Where am I? GPS-ready!

 I took this summer off from excavating, but checking out sites is still on my to-do list. I am now part of a group of volunteers that monitor archaeological sites to make sure they are protected With this new task before me, I am now tooling up for more fieldwork. That means more work on the blog, too!

In the new year, using GPS units will become the norm. To help, I purchased a Garmin Etrx to aid with mapping (mapping being one pof my specialties in the field). The Etrex 10 is the unit I purchased. It is easy to use; I will do more testing in the new year as the weather improves - we've gotten a ton of snow in Buffalo so venturing into the woods has been a challenge. In the new year, expect more tool histories and product experiments, which includes a new Ariens snow blower I purchased as Buffalo snowstorms are quite a thing to manage.

Happy New Year to everyone!

And then... Misadventures with Snow Blowers

So, my Troy-Bilt 28" had some issues. Thankfully, the auger cable arrived quickly and was relatively easy to install. Then, as the next storm hit... the auger belt broke. The woodland creatures nearby learned some new swear words that day. Thankfully, I had two backup auger belts for just such an emergency. That is not an easy replacement to make; it takes a bit of time. During the course of the install of the new belt, I got a chance to inspect the machine's inside. The lid over the bottom is rusting a bit. Be mindful of this One screw hole is already useless so I will need to deal with that soon. In any event, I thought readers would get a kick out of my continued snow blower mishaps. For the record, this is the first time this snow blower needed an auger belt replaced as far as I can remember... and it's getting close to 7-8 years old. Not bad.

Prep for Winter: What I should have done

Welp, I thought I had everything worked out and planned. I had put stabilizer in my snow blower in addition to occasionally running the beast during the Spring, Summer and Fall months. I even had the oil changed and stocked up on gas in preparation for the first lake effect storm of the season here in Buffalo, New York. As part of my prep, I have backup belts for my main snow blower, a Troy-Bilt 2840, and I likewise have extra belts for my battery (Greenworks 14V) and electric/corded (Snow Joe) snow blower. Then, the storms hit... and the snow blower failed midway through the work. The years-old auger cable snapped, and I did not have a backup.

KHAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, so I turned to my backup snow blowers, which helped me get the job done on my 80 foot driveway. Even more helpful was that my amazing neighbor helped with his snow blower. I did a lot of shoveling, too.

As an archaeologist, I am awesome with a shovel. Of course, I have a heart condition and am now in my 50s so I can't shovel like I used to. The battery and corded electric snow blowers struggle with lake effect snow, so it took a while to get done. From that standpoint, I offer a recommendation. Have backup parts for your snow blowers BEFORE the snow hits, especially if you live in an area that gets heavy amounts of wet snow. Here's a list of things to have:

1) An extra Auger Belt

2) An extra Drive Belt

3) An extra Auger Cable

4) An extra Drive/Transmission Cable

5) A replacement spark plug

6) Extra sheer pins

7) A container of oil rated for your snow blower's needs (and check your oil level routinely throughout the winter)

Look, if a cable or belt breaks during a storm, you need to have those replacements. I spent time
installing a new auger cable after work today. I also purchased another auger cable for backup as well as a drive/transmission cable as a backup... just in case. Better to have and not need than to need and not have. For the record, these parts are usually low-cost (I spent $5 per cable). As for the installing process, I turned to YouTube for guidance, and the repair took about 15 minutes to make. For anyone uncomfortable making such a repair, make sure you have a mechanic on-call. I also recommend everyone who can afford to buy a second snow blower (battery-powered or corded-electric). The great thing about those types of snow blowers is I find they do a great job of snow blowing decks. You can often get refurbished snow blowers on Ebay from factory outlets from major snow blower brands.

From the Past...

I just wanted to share an older electric-corded snow blower by Sunbeam (1958)

The Zero- G Garden Hose: I finally Found the Perfect One

 It was early Spring 2024 when I hooked up the garden hose to begin the seasons of watering the lawn and are plants/vegetables. As happens for many homeowners in the Spring, I found out the hard way that the hose had a crack. In my case, I saw the hose bubble up before it burst. That was fun. Anywho... I went to Lowes to buy a new one. Let's face it... hose brands preach about ease of use and 'no kinks', yet I'd yet seen one deliver on that promise. I went into Lowes with the goal to find one that would last, not kink, and most importantly, be easy to get back on the hose rack after use. I checked online beforehand, and the Zero-G hose by Teknor Apex seemed like the perfect option. Yeah, I know, famous last words.

The garden hose is an essential tool for homeowners and businesses alike. I think we can all agree on that. As with many inventions, there are disagreements on their origin. From my research, leather hoses popped up in the 1600s in Europe. Before than, people used water cans or other containers for watering plants. Moving onto the early 19th century, James Boyd filed a patent for a rubber fire hose after which the hose spread in use and usefulness. By the 1960s, PVC hoses were prevalent, making for durable hoses that lasted. By the late 21st century and up to now, hoses have expanded in what material they are made from, their sizes, and their sturdiness. Jump ahead to the Spring of 2024 when I needed a new hose.

