I recently went into my attic and pulled out my old 1990s 4-track Fostex X-26 tape recorder. I was hoping to transfer some of my old band tapes to the computer. Alas, it is dead. While it turns on, the motor appears frozen, and the device hums. (I don't mean there's line noise when you plug a speaker into it, I mean the device itself audibly hums, even when not using the tape controls.)

I have seen online that some people repair theirs. It's probably beyond my skill level to do so, though. (And I don't really want to do it myself.) I have contacted a few shops near me (Los Angeles), but have gotten no replies, unfortunately. I was wondering if anyone here knows of a good shop that would repair an older device like this.

I have also contacted some places that claim to do cassette to digital transfers, but none have replied to my questions about whether they can deal with a 4-track recording. Also, just looking at their prices, it seems like it would cost significantly more to have them convert my tapes than to get the recorder repaired. (And I'm not sure what's on all of the tapes, so I don't really want to hand over some embarrassing practice tape or tape containing some out-of-context banter between takes on it.)

I've looked online for a used one, but all the listings I've found have been "for parts only", which is what mine would be if I were to sell it. And knowing how these things go, they probably all have the same broken part. So any recommendations are appreciated!

Back when I was a kid, I had a radioshack 200-in-1 science fair electronics kit this one

I loved that thing, and it sparked an interest in tech that ultimately led me to a CS degree.

Id like to buy something similar for my much younger sister, but nowdays everything I can find is arduino or raspi based. Id love to get something like that eventually, but I think it might be better to get a kit that more focuses on individual components first... Does anyone know of one sold these days?

Alternatively, if anyone has one of these and would be willing to scan the book, Id love to build one of these as a breadboard-based system.

The following are ramblings from my garden. I would love to here the ramblings from other people's gardens.

It's spring where I am, and I absolutely love spring! The last full moon (the one in February) I call the Angry Goose Moon, because it's around that time that my male goose turns into a monster, and I need to pull out my shield (a garbage bin lid) to move around the yard while warding off his attacks. His change in demeanor signifies the onset of spring for me.

Some people divide spring into early spring and late spring, but I live in a cool, wet environment that has a very long spring which is why I prefer thinking about the garden in terms of the moon cycle. The beginning of spring is Angry Goose Moon. During this phase, the hummingbirds start visiting, waiting for our native red flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum) to bloom. Everyday it gets closer and closer (I expect it to be in full bloom any day now). My hated Burkwood Osmanthus (Osmanthus × burkwoodii) begins rapidly trying to turn into a tree, and I'm reminded that I still haven't figured out what to plant in its place as I trim it back down a manageable level. And OMG the freaking cranesbill geranium (Geranium sanguineum) has once again gotten into everything, but I loathe to get rid of it all because the bees love it so much. This year I am being way more ruthless than years pass and have filled several bins of it for the yard waste collectors.

Usually this is also when I start seeds, but I'll be leaving for six weeks, so the seed catalogues will be collecting dust this year. Instead I'm checking out my propagation efforts from last year. I need to move a beautiful hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla) that gets way to big for the area it's in, but I've been afraid to move it case it dies, so last year I took 30 cuttings, which all rooted. It looks like 29 of those made it through the winter. I have no need for 29 more hydrangeas, but I now know I can move the mother plant, and if it dies, I'll have something to replace it with. In the mean time I'll plant the new ones in bigger pots to give away next year when they are more established.

Last fall I divided up some of the lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) I planted last year, plopped them into 10 pots, and brought them indoors to winter over. It looks like five of them made it. It won't be late enough for me to get them in the ground before I leave, but I will put them into bigger pots and get them under artificial light. Hopefully they will still be alive when I get back.

I'm not much of a rose fan, but outside my back window is a shrub rose (Rosa glauca) that has beautiful red tinged foliage and purple stems. It only flowers for a short time, and the flowers aren't anything to write home about, but they are followed by nice plump rose hips that I harvest for tea. It is absolutely in the wrong spot with its large growth and overly thorny stems. Last year I took a lot of cuttings of it and some natives roses that inhabit the same area, and it looks like most of them made it. Once they are large enough (another year or two) I'll plant them in a spot where their flesh ripping thorns won't be bothersome, remove all the large specimens, and replant the area with berries (I'm thinking about a mix of blueberry and honeyberry (Lonicera caerulea). Another potting up project before I go.

