Author: Dave Farquhar

Are home warranty plans worth it?

Dave Farquhar Landlording, Saving money
Are home warranty plans worth it?

Are home warranty plans worth it? Do you need a home warranty? As a longtime home owner and landlord, I have experience with home warranties. Here’s when I’ve found they’re worth it, and how I decide when to go without.

Offering a home warranty certainly makes your home more marketable when you’re selling. But when it comes to buying one myself, I don’t bother anymore. Here’s why.

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TV wall mount won’t unfold

Dave Farquhar DIY
TV wall mount won’t unfold

I bought a TV wall mount, and then when I went to set it up, I couldn’t unfold it to attach it. It took some time but I figured out what to do. Here’s what to do when your TV wall mount won’t unfold.

TV wall mounts have to be very tight to support the mass of a TV, and without the mass of a TV on them, they can be difficult to unfold. You may have to get creative to reach the adjustment screws, and try turning them the opposite way you think. If you just can’t reach the screws, a little bit of disassembly may be necessary to get to them, but this isn’t terribly difficult to do.

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How to reboot a modem and router

Dave Farquhar Hardware
How to reboot a modem and router

How do you reboot a modem and router? And does it really do any good? The occasional reboot can be good preventative maintenance, so here’s how to do it, why, and how frequently. And while rebooting is something tech support tends to use as a crutch, it’s also frequently very effective. That’s why it’s always been one of the first things I try when troubleshooting.

There are usually two or even three ways to reboot your router, and there may be more than one way to reboot your modem. Usually the simplest, safest way is just to power-cycle them.

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Which post office is open on Sunday?

Dave Farquhar Retail
Which post office is open on Sunday?

If you ask the US Postal Service, the post office is closed on Sundays. But that doesn’t mean you can’t mail a package on Sunday. There’s a loophole, and I’ve used it myself. A lot. This can be a useful life hack.

While the traditional post offices are not open on Sunday, many USPS retail stores are open for limited hours on Sundays. You can mail a package from one of those stores if it’s open, and it will get a Sunday postmark.

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Marx caboose values

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
Marx caboose values

While we’re discussing Marx values, I might as well go ahead and write about Marx caboose values too. It’s only a matter of time before someone will want that information too.

Cabooses are much like any other Marx train. The most common Marx cabooses are worth around $10. There are a couple dozen Marx cabooses worth more than that.

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Coax cable TV antenna you can make yourself

Dave Farquhar DIY
Coax cable TV antenna you can make yourself

You can make a surprisingly good digital TV antenna out of a piece of unused coax cable. While not suitable for pulling in distant signals, inside a metro area, this homemade antenna you can make in 15 minutes pulls in dozens of HDTV channels.

You can make a simple TV antenna by stripping off the last six inches of insulation off a standard coax TV cable, folding back the shielding, and leaving six inches of bare copper wire. Where I live, 10 miles from the St. Louis city limit, this simple antenna pulls in 40 channels. If you live outside a major city, you’re better off with a Gray-Hoverman design.

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Liquid Nails vs wood glue

Dave Farquhar DIY
Liquid Nails vs wood glue

Which is better, Liquid Nails or wood glue? It depends on what you need to stick together. And there are times when Liquid Nails is more convenient, but wood glue will give a stronger bond, long-term. So let’s look at Liquid Nails vs wood glue.

Construction adhesives like Liquid Nails give a strong bond with quick grab, and they work well on dissimilar surfaces. But for some applications, wood glue is better, especially if you use a premium wood glue.

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Is St Louis dangerous?

Dave Farquhar St. Louis
Is St Louis dangerous?

Is St Louis dangerous? It’s a little more dangerous than places most people consider safe. But the dangers of St. Louis are at least slightly overblown, and they are certainly manageable.

St Louis crime rates are often reported in ways to make them sound larger than the actual risk. But beyond that, the rule in St Louis is that if you don’t go looking for trouble, trouble probably won’t find you.

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Openoffice vs Libreoffice

Dave Farquhar Software
Openoffice vs Libreoffice

If you need a free, open source office suite, the leading choices are Openoffice and Libreoffice. And if you’re comparing, the two may seem more alike than different. The apps all have the same names, the user interfaces are really similar, and so are the feature sets. It’s not a coincidence, but there are some differences. Let’s take a look at Openoffice vs Libreoffice.

Libreoffice is derived from Openoffice, so that’s why the tools are so similar. However, there are some minor differences between the two that may be important to you.

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What does diecast mean?

Dave Farquhar Toys

What does diecast mean? Does diecast mean metal? Diecasting is a manufacturing process involving a metal alloy and a two-part mold, called, predictably, a die. It was originally invented in 1838 for creating moveable type for printing presses. But in the 20th century it became popular for making other goods, especially toys.

Diecast, in the modern meaning of the word, refers to materials made specifically of zinc alloy and cast in a mold. It’s an inexpensive process that yields very good detail and strength.

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