Author: Dave Farquhar

American Flyer 1275 circuit breaker instructions

Dave Farquhar Toy trains , ,

In spite of being older and rarer than the Lionel 92 circuit breaker, the American Flyer 1275 circuit breaker usually sells for less. It performs essentially the same function and is easy to adjust.

Here’s how to hook it up.

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Glue coming up between vinyl tiles

Dave Farquhar DIY ,
Glue coming up between vinyl tiles

If you have a problem with glue coming up between vinyl tiles when you lay them, I have a couple of solutions.

And you will want to solve the problem. The glue discolors the tile, and doesn’t get any better with age. It attracts unsightly dirt and then nothing about it looks good.

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Cheap Babe Ruth baseball cards

Dave Farquhar Baseball
Cheap Babe Ruth baseball cards

Everyone who collects baseball cards wants a Babe Ruth card. Unfortunately, cheap Babe Ruth baseball cards are pretty hard to come by. His most famous cards, 1930s Goudeys, cost as much as a nice car. Even though I’m not much of a car guy, the car is more practical. Even unattractive 1910s and 1920s strip cards of Ruth run four figures, especially cards from his early days with the Boston Red Sox. But there are several vintage cards of Ruth’s that don’t always break the bank, including cards from his playing days. You just have to look off the beaten path.

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Dangers of public wifi — and how to stay safe

Dave Farquhar security , , ,

When it comes to the dangers of public wifi, many people tend to take one of two extreme approaches. Some don’t give it a thought at all. Some refuse to use it at all. Neither approach is completely practical. So what are the dangers of public wifi, and how can you avoid them?

Here are the dangers and the precautions to take against them.

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Why Jack Tramiel left Commodore

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing
Why Jack Tramiel left Commodore

Retro computing fans, especially Commodore and Atari enthusiasts, all know the story. Jack Tramiel left Commodore, the company he founded, in early 1984 at the height of its success. Then, within a few months, he gained control of Commodore rival Atari.

But why?

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Wiring a Lionel 1033 transformer

Dave Farquhar Toy trains , , , ,
Wiring a Lionel 1033 transformer

When it comes to wiring a Lionel 1033 transformer or its brothers, the Lionel 1044 and 4090, there’s more to consider than just which posts to use. The size of the wires also matters. If you derail a train 4 amps of power can run through the wire for 10-15 seconds before the circuit breaker kicks in. Although this is less of an issue than with Lionel’s larger transformers, a 1033, 1044 or 4090 still has enough power to melt wire and make it smoke or even catch fire.

Proper wiring for the 1033 transformer is a bit of a safety issue. It’s not just about preventing voltage drop to keep your train running smoothly. A smooth running train is nice, but safety is a must.

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Tootsietoys and lead paint

Dave Farquhar Uncategorized , , ,

When it comes to old toys, a lot of people forget about lead paint. It’s not a bad idea to be concerned about Tootsietoys and lead paint. That said, we also have to be realistic and reasonable. There’s no reason to be Scaredy Squirrel.

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Fix kitchen light bulb flickering

Dave Farquhar DIY, Saving money , , , ,
Fix kitchen light bulb flickering

Flickering lights can be a sign of a serious electrical problem. But kitchen light bulb flickering often is due to other issues because a kitchen provides challenges you usually don’t find elsewhere in the house. Let’s look at things that cause kitchen light bulbs to flicker and burn out more quickly than other rooms and things you can do to prevent it.

And yes, flickering usually does go hand in hand with reduced lifespan.

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Best Pfsense hardware

Dave Farquhar Hardware, security , , , , ,

The best Pfsense hardware is rather subjective. I think the ideal Pfsense box should deliver solid performance while being affordable.

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How safe is my computer from hackers?

Dave Farquhar security , , , , ,

On Monday, March 13 at approximately 10:30 AM CST, I will be appearing on KFUO Radio’s Faith and Family program to discuss home computer security with host Andy Bates. One of the questions he’s planning to ask: How can I know how secure my home computer is? Or, to put his question another way, how safe is my computer from hackers?

I’m going to use this space to elaborate ahead of time on some of the things we are going to talk about. We could talk for an hour on any of the questions he’s going to ask, and he gave me three questions and 25 minutes. This is my workaround.

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