The life and times of Chris Jones

A new desk

I was growing bored with the cluttered appearance of my old desk, so went on down to IKEA, and bought a table top and four legs, and got a new one.

Here it is.

Now, all that is required is to neaten up the rest of the room. I have too much large furniture in here, all of it is empty, really.

A before and after!

Just cos I can.

BEFORE

AFTER

Isn’t that tidier? It runs cooler, and is almost silent due to the speed of the large fans being lower than smaller fans, so there is less vibration.

Hello again, and Merry Christmas

This Christmas, for me, has been one of trying to make things colder. Why? Because I’m in a relatively small room that overheats even with the windows open. The source of this heat always was my computer. So, I needed to fix that.

The case PCSpecialist.co.uk supplied me was always too small for the job, and the 700W PSU came with an abundance of wires that were being unused, so were left dangling and consequently cut off vital air flow. As my PC is currently down in a relatively tight spot, It often seems to take back in the exhaust warm air, leading to it getting warmer. Throw a bit of dust into the mix, and the thing was cutting out whenever I tried anything CPU intensive.

So, enter the HAF 932 computer case. I chose this because it boasts three 230mm fans, enough to move air away. I also chose this as it takes in air from the front using one of them, so avoiding the heat recycling happening with side intake fans. Moving the computer was easy, apart from noticing I was not given a Q Connector, so had to find where the power and LED pins were from the manual. Afterward, the PC wouldn’t detect my soundcard, but I rectified that with a removal, blowing the PCI slot and reinsertion. Also below is a comparison with the old case for size. Click the images to enlarge.

The main source of heat inside the computer was the CPU, each of the four cores often hitting 57-60C when ide according to SpeedFan. To overcome this obvious problem, I bought theZalman CNPS9700 NT CPU Cooler. I was not sure whether to get this to begin with, as my current motherboard, the ASUS P5N-E SLi, has a massive fanless Northbridge heatsink, which is extremely wide and tall. Thankfully, after installation, it does clear it with a good gap between also.

The cable management on the new case is excellent. A “crawlspace” underneath the motherboard allows all cables to be routed in this way, preventing precious airflow blockage. Any unused cable can be stuffed around the back or at the bottom, where they do no harm.

All in all, these two additions have completely altered the temperature situation in here, with nothing really ever goes over 47C, as the Speedfan screenshot from after a GTAIV game shows.

Next, I wonder if I should OC the CPU…

Chris and Owen take on Bournemouth

So, me and orudge (Owen) went to see Sigur Rós in Bournemouth last night. orudge drove practically the length of the country, and I only went half way!

Well, I’m a convert. The whole event was awesome. The support band was okay as well. I didn’t get any pictures because the iphone camera is a bit backwards, and I didn’t bring my camera as people who own DSLRs get arrested under terrorism laws these days.

Now to buy some albums over iTunes!

When I returned I had computer issues. Dust has completely damaged the CPU heatsink, and when I cleaned and reseated it, it wouldn’t seat properly, and the computer would turn off by the time the logon screen finished. Reusing my old, original CPU heatsink worked a wonder, and now it all works again, but I’ll need a new CPU heatsink for the long term. Suggestions people?

Camera additions

After the photos I took a few weeks back of the Alwen Dam, on Oct 5th, I think, I noticed the sun glare could easily be stopped with a lens hood. Just holding the one from the 55-200mm lens over the 18-55 doesn’t really work because the field of view just includes a dark circle, so I invested in the HB-45 lens hood. This is designed for the 18-55, and fits on the end quite nicely. I also bought a Hoya UV filter on a recommendation. I did, and after attempting to use it the wrong way for a while, the results can be seen in photos I took yesterday, here. But unlike that Jessops link for the lens hood, I didn’t pay £10.99 for one, I paid around £7.99 from Amazon.co.uk, who were using some other company. Now though, they’re using another dealer who is selling for £19,99!

I also bought an ML-13 remote, which will allow for less button mashing when using a tripod, and self portraits. Amazon seems to have stopped selling this altogether. Must have been when the company who were selling for them withdrew.

Run up to Christmas

Why does everyone start talking about Christmas when Summer ends? In the past few weeks I have heard or been in many Christmas related conversations. The nights are drawing in and getting dark, before we know it it’ll be Halloween and then bonfire night. My only real aim is to not crash my car over Winter, like last time!

Things are getting darker quick.

What to do? Where to go?

I have a week off on the week of the sixth. I am currently at a loss at what I should do. If I stick around the house for a week, sleeping patterns are bound to become mental and days and nights will merge and become a single blur I shall Christen either Dight or Nay.

So, I’ll need summat to do. If the weather keeps up like it has for the past three days, then I may want to go camping somewhere. Somewhere further away than I’ve ever been. I’d probably go alone, as there’s nobody I know who’d alsobeup for a pointless camping journey. I’m currently thinking either Scotland or Cornwall.

An update

I have finally updated the WordPress software here, which means that the nasty error I was recieving with the tables has gone away. It also allows me to write on WordPress through the iphone, as I am now doing. Pretty nifty, seeing as 3G coverage in my town is excellent.

I still haven’t had my cars offending parts from the recall replaced, as I be lazy. I recently celebrated my birthday in town with workmates, and remember little. I’ve also been driving further than I used to. Last week it was randomly Cardiff. I wonder where to next? The UK is my oyster!

Just a quick test of the built in camera function of the WordPress application. Also pretty nifty.

Car Recalled!

