I live with my iPod Classic 120gig, laptop with a Mercury air card, Phillips portable DVD player (speakers suck tho, use headphones) and a basic Leatherman multi-tool I got for free when I subscribed to a newspaper once. Oh yeah, my handiest gadget, which none of you can use because it's specific to my job, is this little gem.

Man, I don't know how I ever got along without one of these. They make sliding my tandems a breeze!

I don't know if I understand this. You have to move your trailer axles around depending on the load?

Yes, there are regulations on total weight and weight per axle. Ever see trucks carrying those big coils of metal, or rolls of paper? Getting the weight distributed on the axles can be a bitch.

I bought myself an ipod nano:) 5th gen, so has a little vid cam and an fm radio.
Got the same Phillips DJ headphones that I got for mum. They rock. They are light and comfortable but the sound's as full as the old-fashioned giant cushioned headphones I use at home.

Shouldn't you be using that money to help the poor? Oh wait, you are the poor... nevermind. :haha:
Seriously though, I'm glad you're getting a breather from the wolf scratchings.

Model number on the headphones please?

Glatt, what Bruce said. On many trailers (but not all), the driver can slide the axles fore and aft to move 3500 lbs or s from the trailer to the drive axles and vice versa. Some trucks also have a sliding fifth wheel (the black, greasy plate on the back) to allow the weight to be further distributed from the drive axles to the steers and back.

Moving more weight than that requires a trip back to the shipper with weigh tickets in hand. Usually, shippers with very heavy loads know how to load the trailer to get the weight pretty close.

The trailer tandems cam also be slid aft to make unloading heavy product safer by reducing the jumping (like a teeter totter) caused by a 10,000 lb forklift and, say, a 6,000 lb roll of paper. Trailers have been known to "walk" away from a dock that way, causing an unsafe condition.

Amazing. So how do you move an axle? Seems like it would require a lot of brute force. And what do those little gadgets do to help?

Glatt You lock the rear ( Trailer) brakes( yes their Are 2 sep braking systems ) , pull the handle resleasing the rear axel set , and pull forward untill it clicks in to place .
I have Never done this , but Have seen it done , and had to fix the Damage when it is done on a truck scale .

For watching TV anytime, anywhere, even when the power's out and where there are no backup or portable generators, I have this combination of items:

LCDDIGITAL, 8.4" Screen, Portable Digital ATSC & NTSC Tuners, Remote Control, AC Adapter, Cigarette Lighter Adapter, Built-In Antenna, Standard Antenna Cable Adapter.
http://www.lcddigital.tv/tv%20images...tvs/8-big2.JPG


Sanyo ENELOOP AA 2000 MAH Rechargeable Ultra Low Discharge NIMH Batteries [set of 10 gives 1 hour 45 minutes run time] for lightweight portability (I keep several sets charged).

http://www.thomasdistributing.com/sh...kage-lg-sq.gif


Powerstream 12 Volt Battery Pack - Cigarette Lighter Output, AC Charger, Car Charger, With EB20-12 Battery (20 AH / 240 WH, 10 hour charging time, good for 500 cycles) [gives 15 hours run time] for when a heavy battery is not a problem.
http://www.powerstream.com/z/Bag20AH.jpg

but do you have razor blades glued to your thumbnails?

No; but, they make gloves for people who do! :D

I've actually considered those, but there is a significant tradeoff between the personal protection from the kevlar and the general protection to the facility and cow orkers from actually doing a decent search with plain leather gloves. You can't feel a the small things that we usually are on the lookout for in kevlar gloves.

I have those, but they're a hair to small and refuse to stretch, probably because of the kevlar. :(

Cool! Reminds me of how you changed your lawnmower blades.