Between my planting an apple orchard, my wife's multiple vegetable gardens, and a plethora of household chores needing hose-delivered water, I was in a bind when I found my hose now useless. Now, at the start of the fall, I can attest to the fact that this hose lived up to Teknor Apex's claims. It is durable, strong, and it is easy to get back on the rack after use (even easier if you let the water out of the hose. Definitely 5 out of 5 Trowels for a rating! My only regret is that I didn't purchase the 50' (instead of 25'). That said, I planted grass seed in an area that get little to no sunlight and was watering constantly, so the Zero-G hose got a workout. It works as perfect today as it did in April/May.

So, for anyone looking for a new hose, check out the Zero-G from Teknor Apex. Oh, by the way, a special shoutout to the Orbit company. Their hose nozzle was a new purchase this past Spring, and it's been a great nozzle for multiple needs.

References:

https://kingdaflex.com/when-was-the-garden-hose-invented/

https://pockethose.com/blogs/pocket-hose-blog/the-evolution-of-garden-hoses-over-the-decades

For Uzi...

Uzi Nissan is a hero. His family has long held the Domain name of 'Nissan.com' and ultimately won a hard-fought fight against a certain care manufacturer over rights to that web domain name. Uzi passed from COVID in 2020. His family continues to run the website. I urge everyone to view the website: Nissan.com. I am heart-broken of learning of his passing and that I just learned today of his passing. I have periodically visited the Nissan.com website; it gave me purpose and strength to see his words and remind myself of his courageous fight.

Additionally, there is an effort to collect donations to pay for Uzi's medical bills AND generate funds to help his kids attend college. I never got to meet him, and I only today learned of his passing. His story inspired me. Me... the coward who buckles daily to the weight of OCD found strength whenever he thought of Uzi. I toast you today, Uzi. I will never forget you, and I will continually share your story and courage with my students. You, Sir, made a difference. Rest in Peace!

Fundraiser for Ariel Nissan by Erez Halfon : Uzi Nissan (gofundme.com)

Carego Earbuds - A Great Choice for All Generations

Honestly, this review is different. I mean, I can’t really delve into Prehistory for any comparison technology. Now, if you want to be picky, then Earbud-like devices have been around since the mid-1800s (ear pieces for stethoscopes). As for the device we know and love today, that is tied more to ear pieces from the 1950s, leading into the 1970s and 1980s when they really start to pop up. Remember the Walkman from Sony? I had several sets of in the ear headphones during this time, and they were VERY uncomfortable. As for the more official “Earbud,” that is the ear piece that Apple produced with its IPod. Today, these ear pieces are wireless/Bluetooth connected and make for a great companion when walking, jogging or exercising (no need to fret with the clumsy wires of traditional headphones. How’s that for a history lesson?

 

Anyhoo… I recently purchased a pair of Carego 40H Earbuds. They were discounted to $9.99. I’ve reviewed these on the blog and at Amazon (though Amazon took my review down stating it had improper language – yeah… I have no idea what the heck they were talking about). Anyway, I received an email from the company after I registered my earbuds. I thanked them for the earbuds, which in turn led them to sending me a pair of their recently developed 60H earbuds. Now, after nearly 2 months of use, I am happy to report I love BOTH sets of Carego Earbuds. 

As for the 60H, they are a bit more expensive (just over $30), but the quality is certainly a step up from the earlier models they produced. Great sound quality and easy to set up with wireless/Bluetooth systems. For exercising, these are my Earbuds – I powerwalk constantly and these earbuds work great with my MP3 player – the sound is clear and sharp and perfect for my workout sessions. Definitely scored 5 out of 5 Trowels. 

For those who are short on cash, consider the Carego 40H Earbuds, which are currently at $9.99. I still use my 40H Earbuds from Carego every single day. They are high quality and dependable (both the 40H and the 60H charge in little time). Many thanks to Carego for letting me test out the new 60H Earbuds. Cheers!

Rating:  5 out of 5 Trowels

Carego Website:

CAREGO- Wireless Earbuds & Game Accessories | Switch, PS4,PS5, Xbox – CaregoTech

GAMING BLOG – CaregoTech

Carego Amazon Page:

https://www.amazon.com/stores/Next-GenAudioInnovators/page/C34FDDE1-5105-4C49-B651-CB5B56F2DE54?ref_=ast_bln&store_ref=bl_ast_dp_brandLogo_sto

2023 Excavations - Lancaster, NY

So, 20 years ago, my wife and I bought a house in Lancaster, that was built in the 1940s. Now, as a Prehistoric archaeologist... that's not old. Having said that, our house was the first in this part of the town on William Street and once was an apple orchard. When we moved in, only 2 Cortland Apple trees remained. I have been expanding our number of apple trees during the last 5-6 years. Any how, the daughter of the man who built our house said that a stone arrowhead had been located when the garage was built. So, I have excavated several test units over the years. No prehistoric artifacts or features have yet to surface. However, I have found some historic artifacts: machine cut nails, old glass, and even a plastic disk that I believe was part of a toy gun from the 70s. I plan to display some of the artifacts I find as I also write a history of the house and a summary of my ongoing findings. This image is of the objects I uncovered and cleaned - all historic (at oldest, late 1800s, but my estimate is early to mid 20th century when the artifacts were used and then lost to time.

***Cheers to all. Tool reviews later this month! Be well!