Author: Dave Farquhar

Where were Marx toys made?

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
Where were Marx toys made?

For a time in the 1950s, the defunct Louis Marx & Company was the largest toy company in the world. Marx’s headquarters was at 200 Fifth Avenue in New York City, in what is commonly known as the International Toy Center. But where were Marx toys made?

Not in New York City, it turns out. Marx had three factories in the eastern United States that it operated for more than 40 years in the region we today call the Rust Belt.

Read more

Save money on model trains

Dave Farquhar model railroading
Save money on model trains

People frequently ask me how to save money on model trains. After all, I write about them a lot. And I’m pretty outspoken about being cheap. Actually, cheap might be a bit mild.

It turns out there are plenty of ways to save money on trains and some of them increase your enjoyment of the hobby.

Read more

Is SEO dead? Not in 2019.

Dave Farquhar Wordpress
Is SEO dead? Not in 2019.

I saw a post on Linkedin last week proclaiming that SEO is dead and encouraging people to just write great content. Are they right? Is SEO dead? Here’s why I don’t think so. Not in 2019. Probably not ever.

Don’t get me wrong. SEO has changed. Old-fashioned SEO, which amounted to keyword stuffing and little else, is dead. But ignoring SEO is a shortcut and it backfires on you. It backfired on me.

Read more

Qualys vs Nessus: Vulnerability scanning titans

Dave Farquhar security
Qualys vs Nessus: Vulnerability scanning titans

As a vulnerability analyst by trade, I spend a lot of time using vulnerability scanners. Qualys and Tenable are the two market leaders in this space. I’ve used both in the field. Let’s take a look at Qualys vs Nessus so you can decide which of the two is right for you.

A vulnerability scanner is an essential part of an enterprise vulnerability management program. Having the right scanner is essential because a vulnerability management program lives or dies by having data that is accurate and actionable.

Read more

Cheap SSD drives: Where to buy them

Dave Farquhar Hardware
Cheap SSD drives: Where to buy them

Cheap SSD drives are relative. I fully expect platter-based hard drives to be cheaper than SSDs until 2021 or perhaps 2025. But there is a way to buy cheap SSD drives without sacrificing a ton of quality. Here’s how.

I’m a notorious miser but I’m also a tech enthusiast. The number of applications and windows I keep open frightens people. Over the years I’ve refined the secrets of running my computers harder than most people while spending a lot less on computers than most people. It’s a tricky balancing act. Using the cheapest SSD worth having is one of my best secrets. Of course, that means you have to find cheap SSD drives first.

Read more

What is HO scale? Read on.

Dave Farquhar model railroading
What is HO scale? Read on.

Let’s play Jeopardy. Answer: Measuring at a 1:87 scale ratio relative to the real thing, this is the most common and popular scale of model railroad in the world outside of the United Kingdom. The question, of course, is, what is HO scale. It’s not a reference to Christmas or anything like that. HO is an acronym for “Half O,” a reference to its approximate size relative to the train scale it overtook in popularity around 60 years ago.

HO scale model trains, scaled at 1:87 scale, are the most popular size and scale of model railroad in most of the world since the 1950s. It uses realistic 2-rail track and DC power.

Read more

Do light fixtures go bad?

Dave Farquhar DIY
Do light fixtures go bad?

Do light fixtures go bad? They shouldn’t, because there isn’t much to them. Here’s why, and what to do when they do go bad in spite of the long odds.

Read more

N scale vs HO scale trains

Dave Farquhar model railroading
N scale vs HO scale trains

HO scale and N scale are the two most popular scales of model trains. Both are a small enough size to be practical, whether you have room for a table-sized layout or want to build a basement-sized empire. Here are the pros and cons and considerations of N scale vs HO scale trains.

Read more

Quiet your mechanical keyboard with o-rings

Dave Farquhar Hardware
Quiet your mechanical keyboard with o-rings

I bought a mechanical keyboard with Cherry Brown knockoff switches in it, but found it was too loud to use on conference calls. I found the same was true even of a Cherry MX Red keyboard like a Hyperx Alloy FPS Pro. Fortunately, if you want to quiet down a mechanical keyboard further, you have some options. Here’s how to quiet your mechanical keyboard with o-rings.

Read more

Marx trains history, 1934-1974

Dave Farquhar Toy trains
Marx trains history, 1934-1974

Marx isn’t as synonymous with electric trains as some of its competitors, but Louis Marx had a good run. It outlasted numerous other more-storied brands. Here’s a brief look back at Marx trains history, which spanned about four decades.

Marx sold its trains pretty much anywhere, as opposed to Lionel and American Flyer, which primarily sold in hobby shops and department stores. The low price gave Marx a blue-collar reputation that tended to hold its value down over time. But the Marx designs were reliable and attractive. This gives them a following that endures more than four decades after Louis Marx made its last train.

Read more