Weber Mini Smokey Mountain

I bought my Smokey Joe Gold so need to start a list of things needed ...

Charcoal Hopper Material
24 in. x 1/2 in. x 12 in. Plain Metal Expanded Sheet
Home Depot $9.37
Cut to 3 inches high and use rebar twist wire to hold it in place
Vasconia 32-Quart Aluminum Steamer
Walmart $19.97 but unavailable
Cut out bottom tracing around 12 inch plate. Leave 2 inch lip. Our use the  the charcoal grate from the Smokey Joe,
Bolt cover to bottom and cut at same time. Then bolt or rivet to bottom for finish.
Buy a charcoal grate for a weber 18" kettle part #7440 (About $8) and cut one end off so it would pass through the pots steamer plate ridge. This is base for Terracotta or other bowl.

Terracotta Bowl: Some people use one, some use cheap aluminum pan. One guy uses a granite slab. Anything to achieve indirect heat. Others use the steamer plate as a diffuser.

Good blog post on building: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/155130/building-a-mini-weber-smokey-mountain-in-texas-mini-wsm

Good on burning/heating. http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/155368/mini-weber-smokey-mountain-test-run-data

Cameyo.com for Portable Apps

I am a big fan of portable applications for PC. These are apps that need no installation and can run from their own folder or a simple *.exe file. To be truly "portable" they need to leave no trace on the system after running, normally not terribly important. The programs can be run from anywhere, a USB drive for example.

Cameyo.com has a program that easily allows you to make most programs portable if that program is not already available in stand alone version. But Cameyo also has a huge storehouse of programs that can be run form it's cloud. This could be convenient when operating a foreign computer if unarmed with your trusty flash drive. Cameyo provides the option to either download each stand alone program or run it form the cloud.

Hat Tip: http://www.intowindows.com/run-windows-apps-from-the-cloud/

Canon SX50-HS Is Still My Go To Camera

The Canon SX50-HS is still my go to camera. The high quality optical and monster zoom is hard to beat in a fairly small package. The flexibility is just too convenient to pass up.

BUY HERE

Bluetooth Speakers

First I bought a Fugoo for around $129 on special. I was very impressed but wondered about the UE Boom.

UE Boom dropped to $169 so I bought it. It needed charging out of the box (critical level it said) and after a few minutes it is at 80% ... I'm not buying it. Then I started reading people who had battery problems charging after a few months. Why did I not see that? The complaints were limited so let's hope it is not a general issue. So what do I think between UE Boom and Fugoo?
1. Fugoo sounds better to me. It is just hands down clearer. (Boom is good but Fugoo is better)
2. Fugoo 40 hrs. vs Boom 15 hrs (why did I even bother?)
3. Fugoo volume buttons easy to push - Boom very hard to push
4. Fugoo lighter and smaller
5. Boom has NFC - Fugoo does not
6. Boom can run dual speakers (who cares?)

I would recommend the Fugoo.

Uninstalling Microsoft Office

Try this
http://www.thewindowsclub.com/fix-cannot-uninstall-office-2003-2007-or-2010-from-control-panel

Lenovo T400S SSD Replacement

I have a love/hate relationship with my Lenovo T400S that I grabbed refurbished. The touch pad drives me crazy. The active tap area is a small portion directly in the center. The screen view angle is directly perpendicular only. The sound volume is treacherously low at times and defies solution, at other times it is fine.

All that being said, it is thin and light and works in a pinch or for travel. Replacing the SSD has always concerned me because of the 55mm height restriction and the 1.8 vs 2.5 setup. I ran across this possible solution. I use a laptop until assuming room temperature is officially irreversible so this may be useful.

Aleratec mSATA SSD to 1.8" SATA Drive Converter with Frame

Crucial M500 480GB mSATA Internal Solid State Drive CT480M500SSD3

Newer version 

New Nikon D5300

Nikon D5300
ser 8375896
Nikon DX VR AF-s Nikkor 18:55mm 1:3.5-5.6GII
ser 51271476 (52mm filter)
Purchased from Gadget Circuit new for $564 2014-11-28 (reg 2014-12-05)
Battery EN-EL14a 7.2v 1230mAh 8.9Wh

AF NIKKOR 50mm f/1.8D $100 Amazon ser 3105873 (reg2014-12-05)
(very highly rated fixed lens for low light) I guess part of the learning curve is buying the wrong lens. For auto focus to work on D5300 the lens needs to be AF-S. I need a f/1.8 G. To be clear, Nikons without AF motors: D40, D60, D3000, D3100, D3200, D3300, D5000, D5100, D5200, D5300. Thanks to Amazon's return policy I only paid $5 to return.

Hoya 52mm UV (Ultra Violet) Super Multi Coated Pro-1 Extra Thin Glass Filter $26
Ordered 2 2014-12-04 (I will use these to protect the lenses when others are using the camera)

Great Video on using and setting up the D5300
And where would we be without Ken Rockwell's Guides (Mr. Rockwell leaves focus, meter and ISO on factory settings, a good place to start.) He curiously shoots small pixel and file jpgs. I don't know if I could make myself do it.