I enjoy plant medicine and started quite a few medicinal plants from seed last year. I started a bit late so nothing got in the ground, but it looks like most of them were able to winter over in the potting shed, but not all of them. I sowed 30 seeds of skullcap (Scutellaria baicalensis) of which only 6 germinated. I was going to move those six into the house to winter over, but I ended up with a spider mite problem in the house from having earlier brought in my toothache plants (Acmella oleraceae) and didn't want them to get infected. Unfortunately none of the skullcap survived. The toothache plants in the house didn't survive either, and I wish I had extracted their medicinal properties before their death, they were certainly large enough. But this paragraph started like it was going to be about wins. The biggest win, the one I'm most excited about, is that all of my mountain meadow arnica (Arnica chamissonis) made it! Their first leaves of spring are pushing through the soil, and their roots are pushing out of the holes of their pots. I don't believe there is a better plant for muscular aches and pains than arnica, and I am looking forward to harvesting it to make salves. I did seed way too many than my garden can hold, so as soon as I determine whether or not they they also are infested with spider mites, I will offer them up for other people to add to their gardens. I'm also excited that all the elecampane (Inula helenium) made it through the winter, though once again I seeded way too many. The added bonus is this plant can tend to be weedy in my locale, so I will only plant a couple down in the weedy medicinal area to let them compete with each other.

Side talk about garden pests. Besides slugs, which if I allow the ducks to move through the garden, don't damage too much of my garden, my gardens are fairly pest resistant. I spent a lot of time last year moving through it with a magnifier taking pictures and videos of the smaller insects that live among the plants. It's a whole other world living just out of reach of my normal vision! Of particular interest to me were a few of my phlox plants (Phlox paniculata) that had deformed leaves. On closer inspection I saw what I assume is spider mites. A few weeks later, taking video again, I saw what I assume are predatory spider mites, and a few weeks after that the phlox started growing correctly. There are so many predators out there doing "gods" work, and if any of you gardeners are ever bored, I suggest rabbit holing into garden predators.

I'm rambling, where was I?
Oh yeah.
I also use this time to severely prune stuff back that missed my list the year prior. In my culinary herb garden there is a bay tree (whether it's Laurus nobilis or Umbellularia californica I do not know). It's a monster that should not be planted where it is. I know I could hack it it back almost to the ground and it would come back, except that its branches cover my bathroom window in a way that gives me privacy from the cabin on the other side of the creek, while letting light in. It's this constant battle between keeping it small enough that wildlife can't use to get to the roof, yet large enough to afford me bathroom privacy. I just hacked a bunch of it off and I suspect I'll be doing the same again in the fall.

This place has a lot of problems, and I have to remain vigilant in celebrating the successes and not getting lost in lists of things to do. But there's a lot of beauty in our property, and I do enjoy experiencing it. Angry Goose Moon is the time of year when I am filled with the most hope for the future.

Is anyone else finding time for crafting these days? I'd love to see/hear about what you're working on!

I have spent the last month very slowly drafting a pattern for a skirt. After much time spent feeling apprehensive about cutting fabric (it's only an old bed sheet, but still) to test my first effort, last week I finally put scissors to cloth and sewed it together. I made several mistakes, but was so happy to have finally gotten that far, I didn't even feel bad about them.

I have a new basic block pattern drafted, and have even added a kick pleat so I can practice making that part. The new pattern has been cut and is ready to sew. 🤞 Here's hoping I did a better job this time!

I so miss feeling comfortable shopping in person this past year, but have really appreciated businesses that offer non-fussy, non-privacy-invasive curbside service, including and especially my local craft store. Place an order online, call when I arrive, they bring it out, and bam! Back to the craft room!
You know how sometimes what comes out to your car wasn't what you were expecting, though? Well, now I have a bag of poly fiber fill half as big as I am. Umm, which is... yeah, a lot. But, this last week I found considerable delight in making these two plush toys. The first is a gift for a friend with a soft-spot for small, unfortunate creatures. The second I thought could be a study for a self-drafted Cereberus. Maybe. I do hear the call of non-stuffed projects...

