A balanced life

This little doodad is supposed to help me have a perfectly running motorcycle. I think I balanced my carbs pretty well - at least the four little metal tubes ended at all about the same spot. 

And it does seem to be running better. But it never matters what the job is with my bike, I always run into complications. On this little job, I snapped my fuel line. Replacing it meant I had to remove the airbox so I could reach the fuel connector on the carburetors. 

Of course, that involved removing the gas tank, the seat, the side panels. I began the job on a Friday evening, then spent all day Saturday working on balancing my carbs.

I guess that's how life is -- every seemingly simple job will deliver a multitude of complications. Overcoming those complications is how people grow and how they learn.

Something Pops would make

When I was a kid, my dad, Pops, was a master of making tools out of almost nothing - usually involving a 2x4 somewhere in the mix.

Here's my version of a Pops tool. I needed something that could clean out the metal shavings from my crankcase when I retapped the spark plug hole. I couldn't figure out a way to use a 2x4, but I did use some duct tape! Well, and a funnel and an old piece of fuel line.

And my shop vac. Does that count as a new tool?