I love my Canon SX-50HS for the long zoom and convenience. It is not good in low light and at times I just want a wider range of adjustment.

Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX  52mm filter
Nikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-SNikon 50mm f/1.8G AF-S 58mm filter
Nikon 50mm f/1.4G SIC SW Prime AF-S 58mm filter 369 refurb or ebay
Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S ED VR II 72mm filter
Sigma 17-50mm F2.8 EX DC OS HSM $359 Digitalrev

L Bracket Ali Express $8
Kirk LP1 Rail $124
Desmond Nodal Rail $35
Induro PHQ1 - 5 Way Panhead $200

SPA Chemicals

I'm starting with these

Leisure Time 22338 Spa Down, 2-1/2-Pound $8.99
http://www.amazon.com/Leisure-Time-22338-Down-2-Pound/dp/B000V8BUBE/ref=lp_127
2941011_1_10?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1417378506&sr=1-10

2-Pack Hot Tub Spa Bromine Tablets 2 x 1.5 lb. bottles (3 lbs. total) $21.94
http://www.amazon.com/2-Pack-Bromine-Tablets-bottles-total/dp/B00AW3BFP4/ref=sr_1_2?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1417378704&sr=1-2&keywords=bromine

Leisure Time 45005 4 way Bromine Test Strip, 50 Count $12.16
http://www.amazon.com/Leisure-45005-Bromine-Strip-Count/dp/B000PSBAOM/ref=sr_1_4?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1417378799&sr=1-4&keywords=spa+test+strips

Floating Bromine or Chlorine Tablet Dispenser for Small Swimming Pools or Spas $10.54
http://www.amazon.com/Floating-Bromine-Chlorine-Dispenser-Swimming/dp/B007FSAY4W/ref=sr_1_1?s=lawn-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1417378908&sr=1-1&keywords=bromine+dispenser

Google Chrome Will Not Open

When Google Chrome refuses to open it is normally a simple matter to open "task manager" and close Chrome from their. Many Chrome entries will exist. Start the the largest first and all of them should close. If not try the next largest.

Sometimes however Chrome has something running and it does not show on task manager. A simple solution is to run CCleaner. It will detect that Chrome is running and offer to close it.

My Moka Pot

My Moka Pot - 6 cup Bialetti Aluminum

You will hate the moka pot at first. Some of the hate comes from the unseasoned condition. Some of it comes from operational errors. I can't help with seasoning. Only time and use can achieve seasoning. I have been using mine for a week and it gets better every day. I can help with operational errors.

First off you can wash it with mild detergent the first time. After that you will only use water and a soft cloth.

Next you are going to brew three pots and throw them out. This further cleans the pot and starts the seasoning process.

Now we are set to go ---

Beans: Espresso (I started with Starbucks beans) (My Cuban friends use Cafe Pilon)

Grind: Somewhere between drip and espresso, fill with slight mound but no tamping.
1. Simply fill the whole beans in funnel basket for portion.
2. Installing the top will tamp grounds slightly and rising water will make the grounds expand.
3. Clean the basket rim before installing the top.
(Currently I am using a blade grinder that has "settings" which I assume only adjusts time. My brews are great so blade grinders can work.)

Water: Preheat filtered water in microwave or kettle and fill just below the pressure valve.

Heat: Gas on smallest burner with lowest setting.

Watch: Leave cover up to watch and remove from heat
1. When coffee reaches where spout starts
or
2. When extraction first appears light - it will continue extraction with residual heat.
(Do not allow it to reach the spitting stage.
 Set pot in bowl of cold water if necessary to stop brewing.)

Milk: Use whole milk
1. 1/3 glass in microwave for 1.5 minutes or till glass is uncomfortable to hold.
2. Use frothing wand until foam to top of glass.

Cleaning: Hand wash with warm water only. Dry with soft cloth.
(I only use my fingers and water to clean the upper chamber.)

Store: With pieces separate to dry completely

Why I preheat water. A video that tested the temperature of the water going through the beans during operation. On standard Moka pot the water temp is cooler than optimum if not heated first.

If you need to close the cover, something is wrong. It should never spit. It could be the seal ring needs replacing or you are doing some crazy grind setting or tamping technique. It will always spit if you leave it on too long - so don't do it.

Aluminum? Yes it freaks me out a little and I may get a stainless eventually. On the other hand, I am loving my aluminum moka pot.

2014-11-05 I bought a stainless pot from Ikea yesterday. Made one pot to throw and then drank the next two. Zero bitterness or strange taste. It may be the way to go.

Things I don't like about the Ikea:
1. Harder to seal the two sections. Crank harder together because it doesn't fit as well.
2. Edges are sharp but unlikely to cut unless you fall on it.
3. Lacks the romance of classic design.
4. Not quite as strong but I am using a different blade grinder so still experimenting.

Things I like about the Ikea:
1. The taste is outstanding.
2. Not aluminum.
3. No seasoning and care free cleaning.
4. More forgiving. Just let it brew to the end.