Eek!

Snout
Flank

✂️🧵✂️ Sanity through crafting! ✂️🧵✂️
While I wait for supplies to come in the mail for my next sewing project, I made use of my hot glue gun and some odds and ends to learn something new and make this boutonniere for my step-son for Valentine's Day. The pink felt is leftover from another project and the green started life as a protective layer for storing that came with a pan. Here's hoping he wants to wear it! 🤞
Front
Back

I do, and my personal go-to is the SOG Key Knife. Small, fits perfectly on my keychain, usable for most daily tasks, and not made in China, despite being inexpensive. I also tend to keep an old folding Buck my dad gave me in my bag for heavier duties.

Edit: added a photo of the SOG.

Second edit: Don’t get a knife for self-defense, they require significant training to properly use without getting hurt, and put you closer to your assailant. Learn situational awareness first and foremost, then if you still would like, pick up some pepper spray or a firearm.

I spent a lot of my youth training my dog for obedience and agility. I sorta-kinda got back into it about eight years ago when I got my first dog while living on my own. My trainer at the time stopped offering classes a few years ago. This was shortly after my dog and I competed in our first USDAA trial (which was a disaster, but that's to be expected).

I finally got around to ordering some new equipment (four jumps, a tunnel, and a set of weave poles), and I was reminded of how much fun it is! My dog (Loki, a 7 y/o Australian Shepherd) picked up right where we left off when I set up a super small course in the back yard at lunch today.

Does anybody else on Tildes compete or do any dog sports for fun? I'd love to hear what you're doing or any other stories about dog training people have. :)

Previously, on Tildes…

They're here, and they're gorgeous! I received them a few days ago, but with the rinks closed and a bout of depression (triggered primarily because the fucking rinks are closed), I couldn't gather the strength to go put a blade on them until today.

Pictures!

And as planned, I put up some roller blades on the old boots. They're Roll Line Lineas, which my pro shop assures me gives a very close experience to regular figure skates.

After a truly shitty stressful week, I feel a lot better just having them. It was nice going to the rink even if I couldn't skate there.

Unfortunately it looks like everything will remain closed until the 15th of January (which is ridiculous, since they reopened swimming pools here…). I think I might go out of the country for a bit to try them out… even if I have to quarantine for it, I am having a hard time dealing with the rinks being closed.

What are your favorite youtube channels to watch when you're in the mood for something positive and uplifting? No genre restrictions or anything, just something that really oozes the joy and passion that the creator has.

I'll throw this one out there to start: Bicycle Touring Pro. He makes wonderful, slow paced and positive documentaries about his solo and group travels on his bike around the world. If you ever want to just zone out for a moment, throw this on and you just might be inspired.

I live in Colorado and I love cycling along twisty mountain roads. The experience of being on a bike rather than in a car is a completely different way of experiencing the state.

I'm always going like 40 mph slower than the cars that pass me though, and I can only go so far before I'm completely exhausted, so I'm considering getting a motorcycle (It seems like I'd actually be safer, since at least I'm going the same speed as the people trying to kill me now). I'm signed up for an MSF class next week to get my endorsement.

I'd love to hear people's opinions on first motorcycles if anyone has them. I don't think the type of motorcycles people normally recommend (Suzuki TU250X etc) will work for me because of the large amount of steep road riding I'm planning to do, so I think I need something with a bit more torque. Something like the Triumph Street Scrambler seems like a good idea!

I'm also looking for advice about whether it's completely insane to store such a bike outside. I don't have a garage, but I do have a driveway behind my house in an alley where mostly only the residents of the block ever go. I can also block my bike in with my car when I'm not using it. Is this situation plus a disc brake and a cover enough to keep my motorcycle safe-ish from theft?

