From: John De Armond
Subject: Re: Ed and Neon John were right
Date: Fri, 19 Nov 1999 22:39:19 EST
Newsgroups: rec.outdoors.rv-travel

Scott Leahy wrote:
> 
> There has been some fine information passed along in these groups
> lately concerning tires. It all made great sense, and I am here to
> tell you that I paid some small degree of lip service to the fine
> information I was being offered by Neon John and Tire-Savant Ed and
> then I didn't do a damned thing else.

Thank you.  Appreciate the compliment/feedback.

> 
> Meanwhile, anybody know how to make duct tape leak proof?
>

Lots 'n lots of it'.  Almost nothing 100 mile an hour tape won't fix
if you use enough of it.  I've run a whole race before with the
fiberglass tank on my motorcycle held together with 20 or 30 lbs of
said tape after an unpleasant encounter with a tree.

Seriously, I carry a roll of that aluminum duct tape used for
ductboard ducting.  Available at Home Depot or HVAC suppliers. 
Adhesive-backed Aluminum foil.  More resistant to gasoline than
regular hunnerd mileanhour tape and totally impervious to soaking
through.  I've held radiator hoses together with alternating layers
of aluminum and regular duct tape.  Yet another great use.

Another item I keep in my tool kit is the silicone self-vulcanizing
electrical tape.  Once self-vulcanized, it is impervious to almost
every fluid on a vehicle.  You have to make sure you get the
silicone variety - almost always rust red colored.  Regular
self-vulcanizing rubber electrical tape turns to goo in gasoline.

Finally, I keep a roll of 1" wide non-adhesive fiberglass tape in
the tool box.  I get mine from my friendly local electric motor
repair shop.  It has multiple uses.  Impregnated with silicone
adhesive, it can be used to patch anything from a hole in a gas tank
to a radiator hose.  Impregnated with polyester resin, it is very
handy to patch fiberglass.  Wrapped in alternating layers with the
self-vulcanizing tape, it makes an almost bullet-proof composite
that will hold a busted radiator hose together for miles.  And a
couple of loops of it around the pulleys and knotted off makes a
usable, if not noisy fan belt in an emergency.

 
> Scott Leahy
> sleahy@ohnayamspay.ridgenet.net
> (For email, just ixnay the igpay atinlay!)

From: John De Armond
Subject: Re: Furnace Exhaust
Date: Sat, 11 Mar 2000 18:01:23 EST
Newsgroups: rec.outdoors.rv-travel

rubylee wrote:
> 
> Ted Trostle wrote in message ...
> >Has anyone found a cover to place over the furnace exhaust and vent to keep
> >bees from getting there and building nests when you are not using the
> >furnace?
> >
> 
> Raid your stash of miscellaneous disposable plastic containers. The deli
> department of our grocery sells salads, sheet cakes, cold-cut plates, etc in
> clear plastic containers. Some of these along with a little duct tape make
> great temporary covers. If you take the time to cut narrow strips of tape,
> these clear covers are barely noticable at a distance.
>

Excellent advice.  I'd change only one minor thing.  Duct tape will
leave a goo after the sun shines on it a bit that may require
solvent to remove.  That may damage the finish.  If you substitute
BLUE 3M masking tape, this problem is solved.  Blue tape is labeled
"long term masking tape" or something similar.  The adhesive is
formulated to resist sunlight and turn gooey over the long term. 
Works great and is easier to get off than Duct tape.

John