I recieved a letter today from Vauxhall that states my car is being recalled as there is a fault with my specific engine model that could possibly cause oil to “self-ignite”. Dangerous.

No worries though, as the rectification is free! My only question is how did Vauxhall know I own it? Certainly the previous owner would have been given the letter?

No photos.

It’s all them ramblers fault. They keep parking their obnoxiously large 4x4s, complete with pointlessly towed trailer in the small parking spaces on the side of the roads, where I usually park to find some photographic locations. Not only that, but GWYNEDD COUNTY COUNCIL ARE BASTARDS WHEN IT COMES TO PARKING FEES. They can charge obscene prices, such as £7.50 a day. The SNPA aren’t much better – £4.50 for a day, even when there’s a free car park down the road.

What are they trying to do? I mean, people are going to park somewhere. To the side of the road, with most of them. There aren’t any traffic wardens in rural locales, so people find it easy to park on double yellow lines. I spent 20 minutes navigating through Beddgelert, a small village that should only take two minutes to drive through, just because of these people, and oncoming vehicles challenging the priority. As a result of this, no photos.

Updates! OMG.

Update time. The new car is ABSOLUTELY FLIPPING BRILLIANT. I’ve been driving it for a few weeks now and I can honestly say woo. Woo I say. The best thing is the Air Con. It was the hottest day of the year so far today – Not as hot as where it might be for a lot of people, but with the sun out it seemed even warmer. With the Air Con on, though, there was no need for any windows to be electrically brought down!

I went Quad biking at Catton hall on the weekend. It was brilliant. We turned up a bit early, after overestimating the drive time, but a guy was available, and so it was just us three on the entire 15km course. They’re very easy to drive, as they were automatic. It’s quite the thrill, and I recommend it to everyone, provided you’re over 18.

Last weekend we’ve started preparing ourselves to walk up Snowdon. I could probably do it now, as long as you know that there’s no turning back, but when there’s a car waiting for you back in the car park, the temptation to turn around when tired can prove too much. (Personal experience, Moel Famau) – Which leads me to think we need to park in Llanberis, and take the bus to the Pen y Pass pathways, so we need to press on to get home. Anyway, while walking up a random hill last weekend, I discovered a valley filled with bits of industrial past. Being a sucker for abandoned industrial equipment, I took some photos:

Looks like an old Aerial ropeway!

New Car

Hurray! I now have a new car sitting in the drive.

More photos soon! Woo.

Finds.

I was recently rummaging through some old things. My Grandfather was a fireman (in the steam engine sense) for British Railways in pre-dieselisation days. However, when Dieselisation came along, he took a position as a driver, operating out of the depot at Wrexham.

While rummaging recently, I came across an old book (left) dated 1962. The design is that of Class 55 Deltics, showing its dominance in peoples minds even then. At first, this might be naught more than your standard old book. Inside, to begin with, is a brief history of diesel engines. Seriously, it’s as if people had never considered combustion engines before, and for most railwaymen of the time, they wouldn’t have come into contact with one that often. There are technical readouts of diesel engines and how to perfom simple maintenance and even reparation tasks – A different mindset from today where our health and safety laws prevent a driver messing about with the mechanics. There’s even blueprints of the “Type 4 IC CI”, “Type 4 B-B” and the Class 08. Such a find was interesting, but as I was thumbing through the pages, I came across several old, brown documents. Each was dated 1893 and was handwritten, different from the text I had been reading.

Each one is signed by a Mr “G Grant”, and two seem to regard the Eisteddfod at Llandudno and passenger excursions, and the rest rugby clubs. A single letter is from the superintendent of Carriages and wagons Paddington station, and seems to grant some horse boxes and enclosures for usage. Every letter has been signed by “Mr Edgecombe”, leading me to believe he was filing these documents or was a secretary for G Grant.

I contacted the National Rail museum, but they already have similar correspondence in their archives and are not interested. I will attempt the local history museum and see if they will be interested in taking care of these letters, as I fear their condition will deteriorate if left around here.

No Photos

I don’t think there’ll be any photos for me to take this weekend, what with the fact that taking my car above 1500rpm might send shards of metal flying around.

This is a shame, as I’ve found the right setting to make the D40 stop overexposing grey skies.

Time for a new Car.

My current car is now on it’s last legs. A trip through a deep puddle at speed has bent a conrod.

 This here’s your typical cylinder setup. Mine has four of these. Now, water entered the engine through the air intake. It rushed into the gap between the piston head and the top of the cylinder. When it was the turn of the piston to come back up to the top, it couldn’t compress the water and all the energy was transferred to the connecting rod (Green) beneath the piston head. This bent it laterally.

A car in front had suffered the same problem, and the AA guy who came out to help him decided to spend five minutes on mine for free. After removing the ignition system and spark plugs (the tall thin element between the valves in the image), and turning over the engine, water was forced up and out of the engine. The car then started, and still runs now. Unfortunately I can’t take the RPM of the engine above 1500 else there’s a chance the seriously weakened con-rod will shatter and send high speed pieces of shrapnel in all directions.

So, a new car is needed. I have the loan money now (£7500), which will also pay for a year of fully comprehensive insurance.

So, what will I get? I’m uncertain, but advice is telling me to go for a 1.6 VW Golf or a 1.6 Vauxhall/Opel Astra.  According to WhatCar?, I should go for the Astra, as it’s very cheap to buy and run. For example, even a 1.7 Turbo-Diesel Astra has cheaper insurance than my current car had.

Any suggestions? Please add a comment below!