So if there are any sailors or prespective sailors on here some questions. What region do you sail in? Captain or crew (I guess also own or crew)? What kind of boat? What level do you sail at?

This is a lot of questions I know, but I've gotten into sailing more and more over the last few years and I've found it's one of the main things that's kept me sane throughout the pandemic.

I love bicycles. I really love the aesthetic of vintage bicycles and the easy-ish to repair nature of them. They are mostly standard off-the-shelf parts, nuts, bolts and washers etc.

Look for opportunities to give old things new life, a quote that inspired me from a YouTube channel titled Old Shovel. He repairs old tools and recently bicycles.

Since then, I have been restoring a 1974 Canadian Tire branded Japanese Bridgestone Youngway.

Any advice for a newbie hobby vintage bicycle restorer?

I shivered at the thought of being severely brain-damaged after being hit by a car while cycling about a month ago. I am now extremely humbled by the fragility of the human body. The vehicle that hit me was going really slow--a hard requirement of the lane. An apt cyclist can easily achieve 30 MPH (48km/h). That's enough to do a lot of damage itself. Now imagine a shock with a vehicle coming in the opposite direction at a mere 20 MPH (32km/h) (that’s not what happened to me BTW. I have no recollection of the accident, and no wish to get in touch with the driver. I don’t resent him at all, in fact he was extremely caring and wanted to ride with me in the ambulance but my mom was already occupying the only spot).

I'm terrible at physics but you guys and girls are probably not, so you make the calculations. To sum up, without a helmet a ridiculously "benign" accident at low speeds can literally impair you for life.

After the crash, my helmet went into pieces. I wish someone had got it so I can visualize the extent of my luck. It was an old helmet that should have been replaced at least 2 years ago. It cost me about 30 bucks and probably saved my life or cognition.

So, cyclists: own a helmet and use it whenever you're on the bike even if there are no cars around. A skilled cyclist can still crash all by himself/herself. And a car could appear from nowhere.

Some people get brain damage by falling in the bathroom. Why would you be safer waltzing around on top of a metal frame?

I’ve been wanting to get in to hobby electronics now that I have some free time, but I’m not sure what I want to start with. I am super interested in building an 8-bit computer but I’m curious what other types of things people have built or are building. Feel free to talk about any Raspberry Pi or Arduino projects as well even if they’re not strictly ‘hobby electronics’.

Being cooped up inside has made me realize how much time I spend in front of screens, for work and for play. I think it would be healthy for me to try to find something that's not screen related to do but remain socially distant, and I think learning to play an instrument would be a good candidate.

The problem is, I don't know which one to learn. When I was in middle/early high school I played the drum set, but having moved out on my own I certainly don't have the space for that anymore. I also thought about the recorder, since people play cool medieval music on it, but I'd rather not subject my neighbors to the shrill monstrosity that is someone learning to play recorder. I like the type of music that can be played on a guitar, but ideally I'd like something physically smaller, and perhaps a little more interesting. Also, for social distancing's sake, it would be ideal if it was an instrument where it is possible to teach oneself how to play.

Am I overcomplicating things and should just learn guitar? Are there any instruments that hit inexpensive, self teachable, small, and can be used in music in ways similar to a guitar?

I love planted aquariums and lifting weights but because of the corona and personal problems I haven't done any of that in this year.

Lately, I am fixing old camera lenses and reselling them on eBay I almost don't make any money but it is a lot of fun.

And you guys? What are you doing besides eating, working and sleeping?

I'm so excited. I'm getting measured very soon for custom-fit Harlick figure skating boots.

Takes 8-10 weeks for them to be ready, so I'll have them before my local rink reopens! I've been going to an ice rink much further so I don't get rusty in the mean time… it's fun, but exhausting (and expensive) to travel an hour and back every time for just 3.5hrs of training.

Booking for measurements wasn't exactly simple either. I have to travel to France, take two trains and three taxis to get to some city I've never even heard of. And that's the closest shop to me.

Seriously I'm hyped. I feel like a kid waiting for Christmas day right now, and this week I'm traveling to give my wishlist to Santa in person.