Author: Dave Farquhar

Lionel transformer pinouts

Dave Farquhar Toy trains , , ,

When wiring a Lionel layout with multiple transformers, it helps to know the pinouts, or what posts output what voltages. Lionel published a few lists over the years but none were complete. Here is my list of 33 different Lionel transformer pinouts.

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Fix a Roland XP 50 with no sound

Dave Farquhar Hardware ,
Fix a Roland XP 50 with no sound

One of my sons wants to learn to play piano. It just so happens I own a Roland XP 50 keyboard that I kept in storage for a number of years. It didn’t work when we hooked it up, but we figured out how to fix a Roland XP 50 with no sound. Spoiler: The problem was the battery. Fortunately, it’s not hard to replace a Roland XP-50 battery.

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Robert Rayford (Robert R): AIDS in St. Louis in the 1960s

Dave Farquhar St. Louis , , , , , , ,
Robert Rayford (Robert R): AIDS in St. Louis in the 1960s

The sad story of Robert Rayford (aka Robert R), the first documented case of HIV/AIDS in the United States, shows that if timing had been a little bit different, the AIDS epidemic could have happened a decade earlier than it did, and its epicenter could have been St. Louis instead of New York. His story raises some unsettling questions. How did HIV end up in St. Louis, of all places? And why did it stay local to St. Louis rather than becoming an epidemic?

His story made me uncomfortable, and sometimes that’s how I know it’s time to dig in a bit more. Trouble is, the more I dug in, the more uncomfortable I got.

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When you vote, use a paper ballot

Dave Farquhar security
When you vote, use a paper ballot
I don't mean this image figuratively. Fill out a paper ballot and drop it in the box.
I don’t mean this image figuratively. Fill out a paper ballot and drop it in the box.

Tomorrow is election day. When you vote, use a paper ballot. Paper ballots aren’t flawless either, but they are the less flawed of the two options we have.

So remember two things tomorrow. Go vote. And ask for paper.

The old Montgomery Ward building in Kansas City

Dave Farquhar Retail , , , , , , ,
The old Montgomery Ward building in Kansas City

I remember the old Montgomery Ward building in Kansas City. I spent plenty of time in the sprawling complex at 6200 St. John Avenue in Kansas City near the intersection of Belmont Boulevard.

When I was growing up, the three most dreaded words in my (and my cousin’s) vocabulary were “Ward’s over town.” That was what our family called the monstrosity, which was home to a regional distribution center, an outlet store, a catalog store, and corporate offices in a mere 2 million square feet.

When we were eight years old, this store was where Saturdays went to die. I don’t know how many of its 2 million square feet were open to my mom, aunt, and grandmother to look for bargains, but there was plenty of room for bargains to hide, and if there was ever anyone willing to spend the whole day in that store stretching a dollar just as far as it could go, it was my aunt. Read more

Permanence of super glue

Dave Farquhar DIY ,
Permanence of super glue

“What’s the permanence of super glue?” someone asked me the other day. It’s an interesting question and unfortunately, the answer is, it depends.

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Department 56 vs Lemax

Dave Farquhar Model Building , , , , , , , , , ,
Department 56 vs Lemax

Department 56 vs Lemax is a battle between the two biggest names in holiday villages. There are a lot of similarities between the two brands, but the differences may matter to you. Here’s what you need to know if you’re considering one or the other.

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DD-WRT compatible routers

Dave Farquhar DD-WRT , , ,

It’s not as easy to find DD-WRT compatible routers as it should be. Or maybe I should say it’s not as easy to find out if a particular router is compatible with DD-WRT as it could be. Here’s the trick.

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Strip insulation from thin wires

Dave Farquhar DIY

A longtime reader asked last week how to strip insulation from thin wires–really thin wires. That’s a great question. I used to use wire wrap wire to build my own computer circuits, and garden-variety wire strippers don’t do the job. Here are four options you can use when you’re repairing electronics with fine wire.

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How to repair wire insulation

Dave Farquhar DIY, Toy trains
How to repair wire insulation

Sometimes wire insulation gets damaged. The wire will still work, but exposed metal increases the risk of short circuit, electrical shock, or even fire. When you come across damaged insulation, you really need to fix it. Here’s how to repair wire insulation.

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