The Weather Channel is a riot today!

[killdeer43]

Stephanie Abrams is all bundled up in Times Square, but the best of all is our old friend, Jim Cantore. He, too, is bundled up in a park in Boston with a yardstick mounted vertically, waiting to measure the snowfall that's coming. :shock:
The ground is totally bare and people in the background are going about their normal Friday routine....while he waits for snow. :lol:

Love those weather junkies, especially since I'm one, too! :wink:

Joe

 

[chazmo]

Well, I think we're gonna' get a big dumping, but snow measurements are never the concern around here. It's wind, ice, and specifically power failures that are the risk here in central MA.

Anyway, nothing's happened yet. It's expected to hit hard after lunch-ish.

 

[griehund]

Sitting in the hot tub this morning I got snowed on. When I got out it stopped. Therefore if I stay out of the tub till tomorrow night the whole thing will blow over. But anyway, last I heard it is a very low moisture snow that will just blow around and should be easy to remove. Keep a stiff upper chin.

 

[walrus]

Had to laugh last night at the lines at the gas station, people filling up their cars. Where does everyone think they are going to go? Get some gas after you shovel out on Sunday morning! Sunday's supposed to be a nice sunny day...

walrus

 

[twocorgis]

Had to laugh last night at the lines at the gas station, people filling up their cars. Where does everyone think they are going to go? Get some gas after you shovel out on Sunday morning! Sunday's supposed to be a nice sunny day...

walrus

Ah, but only if they have power!

I think that the sting of Hurricane Sandy is fresh in everyone's collective psyche in the Northeast, especially on Long Island. There's still signs of it everywhere here, particularly on the south shore.

 

[chazmo]

That's completely understandable, Sandy.

Yeah, stay warm and dry!!!

 

[twocorgis]

That's completely understandable, Sandy.

Yeah, stay warm and dry!!!

Thanks Charlie. Now if I could only get my (barely used) snow blower to start! I ran it out of fuel (per the instructions) at the end of the season two winters back. We had no snow last winter, so I didn't use it at all. Went to try to start it yesterday and no go, though I know it was getting fuel because it flooded!. Pulled the spark plug, and am going to replace it even though the old one looked OK. Got some "extra strength" starting fluid, and hopefully the combination of the two will put me over the top.

This storm looks to be a real bear on Long Island, and likely worse the further east, and the further north you go here. The accumulations up by you look to be worse still. We've got winter rubber on all the cars here which makes a world of difference, and hope you have the same!

 

[rampside]

Pulled the spark plug, and am going to replace it even though the old one looked OK. Got some "extra strength" starting fluid, and hopefully the combination of the two will put me over the top.

Might want to check for spark before you wear yourself out pullin' the starter rope.

 

[walrus]

Luckily, in my general vicinity, and definitely in my own town, losing power is relatively rare. And when we do, its not for too long We are lucky in that regard, that's for sure!

walrus

 

[bluesypicky]

Stephanie Abrams is all bundled up in Times Square, but the best of all is our old friend, Jim Cantore. He, too, is bundled up in a park in Boston with a yardstick mounted vertically, waiting to measure the snowfall that's coming. Joe

Please someone, insert the Family Guy clip of the female Asian reporter swept away by a hurricane on live TV! :lol:

 

[samriggle]

We had a foot here in Michigan last night, just another winter day for us!

Sam

 

[twocorgis]

Pulled the spark plug, and am going to replace it even though the old one looked OK. Got some "extra strength" starting fluid, and hopefully the combination of the two will put me over the top.

Might want to check for spark before you wear yourself out pullin' the starter rope.

One of the few bright spots is that this one is an electric start, which of course doesn't help a whole lot when it won't start. :evil:

 

[davismanLV]

One of the few bright spots is that this one is an electric start, which of course doesn't help a whole lot when it won't start. :evil:

:lol: :lol: I know it's not funny, Sandy, but still.... I had to laugh out loud!!

 

[AcornHouse]

 

[rampside]

Pulled the spark plug, and am going to replace it even though the old one looked OK. Got some "extra strength" starting fluid, and hopefully the combination of the two will put me over the top.

Might want to check for spark before you wear yourself out pullin' the starter rope.

One of the few bright spots is that this one is an electric start, which of course doesn't help a whole lot when it won't start. :evil:

Just wondering Sandy, did you shut off the fuel line and then run it out of fuel and the 2 yr. old fuel is still in the tank? Usually what I do is, pull the plug, clean it up a little, heat the tip with a butane lighter, pour a few drops of fresh fuel down the hole before putting the spark plug back in and walla! fires right up every time.

 

[bluesypicky]

Here we go...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rii8LTPCbE

 

[twocorgis]

Might want to check for spark before you wear yourself out pullin' the starter rope.

One of the few bright spots is that this one is an electric start, which of course doesn't help a whole lot when it won't start. :evil:

Just wondering Sandy, did you shut off the fuel line and then run it out of fuel and the 2 yr. old fuel is still in the tank? Usually what I do is, pull the plug, clean it up a little, heat the tip with a butane lighter, pour a few drops of fresh fuel down the hole before putting the spark plug back in and walla! fires right up every time.

This one doesn't have a fuel cutoff, and unfortunately has a cheap Chinese-made engine, even though this wasn't an inexpensive snow blower by any means. It was one of Sears' "better" models supposedly. My mower repair guy says that the Chinese carburetors are crap (big surprise there), and even though I ran the blower out of fuel two seasons ago per Sears' instructions, there was probably some old fuel still left in the carb (go figure) that varnished over and caused the float to stick. I had a devil of a time getting to the fuel line, as it's covered with all kinds of cladding that obviously is deliberately designed to be difficult to remove (legal department at work there I suspect), but I did eventually. I clamped off the fuel line with a pair of needle nose vice grips (also made in China now I notice; that must be a recent development), and removed the two drain screws on the bottom of the carburetor bowl. I'll let it drain out real good for awhile, and then will put everything back together again, pull the spark plug, squirt a little gas in there, reinstall, and hope for the best.

Mower guy says that Briggs & Stratton engines aren't like that. Too late now I guess.

 

[bluesypicky]

This one doesn't have a fuel cutoff, and unfortunately has a cheap Chinese-made engine, even though this wasn't an inexpensive snow blower by any means. It was one of Sears' "better" models supposedly. My mower repair guy says that the Chinese carburetors are crap (big surprise there), and even though I ran the blower out of fuel two seasons ago per Sears' instructions, there was probably some old fuel still left in the carb (go figure) that varnished over and caused the float to stick. I had a devil of a time getting to the fuel line, as it's covered with all kinds of cladding that obviously is deliberately designed to be difficult to remove (legal department at work there I suspect), but I did eventually. I clamped off the fuel line with a pair of needle nose vice grips (also made in China now I notice; that must be a recent development), and removed the two drain screws on the bottom of the carburetor bowl. I'll let it drain out real good for awhile, and then will put everything back together again, pull the spark plug, squirt a little gas in there, reinstall, and hope for the best.

Reminds of what I recently been through to get my weed whacker up and running.
Makes you wonder if it's really worth your time... I spent days (had to go back and forth to the mower shop to get the right size lines) fixing that thing and taking card apart, when a new (rebuilt) one is only sold for $120 or so....
Kinda makes you wonder if these thing should be used a couple times like a disposable razor and then thrown away to be replaced by a new one... :roll:
Good luck getting ready Sandy!

 

[chazmo]

Sandy, you got the GAD version.

 

[The Guilds of Grot]

Sandy, you got the GAD version.

Now that's funny right there! :lol:


Now I'm off to check that our generator starts! :?