Author: Dave Farquhar

Wire a Lionel ZW transformer

Dave Farquhar Toy trains , , , , ,
Wire a Lionel ZW transformer

When it comes time to wire a Lionel ZW transformer, there’s more to think about than just which posts to use. The size of the wires also matters. If you derail a train 12 amps of power can run through the wire for 10-15 seconds before the circuit breaker kicks in. You don’t want the insulation to melt and catch fire.

Proper wiring for the ZW transformer is a bit of a safety issue.

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Migrate Windows 7 to SSD or install fresh?

Dave Farquhar Windows , , , ,

Here’s a good question. Should you migrate Windows 7 to SSD or install fresh? And what about Windows 10? This is likely to be controversial and everyone has an opinion. I’ll weigh the pros and cons of each, as a guy who knows  a little about optimizing Windows, and who has been using SSDs since 2009.

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Fix bathroom light bulb flickering

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

Flickering lights can be a sign of a serious electrical problem. But bathroom light bulb flickering often is due to other issues. Let’s look at things that cause bathroom light bulbs to flicker and burn out more quickly than elsewhere in the house and things you can do to prevent it.

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

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Is this vinyl tile asbestos? How to check.

Dave Farquhar DIY
Is this vinyl tile asbestos? How to check.

If you’re working on a house built before 1978, and you’re renovating floors, you need to pay attention to the tile. Asbestos tile was very common before 1978, so you’re not being paranoid if you ask a question like, “Is this vinyl tile asbestos?”

While it’s impossible to answer the question for certain, there are guidelines to follow.

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Commodore 64 vs Amiga

Dave Farquhar Retro Computing , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Commodore 64 vs Amiga

Looking at the Commodore 64 vs Amiga seems a little odd, at least to me. After all, the machines were never intended to be rivals. The Amiga was supposed to succeed the 64. Commodore bought Amiga because they couldn’t make a 64 successor on their own, so they intended for the Amiga to replace it. It didn’t fully succeed, and maybe that’s why the comparison is still interesting.

Looking back, the machines may seem similar today. But in 1985 they sure didn’t.

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Restoring Tootsietoys and other early diecast vehicles

Dave Farquhar Toy trains , , , , , ,
Restoring Tootsietoys and other early diecast vehicles

Restoring Tootsietoys can be a fun and satisfying way to enjoy old toy vehicles. Whether you want your childhood toys to look nice again or just enjoy bringing new life to neglected examples, it can be as easy and as affordable as you want it to be.

I’ll talk specifically about Tootsietoys here, but the principles apply to other vintage diecast cars of the same era like Hubley or Midgetoy.

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Lionel 675 disassembly

Dave Farquhar Toy trains , ,

The Lionel 675 and its brothers, the Lionel 2025 and Lionel 2035, are among the best locomotives Lionel ever made. That said, they still need maintenance from time to time. That usually requires you to disassemble them. Here’s a guide to Lionel 675 disassembly that also applies to the 2025 and 2035.

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The HP Elitebook 8440p and Windows 10

Dave Farquhar Windows , , , , , , , , , ,

I got an HP Elitebook 8440p because I wanted something a little newer and faster than my old Dell E1505. It was certainly newer and faster, but it had a problem. Every morning it greeted me with a BSOD. That E1505 was getting older and it had its own quirks, but I don’t remember it ever bluescreening on me. Here’s how I fixed the bluescreens I got with the HP Elitebook 8440p and Windows 10.

Not only did it bluescreen, but the behavior seemed pretty consistent. Two days in a row, I woke the laptop up from hibernation, and about nine minutes later, it bluescreened.

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Vinyl tile expansion gap — do you need one?

Dave Farquhar DIY
Vinyl tile expansion gap — do you need one?

When you install laminate and other types of snap-together floating floors, you need to leave an expansion gap between the floor and the wall. Most people know this. So it stands to reason that you need a vinyl tile expansion gap too. But do you?

It depends on the type of vinyl floor.

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Wash an electric toothbrush in a dishwasher

Dave Farquhar Health, Saving money
Wash an electric toothbrush in a dishwasher

We bought our kids electric toothbrushes. They aren’t expensive and they seem to help our kids get fewer cavities. But how do you clean them after they’ve been sick, or one of them uses the wrong one? You put a regular toothbrush in the dishwasher. But what about an electric? Here’s how to wash an electric toothbrush in a dishwasher.

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