassemble an Atari 2600 VCS

Whether you’re looking to clean it or service it, sometimes it’s necessary to take apart an Atari 2600 console. The iconic older models can be a little tricky to open up or take apart and put back together, but they aren’t super difficult. Here’s how to disassemble an Atari 2600 VCS.

An Atari 2600 or VCS is held together by 4-6 screws on the underside. The two screws at the front of the console sit at a conventional 90-degree angle, while the rear screws sit at a tricky 60-degree angle.

Read more

Titebond 2 vs 3

Dave Farquhar DIY
Titebond 2 vs 3

When you need wood glue, there are a lot of good choices you can use. Maybe too many. Titebond is a popular choice, but there are three different kinds at three different price points. What’s the difference? Why buy the original vs Titebond 2? Why buy Titebond 2 vs 3?

Both Titebond 2 and Titebond 3 are for outdoor use. The differences you’re most likely to notice are that Titebond 3 dries about half as fast and can work at a minimum temperature of 45 degrees vs 55 degrees.

Read more

Bobson Dugnutt: The man, the meme, the legend

Dave Farquhar Baseball, Retro Computing
Bobson Dugnutt: The man, the meme, the legend

Bobson Dugnutt was a fictional baseball player in the 1994 console game Fighting Baseball, the Japanese version of MLBPA baseball published by EA. He was a bench player for the Milwaukee franchise, a backup outfielder and pinch hitter.

Lack of a license to use the real names of baseball players led to a Japanese baseball game where they made up American names, with uneven results. Bobson Dugnutt was the most absurd name in the meme inspired by the game Fighting Baseball.

Read more

Roth 401(K) vs traditional

Dave Farquhar Saving money
Roth 401(K) vs traditional

My employer started offering a Roth 401(K) option this year. I was pretty excited about it, but it confused most of my coworkers. I walked them through the Roth 401(K) vs traditional 401(K), and my explanation helped them enough that some of them opted to take that route. Let’s look at the differences so you can decide which is right for you.

A traditional 401(K) is tax-deferred, which means you get a tax deduction this year for contributing, and you pay taxes on it in the future when you withdraw it. A Roth 401(K) offers no tax deduction this year, but you owe no taxes when you withdraw it, no matter how much it grows.

Read more

How much weight can a train table support?

Dave Farquhar model railroading, Toy trains
How much weight can a train table support?

Truth be told, most of our train tables are probably overbuilt. The size and strength of them isn’t the only consideration, and overbuilding them probably does make construction a little easier. But we also don’t need to go crazy with our materials. Here’s how much weight a train table can support.

Read more